If you’re looking for a fun day at the piers, head to Luke’s Lobster Portland Pier in Maine. This location is a laid-back, rustic eatery with an awesomely good vibe. Luke’s Lobster is a family-owned Maine seafood business, founded by third-generation lobsterman Luke Holden.
Luke’s now has shack locations in ten US states, Japan, and Singapore, and offers traceable, sustainable seafood. Our first visit to this eatery made it to one of our top ten favorites for Portland dinning, serving seafood plates plus lobster specials, cider, beers & cocktails.
If you’re visiting for the first time, all visits to Luke’s should start with some fried haddock bites with house-made tartar. These tasty little morsels were perfectly cooked and seasoned, and are great to share when you are planning a full-on fish fiesta.
Another great sampler option are the mussels. Everyone sells mussels these days and all are not equal. If you want to experience top of the line, try the Bangs Island mussels steamed with Allagash white beer, garlic, onions, and herbs. Their mussels are sustainably grown in the pristine waters of Maine, hand-raised in the cool, clean waters of Casco Bay. We agreed they were the best mussels we’ve tasted in a very long time—clean and plump, meaty and flavorful—delicious to the last bite. They are served with perfectly grilled sourdough, so save a little bread for sopping the sauce. Or better yet, ask for extra bread when ordering.
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Now on to the main event…Lobster! Luke’s has plenty of options, from traditional—served with a light touch of mayo, lemon butter, and seasoning, to honey butter and truffle butter. If you want a sampling, try the trios! Although we didn’t sample the crab and shrimp rolls, they looked equally good. They follow the KISS method (keep it simple stupid) and really knocked it out of the part in terms of simplicity and deliciousness. Their lobster rolls are definitively classic, seasoned on a flawlessly browned bun. It’s their signature and it’s a legacy worth getting in on. Fresh, fresh, fresh LOBSTER with flavors as pristine as the ocean view in front of you.
The other option is the Lobster BLT, which will rock your world. Seriously, lobster and bacon—does it get any better? I think not! It’s presented on a toasted sesame bun with applewood smoked bacon, lettuce and tomato. The accompanying fries are a standout all on their own, but juxtaposing their crunchy saltiness, with the savory superiority of the sandwich, you will be utterly impressed. And if you’re like us, we don’t eat fries often. But guess what? They are cheat worthy!
Another option that knocked it out of the park is the beer-battered fresh Icelandic haddock with freshly made tartar, slaw and fries…which takes the timeless dish of ‘Fish and Chips’ into another realm of reality. If you are often disappointed at other restaurants attempts to make this dish, do not hesitate to order it at Luke’s. Its amazingly flavorful and perfectly cooked.
After this visit, we immediately changed our ‘want to go’ Google tag to one of our favorites. Its seriously that good. Great food, great service, and a great location.
Luke’s Lobster Portland Pier
60 Portland Pier, Portland, ME 04101
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