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Lobsta Land
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 7 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 7 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
54 reviews for Lobsta Land
Review Highlights
-
"A must for lunch with a view of Cape Ann marsh field." In 5 reviews -
"Great stop on the way home from Rockport Long Beach." In 3 reviews -
"The caesar salad is delicious." In 4 reviews
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54 reviews in English
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Review from BandonAddict o.
Vancouver, WA
10/2/2011 2 photos
This would be a 3-star choice for me if it wasn't for the Seafood Paella. That dish alone is worth an extra star!
Had dinner here with my GF & a coworker. They both had a 1.25lb lobster and I had the Lobsta Land Sampler.
At the time, I thought the food was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary for seafood in the area (folks are spoiled in the North Shore for seafood!).
However, I had lunch here a few days later and the Seafood Paella caught my eye. Taking a chance, I ordered it.
The dish came out steaming hot and heaping with seafood. I'm guessing there was probably a good bit of prep done on the dish (compared to paella from scratch which seems to take an hour or more to make), but you wouldn't know it by the rich, savory flavor. The seafood in the dish was plentiful enough to have a chunk of seafood in every bite. Also, the saltiness & smokiness of the kielbasa sausage gave the seafood a nice boost.
I'm actually drooling thinking about the next time I can have that dish!
UPDATE: I had the Paella for lunch again, and it was just as good as before (photos posted). Large chunks of lobster, 6+ scallops, mussels, clams, shrimp with kielbasa, rice, & peas in a rich broth. -
Review from Ellen D.
North Andover, MA
12/11/2011
I get that I came to the restaurant the last night they were open before closing for the season. But it seemed that everything I wanted to order they were "out of". I was super excited to see a list of local brews only to have an option between sam adams and harpoon ipa. Also their menu is SO large it makes it really hard to figure out what to order...only to be told they are out of it and have to decide all over again. I wish they had a larger selection on gluten free options.
Even though the food we ordered was delicious I don't think it was worth the price while the service was subpar and menu was overwhelming. -
Review from Carla D.
Burlingame, CA
7/3/2011
Reading the reviews here I don't think Lobsta Land is getting a fair shake. I love this place, because the food is great (straightforward New England seafood) and is very well prepared. What's more is the atmosphere is really enjoyable, and is a place you can relax and have fun, unlike some of the clam shacks which feel like crowded bus stations.
I grew up living some in Gloucester and some in Boston, and am now living in SF, and when I come home back East I always make it a point to come to Lobsta Land for dinner. My favorite is the baked stuffed lobster, which is packed with lobster, scallops and shrimp. But I also like the fisherman's platter, which is a mountain of all different kinds of fried seafood.
I also think the service is great.
Lobsta Land: thank you for doing a great job! -
Review from Diane D.
Brighton, MA
7/18/2011
Let's not beat around the truth - the best thing about Lobsta Land is the location. It's awesomely close to one of my favorite beach escapes, Wingaersheek, and on the way to and from various other North Shore haunts being right off 128. Although it is easily accessed right off the highway, it overlooks the marsh and makes the atmosphere a bit nicer. 3 stars for all that alone!
Another star for the food. Being originally from the shoreline in CT, I'm a bit of a fried seafood junkie in the summer and also a harsh critic. The food here in general holds up pretty well, though without being the best I've had. I really appreciate that they have the nice local small-belly clams. Nothing like em.
Overall, a great stop to know about for your summer food fix. -
Review from ells w.
Boston, MA
7/7/2011
nough said.
OMG....I've been driving over THE bridge heading to the beach house or heading back to Boston for as long as it's been there. Always in way too much of a hurry to even look. OK, OK it's high tide keep moving get to the water. Some resident at a party in Gloucester mentioned it was there 'go-to' for honest - but, basic - seafood. So, on a winger we went deciding to put Tony's of Quincy's lobsta roll to the test.
Bingo. Better by a long shot.These folks have to make bigger buns to hold all the lightly mayo'ed lobster. Homemade iced tea even though their wine list is solid - no Gallo. Perfect fries. Great clams et al. All served in a funky, fifties, think knotty pine - slightly kitsch not quite the Elk's next to four lanes of 70 mph none stop traffic. All for a price fitting the atmosphere and the way too laid b a c k service.
One caveat - at low tide you may want take out to the beach. -
Review from Nicole B.
Somerville, MA
5/22/2011
This place would be good for people who a) still have dial-up internet and love it, and b) have never eaten seafood and or have no taste buds.
I really don't like giving bad reviews, and I especially feel bad b/c today I went w/ a friend who loves this place, but I'd be doing all potential go-ers a disservice if I didn't.
Positive: The place is clean.
The service was slower than molasses and it wasn't b/c the servers were busy. Just slow. It took 15 minutes for our server to greet us, 15 minutes for our beverages to arrive- sodas, iced teas, water... Nothing difficult... All in all, we were there from start to finish for about 3 hours! A fine dining experience this place aint, so I'm not sure why everything took so long.
We all split the Lobsta Land Sampler. It was pretty fishy (pun intended?) that the calamari was all rings and no tentacles: i.e. previously frozen. I'm a tentacles kinda gal, so I was disappointed, but also, the flavor was lacking. The coconut shrimp tasted like a sweet donut battered shrimp - it was interesting, just unexpected.
Clam chowder - meh, I've had better.
Lobster roll- I don't know. It was fresh... it was nothing to write home about.
We ordered a strawberry shortcake for dessert to share... And the server didn't bring utensils which we had to ask for.
Decor? Lacking. Lovely lobster stained glass.
View: a dried up marsh.
There are sooo many better places that do seafood better, and they aren't all on the water. For the prices at this place, I'd expect a chic-er interior and better staff. Keep looking on Yelp, kids. You'll find that gem somerwhere. Just not here. -
Review from Les L.
Monrovia, CA
9/29/2011
Recommended by a local, our group of four enjoyed delicious seafood. Portugues haddock with lobster broth, mussels, clams, and chorizo hit the spot. Customers were recommending desserts that we couldn't fit in.
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Review from Jennifer R.
Somerville, MA
7/11/2011
I absolutely love this place! Went there for the first time this past weekend while on a mission for seafood post-beach. It hit the spot! Moderate prices, comfortable feel, beatiful view of marshy ocean, and just minutes via car to downtown Gloucester. The food was really good, and while I'm not a lobster expert, my lobster roll was fabulous. I tried some of my friends' lobster quesadilla and that was delicious as well. I will DEF be back here the next time I'm up on the North Shore (which will probs be next week as its the summer and that's just how I roll...)
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Review from Venu N.
11/23/2009
I knew I had to be excited. Why? Because ND did a jig. Why is that significant? Because this kid NEVER dances. Not when he turned 21. Not when he graduated college. Probably not when he got his first job. The only other time I have seen ND voluntarily dance? At his wedding. And even that might have been reluctant. So, in other words, the very presence of this rarest of circumstances sufficiently piqued my interest.
The drive was a long one. We got into an elongated discussion concerning subjectivity and objectivity standards for gauging "cold winters" in Boston relative to the rest of the country across a number of variables. In other words, lawyers love the malleability of words and engineers love the mystery of science. While the actual topic was drab, it was interesting to note how each argument relied heavily on the other's lack of understanding of the specialties each individual held.
After multiple efforts (spawning yet another discussion concerning the relative merits of a GPS system), we arrived at our destination. Lobsta Land presents like a down home Red Lobster. The customers were decidedly local. The business appeared to be family run. Humble wood panelings paired with framed reviews of the restaurant adorned the space. I loved it.
The beer list contained drafts from local breweries. We started with some local brews before delving into the heart of the menu. ND explained the gritty nature of the steamed clams we devoured. We cleaned the clams in a bowl of clam juice, dipped them in drawn butter, and sucked the clams out of their shell. While I will always prefer oysters to clams, these were damn good.
Like a number of the reviewers have stated, it might bode well for you to avoid the Maryland crab cakes. Most of the seafood at Lobsta Land is quite fresh, but the crab chunks here were small and almost glutinous relative to the beautiful crab cakes that I take for granted in the DMV. Furthermore, the breading was entirely too thick and the seasoning was boring. Lobsta Land has a number of amazing items; I would skip the crabcakes.
The lobsters were fine. They were not as sweet as some lobsters I have eaten, but they were properly cooked. The soft, succulent flesh was complimented with a nice drawn butter. If you go to a place called Lobsta Land, it probably is wise to order the lobsters. Even though we are precariously close to the end of the season, these lobsters were still pretty good. I'd love to come back during the early summer and see what they have to offer at that time.
The best part of this meal was a seafood bouillabaisse consisting of clam, shellfish, haddock, shrimp, and lobster cooked in a lobster broth generously flavored with garlic and other spices. While the broth was piping hot, the seafood somehow was not overcooked. Indeed, outside of the Majestic's take on seafood bouillabaisse, I'm not sure I have had a better one. Great job Lobsta Land.
Finally, it should be noted that the service was genuinely friendly and came by our table just the right amount of times. Requests were quickly granted. In short, there is a reason people love family run businesses even outside of political principles. Often, it just has to do with the warmth that is obviously present from individuals who have a stake in creating an experience for others.
If you are in Gloucester, you absolutely should make a stop by Lobsta Land. I hardly ever display the low conscious energy of envy, but I must admit that I have ever the slightest bit of that emotion when I think about the reasonably priced, amazing seafood that is simply absent in my current city and in apparent abundance on the Eastern Shore. Along with L.A. Burdick's, this is on the repeat list on my next stay in Massachusetts. -
Review from Sarah G.
7/14/2009
TEAM LOBSTER
AKA Me, Kelley B, and Stephanie W. (they just joined yelp because of me! ha)
I was at the beach, and every time I dozed off, I would wake up dreaming of lobster bisque, lobster tails, scallops, shrimp, chowder....I was destined to get seafood....
And then on the horizon (well or off the highway) we see the sign "Lobsta' Land" and how can you not stop at a place called that?? I mean, it is pretty much a sign saying, "L is for Lobster and Love, so get your butt in here and fall in love!" Well at least that is what it was telling me in my head!!
We went, and were seated right away for an early dinner (but the place was packed with a wait later, so go early if you can!!) We started with the sampler platter, and the crab cakes I have to say were not the best I have had....For someone who adores crab cakes, pretty much even more than lobster, I was a little let down....but the coconut shrimp paired with that honey mustard sauce made up for it! I could have eaten 20 more of those!! And then died from choloesterol, but man those were good!! But then back down to mediocrity with the calimari, which I only found myself still eating because they are kind of like pringles, once you pop you can't stop ya know? Especially when waiting for main courses to come? They were just a little bland...
But my seafood paella complete with lobster, HUGE scallops, shrimp, sausage, and chicken (but the chicken was way overcooked) was pretty darn tasty. The lobster broth they used for cooking the rice brought out the saffron so nicely, it was pretty much exactly what I had been dreaming of on the beach that day!!! And I even left with leftovers!! And Kelley and Stephanie LOVED their 1 lb lobsters complete with salad and baked potato....Stephanie was too cool for her bib, but Kelley wore her's in style!
So lesson of the day kids? L is for Lobster :-) -
Review from Toby D.
Scottsdale, AZ
1/16/2011
Great food, great company.
Love the couple that own the place. They work well together, put out a great atmosphere, with great service! -
Review from Michael T.
Boston, MA
7/23/2006
I love this place (it's the Soundbites of Cape Ann, sans the rude host and owner)! A great spot off 133 (I think?) and always packed, but with very nice waitresses and staff. I've only had the breakfast, but it was one of the best eggs Benedict ever and my friend had the carrot cake pancakes with cream cheese frosting on the side, which she raved about. They have a great breakfast menu with everything a fisherman like myself needs for a long day on the water and everyone raves about the seafood, so I have to go back. I think the waitress was hitting on me, which always scores points with me! Has anyone noticed that Cape Ann has like 500 breakfast shops around a 10 mile radius? Is that all they eat?
Update: Went back for brunch at 1 PM and they were already serving their lunch/dinner menu...you MUST try their tuna sashimi. Seriously, I joke around a lot and kid, but you will kick yourself if you miss it...think mounds of seaweed salad, fresh crab meat and all of that is topped with slightly seared Tuna Sashimi. Who would have thunk it...sashimi in a placed called Lobsta Land! -
Review from Milee S.
7/21/2008
This is a cute place to stop off at on the way back from Gloucester. We came during breakfast but wanted lunch and were immediately accomodated. The portions are huge!
We started with the lobsta land sampler: fried calamari, crabcakes and coconut shrimp. All were really good but it could have fed 3 easily.
For lunch, I got the crabcake sandwich. It came with fries, coleslaw and the lettuce and tomato for the sandwich. It was pretty good. Again, a lot of food, but what can you do?
My friend got the house salad and it could have fed three as well. We obviously took everything home as we couldn't finish it all.
Prices are a little high but what can you do? I think the breakfast would be really good as they had a lot of yummy options. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Belmont, MA
8/30/2005
I like stopping at Lobsta Land. The atmosphere is so calm and relaxing (wood interior, in warm colors, yada, yada). The food is perfect - good sized portions and high quality.
You'll feel silly if you show up in your dripping wet bathing suit - it's casual, but not that casual. -
Review from Anthony M.
Beverly, MA
6/7/2010
where do I start????
I went to Lobsta land tonight with my parents and girlfriend. We started with the sampler the coconut shrimp was good but the calamari was over cooked and rubbery. One of the the staples that i get at almost any restaurant is the crab cakes. I love them and usually they are fantastic. unfortunately Lobsta land really dropped the ball here they seemed to me to be deep fried which I was shocked about. Who would ever deep fry a crab cake. Anyways the cake came out very chewy almost like the oil was not up to temp.
As for the meal I started with caesar salad which was overpowered with garlic. to the point that I could not eat it. My mom had the same problem but hers was even more powerful with garlic. I had the paella with a variety of seafood and rice in a saffron sauce. Over all the dish was bland and most of the seafood was overcooked again.
My father had a special which was sole with mashed potatoes. the Sole was good but the mashed was very gummy.
My mom had baked haddock with sweet potatoes. when the dish arrived it looked like a pile of mush and did not seem very appetizing.
finally my girlfriend had the lobster pasta with scallops and shrimp All i can say lacking...
the biggest surprise came to me when our bill arrived and the total was around 160 with tip and not only was I surprised and shocked but almost ripped off. Well all I can say is that our server was very friendly and attentive and that is why we would not complain and still tipped her very well because its not her fault for the mistakes of the kitchen. Lets just say that I will not be going back to Lobsta land.. -
Review from Matthew S.
Danvers, MA
6/4/2007
This is where the locals eat! Enough Said....
But really, this is the only place in Gloucester I can think of that all the locals eat during the summer. Most people try to stay away from the tourist traps downtown that have over priced, sub par food.
If you want a good meal at a great price go to Lobsta Land.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from David G.
Saugus, MA
5/2/2010
I know two stars seems a bit harsh but I have indeed experienced better. The food choices and prep follows the current culinary trends but the quality is mediocre. Considering its location in one of the premier fishing ports of the US this just isn't acceptable.
The clientele seems to be mostly barfly locals and tourist. It's a popular spot as witnessed by the fullness of its parking lot but there are better places to go in Rockport and Gloucester. I'm sure it's exposure to 128 and very easy on/off highway access adds to it's allure.
The little yelp google map that shows up with this review is wrong by the way. -
Review from Angela B.
Boston, MA
9/7/2010
It was ok. Food didn't match the decor. I expected mass amount of fried food from the rustic, eclectic ocean decor, but the selections were very sophisticated.
The food was ok. The fish was fresh but the flavor of the risotto with the lobster cream sauce was didn't pair well. The fries looked like they had been re-fried and the onion rings batter was lacking. The clam chowder was the best thing we had. It was a light broth with big chunks of clam.
Definitely not a wow factor, but it was ok. -
Review from Ira H.
Newton, MA
6/21/2010
I wanted to love this place. Stopped by with the family for lunch after a great morning at wingersheek beach. It was right off of 128 which was great in not having to deal with traffic on the small roads in Gloucester. The view of the salt marsh out the back windows was stunning.
We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. The server was very nice but she was short because she had about 8 tables and no bus person.
We had the Spicy fish soup which was excellent. The mixed app calamari, crab cakes and coconut shrimp was pretty good. Crab cake was cooked perfectly, calamari was cooked well but could have used some kick with red cherry peppers. I didn't care for the coconut shrimp. I love coconut but it didn't work for me.
We ordered mussels. They were just OK and bland. My wife had a salad which she thought was marginal... Kids had chix tenders and fries which were great. Definitely kid friendly. We might return but would be more likely to head deeper into Gloucester/rockport next time. -
Review from Mariah M.
Rowley, MA
6/11/2010
I have only been here for breakfast, but I've been many times! While it's by no means a gourmet establishment (you wont find hand baked artisanal bread, or imported cheeses) everything is just good, which is how it should be.
After leaving NYC I am also still reveling in being able to go somewhere, and within five minutes be seated and then, wonder of wonders, get served within half an hour! I no longer have to set aside ten hours for brunch!
The Eggs Benedict are great, as are ALL the pancake options! Good coffee too, which is lucky because I take a full star off for bad coffee ;)
oh! I almost forgot the view, which is gorgeous, we watched herons and ospreys eating their breakfast while we ate ours. -
Review from Kelley B.
Mid-Cambridge, MA
7/28/2009
I went to Lobsta Land with a few friends after a day at the beach. I've often driven past Lobsta Land and always wanted to go and that sunny Sunday it all came together!
We arrived straight from the beach in our cover-ups and beachy/slightly disheveled hair and were immediately seated at a booth. Stephanie W. and I split a bottle of J. Lohr Chardonnay that was not only tasty, but reasonably priced. Sarah G. and Jason stuck with the water, which was promptly refilled throughout the meal.
Our Sampler platter was tasty and plentiful, everything fried seafood should be. I could have gone for a few extra of the coconut shrimp (there were only two on the platter), but they were huge so splitting them wasn't as big of a deal. My Lobsta was delicious and the highlight of the experience. I rocked out with my bib on and enjoyed every savory bite of it! Jason ordered the Fried Scallops and French Fries... the scallops were enormous, he was only able to eat half of the dish! Sarah G's Paella looked amazing!
We'll definitely be back! Hopefully next time we can be seated at one of the tables by the window over looking the marsh... but maybe you have to be dressed in real clothes for that. :-) -
Review from Mike M.
Boxford, MA
7/28/2011
Yum. HUGE menu, great specials, easy to get to. My only complaint - they're not open late, and close for the winter in December. Fantastic sunday brunch menu.
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Review from Andrew S.
5/2/2010
Best Lobster Roll
I haven't had a lobster roll in a while, so when I tried this chunky, fresh lobster roll ($18.50) in a classic new england roll/bun (which was buttery... mmm). The fries were very tasty and crisp, and the cole slaw was not salty and had bits of onion to give it a 'kick'.
Really nice waitress too... this was a quick stop while we were driving around gloucester and rockport. -
Review from Lisa C.
Saugus, MA
10/8/2008
I gave this place 4 stars for one reason...the clams. OH MAN, they were the BEST I've had in a long, long time. They were plump and sweet. I would have sat and eaten them until the place closed.
My mom and I also shared the lobster roll which was just okay..honestly nothing special. It had waaaaay too much mayo and the bottom of the bun was soggy.
Service was alright..but I had to wave the waitress over (and I HATE having to do that).
Overall, I'd go back and try something else if I was in the area. -
Review from Josh K.
Somerville, MA
4/18/2008
Many might go to Lobsta Land for lunch or dinner, but I actually had a chance to try out their breakfast this morning. I was amazed how extensive the breakfast menu was at this place. Between the two of us, we shared the cranberry nut pancakes, banana nut French toast, and roasted potatoes. The cranberry nut pancakes were particularly good as the cranberries were cooked into the pancakes as well as loaded with cranberries and chopped walnuts on top of the pancakes.
If you're visiting Cape Ann, Lobsta Land is conveniently located off 128, so you can grab some breakfast before heading to the beach.. -
Review from Sarah T.
Danvers, MA
11/9/2009
I have been here for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. Lunch is by far the best!
At lunch, you get quite a bit of food for a reasonable price. Their sandwiches all come with a side, and I highly recommend the pasta salad! It is so light and filling at the same time! It is corkscrew noodles in a light olive oil dressing with finely chopped peppers and celery. The best part is the lovely cheese that is in it. I am unsure exactly what kind of cheese it is, but it is a white cheese that is crumbly with a very mild flavor. Yum!!
I love the various lunch specials that they have each day. Their lunch menu is also extensive, but the specials are your best bet! Any roast beef sandwich is really, really good! It is thinly sliced and so tender! They sometimes serve it on a toasted bun with homemade barbecue sauce and fried onions! Sometimes it is served on a bun with melted cheese and carmelized onions. Really, really good! I wish that they had a French Dip sandwich - it would be fabulous since their roast beef is so juicy and tender!
They also have salads, soups, and seafood. People love the fried clams, and you get more than you could ever finish, although they don't have the bellies. I would stay away from the buffalo chicken sandwich as it is VERY mild and disappointing in that regard. (If you are looking for a good spicy buffalo chicken sandwich, try the wrap at The Gull on Rt. 133 in Gloucester at the Cape Ann Marina!)
As for dinner, there is no pasta salad at night...darn it! The food is much more pricey and for the same portion sizes (I would venture a guess that they are smaller portions) as lunchtime.
As for breakfast, I would also say it is pricey for what you get. If you are looking for fabulous pancakes, go to Two Sisters on Washington Avenue - it is worth the wait! And for eggs, bacon, and savory breakfast meals, go to Charlie's in Gloucester.
So there you have it, great for lunch and pricey for breakfast, dinner, and/or drinks! -
Review from Adam P.
Jamaica Plain, MA
5/30/2010 3 photos
Well, 3 1/2 stars really. A buddy and I decided to ride our motorcycles up north of the city someplace and get a lobster roll. OK, I decided to do this and invited a friend of mine. He'd never ridden his motorcycle at highway speed before so the trip took longer than it might once he acclimates to highway riding. By the time we got up there, I was thirsty as hell and hungry as hell.
I ordered a beer and an order of buffalo shrimp. The beer was fine but the shrimp were fair at best. Not particularly great shrimp and not particularly spicy. They were buffalo shrimp you could get at an airport Marriott in Denver.
We ordered the Lobster Rolls and watched the Sox finish murdering KC 8 to 1. The Rolls came and right away I could tell this was a different animal than the very lackluster appetizer. The roll seemed to be a standard hot dog roll that had been buttered and grilled to a golden brown. There were heaps of lobster in it. Big, giant chucks of delicious, fresh lobster meat. The mayo was in short supply but not as to hinder the experience at all. About a 1/4 in, I decided to try the fries. Sometimes fish places do all their frying in the same oil and everything tastes like an amalgam of fried fish weirdness. Not so here. The fries were crispy and delicious and did not taste like everything else fried on the menu. The rest of the lobster was as good as the first bite.
The place desperately needs some outdoor seating. The interior is clean but dated. We sat at the bar and both of the bartenders were terrific. Prompt, friendly service with a smile. In summation, it's good but not fantastic. If you're in the area and have a hankering for a really good lobster roll, go on by. If you live in the area, you probably know a place that has a patio and good lobster rolls. Sadly, I do not. -
Review from Ellen H.
Framingham, MA
7/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The bread alone was worth the trip! clam chowder was good though a little watery. The caesar salad is delicious! gray sole also was great with a lemon flavor. Waiting for my chocolate mousse now. I love this place and highly recommend it as long as you don't mind the loud noise. It was extremely loud tonight with lots of screaming babies and only fair service. BUT if food is most important like it is for me than this is the place! DELICIOUS!
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Review from Helen A.
East Watertown, MA
7/25/2011
Gloucester locals recommended Lobsta Land and we weren't disappointed. Wonderful food - swordfish over lobster risotto with huge chunks of lobster. Excellent service.
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Review from Mark M.
Tempe, AZ
5/13/2011
Was back in Mass. to visit family and friends. My sister made reservations at Lobsta Land because she had been there before. Nice location, but there isn't a lot around there. If you're looking for the downtown, homey Gloucester experience, this isn't the place. I was in a party of six and we went there for Mother's Day. I started out with steamers, which were excellent. My main meal was the fried clams, but there was so much food, I couldn't finish. If you don't have a huge appetite, I'd recommend the fried clam appetizer, which is plenty and saves you a few bucks.
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Review from kevin g.
Beverly, MA
7/16/2011
This is what you need to know. This place has great fresh fish but is not a fine dining experience. The drinks are great, service can sometimes be slow. A few years ago the calamari had tenticles but know they are just rings and obviously frozen. I agree they are subpar. They also did away with the green veggies. Now they only have butternut squash! Isn't summer short enough?
I would stick to the fish, Ciopinno, fried food, boullabaise, uptown mac. The chicken prosciutto is also good. I'm not a fan of the steaks or the hamburgers as they have no taste. It is lobsta land! Breakfast is good!
PS, your don't want an outside patio, you will be eaten by greenheads and noseeems! -
Review from Linda E.
10/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
Cute restaurant to go to in Gloucester. The view is of a pond or something, so not too exciting. I went with friends on my birthday and they brounght me strawberry shortcake and sang to me! I ordered the lobster roll which was good, but $19.99 so a bit expensive. Cool place to try out!
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Review from kirsten s.
Woodbury, CT
7/31/2009
I just reviewed Lat 43, and want to contrast that restaurant with this one to explain what I think a decent dining experience could (and ought) to be.
My family & I have been regular summer visitors of Gloucester and its environs for going on 30 years. Hip restaurants come and go, and the old hold-outs (Gloucester House, Cameron's, etc.) must still be in business for valid reasons, if not for the quality of the food or value for the money.....
Last Wednesday (our anniversary) was a 4th visit to Lobsta Land in three years. Our latest proved to us that the consistency of the food and service may hope to guarantee a long life on Cape Ann.
Starting with apps: I love oysters- particularly fried. LL's are succulent and extremely fresh, and are perfectly fried. Not at all greasy. Just fresh and simply battered. Very good New England style tartar sauce.
A basket of hot,crust rolls arrives as well along with a very yummy olive tapenade. Perfect with the bread.
My husband's caesar salad was perfect. Traditional (real) caesar dressing, with just house made croutons and fresh parm. That's it. Nice portion as well.
Entrees: I had the Salmon on a bed of risotto that was mixed with a 5 onion relish and goat cheese. Since it sounded intriguing, I wanted to get a head's up from our server- I could tell she was honest and actually knows the dishes well. I explained to her that I am really picky about the freshness of salmon. She didn't steer me wrong. It was a memorable and delicious dish. (I wish I could have brought leftovers back to CT) My husband had the seafood alfredo. There was nothing pedestrian about this entree. The lobster sauce was very flavorful, seafood very fresh, and the pasta was perfectly aldente. Just right. Our son had the somewhat less sophisticated chicken fingers- but these were house made from freshly battered chicken breast. I tried 'em, & they were quite good.
I enjoyed their house Pinot (forgot the name) & hubby enjoyed his harpoon ale. Their desserts are quite good, but we were stuffed!
On another note- Our server was great. She had tact, knew the dishes, and was sincere and friendly, but not over-friendly.
Lobstaland is not a very fancy restaurant by any means, but you will be impressed by careful preparation, portions, as well as price. I think it's the best value in town. -
Review from Dave S.
West Palm Beach, FL
7/11/2010
Absolutely the world's greatest ONION RINGS! I've had onion rings all over the world, and these are still the best.
Everything else about the place makes it worth going to a couple of times a month while in Gloucester.
Despite the name, it is NOT a tourist trap. Try it. -
Review from Paul F.
Rockport, MA
8/25/2006
Wonderful menu, but I wouldn't suggest dining here unless your schedule is clear for the day. Notoriously piss-poor service. I just returned to work hungry after waiting over ten minutes for my server to return after dropping off drinks. This was the second time I've been made to wait there, but I was not foolish enough to stay this time.
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Review from Kathleen T.
Gloucester, MA
4/9/2007
God, I had an awful experience here. My husband and I went in our quest to conquer as many local restaurants as possible instead of eating at the same few, since we live here in Gloucester.
We only ordered a ($10) soup for me and an appetizer for him - sorry, we weren't starving, and everything was extremely overpriced. The place wasn't even that busy, it was somewhat on the early side on a weeknight. Our waitress refused to get us bread, despite the fact that it looked tantalizingly good and I wanted nothing more than to dunk it in my soup. She kept claiming there was no bread in the kitchen, and as soon as she walked away we saw more waitresses grabbing baskets of bread for the tables around us. We finally got it as we were getting ready to leave. She was so horrid that it was one of the very few times I left a bad tip. I don't like doing that, but she was so snotty, rude, and refused to even make eye contact with us as she dropped our food on the table. She didn't refill our drinks, etc. I don't think I've ever had service that awful, I'm generally very understanding if someone's swamped or there's circumstances beyond their control, but this was not one of those occasions.
There are so many other good seafood restaurants in Gloucester that deserve my money more than this place - they're strictly for dumb tourists that see it on the highway. They are only seasonal for a reason, in my opinion. -
Review from Craig S.
8/14/2010
Not to much to talk about, its standard north shore fishy fare nothing daring or new just the same old bland crap that every seaside joint sells. I could make everything I ordered better myself and paid less for it.
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Review from Janet P.
Beverly, MA
9/19/2011
I eat at this restaurant once a week. It's always fresh and good. I recommend to to every one I know!
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Review from Stephanie W.
Boston, MA
7/13/2009
Great stop on the way home from Rockport Long Beach. There were four of us and we began with the Lobsta Land Sampler (calamari, crab cakes and coconut shrimp) which had three dipping sauces - honey mustard, cocktail and a spicy cream sauce. All three items in the Sampler were really good - plentiful crab in the crab cakes. Two of us ordered a $20 lobster which was cooked to perfection. Mine came with a Caesar Salad which was topped generously with parmesan cheese shavings - beautiful. They had J Lohr Chardonnay for $25 a bottle which is a decent restaurant price for this label. The atmosphere was casual, bright and cheery. Lovely afternoon at the beach followed by a good lobsta dinnah!
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Review from Carole D.
Taunton, MA
9/4/2011
Restaurant was recommended by a friend. Easy to get to off Rt 95 South exit 12. We sat in the bar side on a hi-top. Service was excellent. Vidalia onion vinegarette on a fresh side salad. Paella was excellent loaded with lob-stah , scallops, shrimp and swordfish servied Spicy w/ saffron and chorizo. My friend had the Salmon over Risotto and it was excellent also. Drinks are "hearty". Overall a great experience !! It gets crowded. Go early.
