There’s something about a Massachusetts lobster roll that just hits different.
Across the state, from tiny harbor docks to busy city seafood counters, locals have strong opinions about where to find the absolute best one.
Some spots pile the meat high with barely any mayo, others serve it warm with melted butter dripping into a perfectly toasted split top bun.
A few even guard their simple recipes like family secrets!
If you want the kind of lobster roll people argue about all summer long, the kind worth going out of your way for, keep reading because these are the places locals swear by.
1. The Lobster Pot
The Lobster Pot is located in Provincetown at the very tip of Cape Cod, and it has been serving seafood since 1979 with front row views of Provincetown Harbor.
You can grab a seat on the outdoor deck, watch fishing boats cruise by, and dig into their famous lobster roll packed with big chunks of fresh Atlantic lobster dressed with mayo and stuffed into a split top bun.
They also serve classic clam chowder in a bread bowl, plus fried seafood platters featuring fried scallops, calamari, shrimp, and clams that easily feed two hungry people.
The restaurant closes for the winter season and usually reopens in the spring, so if you are visiting between April and October, this is your chance to enjoy a lobster roll while watching the sunset over one of the busiest fishing harbors in Massachusetts.
2. Roy Moore Lobster Co
Located in the tiny seaside village of Rockport, Roy Moore Lobster Co. is the laid back seafood shack where locals line up for some of the freshest lobster on Cape Ann.
This no-frills spot has been cracking claws since 1918, and you can enjoy fresh lobster straight from the tanks before it’s steamed and served with melted butter.
Their lobster roll keeps things simple with chilled lobster meat piled high on a toasted New England-style bun, plus clam chowder, and even whole lobsters.
They close for the winter months and reopen in spring, so plan your visit between early May and October when you can carry your feast down to nearby Front Beach and enjoy it with views of the Atlantic.
3. Chatham Pier Fish Market
Along Cape Cod, Chatham Pier Fish Market is located on the Chatham Fish Pier, where commercial boats unload their daily catch just steps from the counter.
You can literally watch seals bobbing in the water and fishing crews haul in crates of cod and haddock while you wait for a lobster roll stuffed with fresh steamed lobster meat and a touch of mayo, served with fries and slaw.
The menu board can change with the day’s haul but usually includes fried whole belly clam roll, a shrimp roll, or a cup of thick clam chowder.
They close during the winter season and typically reopen in spring, so come between April and October to grab your food, claim a picnic table overlooking Aunt Lydia’s Cove, and enjoy seafood that traveled only a few feet from boat to bun.
4. Yankee Lobster
If you’re in Boston, Yankee Lobster in the Seaport District brings the lobster roll action to Boston’s waterfront, just a short walk from the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
This family owned seafood market and restaurant has been around since 1950, and you order at the counter before grabbing a table inside or out on the sidewalk patio.
Their lobster roll comes in both cold with herb mayo or hot with drawn butter, and you can pair it with crispy fried clam strips, creamy clam chowder, or even a 1.25 pound steamed lobster straight from the tank.
It stays open year round, making it a reliable stop when other coastal spots close for the season, and you’re only a few minutes drive from the Boston Harborwalk if you want to stroll off all that buttery goodness by the water.
5. James Hook & Co
Loctaed on Atlantic Avenue, James Hook & Co. has been a Boston waterfront staple since 1925, operating out of a shack right along Fort Point Channel.
This family run seafood company started as a wholesale lobster distributor, and today you can still see live lobsters stacked in tanks, with the market shipping seafood across the country.
Their lobster roll is generously filled with huge chunks of fresh claw and knuckle meat and served on a grilled New England-style bun.
You can upgrade your feast with a 1.5 pound steamed lobster, lobster bisque, or a side of coleslaw.
It’s open year round, so whether you are exploring the Harborwalk or heading toward the North End, this is the kind of no nonsense spot where you grab your roll, find a bench by the water, and dig in while boats cruise past.
6. Woodman’s of Essex
Located in Essex, Woodman’s of Essex is the historic seafood stop that has been drawing hungry road trippers since 1914.
This is the place credited with inventing the fried clam in 1916, when Chubby Woodman dipped freshly dug Ipswich clams in evaporated milk and corn flour before frying them to golden perfection.
While their lobster roll is packed with chilled lobster meat on a toasted bun and served with fries and coleslaw, you really need to add a plate of their fried clams.
The restaurant sits right on the Essex River with indoor seating and outdoor picnic tables, so you can stretch out and share a massive seafood platter.
7. Sesuit Harbor Cafe
On Cape Cod, Sesuit Harbor Cafe in Dennis is perched right above Northside Marina with fishing boats and sailboats drifting in and out of Cape Cod Bay.
This laid back dockside spot is famous for its overflowing lobster roll stuffed with big chunks of fresh lobster meat and stacked with salad, fries, and coleslaw on toasted bread.
You order at the window, grab a picnic table outside, and watch the sunset turn the harbor pink while digging into your meal.
The cafe closes for the winter and usually reopens in May, so plan your visit between late spring and early fall when the marina is buzzing and you can enjoy your lobster roll with front row water views.
8. Raw Bar (Mashpee)
If you are cruising around the Upper Cape, make your way to Raw Bar in Mashpee, a tiny roadside seafood shack that locals have loved since the 1980s.
This place is small and always buzzing in summer, with picnic tables out front and a steady line of regulars waiting for one of the most generously stuffed lobster rolls in the area.
The roll comes loaded with fresh chilled lobster meat on a bun, and you can add a cup of thick New England clam chowder that hits the spot after a beach day at South Cape Beach State Park just 10 minutes away.
Raw Bar closes for the winter and typically reopens in the spring, so plan to swing by between April and November when the place is open.
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