This was a true standout lobster roll on our trip. We got a lobster roll, steamers and whole lobsters. Not the cheapest but the lobster roll was one of the best of our trip. I would go back asap. The roll made it extra good and the portion size was large. read more

This place totally lived up to my expectations.we were super lucky to be in Kennebunkport the weekend it opened for the 2015 season. Though the shack the fried deliciousness comes out of May be small, the flavor is huge and service excellent. We ordered the fried clams lunch, and a lobster roll. The lady who took our order was helpful, made suggestions like, "I'd top the lobster roll with BOTH mayo and butter." The food came out pretty quickly, we then settled on two barstools out on the deck. It was a gorgeous view and picturesque setting up until a conniving seagull swooped in and still the top bun of our lobster roll. No harm no foul here because as I told me husband, we didn't need all those carbs anyway. They just diluted the delicious, fresh, buttery lobster flavor. The lobster portion was generous and phenomenal. The whole belly clams were amazing and complemented nicely by the Krinkle fries. Before we even finished our meal we were already making plans to come back so that we could try the fried scallops, fried shrimp, and onion rings. Great experience, promise you will love it! read more

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This place is a local favorite based on the crowds that make a line to get food. We got the fried clam strips and were really good. Wouldn't get the roll again as the fried clams and the bread are a bit redundant but if you get the clams with some tartar sauce they are really good. Next time I will try the lobster roll. They have nice seats in the back if you want to have kind of a view. read more

Twenty dollar lobster roll in a burger bun. Itty bitty roll. Mayonnaise or butter options.

I was on a cruise that stopped in Portland Maine, and I had the opportunity to come to Kennebunkport. During my time here, I saw the signs indicating that this was the place to go to get a damn good lobster roll. I was not disappointed. This spot used a gourmet burger bun and was absolutely loaded with a full pound a fresh delicious lobster. The fries were also good and they had a couple local beers available which I certainly enjoyed. My only issue here was the price. I guess when you are an award winning establishment, you can charge a premium. After all, I did take the bait. Overall, highly recommended! read more

The Clam Shack was delicious! There is a really long line usually just because it is so popular, especially during the season. We had lobster rolls and fried clams. We loved them! Wish the tartar sauce wasn't prepackaged though. The rest of it is so good, it should have a homemade sauce to go with it! It is a little pricey. With fresh seafood right on the doorstep, it should be much cheaper. I get why they do though- tourists will pay quite a bit for the whole experience. read more

So you won't get much in terms of ambience (ok, "much" is an overstatement) but the lobbie roll here is pretty damn fantastic. They pull the lobster apart by hand, so as not to let the knife give a metallic taste to the meat, and put it on a tasty round (!) roll. I am used to the toasted hot dog roll, but this one is just as good. You have a choice of butter or mayo or both, I would go for both! The mayo is delicious - kind of like a light tartar sauce mayo blend and, well, in my book you really can't go wrong with butter. Sit on one of the wooden benches and watch the tourists walk by on the bridge. Delicious! read more

This is our first time vacationing in Kennebunk. We have some relatives visiting us, so we decided to take them to Kennebunkport for lunch. Sunday afternoon is definitely packed. The Clam Shack is definitely a popular spot. Expect to wait in line 20-30 minutes. The food is definitely enjoyable. I had a lobster roll and some clams. Both delicious. The seating is a little sparse, so don't expect to out a big group together. read more

Best lobster I ever had!!! Soft shell made it so easy to peel and eat! Great service by. Shea!!!

We went to the actual location a few years back and just loved it. So yummy. Decided to order the 1 lb Lobster roll kit to be shipped to St. Louis for my hubby. Cost is 75.00. Order taker was very nice. Received order the day it was supposed to come, it was amazingly delicious! At no time during the order process did she disclose the shipping amount. I knew overnight would be expensive but when we got the bill, it was 184.43.. Over 100.00 for shipping? Before we got the bill, I had also called and ordered a second one for my friends mom in Florida and it was 157.00! Again, NO shipping was discussed. The shipping cost more than the lobster! I called them as we ship quite a bit from our jobs and knew it would be pricey but that was ridiculous. IF the shipping had been discussed, I would take my licks and move on. However, it was not. We ship from our office overnight FedEx frequently so I am not naïve to shipping rates. I called The Clam Shack to discuss and she told me yes - that was what they charge. FedEx overnight. I told her if they are going to charge those rates, they at least need to give the consumer a heads up at exactly what they are charging. Also - they need to negotiate a corporate rate with Fed Ex so they are not paying those "off the street" prices. As I said - the lobster rolls were amazing but the shipping was ridiculous. read more

The tea is processed, absolutely terrible. When I asked the manager if I could get a refund for the two teas, and apply it towards another drink, she said no. We spent almost $200 for lunch. Her attitude was just as bad, when I asked her her name she didn't want to give it to me. She then said shay. Such a shame how one person can make me write my first ever BAD review. Clam Shack, Shea needs to go! read more

The name says it all. An unpretentious spot to get the tastiest clam strips on earth. Delicious hot, but not greasy, fried pieces of goodness was the hit of our visit to Kennebunkport. No wonder the Bushes eat here (and they have the letter posted to prove it). What a jewel. During my 10 day trip to New England, I tried clam strips in Boston and the outskirts. There is NO comparison! I only wish I had room to try their prize winning lobster roll (They were the winners of Travel Channel's Food Wars). I guess the lobster roll will have to wait for the next trip... read more

Stopped here for a lobster roll and a crab sandwich. Both were totally delicious. No frills, lobster was lightly tossed in mayo and butter (lightly!) and the bun was soft and tasty. A bit pricey for it, but we thought the quality of lobster meat was superior to what we found at Mabel's and elsewhere in the area. I'm already dreaming of this place since we've returned home from vacation! read more

Impressive roll. Seriously best roll south of portland. I did not believe the hype but am a believer. 17 a roll is a worth it. It is all fresh quality lobster on a unique roll. If you like lobster rolls this place should be on your list. read more

This food is fantastic, but I had to reduce it one star on account of price -- when I visited most recently, it was close to $25 with tax for a quart of fried clams, though they were delicious, indeed. The batter is crisp and light, and the clams are cooked perfectly, rather than overdone like some places. I didn't have an opportunity to sample the lobster roll this trip, but it looked spectacular, and was perhaps a better "value" at $16 (with at least 1 lb of lobster meat, from what I saw). Well worth a stop out of your way if you're driving up route 1 or 95, despite the high price, but this place wasn't really inherently impressive enough to be a full-blown destination for a long trip in and of itself. read more

Best lobster roll I had in the week I was in Maine. My friend and I decided to split one in an ordinary restaurant and then go to the Clam Shack and do a comparative study. There was definitely no comparison. It was more expensive $16.50 compared to $12.50, which we were kind of shocked about, but it didn't deter us. It was on a hamburger roll compared to a hot dog roll, and we honestly didn't think it would be that great. But it was. We had it with mayonnaise but it wasn't overpowering, and it was light and refreshing. I also tasted lemon. It was just really, really good. I think we were kind of mad that it was that good, it did ruined other lobster roll for us, as Kim C stated. read more

We had the lobster roll with butter and it was so good the lobster was definitely fresh. I liked the bun and it stayed together. We also had some clams that were cooked perfectly and you can tell they were fresh and oh so tender. A little pricey but worth it read more

5 stars for the fried clams but only 3 stars for their lobster, overpriced and not as good as previous places. This is the Bush's go to lobster and seafood place. read more

Hands down my favorite lobster roll place in Maine. When in Maine go crazy tasting all the lobster rolls you can get. Out of the I places we went to I loved this little shake. The rolls were warm and the lobsters were so juicy and tasty. Ahhh yum read more

Delicious food, but overpriced for window service. Had the lobster roll and some chowder. Sat on back deck area, which was very relaxing.

I think I have died and gone to seafood heaven! Who would have ever suspected that such an unassuming little place on side of the road could hold such a mouth-watering taste bud fantasy. I have been to alot of seafood restaurants but this place gets all five stars for its freshness and all over great taste! read more

Was sooooooo sad to see a "Closed for the Season" sign, and to know that we missed it by just a few days. I shall wait for them to reopen and do the trek back!! Hands down FAVORITE lobster roll. I'm not a pro but from the 40 or so that I've tried from various places, this is still my #1. read more

I only tried the fresh clam cakes at The Clam Shack, so that is all I can rate this place on. They were delicious, and I give them 5 stars! Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to return and try some more of their tasty, fresh seafood treats! read more

An expensive but very tasty lobster roll. The lobster had a sweetness to it that we did not taste elsewhere. We got onion rings as well, which were good but were the fairly standard friend seafood joint read more

A place you must eat at if you are in the kennebunkport area. Better than alissons, plus cheaper.

Ok, first place we ate in Maine and three days later - still my personal favorite meal we had the entire trip. Pricey - definitely. But the clams were great and the lobster roll was fresh without absolutely no "fishy" smell or taste to the lobster (got the butter AND mayo version). There was a little line, but it went fast because they only make a few things. To save $$ get your own drink somewhere else. Not much room to sit, but there is some shaded spots around. Must do!! read more

One of my favorites in Maine. There was a day when I ate a lobster roll here for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Great place to grab a lobsta roll for the beach or a bike ride. This place has become increasingly popular, so I often see a big line. read more

Yum! We have eaten our way of lobster rolls in Portland and Bar Harbor; this is the best. We had the lobster rolls the purist way; with butter. We also ate the clam strips that were awesome. Thinly battered and perfectly fried. Skip the onion rings as they weren't as good as they looked. I liked the cole slaw. Definitely have lobster available, but we weren't there for that. Enjoy! read more

Always a great place go get fried whole belly clams, they are a little pricey but well worth it, I always get a pint ! Crooks like a tourist stop but even locals eat here. Gotta make a stop here read more

I am really surprised that this place was talked about so much, it was really disappointing. We had the lobster roll, which was really small and just ok (honestly I have had better in NYC). The clam chowder was downright disappointing, tasting a little watery and no real flavor to it. I think this place is popular because its in a tourist town and its very picturesque, but had I known I would not have gone out of my way to hit it up on the way to Bar Harbor. I saw a lot of people get the seafood lunch boxes which were really expensive, they looked decent but everything here is very overpriced. I should have known better when a local pointed at the prices and said it was ridiculous (the line is right next to the sidewalk) but at that point we were already committed. read more

I look forward to this spot every year ! It is a first stop, first day being in Kennebunk! You may have to stand in line to order but it is well worth it. Lobster roll and clam strips, yum !! read more

Tried their crab and lobster sandwiches - very fresh and really enjoyed their bread. Cute seating area - when we visited it seemed like it might be crowded but dining space opened up. We brought our pup and we were able to sit on the side overlooking the water. Def not to miss when looking for Maine lobster. read more

Food is here is just average. I would skip this place and go someplace else. This place is also very expensive. I gave 3 stars because I thought fried clams are pretty good but definitely not worth waiting on a long line. read more

The best lobster roll I have ever had! So delicious! Their lobster rolls are served on hamburger buns, which makes them neater to eat than the traditional hotdog bun version. read more

This review is solely for customer service which I will give zero stars as I did not eat my food. Admittedly, when I picked up my lobster roll, I did see the sign that said that the seagulls like our food as much as our customers. I took my lobster roll along the area that overlooks the water and as soon as I sat down a seagull swept in and aggressively took my entire plate and roll. I immediately told the young girl at the counter who then told a cook and basically said that I was out of luck. We went next door to the fish market and told an older gentleman who looked like might be an owner or manager and he also said there was nothing he could do. Their lobster rolls may be great but I will never be back!!!!!! read more

This was my second visit. Both visits were specifically for the boiled lobster and both times the lobsters were great. I'm sure you're thinking, "Yeah, yeah, how hard can it be to boil a lobster anyway?" It's probably not that hard, but these guys do it right and they did it better than I when I cooked some lobstahs a few days before. We both used fresh (live) lobsters. They keep them in a clean tank (do you want your lobsters swimming around in unfiltered water?) and the lobsters I bought from my fish monger also were kept in a clean tank. They most likely have a high turnover so the lobsters are probably not very old. I suspect my fish monger also has a pretty high turnover of lobsters. They use the right amount of salt in the water (very important). And I used the recommended amount as suggested by my fish monger. They cook them the right amount of time. I cooked them the length of time that my fish monger said to. They crack them open in the right places (the knuckles in the claws and the claws) so that they're easy to eat with lobster shell crackers (crackers like in pliers, not like in things you eat). So given that I supposedly did all those things to my fish monger's specifications, why is the lobster at The Clam Shack better? Beats me. It just is. And the difference is clearly detectable. Sure, they could have better chairs to sit on. Sure, they could have a better non-alcoholic drink selection. Sure, they could have something other than Lay's chips to go with the lobster. But who cares? I went there to have the boiled lobster, and these guys cook the best darn boiled lobster around. What about the rest of the stuff on the menu at the shack outside? Dunno. I'd like to try it sometime, but the thought of having one of those lobsters is simply too irresistible. Besides, I didn't have to wait in a long line to order my lobstah inside. If I wanted the fried clams (I'm sure they're great), I'd have to wait around in line. read more

Best lobster roll i've ever had! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Awesome seafood shack! got the Lobster roll and it was divine! luckily we beat the rush but can get very long. Other reviews are misleading, this is the standard price for lobster rolls and other seafood and while my service was great, if you have a line a hundred people deep, the person that just expedited your food quickly is trying to do the same for the other 99 people in line so if they are not the worlds best conversationalist give them a pass! read more

Best lobster roll I had in my visit which included about 5 different ones in the area. Worth the visit and the clams are really good as we'll. a must visit read more

I'm sorry but this place was a sad excuse for a lobster roll, was not a lot of meat abd wayy over priced plus the staff was beyond rude! Will never ever return. read more