The Other Wiscasset Lobster Roll: Sprague's Lobster

One Friday last summer, I made the decision to finally try Red's Eats in Wiscasset, ME. As promised by basically everyone, it was delicious – a ridiculous lobster roll with an obscene amount of lobster meat. But it was also a pain in the ass. The line was enormous, even getting there a 1/2 hour before they opened, and we waited over an hour for that tasty little morsel. So your feelings are definitely conflicted – am I blissfully happy because the lobster roll is just THAT GOOD... or am I bitterly annoyed that it took THAT LONG?!

Several people asked if I had ever been to Sprague's Lobster directly across the street. Huh? There's another lobster roll joint across the street? I mean I probably passed it a hundred times but never really knew anything about it. So this summer, Sprague's gets its turn and I was anxious to see how they compared to their greedy neighbors across Route 1.

It was an overcast Saturday and when we arrived in Wiscasset, it was the same ol' shit. A crawling line of traffic slowly snaking its way down Route 1 through the quaint downtown area. When we finally made it to our destination, Red's had a line that looked to be a good hour and a half to two hours long... and I was able to find a parking spot in Sprague's small lot so things were looking pretty good.

The line at Sprague's was maybe three people. Perfect. The expansive dock was a welcome spot with a view of the Sheepscot River, a plethora of picnic tables and even a few retailers peddling some crafty wares. You place your order at the little shack and they call your number... like any normal seafood takeout spot. And their menu is rather extensive with several non-seafood options in addition to anything from lobster and crab rolls to full-on lobster dinners.

So naturally, I ordered a lobster roll. (I mean, that would be pretty funny if I spent all this time writing a blog post and just ordered a hamburger.) The sign was simple - Lobster Roll - $21.99 - no other information. (Be warned, this place is cash-only but they do have an ATM right there.)

Now for the good stuff. Upon first inspection, the lobster roll appeared to be top notch. The traditional hot dog bun was nicely toasted and there was a substantial amount of naked lobster meat... I love a place that has the confidence to serve their lobster with no dressing. The roll tasted fresh and delicious but there were a few pieces of tail meat that were just a tad chewier than I prefer. And the pieces were big so the fact that you have to try and bite the tail meat in half will often highlight it's chewiness. But it definitely didn't ruin my day because in the end, it was still pretty damn tasty.

Overall, I thought it was a great spot - so much less stressful than Red's. The nice girl at the take-out window also told us it was ok if we brought our cooler of beer to have with our lobster rolls. These places will always get high praise because who doesn't love a BYOB establishment. She just suggested we go to the hidden picnic tables (which honestly were the best because they were right on the river side of the dock.)

Lobster Roll With a Side of Lobster: Red's Eats

I've lived in Maine my entire life and this was the first time I had ever dined at Red's Eats in Wiscasset. (I was beginning to feel like I should have my Maine-ah status revoked!) Located on Route One in the "Prettiest Village in Maine," Red's has been a seafood mecca for over 75 years. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to finally be sampling what some claim to be the best lobster roll in Maine! I've driven by this place so many times only to find a line that wrapped around the building and looked to be hours long so I was prepared to wait and crossed my fingers that I didn't waste time in line for crap.

Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first... the way they operate immediately annoyed me. If you say you open at 11:30 am, and you have a line that stretches halfway down the block, you should OPEN AT 11:30! They were 5-10 minutes late opening... and I had skipped breakfast so I was extra hungry for this lobster roll.

We arrived in line at 11:20 am and finally made it to the window at 12:20 pm. Not horrible, but when I got to the window to order, I realized that there was one window for both ordering and picking up your orders. And there was one person taking orders and plating orders which caused a bit of a log jam in an already tight area. Seems to me if you cut another hole in the building and made a "pick up" window with a different person handing out the orders, that might make the line go a little faster. But I've never owned a take-out joint so what the hell do I know. Or maybe they want that constant line so the people driving by, slowing down and jamming up traffic wonder what the heck all those poeple are waiting for! It helped a tiny bit that the pleasant girl at the window apologized and thanked us for being patient.

Now to the good stuff... Your order is simple at Red's: LOBSTER ROLL. It comes naked, with a side of butter. The end.

When my number was finally called to collect my feast, I nearly skipped up to the window. Even the crowd of pushy people and giant dog under foot couldn't foul my mood. The first thing I noticed? A massive amount of lobster. Like so ridiculous you couldn't even see the bun. Too much lobster? Never! Anyone who says that's too much lobster clearly hates lobster. There was so much you couldn't even pick up the bun, so I had to kick a bunch of pieces onto my tray... hence my lobster roll with a side of lobster!

The traditional split top roll was grilled fairly well but not that buttery grilled I love so much and it was a little smushed. I guess that's to be expected when there are about 100 pounds of lobster meat jammed into it.

Piping hot Kate's homemade butter was served on the side. They have a tea kettle of butter going continuously and pour a side of it right before they hand you the tray. The cold, fresh lobster was chunked a bit bigger than I prefer but the meat was tender and I didn't feel as though I needed piranha teeth to bite through a piece. A recent CBS Sunday Morning story featuring Red's said they use the meat of a whole lobster in every roll. I don't believe it for one second -- I'm pretty sure there was more than that! And all for just $22! (The prices have come down quite a bit since the spring.)

We found a nice clean table in a shady area at which to enjoy our lobster rolls. The view is not half bad with the Sheepscot River visible through a sea of blue umbrellas. I recommend this joint as a stop on your way up Route One if you're not in too much of a hurry and don't mind standing in line.