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How and Where to Eat Maine Lobster

No one does lobster like Mainers. But you don’t have to seek out a five-star venue for the good stuff. No, in fact, our lobster shacks are known to have some of the lustiest morsels the coast can offer.

There are more places to eat lobster than you can shake a claw at but this list is a start:

Southern Maine:

• Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier - Kittery Point
• Barnacle Billy’s - Ogunquit
• The Clam Shack - Kennebunkport
• Nunan’s Lobster Hut - Kennebunkport

MidCoast and Greater Portland:

• The Lobster Shack at Two Lights - Cape Elizabeth
• Luke’s Lobster – Portland
• Day’s Crabmeat & Lobster Co. - Yarmouth
• Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Company - Freeport
• Holbrook’s Snack Bar - Harpswell
• Five Islands Lobster Co. - Georgetown
• Sprague’s Lobster - Wiscasset
• Red’s Eats - Wiscasset
• Robinson’s Wharf - Southport
• Shaw’s Fish & Lobster Wharf - New Harbor
• Muscongus Bay Lobster - Round Pond
• Young’s Lobster Pound - Belfast
• McLoons Lobster Shack - South Thomaston
• Cabbage Island Clambakes - Boothbay Harbor

Acadia and DownEast Maine:

• Thurston’s Lobster Pound - Bernard
• Beal’s Lobster Pier - Southwest Harbor
• Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound - Trenton
• Corea Lunch on the Wharf - Corea

How to Eat a Lobster Like a Local

Now that you’ve done the hard of picking which lobster shack to dine at, if you’re planning on enjoying a whole lobster, it’s time to learn how to eat one. Staring at the crustacean arranged on your plate, you may ask yourself, "Where do I even start?" or possibly "What have I gotten myself into?" Don’t worry, once you dig into that oh-so-delectable lobster, all your questions will melt away.

A Lobster Bib is Your Friend

It’ll protect you from sauce splashes and stray lobster bits. Lobsters are slippery, especially when dipped in butter. And you’ll be using your hands. If you're eating a soft-shell lobster, just use your hands to crack open the lobster and dig the meat out. But if your lunch comes in a hard shell, it’s time to break out the specialized tools. Plus they can be upcycled into a cool bag by Rugged Seas!

Claw Crackers & Lobster Forks

At most eateries, along with your bib, you’ll find a claw cracker and the lobster fork by your plate. Think of the claw cracker like a nutcracker. It's meant to split the tough shell open, so you can access the delicious meat inside. The lobster fork is your excavation tool, used to dig inside crevices and hard-to-reach areas so you can devour every last briny morsel.

Getting up close and personal with your meal is a vital element of the Maine experience. Peek into any restaurant or stroll by any shack and you'll see that grabbing a lobster, cracking it open and savoring the rich flavors is a required Maine activity.

Take a Lobster Home

If you'd rather eat a lobster in the comfort of your own home, no worries! Simply ship live lobsters straight to your door or bring them as a carry-on on your flight home. Most lobster pounds in Maine will pack up live hard or soft-shell lobsters in a box with some frozen gel packs and seaweed to make the journey cozy. Soft-shell lobsters only live for up to eight hours out of the water, but hard-shell ones can make a 24-hour journey by Fed-Ex, if necessary.

And find the best lobster throughout Maine with these regional Lobster Trip Tips.