Old Port Lobster Shack
Categories: Seafood, American (Traditional) [Edit]
851 Veterans BlvdRedwood City, CA 94061 (650) 366-2400
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sun 12:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner, Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
213 Reviews for Old Port Lobster Shack
One of Old Port Lobster Shack's Favorite Reviews
YUMMMM!! We watched this place on Check Please Bay Area and had to go. We went for my hubbys bday lunch and it was so wonderful! Everything was great!
We had the Naked Lobster rolls, and the soup. Both were above what I could have expected from this place. And considering how much lobster you get on that roll I think its a fine value. I mean if I were to weigh it I bet its two times more lobster then we get in the "tail" of lobster at Red Lobster! The roll that they put it in is super good too!
I had a root beer, which was very yummy as well! They have it on tap, and it was totally not just A&W root beer! Good Stuff!!
Go and enjoy!
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$20 for some cold, ground up lobster with mayo in a roll, potato chips, and cole slaw, served in a place not much nicer than an Outback in a strip mall. I learned about Old Port Lobster Shack, how they're the only place on the west coast with authentic lobster rolls that they designed themselves. How their Maine lobster is super fresh. How the prices weren't bad "for lobster."
But serious? $20? Throw in sides, drinks, or get more high end, and you're easily up to $50. I expected more for that price. This isn't some high-end place; you have to stand in a long line to order. Maybe if you really (really) like lobster, don't care about ambiance, or this triggers some east coast nostalgia for you that I don't understand, but only then.
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Great place for lobster. The lobster roll is delicious! The fried shrimp was just that, fried shrimp. It did take awhile for the food to come, but they were pretty busy. It was unclear if we were supposed to refill our own drinks. The machine is to the side and we noticed an employ refilling many of the customers drinks, she never came to the table, so I refilled my own.
SHACKINGLY pricey and yummy, we enjoyed:
a CUP of chowdaH (literally in a mug with a handle) and this was tasty and pleasing. drizzled with tabasco made this soup more exciting and likeable.
a large plate of lobster mac-n-cheese, which was unfortunately lacking in flavor, though the lobster pieces were tender and kind of sweet and the seashell pasta was justly boiled to be "firmed to the bite."
a red plastic basket of their beer battered fish and chips was shackingly desirable and almost flawless!
thinly coated with their nice batter mixture, the three ample pieces of fish came out ravishingly crispy. lightly moistened with malt vinegar and dipped in tartar sauce alternately made us so joyful.
the thickly cut fries were also nicely deep fried AND a "tease" serving of the cole slaw was shackingly delicious! they added these "whole-black pepper sized raisins to gave it a peerless taste!
the atmosphere is not even close to being an "ugly, squalid place(shack)." AT ALL. decently decorated with knick-knacks that can be seen on a fishing ports/boats.
hence we spent more than the alloted budget for that day. it was certainly worth it.
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3.6
We happened to be in the area that day, so we decided to use Goog411 to track this place down. I'd expected a restaurant-like atmosphere but it turned out to be more of a 'fast food' place.
Lucky for us, it wasn't packed when we got there. I was really taken aback by the prices in the menu (avg of $13-16 per entree) but understood later that the seafood are flown in from Boston, which explained the high price (but still....I could have eaten Japanese for that price)
Anyways, we ordered the Lobster louie salad and fish and chips and a cup of clam chowder, since that some of the recommendations from the cashier (and also because, honestly, it was one of the cheaper items on the menu and we wanted to give this place a test trial first and decide it was really all that)
The fish was super duper crunchy! Very fluffy, soft and fresh. However, really tasteless as well, even after adding vinegar and ketchup. My gf really liked it though, so it depends on your taste buds, I happen to like heavily flavored dishes.
The Lobster meat in the salad was a little pathetic, maybe a teaspoon portion? But it was really good, sweet and fresh. The chowder was enough for a party of 2, a little salty (maybe it was the bottom part of the soup pot?) but I still loved it, lots of clams in it and it tasted a lot better with the oyster crackers.
I saw a lot of tables ordering the lobster roll, which looks a lot more yummy, lots more meat and their faces seem really content... so must be worth a try.
I probably wouldn't return again unless I'm in the area. But if i do, im definitely trying the naked lobster roll. =)
Have a micro-brew draft beer, some beer-battered fried shrimp, and some blueberry bread pudding, and you will have the tastiest shrimp dinner on the West Coast.
Please read my review of Old Port Lobster Shack at the July, 2006 edition of the Spectrum Magazine.
Excerpt:
Few meals equal the joy of eating fresh, succulent lobster! At Old Port Lobster Shack at 851 Veterans Blvd. (at Jefferson Avenue), next to Supercuts in the strip mall, you will find a genuinely authentic New England lobster shack. Apparently word-of-mouth and a few superb reviews by the San Francisco Chronicle have caused a burgeoning business with clientele delighted to spend $17.50 for the divine lobster roll sandwich. Lines quickly form out the door, and people cannot wait to satiate their lobster fix with a basket of cheese fries and lobster rolls.
Old Port Lobster Shack's lobster roll is a heavily fresh-lobster-laden salad on a deliciously toasted roll specially made for the restaurant. The sandwiches come with mayo but may be ordered "naked," with drawn butter and lemon wedges on the side. For anyone watching their fat intake or on a weight-loss diet, the USDA states that "lobster is one of the healthiest and leanest proteins available; it is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are proven to reduce hardening of the arteries and risk of heart disease; and it contains less cholesterol, calories, and saturated fats than lean beef, pork, shrimp or even the light meat of chicken. In addition, lobster provides an abundance of copper, which may help overweight or obese women retain calcium in their bones while they're dieting."
Read the rest of the review at:
http://www.spectrummag...
Read my other articles in the archives of the Spectrum Magazine at:
http://www.spectrummag...
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Throw some hot sauce on that oyster po-boy and down a beer, now you got a meal! Located in the middle of a nowhere industrial park is this great shabby seafood shack. Nothing special about the decor, but the food is tasty. Loved the cole slaw, if a bit soupy, which had cinnamon or nutmeg in it. And oh my god, the rolls!!!! I could eat several rolls by themselves. Kinda crunchy on the outside, but really soft and doughy on the inside. The roll was great with the fried oysters, which pretty much had the same texture--crunchy, yet tender.
There's a lot of wine and beer options, too.
Having just come back from Ipswich MA (home of the Clam Box, as seen on one of those Food Network programs), i was able to make a direct comparison of Lobster Shack to New England fare.
I found out from Russell, the owner of Lobster Shack, that he uses the exact same seafood supplier as the Clam Shack (Ipswich Shellfish?), so it makes a direct comparison pretty easy.
Bottom line, the lobster rolls and fried whole belly Ipswich clams (all i've ordered so far in three visits to Lobster Shack - i gotta try something new soon!) from Lobster Shack are BETTER than what i had in Ipswich! Lobster shack has a far superior breading on the clams and a tastier dipping sauce. The Clam Shack's clams seemed a little bigger and slightly more "seafoody," but the quality was comparable. The lobster was the same high quality in both places, but Lobster Shack's rolls are a little more toasty & buttery - thus better. My wife grew up in Massachusetts and finds the food at Lobster Shack to be great as well.
The employees are super nice. The slaw is heavenly. They can make my fries extra crispy if i ask (whoo hoo!).
NOTE: To all those who complain about the prices at the Lobster Shack, i guess you don't "get it." Fresh, premium lobster and Ipswich clams are not cheap. In fact, the prices at the Lobster Shack are quite competitive with New England prices for the same food. The food is of high quality at the lobster shack - you get what you pay for! If you want cheap seafood, go to Red Lobster (you may still end up paying a comparable dinner bill, but with lower quality fare).
I've eaten at Lobster Shack three times so far, and yes, it costs more than fast food, but i feel i get more than my money's worth. Oh yeah, they have micro brew beers and root beers on draft, and that's always a major plus in my book.
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Ordered Maine lobster roll, Lobster Ravioli,Steamed Mussels and lobster bisque on 5/2008. For a bill due of $65.00 I did not leave with my appetite satisfied. Many here applause the Maine Lobster Roll , however my tastes must be different. The roll itself is warm but the lobster filler is cold. Is this the way it is served??? Must be. There was not one item that stood out. I would much rather have a meal at Fishermans Wharf or Fish in Sausalito.
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The first time we drove here, I didn't expect to find it in an industrial building section of Redwood City (not far from 101 and near Kaiser Hospital). That's the one star off for lack of ambiance for the outside/location. However, the food and interior is another story so sit a bit with me!
There is no wait service so grab a menu located out front of the restaurant window on the right hand side. If the line is long, you have time to peruse the menu and chat away with your significant other or if you're friendly like me, chat it up with the folks around you AND your SO. Once there were no menus outside so I just asked someone ahead of me if I could borrow theirs when they were through ~ nice folks they were and smiling, handed me the menu.
Though lobster is the main attraction, there are other seafood selections available. We've had the clams on the half shell that were so fresh it tasted like the ocean (available as 6 or 9 clams with red cocktail sauce; I asked for straight horseradish which was so delicious on top of the clams!) and the fried calamari (crispy rings and tentacles). Chowdah soup is available as New England (white) or Rhode Island (red) plus lobster bisque (the best lobster bisque I had was at the Southhampton Princess resort in Bermuda!).
We've tried the Maine Lobster Roll, Coconut Shrimp and Chips and the Haddock n Chips - both were beer battered. The beer battered seafood was fairly light and the seafood was very tender and not rubbery like other places that serve deep fried anything! The Maine lobster roll was a much better version than what I had at Yankee Pier at Santana Row! Here the lobster was fresh and the mayo/green onions/salt/pepper mix was light handed and did not mask the flavor of the lobster. Plus, they are very generous with the amount of lobster as well compared to Yankee Pier (awful in comparison).
The rolls and the beer battered specials come with a side of creamy cole slaw, pickles and in the case of the fried stuff, slices of delicious yukon gold potatoes fried while the rolls came with kettle chips. I always asked for extra bread/butter pickles and they complied with a smile! These pickles were so good with all the seafood....
The staff here are friendly and accommodating despite the long lines. By the time you put your order in and get a seat at one of the picnic tables, your order arrives in short time. If I'm in the area or nearby, I would definitely go back and eat here again. We need to try more items on the menu (like we hadn't already but I didn't mention all of the items we tried). Ahoy matey....it's worth coming ashore!
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My husband grew up in Maine. He and his parents (and the rest of us) adore this place. They are family friendly. Yes, it's casual. No, it's not cheap (it costs $ to fly those fresh lobsters here from Maine 2-3 x per wk) and the location is a strip mall. But it's a nice treat for our family. The staff are friendly and helpful. It's one of our top 5 favorite places to eat on the peninsula. Probably our favorite place to take the kids.
Chowdah, Naked Lobster Rolls (quality fresh lobster and amazing fresh baked rolls), real fish "sticks" for the kids, side of fresh sauteed veggies, blueberry bread pudding for dessert. Yum!
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Disclaimer: I am not from the east coast and have not visited an actual lobster shack so I don't understand what this whole thing is all about.
That said, I stick to my opinion: given the prices in order at that place I very well believe these lobsters come from the east coast in first class and not in coach. If I have to pay that much I won't do it at a strip mall, I'll go to a nice seafood restaurant. I won't be charged more and I won't have to stand in line.
The Lobster roll was nothing special and the chowder as good as any I've had around here. A few of the local restaurants in Half Moon Bay or Monterey have dishes as good and as fresh for much less money out of your pocket and they're located on an actual wharf.
The fish & chips is where it's at! I like the white chowder, my wife likes the red. Great desserts. Might have to scan the tables nervously as you stand in line, but a seat will be there after you order. How do they do that?
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You must try the Maine Lobster Roll. Each bite is completely satisfying! Comes with a cup of cole slaw and potato chips. The cole slaw was the best I have ever had. Now, I'm not a cole slaw lover, but this one was one of a kind indeed as it comes with dried blueberries. I would never think of finding those in my cole slaw, but it was such a tasty addition! The Maine Lobster Roll was phat! The abundant serving of lobster meat was mixed with mayonnaise and green onions in a soft, toasted and buttered bun. PHAT, I tell ya! And oh so fulfilling!
I also ordered a side of cheesy fries with sour cream. I love sour cream. I can eat it with virtually anything so naturally it made for an excellent accompaniment and substitute to ranch dressing. To down it all, I got a bottle of Capt'n Eli's Rootbeer. Perfect!
I was taken aback when the cashier declared the amount of $28 to be paid for my lunch. Yowza! Well, I am eating for two after all so it was well worth it.
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My rating will soon be 5 stars (I'm hoping) once I step foot into the actual restaurant in person; in the meantime, it's rated 4 stars for its EXCELLENT Maine Lobster Roll.
Yesterday, my manager asked me if I wanted half of his sandwich, and of course, without hesitation, I said.. SURE!!! Made with Maine Lobster and served in a, what my manager calls.. a hot dog bun from Boston.... so he says... Honestly, it looks like a baguette from Lee's Sandwiches, but just a lot softer, a lot bigger, and more fresh tasting.. Oh, it was heaven. I wished I had the ENTIRE sandwich to myself.. Haha... Anyway, this Maine Lobster Roll is a lil on the pricey side ($17.00), but I can understand why... cause it was just sooooo damn good!!!
I can't wait to try the other dishes that Lobster Shack serves. Everything on their menu sounds scrummmmptious!!!
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1 point off for not having lobster pot pie. I drove all the way out there for it.
I got the steamed lobster instead, and while it seemed tasty, it seemed rather overpriced for a small lobster. Maybe I'm just spoiled by Puerto Nuevo style lobster. For all those who've never been to Tijuana and its surrounding cities, Puerto Nuevo is a little town 20 minutes south of TJ. It's about 4 blocks jam packed with lobster restaurants where you get a huge lobster, homemade tortillas, rice, and beans for about 20 bucks. Beer and margaritas run you about a dollar each. Sigh, how I miss it.
Anyway, I'm still on the lookout for a lobster pot pie, so if anybody has any suggestions (not at Michael Mina prices though) feel free.
I love this restaurant. It is so fun to have a local place to get great lobster at a reasonable price in a casual atmosphere. LOVE IT!
It's certainly good food, and I understand the lobster is fresh from Maine so that affects the price, but whoa, that price. It's not that it's outrageous, just that there really isn't much other than the food itself to justify the price. The lobster roll is really good, don't get me wrong, but I was disappointed with the bisque, really rather bland sauce and only a few chunks of meat.
Other than that, the service was fine but not spectacular, and the wait was bad but I'm sure that varies a lot. All in all I'm happy to have gone once to try it, and if you are in the area it's certainly worth a visit, but personally it wasn't great enough to make me want to make it a regular spot at that price.
Yet another reminder of the East Coast...my husband and I go to Maine every few years, and I eat nothing but lobster while we're there. If we haven't been for awhile, I start getting a hankering for it. So thank goodness for Old Port Lobster Shack. The whole lobster is really expensive, and after paying so little (by comparison) in Maine, I can't make myself order it. But the lobster rolls are great. Last time we went, my husband got the naked lobster roll, and I got the one with mayo, and we split them. Both were terrific. The bonus of the naked roll is that you can dip it in melted butter....mmmmm, butter. The kids meals are great too, and it is nice and casual inside so I don't have to keep the kids quiet and in their seats which is always nice (for us, maybe not so much for those around us). Yum, yum, butter.....
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Went back here for a second try after a boring first dinner. Not much improved. The place has friendly staff, fast service, and a nice atmosphere, but c'mon, for $35 a head I can go to Plouf or Blue Plate in the city and have a nice sit down dinner with a bucket of clams.
My main complaint is that the lobster is not used well. I've tried the lobster rolls before which were decent but not great. The lobster was oversalted in the regular roll. At least you can taste the lobster in the rolls. I tried the lobster Club Sandwich as I was wondering how they were going to have the lobster flavor compete with bacon. Short answer: it didn't. I couldn't taste the lobster at all. We also had the lobster mac and cheese, which was some pasta shells in a mild white cheese sauce with some lobster shavings on top. The sauce was really bland and you still couldn't taste much lobster in the dish. This idea sounds interesting but I think you could do better at home with canned lobster and some white cheddar.
Clam chowder was alright but again dull, tasting mostly of milk and flour. Good clam chowder does not equal boring clam chowder, parsley or tarragon would be nice.
I might come back for the fish and chips, they do have good malt vinegar at all the tables. Most other non-lobster/clam entrees are reasonably priced.
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The boyfriend and I love this place! I'm glad that he first suggested it because after that, we were hooked!
We definitely felt that it was expensive on first, a meal you can't buy every week! But I definitely think that it's worth it. For nearly $20, you get a lobster roll, nicely buttered with fresh big chunks of lobster meat (I like the Maine Lobster roll). It comes with butter and extra mayo to add to your liking. The coleslaw is delicious and I love it. If I remember correctly, they add tiny raisins to add a bit of sweetness. Chips also comes with your order of a lobster roll. I do believe they make their own chips.
And it seems tradition for me to always get a glass bottled cream soda. Just goes well with a lobster roll.
I can't wait to go back!
Well I finally got the opening I was waiting for. It was family night out and my wife got to choose. She was craving lobster and chose Old Port since she had heard good things from her friends. I remembered the Yelp reviews and agreed whole-heartedly with her decision.
I'm not going to add to what other have said about the location and ambiance. It's all true. I will say that we felt very comfy here and the staff was inviting and friendly. My kids loved the place immediately, especially since they were handed coloring pages and crayons as soon as we walked in.
My wife ordered the lobster dinner. I ordered the lobster roll (non-naked) and a cup of clam chowder. Our 2 kids ordered the chicken nuggets and fries (big surprise). I also chose a beer on tap. Total bill was $76. Egads! This is twice what we usually spend.
The chowder arrived first and was piping hot and delicious. It's been a while since I had chowder this good. When the rest of the food arrived I was absolutely shocked at the tiny doll size of my lobster roll. ( It looked a lot bigger in the photos!) This roll, however, was wicked good. And the toasted bread it came on was great. I've never had a lobster roll before, but now I'm a fan. Too bad it was so very tiny. Unfortunately the fries were slightly limp and greasy and I didn't finish them. ( I prefer crispier fries). I was happy I had ordered the chowder or I would have still been hungry. So it seems I have to order at least $24 (18+6) of food to fill up here. My wife loved her lobster dinner and had a big smile on here face when she came up for air.
Now for the rating. Based on food happiness alone I would give Old Port 4 stars. But my ratings also indicate how often I will be back, and at these prices I can't say the family will be coming back here once a month. This is maybe a once a year visit. Yes, Old Port, we like you, but we need to keep our family dinners below $40 or we'll go broke.
This place is way too expensive for what you get, especially for no wait service.
Had the crab sandwich for $15. It was okay. Friendly staff, though. Got in there just before the lunch rush on a weekday. There was a line out the door. I don't see the big deal about this place.
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I came here on a Sunday afternoon to find a line going a few people out the door. Wait time wasn't too bad, we ordered about 10 minutes later and got our food 10 minutes after that. The single most important thing to keep in mind when coming here is to expect to spend 20 bucks at a place that is not a traditional sit down restaurant-- when you can come to terms with that, you'll love it.
We each ordered a naked lobster roll: chunks of lobster stuffed into bread that is cut like pita bread. It comes with 2 sides, chips and cole slaw, but they let us substitute the chips for fries, which were decent wedge cut fries with some nice seasoning on them. The lobster sandwiches came with melted butter and mayonnaise, which you should pour and spread generously on top and into the crevices of the meat. The sandwich tasted EXACTLY how you'd expect this guilty pleasure to taste....goddamn amazing.
Portions are not big. Some people will think that it is not "worth it," so don't come here expecting to see hella food for $20, cuz you won't. I would say that the proportion of food to dollars is the same as $10-15 Fish & Chips from a place like Bubba Gumps...there is definitely a little bit to be desired when the food is all gone. In the end though, still a 5 star restaurant, which means it is a place that I would definitely recommend everyone to try at least once.
P.S. It bothers me to see complaints that the interior isn't nice enough to warrant a $20 meal, or that for the money spent here they could have gone to so and so restaurant and had a nicer sit down experience.
First off, it's called OLD PORT Lobster SHACK. When you come to a place with SHACK in the name, don't bitch about the Sea Port theme that they have going and say that for the price of the food, you expect to see candles, velvet curtains, servantile waiters, and a monkey to massage your back while you eat.
Get over your amateur Yelp reviewing ass and stay at least a little bit humble because this restaurant is one of a kind. So please, instead of being overly critical about great businesses like these, respect the fact that the owner of Old Port decided to come up with something original that offers great tasting food made from high quality ingredients.
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This review is for the crab sandwich, clam chowder, and $3.75 root beer.
Crab sandwich- nothing special. i like the crab sandwiches at half moon bay soooo much better, the crab is all stringy here and not like chunks of crabmeat. Their chips are nothing special.
Chowder- too many potatoes, hardly any clams in it
Root beer- I thought it was supposed to be special. Bleh, not worth $3.75
On the other hand, the others did enjoy their lobster rolls a lot. Mmm..don't think I'll come back anytime soon. As you check out, they give you a $10 off coupon if you spend more than $50 next time. This place is quite pricy for what you get I think. Dinner was $114 for four people....
I was really looking forward to our Friday night date. Being newbies, I'm always excited to try something that got great reviews on yelp. I ordered the naked lobster roll and Doc got the beer batter salmon and chips.
The Naked Lobster Roll was made up of mostly claw pieces. Dry and flavorless. Worst than the poor man's lobster, monk fish. The chips were tasty with some vinegar. Coleslaw was bland and needed salt. The atmosphere was casual, but the prices convey the food should be worth it.
I asked Doc what he thought of this place.
Two Words: "Never Again".
nuff said.
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Tasty but expensive seafood place in Redwood City. Its a little hard to find, but its well worth it, despite the price and the odd "Old Port" affectation. Its not old, there's no port, and the lobster isn't soaked in old port, so I am not really sure what they are talking about. Well, its kind of a shack,,,
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Being from the East coast, I really appreciate good lobster and seafood. Lobster Shack did not disappoint. As most reviews point out Lobster Shack is expensive for a little food. For me, I completely understand. It is not cheap to ship a good fresh lobster across the country. Think about how hard it is these days for humans to fly cross country. I sure don't feel fresh when I land in Boston or Portland ME.
I suggest the Naked Lobster Roll. The lobster meat was fresh and chilled to perfection. The fresh bun with buttery toasted flavor was delighful. The lobster bisque was tasty but not memorable either way. The blueberry bread pudding was great. A nice balance of blueberries and you bread. While I enjoyed it all, I order too much and was stuffed. I would suggest ordering either the bisque or the dessert.
P.S. - Get the root beer on tap. It rocks!!
My fiancee and I had really talked about checking this place out for a while, and we were pretty excited when we finally made it out there.
Unfortunately, like the meal, that didn't last too long. I agree with many of the posters who say that this place is a little pricey. I knew going in that we would be spending $17 on a lobster roll and I didn't mind that. However, what I didn't anticipate was the roll being so small. I'm a bit of a big eater, and I should mention that I don't have lobster often, but still -- I expect a little more for that price.
My apologies to the owners, because I know they read these reviews; however I can't really give a positive review overall. Yes, the food was tasty (lobster and butter, but it's seems hard not to like that, regardless of the quantity), but I just wanted a lot more. I finished my "naked" lobster roll (which was about the size of a small baked potato) in about 5 minutes, and I don't think I was eating that fast.
As for the ambience and service, it was adequate -- nice casual coastal-town decor and the people are friendly. Again, if the place were a little nicer, maybe the $17 would be a little more justified, but it just isn't.
Lastly, I realize that it IS lobster and that lobster doesn't come cheap. I understand that... but at the same time, I probably wouldn't have felt so unsatisfied if the sides, service, and overall experience were dressed up a bit.
To sum up: tasty food, but not enough of it or anything else for the price.
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The Old Lobster Shack was fantastic.
One of the best clam chowders and lobster rolls I've ever had.
The service was outstanding. When my friend's meal was running late, the waitress was kind enough to get her a soup for free.
Everything is fresh and this whole in the wall is well worth it.
Fresh lobster flown in from Maine everyday - it doesn't get any better then that.
For first timers I recommend either the clam chowder or lobster bisque to start and as an entree try one of the seafood rolls.
Enjoy !!!!!!!
We saw this restaurant reviewed on "check, please" and tried it out with high hopes since my husband and I went to school in Boston and was looking forward to fresh New England seafood.
The food was not bad but not spectacular. I don't understand how anybody can think this place is cheap! One dish we ordered was fried clams. There were very few clams over a basketful of fries and it was $22.00. I do agree that that dish as delicish! We had a lobster roll which was OK. Clam chowder was pretty good. We had the lobster ravioli which was OK as well. We also ordered the steamed clams. They did warn us there would be sand but we ordered it anyway. The sand made it inedible for us. All in all, it was a little disappointing and our bill for 2 adults and 2 pre-teens came out to about $200. We did walk out full but not really satisfied. Not worth another trip to us.
*oh. my. god. i think. i'm. gonna. throw-up.*
No, not because the food is bad, but because I ate too damn much! Where's my self-control?? All together, I think I just consumed about 80,000 calories and 1,000,000 grams of fat (possible slight exaggeration). Geez!
I just scarfed down an order of coconut shrimp, fries and a naked lobster roll. *burp*
The coconut shrimp and some of the fries were a bit on the undercooked side, but it was okay. Oily, but hey!, it's deep fried. Duh.
Now, the naked lobster roll reminded me of how good naked is! Okay, so it wasn't that naked. I poured a small cup of melted butter over the entire thing. B-u-t-t-e-r! I love me some BUTTER!
My favorite thing about my little trip to the OP Lobster Shack was the little sticker at the front door, "Yelp Approved". You gluttons! hahaha!
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We order lobster roll, lobster soup, and a seafood salad.
They really know how to cook lobster. You can taste the sweetness and freshness from the lobster meat. The lobster roll is awesome. Every elements are so balanced. The reason I can't give it 5 star is the price. This place is a bit pricey. The lobster roll is very small and cost me 16 or something.
I will definitely come back because they have the best lobster roll in town.
I don't know any other places in the Bay Area that serve lobster rolls so I was quite excited to find this place. Guess you can't go too wrong with lobster and mayo or drawn butter (the two ways you can get the loster rolls). The fried calamari was good too - not greasy. It's a bit of a splurge for lunch but worth it!
If you've never had a lobster roll and want the real thing - this is the place.
This lobster is not frozen and the taste is incredible.
I recommend the naked lobster roll, crab louie salad and lobster bisque.
You sit at picnic tables (even inside the restaurant). There are maps of Maine on the wall. It's very New England for Redwood City.
They even serve "Fluffernutters" (for kids).
OK so the prices and the ambiance of the place don't match, but as an East Coast native it's worth it to me to have a real lobster roll every now and then (food for the soul). Visiting East Coast friends have enjoyed it too.
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2.5 stars. my girlfriend and I ate here for lunch today. maybe i'm just spoiled from going to mexico and eating lobster there for dirt cheap...i dunno...this place just didnt do it for me. $60 for the 2 of us to eat, and we left still super hungry. I got the lobster roll with was rather small for $18, and come on...why can't you give me fries with it when it's that small? The cole slaw tasted ok but the portion was really small and it was a little soggy. My girlfriend's lobster(she got the steamed maine lobster) was kinda on the small side. The food tasted good, just wasnt worth the money at all. for the same price we could have bought 3 lobsters and cooked them ourselves and saved the long drive. For that kind of prices too, it would have been nice to have a waiter. Save your money IMO.
It was good and expensive. The lobster roll was served on the best darn hot dog buns. Initially, I was thinking $17 roll on a hot dog bun? But they were the best darn hot dog buns. The steamers starter was also very good (not on the menu, you have to ask for it). I was warned about bits of sand and having to pull the meat out by the tail, but if you are OK with that, the steamers are fresh and great. They also have a really good root beer on tap. Very casual atmosphere with orders taken at the counter, friendly service.
The dinner came out to about ~$40-45/person (appetizer, roll, dessert, drinks, tips). For that much, you can really eat really well somewhere else, like at a true sit-down place. I'm glad I tried it though, it's nice to see a bit of the east on the west coast.
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There Clam Chowder is pretty sick.
I went to this Redwood City restaurant after a Sharks game specifically for the lobster roll and they were out of rolls!! Am also from Boston and every September make a pilgrimage to Maine and Cape Cod ; just so you know where I'm coming from.
I suppose I could nit pick this place comparing it to places on the east coast but I will not because this ain't on the east coast.
For a lobster shack in California it is the best I've had.
We had New England Clam chowder, fried clams, seafood Louie and Boiled lobster and for what it is for the reasons stated above I gave it 4 stars.
The staff was friendly and accommodating.
The bill was 110 about what it would cost back east.
Imagine if you will that you live in the underwater world of Atlantis. You just got done getting hammered at the local dive bar, The Rusty Hook. Stumbling out into the street with your buddy Skippy you begin your quest for food...
Me:Oh man, I want a lobster roll.
Skippy: What!?!? How can you eat those??
Me: It is oh so tasty. Get some fries, a beer, and you're set.
Skippy: Dude, I'm part crustacean.
Me: No you're not. Your a biped.
Skippy: I said part crustacean. Didn't you notice my clawlike hands... and the antennae...
Me. Damn. My bad. That's on me yo.... Seriously tho, you know where I can get a lobster roll?
Skippy:...
That's what Old Port Lobster Shack is... Atlantean Street Food. You take minced Lobster meat, add some mayo, some butter, slap it on a grilled Texas toast bun and voila... The Lobster Roll. Granted that is just a tiny part of their extensive menu. There were so many items that I wanted to try. I did order a cup of the New England Clam Chowder and I sampled the Lobster Mac n' Cheese, both of which i would eat again.
We arrived with a large party and no reservations (mainly due to the fact that they don't take reservations)