SoPo Seafood — Restaurant in South Portland

Location is great (5 star). Menu is ok (2 stars). Food ranged from fair to very good (3 stars). Service was terrible (zero).

Party of 5 orders lobster rolls, cups and a bowl of seafood chowder, and fish sandwiches. Lobster rolls were skimpy (we're local, we were in the business and know about these things) chowder was delicious with plenty of fish and good broth fish sandwich was tasty Server needs training, and she acted like she didn't care about what she was doing there. She came back to the table with a can of spicy flakes (spicy bacon flavored bits) to sprinkle on top of the chowder because this step was forgotten in the kitchen (chowder didn't need the zesty flakes). I've never experienced a server reach across people as she did. Four of five of us were accessible without having to put arms and torso in one person's face. We tried paying with two credit cards but without explanation or apology, she just charged one person's card for the entire bill! She seemed not to care at all.

As for the fish market side, they charged sales tax (tried to) when I purchased trout. I shook my head and told that Maine doesn't have sales tax on groceries. The cashier insisted otherwise, so I asked for the receipt to send to the Secretary of State's Maine Revenue office. The cashier quickly rang it up without tax. I wasn't trying to threaten him. His foreign accent made it obvious that he may not have known, so I believed him when he'd said he couldn't remove the tax.... but...

Received the fish in perfect condition. Being an old time fisherman, you learn about fish by the way they smell (or do not!). Upon opening the box all I could smell was saltiness as if they were just caught and filleted. I obviously love fish and am a fanatic over freshness. This fish is the freshest you can get! Fish in the seafood department of a supermarket while good has passed through several points of delivery and is acceptable if you have no other option. There is nothing like the flavor, feel and taste of straight from the boat quality. I ordered Swordfish, Haddock, Flounder, Cod and Halibut. Immediately pan roasted the Swordfish within minutes of arrival. Amazing is all I can say. Even great seafood restaurants cannot match the quality, it was superb! The following day I had the flounder, again a winner! Upon arrival the remainder of the fish was flash frozen and cryovaced to preserve the freshness. Tonight will be Haddock, looking forward to it. I admit I may be a bit of a fanatic when comes to my seafood, but I never have been disappointed by SoPo Seafood. Last year I purchased a loin of Tuna. My family and friends that ate it still talk about it. The old saying “you get what you pay for!” Could not be truer. You will not be disappointed. I have ordered from many this...

I loved this place, I’m from the other side of the world and now reside in New England I have brought countless people, friends and family to here to show them the exquisite seafood smorgasbord that Maine has to offer.

Unfortunately we got a bad batch of oysters, not a big deal it happens. Especially with oysters, a tiny crack in the shell can make them go rancid. In fact having eaten oysters from all over the planet I can securely say that bad oysters are just a part of the deal, if you eat them anywhere other than where you harvest them. It wasn’t the bad oysters that will make me never return here or bring someone here again it’s the reaction of the staff when we told them. Not one apology, not a single offer of a refund, even for the bad oysters. Instead we got told that the oysters smelled fine that we were just making it up. I and another member of our party got food poisoning after accidentally putting the oysters in our mouth and spitting them back out. I don’t know what kind of “fine” oysters do that to people.

Sad to not have this spot on my radar anymore, I have had more good experiences than bad here and glad others have too. Sad to have had one bad experience...