Urban Safari : Lobster Roll Hunt in Boston
Waterfront = Target-rich environment
Every Summer we take a road trip to Green Harbor Lobster Pound in Marshfield for lobster rolls, but this year we decided to try our luck over at Boston’s Harborwalk, because it is packed silly with places serving lobster rolls!
Yes, some of them can be touristy, but many are not. So we hopped on the T and spent the morning in search of the just the right lobster roll down by the “waddah.” Here are some of the spots visited:
McCormick & Schmick’s
Smack in the middle of Faneuil Hall, McCormick & Schmick’s may be a great place to people watch/enjoy fresh seafood, but it was definitely way too touristy for us. Passed.
Tourist: “McCormick and Schmidt…don’t they play for the Red Sox?” Waitress: “You need to leave.”
Union Street Oyster House
Located on the Freedom Trail, near Faneuil Hall, the Union Street Oyster House enjoys the unique distinction of being America’s oldest restaurant. However, sitting inside on a beautiful day just didn’t seem right. Passed
If it was good enough for Daniel Webster, it was almost good enough for me.
Shuck Yeah! Food Truck
Shuck Yeah!‘s menu is designed around seasonality and local ingredients. Their motto is “have wheels will travel,” bringing the freshest seafood you can get to you. They got their start on Cape Cod and work with many local fishermen to bring the best seafood they can find to their customers. This looked promising…so maybe next time.
Shucks, that line is too long.
The Barking Crab
The Barking Crab opened in 1994 as an outdoor summer restaurant. Success enabled the restaurant to expand into the adjoining former Neptune Lobster and Seafood Market, and now features a wood-burning stove for cozy winter nights
We love going to The Barking Crab. We’ve had many awesome meals here when this place was just a dive bar next to a giant parking lot. Unfortunately, The Barking Crab was closed to the public for a private event on the day we visited.
There is no clowning around under this big top – this place knows what it’s doing!
The Daily Catch
Outside, great harborside views, and seafood focused, The Daily Catch was on our short list. However, this was the only seafood place we visited which did not have a lobster roll offering on their menu. Bummer!
Why couldn’t I catch a lobster roll here? WHY?
And The Winner Is…James Hook & Co.
After careful consideration and much walking around, we decided on the James Hook & Company for the lobster roll. And. It. Was. AMAZING.
Can one really do better than a place where all they do is sell lobsters? No, one cannot.
This used to be one of the biggest wooden structures on the Waterfront. And that bridge used to work also.
James Hook has been in business since 1925. In August of 2008, the $12 million family-owned popular purveyor of lobster’s fortune went up in smoke in a huge blaze. The main facility was completely destroyed and over 60,000 lbs of lobsters were lost. The family managed to rebuild, and the business is still going strong today.
Part Barbie Malibu Beach House, part dang good lobster roll…
Their main business is selling live lobsters to local businesses, But they also have a small shack on the waterfront, from which they sell their “product” to the public, and more importantly, serve lunch.
Not a Grey Poupon jar in sight, thank gawd.
James Hook served two “sizes” of lobster rolls: Regular and Large. Why would anyone NOT get the Large???
THIS is why we live in Boston. And the “Make Way for Ducklings” sculpture.
What we got were amazingly fresh lobster rolls with large chunks of tails and claws. It was the meatiest and freshest lobster rolls we have ever had. We will definitely be back again before the end of the Summer for another one!!!
“You gonna eat that?”
Based on information from one of our local architect friends, the site James Hook & Co is currently on the will-soon-become-a-high-rise list. So, those who want to experience an awesome lobster roll on the Waterfront had better plan accordingly.
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