Lobster Shack

Great, I love coming here during the summer to grab a dozen clams or a lobster roll with my father for lunch since we work nearby; or even going on a date night here at sunset to listen to the live music. Very nice staff, volume is right, wish it wasn’t so seasonal.
Tips– bring your own booze and get a spot under an umbrella!

Simply a perfect Lobster Roll! The price is very reasonable for the amount of lobster you get and the rolls are always fresh! It’s all about the food and the out of the way location just makes it a step more fun. My mouth is watering for the spring to come so I can grab a couple rolls.

Love this place. No frills but none needed. Great chowder and great lobster rolls. Should be a summer tradition for everyone!

I love this little lobster shack right on the water. The lobster roll is so delicious with just enough butter and a squeeze of lemon. The lobster is not completely drenched in butter. Lots of fresh lobster meat in a toasted roll. Hotdogs are good too! Limited menu but I really only go for one thing anyway. Service is always quick and pleasant.

This is $ 16 in Branford, CT. This is like, two rolls! Some complained that this wasn’t a bargain. REALLY?! Over here you in NYC, you get half this size for that much! And costs a bit more SMH. Best part here is that there are no frills. Just a straight buttered roll and lobster chunks. How it should be… especially in CT!
Got the grilled clams too. Don’t bother with it. They’re small and kinda rubbery. Please serve raw clams instead!

Holy DAMN goodness gracious, freaking ordered «The Whaler» and holy moley, that damn sandwich was heavy with lobster meat and super delicious! Nicely warmed with melted butter in a toasted loaf, this is just plain simply the best lobster roll I ever had in my entire life. Very straight forward lobster on a roll, I assure you these delicious lobsters are caught daily and sent to the shack and not imported from some city «farm-​raised» bland-​ass tasting seafood. Anyway, New York has nothing over New England when it comes to seafood… ya know, the clean beautiful waters, etc. ⁵⁄₅ to the Lobster Shack. Worth the travel, trust me! Don’t come a long way for just a soda, buy the Whaler!

Best lobster roll in CT! Hearty, buttery, not soggy, perfectly grilled bun and CHOCK FULL of delicious lobster — with a squeeze of lemon = perfection.

as far as lobster roll places go, it doesn’t get much better than this! no frills — just awesome lobster rolls. the people taking off a star or two in their reviews because the lobster rolls seem «expensive» for coming out of truck are probably not the kind of people I want to be friends with. Hey, buddy, it’s called Lobster SHACK. what are you expecting? white linens? I’d say $ 16 is reasonable considering it’s a lot of lobster meat and that seems to be the average cost of hot lobster rolls around these parts.
I think the location is pretty nice. There’s lots of picnic tables set up and it’s right on the water. I definitely want to come back to try the clams and chowder — looked really good!

Anyone who gives a spot like this less than 4 stars is the kind of person who is never happy. Please trust me and ignore those haters. The Lobster Shack is New England seafood at its simplest and finest. The menu is very tight: lobster roll, grilled clams, sausage peppers and onions, hot dog, chowder, and drinks. Gelato if you want dessert or potato chips for a side.
But for a lunch on a nice day in New England, what else do you need? There is no mayonnaise on the lobster rolls. They are simply dressed in butter (lots of it) and a little lemon. The lobster is fresh and juicy. The lobster roll for one person is $ 16. It’s $ 16 well spent.
The clams and clam chowder were on point. The chowder in particular was a great balance of clam, potato and the creamy element. The hot dogs and sausage looked huge and juicy and I would have ordered one of each if I wasn’t already stuffed. I will bring a second stomach for hot dogs and sausage the next time I go to the Lobster Shack and update this review then.

Honestly can’t beat their lobster roll. If I find something with the same quality for a cheaper price, I’ll let you know. So far this tops the shoreline competition

Delicious!!! Exactly what I had expected! Split the Whaler roll with my sister. Honestly don’t think I could have eaten the entire 8oz all by myself. Cash only but ATM on premises. Right on water byob and pet friendly. Definitely will be back in my next trip north! A real find!

Wish they had a hot lobster roll!
We ordered the lobster rolls and they were FULL of lobster. No skimping here!!! It was a pretty day to sit outside (which is your only option). It was a bit of a ride (40 minutes) but a nice change from the local restaurants.
The lobster rolls had plenty of flavor and were good! We will go back!

I enjoyed my lobster roll. However, at $ 16 I wouldn’t say it’s a bargain considering it’s being served out of a truck. Also, I didn’t particularly care for the fact that they apply the butter and lemon for you — I definitely would have preferred a little more lemon and question why they can’t throw a tiny wedge in with each roll.
Further, for me the location leaves something to be desired: it’s not on the Sound itself, it’s on what I guess is a river that leads to the Sound. It’s okay, and I suppose no worse than many of the seafood places further out on the shoreline on Rt 1, but it’s not a major selling point either.
As another recent reviewer mentions, the unpaved parking lot creates a bit of floating dirt, and we also experienced biting insects.

+ Beautiful scenic view with great food and fast service +
The Lobster Shack is exactly what the name implies. It’s literally a shack in the parking lot of a marina in Branford. But it has something most other similar restaurants don’t have: a lobster roll that actually satisfies your hunger. They call it «The Whaler». Normal lobster rolls have 4 ounces of lobster, which is just enough to eliminate hunger pangs but still make you want more. The Whaler has a half pound of hot lobster with plenty of butter, the way a lobster roll should be.
The staff is very friendly and amicable. After you get your food, you can sit down at the edge of the marina under umbrellas at the tables. They have refreshments for hot days such as gelato and drinks (non-​alcoholic) as well. An especially great place to take your family.

Oh lobster shack, oh lobster shack you really are de-​lish-​ous!
Seriously! Lobster shack makes a great lobster roll! No cold lobster drowning in mayonnaise to be found here! We’re talking warm succulent lobster glistening in the mid day sun kissed by golden butter on a perfectly toasted roll with a hint of lemon. There is a great patio area right on the water and it’s even BYOB for all you beer aficionados! (BTW, you drive by Stony Creek brewery which is literally right down the street/​next door).
I found pricing to be quite reasonable for the quality and the quantity of the lobster roll. Definitely better than the $ 37 I paid for one in Boston a few weeks ago!
Lobster Shack will even take call ahead orders to make it that much easier to indulge during your work day! The only way they can be better is if they took credit cards and delivered.
This is a great spot to make some wonderful summer memories by the water with a glistening lobster roll in hand and mouth!

The lobster shack is the perfect casual summer destination on the shore for simple fresh seafood. It’s located near other Branford shoreline favorites like Nellie Green’s and Lenny’s.I’ve been wanting to try the lobster shack for a long time and was finally able to go on Memorial Day. They offer lobster rolls, grilled clams, hot dogs, chili dogs, chowder, and a few side items like gelato and chips. It is the cleanest well kept outdoor stand I have ever come across, which makes sitting outside and taking in the view more enjoyable (see my photo of the view). The seafood is fresh and not overly greasy. I ordered the whaler which is pricey but gives you double the lobster meat of a regular lobster roll, but on the same size bun of a regular lobster roll. The whaler was 29 the regular I’m not positive but I believe was around 15 – 17 dollars. I’m not sure I’d pay for the whaler again but it was delicious. It’s served with butter and a squeeze of lemon, but you can always ask for adjustments if you don’t like the standard, I personally loved it. I will definitely be back again and again.

Yummy, tasty, delicious and a bit of an indulgence!
My wife and my son and I went here for my birthday lunch, we each had a 4oz Lobster roll and some of their New England Clam Chowder.
It’s a trailer, you pay your money you sit at nice picnic tables near the water in the beautiful sun, they call your name, you get your food, you smile.
Yes its a little pricey, but guess what? It’s lobster! $ 16 for a 4 oz sandwich is steep but every now and then… Why not?
Will surely visit again!

I should caveat this review by saying that I went on Friday, May 15, 2015, which was the day after opening day. Some of my observations are a result of the newness of the season, and some are just general observations.
Location: 3 out of 5
I was in the Hartford area to meet up with some friends and run a trail race and stayed in Southington. While not «close» by any means, Branford was about a 35 — 40 minute drive, or about half of what it would have taken for me to get out to New London for Captain Scott’s (I’ve been there before and thought it was great). Free parking abounds at the marina, though do be mindful of the service vehicles that are prepping the boats for the season, and for the people that may be working underneath the boats.
Ambiance: 3 out of 5
While I’ll admit that it’s nice to be able to sit outside and enjoy a meal, the specifics of the outdoor location here require a bit of discussion.
1) Be prepared for biting flying winged critters. Since this part of the creek/​river didn’t see to have a lot of action and there’s probably standing water in the general vicinity, I was met with eager winged insects that wanted some of my tasty blood.
2) While unadulterated salty air is a nice relaxing scent, that scent combined with construction dust or roadway dust = not as desirable. This of course, is likely temporary, so take that with a grain of salt.
3) If you keep your eyes on the picnic table areas, you’ll have a great time. If you look out at Branford Landing and see the boiler stack, it’ll be less than picturesque.
Quality of Food: 3 out of 5 (might be a temporal anomaly)
In the longer than I would have liked time spent waiting for my food, I noted a few things about the preparation of rolls. The actual bread/​starch part is grilled/​heated to order, and the pre portioned lobster meat is stored in these little paper sachets, much like how Subway preportions out their deli cuts. Along the way, the sachets are heated up, and warm butter is poured over the top. Bite for bite, the lobster itself was uniformly overcooked and yes, I daresay that it was rubbery. The toasted/​grilled bread on the other hand, was actually quite nice, and the saving grace of the roll. The NE chowder I had was actually the better of the two items. Briny with discernible pieces of clam, creamy but not overly heavy. All things considering, I’d give the roll 2.5 stars and the chowder 4, but since the Shack’s reputation is based on serving lobster rolls, the quality gets a slight bump down to a 3. Again, since it was the second day of the season, it probably takes just a little bit of time to dial things in correctly.
Customer service: 5 out of 5
Admittedly, each one of the employees that were there were very friendly and outgoing, and I’ve got nothing mean to say about their personalities, particularly because in the end at least one of them apologized for the wait.
Wait time, or «Efficiency»: 1.5 out of 5 (might be a temporal anomaly)
Given the time that I waited for a lobster roll and a small serving of chowder, I could have made it halfway to New London. Ok, maybe a quarter of a way, but I’m willing to give the venue the benefit of the doubt on this one and say that my wait time was likely not representative of what others will have to wait further in the season. The chowder was already hot, so putting that in an insulated foam container wasn’t the bottleneck.
The bottleneck occurred somewhere in the lobster roll assembly process. The employees seemed a bit new/​rusty at the assembly process, and at least one of them was being given a primer on how to properly grill the bread for the rolls (oooh la la), and watching the employees transfer the preportioned lobster meat onto the actual rolls indicated that they’d lost a little bit of their touch over the winter months. Shaky fingers, timid motions, the whole gamut. Things that later in the season, they’ll probably be able to do much faster but on the second day of the season — did not look promising. I stand by this statement, and I’m actually confident that those reading this particular review say, a month from now, will have a much faster experience.
Value: 2 out of 5
Wah wah. Look, I get that there are parts of CT (and anywhere else) where charging 16 $ for a lobster roll isn’t a huge deal. And yes, I get that 4 oz of pre-​shelled meat is supposedly much more than you’d get at any other lobster roll place. I can even play along with the fact that «food trucks» cost a bit more, particularly if they’re seasonal. However, even though I was on vacation, I felt like the Lobster Shack prices are inflated even for the area, and combined with the moderate inconvenience of cash only, the pricing scheme left a somewhat bitter taste in my mouth.
Overall: 3 out of 5
This rating could have easily been higher at a different point in the season had a) the lobster meat not been overcooked, and b) the wait time was less.

Hot, buttered bliss on a toasty roll,
Until I ate here I was not whole.
Outdoor seating right on the bay,
Smell the salt in the air and just drift away.
Lobster Shack’s hot lobster rolls are everything a lobster roll should be.
Order from a small trailer and then sit down and wait for your name to be called over a loudspeaker. The seating is all outdoor and adjacent to the river that drains into the Branford Harbor. Feel free to BYOB at no charge. Once your name is called and you pick up your food, get ready for some seafood bliss. I did get a piece of shell in one of my bites, but it happens.

Wow. If this isn’t the quintessential New England seafood shack, I don’t know what is. It’s amazing. Lobster Shack serves a simple menu of everything I want to eat in the summer — fresh, hot lobster rolls brimming with meat, melted butter and lemon, Hummel Bros hot dogs, clams, and three types of chowdah (New England clam, Rhode Island style & shrimp and corn). The shack itself is located in the marina, a perfect spot for picnic table shoreline dining. Oh, and it’s BYOB! Even on a dreary day like today, a hot lobstah roll hit the spot and made me oh so excited for impending summer.