Can someone let me know which restaurants have the great chowders and lobster rolls in NH/ME area that are still open now?

Try Mike's in Wells, Me. I think they are still open at this time of the year, but call ahead to be sure. Not a fancy place but excellent seafood. Has a great reputation with locals.

What's the difference between lobster and lobster rolls?

CD,
Seriously? I'm assuming you know what a lobster is... A lobster roll is a sandwich. Some lobster meat mixed with mayo (and maybe a little green) and plopped on a roll (usually a small, soft hot dog roll).

Oh,
and I agree with Mike's Clamshack on Rt.1.
If you want something more upscale, try Hurricane at either Ogunquit or Kennebunkport.

Thanks Dreamer! I was serious. The first time I have ever heard of lobster roll was on this site a couple days ago and wondered at that time what it was. We honestly do eat out often.

A proper lobster roll is served on a hot dog roll, and not the kind that is sort of round and smooth. It should be sort of rectangular shaped...For true New Englanders, this is akin to never ever putting tomatoes into clam chowder.

Yes, it must be on the toasted hot dog roll! I prefer the Connecticut style lobster rolls that is just warm lobster meat and butter served on the hot dog rolls. Unfortunately it seems like you can only find those in Connecticut.

I also heard that Bob's Hut, ME is pretty good too. Has anyone tried their lobster roll or chowder?

Don't know it by that name... Which town?

Mazey: That is the way Old Salts sells them in Kennebunkport. Oddly, they changed it just for Christmas Prelude to a "mini" roll, which was round, and had lettuce and mayo, and was not nearly as good!

Buzzy: I believe that's called a "New England" style hot dog roll. It's split at the top, with crustless sides that can be toasted. Tomatoes in chowder? No way!

Good clam chowder at the Muddy Rudder in Yarmouth at the exit of I-295 near LLBean.

Good Lobster Stew (which is just lobster in cream and butter) at Augusta House of Pancakes in the capitol city on Western Avenue exit of I-95.

Maine Diner on route 1 in Wells does a great job on lobster rolls and especially Lobster Pie (heart attack in a crust).

In one of Robert Parker's novels, Chief Jesse Stone describes a lobster roll to a woman from California. "Lobster and mayo on a hot dog roll" They continue talking. When the order arrives she says, "What's this?". "I told you it's a lobster roll," says he. "Oh, I thought you were kidding," she says.
I laughed out loud when I read that. By the way the new england hot dog roll is fantastic because the lack of crust on the sides lets you toast it butter. Yum!

We had loster rolls at Red's Eats in Wiscasset Maine which were outstanding. A whole lobster with either butter or mayo on the side. Travel and Leisure magazine had an article a couple of years ago about the 10 best lobster rolls in Maine; Red's was one of them. You can probably find the article on google.