Restaurant Review: Cook's Lobster House

Cook's Lobster House
Route 24, Bailey Island

Most coastal Mainers have a list of favorite seafood shacks, often broken into categories for best lobster rolls, fried clams, lobster stew, or fish and chips. Knowledge of the best seafood shacks is closely guarded by locals who are tired of fighting off tourists. B, for example, once gave a tourist couple false directions to our favorite spot. (He was justified; they wanted to find “Hera’s Secret.")

Summertime is also the season of friends and relatives visiting. These lovely, lovely people want more than a Freeport shopping trip. They want lobster, served at an authentic, picturesque seafood shack. If they are of a certain age, economic bracket, or overall agility, your favorite shack may be a little too ... rustic. I learned the hard way that my upscale urban friends did not want to wait in line to eat lobster rolls at sticky picnic tables.

So, where to take your seafood-craving, finicky guests? If you're up for some old-school lobster pound kitsch, take them to Cook’s Lobster House, located in Harpswell on Bailey Island. This is a restaurant where you can count on being seated in a reasonable amount of time, food is served on plates instead of plastic baskets, and no one has to whack a lobster with a wooden mallet. Cook’s Lobster House is the perfect place to bring your relatives and friends who want Maine without the mess. In fact, Cook’s has been voted Maine’s best seafood restaurant for over a decade.

The scenic drive to the restaurant winds through Harpswell, crossing over Great Island and Orr’s Island. Sharp eyes may spot blue herons and osprey fishing along the coastal route. The drive ends just past the Bailey Island Bridge, a unique cribstone bridge made from a latticework of granite. The restaurant is situated on a slender peninsula on Merriconeag Sound. This prime location affords ocean views from virtually every window in the restaurant. There is an outdoor patio, too.

Be forewarned: the restaurant is very popular. Tour buses and the Casco Bay Lines ferry make regular dining trips to Cook’s Lobster House. They do not take reservations unless the party is 25 or greater. Thankfully, the dining rooms are sprawling, including several additions and a gift shop. The decor is unapologetically old school. Honey varnished pine booths, navigational chart lampshades, lobster trap decorations, and a smattering of tenacious, spiny plants decorate the interior. The placemats give directions on how to eat a lobster. (If, by chance, you haven’t eaten a lobster before, do not follow the directions on the mats! Instead, ask for help from your knowledgeable server.)

The menu is extensive, providing a solid range of both classic steakhouse and seafood shack options. Appetizers are priced from $5.95 - $14.95, from lobster dip to bacon wrapped scallops. There is a healthy variety of chowders, too. Dinners include classics like Fillet Mignon and Lobster Newburg, most priced over $20. Classic shore dinners come in various permutations of lobster, clams, mussels, and/or shrimp with copious sides. These generally fall in the $40 range, and will keep your relatives happily occupied and stuffed. There’s also the somewhat daunting lobster menu, broken down into categories by stuffing and lobster size. Diners can get a simple steamed 1 1/4 pounder or a seafood-stuffed 4 pound gargantuan. (The latter is the most expensive item on the menu at $86.) The lobster, like most of Cook’s seafood, is fresh and local. The menu includes illustrations of "their" lobstermen’s buoys, some of which are visible out the window in the Sound.

I would like to say that the varied and expensive menu options at Cook's Lobster House are excellent. I can't. I believe most of Cook's menu is targeted to elderly patrons and tourists. Personally, I avoid menu items that are overpriced or over-reaching for the restaurant. My indication that Cook's might over-reach with their menu: the rolls. They are the classic "restaurant rolls" that companies sell frozen, in bulk. They indicate comfort with mediocrity, volume over quality. If I am going to order an expensive meal, I want fresh, well-made food. Most of the menu at Cook's does not inspire confidence that I will get what I want.

I did say most of the menu, however, not all of the menu. Head right to the “Lighter” and “Hearty Sandwiches” sections of the menu. Don’t be alarmed; “lighter” at Cook’s isn’t healthier. Most of the items are fried, but the portions are smaller, as in one person will be stuffed instead of a small village. The options include simple seafood choices like fish and chips, lobster rolls, clam rolls, and fish sandwiches. The food on these menu sections are less expensive, and more honest. I may not have faith in Cook's more expensive items, but I do believe they can make righteous fried seafood plates.

On my recent family reunion-inspired outing to Cook’s, my entire family wisely ordered from the Hearty Sandwiches menu. Five of us got fried fish sandwiches, rightfully called “a local’s delight." The sandwich was served on a soft bun with a huge, crispy triangle of fish curling out of it. The fish, freshly caught in Beal’s Cove, was tender, flaky, and delicious. It came with requisite tartar sauce, a pickle, and your choice of fries or cole slaw and chips. I recommend the cole slaw, which Cook’s calls “world famous.” It is a mixture of chopped white and purple cabbage that has a light, sweet, tangy, almost lemony flavor. It’s mayonnaise free, super crunchy, and worth the title. If you are still hungry after dinner, there are classic Maine dessert options, including strawberry shortcake and indian pudding. I haven't tried the desserts yet, but they seem humble enough to be made locally. I personally stick to the free, chocolate coated mints available on the way out.

Cook’s Lobster House is open year-round, seven days a week, serving lunch and dinner from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm. They serve beer, wine, and liquor. Most major credit cards are accepted. Contact Cook’s at cookslobster.com or 207-833-2818.