Essex Seafood Reopens After Being Hit by Fire Last Spring

A beloved North Shore seafood shack that was destroyed in a fire last year is back in business.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Essex Seafood on Route 133 in Essex has reopened, with a Facebook post from the place saying the following:

We just had a 2 day soft open to appreciate the firefighters who responded to our fire last year, contractors and others who helped rebuild our new restaurant. Thank you again to all! WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR CUSTOMERS! We can't wait for everyone to see the new restaurant and enjoy some great food!

Essex Seafood sustained major damage in a two-alarm blaze that started after they closed for the night last Mother's Day, with the damage being so extensive that the structure had to be torn down. It is one of several iconic clam shacks along Route 133 in Essex and Ipswich, including such spots as J. T. Farnham's, Woodman's, and the Clam Box.

The address for Essex Seafood is 143 Eastern Avenue (Route 133), Essex, MA, 01929.

[Earlier Article]
Essex Seafood Heavily Damaged in Two-Alarm Fire

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Essex Seafood Heavily Damaged in Two-Alarm Fire

An iconic North Shore seafood shack is closed for the foreseeable future after being hit by a fire overnight.

According to an article from CBS Boston, Essex Seafood on Route 133 in Essex sustained major damage in a two-alarm blaze that apparently broke out around 11:00 Sunday night. The post mentions that the fire started only hours after it wrapped up a busy Mother's Day for the restaurant, but fortunately no injuries were reported. The fire, which caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages to Essex Seafood, is currently under investigation.

Essex Seafood is one of several iconic clam shacks along Route 133 in Essex and Ipswich, including such places as Woodman's, J. T. Farnham's, and the Clam Box.

[May 22 update: The Gloucester Times mentions that Essex Seafood owner Howie Lane plans to tear the structure down and rebuild, saying that "We want to rebuild just like it was, with the wood inside just like we had....I have a lot of friends that do construction and cement work -- they've all reached out to me. We'll make it company friendly, handicap-friendly and put a sprinkler system in so nothing like this will happen again." In addition, Lane is planning to have a grand reopening celebration in which the firefighters who extinguished the fire will be recognized for their work, with Lane stating that "I can't believe they saved the house....They more than did their job. They're the real heroes. Everything will be on the house -- no charge." (Thanks to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page for bringing this to our attention.)]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Brown's Lobster Pound in Seabrook, NH, Reopens After 2017 Fire

by Marc Hurwitz

A decades-old mainstay for seafood is open once again more than a half year after a fire shut the place down.

According to a Facebook post from the restaurant, Brown's Lobster Pound in Seabrook, NH, has reopened, with the note saying that they were open over the weekend and will also be open this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with regular hours apparently on the way starting Friday, April 13. The post from Brown's goes on to say "Thank you all for well wishes and support during this very difficult time. We ask that you be patient as we are dealing with new equipment and trying to get back into the swing of things. We can't wait to see you all for another great season!!!!"

Last August, Brown's suffered major damage from a fire that destroyed the kitchen and the rear of the building, with the dining room also suffering smoke and water damage. The restaurant--which first opened in 1950--had hoped to open late last month but the opening date was pushed back due to bad weather and delays in the delivery of equipment.

The address for Brown's Lobster Pound is 407 Route 286, Seabrook, NH, 03874. Its website can be found at http://brownslobsterpound.com/

[Earlier Article]
Brown's Lobster Pound in Seabrook, NH Closed After Fire

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Seafood Dishes from Boston-Area and New England Restaurants]

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Brown's Lobster Pound in Seabrook, NH Closed After Fire

A decades-old institution for seafood is closed after being hit by a fire, and it is not known when it could reopen.

According to a post from NBC Boston, Brown's Lobster Pound in Seabrook, NH, suffered major damage from a blaze early this morning, with the kitchen and the rear of the building being destroyed by the fire and the dining room having smoke and water damage. The Facebook page for the seafood shack simply says that it is looking to reopen "as soon as possible" while it also hopes to take part in the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival, which takes place September 8-10.

Brown's, which first opened in 1950, is one of New England's best-known seafood restaurants, and it is often mentioned in the same breath as Markey's, another longtime seafood shack that is located across the street.

The address for Brown's Lobster Pound is 407 Route 286, Seabrook, NH, 03874. Its website can be found at http://brownslobsterpound.com/

[September 1 update: The New Hampshire Union Leader states that Brown's Lobster Pound remains closed after the fire, but it will be able to take part in the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival next weekend. The article also says that the restaurant hopes to reopen in mid-to-late October if all goes well.]

[March 8, 2018 update: WMUR says that Brown's Lobster Pound plans to open on March 23, even after a scare during last weekend's storm when it was hit by flooding.]

[March 22, 2018 update: A new Facebook post from the place mentions that tomorrow's opening date has been pushed back because of the bad weather and delays in the delivery of equipment.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Seafood Dishes from Boston-Area and New England Restaurants]

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Luke's Lobster Is Opening in Boston's Seaport District

It looks like a New York-based group of dining spots featuring lobster rolls is going to open a third shop in Boston, with this one being by the waterfront.

According to a source, Luke's Lobster is opening in Seaport Square within the city's Seaport District, with a picture sent indicating that it will move into The Benjamin and VIA luxury apartment complex on Northern Avenue. Once it opens, the new location of Luke's will join others in the Back Bay and Downtown Crossing, along with shops in Maine, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Maryland, Chicago, Miami, and Las Vegas.

Luke Holden, who is a former lobsterman and Maine resident, founded Luke's Lobster in the East Village neighborhood of New York City in 2009 along with his father Jeff Holden and business partner Ben Conniff.

It looks like the address for the new Luke's Lobster in the Seaport District will be 53 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA, 02210. The website for Luke's can be found at http://lukeslobster.com/

[October 31, 2017 update: Boston Magazine mentions that the Seaport District location of Luke's Lobster opens on Wednesday, November 29.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Seafood Dishes from Boston-Area and New England Restaurants]

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Luke's Lobster Is Opening in Boston's Downtown Crossing

It looks like a New York-based group of eateries featuring lobster rolls is going to be opening a second shop in Boston, and this one will be in the heart of the downtown area.

According to a source, Luke's Lobster is making plans to open on Washington Street in Downtown Crossing, taking over the space where Cakeology had been. Our source believes that the lease for the space has already been signed, but this has not been completely confirmed as of yet, while a message sent from Luke's indicates that there is not a specific opening date for this location as of yet and to keep checking their social media pages for updates. Once it does open, the new location of Luke's Lobster will join another within the Avalon Exeter apartment tower on Exeter Street in the Back Bay, which opened in July of 2015.

Former lobsterman and Maine resident Luke Holden established Luke's Lobster in New York's East Village in 2009 along with his father Jeff Holden and business partner Ben Conniff. Currently, locations can be found in New York, Hoboken, NJ, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Bethesda, MD, Chicago, and Las Vegas.

The address for the new location of Luke's Lobster in Downtown Crossing is 290 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02108. The website for Luke's can be found at http://lukeslobster.com/

[July 14 update: Eater Boston confirms that Luke's Lobster is indeed coming to the former Cakeology space, and it looks like the new shop could be opening later this summer if all goes as planned.]

[September 23 update: A new post from Eater Boston states that Luke's Lobster opens its new location in Downtown Crossing at noon today.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Seafood Dishes from Boston-Area and New England Restaurants]

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Update: Tony's Clam Shop in Quincy Reopens for the Season March 25, 2016

[Ed note: This article was updated to reflect a last-minute decision by Tony's to open earlier than had been previously thought.]

A popular seafood spot in Quincy is getting ready to reopen for the season.

According to a post on its Facebook page, Tony's Clam Shop at Wollaston Beach is hoping to reopen tomorrow (Friday, March 25), featuring an array of seafood dishes, classic American fare, and more once again. Earlier this month, the dining spot announced that its founder Tony Kandalaft--who had first opened the place back in 1964--had passed away, saying that "Wollaston beach lost a legend....If you met Tony you knew the genuine, generous, hard working man we love. We will miss him."

Tony's Clam Shop is a spot that our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) has featured in part for its fried clams. The review can be found at this link:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/TonysClamShop.html

The address for Tony's Clam Shop is 861 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170. Its website is at http://tonysclamshop.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Seafood Dishes from Boston-Area and New England Restaurants]

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The Clam Box in Quincy to Reopen for the Season on March 4

A waterside seafood spot that has been around for nearly 50 years is getting ready to open back up.

According to its website, The Clam Box on Wollaston Beach in Quincy plans to reopen for the season on Friday, March 4, once again offering longtime favorites such as fried clams, fish and chips, popcorn shrimp, lobster rolls, and much more. Its regular hours during the summer are 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM seven days a week, though it is not yet known whether the eatery will have limited hours as the season begins (we will post an update as soon as we find out).

The Clam Box, which first started out in 1968, is a restaurant that our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) has featured as a place to go for both seafood dishes and classic American fare. The review can be found at this link:

http://hiddenboston.com/ClamBoxQuincy.html

The address for The Clam Box is 789 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170. Its website is at http://clamboxquincy.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Seafood Dishes from Boston-Area and New England Restaurants]

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Confirmed: The Lobster Pool Restaurant in Rockport Has Been Sold, Is Reopening in April

A popular seafood shack with some of the best views in the state has just announced that it will be reopening, presumably under new ownership.

According to posts within its Facebook page, the Lobster Pool Restaurant in Rockport is planning to reopen on April 3, with a note from the dining spot saying that "It is under contract right now, but the same staff will still be there." Last October, we had reported that the eatery, which is located on Route 127 near the Gloucester line, had been sold, but a couple of days ago a real estate listing showed that the property was still up for sale. It is not yet known who purchased the restaurant, nor is it known if the menu will change; as soon as we get more information, we will post an update here.

[March 23 update: According to a new note on their Facebook page, the menu at the Lobster Pool will not be changing.]

[April 2 update: A new post on its Facebook page indicates that the Lobster Pool is not opening tomorrow (Friday, April 3) after all, as they say "It is under contract with new ownership. It will be open for the season the middle of April."]

[April 7 update: Good Morning Gloucester states that the Lobster Pool officially changed hands today, and the owners are the people behind The Farm Bar & Grille in Essex (they also have locations in Manchester and Dover, NH).]

[April 9 update: According to a new post on their Facebook page, the Lobster Pool is opens a week from today.]

The Lobster Pool Restaurant has been featured on our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants), with the review being found at the link below:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/LobsterPool.html

The address for the Lobster Pool Restaurant is 329 Granite Street (Route 127), Rockport, MA, 01966. Its Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/TheLobsterPool

[Earlier Article]
The Lobster Pool Restaurant in Rockport Is Being Sold

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The Lobster Pool Restaurant in Rockport Is Being Sold

A classic seafood shack with some of the best water views on the Massachusetts coast has been sold, though it looks like the new owner will keep the place open come next spring.

According to a series of posts on its Facebook page, the owner of the Lobster Pool Restaurant in Rockport has decided to sell the place, though she will "assist the [new] owner in any way I can and facilitate a smooth transition for the future of the restaurant," which will close for the season this weekend and reopen again sometime in the spring of 2015. The name of the new owner has not yet been given, nor is it known whether any changes will be made to the restaurant, which is located on Route 127 by the Gloucester border.

[March 20, 2015 update: It appears that the sale mentioned above may have fallen through, as a real estate listing within the property.com site shows The Lobster Pool currently on the market for $850,000. (In addition, a check on the website shows that it is gone.)]

The Lobster Pool Restaurant has been featured on our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) as a place to go for both seafood and outstanding views of Ipswich bay. The review can be found at this link:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/LobsterPool.html

The address for this seafood spot in Rockport is: The Lobster Pool Restaurant, 329 Granite Street (Route 127), Rockport, MA, 01966.

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Belle Isle Seafood Is Moving to Winthrop

It looks like a seafood place in East Boston is moving to a neighboring town, though the new space might end up being a very short distance from the old space.

According to a veteran poster on the Chowhound site, Belle Isle Seafood on Saratoga Street is going to be heading to Winthrop, though the poster says "don't worry, it's barely 100 yards away," indicating that the new space could be just over the bridge from their current spot (the eatery sits at a bridge connecting East Boston to Winthrop). A post from the Whispering Winthrop site also mentions that "Belle Isle Seafood has to move soon and the Mirak building is perfect," with Mirak apparently referring to a property that is on the other side of the bridge. (The post cannot seem to be pulled up on the site itself, but it can be found via a Google search.)

Belle Isle Seafood is known in part for its lobster rolls, but it also offers such items as clam chowder, swordfish, haddock, crab cakes, fried clams, oysters, shrimp, scallops, and calamari.

[November 11 update: A phone call placed to the restaurant indicates that Belle Isle Seafood has closed its East Boston location and will be reopening in its new Winthrop location on Tuesday (November 13). We are still trying to find out its exact address in Winthrop; as soon as we do, we will post another update here. (Thanks to a poster on Chowhound for bringing this to our attention.)]

[November 13 update: A note from Belle Isle Seafood confirms that it is now open in its new home. The new address is: Belle Isle Seafood, 1 Main Street, Winthrop, MA, 02152.]


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Grub Street Includes Woodman's in Essex Among Its 50 Foodie Destinations

A food and restaurant blog that is part of a popular weekly magazine in New York City came out with its list of 50 "food-centric destinations" this spring, and the spot representing Massachusetts is one that is well-known among seafood lovers.

According to the article from New York Magazine's Grub Street blog, Woodman's in Essex has been included among the 50 picks, mainly because of the fried clams that are served at this North Shore institution. According to Grub Street, "everyone owes it to themselves to try the corn-flour-coated 'chubby's Original' fried clams here" because the clams are "plump and crispy" and "what every 'summah' calls for."

The address for Woodman's is: Woodman's, 121 Main Street Essex, MA, 01929. The phone number is(978) 768-6451. And the website can be found at http://www.woodmans.com/

For the complete list of picks by Grub Street, please go to the link below.

50 State Dinners (Plus One): Food Treks Worth Taking This Summer

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Linda Bean's Opens along Nantasket Beach in Hull

A new seafood shack has opened along the Nantasket Beach strip in Hull. Linda Bean's Perfect Maine Lobster Roll recently opened a new spot in this seaside town on the South Shore, and is the first one in Massachusetts (Linda Bean's has several locations in Maine and one in Florida).

In addition to its lobster roll shacks, Linda Bean's also has a mail-order business, shipping live lobsters, peeled shrimp, and lobster stew around the country. Orders can be made at the following Web site:

http://www.lindabeansperfectmaine.com/

Linda Bean's is based in Port Clyde, Maine, a scenic fishing village located on a peninsula south of Rockland in the Midcoast region of the state.

The address for Linda Bean's on Nantasket Beach is: Linda Bean's Perfect Maine Lobster Roll, 163 Nantasket Avenue, Hull, MA, 02045.

Thanks to fluffernutty, a poster on the Chowhound site for letting us (and others) know that Linda Bean's is now open.