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Hours
Sun
11:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Mon
11:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tue
11:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wed
11:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thu
11:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Fri
11:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Sat
11:00 AM - 7:30 PM
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
Travelers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Does this restaurant serve Bar / Pub food?
Details
About
Claws is open 11am until 7:30 pm through October 14, 2024. We specialize in offering the highest quality fresh local seafood, prepared with vintage Maine recipes, all at reasonable prices. Enjoy panoramic views of Rockland Harbor as you dine on our beautiful, covered deck, or outside at picnic tables with bright umbrellas. We also can either pack all of our menu items for take-out or take our fresh seafood and lobsters home, ready-to-prepare yourself! Call in your order in advance or simply order in person. We offer a full bar, featuring several local labels. Open daily, everything at Claws is made with care and from scratch. Come see for yourself why we earned 6 first place awards in 2018, 8 first place awards in 2019, 7 first place and 2 second place awards in 2020, 8 first place awards plus Business of the Year 2021, and 7 first place awards in 2022, and 7 more first place awards and Business of the Year for 2023!
PRICE RANGE
$7.00 – $60.00
CUISINES
American, Bar, Seafood, Grill
Special Diets
Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Drinks
FEATURES
Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Free off-street parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Discover, Accepts Credit Cards, Waterfront, Gift Cards Available
Contribute
4.5
1,100 reviews
Excellent
733
Very good
216
Average
78
Poor
34
Terrible
39
Jeff from Jersey
35 contributions
Aug 2020 • couples
The long lines to the ordering window every night show the popularity of this lobster shack. We waited 20 minutes to order and then 40 minutes before our order was ready -- that's just how it is. Outdoor dining on varnished picnic tables, right on the water but not overlooking a marina with sail boats. The fresh lobster was superb, as you would expect in a seaport where lobstermen still work their trade. But don't expect cheap eats despite the shack vibe. Two lobster dinners (Mine was a 2 pounder) with a beer each cost us $100.
Written August 7, 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.
DSMok1
Maine26 contributions
Jun 2020 • none
Claws is a good example of a classic Maine seafood stand. The dining is outside, the seafood is fresh and cooked right. Yes, the lobster roll is pricey... but have you ever picked lobster meat? Hard work. The lobster roll was very good, and the haddock basket was cooked very well and quite generous. An excellent spot to stop!
Written June 18, 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.
David C
Wadsworth4172 contributions
Jun 2020 • family
You have to go for the “clawossial” lobster roll. Each normal roll has 6 oz for 22.00. The big roll is 16 oz of lobster for 54.00 so you’re essentially getting 4 oz free. They are packed high and they will split them for you if you’re sharing. The lobster is super fresh and tender. The haddock tacos are pretty big so my 2 kids spilt those. The chowder is really good and the grilled biscuits are a must try for only 1.00. It was all excellent with a nice view of pen bay. A great Mid coast meal.
Written June 25, 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.
ClawsLuLu
Thank you so much David! We appreciate you taking the time to write such a nice review....Cheers!
Written June 26, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
picklesnap
North Conway122 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
It was pouring buckets, but the parking lot was open. So we gave it a try. The Lobster was luscious, but on a very ordinary hot dog roll. Because it was cold and rainy, we ordered two hot teas, which turned out to be rocket science, because the cook put the cups in a slow microwave that took two tries to boil (or make hot-ish) water for the teas. Disappointed with the teas, no decaf. Smallish bag of chips went along with lukewarm tea, and lobster hot dog rolls The dinner was almost $60.00 by the end of our short order! We knew we were in a mecca Lobster place, but for a take out place, I think that was outrageous! If you're interested in Lobster it is an excellent choice, but all else that goes with it is Suspect. They had a heated seating area which was thankfully available..
Written August 31, 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.
Peter K
1 contribution
Sep 2020 • none
Lobster Mac and Cheese was not Award Winning, for $24.00 it was made with Penne Pasta and the tips of the claws and the sauce was horrible.The Lobster was suppose to come with a biscuit which never came with the meal until we asked about it. The best part of the meal was the Bud Light.
During Covid not once did anyone come out and wash the tables, I saw a customer get up and do it himself.
The menu should be in a place where people can view it before hand since you need to distance yourself.
Written September 9, 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.
lovetowrite50
Ridgefield70 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
The big question? Whose hot butter lobster roll reigns supreme? Is it Mcloughlins of Lincolnville or Claws of Rockland ? The winner for freshness, warmth, size and butter its Claws.
However, my family prefers Mcloughlins for fried fish sandwiches and the fried shrimp roll. I would vote Claws for great thin sliced onion rings and spiced fries. My son likes Mcloughlins. So there u have it. Pick up your hot butter lobster roll at claws and head to the prettier dining at Mcghloughlins lobster shack.
Written August 11, 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.
Karen K
2 contributions
Jul 2021 • couples
Based on positive reviews we looked forward to delicious seafood in a venue with water views. Instead we experienced a 20 minute wait to order, and a 90 minute wait to get our food, which came out only after we went to the window twice to ask about our order. When the food arrived we were missing two items and the onion strings were cold. We sent them back to the kitchen and waited an additional 15 minutes for our missing butter, chips, and hot onion strings. We didn’t see anyone working who was older than 16. We strongly recommend going anywhere else for dinner and suspect previous positive reviews were submitted by the owner or employees. Too much money for truly terrible service and below mediocre food.
Written July 1, 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.
TravelersFromGburg
96 contributions
Jul 2021 • none
First, things are not near normal in Rockport, or Maine in general. With exceptions, most of Maine, and particularly Rockport, are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, with a number of places being closed even on Wednesday. Basically it's become a 4 day weekend state for visiting. And when places are open, most are only open 6-8 hrs a day. You can't trust anything you read concerning days and hours of operation. Call everywhere before you go to make sure they're open and till when. Another generalization, prices are obscene. It's cheaper to go to the Caribbean than Maine. The greed is obscene.
I'm not reviewing the food, I walked away without getting ripped off. But I'm posting a review based on the experience. First, this is a tourist trap. Why people go here is beyond me. If you go at the usual eating times you'll have a 1-2 hr wait standing in line to get to a single little window staffed by one person to take orders to go. And if you've stood in the line for 30, 45, or 60 min and a rain storm comes along, well you have to decide to have wasted your time and leave or get soaked, or you could wait all that time, only to learn they're out of what you want, which I saw happen to a couple people. Prompt service is not one of their concerns. There are a few tables you can sit and eat, but they're almost always taken, so plan on having to go somewhere to eat your food.
I stopped to look at the menu, and noticed that there were no prices posted for most of the seafood, particularly the lobster. Since I won't wait in lines like that, no food is worth it, I left. I stopped another day right after they opened and just after it had rained, so there was no line, to check on the pricing. I spoke with the window person. I'll call the person Pinocchio. I asked where the current prices were for all the items listed as "Mkt" pricing, was there a price sheet or wipe off board with the prices? This is what Pinocchio said, first they asked what item was I specifically interested in? I selected a lobster roll. They then said that the pricing for seafood was so volatile, lobster in particular, that the prices fluctuated from day to day, even several times within a day, so you could only get the price in person at the moment in time you ordered the sandwich. Can you believe that!!!! So, I asked what is the price for a lobster roll? I would have liked to try one to see what all the hub-bub is about. Get this, at that moment in time, it was $28 for one with mayonnaise and $29 for one with (yuk) butter. For some lobster in a hot dog roll, crazy! You get nothing but a sandwich, no sides, no table or server, nothing but a sandwich to go. Now, I understand it's a seasonal business and things will be a bit higher, but really!
So, if you decide to go here, you are forewarned.
Written July 25, 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.
AzureEyes
2 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
We stopped here for lunch after reading the good reviews here. We were excited to try it out. We waited quite awhile in lunch, which we didn't mind; however, what happened next put a damper on the entire experience: we waited for a table for at least 15 minutes. Then we sat and waited another 25 minutes for our food. We thought maybe they missed our order but when we asked, they told us it's ready when it's ready (they were quite rude about our inquiry). When we got our food it was cold! The fries were cold, the burgers were barely warm, and the crab cakes were mushy (we honestly couldn't tell there was any crab in them) and lukewarm. We paid $100 for lunch and none of us were pleased with our meals. The only positive thing about this place was their choice of music.
Written August 4, 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.
ClawsLuLu
We apologize for any inconvenience you experienced at Claws. Because of COVID-19, we have been required to remove 1/2 of our tables, much to our dismay and to customers. Many of our customers have opted to take out instead of dining at our picnic tables because of this. We certainly hope this changes in the future, but it is greatly out of our control during the pandemic. Thank you for your understanding and patience during this most difficult time. Cheers!
Written August 5, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Francis M
Toms River253 contributions
Jul 2020 • family
We called in an order for 2 colossal lobster rolls with a side order of fried onion rings. When they told me it would be $100 we cancelled.
Not that we can’t afford it, it just seemed excessive considering The NY Times article.
Our substitute orders of haddock and a crab roll at less than 1/2 the price was just ok.
We remain on our quest for a Maine lobster roll. Just not here.
Written July 14, 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.
ClawsLuLu
Hello, I'm not sure what you are referring to about the lobster rolls, and no, we do not read the New York Times. But we do know great seafood and have been in the business a very long time. Our Claw'ssol lobster rolls have a full pound of freshly picked lobster meat piled onto a 12" butter toasted roll. They are $52 each. If you wanted a regular sized lobster roll, which is still generous with 6 1/2 ounces of fresh lobster meat, those are $21.
Most customers see the value in these prices and the quality of the product, but we wish you well on your quest! Cheers!
Written July 21, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mich G
2 contributions
Jul 2020 • none
Food was delicious! I highly recommend ordering ahead of time online for pick up. Ordering took 25 minutes and there were only about five people in line ahead of us. It took another 20 minutes to get my food and I only ordered one dish. Also make sure to ask for all of the sauces you want at the food pick up window because they don't include them unless you ask.
Written July 21, 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.
ClawsLuLu
Thank you for the review. Unfortunately, there is more to our service than meets the eye. With Covid-19, many customers are afraid to stand in line with others, so they are calling in orders and using our new online order system. It doesn't matter how many items you order - we cook the food in the order we receive the tickets, which is fair to everyone. Thank you for your understanding.
Written July 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
augiefromnyc
24 contributions
Jul 2021 • family
Unfortunately, we didn’t have a great experience here. We ordered takeout and got 5 different dishes (some seafood, some appetizers) and they all seemed overpriced and not worth what we paid. We didn’t receive any of our condiments that came with the dishes and they didn’t have any to-go utensils. As a visitor from out of town, who was told to go here to try their lobster, I wouldn’t go back. But sounds like most everyone else likes this place and I hope they’re hitting their stride again post pandemic.
Written July 1, 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.
Cottage School
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • family
My family has been enjoying seafood in Maine for over 40 years and this is one of the very few times we were not satisfied. This was the first and last time we will go to Claws. My mom ordered a loaded baked potato and fried clams. The “loaded” potato was cold, undercooked, and came with no toppings. (What a joke) The fried clams had an off smell and a terrible taste. The breading on them was soggy and gross. We were not given a full refund because they claimed she had eaten more than half of them ( she had not even eaten a quarter of them ). If she had wanted something else to eat she would have had to stand back in the long line to order and still pay for it. My poor mom was burping the whole ride home and vomited upon arriving home. I got fried scallops and the clam chowder. The scallops were soggy overcooked rubber. The chowder had almost no clam in it and was basically potato soup with oregano. My vegan daughter ordered the $14 veggie burger that came with no fries. She asked if the aioli had egg in it, and the staff member who took the order assured her there was no egg. The member then listed what was in the aioli, and the first ingredient is mayonnaise, which is made from eggs! The “ in house” “veggie” burger tasted like a gross potato and left her burping and with a bad stomach ache. Definitely not worth the over $100 spent on this meal. However, the Diet Coke in the can was pretty solid.
Written July 19, 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.
sayhey53
Burlington8 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
We have been waiting well over an hour for a lobster roll and a lobster dinner as have at least 20 other people. Their obvious priority is to meet deadlines on phone and online orders at the expense of the people standing in line for 30 minutes and then sitting and waiting for their food while ordering more drinks to refill after an hour. Their is a complete lack of respect and consideration for their in house customers. Very disappointing!
Written August 19, 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.
ClawsLuLu
Everyone deserves to be put into the same priority to receive their food, whether standing in line, calling in or using our online ordering system. Especially in light of COVID-19. Very disappointing that you do not see this fact. Cheers!
Written August 21, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Marianne T
33 contributions
Jun 2021 • family
My daughter and I went for a dinner and ordered lobster dinners. The server was drunk and felt the need to lay his hands on us and really overstay his welcome. Maybe allowing your staff to drink on duty is not a good idea?
The lobster was good but the biscuit tasted like an over baked canned dough-type. The corn was bland and tasteless. The coleslaw was just ok. We had to remind our server that those things are included in the meal, although he acted like he was doing us a huge favor to bring it out.
Overall, we were so uncomfortable with the server and the food wasn’t enough to overcome it.
Written June 19, 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.
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