+1 207-967-3321+ Add websiteImprove this listing
Hours
Sun
11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Mon
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Tue
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Wed
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thu
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Fri
11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sat
11:00 am - 7:00 pm
What is Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best?
This award is our highest recognition and is presented annually to those businesses that are the Best of the Best on Tripadvisor, those that earn excellent reviews from travellers and are ranked in the top 1% of properties worldwide.
Ratings and reviews
Travellers' Choice Best of the Best 2023
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
Learn More
CUISINES
American, Seafood, Fast food
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
FEATURES
Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Accepts Credit Cards, Waterfront
Menu
Fried
Clams
1/2 Pint
US$16.50
Pint
US$22.95
Quart
US$41.95
Clam Strips
1/2 Pint
US$12.50
Pint
US$19.50
Quart
US$26.50
Haddock
1/2 Pint
US$14.95
Pint
US$20.95
Quart
US$30.95
Scallops
1/2 Pint
US$15.95
Pint
US$21.95
Quart
US$33.95
Shrimp
1/2 Pint
US$12.95
Pint
US$19.95
Quart
US$27.95
Chicken Fingers
1/2 Pint
US$11.95
Pint
US$17.95
Quart
US$25.95
Does this restaurant serve Romagna food?
Details
About
Iconic summer seasonal fried seafood take out restaurant. World famous lobster roll, pristinely fresh seafood, boiled lobster and local beer on tap. Limited indoor seating, picnic tables on the Kennebunk River. Long lines are worth the wait! Open May to October, closed for the winter.
CUISINES
American, Seafood, Fast food
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
FEATURES
Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Accepts Credit Cards, Waterfront
Contribute
4.0
1,475 reviews
Excellent
784
Very good
363
Average
199
Poor
67
Terrible
62
mikeslone
Kennebunks113 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
I believe I have tried every lobster roll in town and this is by far my favorite. Unlike many of the typical lobster rolls, the Clam Shack roll is a french style brioche that is lightly buttered or slathered with mayo- your choice. The lobster is always fresh and not overloaded with mayo. My recommendation is to call ahead and do curbside pick up in the summer to avoid the lengthy lines- although it is worth waiting.
Written 10 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hawki62
Dallas111 contributions
Aug 2021 • none
We ordered lobster rolls on line to pick up one evening when it was raining. They have a good system whereby you pick up your order at the appropriate time at a table outside the order window.
The rolls had plenty of tasty lobster on them. However the buns were store bought hamburger buns---and for the price a home made bun or roll would have added to the experience. Their fries were good; not greasy. This was not a good value considering the cost.
Written 3 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GibsonHyde
New York City205 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
The line outside the Clam Shack is entirely warranted. These guys dole out thousands of lobster roll's every day, and each one of them looks and tastes as delicious as the next. Their COVID sanitation practices are also unmatched.
Written 19 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jerzy P
20 contributions
Aug 2020 • couples
Ordered 2 lobster rolls took them over half hour to find my table. Lobster was cold and I ask for napkins after 10 minutes have to go get them myself. At night give them another chance ordered pint clams when I got to the hotel the box was filled with french fries and the little container for clams also filled with french fries and topped off with 12 small clams. $32 worth of fries!!!! Never again.
Written 12 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
arh12016
Schenectady7 contributions
Sept 2020 • none
A group of six placed an online order there and none of us could finish our dinners because they were terrible. the steamers were very small with a lot of grit, the lobster rolls were nothing but untoasted hamburger rolls with a small dollop of lobster on top of a piece of lettuce, the scallop roll consisted of scallops stuffed in a slightly toasted buttered roll with no seasoning at all. The onion rings were over cooked on the outside and raw on the inside and the French fries were just so so. All the food was overpriced for what we got. It's a good thing they have a great location and a captive audience because they wouldn't last anywhere else.
Written 7 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jay C
Raleigh156 contributions
Aug 2021 • couples
I am not an expert on lobster rolls however we have just completed a week in Maine where we have had a number of lobster rolls. The rolls at the Clam Shack were very expensive (the most expensive we had during our entire stay in Maine) served on hamburger rolls instead of the usual buns and were not nearly as tasty as all of the other lobster rolls we ate during our visit. And the wait in line was the longest of any place we visited. Would not recommend this restaurant, if you have time to visit others.
Written 29 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MidwestKathM
Detroit1084 contributions
Jul 2021 • none
We had been told that we had to go to the Clam Shack, that it was worth the wait in line (nearly an hour!), that the fried clams were "to die for" and since it was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, we decided to do it! Struck up a conversation with the folks behind us who visit Maine regularly. Thankfully we learned the difference between fried clams and fried clam strips! We ordered the clam strips...a pint of them, with two clam cakes, a side of fries, and two soft drinks. The clam strips were cooked perfectly (not overdone like we usually find back home) and really yummy! And worth the price (you gotta pay for fresh!!). If you've never been, check out the menu ahead of time on their website. Worth the time and money for the local experience!!
Written 24 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AHRESQ
New York City497 contributions
Aug 2020 • family
Line up for some of the best New England seafood (there is a reason the line is long). The line moves fast at this roadside seafood shack and the staff are friendly and professional. The food was amazing! Steamed ckams, lobster rolls, fried shrimp, fries and onion rings were all fresh and perfectly prepared. The fresh squeezed lemonade was also great - the perfect balance of tang and sweet on a warm summer day. We would definitely go back.
Written 31 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cathy r
Falmouth86 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
They are taking such care with COVID procedures so felt very safe eating there. The clam chowder is one of my very favorite in the area. Their lobster roll, while not the traditional, is excellent. Fun place to watch the boats and busy street. And the staff is friendly and taking such care with cleanliness and safety.
Yum!!
Written 8 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard K
Yakima322 contributions
Oct 2022 • none
My wife and I stopped here for lunch. This is a fast food type take out place that does have a place next to it to go in and sit and eat. We waited in line for over a half hour just to order our food. Normally that would indicate the place is good. Not so here. There are just not that many places to eat downtown here, so everybody was really busy. I don't know about the rest of the food they offer, but the fried clams we ordered were pretty bad. The clams came with fries and coleslaw. My wife and I shared a meal because at first glance it looked like a lot of food. That and they were charging about $28 for what should have been a $12 order in any food court. Once we got the food we realized the order was 80% fries. Of course they piled the fries under the clam strips so with the clam strips on top it looked like you really had a lot of clams. The fries were the best part of the meal. The coleslaw was remarkably unremarkable. We got about half a cup of it in a little plastic container. My wife and I both shared a couple bites of the slaw and the rest went in the dumpster. The worst part was the clam strips. My wife was the first to point out the the strips were 85% breading. You really had to work to taste much of the clams. No seasoning and bland. The only reason I can see that this place is still operating is location, location, location. The service was not very friendly, but then again they were trying to get through a long line of people. Maybe on a slow day the gut who waited on us might actually figure out how to smile.
Written 26 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diane P
Portland828 contributions
Jun 2021 • friends
We had 5 lobster rolls across the Maine coast and this was our second favorite (#1 was McLoons in South Thomaston). It was the only one that did not have a hot dog shaped bun and it was more of a roll vs bread. Large chunks of lobster and the added butter was great. It was by far our favorite cole slaw. Good service and we didn’t think the wait was too bad for a Saturday in late June (about 15-20 min) especially compared to the incredibly overrated Reds Eats where we waited 90+ minutes. Indoor and outdoor seating - we didn’t have to wait because table turnover was pretty quick. I thought this was going to be an overrated tourist trap but it was actually one of our favorites!!
Written 10 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SnakeNYC
New York194 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
You can miss this restaurant and it is in the heart of Duck Square. The Fried Clams are very yummy, but it on the pricey side. A pint is like 25 bulks. They do tastes great. Their clam burger and regular burger are okay too. They can use more clam for the clam burger. The view is very nice as you are seating near the bridge. Could be very crowned on weekends. Go early.
Written 21 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas C
6 contributions
Jun 2022 • none
The Lobster rolls had 2 pieces of lobster smaller than 2 crawfish sized. The chicken sandwich consisted of only 2 thin strips costing over $10. Overpriced lobster roll. Better shacks outside the town. Tourist trap.
Written 10 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
revjeff
North Easton61 contributions
Aug 2022 • family
We spent a day in Kennbunkport, looking around, and went to the Clam Shack for lunch for a real “Down East” experience. Two of us ordered the Lobster Roll Box: sandwich, fries, cole slaw, pickles. Over $40 per person with a drink. Kids had grilled cheese and chicken fingers; the bill for the four of us came to over $106. The consensus here is clear: prices here are the highest anywhere.
The food was very good. Lobster roll with mayo on a round, very fresh and tasty, bun. A good (though not overwhelming) amount of lobster; with the mayo on the roll, not mixed in as usual. All right crinkle cut fries; very good coke slaw, nice and crisp. No doubt about how fresh everything is, too.
We waited only about 20 minutes in line and to get our food— very prompt considering it was a pretty busy Sunday afternoon. Plenty of seats on the nice patio by the water.
All it all, the Clam Shack is a pleasant place— if somewhat expensive for what you get.
Written 17 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ann B
7 contributions
Jun 2021 • family
The lobster roll is a little lobster on a round roll. I cringe to think people coming to visit NE think that’s a lobster roll. Having sampled 26 as a family project over two summers, I must say they are dead last. By far.
The clam roll was sparse and average.
When I asked if they had Lime Rickies, the cashier directed me to alcohol. What??? This is New England.
So, so ashamed of this place.
Written 6 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
…
Showing results 1-15 of 1,419
Best nearby
We rank these hotels, restaurants, and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Best nearby hotels
See all 
Best nearby restaurants
See all 
Is This Your Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Free Listing