The best fried seafood in downeast Maine. The fried clams, fish, shrimp and onion rings are all top notch. This lunch shack is on the banks of the Bagaduce River in a beautiful spot. Seating is at picnic tables. Despite the place being very busy, the service is vey quick. read more

Very good roadside spot right on water as you cross the river at Brooksville-Penobscot line. We ate there twice during a recent family vacation. Lobster roll was very good but was made with a little too much mayo for my liking. The roll, however, was toasted to perfection. Onion rings are to die for. Finely cut, lightly breaded. Maybe the best I've had. Two people can easily share an order. Fried haddock was fantastic as well. I tried a couple of fried clams from my sister-in-law's plate. Also delicious. Huge portions. Good ice cream selection. Very scenic spot for lunch with picnic tables right on the water and it appears you can boat to the restaurant. They have their own dock. read more

Had the ice cream which was very tasty. Cherry vanilla and orange. Not too sweet and lots of flavour. The cooked meals looked great and smelt yummy as well. Good location on the river and nice to look out at the river with shady and sunny spots. Popular but with quick service read more

Bagaduce Lunch - Ice cream and yowie - Seafood Near Me - Penobscot, Maine

We had been looking forward to trying some fried fish at a roadside stand during our recent visit to Maine, but were having no luck. Our timing was never quite right for most of the famous and highly touted places. And, surprisingly for a tourist area, lots of places either close early in the day, or are totally closed for one or more days each week. We had almost lost hope, when we found Bagaduce Lunch on the internet. It is located a bit off the beaten path, so you probably would never stumble across it by accident, but it is actually not very far from Castine or Blue Hill. The location is one of the most beautiful places you could ever imagine - right on the Bagaduce River, which looks more like a lake, and to my mind is really not a river but an arm of Penobscot Bay. The grounds contain several picnic tables on a grassy hill overlooking the beautiful water. Now - for the food! The fried haddock was incredibly tasty and fresh. Haddock is an underappreciated fish, in my opinion, but it is delicious, and Bagaduce Lunch cooks it perfectly. The fries were crispy on the outside, moist and fluffy inside. Most batches of fries elsewhere contain several undercooked and limp fries, but every fry in our order was perfectly cooked. And the onion rings are unique - thin and light and incredibly flavorful. We've never had anything quite like these onion rings. The soft serve ice cream was among the top three or four soft serves that I ever had, and I've been eating soft serve since I was a kid in the Bronx many years ago. Please disregard the handful of negative reviews - most of them are old, and are probably not applicable any more. Bagaduce Lunch is incredibly enjoyable, for the food, the setting, and the friendly service. Don't miss it on your next trip to the central coast of Maine! read more

What a lovely experience. We had a great big fish sandwich, which was big enough for two servings. Tender, flaky and fried to perfection. The tartar sauce was totally unnecessary but really tasty. You sit in your car and wait for them to call your number, which is quite alright--the scenery is spectacular. It has a limited season, but that is what makes it so much fun. There are picnic tables around or you can sit in the car--always nice with minimal A/C. I recommend this place highly. read more

Great food - best haddock sandwich!! Super service Wonderful ambiance Spectacular views read more

Best fried haddock sandwich ever, hands down. Onion rings made with the good batter, not too thick and no cornmeal crumbs. I don't usually eat soft serve, but the pistachio with chocolate sprinkles was amazing. I got the "baby"" size that wasn't advertised on the board, it was big enough! If you're lucky, you might see some kids jumping into the reversing falls! read more

Bagaduce Lunch - Haddock sammie delivery - Seafood Near Me - Penobscot, Maine

If you're traipsing through Maine and have a hankering for fried food, Bagaduce is definitely a worthwhile stop. This lakeside spot with picnic tables is an ideal place to eat after ordering at the walk-up window. The employees are very friendly and patient while you decide on your order, and the fried seafood offerings are quite extensive. Some sites rank Bagaduce Lunch as the best place to eat fried clams in all of Maine. That wasn't our opinion, but they were undoubtedly delicious with a fabulously crunchy batter. Unfortunately, some clams were too chewy to be edible, and they didn't measure up to the fried clams at Helen's in Machias, Maine. But they were nonetheless scrumptious. The fried onions are also good, heavy on the stomach but sliced impossibly thin with a rich, crisp batter that you can't stop eating! It was definitely a good lunch! read more

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Haddock Reuben and the twist ice cream special. 50/10 will be back. Delicious food and great views.

Great lobster rolls, if mayo-y. Dad liked the Reuben, a nice option for the non-lobster-lover. Lots of great tables to choose from & nice views! Dog friendly. read more

Hidden gem! Great views and quick and pleasant service. Some of the best lobster rolls we had in Maine and my mom said the best Rueben she's had in her life! We loved the outdoor picnic tables. read more

It's always a fun tradition to visit the Bagaduce Lunch in Brooksville. It's a typical roadside takeout food joint with all the lovely offerings you'd expect. Fried clams and calamari are yummy for sure! Nothing exceptional, but nothing bad either. Great location and good food (in moderation)! read more

After stumbling across a Facebook post, we decided to go about 35 minutes out of our way for their soft serve ice cream. It was worth it! It's a hidden gem that's out of the way of everything, so we didn't find it to be too "tourist-y" like some reviews may suggest. They only offer their "special flavor", vanilla, or both of them in a twist. The flavor today was red raspberry so we got a raspberry and twist cone. Delicious and the service was also friendly! We had a bit of a wait but the line moved fast. Seating was nice as well. read more

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Everything on the menu is good. I sometimes order 3 items for myself - a lobster roll, the fried haddock & the fried belly clams. So delicious! I can eat here everyday of my vacation! read more

Bagaduce Lunch - Haddock sandwich, haddock with fries - Seafood Near Me - Penobscot, Maine

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The first time we ate here, in 2017, fried haddock sandwich and whole belly fried clams basket with fries, we knew we had found a treasure. Add the beautiful location on the reverse tidal falls and what could possibly be better? Fast forward to 2022...what a difference 5 years makes!! Holy moly! Ordered our usual, fried haddock sandwich and whole belly fried clams basket with fries. Although the sandwich was still reasonably priced @ $11, however, the clams were listed as "Market Price". The amount of clams in the basket was much less than previous years. We ordered nothing else. No beverages. No sides. The total was $41... Sad to see this once wonderful out of the way treasure seems to have lost its edge. Even with the ridiculous rules, inconsistencies, lack of adequate parking and unfriendly staff, the food was so good we chalked it up as part of the unique, albeit a bit odd, experience. Not sure how much longer people, local or tourists, will want to continue patronizing this place. read more

Try the soft serve! Pistachio and vanilla were delicious. There are plenty of picnic tables to enjoy the reverse falls. What's that you say? The direction of the river flow changes every 6 hours! Ask the lady in the window about it! She was really nice and nonchalant about it but it's really a miracle of science that happens right outside her window! read more

My wife and I have eaten fried clams all over Maine. We think these are one of the best, and the onion rings are the best we have had. They have a beautiful picnic area overlooking a bay. It was a long drive to get there, and not inexpensive but worth it. read more

The best darn Maine lobster shack that there is. Ain't none better. First of all, there is the killer view which makes most any meal 10x better. And if you get there at the right time you will see either a hundred horseshoe crab mating or be witness to the reversing roaring waters of tidal Maine. Anyhow, everything here is delicious and perfectly fried. Come for the haddock, as it is fresh, fried well, and just tasty. The prices are fair across the board. The fried whole bellies are the best for miles. If hungry for ice cream, they have Gifford's but are best known for their delightful and imaginative soft serve. Cannot go wrong with their Pistachio soft serve...or any of their soft serve. I love all of their flavors. read more

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I must say I agree with the reviewer below who found the staff unfriendly and apparently unhappy to be there. They were quite curt. Worse, they ruined some perfectly fresh scallops. There were several tablespoons of brown oil at the bottom of the paper basket. I squeezed the oil out of a few, but had to leave most of them. Long wait time, long lines. Very disappointing and sad to make this note. read more

If I could give no stars to this restaurant, I would - not because of their food, which is good, but because of their HORRIBLE attitude in regards to customer service. Last year, my husband and I phoned in an order - early on in the pandemic - wanting to support a local business. We had driven for an hour to get there, having enjoyed their food in the past. The person who answered the phone asked an unusual question: "Where are you going to eat?" I said we would pull around behind the restaurant, as usual, to sit by the water. We were then informed that (because we were SMART enough to phone in our order to avoid the inevitable line - my words, not theirs), we were NOT WELCOME TO EAT THE FOOD I HAD PAID THEM FOR ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY, but would be expected to get our food and VACATE THE PREMISES, as if we had STOLEN IT FROM THEM and needed to SKULK AWAY like THIEVES. We were informed, in no uncertain terms, that we were NOT ALLOWED to eat our food there. And when we arrived, there was NO LINE AT ALL. Needless to say, we will NEVER eat there again - EVER. I have rarely been so INSULTED in my LIFE. read more

If you're looking for eat in the rough Maine edition - this is your place to go! Lobster rolls, friend clams, fried pickles, onion rings and French fries. YUM! The seafood is obviously the spotlight, but the skinny onion rings were a real winner. The place overlooks the Bagaduce River, plenty of parking, and open only for a season. Don't miss out if you're heading this way! read more

Bagaduce Lunch - Lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Penobscot, Maine

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I have been going there for years and not once have I been disappointed everything taste and looks amazing

Easily the worst lobster roll I've ever had. Their large, is most places's small. WAY to much mayo! The portion of fried clams was super small for the price. Fish and chips (haddock) was fairly good, and a decent portion. Grumpy staff made it memorable I am giving it two stars, because the location is nice (and the fried haddock was pretty good). Just wondering why the umbrellas in the picnic area are so tiny? Can't imagine they're much a help with creating shade. read more

My best friend got COVID and said it was the scariest thing she's ever gone through. So I am super grateful to Bagaduce Lunch for all they're doing to keep people safe while still turning out summer treats. Fish and chips under a shady tree followed by ice cream. Bless you! read more

Bagaduce Lunch - Bagaduce Lunch - Seafood Near Me - Penobscot, Maine

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Motorcycle unfriendly! I parked at the only safe asphalt area, not blocking the road, parking lot entrance, nor patron entrance when this witch hollers at me "you can't park there!" I guess I was supposed to slide my thousand pound Harley down the gravel sloped excuse for a parking lot. I don't know if the food was worth it, I don't patronize biker unfriendly establishments. But from the looks of the tourists in line, not noticing anyone who looked local, I assume I didn't miss anything! read more

Based on reviews, we drive here from Brooklin for lunch and it was okay. Two small lobster rolls and a grilled chicken sandwich were ordered. While waiting we walked down and grabbed a picnic table with a fabulous view of the river, just passed the falls. 5 Stars for the location and view for a fast food seafood joint. My guests eat lobster roll every day while in Maine and these got an "ok" but our other stops this week we're better. The grilled chicken sandwich was very good with the right balance of mayo on the buns. Side orders of French fries and onion rings were also ordered and both were hot and good. Ice cream choices for soft serve was very limited, vanilla and banana so we opted to go to Surry for ice cream. If you are up that way, it's worth a stop, but probably not worth the 20 minutes we went out of our way to get there. read more

This is one of those places that you don't want to write about because it's so precious you can't bear to share the secret with anyone else. But you also don't want it to go out of business, so, there you go. Such a classic, perfect Maine experience it almost hurts. We got a tip from our campground host, a local. Super simple and straightforward burger and seafood shack by the river, with a dirt parking lot. Amazing setting, nostalgic food, perfect dining experience. We were sad we had already eaten when we got here - the fried haddock sandwiches with fries seemed to be the top-ticket item. Fried chicken sandwiches looked killer as well. We settled for our vanilla milkshake and ice cream cones which were still pretty awesome. Plenty of tables are out on the back lawn facing the river. We loved people watching - multi-generation families, construction workers coming straight from work, young families with kids. Always a line but it moves fast, cash or credit, no bathrooms (just a porta-potty by the parking lot). Skip the hyped-up restaurants - this is our new favorite place in the area. So lovely. read more

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Got there about 1PM. Lots of people however didn't take long, maybe 15 minutes to get my order. I ordered a side of scallops and side of cole slaw. The side of scallops was more than I expected compared to other take outs.. great value. In regards to Covid-19, they did have picnic tables that you can use throughout the property. Many right by the water but spread out.. They don't want you waiting up by the takeout/order area but they will call out your order number to pick up. read more

Bagaduce Lunch - Side order of scallops with side of cole slaw.. great value Huge Portion.. - Seafood Near Me - Penobscot, Maine

Really sorry to report this perfectly located, scenic seasonal take-out isn't what it used to be. Mean staff - which was really a surprise. None of the really special desserts they used to have. I'm as local as they come, and I would have returned and brought visitors to show off their great place, but now I'm gone for good. If you really hate the tourist industry, that's OK, but please don't work in it. It's horrible for everyone - yourself included. read more

This is my golf buddy's death row meal. We eat here at least 6 times on vacation. Not one crab roll I've ever had anywhere else compares to this crab roll. It is perfection itself. Buttery grilled bun, just the slightest seasoning and touch of mayonnaise, hand cut fries, batter dipped onion rings. The atmosphere is delightful looking out over the bagaduce river. Best ever place. read more

Great food, haddock sandwich is huge and so good!Prepare to stand in line though, very busy place! Right on the water, lots of place/tables and all of them have a nice view:) read more

Very nice set up...picnic tables and water views..My haddock was superb and my wife's was also. She loved the Pistachio Cone to top it off. I had to buy a t shirt too! Highly recommend read more

The star is their onion rings! The lobster roll is average at best. Fried shrimp basket was over flowing and very good. Fries were good also. The picnic area is very nice with a great view of the water and activity. Dog friendly! read more

Great place to eat any time of the day. Food is awesome. The clams are perfectly cooked. And the haddock sandwich is very good. Onion rings to die for. read more

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Places on the side of road in this area are everywhere never know which one will be the one well this is the one. great location and great food. Got the shrimp basket they were fried perfectly and they are the small shrimp lots of shrimp enough to split with my husband and great crinkle cut fries. and did I tell you about the ice cream yum read more

Had a great lunch here during a visit to Maine. My wife got the clams which she said were the best she's ever had. I had a cheeseburger with onion rings and their homemade lemonade. Everything was delicious! read more

Great summer spot. A must stop if you're looking for some classic, Maine fried seafood. Nice views too

The reason we decided to stop at this local legend was to pick up local Bagaduce River Oysters. 2 dozen FRESH! (Little Island Oyster Co!) Menu: Gluten-free lobster salad on local tasty greens & chopped tomatoes. Very tasty! Cheese burger & fried onion rings - FABULOUS! Burger - overcooked, few cooked onions. Meh. Beers - our own. Sat at waters edge picnic table. Gross flies! Even more gross, the Port-a-Potty! We tried this spot due to the James Beard recognition identified on the FB page for the Bagaduce Lunch. Not these days! Step up the A-game. We might be back. No way will I try the PAP. read more

Whoa a clam shack by the pier with a lake side view. We grabbed a picnic table on the pier and ordered a mixed seafood special. This included fried clams, fried scallops, shrimp, calamari, and haddock. We ordered some cucumber, tomatos, and fried onions and french fries. So we pigged out. :) How can you go wrong? It was great. Well battered and fresh seafood. Lake side view and chatting with friends. That's living. read more

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Great place for a family lunch- variety of choices from fried seafood, lobster rolls, chicken tenders and hamburgers. Food was delicious and enjoyed by all. Very casual- so come as you are! Enjoy the view and eating on picnic tables by the water. read more

Bagaduce Lunch - Menu July 2019 - Seafood Near Me - Penobscot, Maine

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