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    Gilbert's Chowder House

    4.0 (1.2k reviews)
    ModerateSeafood
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Gilbert's Chowder House Photos

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    GILBERT'S CHOWDER HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Lobster roll with onion rings.
    David R.

    Great food for a tourist price in downtown. Small cozy place with a parking lot next door ( that isn't cheap minimum 2 hrs for $27.) The lobster BLT was the winner.

    Super Seafood Chowder
    Michael S.

    Never goes wrong. Food is so good and blazing fast! Service is friendly and full of Maine Charm!! Like most places on Old Port it has Portland charms that is welcoming and warm. Fun place to come back to.

    Maine Lobster Roll
    Karen G.

    I ordered the lobster roll. Let me tell you guys this was the yummiest lobster roll I've ever had so far. It was so fresh and it just melts in your mouth, the chips and pickled complement it nicely. The service was quick and the interior is very quirky.

    Outside
    Christine L.

    The most comforting meal in a cold day. Loved all the chowder we got, but the seafood chowder was my favorite. It was loaded with all kinds of seafood. I didn't love the lobster bisque, I thought it was a bit too buttery for me but love that you can get a small size of everything to try different flavors. Based on location, the perfect stop if going off of the boat!

    Fish and lots of chips
    Audrey G.

    My friend and I chose to have lunch here and ran j to another gal we know who said the lobster roll was excellent, she asked for it without mayo and I did the same. It was filled with cold lobster meat which was terrific. I dipped it in butter, and it was terrific! Served with chips, it was a little high, but no higher than anywhere else. My friend got the haddock fish and chips. She said her fish was flaky and delish. Her fries were excellent, and I know because I ate half of them. The blueberry pie she had was great and it came with a large mound of real whipped cream. Our server, Amanda, was a delight! Friendly, warm and so sweet.

    Melissa I.

    I decided to check this place out with my husband. We came here when it was about 105 degrees outside. It was VERY hot in the dining room. We decided to sit outside since it's by the water, and perhaps there was a bit of a breeze. I am sensitive to heat but my husband said he would not able to sit in the dining room so it wasn't just me, but that's probably the only reason why I need to deduct a star. It is a small thing for a lot of people but for me, it is quite hard on me at times and since I was in the heat all day, I just needed some place cool. The outside was still very hot but doable, and it was BUSY outside. Our server was great! She was quick, seemed like she'd been there for years (probably has, we didn't ask) and great with all the customers. I would have loved to have the chowder but again, it was way too hot. However, my husband did have the 'Seafood Chowder' in a Bread Bowl. He said it was absolutely delicious. He loved it and the portion was HUGE! I ordered the half-size 'House salad' and 'Steamed Mussels with Garlic Toast'. They were both delicious as well and also big portions. We were impressed! I would definitely recommend this place and would be back. The prices are great, the portions were big and in my opinion, way better than 'Highroller Lobster'.

    WiFi password is blueberry pie
    Nanci-Nanciele M.

    Customer service is on point! We had the best waitress! Friendly and attentive! Ambiance is very casual. They have outdoor seating overlooking the port but we chose to stay inside it was more private as no one else was in there. The homemade fresh Maine blueberry pies are so good! You have to try them! They are currently in season and were decadent! Check out my photos!

    Clam chowder
    Torri H.

    I like the chowder here because they aren't trying to imitate the stereotypical chowder. Their chowder is bacon forward, so if that is going to offend your sensibilities then skip the chowder here. I am of the philosophy that bacon makes everything better, therefore I enjoyed the chowder very much.

    Maine Lobster Roll
    Dmitriy A.

    This is my second time in Maine and second time coming back to Gilbert's. Dare I say I think they've gotten even better? I mean that seafood chowder wow! Full of seafood and flavor. Looks like maybe last time I never did the review because when I came to add it photos from last time popped up. None the less, this time got the lobster BLT and seafood chowder. That blt could've been 2 meals for me. So much lobster and delicious bacon. And the price was less than a typical lobster roll else where! Staff are always warm and welcoming. Patio is dog friendly. Even brought the dog a bowl of water! So sweet. Service was excellent. Wait time minimum. Outdoor patio is perfect especially with the pup. This place is a legend and I suggest you hit it up

    Super Seafood
    Thomas T.

    A very reasonably priced seafood restaurant in the heart of Portland. It's good quality for the price. The seafood chowder was very good with a decent amount of seafood with very creamy chowder. It came with lobster, haddock and shrimp. The seating outside is covered and you may get to enjoy some live music from next door. Our server was attentive even with the restaurant busy.

    Classic BLT
    Aaron Y.

    Food portions are huge and delicious The chowder is a must get. I got it with the bread bowl. The blueberry cobbler is also top notch. Service was speedy and friendly. Plenty of seating indoor and outdoor

    Donna A.

    Chowder dreams came true at Gilbert's Chowder House in Portland, Maine! We tried the 1/2 sandwich and small chowder combo and let's just say... it did not disappoint! Lobster grilled cheese + clam chowder Lobster BLT + corn chowder And of course, we had to try the blueberry pie! The clam chowder was hands down the best I've ever had -- rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. Everything else was delicious too, though we weren't big fans of the pie (but hey, you win some!). Definitely adding this spot to our must-return list next time we're in town! Friendly service and inside and outdoor seating. #PortlandMaineEats #GilbertsChowderHouse #SeafoodLovers #ClamChowderGoals #MaineEats #FoodieFinds #LobsterLife #CoastalCravings #ChowderLovers #TravelEats #GlobalEscapeTravel

    Elizabeth P.

    Must come to this chowder house we really enjoyed their clam chowder there oysters that were fried or bomb we also like their fish fried. It was good. I would recommend this place. It was definitely on par. We also love their blueberry pie. It was very good. I didn't think I would like it, but it was house made and so good. Good customer service and it was pretty fast for the most part. I think they do get overwhelmed with a lot of customers, but I think they did the best they can I would recommend this place for a really good seafood restaurant. The prices are around the same as local prices. They also have the Tabasco sauce on the table. I highly recommend using that for your clam chowder. It was actually really delicious. I found out in the end when other customers were using it.

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    Bite Into Maine - From left to right, The Maine, Connecticut and Picnic.  The Maine actually beat out my favorite Connecticut.  They were ALL good though.

    Bite Into Maine

    4.7(114 reviews)
    0.8 miEast Bayside
    $$

    We have a Bite into Maine in Scarborough but they're not open yet. Decided to go to Diamond st,…read morePortland location to have a flight of three lobster rolls. Maine with mayo & chives Connecticut with just butter Picnic with coleslaw, butter, celery salt. Sensational lobster rolls- love them all Extremely fresh & 4.5z seems to be plenty for me. I couldn't finish the 3rd one so I'll be eating it later. Served with cape cod potato chips. I believe that cape cod chips will be no longer. The question is what company will replace the chips?? (BTW) I didn't catch her name but the young lady who took my order was a spot on employee!! The only bad news was, I asked for a taste of the lobster bisque & sorry to say I didn't like it at all. Will I be back- damn sure about that. I'm taking one of my flights home with me to eat it later. Damn I'm in heaven. I hope Bite into Maine will add lobster ghee to their menu. HighRoller lobster ghee is the most incredible add on. Figure out how to come up with a clone.

    Had a fine but not amazing experience here. Split a large lobster roll, mac and cheese, and the…read moreclam chowder. The Maine lobster roll (mayo-based) was good with a slightly lemony flavor maybe but expensive at $41 - maybe that's the going rate but it seemed slightly high. They have a three smaller lobster roll flight but I am pretty sure it's the same price as just buying three small lobster rolls. The mac and cheese was disappointing. It had a slightly slimy texture and the pasta was mushy. The clam chowder was fine but tasted like it had been reheated and not made all that recently. I had a lobster roll from their food truck a few years ago that I ate outside on a summer day and it felt special. This visit did not feel that way and instead more of a perfunctory meal. I think more attention to detail on the sides and no lobster rolls in the 40 dollar range for what feels like a casual establishment would be improvements.

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    Bite Into Maine
    Bite Into Maine - Maine Lobster Roll (4.5-oz)

    Maine Lobster Roll (4.5-oz)

    Bite Into Maine

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    Harbor Fish Market - 4 live guys ready for the pot!

    Harbor Fish Market

    4.5(156 reviews)
    0.0 miOld Port
    $$

    Came to buy some sashimi…read more We ordered about $160 worth of tuna. Chutoro (medium fatty cut located near the belly) Best place to get fish in the area if you know what to shop for. Luckily, our friend is a fish connoisseur so she was able to find this good deal! The 3 fillets are $80 worth. We ate half that same night with some uni from another place.

    SOOOOO. CONVENIENT!!! SOOOOOOO PROFESSIONAL!!!! BEST SERVICE EVER!!!…read more 100% Recommend!!! I asked a ton of people for recommendations and Harbor Fish Market was hands down the #1 recommendation. It's apparently the go-to-spot for all your fresh seafood needs... for all locals and tourists in and around Portland, ME. It's located in the middle of the busy downtown waterfront district. They have dedicated parking spots for customers. I called while driving from Brunswick to the airport... asked to have 6 "heavy" live lobsters boxed up for travel as carry-on for my flight. The call lasted about 4 minutes... I arrived about 30 min later... walked in... box was waiting for me and I walked out to my car parked directly in front of the door. WOWOWOW!!! If I had more time or lived locally I would be there weekly to pick up some fresh seafood... there were so many options and the place was super clean and everything looked fresh. They also have an easy to use website to order local pickup or if you need something shipped to you. I flew my buddy's home with me... everyone from the TSA to Flight attendants knew exactly what was in the box and only concern was if I wanted to give them one of my "lobstas" ... my family had a delicious lobster feast that evening. https://harborfish.com

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    Harbor Fish Market - View of the dock outside

    View of the dock outside

    Harbor Fish Market
    Harbor Fish Market

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    Scales - Seafood stew

    Scales

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    0.0 miOld Port
    $$$

    Scales has really solidifed its place as my favorite restaurant in Portland, and one of my top 10…read morerestaurants of all time. Everything here is just SO good, even across multiple visits over many years. I always love that their menu incorporates seasonal flavors, while keeping their all time favorites. We've tried a number of dishes here over the years, but favorites will always include the cloverleaf rolls, grilled octopus, crab fritters, scallops, and the bavette steak. All are excellent & flavors are well balanced. On a recent trip, we tried the steamers and seafood stew. The steamers are huge and the broth is absolutely delicious. The seafood stew is tasty, rich & bold in flavors, but does get a little heavy and salty after a while. Scallops are a must - the spring pea cream had perfect freshness & earthiness that balanced out the salt from the bacon & scallops. Service here is always really attentive. The restaurant is also beautiful - perfect for a date night, girl's night out, business dinner, or even just a nicer family dinner out.

    Unfortunately Scales did not live up to the hype for us. While we were seated right away at 7pm for…read moreour reservation, the rest of the service during the evening could have been better. Our server described to us the specials for appetizers but never said anything about entree specials (maybe there weren't any?). We ordered the cloverleaf rolls, a cup of clam chowder, a cup of lobster bisque, and the maine mussels before our entrees. Both the clam chowder and the lobster bisque were just ok.. nothing special. The bisque was too sweet and had very little lobster. The mussels were the highlight of the meal. The sauce of cider, mustard and dill was very interesting and had deep flavor. The bread served with the mussels was also delicious. The cloverleaf rolls were great too, but perhaps a little too soggy/greasy from the butter at the bottom of the skillet. For our entrees we had the scallops and the halibut. The scallops were delicious- nicely seared and served with mushrooms and a green pea sauce which was bright and flavorful. The halibut however was not my favorite. The fish itself was cooked very well with a crispy skin, but it was swimming in brown butter and hazelnuts and lacked depth of flavor. It also seemed like an odd choice of flavors for a spring menu. It was served with potatoes that needed a bit more salt. We were too full for dessert and also didn't finish our meals. We sat around for a fairly long time not touching our meals without the server checking on us. Eventually we had to flag them down to get boxes and pay the check. While the ambiance was very nice, for the price and the reputation we expected more. Everything else we have eaten in Portland so far has been fantastic so it was a bit of a letdown.

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    Scales - Open concept kitchen

    Open concept kitchen

    Scales - Buckwheat brownie

    Buckwheat brownie

    Scales - Peach & Blueberry Cobbler

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    Peach & Blueberry Cobbler

    Gilbert's Chowder House - seafood - Updated May 2026

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