best place to get fresh live lobsters and a reasonable price in the city of Boston. usually about $6.99/lb for 1.5 ers.. Major bonus - they will give you seaweed for packing your lobsters for the ride home, and more importantly, to put in the pot while you are steaming them. extra sea flavor goodness! never tried any of their prepared foods, but it looks pretty good. Lobsters are always lively and fresh. read more

Awesome lobster rolls! Friendly staff. Lobster is sooooo fresh!! Definitely will be back!! read more

James Hook & Co - Yummy! - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Had a regular lobster roll ($14) and a cup of the lobster bisque ($7.50). Really great stuff! The guy behind the counter was a little brusque, but apparently that's to be expected here in Boston. This place has their own parking, which is free (YAY!!!). It's a little cramped inside with all the small tables, but if the weather is nice you shouldn't have a problem using the outdoor seating. Makes for good people watching too. Definitely a great place to grab food, just keep in mind they close at 5. read more

My boyfriend and I had lunch at James Hook & Co. I had read reviews online and many people said their clam chowder is great. We each had a clam chowder and we shared a large lobster roll. Some reviews said there wasn't anywhere to sit which worried us as we visited Boston in January however when we got there we were pleasantly surprised and there are tables inside the trailer where you can sit and grab lunch. The clam chowder was delicious, although a tad expensive but definitely lots clam in it. The lobster roll was good and the bread that it was toasted on was great. I definitely recommend this to other's who are visiting. You can also buy fresh seafood there as well. read more

I spent the day in Boston with a friend and we were trying to figure out where we wanted to have lunch. I saw James hook around the corner and I've always wanted to go so we took our hungry asses over and we both ordered the large lobster roll. It was around lunch time so it was getting busy. We stood in line and workers were going up to people to take orders and payments. I put in the order and it came out within minutes. Fresh lobster rolls are generally the same price anywhere so I forked over 20$, sprinkled some old bay on that lobster roll and went to town. James hooks lobster roll was just delightful. Stuffed with fresh lobster meat. Some seasoning additional to what I sprinkled on. Just amaze balls. read more

EXCELLENT lobster mac and cheese, please try it. To my recollection, I believe this costs $18. Is it worth it? Not really..but just try it. I pretty much ate the entire thing by myself with the exception of giving someone a few bites, and it didn't fill me up. We also tried the lobster roll and clam chowder. They were both good, but you can find better at other places(Tony's Clam Shop in Quincy). For the most part, I would say that the portions are tiny. read more

Fantastic Lobster Roll and Chowda! My wife and I ate here with a work colleague. Was excellent and good value! Nice beer selection and best Chowda I have ever had. read more

Can not go wrong here. Freshest by far. They have huge lobster tank in this place. Fried foods are never greasy. The fresh crab in to go containers is delicious. Reminds me of being a kid but without the hassle of breaking the crabs. Although that was part of the fun. read more

It's rare I find something that I slow down to eat so it doesn't end. Their lobster roll is one of them. Best ever. read more

James Hook & Co - Unbelievable roll - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

No question this is some fresh lobster. Big tanks of the tasty crustaceans on your left as you enter. Just some small circular tables with chairs. I guess their former building burned down, so this place is pretty much just a pre-fab structure. Whatever, I'm here for the lobster rolls. By the way, it's not evident immediately how to order your food. Think more "fish market" than restaurant, as you're peering over a tall glass refrigerated case to wait for someone to yell "Next!". A basket of menus mounted on clipboards, but not much on there--again, this place seems to be more fish market than restaurant. Although the chowders and bisques look tempting, I stick to my guns and order a lobster roll, regular. Bag of chips and bottle of iced tea and we're looking at $18 out the door. I ate outside on one of their picnic tables, enjoying the spring weather. The lobster roll is substantial, but not gigantic. It's served in a small paper canoe, and it was top-heavy with a big pile of lobster meat on a toasted white bun. Very simple--just lobster and mayo are the flavors here. But the lobster was sweet and tender, the bun moist and chewy. Simple and tasty. I'd say you're paying for the quantity and freshness of the lobster here, not the service or ambiance, which was fine, but not terribly memorable. A good place for a lobster roll. Perhaps I'll swing by again and get some of their chowder. read more

OMG this place is great. Staff are friendly, you can touch a live lobster, and eat the best lobster roll you have ever had. No one can beat this quality, not to mention price. I couldn't be more ecstatic. I recommend getting a roll, lightly toasted, lobster, no mayo, hot butter, a douce of lobster bisque and a bowl of clam chowder. read more

Used to come here a lot to buy lobsters. Haven't been back since their fire. They have rebuilt and while I admire them for adding a very small restaurant, a lot of the charm and friendliness is gone. The woman who help me today was fantastic. She was helpful, patient and really knew her lobsters. The reason for my low rating is management. I spoke to two different men and informed them that their address via Google came up to an empty parking lot. The man behind the counter acknowledged that it was a problem and I was not the first one to mention it. There is a bridge out or not in use and so things are a little confusing. He didn't seem to care that people could not find them. Because he was so disinterested, I spoke to the man in the back office. He, too, was less than interested. His acknowledged me and the situation and also admitted that he knew it was confusing. The conversation was less than satisfying and I felt like I was an irritation rather than a help. Maybe J Hook is doing such a phenomenal business that they don't care if people find them. Maybe that's why their lobster roll prices are soooo high. Next time, I will simply drive to Quincy where the Lobster Stop serves the best lobster rolls around. They are a lot cheaper, the owners are wonderful and I would much rather give them my business. read more

Great lobster roll and they don't skimp out on the meat! I got the regular size with a side of chips and it was the perfect amount of food. The lobster is lightly season with mayo and not overpowering. They also have a variety of condiments inside that you can add to your roll since it could be a bit bland depending on your liking. read more

Their customer service stinks...spending $50 a lb for lobster meat, have a few questions and they can't be bothered to answer me in a civil manner. Very disappointed - used to go there frequently, but now, that they are so popular I guess rudeness, prevails. Also their parking lot is now GONE, turned into a place to eat lobster rolls...however, when you drive in from the burbs, beware...its a challenge to find any parking as the lot beside them is the coast guards lot. We'll see tonight if the lobster was worth the money... just so mad and disapointed in how I was treated there this a.m. I just had to write..with the hopes, they'd read this and pay attention to their customers. Cause we can always go elsewhere if you care so little. read more

We got the regular lobster roll with Boston clam chowder. The roll inside had a good amount of lobster meat. It was very fresh. And as for the chowder-- it's been the best that I've tried on this trip to Boston. read more

Got a lobster roll and cup of clam chowder. Was a bit nervous because they just pulled it from the fridge (for roll) and standing pot (for chowder) areas (this also applied to their steamed lobster that I saw other people eating, which they just heated up instead of actually cooking it but I guess they were just trying to speed things up). It seems like a nice place to pick up fresh lobster, though (they were fairly lively in their water tubs). Service was sporadic, and the guy doesn't wear any gloves when he's handling your food. Ate the food back at my hotel: - Lobster roll: In a regular roll. There was a generous portion of really fresh lobster! :D It tasted much better than any lobster I had before (it wasn't cooked as soft as you get in the Neptune Oyster but tasted fresher). - Clam Chowder: tasted a little sour, and not the best I've had. Not sure if that was supposed to be the taste but it didn't really appeal Verdict: Passable service with some sanitary concerns, AWESOME / affordable lobster!, not so good chowder. A good choice if you're on a budget and still want to get a great, fresh lobster roll! read more

I have only been here once but I can definitely see why this is a local institution with a near constant line out the door. The environment is...let's call it cramped-industrial. It's pretty much a converted construction trailer with a fish deli, live lobster tanks, maybe 8-10 two-tops for seating and, as mentioned above, a line typically about 30 people deep. Despite the hectic pace the staff does a great job moving people through without making you feel rushed. We had two lobster rolls, because that's what you go to JH&Co for, a cup of lobster bisque and a stuffed clam. My general feeling towards lobster rolls in Boston is that you can pretty much throw a rock and find a good one (just like their canolis). And there isn't really much to be done to distinguish one from another. So IMO the lobster roll at JH&C is about as good as it gets but doesn't necessarily blow the doors off the competition (we had another really good one at Bar 10 in the Copley Westin for example). I feel pretty much the same way about the lobster bisque, it was very good but didn't really distinguish itself as being so much better than other bisques I have eaten. For me the star of the meal was the stuffed clam. It had the perfect amount of bread, wasn't drowned with sauce or mayo, a lot of clam and it was just packed with flavor. It's also a bargain at $6. I was sad when I finished. I will definitely come back to JH&C and have no problem recommending the lobster roll, it really was very good, but I think that I am going to try some of the other less popular items on the menu like maybe the clams casino, stuffed scallops or the lobster mac'n'cheese. read more

James Hook & Co - Worth the wait! - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place has me spoiled for lobster rolls now! Generous amount of lobsta in the large roll for $20. They only serve it cold Maine style. I think their roll was better, bigger, and fresher than Yankee Lobster which we tried the other night. (But Yankee is a little cheaper and comes with fries and cole slaw) The clam chowder wasn't super thick in consistency but full of clams- not like the places that are cheap and fill it mostly with potatoes. Service was brisk (it's a walk up and order place) and there's plenty of picnic table seating outside. Parking is miserable (not news for Boston) so walk or take a taxi if possible! Close to the water but no views. read more

The real stuff, without fancy distractions. The best lobster roll EVER!!! And big as well. Even the simple lobster-mac-n-cheese was memorable! Can't wait to get back there, all the way from Virginia! read more

Came to Boston looking for seafood. Came here because of its long standing reputation. It is a bad time to be claustrophobic with the amount of people coming in this place. The price is decent for the amount you get. Seating is hard to get so a waiting game. I had the lobster roll, shared lobster mac and cheese with boyfriend and he had the 1.5 lobster. That lobster roll needed more spices but god that amount and size was perfect and fresh as the water it jumped out of. (In my experience you know its a perfect lobster roll when there is no lettuce. Legit I've had some where its more of a salad sandwich then seafood). Mac and cheese is a must, good size bites and creamy cheese. My mom was with us and had lobster bisque, no lobster meat to speak of and more watery than creamy. Lol my boyfriend did struggle opening the lobster but enjoyed the lobster...mostly for selfies. Great spot for lunch though! Not too filling but enough to keep on sightseeing and enjoying the best of boston read more

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$17 for a 'regular' lobster roll "dressed with nothing more than celery and mayo." They do a brisk takeout a retail business. It's a shame their LevelUp sign was hidden, though it likely still would've required payment in the awkward office area across the space (everyone's very friendly). Definitely an excellent option if you don't have much time before a South Station train/bus. read more

James Hook & Co - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Literally the worst experience, and seafood. Growing up here my entire life now living in Texas good seafood is impossible to get. Making a special trip to Boston to eat my favorite food. Took an Uber straight from Logan to Hooks, waited in an hour long line and spent $200 on my food only to get half the order, and not provided claws to crack the shells and being ignored about where the rest of my food was, and at least the crackers to start to enjoy my lobster at least. After 30 mins finally got my crackers to which my food was absolutely cold, my chowder was hard and cold, and to top it off the lobster was soft and salty af. Not the sweet buttery taste every lobster lover knows is what it should taste like. Then my double order of steamers came out, completely uncooked and clearly boiled. When you open a big belly clam it should stay whole but literally every single shell opened separating pulling the clan apart making it virtually impossible to eat. Two orders completely not edible. The absolute worst experience read more

James Hook & Co - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Dude this place was amazing. I've never had a more ballar lobster roll. The NE Clam Chowder was a great compliment and I don't think it was possible to get a crab cake so moist. So good. We showed up at 11:30 on a Saturday and we were able to snag one of the last empty tables. You order at the counter and they bring it to you (very quickly by the way). This place is a MUST when visiting Boston. read more

James Hook & Co - Large lobster roll, crab cake, and NE Clam Chowder. Must must must have all three (shareable of course!) - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I absolutely love this place. We had clam chowder, lobster bisque, crab roll and a lobster roll. And they were all delicious. All the food was fresh and tasty. At first we thought it was just a market and we were pleasantly surprised when we found out they were serving food. The staff was super friendly and attentive. They also have parking which is a great plus in Boston! read more

James Hook & Co - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

$17 lobster roll was very good, but a little on the small side. I guess we could have gone for the $20 large lobster roll. Also got the chowder ($7). Chowder was very good too. Not 5 stars because the place was very cramped and we felt a little rushed to finish quickly so that others had a chance to sit and eat too. If it wasn't so cold outside, there are a couple of nice big picnic tables there too. We wanted to get oysters but were told that those were for to go orders only. Would have been nicer if oysters and steamers were available for eat in. Good for downtown Boston, but we have had better lobster rolls outside of the city too! read more

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Dear James Hook, You just BLEW the standards for lobster rolls out of the water!! It's the freshest, most affordable lobster roll I've ever had in my life! Luke's lobster (which my friends swear by in NYC) is PUNY compared to your large awesomeness. :P And the customer service was absolutely amazing. You know staff is a fun bunch when they seem to be always having a great time on the job. It's just such a chill place. Please don't change. Thank you!! read more

YUMMY! Came here with fam as soon as we arrived in Boston...suitcases and everything in tow. Never had a lobster roll and happy that James Hook was my first. Absolutely delicious! My ma got the clam chowder and she usually shares generously but offered us small taste and devoured the rest herself. We sat outside at the picnic tables and enjoyed the nice weather. read more

Coming to Boston for the first time, I knew I had to try a lobster roll. I was so overwhelmed by all the choices, but luckily, my friend directed me towards James hook & co. It was definitely smaller than the other bigger lobster joints in the area- and it seemed very local as well. Wow! These lobsters are INSANELY fresh. They had the most perfect amount of meat and tasted out-of-the- water fresh. The mayo wasn't overpowering, and as a hater of mayo, I enjoyed this roll so much! AND.THE.CLAM.CHOWDER. This was the best clam chowder I have ever tried. I was expecting it to be really salty, since every chowder has the same salty tang to it- but surprisingly, this one was just perfect. I can't stop thinking about it! The stuffed scallops were also delicious. Do yourself a favor and visit this cute little shack. read more

James Hook & Co - Fresh Lobster Rolls- two regular, one large Stuffed scallops Not pictured- New England Clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Very authentic food! Loved the lobster roll especially it being the first original one from New England! It is quite pricey, nonetheless definitely worth a visit. read more

Yes, just yes. This place is in a double wide in the middle of what looks like an empty construction lot or something. When we first walked by it I was dubious because it looked so random but after checking it out online we tried it for lunch. And then we came back a second day. And I probably would have come back a third day if left to my own devices. The lobster roll was amazing. It had huge chunks of lobster and very minimal mayo and filler. The roll was toasted but not really buttered so I really liked that. The "regular" is kind of small though so if you're really hungry get a large. The crab roll was equally as impressive. The lines can be long and wind outside so if it's hot or raining outside it makes for a fun wait. Customer service and ambiance don't seem to be huge priorities but the lobstahhhhh... And now I want a lobster roll. Again. read more

Aight, here's the run down. Living in Boston all of my life, I've never really had a lobster roll until the day I had one at James Hook & Co. Friends from out of town came to visit, and of course, they want to be basic and get clam chowder and lobster rolls - I'm okay with being low-key basic for a small period of time - and so we did. GPS'ed this place, thinking that it'd be in some nice building since it was right near the waterfront, and low and behold, it was a trailer maybe a little bigger than my garage. You know what, I'm alright with that. Perhaps this is one of those hidden gems that looks like shit on the outside, but serve the best food you may ever eat inside. I thought it was great because just seeing the building really set my expectations low, which is also great because I don't ever want to be disappointed with high expectations. Nevertheless, the food. Got that lobster roll. Got that clam chowder. I'm sitting there saying, yeah, this is not bad - I like lobster. And I don't know if it's because it's the hype or something (because everything apparently is better when it's hyped), but my friends out of town was literally "jizzing" all over their pants because of how good it was. I guess food is just like anything else - subjective. Real talk, the lobster roll was good. The chowder was good. I just don't know if I can muster up the strength to whip out my wallet and pay for another lobster roll. Especially when I know I can run to my grocery store, buy some lobster, chop that bad boy up, grab a hot dog bun, butter that sucker up, and make my own lobster roll. Idk. TL;DR: I have semi mixed feelings because I'm low-key frugal. read more

Ahh I am a lobstah roll addict... like I can eat rolls on rolls on rolls. And that is exactly what I did here. Went in with my mum and got 2 regular sized lobstah rolls ($13 each) and a lobster bisque. Delicious! Definitely beats the lobstah rolls in California... hahah but no surprise there. The roll was pretty on par (maybe a tid bit better) than the one I got from Luke's lobstah in New York. They had chunks on chunks of lobstah in a light mayo sauce, on a warm toasted bun. The bisque was good too..... but nothing too stand-outish. After touring Quincy market area, we walked back and got more lobstah rolls!!! We also ordered a dozen of little neck clams (supposedly $6.00/dozen) and asked to get them shucked. The little necks were good... but there was a lot of sand in them. In addition, the total came out to be $38 for 1 lobstah roll ($13) and a dozen of clams (supposedly $6)... Its understandable that they added extra for shucking oysters... but that wouldve meant that the oysters cost $25 for a dozen, which is definitely not worth it. Oh well.. being the tourists that we were.... we just kinda paid, ate, then left..... Not sure if there will be a next time for those clams... but the lobstah rolls are definitely something I will go back for. read more

I knew I had to had lobster before I left beantown so stop by before heading back to pick up three lobster rolls and I did not regret it. It was made with whole pieces of lobster and it was delicious!!! My niece and nephew loved it. An extra plus is that they have free parking! read more

James Hook & Co - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Incredible food! I had lobster bisque and crab cakes! My co-worker has them ship frozen seafood to her in NY now. Try it! You will love it! read more

Do you want to pay $27 for a lobster roll at a restaurant or $12 at James Hook? I've never had a lobster roll before and since Boston has the freshest seafood... it was a must. OMG, this place is quite generous on their portions...HUGE chunks of lobster tail mixed with mayo on a soft fluffy roll. HEAVEN!!! *mouth watering & licking lips* We also tried stuffed scallops and stuffed clams. I didn't care for the clams but the scallops were mmmMMMmmm! All it was missing was a splash of Tabasco sauce. I really REALLY wanted to buy Cherrystones. But they wouldn't shuck 'em for us so I was totally bummed out. When I return, I HOPE they build a shucking station outside of the shack. I'm definitely returning on my next trip to Boston. read more

Went last Friday afternoon around 4. There were not many people waiting. Ordered the lobster roll and waited about 10 minutes for it. And man that lobster roll was amazing!! It was very fresh and one of the best lobster rolls I've had in my lifetime. Will definitely be coming back. read more

Great lobster roll! It was served cold with warm bread and it was absolutely delicious. I love that the sauce/mayo was not too heavy. Definitely check it out if you're in the area! read more

My wife and I went to James Hook for the first time after attending a wedding in Cambridge. Unfortunately our experience was not good. We order a large lobster roll, a bowl of lobster bisque, a crab cake and the lobster macaroni and cheese for a total of $73 dollars. The crab cake was mainly bread filler. The portion for the large lobster roll was good but the lobster was flavorless, there was to much of the finger part of the claw, the roll was not a Nissan roll but a hard sub style piece of bread, and the mayonnaise was unseasoned. I can't believe I could ever say this about a lobster roll but it was the worst lobster roll I have ever had. The lobster bisque was thin and lacked flavor and the amount of meat in it was meager at best. Now, time for the lobster macaroni and cheese. At $25 one would expect a decent amount of lobster. At best it was not even the equivalent of one claw and the cheese sauce was most likely just the lobster bisque poured over the shell noodles, I didn't detect any cheese. I grew up in New England and have had my share of lobster rolls, lobster bisque and crab cakes. I know what a good lobster roll is, this was not one of them. We had our two year old son with us who was cranky so I was not able to take the time to speak to the manager. I always offer constructive criticism/feedback when its needed, its the only way operators can address and make changes. I wish I had been in a situation to do so. I would not recommend this establishment, hence the 1 star rating.The worst $73 dollars spent on lobster in my life. read more

My 2 kids and I tagged along with the hubby to Boston while he's here for work. So while he spends the better part of the day at his work conference, I have the honor of navigating my way around the Back Bay area with 2 of our friends from NYC and their kids. Not a bad gig when you consider the oh-so-sweet reward of eating lobster rolls at James Hook & Co. We spent 3 (very long) hours with the kids at the Children's Museum, so those lobster rolls made our hectic day worth it. The rolls (like many have described) come cold, wrapped in tin foil and served with heaping amounts of chunky lobster pieces (served super-fast, too if I might add). Everythng about it worked for me (especially the fact my daughter was sound asleep in her carseat next to me while we scarfed them down in the car at our leisure :) We grabbed an extra one for my husband to enjoy after he was done at work, but it was so good one of my friends considered eating that one too (he didn't). The hubs loved his lobster roll so much, we went back for more but didn't realize the place closed at 4pm (oops!). So we're going back for lunch today... this time we're gonna save room for a lobster bisque and clam chowder. *note: this review is based on a very limited experience of lobster rolls, a very empty stomach and a brain/body so happy to have escaped the chaos of said, children's museum. but i still think it was damn, good food. read more

The most stellar lobster roll ever . . . and it's $10! My mother objected to how enormous the delicious chunks of lobster were, but I'm not complaining. I do object, however, to the three foot long monster lobster in the tank. No one is ever going to buy that guy - you'd need a sledge hammer to crack open his claws - so why torture him with life in the tank? Throw that dinolobster back! read more