Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Buoy Shack

    4.4 (141 reviews)
    PriceySeafood
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Buoy Shack Photos

    BUOY SHACK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Buoy Shack

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos - Buoy Shack

    Lobster roll (jumbo)
    Morgan-Emilee A.

    This is my go to spot for lobster rolls near downtown Portsmouth when I visit. I also take all my coworkers here who never been when we visit. When the weather is great, sitting down in the grass tables is beautiful. You get to watch all the boats passing by and soak up the sun. They have a great beer and wine selection and good mixed drinks as well. Tip: ask the price of the market price for your Lobster so you aren't shocked at your bill. I have seen it a few times my coworkers order the big lobster roll and it's usually anywhere from 50-65 bucks for your roll for the larger one. So just ask before you buy. They don't put the market price on the menu. But the quality of the lobster here and any of their food is great. I will continue to come here and recommend it to others who are looking for that lobster fix while in town

    Tony S.

    Nice, local place, to grab a drink and have a great view! They have soups, salads and bar type food as well.

    Lobster roll, Maine red hot dogs, side salad, fries
    Alexsandra S.

    The BEST lobster roll I have had in a long time. The roll was buttery and crisp yet soft. The Maine red hot dogs were bright red which were interesting and delicious. The staff was attentive and we got seated quickly right outside on the patio. It overlooked the river which was beautiful to watch the ships coming in. Pharmacist approved!

    Crab roll and potato chips
    Chris K.

    We went to the Buoy Shack on a cool and rainy summer day. The inside seating area was nice and cozy with nice coverage from the elements and heat lamps to keep us warm. For nicer days there is a larger outside seating area with picnic tables and umbrellas. There is a nice selection of local beers and sodas to quench your thirst. I tried the crab roll which was generously sized and delicious. The homemade potato chips were crunchy and complimented the food well. The service was nice and quick, and we were not rushed while enjoying the meal.

    L to R Crab roll, lobster roll (small), hot dogs
    Tammy L.

    What a nice, relaxing stop for us! We were heading out of Dodge (Boston) and headed to Portland. We popped into Portsmouth for coffee but decided to head on over the bridge to have lunch at Buoy Shack. We were afraid we wouldn't find parking but thankfully, we found a (legal) spot and were able to park close by. It's noteworthy they have off-site parking a little ways north in case it ever gets super busy. We found a nice table for ourselves and were immediately greeted by the server. We ordered a beer and a diet Coke. For lunch, we went with a small order of the lobster roll, the crab roll and two red dogs. We also threw in a clam chowder. The crab roll was all that I imagined it to be and the lobster roll was nice and fresh - I opted for the cold version. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed his non-lobster hot dogs lol. It was relaxing and a nice, scenic time for us. Check it out!

    The buoy shack
    Michael R.

    Wanted to update my review now that this restaurant has had some time to mature. Happy to report that the service issues we previously had seem to be fixed. We had a wonderful waitress who had experience waiting tables. All of our food came promptly, was tasty and hot. As mentioned in my prior review and in many others, the location is great. Parking can be challenging. Don't overlook the onion dip and chips, really great! Glad this spot has found it's way!

    Terri L.

    We sat outside and had the best time -- the view was perfect, and the fresh caught seafood was even better! I had my very first lobster roll here, and it was absolutely incredible. The fish and chips were just as delicious, perfectly crispy without being greasy. Such a great spot to relax, enjoy the ocean breeze, and have amazing seafood with excellent service. Highly recommend!

    Matthew F.

    Fun location and yummy food. We walked across the bridge from Portsmouth to eat here and watched an oil tanker go by as we ate. Unique experience

    Lobster roll
    Dawn A.

    Amazing lobster rolls! We also loved the Lobster Bisque and Fish & Chips. Such a beautiful location and relaxed vibe.

    Lobster roll. Pricey but worth it.
    Nicholas T.

    Perfect place to enjoy a lobster roll. Sunny day, ocean nearby, dog at our feet, friendly waitress.

    Garden salad w chicken

    See all

    20 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ryleigh B.

    Ryleigh B.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ryleigh B.

    Ryleigh B.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sasha G.
    1
    83
    251

    26 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ryleigh B.

    Ryleigh B.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Donna K.
    183
    12
    2

    16 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ryleigh B.

    Ryleigh B.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    25 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ryleigh B.

    Ryleigh B.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Rachel H.
    118
    11
    8

    18 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ryleigh B.

    Ryleigh B.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy T.
    0
    24
    1

    29 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ryleigh B.

    Ryleigh B.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tammy L.
    466
    1270
    1975

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Best Lobster Roll in Maine! Great service and friendly people, fantastic view! Can't wait to come back.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ryleigh B.

    Ryleigh B.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of CC P.
    0
    12
    0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jane G.
    42
    209
    482

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joe P.
    0
    57
    4

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    8 months ago

    Great atmosphere in summer. Sitting along the river, great food and cocktails. Loved it.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 2
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of C B.
    0
    7
    0

    4 months ago

    Friendly staff . Delicious lobster. Can't wait to go back . Thank y'all! We had fun. See y'all soon

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ryleigh B.

    Ryleigh B.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Buoy Shack Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Buoy Shack

    You might also consider

    Robert's Maine Grill

    Robert's Maine Grill

    4.2
    (1.4k reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$$

    It's been awhile since I've been down but went last night and it was well worth it…read more I was seated, even though the kitchen closed at 8 and I arrived at 7:50 Dawn my server was fantastic; my every hungry whim well taken care of. Kudos to the kitchen; meal was excellent, as were the oysters. Need to remind myself to be in the area more often!

    The food at Robert's Maine Grill was excellent, as it usually is for us, but the service on this…read morevisit felt off from the moment our server approached the table. His replies were delayed, his tone was monotone, and he did not seem confident with the menu. When my wife asked if they had the blueberry beer, he took the menu from the table and stood there reading it silently instead of checking with the bartender. Later, when my wife went to modify a dish, he said he was not sure they could do that. She told him, "I know they can. I do this every time I am here," and that is when he mentioned he had only been working there a few months. It explained the uncertainty, but it did not make the interaction smoother. The strangest moment was when I said I did not like the club soda. He came back and said, "Since you do not like the club soda you will not like the flat water, so I brought you a sparkling bottle instead since it is the same price." It was not rude. It was simply a very odd assumption and not something I have ever had a server decide on their own. On the positive side, the star of the meal, and honestly every time we come, is the shrimp cocktail. Huge shrimp served over crushed ice with cocktail sauce and extra horseradish. The shrimp were incredibly fresh, very firm, and had that perfect crunch with each bite. Absolutely delicious. The kitchen continues to deliver, and the rest of the staff seemed great, but the service at our table did not match the usual experience. We will be back for the food, especially that shrimp cocktail, but hopefully with a more confident and consistent front of house experience next time.

    Photos
    Indoor dining as well bar area and outdoor seating is available
    Indoor dining as well bar area and outdoor seating is available
    Great oyster options
    Great oyster options
    Outside sign

    See all

    Outside sign
    Water View Grill

    Water View Grill

    3.9
    (97 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    Lobster ravioli and drinks were great, hostess, bar staff and our server were super friendly,…read moreattentive and helpful. We got a drink downstairs and then sat upstairs outside and had a great view. Confused about the negative reviews...

    The best part of my visit was the seafood chowder, but every other dish was mediocre, and the…read moreservice was terribly slow. The seafood chowder was flavorful and full of chunks of seafood. The salmon bites were over saturated in sauce so much so that the panko was soggy, the pan seared scallops were decent but I found the bacon jam to be too sweet paired with the scallops. We could not flag down our waiter any of the times we needed her and every time we asked someone else for help they'd leave and not come back. When it started raining and we needed to move indoors she was gone for so long she was surprised when she returned and we had already had been helped inside by another staff member. We ended the meal when she said she'd come back with water only to disappear and we ended up asking another waitress for the check, and she redirected it back to our waitress, who finally came back with no water. The restaurant was by no means full so I'm not sure what the large gaps in service was, and at one point my friend noticed the waitresses chatting in the kitchen while we were craning our necks. I'd only come back to order the seafood chowder as the rest of the dishes weren't good enough to make up for this.

    Photos
    Outside patio
    Outside patio
    Water View Grill
    Water View Grill

    See all

    Row 34

    Row 34

    4.2
    (677 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    We joined friends for a quick pre-show dinner, and the staff did a great job accommodating our…read moretight schedule -- we made the show on time without ever feeling rushed. We started with cocktails and their excellent house-made rolls, then split a dozen oysters from a wide selection; the server's recommendations were spot-on. Entrées included shrimp rigatoni, salmon, fish tacos, clam chowder, and fries -- all well prepared, good portions, and enjoyed by everyone. It was fairly busy (and thus a bit noisy), so reservations are probably a good idea.

    Nestled in the heart of downtown Portsmouth, this vibrant upscale seafood spot sits conveniently…read morenext to the Hanover Parking Garage (bonus: parking is only $3 an hour). The tuna crudo was a standout appetizer--silky slices of fresh raw tuna with bright Asian-inspired flavors that complemented the fish beautifully. My only complaint? Four pieces for $21 disappeared way too quickly. I also tried Ethel's Creamy Lobster Roll, which came on perfectly toasted bread with the restaurant's signature thick-cut, house-made 242 fries. While the buttery roll was satisfying, I was hoping for a more generous portion of lobster. At $54, plus an upcharge for the specialty 242 in house made fries, this was definitely the meal that emptied the wallet more than it impressed my taste buds. The crispy fish tacos were my favorite of the meal. Each taco was packed with large pieces of crispy fried fish layered over a fresh slaw, and a squeeze of lime brought everything together with a bright, refreshing finish. As for the crispy fish sandwich...it was just mid. Perfectly edible, but nothing memorable compared to the rest of the menu. Overall, this is a beautiful seafood restaurant with a lively atmosphere and quality ingredients, but be prepared for upscale prices. You'll likely leave with a full stomach--but also a noticeably lighter wallet.

    Photos
    Row 34
    Seafood Tower
    Seafood Tower
    Greygoose martini

    See all

    Greygoose martini
    Bistro 1828 at Pepperrell Cove

    Bistro 1828 at Pepperrell Cove

    4.2
    (114 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    Bee Knees, Shrimp Tempura, Swordfish over Risotto and Spinach. Barr's Hill gin is the best. The…read moreaioli with the shrimp was a perfect spicy blend and the sword cooked to perfection over a very simple, but tasty risotto. I am so lucky to be a local.

    I wanted to love it here so badly. The reviews looked good, the views are incredible... but when…read moreyou're paying for a nice dinner, you expect the food to be as good as the view. It even says on the bottom of the menu "no substitutes. Our chefs make the menu for a specific purpose." Or something like that. But if that's the case, then I'd like to think the food would be good! Maybe our chef was out or something because it was bland and cooked improperly. First of all, it took forty five minutes just to get appetizers. And then our waitress took another 30 to take our food order. And then it took another hour for our food. We were there for three hours. Which is fine, but we were starving!!! The drinks were delicious but one was a bottle of wine, so that seems like the bare minimum. Beside service being slow (our waitress nice but very busy), let's get into the food which was the most disappointing thing... the flatbread was dry. The Brussel sprouts were good but the lardons were hard as a rock (clearly they cook things too long here). The salmon was good but portions seemed small. The soup was fine. The steak was supposed to come medium rare, but as you can see, it was closer to medium well (for $48 that is upsetting and embarrassing they couldn't cook a steak properly). My aunt got the chicken dish and she said it was the blandest thing she's ever had. But the biggest issue was the burger... It was my dad's birthday. So it was extremely frustrating when the burger, the thing he ordered, came out black. And there is a picture of it if you want to take a look. BLACK. Why bring it out? That is so bad on the restaurant! Our waitress immediately came over and said "we are making a new bun right now." So why bring it out? And the fries were cold. Same with my mom's haddock (everything was cold). He also asked for the burger to be medium rare and it was quite literally gray. I think when you go to a nice restaurant, you expect good food. And it was disrespectful to my father on his birthday. Thank goodness they took it off our bill (for that we are grateful), but clearly the kitchen needs some assistance because it ruins the experience when everyone is waiting to eat because one dish is done wrong. And clearly done wrong. It's expensive to go out nowadays. I'm not spending money on food that is mediocre at best. This was frustrating. Thank goodness for the nice view otherwise I feel like this restaurant wouldn't exist. sadly we won't be coming back and waiting weeks for this dinner was not worth it. Don't waste your money here. Or go for cocktails. That was at least good.

    Photos
    Bar with a view! poblano artichoke dip
    Bar with a view! poblano artichoke dip
    Half shell oysters
    Half shell oysters
    Malbec High Tai'd mocktail

    See all

    Malbec High Tai'd mocktail
    Off the Boat Lobster

    Off the Boat Lobster

    4.8
    (48 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $

    Rating: 4.7 Came to…read morestop by on the way back from northern Maine. It's a local seafood market located by the bridge at york, ME. They have live lobsters and other seafood as well. They serve various size of lobsters as well as cook them for you. However they do not provide place to eat or utensils so they function more as a market than a restaurant. They have sort of a parking lot where you can park. There are few works on the back hanging around and 2 younger staff that take care of orders. Lobster has quite few size options and some explanations for terms they use. We weren't sure what to get but figure we wanted larger size lobsters. SLX which is the largest ones were $14 per pound. They can also let you pick them live as well but we chose 2 lb ones. They charge $1.5 to boil but it's a-lot of work to boil properly so it's worth it. We waited about 20-25minutes or so and they also chilled it so that we can take it home to eat. Luckily we had ice box with some ice packs so it kept the lobster fresh until getting home. Once we got home we opened the bag to eat the lobster. It's a huge lobster with large claws. We got a large bowl and separate plate to eat. It was a massive task to crack the claws as one of the claw was huge and very tough. We ended up using a hammer and dull knife to crack them open. The meat was tender and sweet. One of the best maine lobster we had. Overall the place provides fresh maine lobster for good price. Only issue is that they don't serve it so you will need to plan to take it home and have tools to crack them open. They also only take cash. If i were to come back i would give them a call a head of time to have the lobster prepared to go and pick them up which seems to be what other people were doing.

    Great prices, great service. They are my go-to for lobsters in the York area. They were welcoming…read moreand steamed the lobsters while we waited. Will definitely be back

    Photos
    Off the Boat Lobster
    Ever enough
    Ever enough
    SLX 2lb lobster

    See all

    SLX 2lb lobster
    Taylor Lobster Company

    Taylor Lobster Company

    4.7
    (34 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Tons of locals seem to rate this business in extremely high regards and I can see why. You walk in…read moreand are immediately greeted with the pleasant smell of fresh seafood. And they have the displays to match. On this partly cloudy afternoon, I was in search of lobster tails. Upon requesting them, I discovered two things.. 1.) Unfortunately, the tails offered are not very big. Near as I can figure, they come in packs of 3 of what appear to be around 5 ounces each. 2.) Lobster really IS more affordable if you buy it in Maine. For context, a standard two pack of lobster tails at 5 ounces each (or sometimes 4oz) costs me around $25 in NH at the time of writing this review. The 3 pack of the same size tails costs the same price here at Taylor. So, naturally I bought two of those and ultimately nabbed a little under 2 pounds of lobstah for a mere $50. Sufficed to say - we will most certainly return at a future date. I have my eyes set on the fresh lobster meat next. As mentioned, everything in the glass display looked delicious. The place is easy enough to find. Just be aware their entrance is actually not in the front of the building, but on the right hand side. It's a little confusing at first, especially considering the tiny street view sign doesn't help much. If you drive into the "boat drop off" section, you're on the wrong side. Other items I wouldn't mind trying next visit are their lobster bisque and clam chowder. If you're coming across the border as I do, one pro tip I'd offer is to bring a cooler to keep your produce in for the day as you travel back. We transported the lobstah back in my car on an 85 degree day and the gel ice packs kept everything cold enough not to oxidize. Definitely check this place out for all your fresh seafood needs. The locals have spoken and I agree; Taylor Lobster Company is worth 5 fresh, buttery lobstah tails charred on the grill out of 5.

    This company runs its own wholesale lobster business. I ordered lobsters from them 3 days ahead for…read morethe holiday at $1 per pound over the market average grocery store current pricing. Went to pick them up and price still went up another $1 per pound. Grocery store retail price remained the same. I complained and they brought the price back down $1 to the original. Sounds fishy? I'll try the grocery store first next time.

    Photos
    Steamers
    Steamers
    Entrance on the side of the building
    Entrance on the side of the building
    Taylor Lobster Company

    See all

    Buoy Shack - seafood - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...