The Black Lobster
2 Bridge St, Salem, MA, 01970
The Black Lobster Menu
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Address :
2 Bridge St
Salem, MA, 01970 - Phone (978) 744-1863
- Website https://www.blacklobster.net/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :12:00 pm - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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James B.
Like I said when I checked in on this place that I had not been here since it was Stromberg's!!! My Wife and I met a friend for a quick lunch. We were greeted by very friendly staff, but became a bit apprehensive at the lack of patrons in the establishment. We wanted to sit outside where I found most folks to be. Our waiter was spot on with our drink order, menus and daily specials. We ordered up the following, Little Necks in the half, Mussels and I ordered The Fishermans Platter. Our food came out as we ordered our second round of drinks. The little necks looked awesome and the mussels were a very large serving and the aroma was off the chart. The server placed the fisherman's platter in front of me as a heaping mound of select items. I first checked to see, one, if the plate was enhanced by a over abundance of french fries and how saturated they were with grease from the fried seafood. I happily found that neither was a factor. My plate was cooked to perfection, Clams were sweet, Scallops moist and not chewy and the shrimp were great in size. The haddock bites were a bit over cooked, but sill very good. Yes the girls stole some clams and did comment on how good they were. Both my Wife and our friend raved about the mussels and the little necks. So, as they did to me I stole from them. The mussels were sweet and the flavor was enhanced by a cool mixture of spices that challenged me not to steal more. The little necks were FRESH, creamy and just a nice salty brine. The prices were great to the size of the potions we got. All in all a great lunch indeed. Just a note: I am surprised by other posting on The Black Lobster.. I hope this is not a Hit or Miss for us. Only Time Will Tell...
(4)Mikberly ..
If I could give this joint a half star on the food and service alone I would. Our food sat on our table LONG after we were finished eating (hours earlier)!! As far as the food.. what isn't a hockey puck is coated in a nasty grey char from a grill that can't have been cleaned since the 80s greatest hits playing on the radio first aired.. and then there's the overpricing. You can find fresher food at McDonalds. If it weren't for the outdoor patio and live music this place would be an absolute zero.
(1)Ch O.
I really like this place! The food, especially the fried clams, is EXCELLENT! The fries are great and so is the boiled lobster. Plus, the prices are decent. I only gave this place 4 stars because the inside of the restaurant is FREEZING! We eat outside on the deck, which is very nice, primarily because the inside of the restaurant is so unbearably cold! But if you want some great seafood at decent prices to eat on a pleasant deck, then this is the place for you!
(4)Stacey C.
Completely overrated and overpriced restaurant. The only positive about this place is the view (a bit marred now due to construction, but easily could have overlooked that). My son's chicken quesadilla was mediocre, and his was the best meal at the table. I ate my fries and a couple bites of fish out of my fish tacos and left everything else. I overheard another table talking about music later that night. I guess if you were just coming by for drinks and music this might be an okay place to check out. Definitely don't come for the food. We won't be going back.
(1)Jim S.
Nice place and people service at bar slow food OK not great value with coupon pretty good.
(2)janet b.
We ate here a few years ago and it was mediocre...not sure if it is the same owners but it is far from average now. We ate here last week and I had the best fish tacos EVER..plenty of hot fish chunks with just enough crunchy vegs underneath and on a soft taco shell that was so good I wonder who makes them. Even better they have a smoky.NOT Spicy chipotle mayo sauce...I had mine on the side. My husband had fried clams that were perfect. We had fries and onion rings as good as my mother made and I have NEVER said that about restaurant rings. It was a chilly day so we ate inside. Server was attentive . All in all a great time. We look forward to our next fish "fix".
(5)Robert M.
First time for dinner was last night. Server was Mary Ellen. She gave great service and great recommendations. Pecan crusted salmon was delicious!!! I had Blue Point oysters for app....I ordered 6 but will get dozen tonight as Mary Ellen served them up right with coctail sauce, fresh lemon, fresh horseradish, and hot sauce. My friend had same entree but the spicy hot calamari for app.ordered 6, tonight I order a dozen. We also had spicy fried calamari...not too spicy but just a little zing. Will try fried haddock tonight or one of their salads with lobster for an additional charge.
(5)David L.
Ok; Salem, Massachusetts. On the New England coast. Abundant fresh seafood. Waterfront location. Are you with me so far ? Don't let the intro fool you. Does the Slowski family run this place ? The only saving grace was our waitress, who was very pleasant and a decent clam chowder. Who stuffs baked stuffed shrimp with SAUSAGE stuffing ??? The most tasteless fried rice and luke warm veggies made this one of the worst seafood entrees I have ever had in my 59 years as a local. And, the 3 parties who were sat after us were waiting way too long just to order. I'm not surprised that they did not walk out. Get your act together folks. Repeat business makes for a thriving restaurant.
(2)Misty O.
I have heard this was a good restaurant and decided to try it out for the first time today . one word.. Horrible! It was not busy and the bartender was friendly, however ordering dinner we wanted a clam plate (just clams) and a small scallop platter. We got charged for a large clam platter and large scallop platter. (which is about $16.00 extra mind you! And only adds fries and onion rings. ) Instead of being an obnoxious customer we decided to roll with it as they seemed understaffed and it took a while to place our order in the first place. The clams were more chewy than bubble gum and the only way to describe the scallops were soggy. The French fries were even soggier. The onion rings also disgustingly soggy, were at a total of about 8 between both of our $25.00 meals. My boyfriend probably got about 5 little fried clams if that. I can't even imagine what the small size would have had....although seemingly understaffed it was not busy by far. Between the wait for the food and the horrible quality of it you are better off going to a place like land and sea where you pay less money for crisp and quality seafood and get it in the fraction of the time. Not to mention a portion that will actually fill you. After this experience I can't say I'd recommend this place to anyone or go back myself unless they made some major changes in the kitchen. There are many many far better places all close by that will give you what you pay for and cook it correctly.... Not to mention actually get your order right in the first place and charge you for what you want not what ever sizes and plates they decide to make an extra few dollars.
(1)Erin P.
Not bad food. I had a burger, it was fair. The fries were pretty good. My husband had a lobster roll. He likes it and said he'd order it again. The view outside was nice but the construction was blocking some of it.
(3)Amy F.
Great service! Attentive with fresh hot seafood ! Try the lobster tacos on a friday night with live Reggae ! Ya mon ! we will be back!
(4)Soccer M.
Don't bother wasting your time, or your money. The food is fair, and the service is the absolute worst I've ever seen.
(1)Bri H.
I really enjoy this place for seafood, and entertainment. However, I've had many good experiences, and bad ones. I came here just last weekend with my boyfriend and his parents. We has excellent service. The girl serving us always made sure we were alright on drinks and were enjoying our food. She was a great waitress and she made our experience here very pleasurable. The food is delicious. I've never had a complaint! The one bad experience I had was outside on the patio during my birthday. The bartender down there was very rude. I was there with a friend of a different ethnicity, and the bartender put his name on his tab as a very racist name. My friend wasn't too happy about this, and neither was I. I decided to put that past me and still go here because I enjoy the food and the entertainment so much, but I feel like it wouldn't hurt them to up their customer service.
(3)David M.
I was part of a group of 12 who had an 8pm reservation on Saturday night. Prior to coming to the Black Lobster (someone else's choice), I read the Yelp reviews with a grain of salt. That said, our experience mirrored what others described almost to the letter. You'd think that a reservation made days in advance would not be met with such surprise. No one at the host stand to greet us. One in our group had to walk around the restaurant to find someone to ask about our reservation. In the meantime, two more parties came in (we warned them and wished them luck!). About 15 minutes later, we were seated in the near empty restaurant. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that the service was spotty at best, food came out over a 30 minute period. Some were finished before others were served. Our server was very nice, and I think she did the best that she could. What I don't understand is the poor front-of-house service. If there's a manager, s/he is outside listening to the music, or just hiding somewhere. Nonexistent. If you don't mind having to flag someone down to seat you, reminding your server what you ordered when they can't remember who hasn't been served, and watching your friends eat while you wait for your meal, then I think you'll enjoy it. The food was very good, but we won't be back.
(2)H M.
Went here for an impromptu Mother's Day lunch. No wait, sat on the deck overlooking the water. The fried clams and scallops were good. Not as large of a portion I was expecting for $25. The clams were better than the scallops, service was ok, wanted a water but the waiter never came back to us until we were done, left thirsty but full. Can't wait for the summer when they have live music!
(4)A G.
I will save you the read since there's enough on here already to get through. Absolutely disgusting. That's not all, but the other reviews cover the rest. Spare your wallet and your stomach.
(1)Sara W.
Worst service ever. Walk in no one to greet you, need to wait to be acknowledged. We just wanted a drink on the deck took 3 people to talk to to get a table out there. The staff are like deer in headlights. White sangria is delicious the service is horrendous. 25 mins for a beer. Not busy. Didn't order food. Menu was overpriced. Waitress took off didn't ask if drinks were ok, went inside to bartender greeted with a what's up to ask for our check. Had to wait another 10-15 minutes to cash out. Ugh just avoid it, not worth the aggravation!
(1)Jimmy S.
I'm not sure why there are so many bad reviews, but I went here the first time ever with my family, and we had a fantastic experience. Yes, I will agree.. if you're looking for a fine dining, full house, and exceptional service, then this isn't the place for you. It's a small seafood place on the water, that's it. The food was awesome, our waiter was good as well. We order twin lobsters with a side, 19.95, can't beat that. If your gonna wine about an empty house, go home.
(3)Mike M.
the menu has been pared down extensively. Service is the worst I've ever seen it, and the food quality is horrible. I think I've had my last excursion to the lobster.
(1)Tiffany R.
I'm writing this review with a headache and a sick stomach, but I don't think I'm exaggerating anything here. I don't know why my stomach reacted so badly (I mean, I've had worse), but the food just didn't go down well. Anyways, let's cut to the chase. I ordered the england chowder and the lobster roll. Chowder was creamy, but odd--I don't drink chowder soup a lot, but it tasted really weird. I hadn't eaten lunch that day, so I gulped it down, pausing every now and then to contemplate why it tasted funny and chew on some rubbery shreds of clam. Now, the big disappointment was the lobster roll. I've gotten the lobster roll at Panera a couple times, which was quite nice, so I had some pretty high expectations for a real fresh lobster roll. Unfortunately, the bread was neither fluffy nor light. It was a sad, small sandwich that fell apart into two sodden halves after my first bite. Totally not worth $18. In the end, I picked out the pieces of lobster and ditched the bread. Thought I could salvage some of it, y'know? It wasn't one of my better ideas. The lobster was tough, rubbery, and tasteless. I thought I could dip some in butter to make it taste better, but what it really needed was some salt. And less cooking time. Oh, and the fries were slightly better. Just when it seemed like they would become a ray of hope for the dish, the fries gradually became less and less appealing. They were crispy, but too oily. Moreover, they stuck together (perhaps the starch wasn't soaked out?). I gave them to my dad. Speaking of dad, I felt bad for him. He ordered the special, but it wasn't worth the hype. He was looking forward to a nice seafood dinner (a lobster stuffed with scallops and clams to be exact), but instead he got a smallish lobster with a lack of meat in the claws and a white starchy sauce that had the texture of mashed potatoes, according to him. It was relatively cheap entree ($15), but it didn't look too good. In my opinion, it kind of looked like someone had puked clam chowder on a spread-eagled lobster. I'm sorry. Mostly for my dad, but yeah, I guess I'm just going to be honest here. On the slightly brighter side, the service was pretty nice. The waitress was friendly and popped by every so often. Calamari appetizer was light and tasty. It took a long time for the meal to get to the table and for the receipt to get processed, but the view of the beached dock and boats was alright, I guess.
(2)Christi B.
I'm giving Black Lobster 3 stars with a heavy heart. First of all, the food is fabulous. The lobster roll is one of the best on the North Shore, mussels and steamers are solid, and the atmosphere is some of the best in the area. Live music and a waterfront deck? You can't ask for more! Oh but you can my friends. Just a little bit of service would be nice. We go to the Black Lobster once a week, if not more, because we love the food but the service is some of the worst that I have ever experienced. No one greets you when you walk in or when you leave, getting a beer requires more patience than a saint has, and ordering food is always a gamble. While the food itself is delicious, there's a pretty good chance you will be served something you didn't order. I recommend the food, and we take our family there when they are in town, but we definitely make it known that the service is always going to be bad no matter how busy or slow they are.
(3)Johnny K.
We'll never eat at Black Lobster in Salem ever again! They suck and their clam chowder is even worse! Three people in the whole restaurant and they eff up our order so bad I had to drive back from the boat to have them fix it! Thanks for ruining Rachel's birthday dinner A-Holes!!!!!!
(1)Katelyn A.
My rating is on drinks and entertainment alone (have yet to have dinner or one of those amazing looking Bloody Mary's here) but I love that Black Lobster provides a "Boston like" waterfront atmosphere without the drive. $7 cover to the back patio is a bit pricey but they offer live bands, outdoor seating with the ever important heating lamps and fire pits and three bars. Would recommend it for a nice summer evening with friends
(4)Misty S.
1 star for the food, but 4 stars for a fun night of drinks and music on the back deck. I've eaten here a few times now, and I won't go back for the food. However, we do enjoy bands on the back patio. There's usually a cover (cash only) and they make very strong drinks on the cute deck out back. It's a great place to spend a weekend night, and it's always busy when I've been there. Also a great spot for people watching!
(3)Lois M.
I am not sure what was going on those other nights when guests visited but when I went to The Black Lobster on a recent Friday night I was greeted, seated and well fed. Service was friendly and prompt and the food was fantastic. The fried clams were fantastic, highly recommended. Every thing coming out of the kitchen looked wonderful. The views from the deck were relaxing and fun to watch the action on the water. Stop in for some great food.
(5)Abby H.
Wicked good Bloody Mary's! Just amazing! And they have good oysters on the half shell!
(4)Jen C.
This restaurant was recommended by a local who said everyone comes here for cheap lobster - about $10 ea or 2 for $18. I was disappointed in the bar. A good portion of the drinks on their menu had mint in them (mojitos) but the bartender told me immediately they were out of mint. And this is when they first opened. If you are not a east coast native know that this whole lobster thing is not for the faint of heart. It comes whole (including eyes) and has questionable internal parts still included.
(2)Julia M.
We had a terrific lunch at Black Lobster yesterday. We read all the bad reviews, but it was raining, we were desperate and they had parking. May be it was just our lucky day but everything was perfect. The service was excellent, portions were huge ( honestly, it was the biggest kid's meal I have seen in my life, good enough for a grown person), and the price was reasonable. And the seafood tasted so incredibly fresh. Too bad it was raining, I would love to sit on the terrace and look at the view. This place is very unpretentious but the service and food is great, and it feels like authentic New England spot. Definitely will be back.
(5)Sue S.
Portions here are good sized. My Cosmopolitan was small, no problem, I ordered two. My popcorn shrimp was plenty for a meal, even though it is listed as an appetizer. (~25). My daughter had chicken fingers, huge amount for a kid. At least a pound of chicken was left, maybe because there was some chewy cartilage that grossed her out ( at least it's real chicken). My husband spoke of sand in the oysters (not cleaned well), and a hair in his rice. Bread was delivered as requested with water in plastic cups, plastic chairs outside were comfortable enough. Mmm, $100 bill about average. The wait staff was knowledgable and friendly, and you sit right over the water. But the place lacks polish, not just because there is blaring music from below without patrons. I may go back to try the lobster pie as it sounds good, but expect something to be inappropriate with it.
(2)Meredith M.
Tucked beneath the salem-beverly bridge is a hoppin' joint you should know about Haven't eaten here so don't know about the food BUT..... The nightlife here is awesome. On a hot summer night THIS is your alternative to the overcrowded Tavern. This place draws a multigenerational group. Essentially, if your mom likes to party, she's there. When you walk down the boat ramp at 10.30 pm it's like you're crashing a wedding reception. The live band, the drunk people dancing, strangers meeting in line to the port o potties. Ok maybe less wedding reception more Toby Keith concert.... But with a pretty white tent over the dance floor. Beers are 5$. No cover charge. This is a place to bring your friends, watch them hit on cougars and stumble next door to Bill and Bobs for some fries and roast beef at midnight! This is a fun night in Salem/ Beverly.
(4)Sandra F.
I went to Black Lobster on Wednesday evening for my son's birthday. The food was great. I couldn't complain about the service because it was pretty empty. Our server, Cody, was very attentive. The bartender was courteous and came over to let us know they were out of a certain vodka, but could substitute it with another one. It took the food a little while to come out, but I figured it was being cooked per order. My son had the surf & turf with the lobster pie. Lobster pie was filled with nothing but lobster. I had the fisherman's platter. Everything on it was crisp and fresh. I would l have loved to have had a little more clams and less onion rings and french fries. I didn't give it 5 stars because the tables and booths are too small. My son is 6.4 and his knees touched the person across from him. Will I go back? Absolutely. And will ask for Cody as my server.
(4)D L.
Pure sh*t hole. Our waitress was literally high on meth. Less than one star. Run away
(1)Miss T.
Well a group us went and the service was SLOW!!!!! I decided not to eat her but out of the group comments I wasnt missing much. I did experience the service and horrible! So slow!!!!!!
(3)Charles B.
The chowder here is one of my favorites. I've even argued with their own chiefs about it being one of the better chowders I've had. He doesn't like the nutmeg. I do. So there. Oysters raw? oh yeah. Steak tips crush everyone else. by-far
(4)J C.
This place just can NOT get it right! The location is great, the setup has a lot of potential (outdoor deck seating and downstairs patio both overlooking the water, live music on patio), and the inside has a nice setup. But the service is SO PAINFULLY BAD! I've been here quite a few times, and each time I wonder why I come back again. We bought a few restaurant.com gift cards for this place but even with $25-$50 off it's not worth the trip. Trust me. Bad service once is forgivable, bad service twice is suspect, but bad service more than that is totally inexcusable. Even when the place is dead no one seats you, and if you are lucky enough to be greeted and seated be prepared to wait AND WAIT AND WAIT to be acknowledged by a server. Seriously, this happens ALL THE TIME. On more than one occasion my husband has gotten up and asked the hostess if someone was going to wait on us. And we are pretty laid back, patient people. But after 20 minutes you get pretty impatient! After that the food almost always takes FOREVER to arrive. It doesn't make any sense why things are taking so long because there are always servers that seem to be waiting around the bar, not in any hurry, and it's usually not busy. I JUST DON'T GET IT! I could honestly go on and on describing long waits, lack of service, and flat beers but I won't. I can't figure out how this place could be so bad, but it is. Don't go here. I hope this place can find a manager and staff that can actually do the job of running a restaurant, but until that time STAY AWAY.
(1)M.y. C.
Went on a weekday, not alot of people in restaurant. Told to take any table. Waited 6 mins. no waitress, went up to front asked for a server to come to table and take our order. 5 mins later young unprofessional server came, no "hello, I'm sorry ". Took order, food came reasonable time. So so, tasting, server never returned to see how things were. Won't go back and don't recommend it. Too many other places in Salem to eat at. Don't like tatoos showing on someone's exposed arms when serving food.
(2)Rich B.
Where to start........chowder "looked" good, but the fish was very tough. Got the fried clams and they were huge and also tough. Onion rings were on the burnt side. Baked scallops were on the greasy side too. Slow service and to top it all off we used an Eversave so they automatically gave themselves an 18% gratuity. Had been there before for lunch and don't remember it being this bad.
(1)Chris A.
We tried it out on a whimp and had better experiences. The food was ok, the service friendly, but slow and the ambience too loud.
(2)John E.
I'm sad to hear that it's gone so far downhill. I used to love to go to Stromberg's with my fam when I was but a wee lad. I think the Stromberg's rep is what keeps things going. Sounds like Gordon Ramsay (who has spent time in seafood) should be deployed there! Oh, speaking as a former Marine... The smell of urinal cakes is bloody revolting! We also are most content when the spirits are kept flowing:)
(2)CJ L.
08/15/2013 Was very disappointed that on Thursday night they had NO steamers! Waitress told us that they had run out the night before and wasn't replenished! Better to go there just for drinks!
(2)Michele B.
I wish I could rate zero stars. I also wish I had read the Yelp reviews and listened to the cautions of my friends, it would have saved us much irritation. A group of us decided to go here for chowder and lobster rolls. I arrived to find 5 of my party in the waiting room. As another reviewer has noted it does indeed smell like a urinal cake. I know the restrooms are next to it, but really. Not a good first impression. Upon arriving, I was told by my friends that the first two of them had arrived 20 minutes ago and informed the hostess that there would be at least 4 of us, most likely 8, with the possibility of 10. I know it's a little vague, but we weren't sure exactly who was coming. At any rate they were seated on the deck, and then "un-seated" 5 minutes later. They were told they needed at least 4 to be seated. Two more of our party showed up. Then another 2. And then me. That brings us up to 7. At this point it has been over 20 minutes and yet they have not been seated. Not only that, but the hostess had been by twice before I got there and ignored them. We spent 5 minutes debating whether we would stay or go somewhere else, at which point one of our group had had enough and left. Bil went up and asked the hostess if we could finally be seated, since we had more than the 4 required. We were told our 'entire' party had to be there to be seated. She was told to never mind as we would be leaving. As we were exiting, the last of our group arrived, just in time for the migration. Bil spoke with the manager before we left to find out why they were unwilling to seat our group. The excuse was that it would be inconvenient to "tie up" a table and waitperson while waiting for our group to fully arrive. Now, keep in mind that there were about 30 seats available on the deck and a good 6 or 7 tables free in the dining room. Hmm, I'm sure the waitstaff would have been okay with a group ordering drinks and apps while waiting for a few more people. And then more drinks, and dinners all around. I guess they pay so well they aren't concerned about losing a $200 bill. Needless to say I will never come back nor will I recommend this place to any of the hundreds of tourists I deal with every week.
(1)dino l.
I had the worst experience today here. Usually the food is great . Ordered mussels that looked like they were left over from the day before, and they just warmed them up . My wife also did not like the calamari . One positive - clam chowder was excellent and restaurant receptive to our complaint.
(1)Terri L.
They haven't learned to give good service. The food was delicious but 2 hours for lunch is a bit much. It took 10 minutes just to get them to take my cc. Then they processed the cc for 10.00 more than I wrote and it has to be appealed. Too bad their food is good because the experience there is not good.
(2)Brian R.
I used to love to get the Herb Crusted Salmon at the original Stromberg's. One of the tastiest salmon recipes I've ever tasted. Black Lobster is now really more about beer and entertainment than it is about food which is unfortunate. Great location. Mediocre food.
(2)Marianne D.
I've been a few times now and had a pretty decent experience once and a not so great experience another time. Decided to give this place another shot and won't be back again. Service was okay but the waitstaff seemed understaffed and our servers changed hands so many times that we didn't know who to turn to for what. We got the spicy calamari, which was okay. I had the clam chowder which seemed like it had maybe a half of a clam in it and just cream to go along with it. It was also overflowing and most of it landed on the plate below, which didn't make it any more appetizing. I also had a lobster roll, which came with onion rings and cole slaw. The lobster was tasty but there were a number of shells in it and the roll it was on was a soggy mess and barely toasted. The cole slaw tasted like the cabbage was wilted and there was barely any dressing on it. The onion rings were piping hot but not cooked long enough. Anyway, disappointed in the food and when it came time to pay the bill, the service took forever. I've given this place another shot and think I'm out of chances for them now...
(2)Alynne H.
I've been here twice. The first time I went for drinks on a Saturday night with a friend, and was one of the few groups there. I decided to visit again a few weeks later because the great view and the patio intrigued me. Now I realize why it was empty on a Saturday night... The service was terrible. My drink was served 15 minutes after the rest of my table. Dinner came much later, and without the sides we requested. My meal (haddock)didn't come at all, claiming that is was not ready yet. Meanwhile, the rest of my table had been served and I was brought a heap of french fries to keep me occupied. About 30 minutes later once my entire table finished eating, I was finally rewarded with my haddock and the sides that were actually supposed to come with it. However, the fish was barely cooked and was basically thrown on the plate. The portion was very small, expecially considering I waited more than an hour for it. It looked like they scraped together leftovers from someone else's plate. I would not come back here and would recommend others to take the extra five minutes to go down the road to a better restaurant on Cabot Street or downtown Salem.
(1)Marissa S.
My husband and I visited the Black Lobster after we won a gift certificate from a local blogger. The patio is amazing -- right on Beverly Harbor. We sat on the deck and enjoyed a lovely meal. We started with Calamari which was pretty good and then I had the fried shrimp dinner and my husband had a burger. This is a fried food place. If you aren't looking for fried seafood, I would pick a different location. It's a nice place for some summer drinks and fried food. The server was very attentive and when in the mood for this type of meal we will definitely consider the Black Lobster..
(4)Kerry N.
Went here with my family for some cheap seafood and water views. This place is not fancy but everything we tried was good. The fish sandwich was great, super crispy on the outside, soft and flaky on the inside. The Crabby Patty sandwich was also good. Peppery crab cake with a zippy mustard aioli sauce. Oh and the fries are batter dipped and perfectly crispy. Yum. This place is great to sit outside, have a cheap sandwich, and a beer on a nice day.
(4)Nicole M.
We will NEVER come back to this restaurant. We were the ONLY diners in the restaurant and our service was extremely slow (50 minutes to get the entree) and when finally served, our steak was RARE (requested 'medium.') When our steak was taken back, they must've put our stuffed lobster under a heater or something because when we got it back it was dry and rubbery (GROSS.) We also had their "ultimate bloody mary." The presentation was cool, but my seafood tasted funny and neither of us believe there was any alcohol in it... We were 'comped' for our experience but it was a slap in the face ($6 on a bill over $100). We received 2 different menus with different prices and were charged the highest price for our surf and turf. After our compensation, $25 gift certificate and $10 additional reduction in price for the price difference on the entrees - our bill was still over $90. That included an 18% gratuity which we would NOT have given. We did NOT get what we paid for and will definitely not recommend this location to our friends.
(1)Jonathan G.
No need for elaborate and snarky negative reviews of places like this. Each place has its role. In summation: the food isn't that great, so don't go there if you're hungry. The back deck is great on warm weekends. During the day - stick to the appetizers and nice, cold beer on a very uncrowded and peaceful piece of heaven. At night - hit the backyard for drinks/dancing and enjoy the live music on the water.
(3)Rachel M.
Love this place. Fresh seafood, great service. Can't wait for Sunday's Reggae nights on the back patio this summer!!
(5)Steve K.
The food was ok but the service bad. There where only a few customers being waited on. I would not recommend getting the twin lobsters. They where very tough.
(1)Carolyn P.
My husband and I went here last night for dinner. I should of looked on Yelp first to find the reviews. What a total waste of time and $$. We were seated outside because it was such a beautiful night, the deck was packed. After being seated our space cadet of a waitress came over and took our drink orders... no lie 15 mins later she came back with them. How tough is it to make 2 Diet Cokes... Hit button on machine, add ice.. We ordered the Lobster Bisque( actually good, not a heavy cream base) The Clam Chowder( Hubby wasn't to fond of having carrots in his chowder) and the Scallops wrapped in bacon( breaded bacon and then deep fried... so not appealing, the baked apples that came with it were the best part, it was like a little piece of thanksgiving in July).. We did order dinner Lobster Roll for me( weird, lemon zest, to much mayo, scallions and not a decent portion of lobster esp for $18.. hubby got the baked scallops( very spicy, not sure what the heck they put on them, but they weren't very good).. I think we saw our waitress once after dinner was served.. she could of cared less about her tables.. The real gem of the evening came when the bus boy was clearing the table beside us. He went to wash it down ( they use a spray bottle filled with windex or something like that... He managed to spray it all over my husbands arm, leg and back...Nice job bus boy). We really couldn't wait to leave. Will never be going back.
(1)Jonathan C.
Glad I ignored the negative comments and went here for lunch. Got the Seafarers Plate and girlfriend got the lobster. The prices were reasonable and the scenery was lovely. Got to watch boats, traffic on the bridge to Beverly, and the trains to and from Gloucester. A unique dining experience. If you don't want long waits, don't go to restaurants when they are busy.
(4)Greg B.
The Family decided to go out to eat with some friends, a party of 5. For starters the Oysters were gobbled right up,the cup of chowder was satisfying and finished to the last drop by all. The steak tips were just great and cooked as ordered. The Muscles were fresh and delicious. The Beer Battered Haddock... I will remember this for the rest of my life,cooked to a perfect goldlen brown, perfect,perfection, fresh,flakey and oh so delicious. The adult drinks seemed a bit measured but the food was just too good to make this issue. The service was solid, she was young but seemed to enjoy being there and was there when we needed her. We all agreed there was no room for desert and went @ back to listen to some live softer southern style rock. Great band to listen to,yet you could still have a conversation at the table. We just wanted to check it out (no cover if you eat there) real quick,ended up enjoying ourselves for another hour. Great food,cheerful service,comfortable style,gentile prices and good company is 5 stars in my book.
(5)Patrick P.
We went for lunch on a sunny afternoon. Drove all the way to Salem and overall I would say it was just ok. There was only one other table there when we sat on the deck. They had the waiter. We had the waitress who vanished for long periods of time. We ordered some sangria and a BudLight and it took 15 minutes. We quickly realized we had better order everything or starve to death, so we did. We started with the drunken shrimp which were good. The marinade was very tasty. The main courses were pretty good. I had fried scallops that were well cooked and not greasy. The real problem was that the waitress was no where to be seen. i had to go in to the bar and flag someone down to find her and get the check. Doubt we''ll be back
(2)Anne G.
Went with three friends and we were all pleasantly surprised given the reviews. Warm fresh rolls huge shrimp cocktail, and my scallops were big and juicy. Service was adequate. Price on the lobster special is hard to beat.
(3)Jen H.
I recently went by boat here for a meal out on the deck. It was a gorgeous night and we really just wanted to relax after a day out on the boat. Service was very slow. Took a long time for the waiter to even come over and acknowledge us. Took over 10 minutes for our beers to be delivered. By the constant presence of a manager outside on the deck talking to another table, it was very obvious that service was a major problem that day. He was apologizing profusely to one table in particular, and the table next to us was whispering about how long it was taking for their food to arrive. When the food arrived it was just ok. The chowder was the best part of the meal! I got the fried flounder and it was not a fresh piece of fish. It tasted "fishy" which is not what flounder should taste like. I also got a random fried scallop on my plate which I guess was a bonus, but I don't like scallops. Just showed careless cooks who don't check for quality before sending a dish out. My friend got a baked haddock and was very disappointed when the skin was still on the fish. I have to agree, that is a major turn off when eating fish, unless you know in advance that it will be served like that. Took a while for the check. We were given bread at the beginning but no utensils or plates. The food was okay. It's not going to be a destination place for me in the future as I was underwhelmed by both the service and food, but it satisfied my hunger that particular evening.
(2)Jared R.
I like Strombergs... I've never had any problems with them. The steaktips are great, they occasionally have twin lobsters for dirt cheap (which my wife says are delicious) They seem to have a following in the area, I'm surprised more people haven't chimed in. I hope the Bridge Street Neck renovation helps clean up the curb side for them. Being on the remnants of a demolished bridge in the armpit of the new bridge hurts the image.
(3)Eric S.
Oh, look, an average of 2 stars... what a surprise!!! Not!!! I confess (and I rarely do), sometimes I will suffer crap more than once if a relative, or a friend, just has some indestructable urge to roll in it. I'm referring, specifically, to some of the elders in my neck of the woods who remember Stromberg's from it's "Glory Days." But, something happened since then -- either the new bridge diverted traffic just enough to make a difference, or the owners passed it on to the kids, I don't know, but for LOOOONG time, something just ain't been right. So to make it easy on the eyes, I'm going to LIST the things any considering Stromberg's should know: 1. The very first thing to greet you, other than the weeds and tall grass growing out of the curb and street (I don't care if you don't own the dead end of the street; if people have to use it to park for your business, pay someone $10 to get a weedwhacker and make it presentable), is the unmistakable scent of urinal cake, right when you walk in the front door. There is absolutely NOTHING better than a mix of ineffective urinal cake, and bathroom stank to ruin even the appetite of a marine platoon that just ran 50 miles for 3 days with no food or water. 2. Then, you are next greeted by... (ready?)... NO ONNNNNNNNNNEEE!!!!! That's right. You, my dear friend, are a mere nuisance to the people standing around talking at the bar. In fact, sometimes, you can't even tell if they're employees, or customers, or employee's partners, or a liquor salesman. You just look at them, they just look at you. As if they're waiting for one of the pleasant, but harried, waiters to come seat you. There should be no urinal cake... and there should be a greeting within 20-30 seconds of arrival. 3. Despite the urinal cake stank and having to send up a flare to get seated, it is still a very wise choice to request seating inside. I know, I know, "But Eric, it's such a lovely day outside. I really want to sit outside so my aging mother can appreciate the beautiful weather." I suppose that's ok but your choice from then on becomes very limited, and very grim. a. Do you want your mother to get something to eat and, therefore, LIVE? b. Or do you want to wait forever to get ANYTHING, including a greeting, and watch her slowly starve and, possibly, DIE? I'm not kidding. The only ones happy at the outdoor seating area are the seagulls. Seriously, if you are going to risk sitting outside and are feeling pretty hungry, KNOW WHAT YOU WANT QUICKLY AND IF SOMEONE TAKES YOUR DRINK ORDER, MAKE SURE TO ORDER YOUR APPETIZERS WITH IT OR YOU WON'T BE EATING FOR A WHILE. Do not ever let the server off the hook, you must be 2 steps ahead, ordering things sooner than normal because you really run the risk of not seeing a server again for a while each time s/he walks away. 4. So, you brave the urinal cakes and the lackluster, camouflaged employees who eyeball you before they seat you and, on the way to the dining area, you have to walk by the bar. Now, I'm not gonna make a big fuss out of this, but a lot of restaurants keep the drunks completely separate from the diners. Do you want your 8-yr old daughter walking past a bunch of drunk strangers on her way to the stinky bathroom? I didn't think so. 5. I can't speak for anyone else who's been there other than the one's I was with, but on a couple of occasions, the soups were pretty salty and the fish was just so-so. If one must go here, I think they are more safe sticking to the appetizer's. But, if you can make it past those urinal cakes, chances are, you can't smell and, therefore, can probably eat anything. I wish you luck. I can't speak for the Black Lobster out back, not my kinda place. But, really, I'm not a bad guy. So, I'm going to list the things I like about Stromberg's just to be fair: 1. The seagulls. When my food arrives cold, it's kind of a saving grace to throw it to the seagulls and watch them fight for it. For some odd, low-class, reason, I can never get enough of that free entertainment. And none of the other diners ever seem to mind, probably because for the 30 minutes prior, in which we were all waiting for our waiters and food to appear, I could overhear some pretty colorful conversations that very closely matched my dining sentiments. 2. There's a couple people on the waitstaff who are very friendly. I don't know why they stay there, but, then again, I don't know why some people stay in abusive relationships. And, it's none of my business, either. But, I had to mention this so the ones who know they're nice know this isn't about them. Conclusion: Stromberg either needs to be completely LEVELED and have new management put up a whole new SURF N TURF restaurant; OR, they just need another serious overhaul that caters to an easy-going, middle class, crowd who simply want nothing more than a pleasant, family-oriented meal. Is that too much to ask? Oh, look, here comes their "homing seagul
(1)Gus R.
Not good at all, it's like they make the food in the microwave. We got served raw fish twice and the sides came out cold. The staff were ok but really the food is absolutely horrible. Save your money and don't bother with this place
(1)Catherine G.
My family used to love the original Stromberg's. Before the new bridge got built, it was on the left side of the old Salem-Beverly bridge as you drove from Salem to Beverly. It was a landmark, like saying "Welcome to Salem," or "Last Restaurant Before You Leave Salem." Now it is under the armpit of the new bridge, and it says "Forget about me, I'm a has-been." The original Stromberg's is no more, and has morphed into different ownership and "Black Lobster" nom de guerre. Just as well. Why slur the good Stromberg name? We did try to love it, though. My parents, boyfriend and I had lunch there and the food was just okay. Bland. Teriyaki-type chicken. Fried seafood. Prices weren't outrageous for the area and type of restaurant, the food likewise wasn't anything special and the portions were average. The real kicker, not in a good way, is the layout of the restaurant. The tables are elevated up a little step, but you still can't get a decent view out the windows. The windows are too @#^* high up! I mean, you're on the beautiful Beverly Harbor, and you can't see squat unless you put two Manhattan Yellow Pages books under your ass! And that's even if you're a normal size adult. It's a very strange place. Service was average. Not as slow as many of the reviews report, but we probably were there on a good day. It was not busy but there were several other tables in use and maybe that was enough to keep the chef from nodding off. I wish these people well, but they really need to get up to speed. The summer tent beer parties are probably what's keeping the place from going under.
(2)Miguel G.
Do not ever come here, you will be sorely disappointed. I ordered the clam roll and clam chowder, which both are claimed to be award winning. By the time I received the tartar sauce my clams were cold, the roll it was served on was a hot dog bun and the clam chowder did not have one clam in it. McDonalds is more of a seafood restaurant with the Filet O' Fish sandwich than this place is and the service here is terrible, it was not crowded and our waitress was nowhere to be found. My friends that were with me agreed that this is the worst seafood restaurant that any of us have ever been too. I am so sorry that I did not Yelp this place first but we all were so hungry and just went there as a last minute decision, something we regretted later.
(1)Jennifer S.
The food's not great, the service is medium (last time we were there our server went on and on about all he had to do and the last thing he had time for was work), and the view is pretty poor. Make sure you don't get on their email list - it's impossible to get off. With all the awesome seafood restos in the area, don't bother with this one.
(1)sidney T.
Three couples went there Saturday night. None of us had been there before. Someone told us it was a good seafood place. We all ordered drinks and some starters, Popcorn Shrimp, calamari, and steamers. They were great. The waiter Ryan was the best. Then we ordered salads and our main meal. The three guys ordered Baked Stuffed Lobster stuffed with lobster. It was awesome, plenty of lobster and great stuffing. All three of us left just shells. The ladies ordered fish entrees and all commented how good they were. Then Ryan told us about the desserts and we ordered Strawberry Short and ice cream with coffee. The whole night out was great, we loved it and will be back soon.
(4)G. J.
Strombergs or the Black Lobster, whatever the hell its called now, is a mediocre restaurant to say the least. The first time I went was over the summer; I ordered some fried shrimps, calamari, clams, and fish with fries and coleslaw for take out (or to go). I was actually quite impressed with the food. It wasn't expensive and it was a great alternative to Bob's Seafood (closed down several years ago.) On the contrary, I will never ever dine in there ever again!! I went with my family and it was nice out so we ate outside on the back deck. For about $55 the four of us were treated to some crappy food. The appetizers were the only appetizing things we ate. Everything else: from my mom's limp and watery garden salad, to my heavily mayonnaised lobster roll, to my dad's bland steak was crap. And the portions were small as well! We could have dined at the Cheesecake Factory, as mediocre as that place is, and still would have been well-satiated. Perhaps we should have dined inside, I dunno. I love seafood and I would go again, but I will only order out from now on.
(2)Brad C.
This is a classic, rough, New England seafood joint. Dimly lit, uncomfortable booths, plastic deck chairs, cheap food and a blue collar clientele that provides all the entertainment. Don't order anything that requires thought on the part of the chef. Stick with simply prepared foods (eg fried or steamed) and you won't be disappointed. Tonight I had the bucket o shellfish (lobster claw, mussels, little necks, shrimp & scallops) for $28! It came in a classic tomato base that was kind of like the Irish interpretation of Fra Diaovolo. Plus Ipswich Ale draft for $4.25, I left sated, and thoroughly entertained by the guy explaining how lead poisoning slows your blood and that's why children shouldn't eat lead paint. Viva Salem!
(2)Joe S.
Crappy food for the price pretty much describes this place. Not only that, but I don't even know what half the crap they put on their food is. There was some weird dressing on my chicken sandwich, and the taste made me want to gag. I honestly couldn't eat it. Had to eat a PB&J sandwich when I got home. Oh, and the dressing was slathered on there like mud on a pig. It was all over the place. The fries were good, on the bright side. Stromberg's confounds me. Casual atmosphere, abnormally expensive. I also dislike the fish, which I found dry (along with the chicken). All in all, don't bother here.
(1)Lia M.
Strombergs AKA the Black Lobster. I really, really like it. The bar scene is fun, with bands, music, and drinking & eating outside on the patio, which is on the water & surrounded by tiki torches. The deck is nice to have dinner on. I only had an appetizer, the fried calamari, and it was good. The mussels & quesadillas looked good as well. Inside is fine, the bartender was funny when we asked for chocolate cake shots. The bathrooms are clean, though not many stalls. Definately reccomend for the nightlife.
(4)Carly M.
Let me preface this review by saying that last night's meal experience was HANDS DOWN the worst dining experience I have ever had. That said: We arrived at the Black Lobster at 7pm for our 7pm reservation. The parking lot was completely full so we parked in the adjoining pet spa lot. The signs in the pet spa lot made clear that no overnight parking would be allowed and that parking was for customers only. As the spa closed at 5:30pm, we thought we were in the clear. We entered the Black Lobster and though they had "lost" our reservation, they kindly seated us on the deck in front of other patrons who had not made a reservation. There was not a mention at all of any parking issues with the neighbors at this time or any other during the evening... Perhaps because our table had been hastily put together on the deck, we did not have utensils. When they did come, after our bread had been sitting out on the table for a while, they were filthy. As we were enjoying the clam chowder -which is quite good with a hint of nutmeg- one of my dinner companions (there were 4 of us) overhead someone at the table next to us say something about a tow truck. Sure enough, we ran to the lot and our car was ALREADY up on the platform of the truck bed. We were told it would cost us $130 to get the car from the lot or $93.00 cash on the spot -and of course the tow guy didn't have the $7.00 change.... We returned to the restaurant patio and our food was ALREADY sitting out on the table despite my having spoken to the waitress about going to the lot to pay for the tow truck. And though our food was out and already tepid, our utensils had been cleared and again we were left with just our hands to tear into our meal. The fillet Mignon (Surf & Turf $33) was burnt. The Mexican Striped Bass was completely drowned in a cheap tasting salsa with liquid practically spilling over the side of the plate. The fried Calamari plate was ok. Not too rubbery but nothing to gasp over. The steamed seafood was ok but didn't come with all that it promised though the chef did eventually come out with the missing food. While we were forcing down our meals, the woman at the table next to ours began to choke on her food. It took at least 2 people -maybe a third- to get her airway clear with the Heimlich maneuver. Yikes!! The Chef was kind enough to come out and apologize about the food -they took the steak off of the bill- but denied any wrong doing in not mentioning -by way of sign or staff- that the lot next to the restaurant was off limits. We pressed the manager for an explanation as to why the Pet Spa owner would be so bitter as to have a tow company run a 24 hour surveillance of her tiny lot and it turns out that some patrons of the Black Lobster had defecated in her parking lot and sprayed graffiti all over her property -if you go you can see the paint over... All in all, lousy food, service and a waste of a babysitters fee. I will NEVER go back!
(1)John M.
We sat on the back deck near the water, it is pretty much self service, you have to go up to the bar to order your food. (Inside there is regular wait staff). The back deck is nice, they have a dock for boaters during high tide, but you cannot get to it during low tide. On weekend nights that have music on the back deck. Food was good, nothing special. Good selection of beer, but a little pricey. A nice hang out on a nice weekend evening.
(3)Jennifer S.
I would like to add a more in depth review, but my experience w/ dinning here so closely mirrors Judi R's that it would only be a repeat and not nearly as funny. Just to put a little extra note, the chicken fingers my husband received were defiantly from a frozen bag and came to us half cooked after a substantial wait. Not worth begging the wait staff to come serve us. And FYI inside or out you will likely be ignored until flagging someone down who will swear they never saw you there, they are not your server and have no idea who is. how do these people make $ you ask....The bar and music. The bar is actually where you want to sit if you come here. The bartenders are on it! They are friendly, quick, and they have cheap but tasty food offered only at the bar apparently. They also become super packed and have live music TH-SAT. So if you come here, go to the bar first, get a 1/2 priced app and save the receipt to go down and hear the music for free.
(2)Joeli G.
Stopped by after a day at the beach. Red and white sangria was delicious. Had the calamari bruschetta..... Yum - but ask for extra balsamic over it... had it a second time and there wasn't enough. Lovely waterfront views, outdoor seating good for a small private party outside. Menu was interesting in a good way, but I wouldn't go back for dinner. Apps and beers only. Parking is limited on a busy day but you could always pull your boat up to their dock and hop off!
(3)Jenna M.
Well, the food is average bar food, but the atmosphere is bar none. You sit out back on the sand patio at patio tables with umbrellas. It's decorated for an outdoor, tropical island party. There is wait service, it just doesn't start till about 7 p.m. or so. They drinks are very very good (try the Peach Mai Tai) They have live music which is usually reggae, to complete that island feel. P.s. Technically, the back deck is refered to as The Black Lobster Tent
(4)Carla S.
Last weekend 8 friends and I came in for dinner at 8pm. It turned out to be the WORST restaurant experience I have ever had! The service was terrible, starting right from the beginning when we weren't even greeted until 25 minutes after sitting down. The food was also terrible, waited forever, the kitchen was also out of everything we wanted and the manager waited 45 minutes after we ordered entrees that they were out of steak. Everything was a nightmare- service-food and management. I would never go back. Ruined my birthday.
(1)Joe V.
One of the worst meals I have ever had. It's getting one star because I didn't throw up. I'm a big fan of chowder so I decided to try their award winning chowder. I don't know what contest this thing was entered in but it definitely didn't have much competition. It tasted like it had pumpkin spice in it. I know this is Salem but come on, we get it, Halloween. Great, keep it out of my food. Then I got the the fried clam strips and haddock. I think the chef had braces on because he/she lost their rubber bands in the frialator and served them. Every clam was like rubber and the haddock tasted like the underside of a whales belly after being beached. Save your money. Go to Dube's or into Essex.
(1)Les C.
A nice restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. If you sit indoors, the windows are about two feet above the table and make it difficult to look out at Stromberg Cove. There were four of in our party and we all ordered something different. The plates were presented will and the portions were large. The garlic bread was not very garlicky and hard. I had the Shrimp Verona and the shrimp were jumbo, but the sauce lacked flavor. My wife had the Fried Calamari and she said it was just OK. Off the dessert menu we ordered the Ice Cream Sunday. Here is the description from the menu: "Ice Cream Sundae $5 3 scoops of vanilla or chocolate ice cream with your choice of chocolate sauce or strawberries topped with whipped cream, jimmies or crushed walnuts" What we received was two scoops of ice cream with a strawberry sauce, not strawberries and about two tablespoons of whipped cream. When we mentioned this to the waitress she apologized and brought us one more scoop of ice cream. Since we do not live in the area I doubt we will return to the Black Lobster, but if we were in the area I would give it one more try.
(3)Andrew S.
All I can say about this place is bad food bad service followed closely by food poisoning... wife and I ate here one night 2 cups of chowder a fried seafood plate and lobster alfredo pasta. The chowder was ok but tasted off as if the cream or milk was bad.. the manager even made it a point to ask us how it was and say some other people complained about it. Needless to say I should have stopped the meal there. I didn't and I paid for it over the next 3 days with bad food poisoning! I will not go into detail beyond that... By the end of the meal I was so disgusted I asked to speak to the manager and after waiting 10 minutes was told he wasn't available. Even though I saw him not doing anything. I guess when its bad even the manager sticks his head in the sand... I will never return to this horrid excuse for a restaurant, bad food worse service, food poisoning, and a huge bill to top it off... the seafood they serve isn't ferry fresh either you can taste quality and you can taste crap. This was crap!
(1)matt k.
Just had an early dinner with my family. Six people with drinks for about $100. We also sat on the back deck, but we had table service (this was at 4PM on a Sunday, though). Food's OK, beer's OK, the view is pretty disappointing at low tide, though.
(3)Jimmy K.
I went to The Black Lobster with some friends on a Saturday night. I had never been there before. We sat at the bar. The bartender/server was very friendly. I started off with a Lobster Bisque which was very flavorful, and had plenty of lobster meat in it. I then had the steak tips which were excellent. They told me that they have live music outside in the summer with live reggae on Saturday nights. I'm there.
(4)t w.
Just to make it clear - I'm vegetarian..the kind that does not eat seafood. But we had a restaurant.com coupon (love those things) and SO likes to try new places. It was a Friday night around 7. We sat inside to avoid the band on the deck. The service was good - waitress was really nice. We got an order of onion rings that were good, not great. Both SO and I got sandwiches. I got the vegetarian one - mushrooms, asparagus, and goat cheese on a sub roll (usually comes as a wrap). I liked it, it was big. The goat cheese and asparagus were excellent together. SO got the Papel-bomb which is a pretty typical steak sub. It was also a large sub, so we took some home for the next day. We also got desert - chocolate ice cream was okay, a bit sad looking but tasted fine. I ordered the carrot cake which was not served with caramel sauce as described on the menu and was just okay .
(3)Judi V.
Last Saturday was the perfect "shirk all my responsibilities and head toward the water with the boy" kind of day. So... it didn't take much prodding for me to walk away from laundry and housework. We headed north toward Salem and the boy asked what I wanted for lunch. Being it was that kind of day and all I said seafood... but someplace on the water with a view would make it perfect. Ahhhhh.. the best laid plans of mice and moms... We ended up at the Black Lobster. (Who's ever seen a black lobster.. should have taken the hint I guess). After a spell the waitress came over, I can't imagine why it took so long... there were only two other tables and one other waitress. We ordered something to drink. The boy got an iced coffee and when it came he took one sip and said the feared phrase "taste this... does this taste like dishwater"? No folks, I'm smarter than that.. I took his word for it! At this point we should have settled the tab and moved on. But nooooooo we're beggars for punishment... We ordered the bacon wrapped scallops, salad and a chowder to start. The chowder was great (explaining the one star I gave) it went downhill from there. The salad was out of the bag with no added frills (and not cheap), the scallops/bacon were deep fried. They were tough and barely palatable. For a main course (yeah... we were dumb enough to order everything at once) he got the stuffed sole and I got a fish sandwich. Again... he says "taste this... does this taste fishy" ... this time fell for it and took a small bite. YEP.. he was right .. it was fishy... really fishy. Then I tasted my sandwich/fries... both very greasy and the fish looked like Gortons. Then... the realization hit... there was a strange taste to the whole plate... was that... bacon?? YEP... it was all fried in the same oil as those scallops lending a heavy bacon grease taste to all that followed... The waitress never even had the decency to come ask how it was. I suppose the fact that neither of our plates had been touched was a heads up. Needless to say we asked the other (unsuspecting) waitress for the check, squared the bill, which was pricey for two people at lunch, and left pronto. I guess I should have stayed home, did laundry and made us both tuna sandwiches for lunch. But never fear dear reader... when we came home later that evening I made a fabulous french onion soup for us!!! All was well in the kingdom despite our trip to the retirement home for crustaceans. In short.... go elsewhere!!!
(1)Kurt B.
So I have been here a handful of times to eat dinner: about two times at the bar and two times outside on their deck. I cannot recall a bad meal at the table and the prices seemed okay. At the bar on weeknights, most appetizers are 50% off. About a few years ago they remodeled the entire place, so it's pretty nice inside in my opinion. It's a dark interior, but it's nice. I've only really been in the bar area and they have some good beers on tap, although not many. The bartenders have always been very nice and helpful. You can't go wrong with the appetizers. I have only gotten the mussels and fried calamari, which were both very good. Recently I ordered the mussels in some type of coconut-ginger cream broth and they were fantastic. Probably some of the best mussels I have ever had. The calamari came served with a zesty tomato sauce for dipping and hot peppers, which I really liked. The mussels portion was huge and very filling - there were a lot of mussels for the paid price of $4.50 ($9 being the normal price). The normal price of the calamari is $9 also. My friend got the quesadillas and they looked pretty good. I wish I could provide a more in depth review, but I've only eaten here once in the past year. Otherwise, my visits here have been to the outdoor club part of the place, right on the water. Again, definitely worth a visit on weeknights to the bar for the half priced appetizers, but you can only get them at the bar.
(3)Allison P.
I'm surprised about all of the really negative reviews! My boyfriend and I stopped by for a quick lunch on our way back from Maine around noon for lunch. We were planning on going to the Anchor Pub and Grille but they weren't serving lunch until 12:30. So we ended up at the Black Lobster. The restaurant was completely empty, which we thought was a little strange. And actually we were the only people there the entire time... But we both ordered lobster rolls and were pleasantly surprised by the amount of lobster and it was really really good. The service was great (which it should have been considering we were the only ones there!) The fries were also great. The only complaint my boyfriend had was that the bread was a little soggy with the lobster roll but I didn't think it was that bad. Overall it was a really nice lunch, the waiter even asked us if the music was too loud, which it wasn't. We would probably go back and maybe there would be more people there?
(4)David S.
I met some friends there for drinks in their area outside along the water. It wasn't the prettiest place but it was a decent little spot outdoors.
(3)Greg P.
A year ago I ate here about once a month and would have given a 3 -4 star rating for it's lunch. I went today for lunch and was disappointed, I had chowder and the stuffed sole. My co-worker had baked haddock and a chowder. We both had diet cokes. First the chowder has definitely gone down hill. I don't think they can say it is award winning any more. The clams were tough and chewy, the chowder sauce was on the thin side and not much in it. Our entrees were good though pricey. The thing for me that knocked this from a 3 to a 2 was the rolls when served were squished and not warm, the chowder was sub par, and I was not offered a refill on the diet coke. Needless to say we won't be going back again. Just not worth it back to City Side diner I go!
(2)