Gran’s Chowder House

Off the main strip, and worth tracking down for the friendly service and spectacular lobster bisque. I wish we could have bought some frozen to bring home. My daughter got basic mac and cheese, and even that was above and beyond. Everyone from the chef to the girl sweeping the front walk was charming and made it a stop to remember.

AMAZING. Little family place with incredible food. Enough said.

This is a small walk up and take out place just a block or two from the square. It’s a very good alternative to the more expensive options in town. We had the tomato and mozzarella panini and the tuna melt panini. Both were very good. Each order came with a small side order of pasta salad or chips. The pasta salad was very tasty. The service was very friendly and appreciative.

We’d give it best clam chowda’ in Kennebunkport if you like the thinner stuff. I’d say gran should double up the clams to be honest, and no sign of gran anywhere to be found. Overall, good stuff if you want to basque in the sun and get an order at the counter no frills lunch or snack.

If it wasn’t for the 50% discount that my wife got for getting a tuna melt without melted cheese and tomato, and a waitress who explained that if she waited for the cheese to melt that the bread would burn, I would’ve not given it even one star! The Lobster with Mac n’ Cheese was tasty, but it was not worth the price considering the amount of Lobster in it and the paltry size of the cup it came in.
Even though I was given 50% off the price of my wife’s Tuna «Melt», I was still unsatisfied — maybe it was a «bad hair day» for the Waitress/​Cook/​Cashier — I felt sorry for her in that she was directed by the owner to do everything — most of which she probably was not properly trained to do. I recall hearing the owner instructing her on how to make the Lobster Mac n’ Cheese. I guess it was the same approach with the Tuna Melt. When the Tuna «Un“melt arrived, my wife asked for the cheese and the tomato to be melted — the Waitress’/Cook/Cashier responded that «If I melted the Cheese and the Tomato, the bread would burn» (DUH!!). Was she joking or not? Apparently, when I spoke to the Owner, she pointed at the Waitress/​Cook/​Cashier and admonished her in front of the customers — she could have done that at another time.
To add insult to injury, the Waitress/​Cook/​Cashier was subsequently approached so that I could pay my bill — I gave her $ 40 (2 twenties) to pay the $ 28 and change bill. She gave me the coin (change) portion of the bill, but not the remaining $ 11. When asking her for the remaining $ 11, she looked at me as though I was speaking in Martian or some other alien tongue. I had to explain to her why I was still waiting for change — luckily for me, the owner told her (gee, once again) what to do and I finally got my correct change. I guess that the Waitress/​Cook/​Cashier was so upset that she could not think straight.
Look, I don’t mean to be cruel — just honest — if a place is to have a newbie trained, let them do it after or before opening/​closing time — not when there are customers who can be incorrectly served.
Like I said, the food (at least the Lobster Mac n Cheese) tasted good, but not enough and too pricey — and the Tuna «Melt»? As they say in my home state «Fuhgett Aboud’ It!».

Delicious, ya’ll must go for the Chowdah! Plus, they are expanding with more seating so no more take out only! Enjoy!

Our second stop on Maine Foodie Tours, this place is a total gem. It’s really a takeout place, but DO IT!
The restaurant is named after the owner’s grandmother, who passed down her clam chowdah recipe to her. It’s not written down anywhere. Chowders are made fresh daily, and when she runs out, she runs out! The menu varies by season and what she’s made that day. We were given generous samples. Her chowder is creambased (no tomatoes here!!) but isn’t overly thick.
I took the lobster corn, which was AMAZING and is a summer special. The day after labor day was the last day she offered it. It was full of nice chunks of lobster, and had a great flavor to it. My friend got the clam chowder which was also great. If she’d had more of the lobster corn, I would have bought some on the way out of town, but sadly, some people had come in just before us and bought the last of it. We brought back the clam chowder to my friend’s hubby back in Boston, and that was gone pretty quickly.
Definitely stop in and try some delish local chowdah – you won’t be sorry!