I visited 2x in the last 3 weeks. I needed to have a 2nd chicken tender plate, which I thought was close to perfect! Perfectly cooked...perfect amount of french fries and plenty of ketchup (on the table!). What more can I ask for? I haven't visited the Lobster Claw in close to 10 years. However, I was in Andover recently and passed thru N. Reading on the way home. We happened to drive by the Claw and I kept it in my mind to re-visit soon. The location is newer than I remember. It has been recently painted, new seating, lighting and ordering area. I love that they have plenty of ketchup on each table. I feel like that goes a long way to their commitment to their customers. The food was tasty. I really enjoyed my visit Vibe: family fun location Coke/Pepsi; Coke Parking: Plenty Price: Fair market (I did not get Clams) Service: Excellent ***** read more

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Bump Bump Bump, Another one bites the dust, another one bites the dust... Sadly, that is what happened to my favorite seafood place recently. Been going here for years, rarely disappointed. Recently they were closed for "renovations" for awhile. That might also mean they changed hands, sold out. In my experience, that is never a good sign, the new owners will surely ruin a good thing, they'll cut back on quality, raise prices, and change the recipes. My best guess is that's what happened to The Lobster Claw. Or they just went downhill. Went here last week for lunch. Walked in, where am I?! They now have a big divider between the seating area and ordering. You're corralled into this area first. The giant blackboard menu is gone. Now they have a small, cramped, menu above the register. I had to squint to read it all. I gave the girl my order which she got wrong THREE times. The Calamari basket, well done I said. I always used to tell them well done because it tastes better and the breading doesn't slide off the fish. Now where do I go to pick up my food when it's done? There's a sign that say's "Takeout Pickup" next to the register. Is that all one word, or for takeout orders and picking up what you just ordered? So I wandered aimlessly out of the dividing area and into the dining area. A window at the end with a sign, "BEER AND WINE." Is that where I go or is that for ordering booze and paying for it? So I sat down at a table and waited for my number to be called. I got my food pretty quick. I asked the new kid, looks like the old staff was not there anymore, for a lid and a bag for my thimbleful cup of chowder, that cost $7.00 by the way, to take home. He acted like I was inconveniencing him. This is after he plopped the tray down and spilled some of the chowder broth onto the tray. Thanks a lot Junior! Sat down to eat. Calamari...not well done. In fact it looked and tasted under done. It was chewy, and the breading was falling off. ONE tarter sauce with it. They used to give out two and then asked you if that was enough. Saving money for the renovations are we? The fries under the Calamari were soggy, greasy, cold, and under cooked as well. I didn't finish my meal obviously because to be frank, it sucked. Later on at home I tried the fish chowder. Maybe at least that will be the saving grace. Nope. It was the consistency of oatmeal, like it was put in a blender. Bland and watery as well. $ 30.00 I'm out for a meal that I could have got at Market Basket for one third the price for frozen fish sticks and a can of chowder that would have tasted better than that disaster. Next time I'm in the area and want some fish, I'll be going to McDonald's for a Filet-O-Fish meal instead. And another one gone, and another one gone, another one bites the dust...don't let them get you too. read more

The service at Lobster Claw is lovely! That lovely service doesn't necessarily mean the food is as good, though. I do not want to sound impolite, but I have been to Lobster Claw multiple times (as my parents and aunt enjoy it) and each time, the food has tasted like nothing but oil and the essence of the fryer itself. I've tried many items on the menu, from their haddock, chicken, fries, crab, etc - yet it all shares a similar oily, almost unclean taste. It lacks seasoning in general, so much so that my sister and I needed to season our meals when we got home, and even that didn't help fully. It also isn't cheap, which makes sense, it's seafood, but expensive prices for incredibly mediocre food simply isn't worth it. A majority of the food tastes the same here and is both unforgettably bland and memorably dissapointing at the same time. Wouldn't recommend if you're looking for unique flavor or good prices. read more

What a delightful place to enjoy a taste of New England. I came for the lobster roll and I was not disappointed. Comes in three sizes. I ordered the middle size. My sister ordered the smallest size. Both were ample portions and absolutely delicious. Nothing like fresh New England seafood to satisfy my craving. The set up is simple. You go to the counter, you order your meal, they call your number and you pick it up. The staff is very helpful and accommodating and they all were smiles. I love staffs that wear smiles. They have all the New England fried food favorites, the chowders, and more, but to me, it's all about the lobster. Everything looked great and tasted even better. I will be back whenever I am in town. Highly recommended. read more

SUPER disappointed in the food. Service was great. No problems. But for $50 ... this is what I got and it was the most flavorless meal I have had ... maybe ever. I absolutely loved how lightly breaded the haddock was (both the sandwich filets and the bites I ordered) but there was zero flavor. I had to add a LOT of salt to make it tasty. and the clam chowder is better in Iowa. Anywhere. No rich flavor, no old ba seasoning, had to add salt to the is as well to ramp up any flavor. I pride myself on honest reviews because I believe other diners deserve to have expectations set. So what am I missing? Why have others rates this so high? I had haddock and chowda at Hooked in Manchester on Saturday and it was what I expect here in the world's chowda capital. So disappointed. read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - Haddock bites, chowder, haddock sandwich. - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

I moved from California to Reading, MA. Of course the East Coast has some of the best seafood "mainly haddock" lol. Which I discovered in Cali, anyway I degrees. To find a fish fry restaurant with some of the best cooked seafood around made my stomach happy. I've been a patron of the Lobster Claw for 5 years and it has not disappointed. I love to order my popcorn shrimp which is not really popcorn and clam strip meal which is so satisfying. Since the restaurant remodel its always crowded! read more

Disappointed that they did not have anything that wasn't fried except the lobster roll as I was looking forward to having haddock, however, the 8 ounce lobster roll for $40 was quite delicious! The french fries were good but the coleslaw was not to my preference. My friends had the fried haddock plate and they were quite pleased! read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - 8 ounce lobster roll with fries and coleslaw. - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

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Lot s of $$$ for paperplate window servive. Great lonster roll in a bun for $;46.00

Still dreaming about these Lobster Rolls...Planning my next trip back or asking my Boo to bring me some. The ambiance is casual with lots of space to spread out. Open seating. Worth the 45 minute drive. I loved the huge bottle of ketchup on the table. Interesting wall decor, and an ice cream counter for dessert. So...if you are wanting some good seafood, giv read more

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Stopped in for scallops , ordered a small box of just scallops. Was 24 bucks . Scallops fresh, perfect fry and decent serving under today's rapist seafood prices. Tartar sauce had a nice tiny taste of honey mustard or something... good tarter! read more

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I prefer the lobster claw pre renovation. Paid $75 for a dried out lobster roll, small chowder, and a coke. Unbelievably disappointing.

My family moved to the area in 1975 and have been coming here since they opened. I no longer live in the state but this is the first place I eat dinner when I am in town. The Haddock is amazing, my mom's favorite is the shrimp, lobster roll is also good. You really can't go wrong. Staff is efficient and helpful. This is a large no frills restaurant and gets packed on the weekend but well worth the wait! read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - Haddock plate - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

Looking for lobster rolls on our way back to the airport. Lucked into this place and very glad we found it. Casual but very clean and efficient. Lots of seating. All the choices you would expect. I got the cold lobster roll, M got the hot one. You can choose from three sizes, 6 or 8 oz or two 6 Oz. Loved that! I also got a small box of fried oysters. Only tiny drawback was I would have loved a cold beer, but only soft drinks. read more

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Tried the Lobster Claw after seeing it on "What did you eat today Sir". Very disappointing. The haddock sandwich was greasy, and the freshness of the fish was questionable. It is served on a roll with nothing else. The best thing I can say about it was that is was flavorless, as I detected a slight ammonia smell. We also had the classic sized lobster rolls, these looked nothing like the ones in the video, which was clearly staged. They were OK, the bun could have been toasted with more care as the sandwich was $35 each. Chicken tenders were just average. The fries were good. read more

As someone who craves lobster all the time, i really enjoyed the simple mayo dressed lobster roll here! The lobster meat was perfectly cooked, sweet, fresh, tender, and buttery, and the bun was perfected toasted with butter. Also really enjoyed the temperature contrast of the chilled lobster meat (very refreshing!) paired with the warm toasty bun (very comforting!) As of today, their 6oz lobster roll was $28 while the 8oz was $39 (both comes with a side of fries and cole slaw). Tip: Before eating the lobster roll, go the extra mile and sprinkle some black pepper on top. It helps bring out the flavor of the lobster meat more and does make a difference. Would also suggest skipping out on the fried clams here as i found them a tad soggy and with an unpleasant oily aftertaste (they may have failed to get the oil up to temp for frying or overcrowded their fryer). Parking: Free lot parking read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - 8oz lobster roll plate $39 - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

Sooooo good! I love this place! Everything is so delicious! The inside of the restaurant is the coolest ocean theme. Service is fast. Staff is nice. Tons of options! read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - Haddock and shrimp! So good - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

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I really like the food, but the prices are weird. Some more than I expect they should be, while others are a great value. It's kind of like a takeout place, but you can sit down. There's lots of parking. we got the fish and chips type special. Tiny tiny pieces of fish that literally crumbled your hand when you went to pick them up. Most fish and chips you don't have to worry about using a fork and knife. It taste a great, it was not worth the 1299. There should've been larger pieces of fish in my opinion. we got clams as well. Those were great. Fries, and coleslaw. It was good. I'll probably be back. Easier than getting to Gloucester or somewhere else in the north for clams read more

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Great food in a newly renovated spotless environment! Service has also improved. Good luck! read more

cute place and the staff was very friendly... the clam chowder was okay (a lot of big pieces of clams which were chewy) and the coconut shrimp was a bit burnt... I would go again and maybe try something different read more

Casual order at a counter seafood shack where you seat yourself once you get your food. Everything we had was delicious. Prices for lobster were a bit high but so is everything these days. I would definitely come back! read more

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Best seafood spot outside of Boston and not right by the water. Batter is always light and crispy Great staff No frills at all read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - Baked haddock and lobster rolls - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

If they are busy the seafood tastes like burnt used grease, if you go early in the day definitely not on a Friday during lent the food is amazing. I wish they would change their grease more often. I love that they are close by, the staff is always pleasant. read more

Their lobster rolls are money! Generous amount of lobster meat on a perfectly toasted garlic bun. The coconut shrimp is equally good. Clam chowder is very rich and creamy. Service is quick and the restaurant looks like it has been modernize on the interior. read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - Lobster Roll & Coconut Shrimp - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

I have never had a bad meal there. It's been a couple of months since I was there. Some time they have a fish fillet sandwich which is really good The price was about $10 with fries We have been eating here since the 80s read more

Went for a late lunch. The fried oyster basket ($20 Mkt Price) was substantial enough that I didn't miss fries and slaw. The chowder was piping hot, thick & full of clams, but overall it didn't have a true clam flavor. It was more like a potato soup with overtones of chicken broth vs. clam juice. There were a fair amount of customers and plenty of tables. Place hasn't changed the decor in forever, so lots of mounted lobsters and fishing nets as far as the eye can see! read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - Cup of chowder and small basket of fried oysters - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

Mostly fried seafood options, except for lobster rolls, which are pretty good. A little less mayo would be perfect. Chicken salad roll used too much mayo in the chicken salad. Friend fries were crispy and salty--perfect! Onion rings were on point as well. We called in our order while driving to the restaurant, but it didn't seem that they had started our order until after we arrived and confirmed our order and paid. Surprised at how long it took for the food to come out, since we had called 30 minutes ahead. Wasn't crazy busy in the restaurant at the time. Comfortable, casual, and with plenty of seating indoors. read more

Very good! Stopped by after a work meeting and glad I did! Ordered warm butter roll and sub onion rings. Plenty of seating and staff seemed very nice. Great spot to grab and go - would recommend stopping by!! read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - Hot buttered lobster roll (sub onion rings) - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

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Haddock sandwich was great tasting and fresh I also enjoyed the clam chowder definitely worth another visit

Quality is great, lobster is fresh and the crispy baskets are delicious!! Victor pulled through on an order mixup! Great service even on a busy day Will recommend and be back! Reminds me of getting lobster rolls with my grandpa read more

The new inside has no place to wait and to see the menu letters too small. Did they change the batter was not like before disappointed

Why drive 30-40 minutes to the coast when you can get fresh seafood right here?! Never had bad food from this place! The inside is nostalgic and cute. The guys at the register and the cooks are all friendly and kind. 10/10 recommend! read more

The Trio platter is loaded with deep-fried goodness that was crispy without being too greasy. They forgot to provide any tartar sauce with our orders. The clam chowder orders are also filled to the brim of the container but it was too sweet for our liking. read more

Everything was GREAT! Halibut , Clams Lobster,Clam Chowder! Tried them all & they were all better than expectations!

Excellent! Came in for a lobster roll. 11 out of 10. It was absolute perfection! Will be back to try the fried clams.

Excellent Chowda and a fresh lobster roll. Great flavor from both and fairly priced. Service was fast and the food was fresh. Eating spaces were clean and well kept and the dining area was not too crowded or loud. Would return if in the area. read more

Lobster Claw Seafoods - Medium "Mate" sized lobster roll and small clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

The clams are spectacular and my kids love the fish and chips. The cooks and servers are very pleasant and they give you nice large portions. read more

Very small potion for the money fries were greasy need to change fry later oil Not like to use to be very skimpy for the money probably won't be going back anytime soon read more

Lived in North Reading for 24 years Recently because of a Utube video(can't remember the guy), we tried it. Thought it only had fried food. What a hidden gem! We get the baked haddock dinner 2 huge pieces of haddock to share with rice and coleslaw and a pint of clam or fish chowder. $35 bucks for 2 people. Staff are great. Food fantastic and best bargain in town. Hope they adopt a couple of other baked dinners. . Highly recommend been three times in a month. read more

EDIT: Chicken tenders are back to full size and so yummy! Good job Lobster Claw! I usually love this place, but the last two times I've gone within the past two weeks, the chicken tenders are half the size they usually are. And I mean TINY! This is something that I always get so was very disappointed that they've been changed. I would rather have them raise the price than cut the food in half. I thought the first time was a fluke, but I went yesterday and it was the same thing. Very disappointed! read more

Was very pleasantly surprised by this seafood shack in the middle of north reading! We came on the earlier side on a Friday night, and it was empty. The food came out quick and piping hot. The batter was delicious. Fries were incredible. A bit of confusion in the kitchen and needed to reconfirm my order. They don't have takeout boxes but give bags. read more