The Lobster Pool

Went for lunch. Your typical lobster shack. I don't mean to sound derogatory. There are great lobster shack's out there. Right on the water, easy parking right out front during off season. The chowder was delicious fair amount of clams and potatotes. The broth was creamy and had a very good flavor...hint of garlic possibly. The lobster roll was Maine style, grilled New England style hot dog roll and had a good amount of lobster. Wifey had tthe clam strip roll....wow, what a mountain of clam strips! Both the lobster and clam roll came with fries. Oh, they make their own delicious tarter sauce. Can't say I've ever had tarter sauce that tasted quite like this. Plenty of seating inside and out.

We arrived with the expectation of enjoying lobster rolls, but they were depleted by 1:30pm. Instead, we chose the crab roll and clam chowder, which were palatable. The restaurant exuded New England charm, and its waterfront location with a view of the bay was picturesque. While it did not exceed expectations, the establishment was endearing and served tasty food.

I love an old roadside restaurant. The Lobster Pool did not disappoint. Had the lobster roll and the lobster bisque, both very good. Great views dining outside. Scenic drive on the way there. Right next door to Halibut Point State Park which is also worth visiting.

The lobster roll was kind of small, specially for $30. Also lacking in flavor. I wish it wash richer. The view from the backyard tables is amazing.

I came here one afternoon after visiting Rockport. I was looking for a lobster roll, and really enjoyed this one. It’s right on the water and is a cool little restaurant with an outdoor patio overlooking the rocks and water. You order inside, and they give you a buzzer, which vibrates when your food is ready for pick up. The lobster roll, which I have included a photo of below, was fantastic and definitely New England style with mayo mixed in. Good amount of fries as well. I got a side of coleslaw also, which was fantastic. Definitely one of my favourite lobster rolls in the New England area so far. The menu is extensive, the staff friendly and service prompt. EDIT: I came back about a week later when my family came to town to visit and we found ourselves in the Rockport area with my dad looking for an authentic New England lobster roll. I only had one place in mind, the lobster pool! I took them all here and we had a blast. The food was again fantastic, really fast once you order and take the buzzer to your table. This time we got salads, which were massive, look at the photos below. All of the food was 10/10. Will definitely recommend this to others in the area looking for, New England seafood, and will be back myself!

This place was everything we expected. We decided to eat here to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. It was worth it. The food was amazing. The views of the ocean were great. All the food we got was great. The service was friendly. The wait for the food was very reasonable as they were super busy. We are planning on coming back next month.

Stayed at an airbnb nearby and had to check this out for its view and option to BYOB! The staff were friendly, food came out fast, and the outdoor seating was fantastic with amazing views. I got the clam plate, and it was decent but lacked seasoning. And the fries were cold. It was a bit disappointing for $40. But I'll definitely be back for the view, and I'll try something else.

Chowder, Lobster roll and lobster, the place to go if you are craving some. Bring your own drink, plenty of parking, though this place is very famous because how good it is, there is a national park a few meters from it if you can’t find parking, so you don’t miss on trying Lobster Pool. Quick service, plenty of seating with a great view, and food is delicious. Fish and chips are good, the only thing I would recommend is changing the tartar sauce, it wasn’t as good, everything else just stands out.

Really disappointing and not that fresh. This place is a tourist trap and only good for the outdoor view and soups. I would only recommend the bisque and chowder. Lobster roll was bland, fries weren't crisp, fisherman's platter tasted like frozen seafood. I wanted to get a crab roll but luckily I double checked and asked if the meat was freshly shucked, and to their credit they admitted it was canned meat. They need to make their own tartar sauce or get a better bottled brand because it does not taste good. Not sure I would come back when you have so many good options around

Came in the other day for fried clam strips. I honestly really enjoyed them because it wasn't just fried batter but I can definitely see what people are saying in reviews when they think the food tastes frozen. The fries and clam strips most definitely could have been frozen but I still enjoyed them anyways. Not the best seafood ever but I liked it.

I just had my first ever lobster roll here (am I even from Boston?) and it was so good! My friend had suggested we go here since she's seen The Lobster Pool on a bunch of lists for where to get the best lobster roll in Boston. It was cute here! The service was pretty fast and there's a nice view looking over some water. There's slightly limited parking outside but people are coming and going so this was no issue! Lobster rolls in general aren't my new favorite food by any means but I can see how they're a fav for most in the summer. I can't say I loved seeing the red lobster arm pieces in my sandwich but I ate it anyways. The fries this came with were also divine! I'm now on the hunt for a warm one with butter!

I don't understand the 2 & 3 star reviews. You don't come to the Lobster Pool for fine dining. You step up to a counter, order, and wait for your pager to tell you to pick up your order. Want ketchup, cocktail sauce, plastic ware? Go get it. Now, if you're ready for some fried seafood. Get ready. The platters give you a little less of the fish you order and fill that space with a Mayo based Cole slaw and French fries. You can skip the sides and order a "box" which is really more like a paper boat. Small, medium & large. We went with 2 medium boxes of clams. One box strips and the other strips and bellies. I preferred the straight strips. Sweeter. Both perfectly fried, slightly chewy and a medium was a perfect serving. My wife, the disciplined health nut, went with a garden salad made special with some grilled shrimp. The salad was only average, but the large shrimp made it a decent meal. The fish & chips came loaded onto a plate with fish burying the fries. Again, perfectly done. I tried a cup of New England clam chowder (is there any other kind?) and scarfed it down before I could take a picture. Rich, but not too thick. And surprise, lots of chunks of clams. A little pepper and all was right with the world. BTW, it's BYOB. We sat on a bench facing the water and caught a beautiful sunset. Just a reality check, the Lobster Pool may be a bit divey, but the prices are still steep. 4 adults came to a little over $100 plus tip.

I really wanted a lobster roll and this place was close to where we're staying, so we decided to give it a try. It's casual and by the water, beautiful view. Service was good. The lobster roll was small for $30, and I wish it was seasoned better.

Our friend took us here for dinner and we ordered a lobster, haddock, shrimp, and clam chowder. All was delicious and very fresh. My only disappointment was they ran out of the twin lobster deal. This place is also excellent for viewing the sunset. What an epic view!!

Went there with friends. Very disappointing. We both had the fisherman's platter. The clams were overcooked and tough. The yard was messy.

The food is Excellant !! Definitelya place worth checking out Go on a nice day sit outside with a very close up view of the water while you eat- You can even bring your dog outside in the eating area It's casual you order inside where there are more tables for cooler or rainy days They have a varied menu besides lobster fried clams etc there are salads hamburgers desserts.... And BYOB They are open all day until 9 pm Worth the drive to Rockport Granite St Route 127!!!

5 stars for the view. 5 stars for the sunset. 5 stars for BYOB. Food is awful (a 1), so we give it 3 stars. Btw, I don't know how they did it, but they made their fried clams taste unlike clams. And that "1.5 pound lobster" was a chick, more like a pound. You're not fooling anyone.

10/10 best fried clam bellies in cape Anne. Ive tried all of the usuals Woodmans, clambox, Farnhams, all of them and this is by far the best clam bellies. Plus, they give you lots more for the money! The food comes out super quick and the service is stellar. The Ambiance is always great as it overlooks the sea.

Such a great hidden gem! It was nice to go to a place in rockport outside of the downtown area. It can always be so hard to find parking there. Great lobster rolls!! Yum! We got some fried clam strips and fries too. Everything came out quickly and was so delicious. But the best part was eating outside in a quite little Bay Area on the water. A great place to bring the whole family like we did.

Solid lobster bisque with good chunks of lobster meat. Sweet potato fries were surprisingly extra good as were the halibut bites. My bf thoroughly enjoyed his lobster but next time we will bring some proper tools

As a former seafood restaurant owner, I can say that the seafood platter that we ordered was top notch. It was fresh and large enough for two people. The steamers we also great.

If in Rockport, you've got to eat here. Where better to have fresh seafood than facing the calm waters. The place is BYOB and their menu is simple but delicious! We ordered the following: - Steamer (large clams) - Fried scallops - Fried belly clams With a pack of 4 ciders we had an awesome meal. If I could bring Lobster Pool back to Toronto I would, but again, I don't mind coming back to Rockport for a lovely seafood filled weekend.

Had my second visit to the lobster pool. The first was 30 years ago. Great to see a place like this withstand the test of time. We only had the fish and chips, fried clam strips and onion rings. All were excellent. Friend said it was the best fried clams he ever had. Setting was beautiful on a lovely September afternoon by the water.

grumpy woman at the register, got a Haddock sandwich and fries , fries were not golden , sandwich was not cooked well either,not haddock as said on the menu either. I'd say scrod or flounder , as a former cook there as well . gone down hill since the farm people took over . very disappointed .

Honestly, this is usually my favorite place to eat each summer because the view is great, it's busy and we sit outside so our kids being kids isn't a problem, and we always get a great family photo at sunset but the food this year was awful. We threw out three lobster rolls because the meat was so tough to chew it wasn't even worth eating, the crab roll had lots of hard pieces which I'm assuming was shells, the fried food was soggy. Overall all just super disappointing, nobody enjoyed their meal. The staff also changed this year-usually the kids taking orders are super sweet and accommodating, this year it was like pulling teeth to be helped. Hoping it was just a terrible night and this is not their new norm, but I'm not sure I'd risk going back to throw out all of our meals again.

The only thing this place has going for it is the view. The food is awful! The fish in the fish and chips plate (which is way overpriced) was not fresh (and was more likely flounder, rather than haddock), plus the breading was soggy, not crisp like fried fish is supposed to be. The onion rings were frozen and greasy, not homemade. The cole slaw portion was minuscule. If you want, authentic, excellent seafood, don't bother going here. You are much better off at Essex Seafood or Farnham's. Lobster Pool should be ashamed of themselves for selling such poor quality food at inflated prices, just because they know people will come for the setting.

Super cute little place along the ocean. We sat and ate our lunch outside, it was really nice. I got the lobster roll, but I don't like the mayo style, so I asked if they had butter, and they said they could give me butter on the side with cold lobster. I didn't think it was as good as other lobster rolls I've had, but maybe it's because the meat was cold instead of hot. The french fries were really good! I could've eaten a whole plate of them. It was a little expensive (to me), the lobster roll was around $30. But tbh I think that's around the standard price for lobster rolls around here now anyways.

Had lunch here today and the lobster rolls were inedible. There was GLOBS and GLOBS of mayonnaise in the lobster roll. At one point I took a bite and it was nothing but bun and a tablespoon of mayo. There were four of us and all were extremely disappointed with the lobster rolls. Real bummer since the clams and fries were good and the view is great. The roll was bad enough that I'm not sure I'd go back. Sad.

Rude staff (albeit we did stay past our welcome but still...,) and expensive lobster. the lobsters were very tasty, and came reasonably quickly. The french fries were undoubtedly the worst I'd ever had. Very bland and stale. The butter dip had left over lobster meat in it upon arrival...so do with that what to will.

This is a typical lobster shack. Nothing fancy about it. Sitting outside there are picnic tables by the ocean. It's in a somewhat secluded area by the side of the road, and row ocean views are spectacular. They have a lobster pool right at the entrance. They don't sell any beers, but it's BYOB, so bring your favorite pack. Lobster roll is typical, made on a toaster hot dog bun, with just a lettuce leaf and packed with lobster. We also had fried clams that that were just right.

The best views for a casual lobster/seafood dinner! The cove it's situated on is quiet and beautiful. The food is great and service fast. Their sweet potato fries are to die for.

The food is garbage. Seafood anyways. Go to Farnham's instead. The view is nice, so next time we'll get burgers and chicken fingers and bring some beers. Fried batter is gross. Too salty! Broiled haddock is too salty as well and the breading was too gloppy and heavy. Chowder is meh at best. Fried clam was ok. So many better options around.

Visited this spot a few weeks ago and felt JUST OK about it. Nothing special really. We dined on a fried fish and shrimp plate. I found the batter to be very UNDER SEASONED and the coleslaw was terrible. We sat outside and the view was enjoyable, but the furniture could use some work. It felt like a bunch of old patio furniture thrown together willy nilly. No real attention to detail inside or outside to create any type of ambiance. A little effort in this area, goes a long way in my book! Overall, I'm not sure I would recommend this spot. Better options abound.

Bad customer service. The lobster roll was alright. Definitely overpriced. The view was the best part of the whole experience.

Got the Rockport Salad topped with added chicken. Chicken was so overcooked and dry. I stopped forcing it down in fear it would make me sick not knowing when this must have been made to dry out so bad.

This place is conveniently located near the Halibut State Park, attracting all the hungry people post hike. My friend and I came here for a late lunch and thankfully didn't have much crowd. You order inside and get a puck which notifies you when your food is ready. Their outdoor space has ample space and stunning ocean views. We got a bunch of different seafood. The casserole was a little disappointing as it was mostly baked shrimp and fries. But nevertheless, the clams and the chowder were 10/10! Will definitely be back for the mussels I saw someone having. When we were heading our, there was a very long line to order and no parking left. They also have restrooms available on site.

Definitely the view is worth more than the food here. I was thoroughly disappointed with the lobsters here. We visited on a Monday to avoid the crowd and had a great view lunch sitting outside. Too bad that was about the only positive for this place. Unfortunately the boiled lobster I had was overcooked and dry, they probably left it in the water for too long definitely could have been better. The lobster pie was quite disappointing too, although they were generous with the lobster meat it was covered way too much in greasy butter and flakes that made it not so enjoyable. The rolls were decent although for the price I expected more of it but I guess they make it for it with plenty of fries, basically almost everything we ordered comes with a side of fries lol. But yeah if you come here for the State Park I would skip this place and better spend your hard-earn money elsewhere. The view itself isn't any more spectacular compare to the view within the State Park

Good views and great location by Halibut Point State Park. They have nice outdoor seating overlooking the ocean. We got lobster rolls and a fried calamari box. The lobster rolls were delicious (though heavily marinated with mayo, in case you don't like that). Their fries that come with the lobster roll were VERY crispy. I was quite satisfied with them. The water from their soda machine tasted faintly of mold. The fried calamari was... pretty bad. The batter did not stick to the squid, so each one separated when you bit into it. They also tasted like absolutely nothing, no seasoning whatsoever. That makes me hesitant to order any of their fried seafood again, but their lobster rolls are a safe bet! Food 3/5 Location 5/5 Prices 4/5

The view can't be beat here! The service is quick and fast and the food is delicious! Their menu is so extensive. I've visited a handful Of times and it just keeps getting better. Few things to note they are currently BYOB, so pack a cooler, bring the family or a date and enjoy the view. Like always I forgot to take a picture of this outing but it's wealth worth the trip to Gloucester. Fyi BYOB!

Probably my favorite place to get a lobster and eat outside while watching the sunset. And it is BYOB!

Main issue is the new owner has changed the previously fantastic light breading used for fried haddock. Changed to some corn meal oily coating with a funky consistency unlike any fried haddock I've had in Massachusetts. Clams were very good to excellent. Preferred the previous owners fries but the current fries are acceptable. The ambience remains excellent with the ocean views but the tables with umbrellas could use an upgrade.

rude on the phone. haddock fish and chips wasn't haddock, likely cheap flounder, totally inedible and fishy tasting. they might be able to fool tourists , but we are local fisherman. We will not be returning. threw the food out, didn't even eat it and wasted $60.

The food was great. Service was friendly and quick. You can't beat the view. Loved sitting outside viewing the ocean.

Grumpy staff person at register. Worst lobster roll I've ever eaten - and way over priced! Crab roll was mediocre. Disappointed.

Came here for dinner with my family and some friends, food was very mid and not worth the price. The view wasn't even great either. Fried fish tasted old and like straight oil; the Lobster Bisque soup had no flavor and tasted like straight heavy cream. Paid over $90 for tasteless oily food - best thing there was their french fries that were probably frozen.

Come for the views, definitely. Stay for the food, maybe. If you're a purist, you would appreciate their Fresh Lobster Roll Sandwich. However, I've had better for that price point. The fried food was spot on. Sweet potato fries were crispy and tasty. The soda machine was out of ice, but I appreciate the host giving us a heads up. Slightly on the expensive side, especially since it's self serve and not full service. Overall decent experience, good food.

Food is great. You can bring your own wine or beer to accompany your meal. We had the lobster rolls and fish and chips. Big portions you can share :)

I've only been to The Lobster Pool once but have been anticipating going back. The views are lovely and the lobster rolls are full. It's an added bonus that you can bring your own alcoholic beverages and dogs- what more do you need!

I come here every year for my birthday to get their lobster! It's always perfect and this year I also tried their fried scallop box. I don't really love scallops, but their fried scallops with tartar sauce were great. My partner did say he wished the amount of scallops were larger since they cost a hefty price of ~$33. Overall, I love this spot for its food, outdoor seating and BYOB feature!

Food tasted great, it was a fun place outside the busyness of town, great views, but there was so much crab shell in our crab roll that we couldn't finish it.

After reading great reviews elsewhere we had lunch of lobster rolls today. Tasteless and bland. That's the lobster and the bread. Fries were good but that's all. Nice view but you can get that various areas nearby. We would not go back.

First time this season, 2nd time ever. Most likely not come back here again next time we go visit the state park. I had medium box of belly clams. Some of them didn't taste right/good. Not sure why; but it ruined my craving for fried clams. The fries that came with the seafood platter was way too salty. The rest of the seafood was ok; but nothing to wow about. Since the pandemic started, I've been bringing wipes to disinfect the table when dining out. I can tell that they didn't do a decent job wiping their tables. There was sticky spots on the table that wasn't wiped away. It probably wasn't wiped down properly, if they did. The Pepsi was watered down. The ginger ale was watered down. Guess they don't check their soda machine when they open up for lunch. Overall, it was disappointing after spending over $70 for 2 dishes and 2 cups of soda.

Loved finding this spot! I got a perfectly seared ahi tuna sandwich and my bf got a boiled lobster. Everything tasted fresh and we brought our dog here and she loved it! She even got to try some lobster for the first time! The staff is very friendly and the location is prime after a hike at halibut cove

Found this little spot on an unseasonably warm early Spring day and WOW! Amazing. The food was amazing, fresh; and portions were huge. Staff was super friendly and we ate outside so you couldn't beat the view! Highly recommend!

The Lobster Pool is a no frills, bang-for-the-buck, grab some great views and food sort of place. I typically write long narratives but in this case I wanted to bullet out the pros and cons of our experience. Pros: - Fresh from the sea seafood - Great views and sounds of the water and natural life that lives around - Great value for food - Plenty of sauces and condiments for the sides and clams (lobster roll needed NOTHING) - Friendly staff - Quick service - Plenty of seating inside and outside Cons: - People dressed in fancy clothes complaining about the lack "nice tables" and "messy food" - Very close to road (road noise wasn't bad, but heard it can be in peak season) - Parking can be tough (road parking and small parking lot) The Lobster Pool is everything we wanted for our first experience outside of Boston in New England. It was a place that tasted and felt like everything was pulled from the water less than 50 yards away and wasn't overly expensive. We have used this as the standard for places we stop throughout our travels up and down the Northeastern coast.

The food at this place has gotten noticeably better in the last few years. I recommend getting the fisherman's platter and splitting it between two people. The fried scallops are amazing, and the fried clams are better than Farnham's and Clam Box in my opinion. The view is pretty and kids can climb on the rocks. Best cocktail sauce!

I just love this place! It couldn't be more picturesque (especially at sunset) and the seafood is always fresh! I was there once and saw a lady whip out a vinyl tablecloth that she brought with her and I've done the same ever since (the tables can get a little yucky from lobster juice, etc). It really jazzed up the whole experience. I haven't veered too far from the steamed lobsters, but occasionally I'll get the haddock bites and French fries. Bring your own alcohol.