Smack Shack

WTH. Very surprised to find a seafood restaurant of this caliber in MN. Very fresh and everything prepared very well. Great atmosphere. Had whole Lobster, lobster mac&cheese, all very very good. On par with Bob Chinn’s in Chicago. If you’re in town, go!

An awesome spot on the northeast Minneapolis food loop.
Whether you’re bopping in for lunch or stopping in for dinner before a night out, Smack Shack makes seafood fun.
Creative inspirations on classics like boils and rolls delight even the pickiest of seafood palettes.
Personally, I love the fish tacos but if you have the appetite, go for a boil.

One great experience. The food and atmosphere was unequaled. I’ll be back. If your here sit at the bar for the best view.

OK, we’ve been here a number of times before and loved it, but tonight’s visit was proof positive that we need to come much more often!
Our server (Bryce L.) did an AWESOME job. He was very helpful and knowledgable about the menu and took very good care of us!
We started with the Lobster Guacamole. It was very good guacamole with small (but not too small) chunks of lobster claws. The pickled radishes on top were a very nice touch.
I had a bit of trouble deciding on my entrée, but I went with the Alaskan Halibut special, in part as it came with fresh local Morel mushrooms that are only available for a very few weeks of the year in May here in Minnwsnowta. Very good and the tricolor carrots and English peas tasted like they were just pick from the garden.
My incredibly beautiful and intelligent wife (I’m a VERY lucky guy!!) had the shrimp boil and loved it. She got a side of cocktail sauce and thought it was the best she ever had, and she’s had shrimp with cocktail sauce all over the country as she travels a lot, and this is her favorite appetizer. The sausage was incredible, in both taste and texture. Fortunately for me, she didn’t have enough room to finish it! Her entrée also came with a small side of Cole Slaw, which I love, though she usually doesn’t, but she liked their version of it.
My daughter had the Lobster Cobb salad and liked it, sans lobster on the side as she doesn’t like seafood at all. So my wife and I got to polish that part off for her! Yum!!!
I remembered back to last week when we ate out and wanted to tell the manager about what a great job our server did. I like to praise the food and service when I feel it was exceptionally good so they get positive feedback instead of only negative feedback.
So my daughter flagged her down and told her that we’d like to see the manager, and off she went. We told our daughter «You just scared the shit out of her!» We later told her the real reason so as not to scare her.
When Bryce returned to ask about dessert we declined (too full) but I requested that we could tell the manager about what an awesome job that he did, and how much we enjoyed the food. He also told us that he mixes the Bloody Mary mix and uses the cocktail sauce to do so. I MUST HAVE a Bloody Mary the next time we come back!
The manager came and talked to us, so we told her first about Bryce’s excellent service, and that incredible sausage and cocktail sauce! She told us that they try to locally source as much as possible and some of the chefs forage some of the ingredients. The Morel mushrooms in my entrée were picked locally by one of the chefs for example. Bet he keeps that place a secret!
They also feature my favorite Chardonnay, Newton Red Label.
We’ll DEFINITELY be back again… SOON!!!
Can’t wait to try their Bloody Mary!!!

Great outdoor patio– great music, ambience, & just enough noise to feel exciting.
Had the yummy lobster Mac n cheese along with All Things Nice cocktail. Think they put allspice in their spiced sugar that rims the glass.
This place orders more lobster than all other MN places combined! Was also the very first food truck in TC!

Well. I have been dying to visit this place since I moved to Mpls about 2 years ago. I am a fan of all things lobster, especially a good lobster roll. I will preface this by saying that due to the extensive travel involving my job, I’ve had the pleasure of eating fresh lobster in Maine and all along the eastern seaboard. I’m a little biased. That doesn’t mean you can’t find decent lobster elsewhere, it’s just that the bar is set pretty high for everywhere else…
I ordered the lobster mac and traditional lobster roll. I was impressed with how much claw meat was in the mac. The «roll,» which came on two pieces of toast, was also chock-​full of lobster. I’ve seen some places skimp on lobster meat; this isn’t one of those places. For that, you get a star.
The wait was pretty long but we were able to be immediately sat outside on the patio. This was great. because who doesn’t love a patio dinner in spring? The weather was brisk but the heat lamps were on and provided sufficient warmth. The ambience was incredible, earning this place another star.
Now for the bad news: The lobster is, as my husband put it, «gummy.» It really was. I was so disappointed. It was not the usual melt-​in-​your-​mouth texture of lobster that I’m accustomed to. It was stringy, rubbery lobster. This is totally uncool when you pay $ 20 for a lobster roll. Everything about what I ate was great except for the lobster… which is the whole point.
A $ 50 tab later, which isn’t unreasonable for a quick meal before meeting up with friends, and we left full but unimpressed. Worst of all, it seemed as though our server’s bright and sunny demeanor waned a bit when she realized that we weren’t going to be a $ 200 tab. We split the mac and roll; not because we are cheap, but because we’d both already eaten not too long before. We just wanted to check the place out.
I know good lobster can be found in Minne. We LOVE Stella’s, especially on Sunday’s when you can get a while lobster for $ 20, …which is exactly what you pay for a chewy lobster roll here.
This has been long-​winded …so to summarize, we won’t be back.

Been here twice during my visit. The bartender is very friendly, funny.
The lobster here is the BEST I’ve had EVER. I had the Connecticut Lobster Roll with Spicy Cornbread and Honey Butter. The cornbread DA BOMB as well.
Having trained under a few top 5 star chefs, I am hard to impress but they do it here. This is what real cooking is about. This place has a nice ambiance to it.
This is a lobster specialty place. They prepare lobster in so many different ways. I just tried one of them.

This place is dialed in. You can tell they know what they’re doing. Serving lobster any way you like it. I tried the lobster Mac & Cheese and was truly amazed. The staff was fast and friendly. I sat outside and enjoyed an urban view of old brick buildings and chill surroundings.
It’s a bit on the outskirts, but that added to the charm.

The other day, we had something to celebrate and my husband declared that he wanted seafood. And I said, «I’ve had that Smack Shack place bookmarked to try forever…» I am so clever, aren’t I? :-) Oh, holy seafood. Like seriously, imagine me singing, «Oh, holy seafo-​oood. Your lobster is softly shi-​iiining…»
I do love me some good seafood and this was pretty good. Especially considering we are in the middle of the country and not in New England. I had to force myself to skip the lobster bisque, which is usually a must have on any seafood-​oriented menu. But it will be at the top of my list next time. Instead we got the chilled jumbo shrimp, plus a half dozen oysters. Shrimp = bomb. They really are jumbo. Chilled almost to the point of frozen. Served dusted with Old Bay, peeled perfectly, simple with lemon and cocktail sauce. Oysters = fabulous. Expertly shucked, perfectly cold, served with the appropriate accouterments and the appropriate tiny fork. Soooo soooo yummy. For dinner I got the lobster roll, classic style. It was HUGE. Big beautiful chunks of lobster with not too much mayo-​ey sauce and the right herbs and flavor. It was also served on a beautifully griddled buttery piece of toast/​roll. It was bigger than your average lobster roll roll and was phenomenal. The bread was as good as the lobster. OK, no, not really. But almost. We did dessert too (I know… hi, oink, you’re welcome). I got the chocolate silk pie, my husband got key lime. Both were good, but neither was extraordinary. Honestly, next time around, I’d skip the dessert and order the bisque too. (oink)
Price-​wise, not cheap. And at first the prices seemed a bit steep. But every time I questioned the price on something, I found it to be well worth the money. $ 20 for half a dozen shrimp? Totally worth it. A $ 20 lobster roll? Worth it. Just shut up and order.
As much as I loved the food and the décor (hi can of Old Bay on the table!), there were a few minor things that prevented this from being a five star review:
–I did not even KNOW there was a lemon wedge or a pickle on my plate until halfway through the meal because the kitchen dumped my fries all over them. And they were warm and dehydrated. Yuck.
–Their two-​top tables are tiny. Especially considering that half the dishes are served on giant trays of ice. I thought our waiter was nuts when he started shoving things to the edges of our table, but once he served the shrimp, I understood why.
–The service (despite not being very busy that evening) was kind of spotty. On one hand, our waiter gets mad props. He gave good recommendations, had good knowledge of the menu and even managed to time our meal perfectly despite the fact that we decided to shove in an oyster course after we’d ordered our entrees. Mad bonus points for that. But he was also sometimes hard to find or to flag down even if he was near our table… I practically had to flag him like a taxi when I was ready to order oysters. And there were several times when he was near our table and we could have used a stop by when he totally ignored us. We apparently did not do a good job of looking confused or needy. Also, we hadn’t even gathered all of our personal items from the table before there was someone standing there waiting to bus it. Like I said. The restaurant was not very busy that night. There were plenty of empty tables. It really wouldn’t have killed them to wait another minute until we stepped away from the table. It’s too bad because if the service had been top notch, it could have been five stars. Next time :-)
Edit 6÷18÷16: New discovery. Brunch at Smack Shack. Biscuits and gravy. Do it. The end.

This is one of my favorite spots for seafood. I highly recommend getting a round of oysters– every time I’ve consistently had fresh oysters. I particularly like fanny bay and malpeques.
Lobster boils are also delicious– about $ 34.95 a pound, so prepare yourself to spend the $$.
The service here is always on point when I sit in the bar or the u shaped bar where the bartenders, oyster shuckers, and the lobster boil guys share space. Friendly and attentive and know the menu and can make great recommendations.
Clam chowda has never disappointed me. Creamy and delicious, and great flavor.
Cocktail menu has some great libations, and a wide beer selection on tap.
For the weekend I’d recommend making reservations as it’s always packed.
Valet parking is available out front so I’d recommend that option as there’s not a lot of parking available streetside.

Yikes… I’m starting to think many of the four and five star reviews on here are from people who’ve never eaten an East Coast lobster roll or have never left Minnesota. Minnesota has lots of tasty food — heck, Minneapolis is basically a hipster foodie’s dream these days — but this is not a place I would recommend or ever go back to.
For starters, the wine list is abysmal. The only chardonnay by the glass was basically sugary (white) communion wine. It was also served nearly room temperature. I ended up adding ice cubes to both water down the terrible flavor and chill the beverage so that it was moderately drinkable.
The lobster mac appetizer was like something you’d get at a Golden Corral buffet (watery and Velveeta-​tasting), except with lobster (which, to be fair, was plentiful). It was more like a cheese soup, and it didn’t have corn or breadcrumbs like the menu indicates (thankfully, they took this off of our bill).
The Connecticut-​style lobster roll was awful. The butter was weirdly tangy. The bun was HUGE. Like, 3x more bread than lobster. The lobster wasn’t sweet. And all the butter was pooled in the bread, with none on the lobster. Oh, they also didn’t use any of the lobster roll seasoning that restaurants in CT /​East Coast use…
The Cajun fries were meh.
The po-​boys should get a new name entirely. Try an ACTUAL po-​boy in New Orleans, would you guys? These are sad little baguette sandwiches…
The desserts were redeeming — we especially liked the coconut cake with lime drizzle — but the coffee was just awful. There are a lot of good coffee beans available around town — maybe get some of those in your coffee makers?
I will not be back…

The Smack Shack was recommended by a friend. They said if I didn’t like it they would personally give me my money back. Call ahead to make reservations because they do get packed pretty quick or you can do it online as well. To start out with ordered the fried green tomatoes. They were crisp, flavorful and smoking hot. They were fried in tempura batter. For the main portion of the meal we ordered the Connecticut Lobster Roll which was warm lobster, tossed in butter, lemon and chive served on a warm split top bun. Next was the Fried Shrimp Po Boy which came with a hot sauce drizzle and a lemon aioli.
The food was excellent. Big portions and friendly staff. We spent about $ 70 for one appetizer, two main course dishes, two alcoholic drinks and dessert. Definitely would recommend this place for anyone that likes seafood, creole, cuisine

Not gonna lie, this place isn’t bad. I typically hate pricey hipster joints, but Smack Shack seems to be big on taste and, pending good choices, light on the wallet! We split a lobster roll and had side salads which were both shockingly delicious, service being prompt, and accomodated our large group with ease. 2 people got full on $ 20, even.
The salads were run of the mill in terms of content, but the house made dressing was tangy and delicious, well balanced and satisfying as a whole.
The traditional lobster roll was buttery goodness, and even for someone who loves lobster but doesn’t find it worth the price in most cases, there’s a real value in this sandwich. This is a cool spot.
My only gripes are that it is incredibly loud and incredibly dark. Not a fan of that kind of vibe at all. Not-​shouting at my fellow diners and being able to see the food I’m eating would make it a bit easier on all of us :)

We don’t go to Smack Shack enough. Every time we go its so good. We need to add it into frequent rotation. And in terms of fresh seafood, it’s legit. I love their lobster rolls and oysters. We haven’t gotten a lobster feast yet but it looks amazing.
We’ve also been for brunch before and its great. The service is great and everyone has always been really knowledgable and helpful.

I was very excited to go to Smack shack for the first time. Though I wasn’t all that impressed.
My husband ordered 2 oysters as I had never had them before. I have to say I’m not a fan. Too Fishy for me.
Then we ordered the CT Lobster roll. With extra lobster meat and slaw. I was expecting more of a mayo or sauce on the lobster but it just tasted like plain lobster on a hoagie. I was also not a huge fan of the slaw. I like cilantro but just didn’t care for cilantro and old bay in my slaw. I ended up putting the slaw in my sandwich to give it some more flavor.
We ordered the coffee bender brownie for dessert. The brownie was hard and dry. We loved the coffee bender caramel though. If they had stuffed the brownie with the caramel and drizzled the caramel over top they might have had a winner.

Visited Smack Shack twice — once for their brunch & for dinner and both times it didn’t impress. The service is great but the food is so mediocre. The beignets during brunch were WAY too dry and sugary. The lobster eggs were not appetizing, it was literally scrambled eggs, skimpy pieces of lobster & maybe some cheese? Seriously, I make better scrambled eggs!
Dinner — overpriced for the quality of food. I ordered the Lobster Roll which was awful! It was a ton of COLD lobster thrown on super cheap, hard and dry bread. The lobster bisque was decent, but not the best.
In conclusion, skip Smack Shack and head elsewhere for quality seafood.

It wasn’t my idea to come here but I’m really glad I did — brunch here is excellent! I was not sure what to expect with a name like Smack Shack but those uncertainties quickly fade when you enter. This place is a glorious seafood heaven that you would expect to find on a coastal city like Boston, not landlocked Minneapolis. Their menu is reflective of their seaward décor, with heavy emphasis on crab, lobster, and shrimp. There are more traditional brunch items, but that’s probably not why you should come here.
I got myself a bowl of Boston clam chowder, the lobster scrambled eggs, and shared some lump crab cakes. All items were delicious and stuffed with plenty of seafood! Lorraine’s crab cakes lies atop a delicious bed of maque choux and topped with a variety of peppers. The clam chowder is thick and hearty, filled with such an abundance of clam that would make any New Englander proud. The scrambled eggs with lobster was creamy and delicious.
Service was exceptional — attentive, knowledgeable, and efficient. I really appreciate our server stopping me from making a terrible mistake when I tried to order both crab cakes and the crab benedict, that of course also includes crab cakes. I am not sure many would have caught that nor stopped me from doing so. I can’t wait to come back for a lobster boil!

Small place, always packed, been there 3 times and never sat down. Id go everywere before i wasted my time trying this place again.

Is there anything else on the menu other than the toasted lobster roll? Get it. It’s great.

I loveeeee the tartare and classic lobster roll! The fried green tomatoes are tasty as well, however I wouldn’t recommend the lobster guacamole. They have awesome deals during Restaurant Week also, and the patio is excellent during the warmer months! OK. now I’m hungry!

Meh… so much hype.
Positives: Service was great. Brice was great– walked us through the menu, was very nice, gave us space but was attentive. The runner a bit gruff but whatever…
Crab cakes– the best item of the 6 – 7 we tried. Go just for the crab cakes. Oh, and the Boston Cream Pie. Exceptional.
Lobster roll (chilled) — tasted only sodium and griddle but great fries.
Lobster Mac– again, fairly blah but good amount of lobster in the small portion.
Boston clam chowder– heavy on potato and little to no detectable clam in the bowl. Tasted like most I’ve had before.
Lobster guac– tasted fine (it’s a typical guac under the lobster) but chips were very stale.
Shrimp po’ boy decent and friend said his shrimp and grits were great but overall, I wanted to LOVE this place and while it was a great night with friends, great atmosphere and great service, food just not that as great as the hype would suggest… except for the crab cakes. Don’t miss the crab cakes. And Boston Cream Pie.

We had stemed robster and robster sandwich.
The robster was ok, tasted just ordinary robster. Not special.
The robster roll was not good though. It was cold, and the taste was like mayo or coleslaw, and artificial, no scent of robster. Very disappointed.
What is worse was it was pricy.

I usually love the Smack Shack for late night lobster and oyster binging. This past trip, not as good as usual. The lobster roll was overcooked and the fries were inedible. I must admit, this is the third time the fries were off. The past two times they were cold so, I was going to order chips. My boyfriend pouted and said he wanted fries so I caved and went with the fries. Three for three. They were cold and downright awful.
The oysters were good and the lobster was good too. Not great having to eat it through blackened bread though.
I have had decent fries here, just not recently. My advice? Go with the chips and skip the fries. Also, go with the Connecticut lobster that is served cold. No over griddled bread on that.

Meh. I’m just not a fan.
Maybe it’s because I’m from the East Coast and I know good seafood?
Maybe I’m not impressed with the ‘attitude’ problem most of the staff has?
I’ll give them this, raw oyster selection is one of the best in MPLS but other than that, don’t waste your time.

I have been to the food truck many times but this was only my second time at the restaurant location.
Here is a brief recap of my first experience which was a disaster: came here with a girlfriend later in the evening, had intended to grab a drink and some snacks. We walked up to the bar and asked for a drink menu then proceeded to pick what we wanted. We never got the chance to order because we were ignored for the rest of the time we stood there. We put the menu down and looked at the bar tenders (both of them) but they would not come over, they just kept chatting with each other. The bar only had about 4 – 5 people at it so we weren’t getting lost in the mix by any means. The kicker, was that a man walked up next to me and got served immediately. We were annoyed but thought okay at least she is coming over so we can order after him, she would not make eye contact with us when she walked over to him and then as soon as she served him she went right back to where she had been standing. WTF?!? We did not know either of the bar tenders but maybe she mistook on of us for an old enemy? She was awful.
With that past experience I reluctantly ended up here again. The restaurant was full but there were tables open in the bar area so we grabbed one of those. The waitress was great, thankfully nothing like those bartenders. We had the fried green tomatoes as a starter and both loved those the most, wonderful. We also split a shrimp po boy and the lobster burger, the burger is so rich but delicious. The po boy was fine but I make a mean one and I think I will stick with mine. My biggest complaint was that they turned the music up toward the end of our meal (~9pm) and it was way too loud to be able to talk at all. Also, a group of bartenders/​workers/​friends were doing shots at the bar right behind us which was kind of distracting.
The tomatoes are probably what will bring me back again but I wont try to sit at the bar, waitress service for sure.

Oh my, I am soooooo disappointed! Last last two visits were mirror images of a place that is starting a decline downhill. My usual, the Lobster Roll was not fresh. The lobster meat was chewy, stringy and old.
I MIGHT give them one more try hoping it is a fluke. If I get the same experience, I’m done giving them my hard earned money.

I was taken here for my birthday in March so this review is well over due! I had eaten lobster rolls from the original food truck plus in the back of the 1029 Bar and I was a fan!
Its pretty loud in the restaurant because its large, open, and spacious. Keep this in mind if you want a place to talk. I am sure its quieter on the patio in the spring and summer. The service was good but not superb. We had a few drinks that were excellent and lobster corn dogs for an appetizer. I would definitely get those again.
Our entrees were Lobster Mac and Cheese and I, of course, had a lobster roll. Ironically so, these were the exact items ordered in the back of the 1029 Bar where they do have a Smack Shack hidden. That was the second location after the food truck. Honestly, I prefer the 1029 Bar. Its definitely not as Hip, Kool, or Trendy but neither am I! I thought the food was better in the back of the bar plus its a little more inexpensive, not much, but a little.
The dessert was good but I don’t think you get anything free for your birthday. Glad I was not picking up the bill at this one! Its one of those places I would go to maybe once a year.

I’ve never seen such a great group of people work together as a team as they did here. The servers would pick up anything on their way back that they saw needed to be gone, and help fill drinks of tables that weren’t theirs. This place definitely has the definition of teamwork going on. I was seriously impressed just watching them.
Ordered the lobster corn dog as an appetizer. I was not a fan of the combination of lobster being deep fried in corn dog batter. The texture of the lobster just isn’t right for the batter. Lobster has more of a chewy texture that doesn’t just break off at one bite like a regular corn dog, therefore the whole lobster on the stick all come out and part ways with the corn dog dough. The dough was good, it actually had pieces of actual corn in it.
Lobster mac and cheese. This has changed a lot since the last time i’ve been here. There’s now bread crumbs on top and corn mixed in. Downside? It was so salty we didn’t even finish it. This is a good deal though because there’s literally CHUNKS of lobster in this entrée. The cheese has a nice and thick consistency as well.
Crab cake benedict. YUM. This one just melts in your mouth. It’s so light and smooth. Probably the best one yet. The salad that came with it, came with a raspberry vinaigratte though, which I was not a fan of.
Upside down pineapple cake. I always have such a hard time finding any place that makes this, that when I do, I order it.
Presentation on everything was beautiful. Service was outstanding. I’ve never seen so many people work together to achieve something so great.

What a sensational meal! Oyster Rockefeller… traditional lobster roll with mayo, cucumber and tarragon… a warm Connecticut lobster roll — big chunks of meat basted in lemon and butter… reasonable french fries… and a surprisingly different cream and vinegar cole slaw… banana pudding for dessert. The only thing not superb were the fries… which were good.
Service was spotty although it started out great; the two of us seated on the patio immediately at 7 on a Friday night. From there there were hems and haws… drinks and water that ran dry… spilled water when a refill did happen… long gaps in service.
The food rated a «6» but the service not so much. Very close seating but otherwise nice ambiance. Definitely going back!

Jim Gaffigan on lobster: «They have spindle legs and crawl around like a bug. They have an antenna like a monster. They’re probably monsters.»
Me on lobster: «They have spindle legs and crawl around like a bug. They have an antenna like a monster. They’re probably monsters. So if you’re freaked out by your bug monster, I will gladly eat every one of them for you, every day, forever.»
In my defense, I am from New England. And I was so grateful to find a place that pays homage to sea bugs in Minnesota. Smack Shack does an awesome job at offering both classic and innovative Seafoodie creations. From Bawston clam chowdah and lobster boils, to lobster corn dogs and fried oyster sliders. My favorite things I’ve had so far are of course, their lobster roll. They give you a heaping load of lobster meat! And the buttery bread pairs so well with the crisp creamy filling. I also am a glutton for their lobster mac and cheese — the cheese has depth of flavor and is perfectly thick but not overly-​rich in consistency. I also love to indulge in some oysters on the half shell — which come with all of the fixings: hot sauce, horseradish, lemon, cocktail sauce, and some other vinaigrette. Their oyster selection rotates.
But sadly, Smack Shack is not a perfect paradise — I was disappointed in their lobster cobb salad. The amount of lobster meat was minimal for a $ 16 lunch salad, and it was overdressed. I took home half of it, but merely an hour later, the lettuce was too wilted and soggy to eat. The clam chowder could also use a little more clam juice and salt. But if you don’t want yours, I will still gladly eat it for you.

I haven’t been to Smack Shack for quite a while and we came here to celebrate our anniversary. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. Unfortunately our waitress could not come over to us for 15 minutes to even say hello or pour water. It took 25 minutes to get drinks. Needless to say service was off to a pretty rocky start. We ordered our appetizers at the same time we did our drinks as we didn’t want it to take a super long time. I ordered oysters from the raw bar and my husband had the beef tartare. My last oyster had a hair in it… GROSS! I told the waitress and that was her only comment, I had to ask for it to be removed from our bill. The tartare was way over seasoned with mustard and capers. I wouldn’t recommend this dish.
We went to order our main entrees and I found out after I ordered it that they were out of King Crab by noon that day. Probably something you should have mentioned right away and not cool being out of 1 of 4 things on the boil menu. I chose the lobster instead and my husband had a lobster roll. The entrees were very good and probably the only thing that is keeping me from giving this place 1 star.
When it came time to pay our bill I noticed that our waitress had added a $ 2 cracking charge for the lobster. I saw it on the menu, did not ask for it and my waitress did not ask me if I would like that. Just added it on. I was annoyed that it was just assumed that we would be okay with the additional fee.
All in all I was really disappointed with my service experience. I have frequented this place many times and it has really gone down hill. Hopefully they can find their mojo again.

I am between three and four stars on this, though I think that is my fault, because my husband, who is not a lobster fan, was in heaven here — meaning, the lobster was just *THAT* good.
When you walk in, you’re greeted by awesome interior décor — what with the enormous fryer, the lobster tank, and the ‘beware of attack lobster’ sign, as well as the partially-​open kitchen.
This place has tons of seating, both inside and out, which was great for us as we got to sit near the large windows, but inside, away from the sun (and later, the impending rain).
For an app we got the lobster guacamole. It’s definitely an interesting combo, and was a hit at our table. The lobster was fresh and of good quality, and the guac was enjoyed with a taste rating of 7 of 10.
For me, I didn’t feel the flavors of lobster & guacamole made sense together, but my husband and friend sure weren’t complaining as they scarfed down these two delicious things as a hybrid!
For his main, my hubby got the ‘Lobster Lucy’ described as ‘½ lb Burger Stuffed w/​Lobster & Taleggio. Topped W/​Caramelized Onions & Tarragon Aioli’
Well, while it was stuffed with taleggio, the lobster came sitting on top of the burger. This was no problem tho, as Theron loved the lobster meat on his burger more than I’ve ever seen him love lobster meat before! I think he even made happy mouth-​sounds.
The cheese inside was molten and literally pouring out after his first bite! This, too, was no problem for him, and he devoured his burger happily.
My Leigh got the fried perch sandwich and let me pick her side dish. I chose cheese grits and promptly ate many of them, as they were awesome!
The main shock (and for me, disappointment) came in the way of my ‘lobster roll.’ The people who hosted us for the weekend said we had to try it, and as my mother is a huge fan of traditional (Maine) lobster rolls, I did so in reverence. However, if you know what a lobster roll looks like, you know it’s traditionally served, well, in a roll!
This came between two crunch pieces of toast, and the lobster, while again fresh and good, was not very creamy at all. Light on the mayo? Pourquoi?
At any rate, I am giving this place 4 stars for cuteness, the fact my friends adored it, my hosts adore it, and I was potentially just having an off-​food-​day.
Maybe, if there’s a next time, I’ll get the lobster grilled cheese, or crab, or ceviche ;)

Love this spot! The patio is fantastic, especially on a warm, sunny summer day.
Extensive menu, with so many choices, it’s hard to decide. Thanks to Unilocal & Smack Shack’s website, I knew ahead of time what I wanted: Connecticut-​style lobster roll with chips.
I’m giving four stars, because service wasn’t great. It took me a while to get seated, even standing at the host desk. Also, my waitress wasn’t very good. They weren’t busy AT ALL, so there was no excuse.
My roll was delicious, although I could have had the lobster be a bit warmer. But the lobster was yummy & the lemon & butter sauce made it even better. The bun was soft. Pricey, but the roll was huge. Chips were good, nothing fancy.
The restaurant was clean, but they don’t have their own parking, so look for meters.
Prices are pretty high, so keep that in mind.

It was my second time at Smack Shack and this place never disappoints!
For food: My friend and I both got the Lobster Rolls, and they were delicious! I love how the bread is warm and buttery while the lobster salad inside is cold. I substituted Clam Chowder as my side — I would recommend doing this! It cost a little extra, but completely worth it! The lobster mac is amazing also (I got this on the side before), but I wanted to try the soup today. The soup was super good with lots of potato chunks inside.
The only downside is that Smack Shack is almost always packed. If you want to be seated in the dining area, you NEED a reservation. They were booked out in their dining area most of the night on a Thursday, which is basically normal for them. Since I usually go here with 2 or less people, we always wait around the bar area for an open spot, and you can usually snatch one in a decent amount of time! The employees here are always super helpful and look around for spots for me! They’re all really nice.
I will definitely be at Smack Shack many, many more times! I love seafood and it’s SO good at an affordable price! I love you, Smack Shack.

I loved my experience here since four of us split two of the lobster boils which comes with red potatoes, sausage, coastal slaw and corn. Everything was delicious! It was a bit pricey but my boyfriend’s parent’s treated us.
Their dining area isn’t very large but we still had an enjoyable experience outside. The inside looked very spacious and had a neat décor with a contemporary industrial feel. Check out my pics of us donning the plastic bibs! And the presentation of the lobster boil was pretty too.

Dinner time! My coworkers and friends came here one night to try this place out! Heard some pretty cool things about it and wanted to check it out for ourselves.
The place was big. Located in a converted warehouse, this place offers the space needed for a large party with a bunch of friends! Exposed lighting and air ducts really helped to bring it’s personality out. Our server was also awesome. Super accommodating and very efficient. Everywhere I turned, he was always around to answer my questions. I was excited for the food! Here’s what I had:
–BOSTON CLAM CHOWDA — Cup for $ 5.95. Hearty soup filled with clams and topped with chives. The soup was creamy delicious and super flavorful!
–CONNECTICUT-​STYLE LOBSTER ROLL — Served on a Top Bun for $ 18.95. LOTS of Lobster meat, tossed in butter, chives and lemon served on a roll. This was the warm version on their menu and super great! Lots of meat so you didn’t mind the think bread. This dish is served with potato chips but ALWAYS REMEMBER TO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE MAC AND CHEESE. I didn’t and regret it!
This was a cool restaurant downtown. Next time I’m here, I will for sure check them out. If you’re in the area, don’t forget to make some time. You will NOT be disappointed!