What's a lobster pound ?
 

First, thanks to all you Mainers for the great advice on our forthcoming trip to Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Because of your great advice we have made numerous changes to our origional plans. I have seen the term " lobster pound " in several postings and don't understand the term. Since I will be on a quest for great lobster I don't want to miss an opportunity so if anyone can please explain the term I would appreciate it.

A place where live lobsters are housed after capture awaiting shipment.

A very simple restaurant where you buy your lobster by the size, then eat it at a picnic table. Sides are usually available, as are non-alchoholic drinks (you can BYOB). Lobster rolls, and other seafood are sometimes available.

IMO, the ONLY way to eat a whole lobster!

~Liz

Absolutely the best place to eat lobsters--there are many of them up and down the coast, many with nice scenic views. where will u be in Maine?

It's kinda like a dog pound. People who don't want their lobsters drop them off there, they're cared for and fed, and people who want to adopt them come by and pick them up.

What's a lobster pound? About $6.99 on the Cape earlier this year, thanks to the recession!

(couldn't resist)

Hmm. Isn't that the eternal question?

The Boston Globe had an article in Sunday's travel section on lobster pounds in Maine:

http://www.boston.com/travel/explore..._in_the_rough/

The only one I have eaten at is Muscongus Bay Lobster on the Pemaquid Peninsula, and I didn't have lobster - I had steamers (steamed whole clams, in the shell). And they were fantastic! The price was incredible, too, and it was more than I could eat.

I had to (try to) eat them all myself because my sister (on her first visit to New England) took one look at them and was completely disgusted, and my brother-in-law (who was thoroughly amused by his wife's reaction - I have a picture in my living room that he took of her reacting to me eating them!) is allergic to shellfish. I told her I would have split a lobster with her, but noooooo....

Hi yestravel,

We will drive the Maine coast from the southern border up to Robbinston/Calais before heading inland for the fall color.

If you're going in the Fall, u probably need to check on which ones might be open. We only go in the Summer months, but some of the locals on this board shoul dknow when they close down for the season. Enjoy your trip

Lobster pounds by the side of Rt1 last weekend were advertising lobster @ $3.59/lb. Many places will steam your lobster (even the large grocery stores - takes about 12-15 minutes) if you want to take it someplace else to eat. If you google best lobster roll you will probably find some good lists of places to visit. Some are casual restaurants where you will find lobsters year round but I tend to refer to the lobster pounds by the water that serve lobster as lobster 'shacks'. Usually unpainted wooden buildings, unheated, with picnic tables outside. I'm convinced that the scenery helps make the lobster experience even better. Five Island, for example, has great scenery. Last weekend we followed sign to a lobster supper benefit for the local fire dept. For $17 we got a lobster, steamed mussels, bag of chips, cole slaw, ear of corn, and a drink. Instead of steamers you could get local crab. There were rocks on the table if you needed to pound on some shell (lol).
I'd keep a roll of paper towels and hand sanitizer in the car. Some places provide the seafood and a place to sit and nothing else. Usually if sides are served it will be just a bag of chips and a roll but sometimes there aren't any sides.

i tried to eat at markey's and brown's today in seabrook,nh. they are across the street from each other. both are as described above. approach a counter, pick a size, take a number, wait at your picnic table til they call your number. you can normally eat inside or on a deck over the water. i mention that we "tried" - you have to have CASH. no checks no credit cards. both had on site atm but i did not have the dang card with me. we had lobster at weathervane in portland instead.

Good point, virginia--i think some of the lobster pounds I've eaten at have been cash only.