If you're visiting Bar Harbor you have probably seen brochures for Thurston's around town like we did. after looking at reviews and the menu online we visited on a Saturday for an early dinner/late lunch. There was a long line at the door to order but the line moved fairly quickly. After ordering you seat yourself and your food is brought to the table. We sat in the bar area which was very nice. It seemed like all menu items except for lobsters could be ordered from the bar directly so if you are not planning to order a lobster this could help you skip the long line. We had one lobster dinner and one sandwich with a blueberry cider and strawberry rhubarb margarita. The food was great and service was friendly. Prices seem standard for the area. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

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Thurston's Lobster Pound was hands down our favorite stop on our Acadia trip. Located on the quieter side of the park, it offers amazing food and a far better ambience than the busier tourist spots. We sat right on the dock and ordered live lobster, which is cooked fresh on site. Be prepared to wait a bit, but it is absolutely worth it. The lobster was the best we had the entire trip, enjoyed with ocean views and a beautiful sunset. One tip: get the blueberry pie if they aren't sold out. We ordered a few to share and immediately regretted not getting our own because it was that good. By the time we realized, they were already sold out for the night. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Lobster - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

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Beyond excellent! We traveled from Bar Harbor through the countryside. It was an experience just to get there and see the whole operation! The lobster tanks were filled with daily caught lobsters. You pick out of a tank which one of the 60-70 lobsters you want and they cook it. The flavor was incredible! The sides were also good and more than we could eat!! DONT MISS THIS ONE, I know there is a hundred choices but this one is one you don't want to miss!! All servers and hostess people were extremely helpful and happy, smiles go a long way! The restaurant is very coastal in nature , makes you feel like the boat just left?! read more

I might be biased but to me this is the "g.o.a.t." of lobster pounds. I've been coming to Thurston's for a long time. I've tried a lot of "pounds" and this is still my favorite. This is a great working harbor and you're surrounded by the boats that are catching your food. This place packs up during the evenings so plan accordingly or be prepared to wait. Parking stinks and sometimes there's just no where to put your car. There's no reservations - you just hop in the line upon arrival. Feel free to meet your line neighbors -- some great conversations have happened in that line. All that said I don't think I've ever waited more than 20 minutes. If you're ordering lobster your meal is typically by the weight. I personally like them small - I think it tastes sweeter. You can add on the usuals (e.g. bread, corn, cole slaw, cake) or mussels, clams, oysters, etc. The key here is the blueberry cake - the greatest use of blueberry's next to blueberry pie =). We typically order 2 cakes, or more, for breakfast the next day. Most of the seats, on the various levels of the restaurant, have a good view of the harbor. This is a traditional lobster pound on a dock of the harbor. Maybe it's the bright yellow awning, or the blueberry cake, - I dunno - but this is the way! read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

For sure off the beaten path, but well worth it for the views and the lobster. We got a steamed lobster which was great and the haddock chowder. The chowder had great flavor and good chunks of haddock, but I wish it had other chunks of common chowder ingredients, as that was pretty minimal. Lots of viewing decks and opportunities to go on the dock. Wait staff was super nice and all things considered, the food came out pretty quick! read more

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We didn't want to leave Maine without the full lobster experience and Thurston's came with rave reviews. It was dark and pouring rain so no views beyond the tent that was keeping us warm and dry. You order at the counter where they chose a live lobster for you based on your preferred size. Felt a little sorry for the live lobsters desperately trying to escape to no avail. We got the plain dinner which included corn on the cob, slaw, a roll, and a HUGE piece of blueberry cake. Our meals were delivered boiling hot. Gotta wait before cracking into the seafood. Being our first time eating lobster this way, we did pretty good. The food was delicious. Boy, it's a lot of work for not a ton of meat but it was fun to have the total experience. I'd totally do it again. read more

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Absolutely amazing experience at Thurston's Lobster Pound! Visited while staying in Southwest Harbor and had such a blast during our dinner. Upon arrival on a Thursday evening, we waited in line (this spot is evidently beloved by the community), but things moved quickly. You order at a counter (where you can see the fresh lobster that they select for you as you place your order), and they hand you a table number and send drink orders to the bar for pickup. There are multiple seating areas, all with great views of the harbor and cozy ambiance! You can see patrons dock their boats and enter from the docks surrounding the restaurant, and you can see the lobster boats working in the harbor as well. They boil seafood to order, so everything is fresh and pretty quick! We enjoyed steamed clams and mussels, as well as the traditional lobster dinner for both of us. The lobster was SO tasty, and the corn was fantastic. They have a helpful handout that shows you how to eat a whole lobster if you need help! Great coleslaw and blueberry cake as well! The blueberry cake is like a coffee cake, with some cinnamon sugar on the top and an allspice/nutmeg-forward cake flavor. We also tried the blueberry crisp with blueberry ice cream, which was SO good! We loved the experience, and the service was so friendly and warm. We also enjoyed chatting with other patrons and enjoying the company of those around us. What a truly special place! read more

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I almost died I had such a good time. Beer? Check. Quick service? Check. Outdoor seating close to the bar? Check. We ordered lobster 3 ways, and were impressed that the order didn't break the bank. Absolutely phenomenal overall, would certainly recommend to a friend and we would love to come back! For a lobster pound experience while visiting, this is an easy choice above the rest. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Lobster, lobster dip, jumbo roll - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

I was super excited to finally eat a Maine lobster roll but was kind of let down. The service was pretty slow even though there weren't that many people there when I went (it took standing in line about 10-12 minutes until I got to order and there were only three people ahead of me), which would've been fine if the lobster roll was amazing, but it wasn't sadly, just average. There was a decent amount of lobster, but there wasn't any seasoning on it at all and the roll was dry and should have been buttered more. The pickle that came with it was tiny (like a 1/3 size of a normal pickle), and I had to eat the lobster roll with the chips that came with it to get some flavor. The view and area though are beautiful, I just really wished at the end of the day that I saved my $31 to eat a lobster roll at Hodgdon's down the street instead. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

Most excellent meal here a wow what a view. You must check this place out. Parking lot looks large but it fills up, so allow time to find a spot. Having no waitress service is fine- you order at front counter and they'll deliver to your table that you've found. We arrived an hour before closing on a weekend night and had no prob with parking, seating or food coming out timely. And it's dog friendly for outdoor seating. read more

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The food was so delicious! Everyone was so kind, food was quick and the lobster was absolutely perfect! Service was excellent and the bartender was so polite. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Lobster roll extravaganza! Jumbo and regular - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

I loved the ambiance, the staff, the locals, and the food! We stopped in for a beverage and a view then came back for dinner because we enjoyed it so much. The lobster dip was great. The jumbo lobster roll was a lot of lobster and without the mess of the whole lobster option. The blueberry crisp was the perfect end to our meal. They have a good beer list and some fun cocktail offerings. Tip: You can order everything from the bar except for the whole lobster options. So if you don't want whole lobster or to stand in line, find a seat and order at the bar. They had a lot of covered seating and a half dozen tables outside. It wasn't too crowded on a Saturday night. The parking started to get full around 5 and when we went back later for dinner, it was the same. They said the line may get long but that it moves quickly. The tables would fill up but there never seemed to be folks waiting for a table. Go! Enjoy! read more

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Hands down the best lobster pound on the island. We make an effort to come here at least twice every trip. The last trip our oldest has gotten into eating lobsters and can now take them apart himself! The staff is very friendly and helpful in selection. Would highly recommend this to all our friends! read more

Awesome time. This place is a great spot and even better food. The blueberry loaf that comes out with the meal is great. Had a 3lbs lobster my last night. Out of this world. read more

Last year visited on a beautiful day and looked forward to bringing our family back this year We had done a lot of hype - unfortunately we had a foggy cool day but heck the food is supposed to be amazing. We enjoy lobster a lot so we were looking forward to trying some of the other menu items. Crab cake sandwich, lobster BLT, Haddock chowder and lobster stew. The chowder and stew had generous portions of haddock/ lobster. The crab cakes and BLT sandwich were just OK. I guess the real draw here is the view and those that get a boiled lobster dinner Parking is tight and place gets busy so plan accordingly. Staff is very friendly. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Crab cake sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

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Atmosphere was super. The lobster fell out of the shell almost. Delicious and simple. So fun to be on the water! Thank you!

This was the best vibe among the lobster dinners I had on Mount Desert. Seating was practically over the water but we were still warm and dry despite the downpour occurring outside and the whole place was surrounded by piles of lobster traps. They had tanks of lobsters separated by size and pulled out for weighing right in front of us while we ordered. This was our first lobster dinner of the trip so the instructions for how to eat on the trays was super helpful. The lobster itself was delicious along with most of the sides. The corn seemed kind of old, not very crunchy or bright yellow. It was also slightly more expensive than most of the other places we saw. Overall it was a great stop and highly recommended if you're on that side of the island. read more

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Perhaps my mistake was ordering steamed clams and not lobster. Either way, the clams were still full of sand and that was horrible. Lobster dip was good and the haddock chowder was average at best. Great location and a nice view. I will try again and order lobster or a roll next time. read more

Food, service and Ambiance was amazing. Will come back to eat and new foods too. We ordered Lobsters read more

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Great lobsters and Amazing lobster soup. Sides are delicious too. Can sit large groups.

Surprising fast llne. First time back in 6 years and thee are remarked changes. It is less rustic but so much cleaner and well organized. I do miss the lobster cages filled with lobsters out front. Service is fast and efficient. We came out here for birdwatching and did see a few black guillemots and added plus. The read more

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All the rave. The location is great, as you're right at the docks next to the lobster boats. Typical, order your food up front and wait for quick delivery. In all honesty, the lobster rolls were just okay... generous lobster, but that's it, no butter, kind of cold & dry. Side order of corn was great ( and it came with butter). There are better options for me. read more

Sometimes you have a place you go that you love so much, you don't want to tell anyone else about it. You want to keep it your little secret. Well, that's how I feel about this place, but the thing is - it's not a secret. Everyone knows about it, so why not take a moment and add why I love this place so much!! Okay, Mount Desert Island is chalk full of lobster pounds - places that tourists flock to to order lobster, steamers, corn on the cob, chowder, blueberry pie - all those staples of a Maine Dinner. And, frankly - they are a dime a dozen - nothing setting one apart from the other. Except, Thurston's. There is just something extra going on here. First, I should state - I do NOT come here for the steamed lobster dinner. I come here 100% for the cocktails on the deck and the view!! So, I bypass the line at the door where you place your order and I head right to the bar. And, given the touristy nature of the place, those seats on the deck looking at the harbor turn over quickly - until I claim mine!! I will sit there for 2 hours or more. The bartenders can place orders for drinks and most of the menu - just not the actual steamed lobsters. So, when I come here, I order a cocktail, sit and enjoy it on the deck while watching the lobster boats drop off their daily catch. Eventually, I will order some snacks - particular favorites include the hot lobster dip, the lobster stew, and the steamers. And, another cocktail. In short, this is my kind of place - especially while on vacation. A good drink with a great view and some solid snacks. It just doesn't get any better. The bartenders are VERY kind! The drinks are VERY good. The parking at this place can be overwhelming, but don't be fooled - just because the lot appears full, doesn't mean you won't find a seat. read more

This place was recommended by a friend who knew we were coming to visit the area. I'm so glad we tried it. The lobster rolls were so good. My daughter loved the crab dip and I loved the blueberry cake too. Excellent service, atmosphere, and very friendly people. I would highly recommend. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Family enjoying lobster rolls. - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

Full disclosure - I'm not a very experienced lobster eater, so take this review as you will. My husband and I choose Thurston's for the view, which was absolutely worth the drive and is totally a 10/10. It was a beautiful day. We sat on the deck, sipped our booze and enjoyed the various boats docked in the water. IMO, the lobster roll was just okay. It was barely tossed in mayo, but I'm not sure if that's how it should be? The description does say "lightly tossed in mayo", but I swear that was hardly any. The meat was sweet, however it was more fishy than the few other lobster rolls I'd eaten. I wished I'd just ordered the boiled whole lobster. That way I'd know it was fresh. A couple beside us had one each and they looked damn tasty. However, my husband thoroughly enjoyed his grilled crab and cheese. I agree, it was delicious! Here's where it really took a dive. To end the meal, I decided to enjoy a margarita. It was terrible. I don't think there was an ounce of tequila in the drink. I paid $9.00 for a tiny ass cup, +$3.00 tip. The bartender was definitely ready for the tourist season to be over. He did remake my drink without charge upon my request, but not without rolling his eyes and making it obvious he was annoyed. With so many places on Maine's coastline for outstanding food, it's hard to say if I'll risk returning to Thurston's. But I would like to give them a second fhanxeIf you go here, go for the views. I'd recommend trying something else besides the lobster rolls. For your sake, I do hope your bartender makes your drink right the first time. Maybe a 50% tip will do the trick. :( read more

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One of our favorite lobster pound on our trip. It's on the other side of Mt Desert Isle so it's a little drive from Bar Harbor But the drive is worth it. You order from the counter and the food is brought to your table. You choose your lobster and it is weighed for you. I suggest getting the large ones, which are around 2 lbs. There are a couple of covered (tented) areas on the dock. There is also a bar where you can also order food. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Jumbo + clams - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

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YUM! After reading the fantastic reviews we decided to stop in for a late afternoon lunch. I'm so happy we did. Situated right on the docks of Bass Harbor, the location is awesome. There was not any outdoor seating available so we sat inside right at the window in the bar. I thought it was perfect because we could look out over the beautiful scenery and it was a bit chilly outside for this Texas girl. The bar was full of fishermen and locals. Great vibe. You order at a counter when you walk in. The lady who took our order was friendly and helpful. We ordered 2 lobsters with all the fixings. The lobster was the freshest. The meat was sweet, succulent, rich and buttery. The sides were fantastic as well. We were actually full and took the blueberry cake back to our VRBO for breakfast the next morning and it was sooo good. This place is outstanding. read more

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Beal's or Thurston's - you can't go wrong! This is a lil' more touristy but it's fun you can see them throw the lobster in and take them out while you walk in for dinner. We were lucky with no lines, as I hear this place can get busy. I love the view - completely what I think of Maine! Easy parking around the pier and fast service - the food came fairly quick and was hot. Great drinks - the special was a Hot Honey Margarita- it was spicy good! Wow! Fun place, definitely would eat here again. read more

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Ok so you can't beat these views. Can you get any more Maine than eating lobster while overlooking the bay and admiring the lobster boats?? This place is first come first serve for seating so you first order at the counter and then find a seat. We didn't have a hard time finding the perfect spot and I could've stayed here for hours! The crab cakes and the lobster dip were perfect appetizers before we chowed into our lobster dinners, bibs and all! If I wasn't so full, I definitely would've wanted to order more but sometimes my eyes are bigger than my stomach. I'll be back! read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Can't beat this view - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

Dinner was FANTASTIC! Lobster was amazing. Love the experience. The place is divey. Don't be dressing too fancy ladies, you might make a mess! Pick your lobster from the tanks up front. Get a bottle of coke or sprite. And please for the love of god, get the crab cakes... they are to die for!! I was also surprised how much I loved the coke slaw. Could have easily taken a bucket of it home. Service was thankfully easy to understand and they were SO nice! Not sure how to eat a lobster?? They have a step by step guide! Then take a number. They bring your food. When done, take your trash and plates to the marked station to help them cleanup if you are willing and able. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - 2# Lobster, crab cakes, coke slaw, & chips - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

This is our favorite place to go for lobster! Choice of sizes and a great location overlooking Bass Harbor. read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Bass Harrbor lobster boats. - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

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Amazing! This deserves 5 stars and more! Awesome location right on the water with the area giving you the whole lobster pound experience. I had a lobster roll that came with a pickle and chips and my family got cheeseburgers. My lobster roll was delicious although I did regretting not getting the live lobster like I did the night before at another restaurant! For drinks, I got a blueberry soda and my son got a craft ginger beer. He loved it! For dessert, we got 2 whoopie pies and blueberry spice cake with vanilla ice cream. Everything was awesome! The whole ambiance was perfect and service was great as well. You order at a window with live lobsters there to greet you and then you grab a number and they bring it out to you. The busses are always clearing tables for the next guests to be able to enjoy their food in a timely fashion. Love, love, love this place! read more

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Lovely local place, not a tourist trap like at Bar Harbor. Great service and staff. Great food. Great location. No imitation lobster here! read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Lobster - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

I only wish I had a picture to do the whole lobster justice. It was a triumphant experience. You eat it and feel like a winner. Also great bartender which matters read more

I was reluctant to have much lobster in Bar Harbor because I knew places like Thurstons were out there and I'm glad I waited! The view from the deck is awesome. The setup--order at counter and sit anywhere--is very relaxed. Staff were kind and welcoming. Toddler-resistant tableware means parents don't have to stress. Digging out the lobster meat was fun! The mussels were delightfully sea-salty. Slaw is perfect and blueberry cake is eggy and filling. Great value. read more

The thing about being a restaurant so wildly popular that you have long lines, is that you have to deliver at a higher level than your area competitors. I've never eaten there, but I know people wait in long lines for brisket at Franklin BBQ in Texas. I've never heard of somebody saying Franklin's brisket wasn't up there with the greats though. According to my camera roll, I took my first picture from the end of the Thurston's Lobster Pound line at 4:47 p.m. on Tuesday August 3rd. When I was the next person to order, I snapped a pic of the lobsters next to the cash register at 5:37. So I waited in line a bit longer than 50 minutes. Thurston's handed me my takeout order around 6. If Thurston's produced a uniquely special meal, I could live with that kind of wait. Unfortunately, my meal, which is obviously colored to some extent by the long wait, was my third favorite out of three meals involving lobster on the "Quiet Side" of Mount Desert Island this week. I have absolutely no issues with Thurston's service. I can't blame Thurston's for being so popular that they have a long line. Good for them! The cashier was friendly. The person in the takeout area that spoke with me the most was attentive and great. The bartender who served me my "waiting around IPA" was awesome. Service was as good as as it could be given that many people all wanted Thurston's food at the same time. But it's not fun to wait that long, especially when you're trying a place for the first time and you don't know how long the line will take. Also, Thurston's location is awesome. It's on the water and there are all sorts of boats floating nearby. It would be a cool place to hang out and eat for sure. Thurston's food was generally very good, but there were a couple of hiccups, and their lobster rolls were not better than the lobster-related items I had at other places this week. To be clear, Thurston's lobster roll, which comes only cold with a bit of mayo to tie it together, was very good. It had quality lobster and there was a good amount of it. The roll was well grilled. However, the other lobster I had this week seemed a bit better in terms of flavor and consistency. Also, the other two places offered both cold lobster rolls and hot buttered lobster rolls, which is important in my family. (Pro Tip - Thurston's will make a cold lobster roll without any mayo, and give you a side of melted butter for self-assembly. That's what I ordered for my wife). I also ordered crab cakes. They were pretty good, but not up there with my favorites. They were a little heavy on outer breading and thin strands of crab meat, and a little light on finesse and lumps of crab meat. In terms of the food hiccups, both my wife and I thought Thurston's corn on the cob was overcooked, whereas the corn we had at another place this week was perfect. Also, I ordered a medium-well cheeseburger for my 9 year old son, who is a picky eater. I sliced the burger in half before giving it to him, and it was maybe medium rare. That would have been great for me, but that's not a battle I'm going to pick with him. I will not return to Thurston's during the busy Mount Desert Island season in light of the long lines, and other area options that are at least as good without similarly long lines. I would give Thurston's food about 4 Stars, but factoring in the very long wait and other area options, it's hard to call this a 4 Star experience. Let's say Thurston's gets 3.5 Stars overall and I'll round up to 4 Stars. read more

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Thurston's was a unique spot that is perfect for those seeking the traditional Maine seafood experience. I arrived around 1:30 pm and there was a small line, but it moved fast. The staff at the order counter was helpful and provided instructions since it was my first visit. There's tons of covered patio seating and it's right on the water so the view is great. I got a lobster melt, coleslaw, and corn on the cob. Definitely come hungry because the lobster melt was great, but very heavy. It was pricy but included tons of lobster so it felt worth it. The corn on the cob was exceptional and fresh. Overall, I recommend it for the food and view! read more

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the service was horrible, i had to say "hello" 3 times before they greeted me. Then the cashiers started having a conversation and ignored me while they were talking about random things. Way too overpriced also for the quality of food. read more

I don't even like lobster that much, but I had to have this authentic Maine lobster experience! PARKING/LINE: There is a lot at the end of Thurston Road that has a decent amount of parking. We came right around 5pm on a Tuesday and the line was long as expected. The bar is open if someone in your party wants to grab drinks while you wait in line. It ended up taking us exactly an hour to get up to the counter to order. They have the live lobsters right in front of you! FOOD: You order at the counter, get a number, and then you just find any open table upstairs or downstairs. It took about 10mins to receive our food. I got a pound and a quarter "Plain Dinner," which included a lobster, dinner roll, corn on the cob, coleslaw, and blueberry spice cake. This was the freshest lobster I had on the trip. It was sweet and not fishy at all! My family saved the cake for the plane ride home and decided to get a slice of blueberry pie with blueberry ice cream for dessert. There's a separate dessert window upstairs if you don't order dessert with dinner. Eating the lobster was very messy, but a great way to end our trip to Maine! read more

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A seasonal lobster pound that deserves all the great reviews. I was here in the summer and feasted on some lobster, chowder, corn and delicious fixings...the smell of seafood, the fresh fresh lobsters all bring back some great memories. I'd definitely recommend stopping here, although do be aware that you'll probably wait in line for at least 1/2hr no matter what time you come. They do have socially distanced markers during COVID time. I found the lobster boiled perfectly. Each piece of meat melted like butter in my mouth (even without the accompanying butter). It was so damn good, I'm dreaming of it again as winter approaches in Buffalo. Hopefully next summer! read more

Thurston's Lobster Pound - Soft shelled lobster - Seafood Near Me - Bernard, Maine

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