North Shore Lobster

[Maxinella]

Friends who just moved to the North Shore from Long Island are looking for a good place for lobster. Nothing fancy, but good value and large portions. Since I don't eat seafood, I'm at a loss. Any suggestions?

[Joanie]

Is Essex Seafood too far north to be considered North Shore?

[Rubee]

No, Essex is definitely North Shore, and I agree with Joanie about Essex Seafood. You know, that's funny because when I lived in Essex, we thought of Salem, Beverly, Gloucester, Topsfield, Rockport, etc. the North Shore, and Revere, Lynn, and Saugus as closer to "the city". Now, of course, all I care about is that I feel like eating lobster after reading this post!

[Karl S]

Essex is the heart of the North Shore. The North Shore roughly covers the shoreline towns and cities (and at least one town in from the coast as well) from Revere to Salisbury. There's a southern section - from Revere to Swampscott; a mid-section - Salem, Marblehead and Beverly; Cape Anne - Manchester, Gloucester, Rockport and (arguably) Essex; and then a northern section from there north to the NH line (though some might cut it off at the Merrimack River). The southern section is inner suburbs of Boston. Salem and Gloucester are the nerve centers of their respective sections, and Newburyport is the nerve center of the lovely northern section.

[Harp00n]

Small point of order Karl S, Revere isn't North Shore and never has been. Saugus and Lynn are the most southerly outposts of the North Shore.

[jvish]

Essex is a hike from Swampscott...thats not a "quick" lets go grab a bite location from Swampscott.

While not the greatest places in the world
Sweeneys, The Landing, and The Barnacle all in Marblehead
arent bad choices for a simple steamed or boiled lobster dinner

The Seawitch on RT1 isnt a bad option either.

and by the way Revere is the start of the North Shore

[itaunas]

Where on the North Shore? I haven't been to the Revere location, but right on 1A is Mt Vernon on the Wharf, which also offers inexpensive twin lobster (543 North Shore). And they should have baked stuffed. Not North Shore like Rockport, but certainly Lynnway territory.

[Maxinella]

They're in Swampscott, near the Salem line.

[itaunas]

I think right in Swampscott their options are Red Rock Bistro and Hawthorne's. I have had a pleasant lunch at Red Rock (which maybe the exception given the other reports), so personally would give it another chance and the prices are ok for the area. Hawthorne's is pricey for what it is and somewhat inconsistent. Lobster in any case is going to be expensive at both ($18.50 for a roll at Red Rock, but they do have a hot buttered roll).

I haven't had too much luck in Salem, although others might have some better suggestions -- I would love to see someone review King's Famous Roast Beef (maybe they have a good lobster roll?). And much as I would love to send them up to Gloucester as my favorite place to get "good value and large portions," its a bit of a haul.

To expand on some of the options if they head south are: Mt Vernon on the Wharf (twin lobster, baked stuffed, some fried), Kelly's at Revere Beach (fried seafood, lobster roll), and Belle Isle in Winthrop (steamed lobster, lobster roll).

[threedogs]

I know it's *lobster,* but for $18.50, the roll better be hot buttered...and then some..

[JAMC]

For lobster rolls on the North Shore, The Clam Box in Ipswich is my favorite, but Kelly's in Danvers is 2nd.

[barlev]

It's not traditional, but Green Tea on the Lynnway . . . twin lobsters for $19.95 done any style from boiled to thai.

[gini]

I'm pretty sure The Lobster Pool in Rockport is open through December and then again in May. Really excellent value.

[msgcook]

I was also gonna say The Lobster Pool, out of the way and a great view of the sunset. Since it's out of the way it's relatively uncrowded and cheap AND they take credit cards unlike my other fave Woodman's. And wow, based on the argument below, I'm glad I moved to the North Shore/Merrimack/MeroNorth purgatory area of Reading.

[Gabatta]

Love it, but when is it uncrowded?

[rlh]

Woodman's took my Amex a couple of weeks ago - outside at the lobster table ($16.99 per lb that day), inside at the fried food register, and at the bar -- all 3 separate lines - my biggest gripe about an otherwise great place for lobster in the rough.

[tallullah]

Seawitch off rt 1