Steve

I've been under the impression that
lobster dinners in Maine are pretty cheap,
I can't believe you can get a whole meal
under $10. Is this true? If so where can
we get this great bargin? I've also heard that lobsters "shed" and are not good to eat at this time, is this the case, if so what time of year does this "shedding" go on? We will be visiting the Ogunquit area in early August.

claudia

Oh My Gosh!!! We think the shedding/shedded lobsters are the best!! They are smaller but they are so sweet!! We always bring a cooler of them back to PA. They're also easier to eat. I bet you can get a cheap lobster meal in any coastal area, I only know Boothbay so far. The Lobsterman's Co-op (which is also where we bring them home from) and Thompson's. Try them...you'll like them!!!!

Beth

I have never seen a lobster dinner for $10. The only lobster for $10 and under would be a bisque or salad roll! The average "clambake" dinner runs $30-$50, and A Lobster would be around $16. Sorry. On the plus side, they molt every so often sort of all summer long, but you can request a hard shell. I don't find it a disadvantage; just makes it a whole lot easier to eat!

BillJ

Out west here, we really didn't know what lobster is until we got one fresh in a coastal restautant / cafe in Maine.
It was maybe ten years ago or so, but up the Maine coast, a nice lobster dinner was under $10, in New Hampshire it was $12, in Boston maybe $15 - $18, and in Rhode Island, the same lobster was $25.95. Can't believe they can still be found under $10, but I'll bet the price differences are still the same. At whatever price, we have never tasted such good lobster. Ever! Period!

Donna

A lobster dinner usually consists of a lobster, french fries, cole slaw, corn on the cob and rolls, with a salad included sometimes. There are many variations, though. While out and about, be sure to pick up the free literature and newspapers everywhere you go (for ads and coupons) and watch the signs along the road. Often, local places compete with each other with two-lobster specials. Prices are determined by how plentiful lobsters happen to be during your visit. Sometimes, but not always, the best deals are at anyplace called a "lobster pound". Don't worry about whether they're "shedding" their shells or not. They "molt" 20 times or so within 5-7 years before becoming an "adult" lobster.

betsy

Your best bet for a cheap lobster meal is the smaller restaurants. Most have outside decks with only picnic benches. They gather lobster right from the lobster boats so are able to sell it a lot cheaper. Lobster is so much cheaper in ME as they don't have to ship it. If you get to Boothbay, Fisherman's Wharf is great. Soft Shell Lobsters are usually preferred (I think what you call shedding) as it takes very little work to get the meat out. Enjoy!

Richard

One place we have enjoyed is located right on the water in Lincolnville and is called (I think) the Lobster Pound. I can't quote prices, but it is quite reasonable.

lisa

Steve -- Lobster pounds are great and VERY cheap. We ate at several of them in Maine and they were all under $10 (this was a few years ago though), which usually was for a 1.25-pound lobster and one or two sides (sometimes corn on the cob, sometimes potato chips and slaw -- it varied). Bigger lobsters cost more. The one I remember best is Young's Lobster Pound about 15 miles north of Camden, on the water near Belfast. We were there Labor Day week and a couple of times we did get the lobsters with the new shells that were very thin -- they are easier to eat than the thick-shelled ones -- we were able to just peel the shells off with our hands and didn't even need a cracker sometimes. Young's is not really a "restaurant" -- just a stand in a sort of barn-like structure with picnic tables -- VERY casual -- but the lobster is great and cheap. We also stopped at Barnacle Billy's (I think that's the name) when we were driving through Ogunquit because we had heard it was great, and it was OK, but once we later had lobsters from the lobster pounds we realized how overpriced Barnacle Billy's was by comparison, and we liked the lobsters at the lobster pounds better.