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    Maine Lobstah Shack

    4.8 (266 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood
    Open • 11:30 am - 7:30 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Order Maine Lobstah Shack Takeout or Delivery

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    MAINE LOBSTAH SHACK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Maine Lobstah Shack

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    Lobster roll 1/4 lb
    Mike T.

    Stopped by for a quick lunch. Amazing lobster rolls! My wife loved the clam chowder. The coleslaw that comes with the lobster rolls was fantastic as well. Definitely worth a stop!

    Lobster roll, clams chowder and a Coke Zero
    Michael M.

    Ok yelp, another review I have already left, that you have deleted and pretend like I did not do a review. I can't tell if they delete them on purpose or if they have major issues with their entire system. Sadly, because of this I will write less and not waste my time redoing it. Yes the lobster is good, and the guy who took our order was funny and friendly. Our food came out fast and was exactly what we expected from a Maine lobster shack. You eat outside under a shade on picnic tables. There is no inside so keep that in mind and if you need the restroom they don't have one, you'll need to run across the parking lot to the tackle and bait fishing shop (which is a really cool store and lots of boating, touristy, beach stuff too). To us where they really shined was the soups. I had the clam chowder and my wife had lobster bisque. Both were excellent! Almost everyone sells clam chowder up and down the barrier islands but many do the water based version with canned clams which are hard and too chewy. This was a proper clam chowder made with fresh clams and real cream. It was spot on. The same for the bisque. If you're unsure, they offer sample tastes of the soups. Will we go back? Yes. Was it expensive? Yes. We spent $90 bucks for lunch and that's a lot for us so it won't be a regular stop for us, if we were more affluent we would eat here more often.

    Maine Roll
    Ian N.

    Incredible service. The staff were extremely friendly, they brought out samples of lobster bisque+clam chowder (which were delicious), and they brought out a free dessert sample as well when they bussed our table. Maine Roll (5/5): 1/4 lb of delicious lobster stuffed in a lightly grilled bun. Nothing fancy, but super tasty. The coleslaw and pickle were also great. RATING SYSTEM 5 - Great (Need to get this again) 4 - Good (Would get this again) 3 - Ok (Might give this another shot) 2 - Not Good (Won't get this again) 1 - Bad (Telling people to avoid this)

    Classic Whoopie Pie
    Bryant S.

    Where to begin, prior to my big family vacation, my wife and I love to scope out different places to try food wise. Maine Lobstah Shack stood out because I've always wanted to try an authentic Maine Lobster Roll. The Maine Lobstah Shack was our first stop once we arrived in Surf City and when I tell you this was by far the best experience of our trip! Not only did we visit this time but we made two more trips during our week stay in Surf City. The entire staff was friendly and welcoming and the food is superb! The location of the restaurant sits perfectly in the inner coastal area and the views while dining were spectacular. All I can do is rave on The Maine Lobstah Shack! I highly recommend this place to everyone and we will definitely be returning to Surf City specifically for The Maine Lobstah Shack!

    Tabitha C.

    My review is based off the food truck experience only, first time and visitor out of state. Cons: I was shocked to find out how expensive it is (for a food truck, thought that makes sense for restaurant but expected a different menu for truck) without feeling full afterwards. I paid $90 for 2 lobster mac & cheese for family and one lobster bowl for me (only has 1/4 lb lobster, no sides). Pros: very fresh lobster and delicious. Nice staff and service. Was convenient at the time and wanted to treat self on vacation. Would I try again? Probably not, unless came with sides and more filling. Up the street at local seafood places can get more for the price.

    Seating area.

    This shack for lobster rolls is amazing. We visited from California. The staff are welcoming and friendly. There is outside seating with great views. We had lobster rolls, lobster bisque and clam chowder. We will definitely visit here again.

    Kimber C.

    You will pay a lot to eat here, but the amount of lobster for the price is decent (as long as you aren't from Maine). The lobster and butter sauce were well worth it. Not traditional lobster roll, but it was good. The outdoor seating is nice though depending on time of day, you may be scorched by that southern sun: wear sunscreen or hats: not the owners fault. The view is perfect. You can also take it to go. Speaking of the owner, he was very personable, and just seemed like an all around good guy. Definitely recommend.

    Nick H.

    Absolutely phenomenal. The nicest people ever. Coming around with free samples and asking if you need assistance. Large fresh lobster rolls. Delicious grilled lobster & cheese. The bisque and chowder were to die for. Everything we tried was a home run. Would definitely come here everyday if I lived here

    Loved my lobster mac and cheese!
    Jennifer J.

    This is such a nice spot! I came here with my husband and my dog. The service was friendly and quick, and we came on a sunny day that just made the scenery amazing. We got a lobster roll, lobster bisque, lobster mac and cheese, grilled cheese, and a clam chowder. Everything was delicious but I highly recommend getting the mac and cheese and lobster bisque! They were my favorites! The mac and cheese was so creamy and flavorful and it was a large portion and super filling! This will be my go to spot next time I visit Surf City!

    1/2 lb lobsta roll. Yum.

    Absolutely delicious. A couple years ago, I made a lobster roll tour of New Hampshire and Maine. This place is the real deal. The service is excellent also.

    Lobster roll

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    2 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Although it is pricey, our family enjoyed food. The staff were very friendly too. We would eat here again.

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    2 months ago

    Great service, delicious lobster roll. Good amount of outdoor seating open to the nice coastal breeze.

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    4 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    28 days ago

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    3 months ago

    Small picnic seating area or to-go car-side service. The lobsters are exquisite. Bisque is savory. Service is bostonian.

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    Jen W.

    Thank you, Maxwell - we are so pleased you enjoyed your Lobstah!

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Jen W.

    Thank you so much Megan - this is music to our ears.

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Delicious food, great host! Blessed to be there. We come to Topsail twice a year so this is going to be a regular stop for us

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    5 months ago

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    Thank you so much- we are delighted to hear you enjoyed your Lobstah!

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Maine Lobstah Shack

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    Shuckin' Shack Oyster Bar

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    We've lived in the area for about 6 years. Eat out fairly often. This restaurant by far has been…read morethe most consistent in the quality of the food, which is the best of all the restaurants in the topsail area. It is not fine dining and has the sports bar vibe. It is a relatively small place and I recommend going on non peak hours in season. If you are into oysters, they have a great selection of both local and regional on the half shell. If you prefer cooked, chargrilled or steamed is a good choice. While the menu has a great selection of seafood, the chalkboard specials features extremely fresh local catches which change daily. While there are several restaurants in and around the topsail area this is the only one where I have never been disappointed. If you go at peak hours during the vacation season expect to wait but it is worth it. You can't miss with any of the steamed shellfish offerings and if you prefer fried there batter is light and not overpowering. As a sports bar, they have a large selection of tap and bottled beers and a good mixology of liquor options which is only outdone in my opinion by Rick's in Sneads Ferry

    Whenever a restaurant puts "market price" next to an item, I'm worried. But Dear Wife and I were in…read morethe low country and we wanted a low country boil. So that's what we got. I could've asked the price upfront (and usually do) but what the heck... we're on vacation. The server suggested we get a "double" and share it. OK. Sounds good. It came out quick. There was a TON of food for two of us. Shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn. It didn't have a lot of seasoning also on it, but - no problem - there was a rack with every hot sauce you'd ever need, plus salt, pepper and old bay. We both ate our fill and even left a few potatoes. The bill comes and it's less than $40. It might be the cheapest great meal I've had in a long time. Or maybe it's the "greatest cheap meal" I've had in a long time... I don't know. Bar ambiance, but pleasant enough for families. Mostly high tables. It all seemed very nice.

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    Crab Pot - Crab Balls

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    This was a nice little restaurant, but be prepared to be here for a long time. After a 45 min wait…read moreto get a table which was fine for a Saturday, we were in there for another hour and a half. There were only a few other tables, but the food took forever. Once it did arrive, it was pretty good. All the appetizers and food were flavorful. I recommend the hush puppies, shrimp, and sweet potato fries. They were all great. Overall, besides the long waits, this place has decent food. Just don't be expecting to get in and out quickly.

    My husband and I arrived around 2:45 PM. The hostess was super nice and told us it would be about 5…read moreminutes for a table, so we decided to sit at the bar while we waited and ordered two drinks. The bartender finally took our food order about 20 minutes later. The two drinks were over $25, despite us not ordering top-shelf and getting very little alcohol in either one. When we were asked if we wanted another round, I declined and asked for water instead. Another 30 minutes went by with no food and, more importantly, still no water. We eventually asked the hostess if we could sit at one of the three empty tables. We then waited another 15 minutes for our appetizer and approximately 20 more minutes for our meal. We finished eating and still hadn't been checked on. We never received the water I had requested. I eventually had to get up and go to the bar myself to get it. The bartender then brought us the check, and I mentioned that I was still waiting for the water. By this point, we were extremely frustrated. Not once during our meal did anyone check on us. The only time someone came back to the table was to take payment and clear the dishes--we were already finished and didn't need anything by then. We ended up spending 1 hour and 55 minutes there for two people sharing an appetizer and a steam pot. That's a ridiculous amount of time for that amount of food, especially considering how much of that time was spent waiting for someone to take our order, bring water, bring our food, or simply check on us. The food was good, but the service was some of the worst we've experienced. We place a huge value on good service, and when you can't even get a glass of water or have someone check on you during your entire meal, it really takes away from the experience. Great food doesn't make up for nearly two hours of waiting and virtually no service.

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    Had the best time at JM's! The music being played is excellent and the bartender, Brittany, was…read moreawesome!!! Brittany engaged with me with zero judgement and even told me I remind her of her aunt! That was very endearing! I also met the owner, Mike, who was very sweet. There are pool tables and dart boards and all the local regulars!! I'll be back!! Watch out Brittany, pour my drink, please!!

    I got shrimp and red snapper from here to cook for dinner. The shrimp was phenomenal. The red…read moresnapper was good. I'm a fan of small local fish markets, and this one fits the bill. When you walk in, it doesn't exactly scream "fish market" - as it took me a few minutes to even find the fish. The staff there that day (one person) was friendly, but when asked for suggestions of what was good "everything." The owner of the bar (of the same name) next door came by to hard sell his place. He wasn't wearing a mask, and I tried to interject that I wouldn't be coming by because my kid is too young to eat out around people - but he really didn't catch on. Sigh. I went on to get the shrimp and the red snapper. I paused trying to do the math on how much. The friendly bar owner then insisted I wasn't getting enough for "that many people" - and I should double it. I don't exactly know why I listened to him (I think I was just ready to go) - so I bought what he said. After a rather hefty bill. Getting home, I pulled out the fish and it was 2x what I needed. Sure enough, we had left overs. I don't know if you've ever microwaved left over red snapper - I don't recommend it. So - the interloper from next door brought down the score, but the shrimp was so good I can't imagine going less than 4 stars.

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    Maine Lobstah Shack - seafood - Updated September 2026

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