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    The Shack

    3.9 (297 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, American
    Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

    The Shack Photos

    THE SHACK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - The Shack

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    Reviews With Photos

    Hot buttered lobster roll
    Laura D.

    The atmosphere was good and that's about it. The silverware is left out, very unsanitary- who knows who might've touched it. The lobster rolls that we had were horrible. Our server checked on us and asked "is it what you expected?" insinuating that we were tourists who never had lobster before. I told him we're practically local (we live in a popular beach town about a half hour south) and we've had plenty of lobster before. He quickly walked away, almost like he knew the lobster there was horrible. It was actually flavorless, which is what usually happens when it's frozen. I don't usually complain at restaurants, so I just left it at that. The next day we got good lobster in our hometown and made our own lobster rolls that were so much better. If you're reading this and you're a tourist, please don't think this is what lobster is like. Fresh lobster is so much better. That was not fresh lobster. I feel bad for anyone who experienced lobster for the first time and had that flavorless, overpriced, probably frozen or old lobster.

    Pulled pork sandwich with Shack Fries
    Brandi R.

    Cute place just off the beach! Portable heaters (it was a little chilly)! Friendly staff! Tim was very attentive! Food was great! Music was great!

    Twin Lobster Plate
    Sharlee C.

    Late season arrival after driving across the country to have a lobster in Maine. The Shack did not disappoint. Quick service and delicious lobster. Everything we had hoped for! They even indulged us with taking pictures for us of and our lobsters. Thanks to the Shack bucket list item checked!

    Hot buttered lobster roll.
    Sheryl S.

    Good location and good food. I enjoyed the fried clams, they were not the traditional New England fried clams I'm used to. The batter was different but it was really good. Also had the hot buttered lobster roll and my husband had the regular lobster roll. The rolls are the big fluffy type brioche roll, I like the regular frankfurter rolls better. It was a lot of bread for me. It's a cute seafood shack for lunch and drinks.

    Hot lobster roll with melted butter
    Danielle K.

    My husband and I enjoyed the lunch at the shack. Looking for a restaurant that had a vegetarian option and also allowed my husband to have seafood that he enjoys. This restaurant has a patio upstairs and a patio downstairs covered. So everything is outside dining. My husband ordered the lobster roll which he enjoyed,It came with chips which he did not like. I ordered the falafel burger that was rather large. It came with a pasta salad, but I got fries instead. They were both very good and would recommend to come back. My husband ordered a blueberry lemonade, but did not like it. It did not taste like lemonade. It was more of a blueberry refresher. I actually liked it and drink it

    Our meal
    Anais C.

    Here visiting Old Orchard Beach from NJ. The Shack was near our hotel and we decided to try it. The ambiance was tranquile. The waiter was pleasant and had good suggestions. The food was very tasty, I got the patty with lobster, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes with pasta salad. It was delicious I definitely recommend it. My partner got the dinner combo with fried clams and fried oysters. The fried clams were good but not the fried oysters. It's had an after taste that wasn't pleasant. French fries were good.

    Lobster roll with chips included
    Beth O.

    Little bit of a wait but it was communicated nicely by hostess and it was clear by how busy they were. Me and my daughter split a clam chowder. It had a good taste. Definitely had bacon and good seasoning. It wasn't thick like I'm used too but I did enjoy the taste. Also very little crab which surprised me. Lobster rolls were fresh and had a nice sweet, clean taste, light on mayo and buns were fresh. I was disappointed to see that it only came up chips and to get fries we had to pay an extra charge (I believe $3 each). They were good not outstanding but better than having chips. I did get the big bucket drink (I can't remember the name) but was nice and refreshing and I feel like it was worth the cost of it. All the servers were very pleasant and quick to handle our questions or anyone else's. I would definitely return to this restaurant.

    Fish and chips platter with snack portion chowder
    Rodrigo G.

    Casual and open, with kind staff, the shack was a great highlight to our visit in Old Orchard Beach. Portions are hefty and perfectly cooked, with great accommodations made to our party (kids, restrictions and dislikes included). Not cheap, but certainly worth it.

    Fish n' chips
    Jeannette B.

    After experiencing a bad batch of seafood, we chose to look at yelp for good seafood restaurants while on vacation. We found this place because of the 4 star reviews. At first, we were hesitant because the place looked a little rundown. It is a "shack" but I couldn't help wonder why there was mold on my menu. Really, the paper was mouldy. However, I ordered the lobster tempura roll and it was fantastic! The fish n'chips were delicious, too. The lobster roll was served on a brioche bun and fried first, with the lobster tempura in the middle. The tempura was then topped with a mildly spicy sauce and a bacon sauce. It was really good and the seafood was fresh! The staff were friendly and the ambiance was okay. The food is definitely a four star, but the they lost a star for the questionably mouldy menu as I couldn't help wonder what else was mouldy. Old Orchard Beach has a lot of seafood places and some are tourist traps that are expensive with bad reviews. If you are going to spend (a lot) choose a place with good reviews.

    Lobster quesadilla

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    5 months ago

    Food was OK service was a little slow. We will try it again and give it another try. They have a patio but it was too hot to sit out there.

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    10 months ago

    takeout was fast and friendly. food was excellent. convient to Beachwood Reaoer. beautiful area

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    Page 1 of 8

    The Shack Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Shack

    Parking where is it available and is there a beach access?

    There is access to the beach and is in easy walking distance - within a few minutes. A small lot of a few stalls to the north and a large parking lot to the south but it fills up quickly.

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    Big Daddy's Bar & Grill

    Big Daddy's Bar & Grill

    4.3(178 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Big Daddys on Old Orchard Beach did not disappoint. I started with the crab cakes and a house…read moresalad. Those crab cakes were all crab, no filler, just the way they should be. For my entree, I had the glazed salmon with coconut curry. The salmon was cooked perfectly, and the coconut curry was rich and flavorful. I am a coconut curry lover through and through, and the only thing that would have taken it over the top for me would be a little ginger and a touch of scotch bonnet for that gentle kick. The service was outstanding. Marissa was incredible, attentive, friendly, and full of great recommendations. I will definitely be back when I visit next summer. Just a heads up, they do not take reservations and the place is small, so be prepared for a bit of a wait. It is worth it.

    Between my in-laws and my partner and I, we've probably eaten here over a dozen times over the last…read morefew years. Big Daddy's has THE BEST mussels in southern Maine. Specifically, their spicy mussels. Their seafood is locally sourced, fresh, and the sauce is out of this world flavorful, creamy, and the perfect broth for the tender tender mussels. I've given myself heartburn a couple times housing these spicy mussels with their delicious spicy margaritas and it has been worth it everytime. I will come back for these mussels as long as they serve them and I have a mouth for eating them.

    Photos
    Big Daddy's Bar & Grill - Second floor seating

    Second floor seating

    Big Daddy's Bar & Grill - Lobstah roll

    Lobstah roll

    Big Daddy's Bar & Grill - Jada in a hammock

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    Jada in a hammock

    Joseph's By The Sea

    Joseph's By The Sea

    3.9(339 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Myself and family had a wonderful dinner here! The service was absolutely fabulous! Special…read moreshoutout to Kelsey, who was friendly, attentive, and made sure everything was perfect throughout our meal. We started with the fresh calamari appetizer, which was light, crispy, and so tasty, and the fresh pear salad was a refreshing, flavorful start. For my entrée, I had the stuffed lobster with scallops, and it was delish! The lobster was succulent, perfectly cooked, and truly a treat for dinner. It was served with fresh veggies and potatoes. My fiancé and future sister-in-law ordered the "Best of Both Worlds" which was steak and lobster; it was a nice combo, but they both agreed the steak was just okay and didn't really need the chimichurri sauce. My future brother-in-law really enjoyed his haddock entrée....he said it was fresh and well-prepared. We finished the meal by sharing desserts; cheesecake, key lime pie, and chocolate mousse cake, and every bite was yummy! All in all, a great and yummy meal by the water with fabulous service and fresh, delicious food. We'll definitely be back!

    The service wasn't bad, but you could tell that they didn't want to be there…read more The food was good, but not great. The price really didn't live up to the hype. We started with bread service and a salad both were good and then I had a filet which was undercooked but no biggie and she had the chicken breast that was ok. The views of the ocean are outstanding.

    Photos
    Joseph's By The Sea - Host stand

    Host stand

    Joseph's By The Sea - Salmon

    Salmon

    Joseph's By The Sea - The rooftop

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    The rooftop

    The Brunswick - Nachos. Big serving, I'd say good for 4-6 people.

    The Brunswick

    3.3(121 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    There's something telling about a place the moment you walk in, and here, it isn't subtle. You're…read moremet with the lingering scent of beer soaked into the floor from nights that were clearly busier than anyone could properly manage. Now, most people would interpret that as neglect. But that's not quite right. It's evidence. Evidence that this is a place that has been tested, repeatedly, and continues to operate under pressure. And strangely enough, that inspires a certain confidence. You know, almost immediately, the drinks are going to be done properly. I ordered something simple. chicken fingers with buffalo sauce and bleu cheese. Nothing remarkable, and that's precisely the point. They weren't trying to reinvent anything. They were just... competent. And competence, especially in an environment that borders on chaos, is not trivial. It's reliability. It's order, holding its ground. The service reflected that same tension. Reese, the bartender, was clearly under strain. busy to the point where most people would start to fracture, but she didn't. She held the line. And if you've spent enough time in this industry, you know that's not easy to do. There's something almost admirable about watching someone maintain composure when everything around them is loud, demanding, and slightly out of control. And that's really the essence of the place. It's loud... almost aggressively so. Packed. Borderline unruly. At one point, there was a couple engaged in what was clearly a volatile argument... infidelity, perhaps? but the noise swallowed the details. It didn't matter. The specifics were irrelevant. What you were witnessing was raw human behavior, unfiltered, playing out in real time. And oddly enough, it fit perfectly. This is not a place for quiet reflection or carefully structured conversation. It's a place where order and chaos collide and neither one fully wins. But if you're the kind of person who can tolerate that, or even enjoy it... there's something undeniably compelling about it. If you want quiet, look elsewhere. But if you're willing to step into something louder, messier, and far more alive, then this place offers exactly that. It's not refined. It's not restrained. It's something closer to a modern day bacchanal. And for better or worse, that's the point.

    Amazing bands inside and outside. Super fun vibe, awesome drinks, small menu but always great. Love…read moreit here so much that I bought a condo upstairs!

    Photos
    The Brunswick - Listening to trifecta at the Brunswick. And wiggling my toes in the sand!

    Listening to trifecta at the Brunswick. And wiggling my toes in the sand!

    The Brunswick - $31

    $31

    The Brunswick - Listening to Country Roads band

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    Listening to Country Roads band

    The Shack - seafood - Updated May 2026

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