Todd A.
Yelp
Everything I expected from a place known for authentic Maine seafood.
Started off lunch with a Bloody Mary, extra spicy, on the back porch under a pleasantly cool Maine sky. I was distracted while browsing the menu as the ships in the harbor demanded my attention, but after a few minutes of intermittently browsing I decided to go for the full New England experience and ordered a 2 lb lobster with a bowl of clam chowda to dampen my appetite while I waited. My wife chose the grilled cheese with a loaf of garlic bread to start and within minutes we were both taking our first bites.
The chowda was rich and chunky; not the best I've had up here in the Northeast peak of the US, but definitely one to write about. Creamy, hot, and full of flavor, this bowl of Yankee delight really hit the spot. The wife loved the garlic bread as well, "Just so damn good!" she commented after every other bite, butter dripping down her fingers.
Eventually we heard "Owrdah Fifty Fouwr" and I went to claim our tray. What I found waiting on me at the counter was one of the biggest lobsters my hillbilly eyes had ever seen. Let me tell ya, once you've experienced true Maine cuisine, Red Lobster ends up looking like a convenience store knockoff.
Bright red and staring me dead in the eyes, this behemoth of a crustacean made my heart flutter. I started cracking the shell and the meat I pulled out looked like something from a movie. Dipped in butter and devoured hot, this meaty red ocean bug tasted as pure and clean as a baby's daydreams.
Nothing else mattered at that moment and it's one I'll never forget.
Worth mentioning, Billy's offers free valet parking for their diners. A tip isn't required, but any decent human would be called upon to do so.
From the valet to the cashier to the server to the busboy, Barnacle Billy's was an overly pleasant experience: authentic, delicious, comfortable, and very memorable.