It All Depends
Where do you go, if you're in Midcoast Maine, and you want a decent lobster roll, those exquisite whole-belly fried clams, and some tasty chowder? You might try The Lobster Pound, in Lincolnville. It has a pretty nice view of Penobscot Bay, since it's located there on the water. Before ordering our meal, we saw some good-looking platters going by, with lobsters, shrimp, and other assorted seafood delicacies. But since our taste buds we telling us to go with the morsels we had already been spoiled with along the Maine coast, we wanted more of the same. So here's what we had, along with the mini-reviews of each bit of our meal:

Steamer Clams (1 1/2 #'s) -- Excellent. Tender and moist. Just the way they should be.

Lobster Roll -- Not enough meat; too much mayonnaise. (Go to Red's Eats, in Wiscasett, for Maine's best Lobster Roll, without a doubt.) The Lobster Pund's is fairly good and fresh. But it could be bigger and more lobstery.

Fried Clam Roll -- Not bad, but too much breading. Fried clams need to have very little breading: just enough to contain, but not overpower, the tender, juicy flavor of the clams. The Lobster Pound disappoints here. Kate's Restaurant, in Rockland, has superior fried clams. (But stay away from their chowder, unless you like frozen clams.)

Clam Chowder -- Very Good. A sizeable portion of steamer clams in every cup. Great flavor. Fresh tasting. No frozen or canned clams, as some Maine restaurants shockingly use.

By all means, head out to the Lobster Pound. But don't expect that everything will meet the high standards of veteran lobster roll-eaters, or fried clam connoisseurs.

   [02 Jul 2003 08:22:11]

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Recommended Dishes: Clam Chowder

     ­Anonymous   mdhutch at earthlink dot net

Poor experience
We had a really disappointing experience at the Lobster Pound in Linconville. One salad (Caesar with Shrimp) came with no dressing as did one of the coleslaws. My scallops were dry and rubbery. Things are very expensive. I spoke to the hostess who assured me I'd hear from the manager. I have. Three out of 4 meals were poor.    [14 Aug 2003 15:56:51]

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Recommended Dishes: none

     ­Martha   

Review of Lobster Pound
Went a month ago, after the busy summer. Had a variety of things. I had a cup of fish chowder that was absolutely delicious. Not too salty or buttery. It was creamy and nice. I had a small plate of fried clams. They were delicious as well. And I also had a side salad which had mesclun greens and everything else you'd expect to find in a salad. Nice and fresh. I had a male waiter and he was extremely nice and helpful. Nice service.    [18 Oct 2003 18:06:18]

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Recommended Dishes: Fish Chowder

     ­Happy Jack   

Review Lincolnville Lobster Pound
Four people, two with shore dinners, one with haddock, one with lobster and steamed clams. People with shore dinners were disappointed because they weren't told that their lobsters would be soft shelled(less meat). The haddock was about the size of a baseball card, hardly enough to eat. The room overlooking the bay is not air conditioned and the waitress did not have the authority to roll up the plastic windows. It was extremely warm and uncomfortable She did nothing, because "Much higher ups have to make that decision" The meal cost over $200 and was not worth one fourth of that. A very poor dining experience. The waitress abandoned us because a bus had come in and handed it over to a completely inexperienced waiter.    [07 Feb 2006 20:03:16]

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Recommended Dishes: Some other restaurant

     ­Anonymous   

Fresh lobster fabulous
Our experience with the Lobster Pound is one of the reasons we have chosen to return to Lincolnville for our upcoming vacation. We have yet to have had lobster as delicious as at the Lobster Pound. Cannot wait to get back to Maine.    [20 Apr 2006 20:54:48]

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Recommended Dishes: Fresh lobster

     ­Anonymous   

The Best Baked Stuffed Lobster
I make sure I stop at the Lobster Pound in Lincolnville each time I'm up that way (at least 2-3 times per year). They have the best baked stuffed lobster I've ever had, hands down! The stuffing is fabulous, and the lobster is always cooked to perfection. I must say however, that it is a little confusing to order this dish at the restaurant, since it is often "missing" from the menu. And, if you get a new/inexperienced server like I have the last couple times, they will tell you that they can not make it for you. Don't listen to them, kindly ask that they check with the owner or manager, and you won't be disappointed, I promise! This establishment has been owned by the same family for over 50 years! The owner is a nice guy, and always nice to deal with; however, I have gotten some inexperienced servers and one "snippy" hostess once, who took my reservation, never wrote it down and when I went in, made me out to be a liar in front of other customers, which I was not happy about. I still like the food though. This restaurant was also filmed in the movie "Peyton Place" with Lana Turner back in the 50's and is frequented by movie stars who visit celebrity friends that live on the islands off Penobscott. John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Gary Burghoff, William Cohen (former U.S Secretary of Defense) and others have dined here.    [06 Jun 2007 21:36:40]

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Recommended Dishes: Baked stuffed lobster

     ­Jeff G.   

Overpriced
My husband and I recently ate at the Lobster Pound, he had the lobster stew, I had the baked stuffed haddock. He enjoyed the lobster stew but the portion was so small for $19.95 that you would have to be an anorexic teen to leave satisfied. The haddock was supposed to be stuffed with crab meat and Ritz crackers, if there was any crab meat in that stuffing I didn't taste it. The only good part of the meal was the glass of Chardonnay and the Maine blueberry shortcake.    [30 Jul 2007 10:14:22]

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     ­Anonymous   

Not worth the money
We ate the fried seafood sampler and the crab cakes. All of the fried items tasted the same. We did not receive our bread or our salads. Waiter never refilled drinks or checked back. Crab cakes were small and overly salty. Wish we read reviews before wasting one of our vacation meals on the Lobster Pound.    [07 Oct 2007 20:40:28]

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Recommended Dishes: None

     ­Shannon   

Best Place Ever
I have always had an excellent experience eating at the Lobster Pound. The ambience of the restaurant suits an older generation and style, while the food remains timeless. I highly reccommend eating the Hard shell lobster as there is less mess and more meat to the little bugger. As for the appetizers, I suggest eating the onion rings as they are lightly battered and highly delicious.
There are so many desserts to choose from that it is hard to decide. The Blue Berry Pie is a must when it is in season while the exotic Rum Liqiour Cake melts in your mouth.

Be sure to take your time and enjoy your meals. Ask the wait staff questions, I enjoyed the conversation I had with mine. Most of the time there is plenty to enjoy beyond the food.    [16 May 2008 12:42:36]

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     ­Anonymous   

Disappointed
I grew up in the area and know the restaurant only too well. I currently live in Florida and couldn't wait to take my boyfriend to the Lobster Pound. Unfortunately nothing stays the same. The restaurant was run down. The host never looked up as he threw the menu on the table and walked off. Waitress was horrible kept calling us hon and telling us this was the last year she was going to work there. Food was fair but not one thing was special. Except for drinks, prices very expensive for what it is.    [17 Jun 2008 19:43:39]

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     ­Anonymous