holdfast is a gem of a restaurant we are so happy to welcome to the neighborhood. tucked amidst the fast food restaurants on Brighton ave, it's unassuming but knock-your-socks-off good. no more trekking to the north end and waiting in line at Neptune for incredible seafood, holdfast has the best lobster roll I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. warm, loaded with sweet, succulent lobster dressed in their delicious lobster bisque butter then packed into a perfectly toasted brown butter bun that has just the right slight sweetness to it. dusted with Reddit-worthy chives and accompanied by fat wedges of juicy lime. it's worth flying across the country for. their OG clam roll is also a knockout. it's crammed full of perfectly fried, whole belly clams (because who ever wants clam strips over whole clams?!) and their delicious house-made pickle remoulade in that same toasted brown butter bun. this was my mother's favorite thing when we came in a couple weeks ago. my husband was lucky enough to get to sample one of chef Tyler's specials, a smoked fish katsu sando that was absolutely incredible. if you're lucky enough to be there for a special item I highly recommend snagging one, even to share! I was able to steal a bite but then, sadly for me, it was inhaled before I could snag another. we also tried the fish and chips which were excellent. the fries themselves were ordered again (and again!) after we devoured our first batch - we opted for the salt and vinegar each time, which came out perfectly crisp and piping hot but yet still yieldingly tender on the inside. exactly what you want a fry to be. the fish was flaky and fresh and such a generous portion. I feel like you can't sleep on any of their housemade sauces either. lastly, the oysters were so fresh it felt like they were pulled from the ocean seconds before they were served up to us with their house mignonette, cocktail sauce, and citrus. they were briny upfront with a sweet and refreshing finish. will be perfect with a beer when they get their liquor license in a couple weeks. it was lovely to hear chef Tyler tell us more about how they source locally - the selection we sampled were Boomamotos from Barnstable, MA. they are so passionate about what they do, and it shines through in their welcoming service, the impeccable food, and the thoughtful designed space. you can taste the fine dining technique and attention to detail that the chefs brought with them, which is such a treat at this price point. looking forward to coming back again and again and again. read more

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I ordered the hot lobster bisque roll, oyster roll, and salt & vinegar french fries - TASTE: 4/5 - I usually prefer buttery hot lobster rolls vs cold, and enjoyed this one. Glad I got the oyster roll w its green chile & citrus aioli plus pickled red onion. Loved the fries: salt & vinegar is my fave, and the side of otter sauce aioli. Would def come back to try the crunchy shrimp roll and cold lobster bisque roll TEXTURE: 5/5 - tender lobster, toasted rolls, perfectly fried oysters, and super satisfying fries PRICE: 3/5 - wasn't expecting market price to be $49 haha, my bad. Subtotal came to $72 SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - the handhelds weren't crazy big, but still filled me up for lunch SERVICE: 5/5 - walked in at 12:30pm on a Sunday, and only one group was seated at the table. Staff was super friendly and helpful, and my order was ready in 10min ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - appreciate the bright, polished space to grab seafood by great chefs. The space is on the smaller side w just the one table + bar seating and no public bathroom PARKING: 4/5 - didn't find street parking, but luckily got a spot in the free 2-hour Allston Public Parking lot near Blanchards read more

Holdfast Specialty Seafood - Hot lobster bisque roll, oyster roll, and salt & vinegar fries - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Everything was incredible. I'm usually not the biggest lobster or oyster fan, but WOW -- hands down the best seafood I've ever had. Every bite tasted like it came straight off the boat. I can't recommend this place enough. If you want the real deal and not that frozen nonsense, get in your car and head there ASAP. Big congrats to Jesse and his team -- they're just getting started. read more

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The place is a little small, but service is 10/10. Oyster is super fresh. They didn't have a lot of options. read more

Holdfast Specialty Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Love Holdfast, hope they thrive in this neighborhood! They put their own spin on the fast/casual seafood model that Luke's Lobster popularized and, though the menu is relatively limited, the options are excellent enough that make it worth a trip. The cold lobster roll was the highlight for me. Generous chunks of fresh lobster, lightly dressed with mayo; roll provided good structural integrity. For $45, it's definitely more of an occasional indulgence for me but this was one of the better lobster rolls in the city. Definitely get an order of the fries (sea salt, salt and vinegar, and crab) on the side, the aioli they serve with it is divine. The smoked fish toast special was also memorable - fish on top of bread is obviously a simple enough concept but this was extremely well executed. The only miss in our order was the clam chowder, which had a strange medicinal aftertaste and needed a lot of salt and hot sauce to remedy. Btw, if you order over $40 on Toast (which should be easy enough to do for two people), they throw in a free item. If you choose to dine in, there's some bar seating along the window for some good people-watching. Really friendly people working the counter, they did a careful job packing everything separately (using eco-conscious containers!) so the bun didn't get soggy with the hot lobster (which comes in a soupy bisque). You're in Allston/Brighton so the parking options are meager. There's a municipal lot one street down on Harvard Ave past the liquor store on your right. read more

Holdfast Specialty Seafood - Cold Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Had no idea what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of food at such reasonable prices. Four of us came by around 5pm on a Sunday night and it was pretty quiet, with some people coming in to pick up their takeout orders. There's one table that can seat about 6 people, otherwise there's counter seating along the walls. I ordered a crunchy shrimp roll and shared the yellowtail crudo and crab seasoned fries with the table. The roll was delicious and had a nice blend of flavors. The crudo was refreshing, and the fries were seasoned to perfection. I enjoyed our meal and would definitely come back to try out more of the menu! read more

Holdfast Specialty Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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A welcome addition of a different cuisine in the neighborhood! This is a small fast casual spot that serves New England style seafood rolls with their own spin. There is one large table by the window with booth seating and 2 bar seating on either side of the walls. I got the Crunchy Shrimp Roll ($17) and it was unique with the ponzu aioli, Thai basil, and green herb butter roll. The combination of flavors work well together and I liked the kick from the Serrano chile. The shrimps were crispy as well. I only wish there were more shrimps in it so it would be more filling! Overall, the food was good and the staff was friendly. The rolls are on the pricier side and the portion size is smaller compared to other places in Boston (ie. the cold lobster roll is $45 and the hot lobster roll is $48 for 6oz of lobster). However, I think this place is still worth checking out if you're in the area. Their take on traditional New England style seafood rolls is not something I've seen anywhere else. read more

Holdfast Specialty Seafood - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Daily specials are super tasty. We had the soft shell crab sandwich which were uber yummy!! I always get the salt and vinegar fries, a must. The chowder is okay enough to order, however it sometimes lacks a little flavor. Shrimp po-boy is delicious!! read more

Delicious fresh fish and crispy fries. Customer service is amazing!!! We sat and ate our food and the atmosphere was peaceful, noise level is perfect. We will be back!!! I ate my food too fast to take a pic read more

Pros: You don't have to pay tips. Cons: Over priced Oysters weren't as much fresh as you would get them from the town's famous seafood restaurants. It's at $3 per each. I would choose Select Oyster Bar happy hour $2 or Little Whale $2 with a drink order. Lobster in my Lobster Roll was super fresh and tasty. But, it was $45 without any fries or salad. Chowder was okay. I didn't taste the quality clam broth. read more

New restaurant in Allston that's not only tasty but also a refreshing update to the cuisine scene in the area. The staff was excited to welcome costumers and one could see how much care they put into their craft. I can predict that it'll be a hot spot soon so the small store front could get busy but no worries take out is always available! read more

Holdfast Specialty Seafood - Shrimp roll and crab fries - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Incredible fresh and fried seafood from former Oya and Sarma chefs in a casual, unassuming counter-service spot. Get any sandwich and a side of oysters and crudo. read more

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Amazing fresh seafood. Super casual atmosphere with some counter seats and one shared table. Super friendly staff. Eye-watering prices. Small portions. You can easily blow $50 on a quick simple lunch here, and if you get the amazing lobster roll with an appetizer and a drink by the time you've paid a tip you are approaching $100. I will be back, but with prices that only doctors, lawyers, and investment managers can afford, I worry this place won't survive. read more

DELICIOUS food!! there are not many really high quality restaurants in Allston. The falafel roll was very tasty, which I was surprised by as a seafood restaurant. The fries were also excellent. Overall, all of the flavors were very nicely balanced and proportions were the perfect size. The ambiance was also nice and clean inside. Will definitely be going back! The employees were also very nice :) read more

Holdfast Specialty Seafood - Falafel roll in the front, shrimp roll in the back. And yummy pickles! - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Wandered in by chance and found delicious rolls and friendly staff. We had the oyster roll and the shrimp roll, both perfectly balanced. The Crab Style french fries were amazing, especially with their special hot sauce. The interior was clean and cute with nautical decor. read more

Holdfast Specialty Seafood - Oyster Roll (left) and Shrimp Roll (right) with French Fries - Crab Style - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Small, casual, friendly place. Ordered a lobster roll with seasoned fries, 1/2 dozen oysters and the special, which was smoked mackerel salad on toast. Everything was delicious. The lobster roll appears on the smaller side but I guarantee it's the best quality lobster in Boston. Gently poached to perfection, you'll realize that every other lobster roll in Boston is over cooked. Well worth a visit! read more

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A new place focused on a small menu of fresh and interesting seafood items; a variety of seafood handheld's such as shrimp, oyster, and lobster rolls, chowders, fries, etc. The room is small with one large table and two high top eating bars; so a lot of their businesses takeout. It's an informal space but the price is appropriately less than a typical restaurant. No liquor license. read more

Our clam roll and shrimp rolls were good but we had difficulty finding much of a clam flavor in our chowder and the fries were so-so. A couple small points that turned us off were that the restaurant refused to serve us tap water claiming they lacked any cups for this, and that they tacked on a kitchen fee undisclosed on the menu (contrary to MA law). I don't think we'll be back. read more

Been here 4 or 5 times and have never been let down. Well thought dishes that are consistently well prepared and delicious. Staff is friendly and excited to serve you. I will continue to eat here. read more

I've lived in New England a number of decades, and this was the best clam roll I've ever had

Holdfast is the hidden gem Allston-Brighton needed with impressive high quality standards. On both our visits, the lobster rolls were excellent and very generously portioned. The falafel roll, shrimp roll and clam belly roll were just as impressive. The fries had perfect texture and seasoning. This place is quickly becoming a true neighborhood institution. read more