Lobster Claw North Reading

After losing its domain a while back, Lobster Claw in North Reading has its own website again. They have been here forever and are really an institution when it comes to fried seafood in New England.

They have a large parking lot. Look at that nice and cool mural on the side of the building.

There was a line when they opened at noon on a Sunday. Google said 11:30, the website said 11:30, but the sign on the door said noon. The website now says noon.

The interior was refurbished a few years back and is now light and airy and, of course, impeccably clean. You order and pay at the counter and then pick up your food when your number is called. The online menu is kept up to date. The water dispenser was broken today, and when I asked for a cup of water, the owner said --Just grab a bottle from the cooler. Now that's customer service!

If you go here, you have to try their chowder. Both the fish and the clam chowder are excellent. I had a big dinner last night, so I just ordered a pint of the Clam Chowder (7.95). This is how a clam chowder should be, loaded with clams and potatoes in a thick broth. Most chowders are potatoes with some clams thrown in. This one is shock full of good stuff with tender clams. You might prefer the thin chowder you get up in Essex, I don't. 06/06/21

I decided to try something else for lunch today. Krabby Cakes (3 w/ rings) (11.95). That's what the online menu said. The real choice was Basket (9) with fries or Dinner (12). I went with the basket. I asked if they used real crab, Yes but they are brought in frozen. So even with the funny name, it's real crab? Yes. It was, of course, fake crab. You could even see the red coloring that you see in the supermarket, on the pieces in the cake. I believe what I got was this product. They even state surimi seafood in the first paragraph. They were crispy on the outside and soggy on the inside. You live and learn, or in my case, don't learn. The fries are excellent, and my consolation price was a cup of their excellent clam chowder (4.50). 08/12/21

Today I went with the Shrimp Basket ($12.95) that comes with fries and an excellent tartar sauce. I got ten big shrimp that was perfectly cooked, and I think the thin batter was seasoned. The fries are also delicious. Of course I had a cup of their excellent clam chowder as well.

Calamari Basket ($11.95). Served like this, there is no way to salt the excellent fries. On the other hand, it was so much calamari that I never reached the fries. The calamari was cooked well and was really crispy. The smaller leg pieces were maybe a tad too crispy. Their tartar sauce is excellent and loaded with good stuff. This is actually a better deal than the shrimp basket and also a dollar cheaper. 09/09/21

They have a very reasonable priced Fish Sandwich, and I was going to try it. However, I have decided that fried haddock is a waste of a meal. Even if the batter is seasoned, and it rarely is, the fish itself is too bland. Reheating leftovers will dry out the fish, and it's often dry to start with.

Address: 7 Main St, North Reading, MA 01864 Phone number: (978) 664-6349

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