3Buoys Seafood Shanty & Grille
111 Cumberland Ave, Portland, ME, 04101
3Buoys Seafood Shanty & Grille Menu
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Address :
111 Cumberland Ave
Portland, ME, 04101 - Phone (207) 619-7565
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :8:00 am - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Bill L.
There are times when you are just craving something, when you get it, it just doesn't meet your expectations. Not here!! Was craving a lobster roll, this may have been the best I have ever had!! Not only that, the owner was on site and made sure everything was to our liking, very involved and helpful. Entire staff was pleasant and friendly. Will never go to Portland without stopping here again!
(5)Sunny F.
I highly recommend the lobster rolls. I was a little skeptical when entering this place but was proven wrong when our order came. The lobster rolls were filling and delicious. When in the area I will definitely be making a stop back!!
(5)Riki K.
Came here for the lobster roll...lots of lobster, loved the roll, juicy. But the Seafood Chowder with large chunks of top shelf seafood won me over.
(4)Comer J.
Great food, great vibe, great staff. Jumped in Uber from the airport and asked the driver for something perfect. We ended up at 3 buoys. He was right. Not white table cloths and wine glasses but hot fresh cooked to order seafood and a good collection of cold beer. DO NOT MISS THIS IN PORTLAND, ME!
(5)Steve J.
Just ate here a couple of hours ago. Have been waiting on this day for several months after reading the reviews on Yelp. The place did not disappoint. My wife had the small lobster roll which was very good and she said the fries were phenomenal. My daughter and I shared a large lobster roll and a bowl of clam chowder. This was the first time trying lobster rolls and we loved them. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting Portland like we did!
(5)Feng X.
This place actually opens at 11:00 am, at least for Saturdays. Great family owned restaurant.
(5)Sarah L.
Stopped in here on our way to a brewery tour and what a WONDERFUL surprise! The neighborhood looks less than great and the place is small so you're not thinking, "Hey, their food is going to be phenomenal!" But it is. I have this general impression of a lobster roll and its that they are usually over-priced for the amount you get...so naturally I ordered the large lobster roll. My fiancé got a lobster roll and this burger called "The Kraken". Needless to say, they changed my mind about lobster rolls...forever. This thing was like a foot long and was jammed full of nothing but sweet delicious lobster and very very light mayo. There was nothing else to take away from that pure delicious lobster. "The Kraken" was a double patty beef burger with lobster chunks on the top and underneath with melted cheddar and caramelized onions. Also amazing. Even the fries are home made, all different thicknesses which made a delicious compliment to our sandwiches. We were PLEASANTLY surprised with this find and will be sure to stop in every time we're in the area!
(5)Michele K.
My husband and I had to have a lobster roll while in Maine. Yelp came through with this place! We walked over from our hotel near the old port. The place was about half full at 8 pm. There are about 7-8 tables. We had a late lunch so we opted to share a large lobster roll and fries. The other reviewers did not lie. The roll was bulging with lobster meat. The mayo was so light as to not be noticeable. ( I am not a mayo fan). The roll was buttery and soft. No crappy lettuce to get in the way of the lobster-goodness here! The fries were tasty as well. Friendly staff. A perfect, simple lobster roll. Enjoy!
(5)Danny F.
Best lobster roll I've had. Owner/Manager hooked us up. We got there a bit early and had to hang around the corner bar since 3 buoys wasn't open. We got also scallops to go by the pound. The service was great and so were the people. The lobster rolls are gigantic and delicious. Highly recommend.
(5)Leah B.
Great food, Great service! We tried three of the soups, it was all fish! No potato in that chowder! Large lobster roll was perfect- so much lobster.
(5)Kim K.
Great experience - wonderful service - excellent lobsters -scallops were fabulous Owner and chef Bill was responsive -informative- kind-
(5)Anon O.
Great food, exceptional service. Really made us feel at home and went out of their way to make something my kiddo would enjoy!
(5)Jeremy L.
I'm currently at work and, as happens from time to time, all of a sudden the memories of my meal at 3Buoys started to work their way through my mind. It was at this moment that I realized I could no longer live with myself unless I immediately gave them props through the vessel of Yelp. Fortunately Yelp was not experiencing any technical difficulties, as suicide would've been inconvenient and overly dramatic. Reason 1A for my wife and I vacationing to Portland was for the local fare, and a lobster roll was of the most importance. A probably excessive amount of research led us to decide on Bite into Maine as the host for our first lobster roll experience. We were devastated when we learned of its seasonal closing, but quickly consoled ourselves with the discovery of 3Buoys' Yelp reputation. A very cold walk preceded our meal at 3Buoys, but we were quickly warmed by the "make yourself at home" service philosophy and recommended seafood chowder. We knew we were in for a hell of a meal when we attempted to place our spoons in our individual cups of seafood chowder and immediately met resistance from the plethora of different seafood varieties that made up the chowder. I could order 10 cups of seafood chowder from PA and still not come close to the amount of high quality seafood that made up that one serving. Truly delicious. The lobster rolls made their appearance at some point during my out-of-body chowder experience and I dove in after regaining consciousness. This lobster roll was everything that I wanted it to be: Fresh, creamy, juicy, buttery, warming goodness in a perfectly suited roll. They couple this slice of heaven with around 10 pounds of your choice of side(s). Seriously one of the best things I have ever eaten in my entire life. Overall, this place is perfect and the combination of amazing food, fantastic service, and extremely reasonable pricing made this one of my all-time favorite dining experiences. Pro tip: Order a cup of chowder and split a large lobster roll for every two people in your group. More than enough food and you won't waste 5 pounds of delicious sides in the process.
(5)Reema S.
Excellent place to eat right. We were in Portland for a night and went to 3 buoys to try Maine lobster rolls. We ordered the small lobster roll and it was OUTSTANDING. There was so much lobster meat on the roll, with light mayonnaise. We squeezed the lemon wedge on top and it was a carnival in my mouth! Don't get ripped off by places around the old port area. we had lobster rolls at two other places - Js Oyster and Eventide - but 3 buoys was the best tasting, best value and best quality around. The owner saw that we were cold, and cranked up the heat for us, the service was outstanding as well. Coming from the Midwest, 3 buoys made us feel welcome and we left very happy. I will def come back when I am in the Portland area.
(5)Brad B.
Awesome no frills seafood! Had the lobster bites and they were fried perfectly. Prices are very reasonable for what you get. The staff was very accommodating when my wife decided she wanted to change the order as it was almost ready.
(5)Jennah A.
Our waitress was nice and friendly. The clam chowder was yummy, the sweet potato fries were delicious but our lobster roll..... It was so tough and did not taste fresh!!!! I had the freshest lobster the same day.. Catch on the boat and within 1 hour, get it cooked and eaten so I know what fresh tastes like. And this lobster was just not it. BAD lobster roll.
(3)Mariah L.
This place is a shining example of why yelps rating system is the worst. You can get cheap food, and a bucket or trough of it here but each bite is gross. I couldn't have even two bites before I stopped. The waitress had no clue that that means anything so I paid and left. In a town flooded with restaurants you'd think you'd have to have edible food to run one. Apparently not.
(1)Cindy D.
We are traveling to Maine and yes you need a lobster roll when you are in Maine. We found this place on Yelp!!!! It's amazing . The best lobster roll I have ever had. It's cheap also. The service is flawless. They are so friendly and nice people ... I will come back when we back to Maine next time ... For all you folks out there who are traveling and looking for a real Maine Lobster!! Check this place out !!
(5)Lesley P.
HUGE PORTION ALERT! Old people need to split their plates with each other or plan to take some home. We both got clam strip plates. One had the fries and the other had the onion rings. It is a neighborhood joint and they are very nice. We saw that they had beer and soft drinks. Very good dollar value.
(4)Kevin S.
Best lobster bisque around, fisherman platter is real good , big and fresh better share . Had the Po boy last trip, can't wait to go back when in town .
(4)Patrick W.
I would recommend staying as far away from this horrible restaurant as possible. I went here with a few friends on the 4th of July after the fireworks. We ordered beers and were looking over the extremely over priced menu figuring out if we actually wanted to order something to eat. When the waitress brought our drinks I had a sip of my Sam Adams it tasted sour like it had been left out overnight. Disgusting. I went in to tell the waitress something was wrong and after I handed it to her, the owner grabbed it out of her hand, took a sip, looked at me and said "there's nothing wrong with this." I said that I used to live in Boston and I know that's not how a Sam Adams is supposed to taste. I guess that set him off. He started getting aggressive and told me "I'm from Boston. Don't waste my fucking beer. You'll drink it and pay for it!" I decided it was time to leave and headed out to the patio to get my friends. He followed me outside and got right up in my face and started yelling at me and insulting me and my friends right in front of three tables of completely shocked families. Not sure why but he told me to go into a pasture and do some mushrooms. Its hard to believe this actually happened and I have to write this review. We all left and will never return to this terrible place.
(1)Virginia F.
Fried clam strips were very fresh and strong and cooked absolutely perfectly. They came in a very large basket so be ready! My husband described the lobster roll as "last meal in prison food," the kind of meal he would request if he knew he were about ti die. He is so delighted. The large lobster roll is on a sub sandwich so if you need to eat just an unbelievable amount of fresh and perfect lobster, here is your spot. Enjoy.
(5)Satchimo D.
We were surprised to find this gem. I was with some fellas on a stag do and we needed some nourishment on our way up to the Dead River. We decided to stop in Portland with the idea to get a Lobstah roll. Of course I tried to get into Eventide, but once again the wait was over an hour. So with 4 hungry dudes I had to think quick. I remember people telling me the the rolls were good here and Yelp confirmed. So we walked to 3bouys. From our approach it looked roadside clamshacky and not too promising. Let me assure you Yelpers, this is not the case. We sat outside in the sun with some frosty beers and enjoyed one of the biggest and best Lobster rolls any of us has had. Well worth the $24. The fries are hand cut and tasty as well. We were the only ones in there which was a little weird, but I think that was due to the time 3:00. I will definitely be back to this little gem.
(4)Steve T.
I got a pair of lobster rolls, large size which came with fries. I have to say that this lobster roll was the biggest roll I can say I've ever had. It was humongous, teeming with chunks of claw. I had ordered it warm, and it came out piping hot and full, with mayo on the side. Relative to the more touristy places on the waterfront, it is a phenomenal deal.
(4)Blaine D.
Excellent food with great portion sizes, had the scallops, shrimp, and great service by Leah. Can't go wrong eating here. Expect better service and bigger portion sizes than most places here in Portland.
(5)Kristin C.
This was the first place we went to for a lobster roll and probably one of our favorite lobster rolls on the trip. 3Buoys was a little rough around the edges, but still worth the visit. As for the rough around the edges part, there was a hair in my soup; yikes, but it does happen. Also, the rough fisherman type cook had a little display in front of us. A customer complained the fried fish smelled funny, and for our humor, he took the bowl from her, sniffed it, and started chomping down on it himself. "Hmm, tastes fine to me." I wasn't sure what ever happened to the girl and her food, but it was kind of funny. Some young men came in looking for a job, and the cook (owner?) was like really guys, I can't talk to you in the middle of rush time? I thought that was kind of funny too. Somehow, it all didn't seem rude, but just seemed a part of his character. Our server was down to earth and pleasant. The parking and entrance were a little challenging. It is kind of hard to put your finger on it, but for some reason, this seems to be a good pit stop to give you a feeling of Portland and Maine, though.
(4)MK S.
Really disappointing experience. Dining while hearing the owners talk down to their wait staff was a true bummer. The wait staff made our visit and we enjoyed talking to the young girl but she was called away mid sentence from us and told by the owners she was not allowed to socialize with customers. This could have been done privately & made us very uncomfortable. Really? We were enjoying our experience and talking with her about our daughter. We could hear their conversation when she was told she was not allowed to talk to us but just take our order? There were literally two other customers in the entire restaurant. Lobster roll used mostly minced lobster meat. Cole slaw was horrible & meal pricy. We were excited to try after the yelp reviews but a huge disappointment on the experience but validated by the mediocre food. Bummer.
(2)Tom D.
We ordered the large lobster roll, whole clams, clam chowder and seafood chowder. The lobster roll was great and big enough for two. The seafood chowder was very good, but the clam chowder was bland, not very good at all. They claim the clams are famous but I couldn't tell you as the waitress never brought it to us. So we had to ask for that one to be taken off the check. The fries were soaked with grease, indicating the fryer probably wasn't hot enough. They do have draft beer, mostly varieties of Sam Adams but also Allagash White. I'm somewhat surprised by the reviews, they do have a great lobster roll but that's about it, they don't get much else right.
(3)Jessica E.
delicious!!
(5)Rose M.
Amazing experience!! Incredibly gracious owner and staff-- to 'apologize' for running out of lobster, we got 2 large free seafood plates. All of it was very tasty!!
(5)Eric F.
As good as anticipated. Humongous Lobsta roll with amazing fresh Kennebec fries. Best roll I've had in Maine
(5)Elliot P.
A small-on-the-outside-but-surprisingly-large-inside building, we thought it might just be carry-out, but actually has about 10 tables. It was empty when we went (around noon, Weekday, June), and the service was very pleasant and quick. Food was very good. Certainly not the kind of place you go when you're on a diet - huge portions, enough to fill you up for the rest of the day. A really unique, extensive menu.
(5)Marlies O.
Delightful little place to get a lobster roll without all the pomp and circumstance. Friendly, family atmosphere in a corner restaurant tucked away from the touristy spots of Portland. It's not a sketchy neighborhood either, but a real part of the city. I had the small lobster roll and onion rings, both were fantastic. The bread was perfectly toasted and the lobster was a buttery, rich delight. I loved the breading on the onion rings and the onions weren't a slimy mess like some places. If you want a real meal in a real part of the town, go to 3Bouys.
(5)Max M.
A trip to Maine for the 1st time in my life. Here to take a tour of Bowdoin w/ the 16yr old w/ 14 & 4yr olds in tow..Not too easy to please everyone in our chaotic dysfunctional group! 3 Bouys blew all of us away! We felt timid w/ our party size & the 4 yr old on the brink of a tantrum if they would want to accommodate us. We were greeted w/ a smile & sincere "Just make yourelves at home" and that was just the start of our great time. A juicy burger topped w/ a boatload of grilled lobster, fried oysters & clamstrips with a rich golden batter surfaced w/ tons of crunchy crevices & fish & chips prep that would shame a Londoner seafood chef...sum it up...YUM! & SUPER FRESH SEAFOOD These guys knock it right out of the park! & this is coming from New Yorkers..where the most critical foodies reside. For our family , 3 Bouys could justify relocating to Maine...LOVE THIS PLACE! pitols o f the ates
(5)Britney S.
Had some awesome food here today. The lobster roll and the onion rings were what I ordered and i had zero regrets. Would recommend visiting here and eating anything off the menu. Only downside is limited parking.
(4)Jessica J.
Little hole in the wall. Big fan of their lobster rolls. Enough for two people to eat with reasonable prices
(4)Jason S.
Get the large lobster roll and the seafood chowder. Share it with someone. You will be the happiest
(5)Sam O.
The burger combinations here are amazing. My favorites are one topped with loads of fried shrimp and another topped with pulled pork. I've not seen this anywhere else. The hand cut fries are just as good as the burgers. Also, order a steak and cheese if you want two or three meals.
(5)Elise W.
This place it's the absolute best. Drove up from Boston just for a bite. Highly recommended. Tell them Bill Kalwas sent you.
(5)Faye L.
The most lobster I've ever eaten in one sitting. Fantastic value--massive lobster roll. Not the best one I've ever had, but definitely delicious. Only real complaint is that the whole steamed lobsters had tough shells to crack, so I'd definitely go for the roll!
(4)Ray P.
Food-I stop here every time I'm in town for the lobster roll because it's the best I've ever had, pricey but the best and huge. Usually have to finish it later. Seafood chowder is also excellent. Decor- shanty but very clean. Don't let the outside scare you away because the food is worth going inside for. Service-very good and welcoming, the owner has a lot of experience with seafood and is happy to tell you about it. Love this place.
(5)Troy S.
Best meal in Portland so far. We had been striking out and this place delivered. The Lobster bisque/chowder was delicious and well worth the $6. This is cheaper than the other places I have seen and the cup was large than others. I would have been happy just eating this and leaving with the amount of lobster in it. Then came our meals which were huge. The Kraken lived up to its name and for $11 worth it. It is a double cheeseburger (huge 1/2 lb or larger patties) and a nice portion of lobster with a splendid spicy mayo. My burger was massive and falling apart but worth the experience. I paid an extra dollar for sweet potato fries which I wish I could eaten all of them. These were some of the best fries I have had in awhile. My wife ordered the fried shrimp with onion rings. Again way too much for one meal. She had around 9 shrimp leftover which I ate later that night while dipping it in in the spicy mayo sauce. The shrimp was lightly breaded and you could tell that they do it in house. Those were better than normal friend shrimp. Do not let the location throw you and drive away from touristy and hipster old port and try this place out. They have a few beers on tap with a way too large menu. They make their own food even with the insane menu and breakfast all day policy. The waitress was great and you can tell she was pretty new but enjoying her job. The owner was working that night along with a Somali sous chef who worked on the frying part of the job. I loved the experience here even though sitting outside wasn't all that ambient. Great place.
(5)Stephanie A.
All the food was delicious, the staff was super friendly and attentive. We had the fishermen's platter and the Fish&Chips - either one alone would have been enough to satiate even two of the biggest appetites (advise splitting one platter between two people). Lobster bisque was FULL of lobster meat and super tasty.
(4)Deb W.
I stopped by here after another seafood restaurant had an hour wait. Walked into this restaurant, saw half the Tables empty and decided to eat here since there was no wait. You get your own menu when you walk in and order at the counter. I got a large lobster roll and clam chowder to share. The lobster roll was decent size with a lot of lobster stuffed in it. The price wasn't bad at 23.95 for the large lobster roll. The clam chowder was disgusting. It had a sour taste to it and I didn't know what the source to that sourness came from. I was hoping they added lime or something and not spoiled heavy cream but I took one bite and stopped eating it in case it was spoiled milk. Didn't want to ruin my trip to Portland with an upset stomach! Growing up in New England, I've had my share of clam chowders and never have I eaten a sour bowl of clam chowder before. Service here was about a 2 star because the lady behind the counter seemed a bit rude when customers went up to order or ask for something. Overall go for the lobster roll!
(3)Heather W.
Other reviewers have commented on the sketchy neighborhood and limited parking as downsides to 3Buoys. We didn't find these to be issues at all. Our issue was with the food. First - the local craft brew was tasty. After that, the meal went downhill fast. The clam chowder was not quite can-worthy. It was peppery and the clams were the consistency of pencil erasers - and tasted about the same too. There was also this odd undertone of "burned bottom of a pot" that did not benefit the result. The three of us splitting the CUP struggled so much to avoid the clams, we didn't end up finishing it. We ordered the famed lobster rolls, as well. While they were GIANT, the lobster meat wasn't the freshest and was dry to boot. If you were in the Midwest, these might be the tastiest rolls around, but c'mon - this is PORTLAND! Additionally, at the end of one small roll and one large roll, the three of us couldn't agree whether there was no dressing for the lobster-meat...or whether the dressing just had no taste. Oh well, at least we have something to debate on our drive back home. The highlight of our food was the sweet potato fries. The highlight of the meal was the very nice and attentive server. Bottom line: this was the weakest of our meals in Portland.
(2)Kaz S.
Awesome little spot w/ great food! All plates are huge so make sure to bring a big appetite!
(5)Linda M.
The neighborhood is a bit sketchy, and the parking is not great, but the food is wonderful. The waitress was very nice. We started off with the fish chowder which was delicious. Very fresh and lots of fish in there--not just broth like a lot of tourist traps in Maine. I had the lobster roll and it was filled with lobster and delicious. The onion rings were not greasy either. My husband had the fish tacos and thought they were great as well. We saw a takeout of a fisherman's platter, and that thing must have weighed a ton. We may try that next time. Very affordable, excellent quality, and a lot of food.
(4)Larry R.
Amazing. Lobsta rolls 3 times the size of those you are usually presented with at other places in Maine - fresh, tender, cooked just right, not overcooked and reheated. You will NOT say, that's it? I'm still hungry, You will have trouble finishing these lobsta logs. All the soups and chowdas are among the best in all of New England - really. Nicely done, not greasy - tasty sweet potato fries. Generous portions, friendly waitresses and a cook who is proud of his workmanship and so he should be. Off the beaten path, but one of the best seafood dining experiences in Maine. Somewhat scruffy neighborhood and restaurant, but DEFINITELY worth the detour.
(5)Joanne G.
Lots of great food in Portland, this place's seafood among them. Try the seafood chowder: amazing meal. It's also gluten free, which was a plus for me.
(4)Rich M.
Portions were excellent overall food was great. I think they needed to change their oil as my haddock came out very dark. My wife was happy with her sampler platter. Overall we were happy with it. We could have shared 1 plate based on their portion sizes.
(4)Peter T.
Massive lobster roll. Easily 3x the meat of Gilbert's, get the small, it will be plenty. The roll is a bit heavy handed on the butter. The fried shrimp order is massive. $11 gets you north of 50 tender shrimp, but slightly heavy on the bay seasoning. Although the food is great, the venue needs polish. To me, it doesn't say character, it says cheesy, and slightly grimy. There are like 3 tables inside and the rest is a massive kitchen. Its also sandwiched between two gas stations, so not the most glamorous of locations. Parking is also tight.
(4)Anne W.
Fun place , great, friendly service and wonderful food! Best fried shrimp I've had . We started with cups of clam chowder and seafood chowder , and then shared an order of jumbo fried shrimp with sweet potato fries and onion rings . It was a ton of food - we very easily could've just shared the shrimp plate, as it was we took leftovers. We will definitely go back next time we are in Portland.
(5)Jennifer P.
Food and service was good! Location was a bit sketchy, but hey we're from the Bronx. Out of all the lobster we ate during our weekend in Maine this ended up being our favorite...yup even better than the more frequented touristy spots. Food was fresh, made to order, service was friendly and accommodating and portions were huge for the price compared to other restaurants. I recommend it!
(4)Bcmr I.
Came in for the lobster roll. It is still fabulous and the large size roll provided a generous portion for two. We also shared a Greek salad which was delicious, plentiful, great tastes and textures. Outdoor seating was surprisingly pleasant -- it's not the most scenic location. The wait staff was friendly and efficient. A completely unpretentious place to eat great food. Highly recommended.
(5)Eric L.
We ordered the fisherman's platter, lobster roll and some clam chowder. The fisherman's platter is a ton of food, enough for two people. It arrived with a huge piece of haddock, the size of a small brick. The large lobster roll is also huge and others have posted, also enough for two people. The chowder was also solid with tons of fresh clams. The service was also excellent. Everyone agreed the food was all very good, but not the best on the trip - maybe the bar is now set too high after all these great restaurants we have had this week.
(4)Daniel B.
Wow. I'm seriously seriously impressed. Got the lobster roll with fries; came out to be only $17.99 for a more-than-generous amount of lobster. Easily the best lobster roll I had during my 3 days in Maine. I was worried at first since I heard it was a chain in Maine, but the friendly service and great food won me over. Definitely coming back some day.
(5)Anders C.
A friend and I stopped here for dinner after Eventide was completely filled to the brim. We both ordered regular sized lobster rolls and shared a basket for fried calamari. The portions here were huge - neither of us were able to finish everything. The lobster roll was delicious. The fries that came with it were somewhat overdone. Calamari was great. The slices of lemon weren't sliced optimally for extracting its juices over the breading - so that was a little frustrating when the slice fell out of hand - trying to extract the juices the same way I do it with my pho. This place is somewhat of a hidden gem outside the touristy areas - but it doesn't really get any better than this.
(5)Brian H.
I don't like seafood, but my wife does so here we are. I expected that she would love the seafood and my dish would be mediocre - boy, was I wrong. The pulled pork sandwich is phenomenal with a large helping, crisp (but not burned) bun, and really good fries. So. Full. She loves her lobster role and clam chowder as well. Friendly service too.
(5)Angela L.
Coming from Boston, these portions are HUGE. My friends and I all ordered and no one was even close to finishing their plates. I split the small lobster roll with onion rings, a cup of clam chowder and the fishermans platter. So. Much. Fried. Food. Believe me, I have nothing against fried food but I always hit a wall because I feel so greasy. The clam chowder was good, but might want to get the lobster bisque instead! That probably tasted better than the clam chowder. The lobster roll was good, not the best I've had, but lots of lobster in there. The large lobster roll is HUGE. Would suggest splitting the large with someone if you do go. Not too mayo-y which is perfect. Bun is buttered :) the onion rings are massive and are very battered. The fishermans platter: comes with fried scallops, shrimp, clams, haddock, fries. I think out of the fried seafood, my favorite was the haddock and the scallops! They aren't shy with giving you a lot of everything, so... Don't be afraid to be hungry and eat lots! Only thing I wouldn't get caught ordering was the fried chicken. $1 for fried chicken wing or leg... Ehhh... Kind of tasted weird to me. Definitely wouldn't come to a seafood place for chicken. It's not well fried.. Maybe the oil is weird??! Service was good, the server always came over with anything we asked for. I would come back.. But I'm sure Portland has a lot more to offer and I'd like to try other places too!
(3)Brett F.
For its reputation as a major seafood destination, Portland itself doesn't have many true seafood shacks. Fishmerman's Grill gets the yelp love, Portland Lobster gets the tourists, and Susan's Fish and Chips gets the...brave? 3Buoys holds it's own against them. Located in an improving area of Portland (I'm being nice), 3Buoys' neon blue building is hard to miss. Inside is less divey than expected. I assumed you order at the counter and was surprised by the waitress service. We decided on sodas (all drinks are in cans/bottles) but there is a beer selection as well. The menu is enormous. Think every possible seafood imaginable (mostly fried). But that's just half the menu. There is a whole page of inventive burgers and every sort of sandwich, chicken, etc. We started with a small seafood chowder ($6.99). This was the most disappointing item we ordered. While the amount of seafood was generous, the broth was thin. The small lobster roll (a steal at $15.99) was a heavily grilled and buttered hot dog roll overflowing with fresh lobster meat. It wasn't the heaven of Bite Into Maine, but it was very good, and the heaping accompaniment of fresh cut fries were a bonus. My dad ordered the fish and chips. Each of the three lightly fried filets of haddock could have been a meal. They were well cooked and delicious. Even at "shacks" seafood is expensive in Maine. Prices here are lower than the more famous competition and the portions are huge. People seem to either really love it or hate it here. I lean towards the love.
(4)Jim H.
This is a gem that I assume is "hidden" from the tourist hoards as our Uber driver (of a few years local experience) said he never heard of this place. My chief researcher and dining companion found this place on YELP and her other "secret sources". Adorned with signs and hand painted pictures it looks like a roadside place that would prompt your passengers to say, "keep driving". The book by its cover saying applies. Man this place is "kitschy" inside and out that has indoor dining that looks into the open kitchen or go for the alfresco dining by the roadside. Get a seat and enjoy. We shared New England clam chowder chocked full of clams and some potatoes. It was flavorful but not as thick and creamy as I'm used too. Maybe this is the first time I've had this favorite made the right way! We of course over ordered and got HUGE plates of delicately fried belly clams (can't resist) that were the best I've ever had. Followed by a fabulous lobster roll the size of a hoagie filled with large chunks of lobster and a light buttery binder along with a mound of hot FABULOUS sweet potato fries. No lettuce or celery to detract from the amazing lobster which is so good it can stand alone. Wonderful friendly server who started us out with Allagash White Ales that really do go perfectly with this delectable seafood. It looks like a joint, and is a joint (what's better?) with some of the best food around. Don't miss it.
(5)Ooooo M.
Okay first stop in Maine so it will get three stars because i have to keep on seafooding.. Well it's convenient to the entrance of Portland i really liked the size and quality of my lobster roll. Service was prompt so when your starving it helps beer was cold. Grilled Haddock very good the calamari was crispy and that clam chowder was very fresh. I had a Maine lobster roll at Smorgasburg what a rip I had the real Mccoy at its house it was great. Fresh clam chowder is unique. I will let you know what I find in Camden.rock-land and Rockport soon..
(3)Tony Kangrui L.
Tucked away from the Old Port, with an aura of fresh frying oil and the raving reviews here, there was a lot of potential going as we walked in this hipster shack. Everything from the portion sizes to the way the food was put together to our waiter's smile embodied a sense of genuineness and generosity. We paid the same and got twice the variety as another seafood place down on Middle St that left us half-full. If the other place was rated $$, this should really be less than $. I would go back any day for the giant lobster roll and $1 fried chicken. For those visiting from Québec, this is really casse-croûte to the next level. Definitely a highlight of our trip to Portland.
(5)Joshua L.
When you go to Portland, you want seafood, right? That's the Portland Experience, or whatever. I mean, I eat seafood all the time so it wasn't like some novelty and we can't get lobsters in Connecticut. But I wanted the Portland Experience and this place had pretty spectacular reviews. I gotta say, if you're going to charge that kinda money for a bunch of fried seafood, you should probably have pretty good service. Cause I'm going to eventually get that bill. And I'm going to remember that you forgot I wanted onion rings. And I'm gonna remember that one of the waiters doesn't know what Porch Rocker is and accidentally called it something much, much worse. The food itself was pretty solid. I got a seafood platter style dish -- a little bit of everything. It was deep fried goodness. And it was a PILE of seafood. I mean, seriously. This is the stuff regrets are made of. But I did my best and ate a shocking amount of it. It was pretty good. I did, however, order onion rings and my waitress totally flaked on that one. And I did have a... strange... experience with an earlier waiter which I won't get into fully because I don't want to destroy anyone's life. But let's just say it was the most unintentionally awkward and hilarious moment of my trip. So... kudos to 3Buoys I guess? But hey. Good food. Good beers. Good times. You don't NEED onion rings to have a good time. But they do help.
(3)Taylor S.
This is the best tasting seafood in Portland. BEST LOBSTER ROLL AT THE BEST PRICE...There is nothing fancy about this place but the food is amazing!!! We had lobster bisque, it was super creamy with what seems like 1/2 lb of lobster meat in it. We also had the seafood chowder that was amazing with another 1/2 lb of seafood. We also had the large lobster roll and 2 boiled lobster. This was the third different roll we tried and by far the best. The boiled lobster was unbelievable. We will be eating here 2 days in a row. Don't be afraid by the outside of the building!!!!
(5)Cindy M.
I don't think I have ever been able to say this before- this place is so good and the staff so great that my husband and I ate here 5 times in the 7 days we've been here! Need I say more? Lobster rolls, grilled haddock, and so much more! And they have GF bread and batter if you want it. Heaven!
(5)Joanna Y.
Absolutely outraged by the high reviews of this establishment. Seeing 4.5 stars for a restaurant like this makes Yelp lose credibility. My husband and I took an impromptu trip from Boston to Portland in hopes to enjoy nature and of course eat some delicious lobster rolls. As we were planning to head back to Boston that evening and wanted to grab some lobster rolls before the drive down, we relied on Yelp to guide us to the top lobster roll establishments in Portland. We ended up having to pass on our first choice (Eventide Oyster Co) since it had a super long wait. We quickly looked up on Yelp where we could find another place with excellent lobster roll reviews. With our phone battery at 5%, 3Buoys popped up with just as many stars as Eventide Oyster with great reviews raving about the lobster rolls. Our hopes were high when we arrived at the restaurant and left with our blood boiling with anger. We ordered the following below - which came out to $80, including tip. 1. Bowl of clam chowder The WORST clam chowder I ever had. I would have preferred to just buy a can of clam chowder from the 7-11 across the street. This clam chowder was so bland with odd oil droplets floating on the top. There was no base for the soup - it was essentially warm water with some bland cream mixed in it. You can tell there was no effort put in to make this soup. 2. Large lobster roll Only thing good about this lobster roll was the presentation. It had a lot of lobster meat in the roll with a very toasted bun. HOWEVER, the lobster meat was just so disappointingly bland. We had to ask for extra lemons so that we could have some sort of taste in each bite. Don't waste your money here. If you're looking for a lobster roll to top off your Portland experience, go to FISHERMAN'S GRILL. You'll just have to plan accordingly since business is so good there that it doesn't need to be open past 7:30PM. It is worth the drive and whatever wait you need. 3. Large fried clams Way too much flavorless batter used. Although fried, there was no crunch in each bite. It was soggy and lacked content. We ordered a large and barely even ate half of it because it was so tasteless. We ended up having to drench it in sauce and squeeze more lemon to be edible. 4. Chicken wings (saw the unfortunate $1 chicken wing sign outside) Husband is a huge fan of chicken wings. He got duped by the $1 chicken wing sign outside. We were expecting the small chicken wings you can get at bars; the ones here were thighs and drumsticks essentially. Guess you have the option of having it fried with or without batter. Doesn't matter what options there are because you should never order it. Bland. Bland. Bland. DO NOT GO TO THIS RESTAURANT. It will ruin your time in Portland as it did for us. I'm very confused as to why there are so many positive reviews for this restaurant. Either we went when there was a new cook or people who positively reviewed this restaurant are not actually assessing the food and just mindlessly shoving it down their throat. Never going back to this restaurant ever again. I hope this review saves at least one soul from spending money on bland food that should be considered offensive to the city of Portland.
(1)Diane T.
Kind of a shady part of Portland, Maine, but the service was great and the seafood was delicious!!! My husband and I shared a fisherman's platter it had a generous portion of fried clams, fish, sea scallops and some nice plump shrimp. The fries and onion rings were fried to a nice toasty brown and were very good. My friend had a clam strip roll and there were so many clam strips that you couldn't see the roll. We would try it again if in that area. Our compliments to the cook!!!
(4)Rose L.
After seeing the high star rating for 3Buoys, I also had high expectations. We visited on a Wednesday later afternoon after paying a visit to a couple of the breweries down the street. Walking into the restaurant/shack, you will get the immediate impression that it's not the atmosphere that brings people in. Mismatched tables, tiny parking lot, assortment of nautical decorations and one open room with maybe ten tables and a counter dividing the dining room from kitchen/cooking area. Our server was nice enough when we arrived and told us to sit anywhere. We arrived around 4:30pm and the place had one other party. However, during our time the place filled up with the assortment of couples and families [they only have ONE highchair FYI, this was a problem for a couple other families]. Although two servers managed the floor, I can only imagine if we'd entered at a busier time, one of the servers, although extremely nice, seemed rather new and was being drilled by the chef's and other server. We ordered the clam chowder and a lobster roll to split with fries. Normal prices for the food, you'd think they might run lower for the "shack" feel, but the chowder was $6.99 and the small lobster roll with fries was $15.99. The chowder came out and was covered with oil and lacked simple flavors salt and pepper can provide. I actually questioned the waitress about the odd "curdling" texture of the soup and was informed that was a result of less cream that was added for a healthier soup. Interesting... Lobster roll was good but nothing that I hadn't tried before, fries were fresh but could've been from a package. I think I was just expecting something spectacular and it left me feeling "OK". Add on top of that the shacky/dirty environment, "eh" service and normal prices and you got yourself a two star experience. Honestly, this is the only place on my Portland trip that I REGRET going to [we had "Bite of Maine" lobster truck the day before and for $15.95 you can get an INCREDIBLE roll--no fries]. So skip the shack and look for other options.
(2)Col S.
This place really really hits the spot after a couple of drinks. Once again, this is a whole in the wall with limited seating and typical Maine fare. The lobster rolls are on point, scallops seared to perfection and the greasy food deliciously crisp. Props for saving hand cut fries and in-store battered onion rings. Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a lobsta roll!
(5)Virginia Y.
I was more than happy to pop my Maine local lobster cherry with a threesome between my mouth, seafood chowder and a Maine lobster roll. See, I never had seafood chowder before so I was overwhelmed with the amount of oceanic participants (haddock, crab, squid, clam and mussels). I was surprised at how much seafood was in it (definitely a bang for buck or bang in the mouth if you know what I mean.) The lobster roll was amazing, definitely superior to the lobster rolls I've had in NYC. They do not even compare. It was huge and long, (the way I like 'em) toasted on buttery white bread ( New England style.) The chunks of lobster were juicy and succulent. Everything almost hit the spot except the chowder, I'm used to my chowder being creamy and thick but it was kind of a soupy and watery texture. It's just a slight moderation they need and it'll help me hit the big O.
(4)Ajay R.
Take every dish you've eaten in Maine, fry it, then 'Murrica-size it, and you'll have an idea of what eating here is like. A basket of food from this joint can easily feed a family of 4. There is no better value for money in all of Portland. This is a tiny little joint with a small outdoor patio, and a hard working kitchen and staff. This is not about delicacy or subtlety... this is about quantity. It's not going to be the greatest food you eat in this town, but there is no way in God's green earth you are leaving here hungry. Now, here is where my review ends and a story begins, because sometimes at a restaurant, you'll witness feats of human gluttony which can only happen in America. This had little to do with my review, but it's just one of those things that you see, and just have to share: Witness the table next to us: a family of 4 with 2 normal sized kids, one normal sized wife, and one completely oversized man. They were clearly seething at the fact that they had been waiting for a really long time on their order. The staff kept apologizing, but they got even madder as each dish at tables around them were brought out. Finally, when their food was brought out I understood why. It was a veritable mountain of every conceivable fried thing on the menu. This was an act of human gluttony, the likes of which I had never before seen. There was no way these little kids could eat the enormous baskets of fish and chips presented before each of them. There is no way the wife could have eaten the gigantic pile of fried shrimp and calamari presented before her. The man could definitely eat the smouldering pile of whatever that was presented in front of him, but then out came TWO MORE baskets of other fried stuff. Now take a look at the pictures... these baskets are HUGE. I ate HALF of one basket of food after rowing around the Portland harbour for 3 hrs, and was completely stuffed. The owner/chef came out to explain that he had to use all five of his fryers running simultaneously, in order to make their order. The kitchen was not taking orders for a full 30 min while he prepared their meal. And in the end, he comp'd it! Gluttony: 1, respectable diner: 0
(3)Ashley D.
Traveled all the way from Chicago to have some lobster rolls. 3buoys was excellent! Ordered lobster roll with a chowder appetizer. Scarfed it all down. Portion size was generous. Overall great food. Service could have been better. One of the gals up front made us feel like we were an inconvenience, she was not helpful. A little downer considering how far we came to eat Maine's finest.
(4)Sarah M.
Our first stop on our vacation in Maine! We had to try the fried clams. They were tender and delicious with a light crispy batter, and the size of the order is huge! The service was super fast and friendly. Don't let the small building and parking lot keep you from coming inside. There is beer on tap to cool your thirst while you wait for your order. We plan to visit again soon!
(5)Beth R.
Just ate here. AHHHHHHMAZING! make the drive to come here! I had the crab roll and onion rings - fresh and delicious! The onion rings are hand battered. My partner had the lobster roll - perfect and huge. Fries were fresh cut. Had a local beer that was great. Service was fast and friendly
(5)Chenkai L.
What a Portland gem of a restaurant. We trusted Yelp with this recommendation and were so glad that we did! This place offered huge portions of everything they sell at bargain prices. We got a large lobster roll that was the biggest lobster roll I have ever seen, there must have been at least 2/3 lb of lobster meat in it. Normal restaurants would give you a hotdog sized bun for $20, this was twice that size for only a few dollars more! The buns are toasted perfectly and very well buttered, we also got a full pound of fries included with the order. The lobster is exactly how it should be, though I would have preferred a bit more salt, nevertheless it was great! The large seafood chowder we got was also the richest chowder I have ever seen, the cream based chowder had a LOT of seafood in it, from scallops to cod to a entire lobster claw for only $8.99, what a deal! It wasn't too many people at all when I came here for lunch on a Sunday in June, this restaurant is definitely very underrated and deserves more attention. Having tried at least 3 other high profile seafood restaurants in Portland, this is my new favorite and go to restaurant for future visits!
(5)Jf M.
Great fish and chips Fried clams are the best in town Awesome owner cook is the best!
(5)Young P.
I cannot possibly comprehend why this place received so many great reviews on Yelp. As a Yelp Elite, I am highly disappointed with the Yelp Rating system. I am strongly convinced that Yelp needs to come up with a way to control fake reviews that can skew the data so that a terrible restaurant such as this one cannot have such high ratings and reviews. I have been an advocate of Yelp for years now; my dining experience at this place finally confirmed my years of conviction in this area of improvement for Yelp. Bottomline, this place has great reviews and ratings because the only customers that eat here are locals who are friends with people who work at this restaurant. Check the facts. You will see that the MAJORITY of reviews came from people with only ONE review on their history and that is because THE ONLY REVIEW THEY EVER WROTE WAS FOR THIS PLACE. I WILL SAY THIS AGAIN BUT YELP YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE YOU LOSE YOUR CREDIBILITY AND PEOPLE START DEPENDING ON OTHER ONLINE PLATFORMS THAT DO BETTER JOB OF FILTERING OUT FAKE REVIEWS. My wife and I decided to take an impromptu day trip up to Maine. After 2 hours of driving, we looked up on Yelp to see where we can get some delicious lobster roll. This particular restaurant popped up on Yelp with 4 1/2 stars with over 600 reviews. We were confident that a restaurant with that particular kind of rating would surely be a safe place to experience that awesome "seafood Maine" experience........ummm NOT! We ordered the large clam chowder, large lobster roll, large fried clam oysters, and 5 chicken wings (I will get into this more in detail soon) Clam chowder - Chowder looked absolutely disgusting. It was legit cream water with some chopped up clams. I should have canceled all my orders upon tasting this disgusting chowder but I gave them the benefit of the doubt which I soon regretted. What kind of seafood place doesn't know how to make a good clam chowder? This should be called clam cream water because I was legit just drinking clam water. Absolutely disgusting and pathetic. Lobster roll - Are you kidding me? You call this a lobster roll? Lobster meat was left unflavored. It tasted like cold rubber. A basic understanding in how to handle seafood will tell you that you need to properly season your lobster meat in order to get the full flavor out of any seafood. This place just completely violated the first principle in handling seafood and we ended up eating cold rubber that cost us around $29. Absolutely unacceptable and mind-blowing. Fried clams - I will not comment on this other than this plate should be called "Fried Dough" Chicken wings - Okay so I saw a sign out by their restaurant that said "$1 chicken wing". I was really curious so I ordered 8 wings because normal people, when they hear the words "chicken wings", they think of your usual, everyday, normal sized chicken wings. The waitress told me that they are pretty big so in my head I was a bit confused so I just changed my order to 5 wings. When these wings came out I was freaking speechless. These were not wings. These were freaking chicken thighs. HUGE CHICKEN THIGHS. I don't mind the size. I love chicken so I will never complain about the size but what I am most pissed about is that it tasted so absolutely disgusting AND THIS IS COMING FROM A GUY WHO HAS BEEN EATING FRIED CHICKEN ALL MY LIFE. This chicken thigh seriously almost made me lose my faith in humanity. I literally thought Jesus was going to return because it tasted so bad. I legit almost wanted to return all my food plates and just leave, but I didn't want to be that a@@hole and cause a scene. To the owner of the restaurant (if you are even reading this), you used and manipulated Yelp's rating system in order to draw in people like us who depend on Yelp to check out new restaurants. Shame on you. I hope you can start doing business in more honest and genuine way. To those who gave this place a great review/rating - Shame on you as well. YOU KNOW THIS PLACE SUCKS AND YET YOU STILL GAVE FAKE REVIEWS IN THE NAME OF "FRIENDSHIP" or whatever it is you want to call it. Shame on you fake reviewers as well. To those who are thinking about going to this place - PLEASE, LISTEN TO ME AND DO NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR THIS PLACE. You can read through my previous reviews and you will see that I AM EXTREMELY FAIR AND UNBIASED in all my reviews. My dad is a chef so I know what it takes to run a good restaurant business so I am always open-minded and I only give positive, constructive criticism in hopes that they can further improve their business. But this place does not deserve such respect because this place does not operate on basic principles such as integrity, honesty, and genuine care for your customers' dining experience. Shame on you Yelp as well. As a Yelp Elite, I am extremely disappointed. I am actually really ashamed to say I am a Yelp Elite.
(1)Lillian C.
Edit: I tried three different lobster rolls (other two at eventide and fishermen's grill) and I have to say I think 3bouy's is the best! Wowowowow, incredible! Portion sizes are RIDICULOUS! Unless you're wasted, don't buy a large lobster roll and anticipate on eating it all by yourself, it's totally meant for sharing. I don't even really like cold and mayo-based lobster rolls but this one changed my mind. As mentioned elsewhere, it's a good lobster or two worth of lobster (or one big guy). The sides are massive and I would say its meant for sharing too. Amongst two people, we had a clam strip platter and a large lobster roll (subbed onion rings for fries for one) and everything was just fantastic. Clam strips were nice, juice, and hot! Even the tartar sauce is homemade with nice big pickle chunks. The total bill with two beers came out to about 50something dollars, which is really not that bad for seafood!
(5)Nicole S.
Amazing! You might not expect a lot looking at this place - and it being called a shanty, but the wonder is in the food. We loved the laid back attitude and casual dining feel. The inside gets a bit smoky since the kichen faces out into the seating area, but we sat outside on the patio which feels like you are enjoying a couple beers in your own backyard. We had the seafood chowder, fried shirmp and a regular lobster roll. The amount of food that came out was ridiculous! the regular sized lobster role was probably the biggest we have ever seen- and it came with a ton of fries. The shrimp were giant-delicious- and there were plenty of the them. The seafood chowder had sooo much seafood it was crazy. Everything was delicious and super fresh. It also has to be said the pricing is super reasonable for what you are getting. Totally recommend this place to anyone in the Portland area who enjoys seafood. Our favorite was the lobster roll but everything was super tasty. Wish they had one of these in Jersey.
(5)Joseph F.
FIVE STARS - This is the only place that I can get a Hadlock sandwich that I don't feel compelled to smother it in tartar sauce. I smother everything but it would be a crime to smother this sandwich. It was delicious and I could tell that it was fresh. Last night I had chowder and the fishermans platter and couldn't eat more than a third. It was perfect and had plenty to bring home (eating the leftovers while writing this) While we were waiting the cook brought over generous taste portions "on-the-house" of the fish chowder. Unbelievable They are small, cozy and not fancy and the food can't be beat. They have a faithful take out crowd and do a lot of business. I Used the bathroom and found it to be freshly painted and very clean. The posted note from management to customers was hysterical
(5)Christoph B.
Best chowder of my life. Period. I would brave the cold and move from California just to be close to this mans food. Also the best lobster roll I had during my week stay in New England. Who gives a shit if it is 17° outside when the food is this good. Thanks for a great meal! Single ladies- look out for the charming blue eyed young buck that works there before some New York modeling agency discovers him and turns him into someone famous (and steals his charm).
(5)Morgan L.
We ate our way across Maine this past weekend trying lobster rolls as we went. 3Buoys had the best roll from all the places we hit, hands down. I don't have enough data to say best ever, but it was definitely a great roll.
(5)Bogey S.
Delicious food, cozy little place, friendly staff....plus, the best clam strips ever!!
(5)Katherine P.
I was treated to "the lazyman's lobster" entree and my friend had a cheeseburger that was so loaded with all of the fixings that he had to eat it with a fork and knife and could barely make a dent in the mountain of fries. The portions were very verrrry generous, and great attention was paid both to the food's taste and presentation as well as to us personally in their authentically friendly service. A very memorable meal for all of the right reasons!
(5)Jenny W.
We had dinner at the 3Buoys based on the Yelp's review, but it was not as good as other reviewers experienced. We order fried oyster, and it was not fresh. It had sour taste. The large lobster roll was huge, but not as fresh as what we had from the Fisherman's Grill. The sweet potato fries was very tasty, but the regular fries are too big and tasteless. 90% of seafood selection from the menu is fried, and except cold slaw, there is no other veggie option.
(3)Helena D.
A lot of fried food... But lots if it! The haddock was really good. Not great for large groups, also not a great beer selection ( no wine either)
(3)Richard H.
My wife and I split the fisherman's platter and besides the fact that there was enough leftovers for a big lunch the next day, the quality of the food and its preparation were on par with any fried fish meal I've ever had anywhere. I consider myself a scallop snob, and would not ever normally order them deep fried, but the ones in this platter were absolutely as good as it gets, however they are cooked. The clams, haddock, and shrimp were also fresh and tasty. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Christine E.
A MUST stop if you're in the area. Best lobster I've ever had in my life, fresh clam chowder filled with clams, and a good selection of the brew. The owner and workers were extremely welcoming and greeted me with a "make yourself at home!" Reasonable prices, too - more authentic and affordable than anywhere around.
(5)Beth D.
Wow really great mate. Please no hate, great place for a date to rehydrate after a late outtake. Apreciate the phosphate in upstate charbohydrate. Very origanate breastplate seating to reincorporate a debate about a pollinate recombination. Legitimate I rate 8/8 mate. Also they make a mean lobster roll
(5)Brenda G.
Best Lobster Roll in Portland, What a treat. A great amount of fresh lobster, simple! This place is great! Its not much to look at but who cares! The food is plentiful, reasonable and YUMMY! The burgers are outstanding and the staff was very friendly and happy, that always makes my day. Go there to indulge its so worth it!
(5)William S.
I really like places like this. No frills, the neighborhood is a bit seedy, but the food is awesome. My fiance got a lobster roll that was amazing! We had a few other lobster rolls while in town and this was by far the best one. I got a fried clam platter and I have never seen such big clams in my entire life. I'm usually suspect of large clams (they're usually really tough) but these were amazing. Also fried clams are hit or miss usually, and these are definitely a hit. Sometimes fried clams are fried forever so they turn into little clam raisins. That's not the case here. All the clams still retained their wonderful flavor and were still very supple and soft. All of that said the clams were really great. Also, they serve beer. Good craft beer. Gotta love that. The only downsides that we experienced was limited parking.
(4)Molly L.
Phenomenal fried pickles! If you like fried stuff and super sized portions, this is the place for you! Extensive menus!
(4)Andy S.
The lobster roll and fries were great. The staff was friendly and they had 6 beers on tap. This isn't a fancy place but I loved it.
(5)Ellen M.
After a week-long lobster roll binge, 3bouys had by FAR the best roll around, huge roll & I got the "small" one, great onion rings & killer fried clams. Everything very fresh & staff was extremely happy, polite & professional. Next time I'm in Portland, this will be the only lobster roll place for me!!
(5)Zachary C.
Do not be fooled by appearances! The chowders and lobster roll here are the best that we had while in Maine!
(5)David D.
Just had lunch at 3 buoys with my dad. Last time I went I had a decent burger so I figure I'll try chowder. Its rainy and chilly. Sounds good, right? It consisted of canned clams, which are usually ok in chowder, if there are other things in it, like potatoes, onions, I don't know, salt, pepper... It was cream butter and canned clams... So, being from Maine and having an inkling that there are supposed to be POTATOES IN FUCKING CHOWDER, I asked the server/ counter dude if this is true. He confirms! I say thanks. He takes a few steps back and talks to the douchenozzle making the food. I hear, "nah dude, just seafood" yelled into the otherwise vacant front of house, that was soon vacated by us as well before rage took hold. Paid full price. Not going back...
(1)Sean P.
My mom flew in from Texas to BDL Connecticut and wanted lobster. We decided to go to Maine and didn't have an exact destination in mind. This place had good reviews and was close to our hotel and it did not let us down. They had the best lobster roll ever! We had a side of fried shrimp that was cooked to perfection! I highly recommend this place it's well worth the drive!
(5)hrag a.
I don't understand why there isn't a line out the door at this restaurant. I come to Portland once a year for work and I make sure I stop here each year. I always get the small lobster roll for $15.99 and it stuffs me.
(5)Virna V.
My boyfriend and I came in mid- afternoon, after the lunch crowd. Other than two guys at one table we were the only customers. The guys who took our orders were very friendly and answered all our questions. They offered to give us half onion rings (freshly breaded and fried), half fries as me and my bf were sharing a large lobster roll. The large size was indeed enough for two people and well priced. Definitely a good value. However, my boyfriend is the lobster 'connoisseur' and even though he enjoyed the lobster roll here (much better than Portland Lobster Co. "a rip-off") he said the lobster meat at Buoys was mostly knuckles and legs along with some claws. Claws and tails have a better taste than the rest of the body. I didn't mind as I'm not as picky, to me there were lots of big chunks as well as small bits and I was happy with the value.
(4)Lenny D.
I stopped here on my way thru Portland thanks to Yelp. Excellent seafood and lots of it. The guy was very kind in that he wrapped everything in aluminum foil as I ordered it to go. Will be back!
(4)Jean S.
This place is a hidden gem- wasn't sure from the outside as it is does not have an Old Port look to it but once we were inside it was quite cosy and the employees were very attentive! We spilt the crab roll and small lobster roll...unbelievable. The seafood was so fresh and the portions were super sized! Try the sweet potatoes fries - fresh and yummy. The onion rings were man sized for sure! An excellent spot - can't wait to go back!
(5)Melissa D.
Loved, loved, loved this place. My husband and a fantastic meal and it was super reasonable. If we're ever in Portand again, it's the first place we're going back to!
(5)Rebecca K.
So many choices, but so little time! It being my first time to Maine, I had to get the lobster roll and it was awesome. I went with 5 other people and they really loved what they ordered: Fried clams Burger Caesar salad w/ lobster Fried macaroni & cheese (have to try it with a side of BBQ sauce!) Amazing that they can do such a variety of menu items so well! Such friendly service, too.
(5)Eddie L.
Food was excellent. Neighborhood not so much. The staff was decent but the guy running the show was aggressive and ridiculously arrogant. Yeah we get it... The food is good and you can't take a complement without breaking your arm patting yourself on the back. I feel bad for the workers hostile work environment. No wonder they ALWAYS have a "Now Hiring" sign.
(4)Nick P.
Back again and the result is the same. This time I split the lobster roll with my girlfriend and were both blown away and full. Don't let this place pass you by.
(5)Yan T.
This was probably the weakest of the eateries we tried over three days in Portland, but we knew that walking in. This was to be our local version of the late-night "grease truck" after several rounds of delicious Maine beer. When we walked in well after 10 pm, we thought it was about to close, but the staff assured us with a friendly smirk that they were open till 1 am (oh, those arrogant New Yorkers). As elsewhere in Portland, the folks were very nice. As for the food, my lobster bisque was pretty good, and the crab roll was not bad, but they felt like dishes I could get back home. Still, not bad for late night seafood! The biggest issue were the prices, which were way higher than any other place we'd been to, and certainly incongruent with the slightly seedy diner character of the place.
(3)John K.
Terrific meal, very welcoming and easygoing atmosphere. Seafood chowder an excellent value. Full of fish, lobster, scallops, and other good stuff, and not very creamy. My wife had an excellent lobster roll. The garden salad was also quite good, especially considering it was early March. Support these honest and straightforward business people.
(5)eddie l.
Food that will inspire you to fish. As you can tell, I don't write many reviews but this one had to be done. Owner is genuine and caring, food was spectacular and price was was spot on. Must go.....now!!!!!
(5)Arturo I.
At first when we got to the place we weren't sure if it was the right place, because it is a very small shack. The employees are very nice and friendly, and the prices are very good for the amount of food. A plate serves two, that's how much food they serve. Quality wise, it is not amazing, but it is still very good. Definitely coming back.
(5)Dinesh D.
Had the chowder. Lobster roll sandwich and scallops....all very good ! Great fresh lobster simply made full pf flavor!!! Will repeat when I visit Portland avain!
(5)Gavin K.
We flew in from San Diego for a wedding and the first order of business was finding an authentic Lobster Roll! We looked on yelp for a place that had lobster rolls on their menu and found 3 Buoys Seafood Shanty & Grille. We ordered the large lobster roll and it was hands down the BEST we have ever had! The lobster was extremely fresh, piled high, and brushed with some melted butter on top! In addition to the delicious lobster roll, the service was great, the owner makes you feel at home. We are going back for round two before we fly back to San Diego!
(5)Paul C.
3 Bouys has opened in what used to be a chicken wing place on the corner of Washington & Cumberland Avenues. A coleague spoke well of their clam strips, so I decided to try it. I'm not a fan of clam strips; I prefer whole clams. He got the strips because they were affordable. I tried 3 Bouys for lunch recently. I got a "Lifeboat" (single serving, no sides) of fried oysters. The fry cook asked be if I wanted them "light" (cooked properly) or "crispy" (cooked to shards). I'm glad he asked. I opted for the light fry. They were perfect and a decent portion size (I had the small which was enough). I also ordered a side of cole slaw. The cabbage was cut into pieces a bit larger than I prefer, and it had more cabbage leaf spines than I would choose. The dressing was sweet but not over the top. If there was any horseradish in it, I couldn't taste it. (I like horseradish in coleslaw.) The atmosphere was comfortable and consistent with the type of place it is. Parking is limited, but I found a spot. The cook and the woman at the counter were both pleasant to deal with. Another customer even stepped forward and offered some advice when he saw that I was a bit confused by the menu. Why do I give them 3 stars instead of 4 or more? The prices. I know, you get what you pay for and all that, but it cost me more than $20 for the smallest portion of oysters and some cole slaw. Nothing to drink. I did leave a tip, but it was not included in the $20+. That was just food & tax. My usual lunches in Portland are in the $5 to $10 range, typically around $7. I don't think they'll last at their price point. This is not linen table cloths and crystal goblets. I will go back sometime to try one of their breakfast offerings. I saw some specials on their board that looked interesting.
(3)Matt D.
Good little clam hut off Rt1, near Kittery. Portion sizes are HUGE!!! We ordered a small basket of the clam strips for an appetizer and thought the waitress messed up and brought us a large order. Clams were great and not greasy! Fish tacos were great. I did two with Swordfish and two with Haddock(yes one order comes with four tacos). I could only eat two and surprisingly preferred the Haddock over Swordfish. My wife was impressed with the Lobster Cakes. Good place, decent service, and reasonably priced.
(4)Danielle L.
Great shack feel. Bread for lobster was grilled perfect. Nice brine taste on the lobster. O - ring batter great. Worth the price.
(4)Keith H.
Had lobster roll, thought it was great. Huge portion and friendly staff. They have some trap beers, which was unexpected by looking at the place. Highly recommend.
(5)Frank G.
Okay 4 stars might be a bit much, but I'd give it a solid 3 1/2. I liked it a lot for what it is. The Clam Roll was large and overflowing. The batter was tasty and not overpowering. The fries were plentiful and good. The beer was cold. All in all just what I was looking for.
(4)David D.
Just had lunch at 3 buoys with my dad. Last time I went I had a decent burger so I figure I'll try chowder. Its rainy and chilly. Sounds good, right? It consisted of canned clams, which are usually ok in chowder, if there are other things in it, like potatoes, onions, I don't know, salt, pepper... It was cream butter and canned clams... So, being from Maine and having an inkling that there are supposed to be POTATOES IN FUCKING CHOWDER, I asked the server/ counter dude if this is true. He confirms! I say thanks. He takes a few steps back and talks to the douchenozzle making the food. I hear, "nah dude, just seafood" yelled into the otherwise vacant front of house, that was soon vacated by us as well before rage took hold. Paid full price. Not going back...
(1)Sean P.
My mom flew in from Texas to BDL Connecticut and wanted lobster. We decided to go to Maine and didn't have an exact destination in mind. This place had good reviews and was close to our hotel and it did not let us down. They had the best lobster roll ever! We had a side of fried shrimp that was cooked to perfection! I highly recommend this place it's well worth the drive!
(5)hrag a.
I don't understand why there isn't a line out the door at this restaurant. I come to Portland once a year for work and I make sure I stop here each year. I always get the small lobster roll for $15.99 and it stuffs me.
(5)Virna V.
My boyfriend and I came in mid- afternoon, after the lunch crowd. Other than two guys at one table we were the only customers. The guys who took our orders were very friendly and answered all our questions. They offered to give us half onion rings (freshly breaded and fried), half fries as me and my bf were sharing a large lobster roll. The large size was indeed enough for two people and well priced. Definitely a good value. However, my boyfriend is the lobster 'connoisseur' and even though he enjoyed the lobster roll here (much better than Portland Lobster Co. "a rip-off") he said the lobster meat at Buoys was mostly knuckles and legs along with some claws. Claws and tails have a better taste than the rest of the body. I didn't mind as I'm not as picky, to me there were lots of big chunks as well as small bits and I was happy with the value.
(4)Lenny D.
I stopped here on my way thru Portland thanks to Yelp. Excellent seafood and lots of it. The guy was very kind in that he wrapped everything in aluminum foil as I ordered it to go. Will be back!
(4)Jean S.
This place is a hidden gem- wasn't sure from the outside as it is does not have an Old Port look to it but once we were inside it was quite cosy and the employees were very attentive! We spilt the crab roll and small lobster roll...unbelievable. The seafood was so fresh and the portions were super sized! Try the sweet potatoes fries - fresh and yummy. The onion rings were man sized for sure! An excellent spot - can't wait to go back!
(5)Melissa D.
Loved, loved, loved this place. My husband and a fantastic meal and it was super reasonable. If we're ever in Portand again, it's the first place we're going back to!
(5)Rebecca K.
So many choices, but so little time! It being my first time to Maine, I had to get the lobster roll and it was awesome. I went with 5 other people and they really loved what they ordered: Fried clams Burger Caesar salad w/ lobster Fried macaroni & cheese (have to try it with a side of BBQ sauce!) Amazing that they can do such a variety of menu items so well! Such friendly service, too.
(5)Eddie L.
Food was excellent. Neighborhood not so much. The staff was decent but the guy running the show was aggressive and ridiculously arrogant. Yeah we get it... The food is good and you can't take a complement without breaking your arm patting yourself on the back. I feel bad for the workers hostile work environment. No wonder they ALWAYS have a "Now Hiring" sign.
(4)Nick P.
Back again and the result is the same. This time I split the lobster roll with my girlfriend and were both blown away and full. Don't let this place pass you by.
(5)Yan T.
This was probably the weakest of the eateries we tried over three days in Portland, but we knew that walking in. This was to be our local version of the late-night "grease truck" after several rounds of delicious Maine beer. When we walked in well after 10 pm, we thought it was about to close, but the staff assured us with a friendly smirk that they were open till 1 am (oh, those arrogant New Yorkers). As elsewhere in Portland, the folks were very nice. As for the food, my lobster bisque was pretty good, and the crab roll was not bad, but they felt like dishes I could get back home. Still, not bad for late night seafood! The biggest issue were the prices, which were way higher than any other place we'd been to, and certainly incongruent with the slightly seedy diner character of the place.
(3)John K.
Terrific meal, very welcoming and easygoing atmosphere. Seafood chowder an excellent value. Full of fish, lobster, scallops, and other good stuff, and not very creamy. My wife had an excellent lobster roll. The garden salad was also quite good, especially considering it was early March. Support these honest and straightforward business people.
(5)eddie l.
Food that will inspire you to fish. As you can tell, I don't write many reviews but this one had to be done. Owner is genuine and caring, food was spectacular and price was was spot on. Must go.....now!!!!!
(5)Arturo I.
At first when we got to the place we weren't sure if it was the right place, because it is a very small shack. The employees are very nice and friendly, and the prices are very good for the amount of food. A plate serves two, that's how much food they serve. Quality wise, it is not amazing, but it is still very good. Definitely coming back.
(5)Dinesh D.
Had the chowder. Lobster roll sandwich and scallops....all very good ! Great fresh lobster simply made full pf flavor!!! Will repeat when I visit Portland avain!
(5)Gavin K.
We flew in from San Diego for a wedding and the first order of business was finding an authentic Lobster Roll! We looked on yelp for a place that had lobster rolls on their menu and found 3 Buoys Seafood Shanty & Grille. We ordered the large lobster roll and it was hands down the BEST we have ever had! The lobster was extremely fresh, piled high, and brushed with some melted butter on top! In addition to the delicious lobster roll, the service was great, the owner makes you feel at home. We are going back for round two before we fly back to San Diego!
(5)Paul C.
3 Bouys has opened in what used to be a chicken wing place on the corner of Washington & Cumberland Avenues. A coleague spoke well of their clam strips, so I decided to try it. I'm not a fan of clam strips; I prefer whole clams. He got the strips because they were affordable. I tried 3 Bouys for lunch recently. I got a "Lifeboat" (single serving, no sides) of fried oysters. The fry cook asked be if I wanted them "light" (cooked properly) or "crispy" (cooked to shards). I'm glad he asked. I opted for the light fry. They were perfect and a decent portion size (I had the small which was enough). I also ordered a side of cole slaw. The cabbage was cut into pieces a bit larger than I prefer, and it had more cabbage leaf spines than I would choose. The dressing was sweet but not over the top. If there was any horseradish in it, I couldn't taste it. (I like horseradish in coleslaw.) The atmosphere was comfortable and consistent with the type of place it is. Parking is limited, but I found a spot. The cook and the woman at the counter were both pleasant to deal with. Another customer even stepped forward and offered some advice when he saw that I was a bit confused by the menu. Why do I give them 3 stars instead of 4 or more? The prices. I know, you get what you pay for and all that, but it cost me more than $20 for the smallest portion of oysters and some cole slaw. Nothing to drink. I did leave a tip, but it was not included in the $20+. That was just food & tax. My usual lunches in Portland are in the $5 to $10 range, typically around $7. I don't think they'll last at their price point. This is not linen table cloths and crystal goblets. I will go back sometime to try one of their breakfast offerings. I saw some specials on their board that looked interesting.
(3)Matt D.
Good little clam hut off Rt1, near Kittery. Portion sizes are HUGE!!! We ordered a small basket of the clam strips for an appetizer and thought the waitress messed up and brought us a large order. Clams were great and not greasy! Fish tacos were great. I did two with Swordfish and two with Haddock(yes one order comes with four tacos). I could only eat two and surprisingly preferred the Haddock over Swordfish. My wife was impressed with the Lobster Cakes. Good place, decent service, and reasonably priced.
(4)Danielle L.
Great shack feel. Bread for lobster was grilled perfect. Nice brine taste on the lobster. O - ring batter great. Worth the price.
(4)Keith H.
Had lobster roll, thought it was great. Huge portion and friendly staff. They have some trap beers, which was unexpected by looking at the place. Highly recommend.
(5)Frank G.
Okay 4 stars might be a bit much, but I'd give it a solid 3 1/2. I liked it a lot for what it is. The Clam Roll was large and overflowing. The batter was tasty and not overpowering. The fries were plentiful and good. The beer was cold. All in all just what I was looking for.
(4)Tammy W.
Great place to grab lunch. Off the beaten path and great service. Highly recommend the lobster rolls, sweet potato fries and clam chowder. BURGERS are great, too.
(5)Jacob J.
Love often comes when you least expect. You wouldn't think much of an out of the way shack on a lonely street corner. Let alone a place that sells itself as a shanty. But this place is great. It has Shipyard pumpkin on tap. The sweet potato fries are soft and lovable. Oh and that lobster roll. Get the large. It's big enough to share yet better to eat yourself. A coat of butter gives the lobster, fresh and crisp, a sweet finish. Oh you must get this lobster roll. It's good enough to be worth the stomach rolls.
(5)Craig ..
Best Lobster roll ever! The clam chowder was amazing, all clams! Fantastic fries too. The draft beers are cheap, staff is friendly. What more is there to say about this little corner lobster shack. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Daniel B.
Wow. I'm seriously seriously impressed. Got the lobster roll with fries; came out to be only $17.99 for a more-than-generous amount of lobster. Easily the best lobster roll I had during my 3 days in Maine. I was worried at first since I heard it was a chain in Maine, but the friendly service and great food won me over. Definitely coming back some day.
(5)Anders C.
A friend and I stopped here for dinner after Eventide was completely filled to the brim. We both ordered regular sized lobster rolls and shared a basket for fried calamari. The portions here were huge - neither of us were able to finish everything. The lobster roll was delicious. The fries that came with it were somewhat overdone. Calamari was great. The slices of lemon weren't sliced optimally for extracting its juices over the breading - so that was a little frustrating when the slice fell out of hand - trying to extract the juices the same way I do it with my pho. This place is somewhat of a hidden gem outside the touristy areas - but it doesn't really get any better than this.
(5)Brian H.
I don't like seafood, but my wife does so here we are. I expected that she would love the seafood and my dish would be mediocre - boy, was I wrong. The pulled pork sandwich is phenomenal with a large helping, crisp (but not burned) bun, and really good fries. So. Full. She loves her lobster role and clam chowder as well. Friendly service too.
(5)Angela L.
Coming from Boston, these portions are HUGE. My friends and I all ordered and no one was even close to finishing their plates. I split the small lobster roll with onion rings, a cup of clam chowder and the fishermans platter. So. Much. Fried. Food. Believe me, I have nothing against fried food but I always hit a wall because I feel so greasy. The clam chowder was good, but might want to get the lobster bisque instead! That probably tasted better than the clam chowder. The lobster roll was good, not the best I've had, but lots of lobster in there. The large lobster roll is HUGE. Would suggest splitting the large with someone if you do go. Not too mayo-y which is perfect. Bun is buttered :) the onion rings are massive and are very battered. The fishermans platter: comes with fried scallops, shrimp, clams, haddock, fries. I think out of the fried seafood, my favorite was the haddock and the scallops! They aren't shy with giving you a lot of everything, so... Don't be afraid to be hungry and eat lots! Only thing I wouldn't get caught ordering was the fried chicken. $1 for fried chicken wing or leg... Ehhh... Kind of tasted weird to me. Definitely wouldn't come to a seafood place for chicken. It's not well fried.. Maybe the oil is weird??! Service was good, the server always came over with anything we asked for. I would come back.. But I'm sure Portland has a lot more to offer and I'd like to try other places too!
(3)Brett F.
For its reputation as a major seafood destination, Portland itself doesn't have many true seafood shacks. Fishmerman's Grill gets the yelp love, Portland Lobster gets the tourists, and Susan's Fish and Chips gets the...brave? 3Buoys holds it's own against them. Located in an improving area of Portland (I'm being nice), 3Buoys' neon blue building is hard to miss. Inside is less divey than expected. I assumed you order at the counter and was surprised by the waitress service. We decided on sodas (all drinks are in cans/bottles) but there is a beer selection as well. The menu is enormous. Think every possible seafood imaginable (mostly fried). But that's just half the menu. There is a whole page of inventive burgers and every sort of sandwich, chicken, etc. We started with a small seafood chowder ($6.99). This was the most disappointing item we ordered. While the amount of seafood was generous, the broth was thin. The small lobster roll (a steal at $15.99) was a heavily grilled and buttered hot dog roll overflowing with fresh lobster meat. It wasn't the heaven of Bite Into Maine, but it was very good, and the heaping accompaniment of fresh cut fries were a bonus. My dad ordered the fish and chips. Each of the three lightly fried filets of haddock could have been a meal. They were well cooked and delicious. Even at "shacks" seafood is expensive in Maine. Prices here are lower than the more famous competition and the portions are huge. People seem to either really love it or hate it here. I lean towards the love.
(4)Jim H.
This is a gem that I assume is "hidden" from the tourist hoards as our Uber driver (of a few years local experience) said he never heard of this place. My chief researcher and dining companion found this place on YELP and her other "secret sources". Adorned with signs and hand painted pictures it looks like a roadside place that would prompt your passengers to say, "keep driving". The book by its cover saying applies. Man this place is "kitschy" inside and out that has indoor dining that looks into the open kitchen or go for the alfresco dining by the roadside. Get a seat and enjoy. We shared New England clam chowder chocked full of clams and some potatoes. It was flavorful but not as thick and creamy as I'm used too. Maybe this is the first time I've had this favorite made the right way! We of course over ordered and got HUGE plates of delicately fried belly clams (can't resist) that were the best I've ever had. Followed by a fabulous lobster roll the size of a hoagie filled with large chunks of lobster and a light buttery binder along with a mound of hot FABULOUS sweet potato fries. No lettuce or celery to detract from the amazing lobster which is so good it can stand alone. Wonderful friendly server who started us out with Allagash White Ales that really do go perfectly with this delectable seafood. It looks like a joint, and is a joint (what's better?) with some of the best food around. Don't miss it.
(5)Ooooo M.
Okay first stop in Maine so it will get three stars because i have to keep on seafooding.. Well it's convenient to the entrance of Portland i really liked the size and quality of my lobster roll. Service was prompt so when your starving it helps beer was cold. Grilled Haddock very good the calamari was crispy and that clam chowder was very fresh. I had a Maine lobster roll at Smorgasburg what a rip I had the real Mccoy at its house it was great. Fresh clam chowder is unique. I will let you know what I find in Camden.rock-land and Rockport soon..
(3)Tony Kangrui L.
Tucked away from the Old Port, with an aura of fresh frying oil and the raving reviews here, there was a lot of potential going as we walked in this hipster shack. Everything from the portion sizes to the way the food was put together to our waiter's smile embodied a sense of genuineness and generosity. We paid the same and got twice the variety as another seafood place down on Middle St that left us half-full. If the other place was rated $$, this should really be less than $. I would go back any day for the giant lobster roll and $1 fried chicken. For those visiting from Québec, this is really casse-croûte to the next level. Definitely a highlight of our trip to Portland.
(5)Riki K.
Came here for the lobster roll...lots of lobster, loved the roll, juicy. But the Seafood Chowder with large chunks of top shelf seafood won me over.
(4)Steve J.
Just ate here a couple of hours ago. Have been waiting on this day for several months after reading the reviews on Yelp. The place did not disappoint. My wife had the small lobster roll which was very good and she said the fries were phenomenal. My daughter and I shared a large lobster roll and a bowl of clam chowder. This was the first time trying lobster rolls and we loved them. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting Portland like we did!
(5)Joshua L.
When you go to Portland, you want seafood, right? That's the Portland Experience, or whatever. I mean, I eat seafood all the time so it wasn't like some novelty and we can't get lobsters in Connecticut. But I wanted the Portland Experience and this place had pretty spectacular reviews. I gotta say, if you're going to charge that kinda money for a bunch of fried seafood, you should probably have pretty good service. Cause I'm going to eventually get that bill. And I'm going to remember that you forgot I wanted onion rings. And I'm gonna remember that one of the waiters doesn't know what Porch Rocker is and accidentally called it something much, much worse. The food itself was pretty solid. I got a seafood platter style dish -- a little bit of everything. It was deep fried goodness. And it was a PILE of seafood. I mean, seriously. This is the stuff regrets are made of. But I did my best and ate a shocking amount of it. It was pretty good. I did, however, order onion rings and my waitress totally flaked on that one. And I did have a... strange... experience with an earlier waiter which I won't get into fully because I don't want to destroy anyone's life. But let's just say it was the most unintentionally awkward and hilarious moment of my trip. So... kudos to 3Buoys I guess? But hey. Good food. Good beers. Good times. You don't NEED onion rings to have a good time. But they do help.
(3)Chenkai L.
What a Portland gem of a restaurant. We trusted Yelp with this recommendation and were so glad that we did! This place offered huge portions of everything they sell at bargain prices. We got a large lobster roll that was the biggest lobster roll I have ever seen, there must have been at least 2/3 lb of lobster meat in it. Normal restaurants would give you a hotdog sized bun for $20, this was twice that size for only a few dollars more! The buns are toasted perfectly and very well buttered, we also got a full pound of fries included with the order. The lobster is exactly how it should be, though I would have preferred a bit more salt, nevertheless it was great! The large seafood chowder we got was also the richest chowder I have ever seen, the cream based chowder had a LOT of seafood in it, from scallops to cod to a entire lobster claw for only $8.99, what a deal! It wasn't too many people at all when I came here for lunch on a Sunday in June, this restaurant is definitely very underrated and deserves more attention. Having tried at least 3 other high profile seafood restaurants in Portland, this is my new favorite and go to restaurant for future visits!
(5)Taylor S.
This is the best tasting seafood in Portland. BEST LOBSTER ROLL AT THE BEST PRICE...There is nothing fancy about this place but the food is amazing!!! We had lobster bisque, it was super creamy with what seems like 1/2 lb of lobster meat in it. We also had the seafood chowder that was amazing with another 1/2 lb of seafood. We also had the large lobster roll and 2 boiled lobster. This was the third different roll we tried and by far the best. The boiled lobster was unbelievable. We will be eating here 2 days in a row. Don't be afraid by the outside of the building!!!!
(5)Jf M.
Great fish and chips Fried clams are the best in town Awesome owner cook is the best!
(5)Young P.
I cannot possibly comprehend why this place received so many great reviews on Yelp. As a Yelp Elite, I am highly disappointed with the Yelp Rating system. I am strongly convinced that Yelp needs to come up with a way to control fake reviews that can skew the data so that a terrible restaurant such as this one cannot have such high ratings and reviews. I have been an advocate of Yelp for years now; my dining experience at this place finally confirmed my years of conviction in this area of improvement for Yelp. Bottomline, this place has great reviews and ratings because the only customers that eat here are locals who are friends with people who work at this restaurant. Check the facts. You will see that the MAJORITY of reviews came from people with only ONE review on their history and that is because THE ONLY REVIEW THEY EVER WROTE WAS FOR THIS PLACE. I WILL SAY THIS AGAIN BUT YELP YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE YOU LOSE YOUR CREDIBILITY AND PEOPLE START DEPENDING ON OTHER ONLINE PLATFORMS THAT DO BETTER JOB OF FILTERING OUT FAKE REVIEWS. My wife and I decided to take an impromptu day trip up to Maine. After 2 hours of driving, we looked up on Yelp to see where we can get some delicious lobster roll. This particular restaurant popped up on Yelp with 4 1/2 stars with over 600 reviews. We were confident that a restaurant with that particular kind of rating would surely be a safe place to experience that awesome "seafood Maine" experience........ummm NOT! We ordered the large clam chowder, large lobster roll, large fried clam oysters, and 5 chicken wings (I will get into this more in detail soon) Clam chowder - Chowder looked absolutely disgusting. It was legit cream water with some chopped up clams. I should have canceled all my orders upon tasting this disgusting chowder but I gave them the benefit of the doubt which I soon regretted. What kind of seafood place doesn't know how to make a good clam chowder? This should be called clam cream water because I was legit just drinking clam water. Absolutely disgusting and pathetic. Lobster roll - Are you kidding me? You call this a lobster roll? Lobster meat was left unflavored. It tasted like cold rubber. A basic understanding in how to handle seafood will tell you that you need to properly season your lobster meat in order to get the full flavor out of any seafood. This place just completely violated the first principle in handling seafood and we ended up eating cold rubber that cost us around $29. Absolutely unacceptable and mind-blowing. Fried clams - I will not comment on this other than this plate should be called "Fried Dough" Chicken wings - Okay so I saw a sign out by their restaurant that said "$1 chicken wing". I was really curious so I ordered 8 wings because normal people, when they hear the words "chicken wings", they think of your usual, everyday, normal sized chicken wings. The waitress told me that they are pretty big so in my head I was a bit confused so I just changed my order to 5 wings. When these wings came out I was freaking speechless. These were not wings. These were freaking chicken thighs. HUGE CHICKEN THIGHS. I don't mind the size. I love chicken so I will never complain about the size but what I am most pissed about is that it tasted so absolutely disgusting AND THIS IS COMING FROM A GUY WHO HAS BEEN EATING FRIED CHICKEN ALL MY LIFE. This chicken thigh seriously almost made me lose my faith in humanity. I literally thought Jesus was going to return because it tasted so bad. I legit almost wanted to return all my food plates and just leave, but I didn't want to be that a@@hole and cause a scene. To the owner of the restaurant (if you are even reading this), you used and manipulated Yelp's rating system in order to draw in people like us who depend on Yelp to check out new restaurants. Shame on you. I hope you can start doing business in more honest and genuine way. To those who gave this place a great review/rating - Shame on you as well. YOU KNOW THIS PLACE SUCKS AND YET YOU STILL GAVE FAKE REVIEWS IN THE NAME OF "FRIENDSHIP" or whatever it is you want to call it. Shame on you fake reviewers as well. To those who are thinking about going to this place - PLEASE, LISTEN TO ME AND DO NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR THIS PLACE. You can read through my previous reviews and you will see that I AM EXTREMELY FAIR AND UNBIASED in all my reviews. My dad is a chef so I know what it takes to run a good restaurant business so I am always open-minded and I only give positive, constructive criticism in hopes that they can further improve their business. But this place does not deserve such respect because this place does not operate on basic principles such as integrity, honesty, and genuine care for your customers' dining experience. Shame on you Yelp as well. As a Yelp Elite, I am extremely disappointed. I am actually really ashamed to say I am a Yelp Elite.
(1)Joanna Y.
Absolutely outraged by the high reviews of this establishment. Seeing 4.5 stars for a restaurant like this makes Yelp lose credibility. My husband and I took an impromptu trip from Boston to Portland in hopes to enjoy nature and of course eat some delicious lobster rolls. As we were planning to head back to Boston that evening and wanted to grab some lobster rolls before the drive down, we relied on Yelp to guide us to the top lobster roll establishments in Portland. We ended up having to pass on our first choice (Eventide Oyster Co) since it had a super long wait. We quickly looked up on Yelp where we could find another place with excellent lobster roll reviews. With our phone battery at 5%, 3Buoys popped up with just as many stars as Eventide Oyster with great reviews raving about the lobster rolls. Our hopes were high when we arrived at the restaurant and left with our blood boiling with anger. We ordered the following below - which came out to $80, including tip. 1. Bowl of clam chowder The WORST clam chowder I ever had. I would have preferred to just buy a can of clam chowder from the 7-11 across the street. This clam chowder was so bland with odd oil droplets floating on the top. There was no base for the soup - it was essentially warm water with some bland cream mixed in it. You can tell there was no effort put in to make this soup. 2. Large lobster roll Only thing good about this lobster roll was the presentation. It had a lot of lobster meat in the roll with a very toasted bun. HOWEVER, the lobster meat was just so disappointingly bland. We had to ask for extra lemons so that we could have some sort of taste in each bite. Don't waste your money here. If you're looking for a lobster roll to top off your Portland experience, go to FISHERMAN'S GRILL. You'll just have to plan accordingly since business is so good there that it doesn't need to be open past 7:30PM. It is worth the drive and whatever wait you need. 3. Large fried clams Way too much flavorless batter used. Although fried, there was no crunch in each bite. It was soggy and lacked content. We ordered a large and barely even ate half of it because it was so tasteless. We ended up having to drench it in sauce and squeeze more lemon to be edible. 4. Chicken wings (saw the unfortunate $1 chicken wing sign outside) Husband is a huge fan of chicken wings. He got duped by the $1 chicken wing sign outside. We were expecting the small chicken wings you can get at bars; the ones here were thighs and drumsticks essentially. Guess you have the option of having it fried with or without batter. Doesn't matter what options there are because you should never order it. Bland. Bland. Bland. DO NOT GO TO THIS RESTAURANT. It will ruin your time in Portland as it did for us. I'm very confused as to why there are so many positive reviews for this restaurant. Either we went when there was a new cook or people who positively reviewed this restaurant are not actually assessing the food and just mindlessly shoving it down their throat. Never going back to this restaurant ever again. I hope this review saves at least one soul from spending money on bland food that should be considered offensive to the city of Portland.
(1)Diane T.
Kind of a shady part of Portland, Maine, but the service was great and the seafood was delicious!!! My husband and I shared a fisherman's platter it had a generous portion of fried clams, fish, sea scallops and some nice plump shrimp. The fries and onion rings were fried to a nice toasty brown and were very good. My friend had a clam strip roll and there were so many clam strips that you couldn't see the roll. We would try it again if in that area. Our compliments to the cook!!!
(4)Rose L.
After seeing the high star rating for 3Buoys, I also had high expectations. We visited on a Wednesday later afternoon after paying a visit to a couple of the breweries down the street. Walking into the restaurant/shack, you will get the immediate impression that it's not the atmosphere that brings people in. Mismatched tables, tiny parking lot, assortment of nautical decorations and one open room with maybe ten tables and a counter dividing the dining room from kitchen/cooking area. Our server was nice enough when we arrived and told us to sit anywhere. We arrived around 4:30pm and the place had one other party. However, during our time the place filled up with the assortment of couples and families [they only have ONE highchair FYI, this was a problem for a couple other families]. Although two servers managed the floor, I can only imagine if we'd entered at a busier time, one of the servers, although extremely nice, seemed rather new and was being drilled by the chef's and other server. We ordered the clam chowder and a lobster roll to split with fries. Normal prices for the food, you'd think they might run lower for the "shack" feel, but the chowder was $6.99 and the small lobster roll with fries was $15.99. The chowder came out and was covered with oil and lacked simple flavors salt and pepper can provide. I actually questioned the waitress about the odd "curdling" texture of the soup and was informed that was a result of less cream that was added for a healthier soup. Interesting... Lobster roll was good but nothing that I hadn't tried before, fries were fresh but could've been from a package. I think I was just expecting something spectacular and it left me feeling "OK". Add on top of that the shacky/dirty environment, "eh" service and normal prices and you got yourself a two star experience. Honestly, this is the only place on my Portland trip that I REGRET going to [we had "Bite of Maine" lobster truck the day before and for $15.95 you can get an INCREDIBLE roll--no fries]. So skip the shack and look for other options.
(2)Col S.
This place really really hits the spot after a couple of drinks. Once again, this is a whole in the wall with limited seating and typical Maine fare. The lobster rolls are on point, scallops seared to perfection and the greasy food deliciously crisp. Props for saving hand cut fries and in-store battered onion rings. Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a lobsta roll!
(5)Virginia Y.
I was more than happy to pop my Maine local lobster cherry with a threesome between my mouth, seafood chowder and a Maine lobster roll. See, I never had seafood chowder before so I was overwhelmed with the amount of oceanic participants (haddock, crab, squid, clam and mussels). I was surprised at how much seafood was in it (definitely a bang for buck or bang in the mouth if you know what I mean.) The lobster roll was amazing, definitely superior to the lobster rolls I've had in NYC. They do not even compare. It was huge and long, (the way I like 'em) toasted on buttery white bread ( New England style.) The chunks of lobster were juicy and succulent. Everything almost hit the spot except the chowder, I'm used to my chowder being creamy and thick but it was kind of a soupy and watery texture. It's just a slight moderation they need and it'll help me hit the big O.
(4)Ajay R.
Take every dish you've eaten in Maine, fry it, then 'Murrica-size it, and you'll have an idea of what eating here is like. A basket of food from this joint can easily feed a family of 4. There is no better value for money in all of Portland. This is a tiny little joint with a small outdoor patio, and a hard working kitchen and staff. This is not about delicacy or subtlety... this is about quantity. It's not going to be the greatest food you eat in this town, but there is no way in God's green earth you are leaving here hungry. Now, here is where my review ends and a story begins, because sometimes at a restaurant, you'll witness feats of human gluttony which can only happen in America. This had little to do with my review, but it's just one of those things that you see, and just have to share: Witness the table next to us: a family of 4 with 2 normal sized kids, one normal sized wife, and one completely oversized man. They were clearly seething at the fact that they had been waiting for a really long time on their order. The staff kept apologizing, but they got even madder as each dish at tables around them were brought out. Finally, when their food was brought out I understood why. It was a veritable mountain of every conceivable fried thing on the menu. This was an act of human gluttony, the likes of which I had never before seen. There was no way these little kids could eat the enormous baskets of fish and chips presented before each of them. There is no way the wife could have eaten the gigantic pile of fried shrimp and calamari presented before her. The man could definitely eat the smouldering pile of whatever that was presented in front of him, but then out came TWO MORE baskets of other fried stuff. Now take a look at the pictures... these baskets are HUGE. I ate HALF of one basket of food after rowing around the Portland harbour for 3 hrs, and was completely stuffed. The owner/chef came out to explain that he had to use all five of his fryers running simultaneously, in order to make their order. The kitchen was not taking orders for a full 30 min while he prepared their meal. And in the end, he comp'd it! Gluttony: 1, respectable diner: 0
(3)Ashley D.
Traveled all the way from Chicago to have some lobster rolls. 3buoys was excellent! Ordered lobster roll with a chowder appetizer. Scarfed it all down. Portion size was generous. Overall great food. Service could have been better. One of the gals up front made us feel like we were an inconvenience, she was not helpful. A little downer considering how far we came to eat Maine's finest.
(4)Sarah M.
Our first stop on our vacation in Maine! We had to try the fried clams. They were tender and delicious with a light crispy batter, and the size of the order is huge! The service was super fast and friendly. Don't let the small building and parking lot keep you from coming inside. There is beer on tap to cool your thirst while you wait for your order. We plan to visit again soon!
(5)Beth R.
Just ate here. AHHHHHHMAZING! make the drive to come here! I had the crab roll and onion rings - fresh and delicious! The onion rings are hand battered. My partner had the lobster roll - perfect and huge. Fries were fresh cut. Had a local beer that was great. Service was fast and friendly
(5)Lillian C.
Edit: I tried three different lobster rolls (other two at eventide and fishermen's grill) and I have to say I think 3bouy's is the best! Wowowowow, incredible! Portion sizes are RIDICULOUS! Unless you're wasted, don't buy a large lobster roll and anticipate on eating it all by yourself, it's totally meant for sharing. I don't even really like cold and mayo-based lobster rolls but this one changed my mind. As mentioned elsewhere, it's a good lobster or two worth of lobster (or one big guy). The sides are massive and I would say its meant for sharing too. Amongst two people, we had a clam strip platter and a large lobster roll (subbed onion rings for fries for one) and everything was just fantastic. Clam strips were nice, juice, and hot! Even the tartar sauce is homemade with nice big pickle chunks. The total bill with two beers came out to about 50something dollars, which is really not that bad for seafood!
(5)Nicole S.
Amazing! You might not expect a lot looking at this place - and it being called a shanty, but the wonder is in the food. We loved the laid back attitude and casual dining feel. The inside gets a bit smoky since the kichen faces out into the seating area, but we sat outside on the patio which feels like you are enjoying a couple beers in your own backyard. We had the seafood chowder, fried shirmp and a regular lobster roll. The amount of food that came out was ridiculous! the regular sized lobster role was probably the biggest we have ever seen- and it came with a ton of fries. The shrimp were giant-delicious- and there were plenty of the them. The seafood chowder had sooo much seafood it was crazy. Everything was delicious and super fresh. It also has to be said the pricing is super reasonable for what you are getting. Totally recommend this place to anyone in the Portland area who enjoys seafood. Our favorite was the lobster roll but everything was super tasty. Wish they had one of these in Jersey.
(5)Cindy M.
I don't think I have ever been able to say this before- this place is so good and the staff so great that my husband and I ate here 5 times in the 7 days we've been here! Need I say more? Lobster rolls, grilled haddock, and so much more! And they have GF bread and batter if you want it. Heaven!
(5)Bill L.
There are times when you are just craving something, when you get it, it just doesn't meet your expectations. Not here!! Was craving a lobster roll, this may have been the best I have ever had!! Not only that, the owner was on site and made sure everything was to our liking, very involved and helpful. Entire staff was pleasant and friendly. Will never go to Portland without stopping here again!
(5)Sunny F.
I highly recommend the lobster rolls. I was a little skeptical when entering this place but was proven wrong when our order came. The lobster rolls were filling and delicious. When in the area I will definitely be making a stop back!!
(5)Comer J.
Great food, great vibe, great staff. Jumped in Uber from the airport and asked the driver for something perfect. We ended up at 3 buoys. He was right. Not white table cloths and wine glasses but hot fresh cooked to order seafood and a good collection of cold beer. DO NOT MISS THIS IN PORTLAND, ME!
(5)Danny F.
Best lobster roll I've had. Owner/Manager hooked us up. We got there a bit early and had to hang around the corner bar since 3 buoys wasn't open. We got also scallops to go by the pound. The service was great and so were the people. The lobster rolls are gigantic and delicious. Highly recommend.
(5)Feng X.
This place actually opens at 11:00 am, at least for Saturdays. Great family owned restaurant.
(5)Sarah L.
Stopped in here on our way to a brewery tour and what a WONDERFUL surprise! The neighborhood looks less than great and the place is small so you're not thinking, "Hey, their food is going to be phenomenal!" But it is. I have this general impression of a lobster roll and its that they are usually over-priced for the amount you get...so naturally I ordered the large lobster roll. My fiancé got a lobster roll and this burger called "The Kraken". Needless to say, they changed my mind about lobster rolls...forever. This thing was like a foot long and was jammed full of nothing but sweet delicious lobster and very very light mayo. There was nothing else to take away from that pure delicious lobster. "The Kraken" was a double patty beef burger with lobster chunks on the top and underneath with melted cheddar and caramelized onions. Also amazing. Even the fries are home made, all different thicknesses which made a delicious compliment to our sandwiches. We were PLEASANTLY surprised with this find and will be sure to stop in every time we're in the area!
(5)Michele K.
My husband and I had to have a lobster roll while in Maine. Yelp came through with this place! We walked over from our hotel near the old port. The place was about half full at 8 pm. There are about 7-8 tables. We had a late lunch so we opted to share a large lobster roll and fries. The other reviewers did not lie. The roll was bulging with lobster meat. The mayo was so light as to not be noticeable. ( I am not a mayo fan). The roll was buttery and soft. No crappy lettuce to get in the way of the lobster-goodness here! The fries were tasty as well. Friendly staff. A perfect, simple lobster roll. Enjoy!
(5)Leah B.
Great food, Great service! We tried three of the soups, it was all fish! No potato in that chowder! Large lobster roll was perfect- so much lobster.
(5)Kim K.
Great experience - wonderful service - excellent lobsters -scallops were fabulous Owner and chef Bill was responsive -informative- kind-
(5)Jeremy L.
I'm currently at work and, as happens from time to time, all of a sudden the memories of my meal at 3Buoys started to work their way through my mind. It was at this moment that I realized I could no longer live with myself unless I immediately gave them props through the vessel of Yelp. Fortunately Yelp was not experiencing any technical difficulties, as suicide would've been inconvenient and overly dramatic. Reason 1A for my wife and I vacationing to Portland was for the local fare, and a lobster roll was of the most importance. A probably excessive amount of research led us to decide on Bite into Maine as the host for our first lobster roll experience. We were devastated when we learned of its seasonal closing, but quickly consoled ourselves with the discovery of 3Buoys' Yelp reputation. A very cold walk preceded our meal at 3Buoys, but we were quickly warmed by the "make yourself at home" service philosophy and recommended seafood chowder. We knew we were in for a hell of a meal when we attempted to place our spoons in our individual cups of seafood chowder and immediately met resistance from the plethora of different seafood varieties that made up the chowder. I could order 10 cups of seafood chowder from PA and still not come close to the amount of high quality seafood that made up that one serving. Truly delicious. The lobster rolls made their appearance at some point during my out-of-body chowder experience and I dove in after regaining consciousness. This lobster roll was everything that I wanted it to be: Fresh, creamy, juicy, buttery, warming goodness in a perfectly suited roll. They couple this slice of heaven with around 10 pounds of your choice of side(s). Seriously one of the best things I have ever eaten in my entire life. Overall, this place is perfect and the combination of amazing food, fantastic service, and extremely reasonable pricing made this one of my all-time favorite dining experiences. Pro tip: Order a cup of chowder and split a large lobster roll for every two people in your group. More than enough food and you won't waste 5 pounds of delicious sides in the process.
(5)Reema S.
Excellent place to eat right. We were in Portland for a night and went to 3 buoys to try Maine lobster rolls. We ordered the small lobster roll and it was OUTSTANDING. There was so much lobster meat on the roll, with light mayonnaise. We squeezed the lemon wedge on top and it was a carnival in my mouth! Don't get ripped off by places around the old port area. we had lobster rolls at two other places - Js Oyster and Eventide - but 3 buoys was the best tasting, best value and best quality around. The owner saw that we were cold, and cranked up the heat for us, the service was outstanding as well. Coming from the Midwest, 3 buoys made us feel welcome and we left very happy. I will def come back when I am in the Portland area.
(5)Anon O.
Great food, exceptional service. Really made us feel at home and went out of their way to make something my kiddo would enjoy!
(5)Brad B.
Awesome no frills seafood! Had the lobster bites and they were fried perfectly. Prices are very reasonable for what you get. The staff was very accommodating when my wife decided she wanted to change the order as it was almost ready.
(5)Jennah A.
Our waitress was nice and friendly. The clam chowder was yummy, the sweet potato fries were delicious but our lobster roll..... It was so tough and did not taste fresh!!!! I had the freshest lobster the same day.. Catch on the boat and within 1 hour, get it cooked and eaten so I know what fresh tastes like. And this lobster was just not it. BAD lobster roll.
(3)Mariah L.
This place is a shining example of why yelps rating system is the worst. You can get cheap food, and a bucket or trough of it here but each bite is gross. I couldn't have even two bites before I stopped. The waitress had no clue that that means anything so I paid and left. In a town flooded with restaurants you'd think you'd have to have edible food to run one. Apparently not.
(1)Cindy D.
We are traveling to Maine and yes you need a lobster roll when you are in Maine. We found this place on Yelp!!!! It's amazing . The best lobster roll I have ever had. It's cheap also. The service is flawless. They are so friendly and nice people ... I will come back when we back to Maine next time ... For all you folks out there who are traveling and looking for a real Maine Lobster!! Check this place out !!
(5)Lesley P.
HUGE PORTION ALERT! Old people need to split their plates with each other or plan to take some home. We both got clam strip plates. One had the fries and the other had the onion rings. It is a neighborhood joint and they are very nice. We saw that they had beer and soft drinks. Very good dollar value.
(4)Kevin S.
Best lobster bisque around, fisherman platter is real good , big and fresh better share . Had the Po boy last trip, can't wait to go back when in town .
(4)Patrick W.
I would recommend staying as far away from this horrible restaurant as possible. I went here with a few friends on the 4th of July after the fireworks. We ordered beers and were looking over the extremely over priced menu figuring out if we actually wanted to order something to eat. When the waitress brought our drinks I had a sip of my Sam Adams it tasted sour like it had been left out overnight. Disgusting. I went in to tell the waitress something was wrong and after I handed it to her, the owner grabbed it out of her hand, took a sip, looked at me and said "there's nothing wrong with this." I said that I used to live in Boston and I know that's not how a Sam Adams is supposed to taste. I guess that set him off. He started getting aggressive and told me "I'm from Boston. Don't waste my fucking beer. You'll drink it and pay for it!" I decided it was time to leave and headed out to the patio to get my friends. He followed me outside and got right up in my face and started yelling at me and insulting me and my friends right in front of three tables of completely shocked families. Not sure why but he told me to go into a pasture and do some mushrooms. Its hard to believe this actually happened and I have to write this review. We all left and will never return to this terrible place.
(1)Virginia F.
Fried clam strips were very fresh and strong and cooked absolutely perfectly. They came in a very large basket so be ready! My husband described the lobster roll as "last meal in prison food," the kind of meal he would request if he knew he were about ti die. He is so delighted. The large lobster roll is on a sub sandwich so if you need to eat just an unbelievable amount of fresh and perfect lobster, here is your spot. Enjoy.
(5)Satchimo D.
We were surprised to find this gem. I was with some fellas on a stag do and we needed some nourishment on our way up to the Dead River. We decided to stop in Portland with the idea to get a Lobstah roll. Of course I tried to get into Eventide, but once again the wait was over an hour. So with 4 hungry dudes I had to think quick. I remember people telling me the the rolls were good here and Yelp confirmed. So we walked to 3bouys. From our approach it looked roadside clamshacky and not too promising. Let me assure you Yelpers, this is not the case. We sat outside in the sun with some frosty beers and enjoyed one of the biggest and best Lobster rolls any of us has had. Well worth the $24. The fries are hand cut and tasty as well. We were the only ones in there which was a little weird, but I think that was due to the time 3:00. I will definitely be back to this little gem.
(4)Steve T.
I got a pair of lobster rolls, large size which came with fries. I have to say that this lobster roll was the biggest roll I can say I've ever had. It was humongous, teeming with chunks of claw. I had ordered it warm, and it came out piping hot and full, with mayo on the side. Relative to the more touristy places on the waterfront, it is a phenomenal deal.
(4)Blaine D.
Excellent food with great portion sizes, had the scallops, shrimp, and great service by Leah. Can't go wrong eating here. Expect better service and bigger portion sizes than most places here in Portland.
(5)Kristin C.
This was the first place we went to for a lobster roll and probably one of our favorite lobster rolls on the trip. 3Buoys was a little rough around the edges, but still worth the visit. As for the rough around the edges part, there was a hair in my soup; yikes, but it does happen. Also, the rough fisherman type cook had a little display in front of us. A customer complained the fried fish smelled funny, and for our humor, he took the bowl from her, sniffed it, and started chomping down on it himself. "Hmm, tastes fine to me." I wasn't sure what ever happened to the girl and her food, but it was kind of funny. Some young men came in looking for a job, and the cook (owner?) was like really guys, I can't talk to you in the middle of rush time? I thought that was kind of funny too. Somehow, it all didn't seem rude, but just seemed a part of his character. Our server was down to earth and pleasant. The parking and entrance were a little challenging. It is kind of hard to put your finger on it, but for some reason, this seems to be a good pit stop to give you a feeling of Portland and Maine, though.
(4)MK S.
Really disappointing experience. Dining while hearing the owners talk down to their wait staff was a true bummer. The wait staff made our visit and we enjoyed talking to the young girl but she was called away mid sentence from us and told by the owners she was not allowed to socialize with customers. This could have been done privately & made us very uncomfortable. Really? We were enjoying our experience and talking with her about our daughter. We could hear their conversation when she was told she was not allowed to talk to us but just take our order? There were literally two other customers in the entire restaurant. Lobster roll used mostly minced lobster meat. Cole slaw was horrible & meal pricy. We were excited to try after the yelp reviews but a huge disappointment on the experience but validated by the mediocre food. Bummer.
(2)Tom D.
We ordered the large lobster roll, whole clams, clam chowder and seafood chowder. The lobster roll was great and big enough for two. The seafood chowder was very good, but the clam chowder was bland, not very good at all. They claim the clams are famous but I couldn't tell you as the waitress never brought it to us. So we had to ask for that one to be taken off the check. The fries were soaked with grease, indicating the fryer probably wasn't hot enough. They do have draft beer, mostly varieties of Sam Adams but also Allagash White. I'm somewhat surprised by the reviews, they do have a great lobster roll but that's about it, they don't get much else right.
(3)Rose M.
Amazing experience!! Incredibly gracious owner and staff-- to 'apologize' for running out of lobster, we got 2 large free seafood plates. All of it was very tasty!!
(5)Jessica E.
delicious!!
(5)Elliot P.
A small-on-the-outside-but-surprisingly-large-inside building, we thought it might just be carry-out, but actually has about 10 tables. It was empty when we went (around noon, Weekday, June), and the service was very pleasant and quick. Food was very good. Certainly not the kind of place you go when you're on a diet - huge portions, enough to fill you up for the rest of the day. A really unique, extensive menu.
(5)Eric F.
As good as anticipated. Humongous Lobsta roll with amazing fresh Kennebec fries. Best roll I've had in Maine
(5)Marlies O.
Delightful little place to get a lobster roll without all the pomp and circumstance. Friendly, family atmosphere in a corner restaurant tucked away from the touristy spots of Portland. It's not a sketchy neighborhood either, but a real part of the city. I had the small lobster roll and onion rings, both were fantastic. The bread was perfectly toasted and the lobster was a buttery, rich delight. I loved the breading on the onion rings and the onions weren't a slimy mess like some places. If you want a real meal in a real part of the town, go to 3Bouys.
(5)Max M.
A trip to Maine for the 1st time in my life. Here to take a tour of Bowdoin w/ the 16yr old w/ 14 & 4yr olds in tow..Not too easy to please everyone in our chaotic dysfunctional group! 3 Bouys blew all of us away! We felt timid w/ our party size & the 4 yr old on the brink of a tantrum if they would want to accommodate us. We were greeted w/ a smile & sincere "Just make yourelves at home" and that was just the start of our great time. A juicy burger topped w/ a boatload of grilled lobster, fried oysters & clamstrips with a rich golden batter surfaced w/ tons of crunchy crevices & fish & chips prep that would shame a Londoner seafood chef...sum it up...YUM! & SUPER FRESH SEAFOOD These guys knock it right out of the park! & this is coming from New Yorkers..where the most critical foodies reside. For our family , 3 Bouys could justify relocating to Maine...LOVE THIS PLACE! pitols o f the ates
(5)Britney S.
Had some awesome food here today. The lobster roll and the onion rings were what I ordered and i had zero regrets. Would recommend visiting here and eating anything off the menu. Only downside is limited parking.
(4)Jessica J.
Little hole in the wall. Big fan of their lobster rolls. Enough for two people to eat with reasonable prices
(4)Jason S.
Get the large lobster roll and the seafood chowder. Share it with someone. You will be the happiest
(5)Sam O.
The burger combinations here are amazing. My favorites are one topped with loads of fried shrimp and another topped with pulled pork. I've not seen this anywhere else. The hand cut fries are just as good as the burgers. Also, order a steak and cheese if you want two or three meals.
(5)Elise W.
This place it's the absolute best. Drove up from Boston just for a bite. Highly recommended. Tell them Bill Kalwas sent you.
(5)Troy S.
Best meal in Portland so far. We had been striking out and this place delivered. The Lobster bisque/chowder was delicious and well worth the $6. This is cheaper than the other places I have seen and the cup was large than others. I would have been happy just eating this and leaving with the amount of lobster in it. Then came our meals which were huge. The Kraken lived up to its name and for $11 worth it. It is a double cheeseburger (huge 1/2 lb or larger patties) and a nice portion of lobster with a splendid spicy mayo. My burger was massive and falling apart but worth the experience. I paid an extra dollar for sweet potato fries which I wish I could eaten all of them. These were some of the best fries I have had in awhile. My wife ordered the fried shrimp with onion rings. Again way too much for one meal. She had around 9 shrimp leftover which I ate later that night while dipping it in in the spicy mayo sauce. The shrimp was lightly breaded and you could tell that they do it in house. Those were better than normal friend shrimp. Do not let the location throw you and drive away from touristy and hipster old port and try this place out. They have a few beers on tap with a way too large menu. They make their own food even with the insane menu and breakfast all day policy. The waitress was great and you can tell she was pretty new but enjoying her job. The owner was working that night along with a Somali sous chef who worked on the frying part of the job. I loved the experience here even though sitting outside wasn't all that ambient. Great place.
(5)Stephanie A.
All the food was delicious, the staff was super friendly and attentive. We had the fishermen's platter and the Fish&Chips - either one alone would have been enough to satiate even two of the biggest appetites (advise splitting one platter between two people). Lobster bisque was FULL of lobster meat and super tasty.
(4)Becky L.
I can't speak for the rest of their menu, but the lobster roll and the fried clams were really disappointing. The lobster was really salty and had this incredibly unattractive, mushy texture - it was actually a chore to eat. On top of that, the bread was over-toasted and added nothing to the overall flavor of the roll. This probably also had something to do with the overpowering 'fishiness' of the lobster meat. The fried clam belly basket was more like a pile of fried batter. The bellies themselves couldn't have been larger than skittles. Would've given this place 1-star if it weren't for the friendly service of the girl who took our order.
(2)Ryan C.
I like this place a lot, the atmosphere is casual, the food is solid, and they have beers on tap. When my wife and I are in the mood for Fried Seafood we no longer have to drive over to Susan's (though Susan's is still my favorite in the area) - 3 Buoys is a viable alternative! We get the fisherman's platter and split it between us, its plenty of food - the portions are very generous here. The french fries are "real" french fries and the roast beef sandwiches are solid. I have even been in for breakfast a couple of times and tried a few benedicts, both of which were tasty and extremely filling! especially the one with corned beef! I would give this place 4.5 stars if I could for being clean, serving fresh food, having drafts, and offering generous portions of food. big big step up from Buffalo wings and things.
(4)Josh S.
We got the lobster roll, best here of any lobster roll on our Portland lobster roll crawl. Perfectly buttery warm toasted bun housed a chilly heap of lobster meat. As the lobster warmed while chewing, more and more flavor was unleashed. It was relatively inexpensive given the portion, and we went for the onion ring upgrade from fries for $1 - they were quite good.
(5)Bud P.
The service was slow despite being only one other table in the place. The cook seemed to be able to only cook one table at a time. The product. We had burgers, was okay but not anything to write home about. Too many other good options in town to consider this one again
(2)William H.
Don't let the looks or location of this place fool you. The food is excellent and the prices are great. If you're looking for a good brunch spot where you won't have to wait in line and you won't have to break the bank, this is a good spot.
(4)Tammy W.
Great place to grab lunch. Off the beaten path and great service. Highly recommend the lobster rolls, sweet potato fries and clam chowder. BURGERS are great, too.
(5)Jacob J.
Love often comes when you least expect. You wouldn't think much of an out of the way shack on a lonely street corner. Let alone a place that sells itself as a shanty. But this place is great. It has Shipyard pumpkin on tap. The sweet potato fries are soft and lovable. Oh and that lobster roll. Get the large. It's big enough to share yet better to eat yourself. A coat of butter gives the lobster, fresh and crisp, a sweet finish. Oh you must get this lobster roll. It's good enough to be worth the stomach rolls.
(5)Becky L.
I can't speak for the rest of their menu, but the lobster roll and the fried clams were really disappointing. The lobster was really salty and had this incredibly unattractive, mushy texture - it was actually a chore to eat. On top of that, the bread was over-toasted and added nothing to the overall flavor of the roll. This probably also had something to do with the overpowering 'fishiness' of the lobster meat. The fried clam belly basket was more like a pile of fried batter. The bellies themselves couldn't have been larger than skittles. Would've given this place 1-star if it weren't for the friendly service of the girl who took our order.
(2)Craig ..
Best Lobster roll ever! The clam chowder was amazing, all clams! Fantastic fries too. The draft beers are cheap, staff is friendly. What more is there to say about this little corner lobster shack. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Ryan C.
I like this place a lot, the atmosphere is casual, the food is solid, and they have beers on tap. When my wife and I are in the mood for Fried Seafood we no longer have to drive over to Susan's (though Susan's is still my favorite in the area) - 3 Buoys is a viable alternative! We get the fisherman's platter and split it between us, its plenty of food - the portions are very generous here. The french fries are "real" french fries and the roast beef sandwiches are solid. I have even been in for breakfast a couple of times and tried a few benedicts, both of which were tasty and extremely filling! especially the one with corned beef! I would give this place 4.5 stars if I could for being clean, serving fresh food, having drafts, and offering generous portions of food. big big step up from Buffalo wings and things.
(4)Josh S.
We got the lobster roll, best here of any lobster roll on our Portland lobster roll crawl. Perfectly buttery warm toasted bun housed a chilly heap of lobster meat. As the lobster warmed while chewing, more and more flavor was unleashed. It was relatively inexpensive given the portion, and we went for the onion ring upgrade from fries for $1 - they were quite good.
(5)Bud P.
The service was slow despite being only one other table in the place. The cook seemed to be able to only cook one table at a time. The product. We had burgers, was okay but not anything to write home about. Too many other good options in town to consider this one again
(2)William H.
Don't let the looks or location of this place fool you. The food is excellent and the prices are great. If you're looking for a good brunch spot where you won't have to wait in line and you won't have to break the bank, this is a good spot.
(4)Deb W.
I stopped by here after another seafood restaurant had an hour wait. Walked into this restaurant, saw half the Tables empty and decided to eat here since there was no wait. You get your own menu when you walk in and order at the counter. I got a large lobster roll and clam chowder to share. The lobster roll was decent size with a lot of lobster stuffed in it. The price wasn't bad at 23.95 for the large lobster roll. The clam chowder was disgusting. It had a sour taste to it and I didn't know what the source to that sourness came from. I was hoping they added lime or something and not spoiled heavy cream but I took one bite and stopped eating it in case it was spoiled milk. Didn't want to ruin my trip to Portland with an upset stomach! Growing up in New England, I've had my share of clam chowders and never have I eaten a sour bowl of clam chowder before. Service here was about a 2 star because the lady behind the counter seemed a bit rude when customers went up to order or ask for something. Overall go for the lobster roll!
(3)Heather W.
Other reviewers have commented on the sketchy neighborhood and limited parking as downsides to 3Buoys. We didn't find these to be issues at all. Our issue was with the food. First - the local craft brew was tasty. After that, the meal went downhill fast. The clam chowder was not quite can-worthy. It was peppery and the clams were the consistency of pencil erasers - and tasted about the same too. There was also this odd undertone of "burned bottom of a pot" that did not benefit the result. The three of us splitting the CUP struggled so much to avoid the clams, we didn't end up finishing it. We ordered the famed lobster rolls, as well. While they were GIANT, the lobster meat wasn't the freshest and was dry to boot. If you were in the Midwest, these might be the tastiest rolls around, but c'mon - this is PORTLAND! Additionally, at the end of one small roll and one large roll, the three of us couldn't agree whether there was no dressing for the lobster-meat...or whether the dressing just had no taste. Oh well, at least we have something to debate on our drive back home. The highlight of our food was the sweet potato fries. The highlight of the meal was the very nice and attentive server. Bottom line: this was the weakest of our meals in Portland.
(2)Linda M.
The neighborhood is a bit sketchy, and the parking is not great, but the food is wonderful. The waitress was very nice. We started off with the fish chowder which was delicious. Very fresh and lots of fish in there--not just broth like a lot of tourist traps in Maine. I had the lobster roll and it was filled with lobster and delicious. The onion rings were not greasy either. My husband had the fish tacos and thought they were great as well. We saw a takeout of a fisherman's platter, and that thing must have weighed a ton. We may try that next time. Very affordable, excellent quality, and a lot of food.
(4)Kaz S.
Awesome little spot w/ great food! All plates are huge so make sure to bring a big appetite!
(5)Larry R.
Amazing. Lobsta rolls 3 times the size of those you are usually presented with at other places in Maine - fresh, tender, cooked just right, not overcooked and reheated. You will NOT say, that's it? I'm still hungry, You will have trouble finishing these lobsta logs. All the soups and chowdas are among the best in all of New England - really. Nicely done, not greasy - tasty sweet potato fries. Generous portions, friendly waitresses and a cook who is proud of his workmanship and so he should be. Off the beaten path, but one of the best seafood dining experiences in Maine. Somewhat scruffy neighborhood and restaurant, but DEFINITELY worth the detour.
(5)Joanne G.
Lots of great food in Portland, this place's seafood among them. Try the seafood chowder: amazing meal. It's also gluten free, which was a plus for me.
(4)Rich M.
Portions were excellent overall food was great. I think they needed to change their oil as my haddock came out very dark. My wife was happy with her sampler platter. Overall we were happy with it. We could have shared 1 plate based on their portion sizes.
(4)Faye L.
The most lobster I've ever eaten in one sitting. Fantastic value--massive lobster roll. Not the best one I've ever had, but definitely delicious. Only real complaint is that the whole steamed lobsters had tough shells to crack, so I'd definitely go for the roll!
(4)Ray P.
Food-I stop here every time I'm in town for the lobster roll because it's the best I've ever had, pricey but the best and huge. Usually have to finish it later. Seafood chowder is also excellent. Decor- shanty but very clean. Don't let the outside scare you away because the food is worth going inside for. Service-very good and welcoming, the owner has a lot of experience with seafood and is happy to tell you about it. Love this place.
(5)Peter T.
Massive lobster roll. Easily 3x the meat of Gilbert's, get the small, it will be plenty. The roll is a bit heavy handed on the butter. The fried shrimp order is massive. $11 gets you north of 50 tender shrimp, but slightly heavy on the bay seasoning. Although the food is great, the venue needs polish. To me, it doesn't say character, it says cheesy, and slightly grimy. There are like 3 tables inside and the rest is a massive kitchen. Its also sandwiched between two gas stations, so not the most glamorous of locations. Parking is also tight.
(4)Anne W.
Fun place , great, friendly service and wonderful food! Best fried shrimp I've had . We started with cups of clam chowder and seafood chowder , and then shared an order of jumbo fried shrimp with sweet potato fries and onion rings . It was a ton of food - we very easily could've just shared the shrimp plate, as it was we took leftovers. We will definitely go back next time we are in Portland.
(5)Jennifer P.
Food and service was good! Location was a bit sketchy, but hey we're from the Bronx. Out of all the lobster we ate during our weekend in Maine this ended up being our favorite...yup even better than the more frequented touristy spots. Food was fresh, made to order, service was friendly and accommodating and portions were huge for the price compared to other restaurants. I recommend it!
(4)Bcmr I.
Came in for the lobster roll. It is still fabulous and the large size roll provided a generous portion for two. We also shared a Greek salad which was delicious, plentiful, great tastes and textures. Outdoor seating was surprisingly pleasant -- it's not the most scenic location. The wait staff was friendly and efficient. A completely unpretentious place to eat great food. Highly recommended.
(5)Eric L.
We ordered the fisherman's platter, lobster roll and some clam chowder. The fisherman's platter is a ton of food, enough for two people. It arrived with a huge piece of haddock, the size of a small brick. The large lobster roll is also huge and others have posted, also enough for two people. The chowder was also solid with tons of fresh clams. The service was also excellent. Everyone agreed the food was all very good, but not the best on the trip - maybe the bar is now set too high after all these great restaurants we have had this week.
(4)Joseph F.
FIVE STARS - This is the only place that I can get a Hadlock sandwich that I don't feel compelled to smother it in tartar sauce. I smother everything but it would be a crime to smother this sandwich. It was delicious and I could tell that it was fresh. Last night I had chowder and the fishermans platter and couldn't eat more than a third. It was perfect and had plenty to bring home (eating the leftovers while writing this) While we were waiting the cook brought over generous taste portions "on-the-house" of the fish chowder. Unbelievable They are small, cozy and not fancy and the food can't be beat. They have a faithful take out crowd and do a lot of business. I Used the bathroom and found it to be freshly painted and very clean. The posted note from management to customers was hysterical
(5)Christoph B.
Best chowder of my life. Period. I would brave the cold and move from California just to be close to this mans food. Also the best lobster roll I had during my week stay in New England. Who gives a shit if it is 17° outside when the food is this good. Thanks for a great meal! Single ladies- look out for the charming blue eyed young buck that works there before some New York modeling agency discovers him and turns him into someone famous (and steals his charm).
(5)Morgan L.
We ate our way across Maine this past weekend trying lobster rolls as we went. 3Buoys had the best roll from all the places we hit, hands down. I don't have enough data to say best ever, but it was definitely a great roll.
(5)Bogey S.
Delicious food, cozy little place, friendly staff....plus, the best clam strips ever!!
(5)Katherine P.
I was treated to "the lazyman's lobster" entree and my friend had a cheeseburger that was so loaded with all of the fixings that he had to eat it with a fork and knife and could barely make a dent in the mountain of fries. The portions were very verrrry generous, and great attention was paid both to the food's taste and presentation as well as to us personally in their authentically friendly service. A very memorable meal for all of the right reasons!
(5)Jenny W.
We had dinner at the 3Buoys based on the Yelp's review, but it was not as good as other reviewers experienced. We order fried oyster, and it was not fresh. It had sour taste. The large lobster roll was huge, but not as fresh as what we had from the Fisherman's Grill. The sweet potato fries was very tasty, but the regular fries are too big and tasteless. 90% of seafood selection from the menu is fried, and except cold slaw, there is no other veggie option.
(3)Helena D.
A lot of fried food... But lots if it! The haddock was really good. Not great for large groups, also not a great beer selection ( no wine either)
(3)Richard H.
My wife and I split the fisherman's platter and besides the fact that there was enough leftovers for a big lunch the next day, the quality of the food and its preparation were on par with any fried fish meal I've ever had anywhere. I consider myself a scallop snob, and would not ever normally order them deep fried, but the ones in this platter were absolutely as good as it gets, however they are cooked. The clams, haddock, and shrimp were also fresh and tasty. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Christine E.
A MUST stop if you're in the area. Best lobster I've ever had in my life, fresh clam chowder filled with clams, and a good selection of the brew. The owner and workers were extremely welcoming and greeted me with a "make yourself at home!" Reasonable prices, too - more authentic and affordable than anywhere around.
(5)Beth D.
Wow really great mate. Please no hate, great place for a date to rehydrate after a late outtake. Apreciate the phosphate in upstate charbohydrate. Very origanate breastplate seating to reincorporate a debate about a pollinate recombination. Legitimate I rate 8/8 mate. Also they make a mean lobster roll
(5)Brenda G.
Best Lobster Roll in Portland, What a treat. A great amount of fresh lobster, simple! This place is great! Its not much to look at but who cares! The food is plentiful, reasonable and YUMMY! The burgers are outstanding and the staff was very friendly and happy, that always makes my day. Go there to indulge its so worth it!
(5)William S.
I really like places like this. No frills, the neighborhood is a bit seedy, but the food is awesome. My fiance got a lobster roll that was amazing! We had a few other lobster rolls while in town and this was by far the best one. I got a fried clam platter and I have never seen such big clams in my entire life. I'm usually suspect of large clams (they're usually really tough) but these were amazing. Also fried clams are hit or miss usually, and these are definitely a hit. Sometimes fried clams are fried forever so they turn into little clam raisins. That's not the case here. All the clams still retained their wonderful flavor and were still very supple and soft. All of that said the clams were really great. Also, they serve beer. Good craft beer. Gotta love that. The only downsides that we experienced was limited parking.
(4)Molly L.
Phenomenal fried pickles! If you like fried stuff and super sized portions, this is the place for you! Extensive menus!
(4)Andy S.
The lobster roll and fries were great. The staff was friendly and they had 6 beers on tap. This isn't a fancy place but I loved it.
(5)Ellen M.
After a week-long lobster roll binge, 3bouys had by FAR the best roll around, huge roll & I got the "small" one, great onion rings & killer fried clams. Everything very fresh & staff was extremely happy, polite & professional. Next time I'm in Portland, this will be the only lobster roll place for me!!
(5)Zachary C.
Do not be fooled by appearances! The chowders and lobster roll here are the best that we had while in Maine!
(5)