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    McLaughlin's Lobster Shack

    3.7 (146 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood

    McLaughlin's Lobster Shack Photos

    Business Info

    MCLAUGHLIN'S LOBSTER SHACK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Good for groups

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    Best blackened haddock around! Try the onion rings and cole slaw!
    Christopher B.

    Best seafood in the Midcoast region with a nice breeze and scenic views from the upper level.

    Onion rings part of the Seafood Platter
    John D.

    Shack Attack Family-owned restaurant that's been slinging some of Maine's finest foods since 1956. They've recently moved from a smaller location near the ocean, to a bit more inland until much bigger digs. The Good: *Outdoor seating *Friendly service *Local beers on-tap, as well as a full bar. *Private parking lot *Good meaty and tasty lobstah roll. My only complaint was the fries seemed frozen and not very good ones. *Quahog Clam Chowdah was fantastic and maybe the best one we tried on our trip to Maine. The Meh: *No longer oceanside, but they are adjacent to an estuary of sorts. *Seasonal business so check to make sure they're open; usually May - October is the general timeframe, but don't quote me on that. The Ugly: *That fried Seafood Platter was good but eventually all that fried food starts to kinda taste the same. Conclusion: Great lobstah roll with friendly service and in an interesting location.

    Haddock tacos
    Linda R.

    They've moved up the street a bit from their old location at the Islesboro ferry. Now there is great indoor seating, a full menu of seafood and nice parking. Order and pay at the downstairs counter/bar, get your table number and pick your seat. Food is delivered to your table. I had the haddock tacos and they were delicious. Scallop basket was also very good. High marks for the onion rings. Great view from the second floor seating area!

    Lobster roll (cold), at McLaughlin's Lobster Shack in Lincolnville, ME.
    Tom D.

    Stopped in for takeout lunch with the wife yesterday. She had a cold lobster roll, I went with the haddock. Lobster roll was excellent, haddock was alright (they forgot to throw tarter sauce in the the takeout bag). My wife wanted coleslaw with her lunch, but it wasn't included in the meal, so that set me back another 5 bucks. We both liked the coleslaw, but the fries would've been a lot better if they had been hand cut instead of frozen. Not overly impressed with our lunch yesterday, other than the lobster roll. That's it, not much more to say.

    View...I should have taken good pictures

    Wonderful lobster meal...huge chunks of lobster meat in a butter roll and the full lobster was cut so that eating is was super easy. The service was perfect. The view from upstairs was beautiful.

    The view from McLaughlin's.
    Bruno B.

    McLaughlin's is the real deal. Right on the working waterfront, you can go around back and see the lobsters fresh from the ocean. The interior is exactly what you would expect, picnic red-and-white plastic tablecloths, fish nets, tiki lights, sea captain sculptures, etc. The food comes out pretty fast. We got the lobster rolls and fries, cuz what else are you going to get? I was instructed that the lobster chowder is an East Coast thing that isn't like the cioppino that I love from SF, so I skipped it. The buns had that lovely buttery crunch followed by softness, and the lobster was incredible. It wasn't buttery or mayo-y, both of which I only want in small quantities. You get a lot of chunks of lobster, it was super delicious and simple and perfect. The fries were fries, and the coleslaw wasn't very good, kinda watery. But you're here for the lobster roll!

    Shel D.

    On the upside this place has a great queer o meter score - the staff was super nice. 10! On the downside - there was a little bit not too great with the dinner. What we got: shore dinner - lobster, steamers, fish chowder, fries, cornbread, and Cole slaw. Side order onion rings 1 bottle water $75 plus tip It was about $15 more than we paid the day before and the lobster was 1.15 lbs not 1.25. The lobster and steamers were over boiled about 3 min too long and sadly they were on the chewy side. Don't get me wrong, I ate it but it had def hit the start of bouncy. The chowder is good - it's the thin kind so don't be expecting a creamy NE kind. It's a thinner stewish kind but flavorful. The cornbread was a corner piece and most of it dry - the flavour was good! I'm guessing the middle pieces were great. The French fries and Cole slaw were also good! They use hunts ketchup which I don't like, but that's a me thang. Finally the onion rings - they were hot and crispy but that's where the compliments end. I found them bland and uneventful, which was too and bc they were hot and crispy! So much potential. Well all in all I wouldn't go back. Maybe it was an off night but for $75 I expect to fully enjoy 85%+ of a meal. This one fell short for me. Cheers!

    Menu
    Jill I.

    Really great spot , nice water views and great staff . The baked haddock was cooked perfectly generous portion and so flavorful. The fried haddock was just as good crispy outside, flaky and flavorful inside. The onion rings were a nice addition to lunch but there were plenty of thick fries with the basket. The mushrooms were good, but did not seem to be made there. if I had to choose definitely would have gone with the onion rings. The coleslaw was a little better than average. I would most definitely get the baked haddock again or try the lobster which are in tanks on the deck. Nice spot not cheap but the portions are very generous so you get your money's worth Nd very nice to sit and watch the boats go by.

    The Lobster's Demise
    Steve K.

    Disclaimer: This review is from the perspective of a 100% non-seafood eater. I give them 4 stars because everyone else in my party of 6 raved about the freshness of the lobster and the haddock they all eagerly consumed. I give it a 1 star for my order of the bacon cheeseburger with onion rings. I was once again very disappointed in how seafood restaurants serve a basic burger. If you are going to offer it as a menu item, please learn how to cook and serve it properly. It was cooked so long there was no moisture left in the beef at all. And it was served on a dry bun with no sauce of any kind, no lettuce, no tomato, no pickles, nothing. There were ketchup packets in a bin but it didn't help. If I am ever in this amazing area again, I will drop my group here and go find someplace else for me.

    That's a mighty big lobster!

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    3 months ago

    If I lived locally, I would eat here once a DAY! Amazing Lobster Roll, very kind service!

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    3 months ago

    Food is satisfactory - I ordered their long, expensive lobster roll. It was a joke. Best thing is fish chowder. Wait staff friendly.

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    Great lobster rolls and onion rings. Take out as well as dine in Friendly service

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    3 years ago

    Awesome again. Usually get a lobster dinner. This time had a lobster roll. Beer served here! Very nice view and location.

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    3 years ago

    Disappointed. Clam Chowder was watery and the worst that I have ever tasted. The lobster was forgettable.

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    Ask the Community - McLaughlin's Lobster Shack

    Cafe Louis

    Cafe Louis

    4.5(22 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    One of the highlights of my short time in Camden. Being at the end of the summer season, finding…read moreavailability for dinner was a challenge, but we were able to snag a late reservation on a Tuesday evening. The vibe was cozy, warm, and inviting, which was a far cry from most places we had visited which seemed a bit exhausted and ill prepared to deal with lingering fall tourists. The food was phenomenal with complex and interesting flavors. The calamari was crispy and the chilis and sauce were the perfect complement. The chicken was also perfectly cooked and seasoned. But by far the best dish was the mussels. The broth with the soft chunks of sweet potato and bread to soak everything up was perfection. Cocktails were also unique and tasty. 3 alcoholic drinks, one small plate and 2 entrees was $100, which was well worth the price for the quality of the food and atmosphere.

    My best friend and I were in town for a holiday weekend and were lucky to find a last second seat…read moreat Cafe Louis. I am not sure it is fair to say service was slow since it was late/the holiday weekend factor, but do note there was only one server in the space. Lots of love to them for squeezing us in. I liked that the space felt like someone's home. It was quite intimate. The menu was very unique and offered a lot of fusion feeling items. I am not sure if it was just the circumstance, but the food fell a bit flat for us. My best friend ordered the burger and it was pretty burnt. I got a sort of scallop curry that came with bread. The curry was lovely, but would've been really great with rice. I ended up using the bread making it a bit of a bread curry. Would be interested to try other things on the menu.

    Photos
    Cafe Louis - Cozy interior

    Cozy interior

    Cafe Louis
    Cafe Louis - Inside view

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    Inside view

    McLoons Lobster Shack - A McLoon's lobster roll.

    McLoons Lobster Shack

    4.7(428 reviews)
    20.6 mi
    •$$

    Our group, made up of Mainers and "people from away who spend a lot of time in Maine" felt that…read morethis could be the best lobster roll we have ever had. Lobster roll prices are one of the few things in life that regularly give me sticker shock, but this (currently under $30) is less than some highly-ranked shacks. And the view, by golly, the view. The view is worth an extra $10 to sit and look out at the water - the exact view of what Maine means to me. Anyway, we arrived at 11:42am on Wednesday; they open at 11:30am. It was pretty busy by that time - the line moves fast - many people already eating 12 minutes after opening. But when we left, probably 60-90 min later, the car line was very long. I'd recommend getting there 15 minutes before they open. We had the hot dog, not-pictured, but positive review from the two kids who chose that, as well as one who chose the grilled cheese. Three of us had lobster rolls, with nothing but rave reviews. Lobster rolls always look small to me, but it was packed and filling. Get both butter and mayo. Slaw, pickle, and chips - standard and good. Our lone steamed lobster ordered gave two thumbs up, also. Oh, and we started with clam dip. Like delicious chip dip - but with clams! Subtly seafoody. Worth the effort to check out McCloons. The whole area is beautiful - swing by Owls Head Lighthouse afterwards. Those few hours will be the way life should be.

    While roadtripping around America and Canada for two weeks with my son, I decided we couldn't leave…read moreMaine without eating lobster somewhere. I googled lobster shacks on the water and was led here. Couldn't be happier with the choice to come here. It's absolutely the most beautiful lobster shack I've ever been to. I got a full lobster which came with a pickle, bag of chips, coleslaw , lemon wedge and melted butter. My son got a lobster roll which came with the same sides. The total for both was $65.77. We got a table right by the water with an umbrella and it was peaceful, idyllic, and just perfect. We got there right when it opened at 11:30 so we had our choice of table, and parking was easy, but when we left almost an hour later, just about all of the tables were taken and the parking lot was completely full. It is definitely a popular place but for good reason. Maine is a top 5 state for me, so I'll definitely be back someday, and for now will spread the word to others to come check this place out.

    Photos
    McLoons Lobster Shack - Dockside at McLoons

    Dockside at McLoons

    McLoons Lobster Shack - Steamed to perfection

    Steamed to perfection

    McLoons Lobster Shack - Blueberry Soda

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    Blueberry Soda

    Waterfront - Lobster stew

    Waterfront

    3.5(465 reviews)
    5.8 mi
    •$$

    Cute little warf spot in Camden. Service was great at the…read morebar when we waited for our table. Drinks are strong! Our table over looked the bay. Perfect to watch the boats and free water taxi coming and going. Our waitress was very busy. We didn't see much of her, but she did a nice job for having so many tables. We tried the clam chowder. Way think and rich. I'd love to see more clams, but only because I like mine full. There was plenty in the bowl though. Needed a little more salt & pepper, but I like that it doesn't come out over seasoned so we can fit our taste buds. Husband had the 1.5lb lobster . He said it was really good. He said he needed at 3lb to be full. French fries were crunchy on the outside and perfectly soft in the center. The way I love them. I ordered the "fried" haddock Ruben. I ordered mine broiled instead. Perfectly toasted marble rye bread. The fish was pretty buttery and not a large piece of fish. Maybe a little too much for my personal liking. But the haddock had good flavor and texture. Slaw was ok. Felt like it needed a distinct flavor to make it pop! 3 bean salad was really good though. Lobster was $35. I felt like that wasn't a bad price. Overall, I'd stop in for lunch again.

    We loved it! We had a mocktail which was very refreshing. We started with the seacuterie. It was…read moregreat! We liked all of it; it just needed more crackers. We then had lobster rolls for our mains, and they were very good-some of the best we had our whole trip. We ate outside and enjoyed the view. Our server was Noah, and he did an awesome job. We loved it!

    Photos
    Waterfront - Dining room

    Dining room

    Waterfront - Fresh Oysters of the Day

    Fresh Oysters of the Day

    Waterfront - View from outdoor dining where we sat

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    View from outdoor dining where we sat

    Fresh & Co

    Fresh & Co

    4.1(302 reviews)
    5.8 mi
    •$$

    Cozy establishment. Just off the water…read more Cocktails are outstanding. Blue cheese stuffed olives - Especially delish with my filthy Tito's martini. Fried pickles- crisp spears in such a great sauce. Rigatoni cooked al dente- yum. Steak frites- fabulous. Curry dish was tasty- would have liked a little more salt. (But ate it all) Had the salad with grilled shrimp as well. Shared the salad with friends. Enjoyed this evening so much.

    Just a great experience from the old wold ambiance to the great friendly service. But oh the food!…read more The menu is full of dishes from around the world but done with a Maine twist. You will find Italian, French, Brazilian, African tajine and of course a burger . We started with the house dip which is amazing red pepper served with beautifully roasted pita bread. The portions are huge so we decided to share the schnitzel. As expected, a huge serving. Perfectly cooked so the chicken was not dry but tender and the breading was crispy and crunchy. It had a honey mustard drizzle which I don't normally love but it worked here. We swapped the beer braced cabbage it comes with for the truffle fries which were incredible and so many even shared we could not finish them. Obviously hand cut and fried here. The flourless cake served with raspberries and cream was excellent also. Truly fine dining experience with a very well thought out and executed menu

    Photos
    Fresh & Co - Bar area

    Bar area

    Fresh & Co - Pasta pasta! Delicious!

    Pasta pasta! Delicious!

    Fresh & Co - Dining room

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    Dining room

    McLaughlin's Lobster Shack - seafood - Updated September 2026

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