Three Sons Lobster and Fish

This was a great find when we were in Portland in 2010. I was so anxious to get back and we are going to be in Portland in September (2014). But alas, they have stopped their retail business per their website. It says: «NOTE: Our retail store is temporarily not available. At the moment we are just doing wholesale and shippings. Please keep checking back for updates on a new location!!»
I guess that’s why there are no reviews here since 2012. Darn it!
Three Sons RIP

Took a road trip up to Maine to grab some lobster.
3.5 overall (too bad there are not ½ stars).
Lobster alone a 5. Rest of it a 2.
Not being a local, it was a little tough to find. A little sign on the main road, and then head down what feels like an alley… to find a store where you choose your meal and have it in minutes.
Have to say, the lobster was excellent. Picked the size, watch them picked from a tank, weighed, and tossed in a steamer. Got the butter, which did not add much to the lobster. I would say it tastes better without it actually. Buying some wet naps are a must.
The lobster bisque and calm chowder were okay. Both had a bit too much lemon in them.
Also got a pound of mussels. Good, but I have to say I prefer it in sauce or wine or something. Finished them, but would not get again.
Lastly got a pouch of clams. Not good. They were really sandy. Attempted to eat one and then ended up tossing the rest.
Lastly, dining in on slightly dirty benches, in an alley, are good in a bind (again, not local), but not a great experience. Essentially no lights, when the sun sets, you eat in the dark.
The very next day, before leaving Maine, went and got another couple lobsters. So definitely worthwhile for the lobster. Did not like anything else. They also need new benches.

Warning: Be prepared to come up-​close and personal with your meal.
This place is more like a fish market than a restaurant. You go in, literally next to the lobsters you’re about to eat, and give the staff your order. They dig in and bring them in the back, where they steam them. Meanwhile, you have to figure out where to settle since there are only a couple of picnic tables outside. We ordered soft-​shell lobsters. It was soooo good! So juicy and so much bigger than the more expensive ones in restaurants. This place is definitely not fancy but that makes this place so special. It’s the quality of the food and not the ambiance I was going for anyway!

Definitely worth the trip. Here you can buy fresh and cheap lobsters and clams amongst other yummy seafood. They can also steam your goodies for you so you don’t have to struggle with the fellas. There are picnic tables outside that you can just cop a squat and dig into your goodies. They have a very good clam chowder here too. Don’t pass that up. I want to make Portland an annual trip just for this. I ate 2 whole lobsters on my own with and a cup of clam chowder and a few corn cobs. I was stuffed on cloud nine.

Things You’ll Need for Three Sons and Lobster:
1. $ 15 for a meal consisting of a whole lobster, lobster bisque, melted butter, and corn (YES, REALLY)
2. Newspaper
3. Bib (they sell them for a nickel!)
4. Bread from Standard Baking Co. across the street (for the bisque)
5. A 6 pack of beers (BYOB!)
6. An empty belly
This was our first stop upon entering Portland, ME, and I cannot ask for a better place. 3 Sons is right off the pier and sells live lobster and an assortment of other water-​dwellers by the pound. There are wooden tables outside for feasting. So don’t be surprised when you find yourself wandering into a warehouse and sloshing through fishy water to get your delicious lobster. They charge an extra 25 cents to boil the lobster for you. The woman was super patient us (we’re wary New Yorkers who are completely unfamiliar with lobster that does not cost $ 50). She suggested we get the soft-​shell lobster (smaller, but easier to rip apart without the shell crackers). We each chose 1.25 lb lobsters, and they were more than enough. For 6 of us, we got 4 large lobster bisques, which was DIVINE. I’m talking enormous chunks of lobster tail in the bisque. We also got corn, which is probably the only thing I could skip when I come here again. A bit tasteless. Melted butter was 75 cents each. The total? Around $ 14 each (And that includes the tip that we had given the woman for being so helpful).
While the lobsters were cooking, the lady suggested we go across the street to grab some beer and bread for the soup. We promptly did so. The food was ready when we came back.
The meal was so so yummy. The lobsters were easy to pick and rip apart (Guys! Eat the lobster brain, it’s delicious, I swear!). We didn’t need any shell crackers but they do have some at their disposal. They also have spare newspaper to line your table with. Please do that… the meal will get seriously messy.
Overall, an amazing experience. This is a no-​frills type of lobster place, but you don’t need frills when you have an entire lobster waiting for you to eat it. Don’t come here if you expected to be waited upon or want a lobster tail waiting for you on a plate. You’ll have to work for your food, and it will taste 100x better. We didn’t have to wait at all, but it was probably because we went fairly early in the day (around 11). They also sell their live lobsters and will pack it for you! Pick one up for the road.

Shopping list:
1. Bring a newspaper and any silverware you can scrounge.
2. Bring a lobster/​nut cracker if you can get one; they have a few you can borrow, but some are broken.
3. Bring your own beverage, alcohol is fine.
4. If you’re getting clams, bring some water to rinse them in. (Lobster and mussels were fine, but the clams could use a second washing).
Eating list:
Lobster, clams, mussels. They start live, they get boiled, you eat them. That’s it!

1) Do you like lobster?
2) If yes, do you like cheap, local, fresh lobster?
3) Are you wicked smart?
If you answered no to any of these questions we probably shouldn’t be friends. But, if you answered YES OH GOD YES!!! Then you need to go to Three Sons Lobster and Fish.
Here’s what they sell cooked: lobsters, chowder, lobster bisque, corn-​on-​the-​cob.
Here’s what they sell fresh or sometimes frozen (and uncooked): lobster, all kinds of fish, oysters, clams, and probably a bunch of other seafood I’m missing.
If you’re like me you don’t like cooking lobster very much (besides that evil streak in me that likes acting like a mad-​villain while I lower them into the boiling water) but you love eating it. You can eat your lobster and other food while sitting on their picnic tables and chilling by the harbor. Not a particularly nice view, and a far cry from a restaurant environment… but who cares!!! It’s cheap tasty lobster!!!
I ordered 2 — 1.5lb soft shell select lobstahs w/​butter & lemon, corn, small clam chowdah, small lobstah bisque… all for about $ 30. Fawkin wicked awesome.
They also ship live lobstah, cooked lobstah, and cooked lobstah meat to anywhere in the US. Check it out on their website (the biggest fee is going to be shipping fees)

How the heck can you bash a place like this. This is by far the cheapest place to get lobsters. They are a seafood market that also cooks lobsters on site for a small fee. Add butter for another small fee. Napkins and extra new paper are FREE.
The prices listed and very cost effective. The outside picnic tables are old but that is the charm. You also get a harbor view. Not the best but at least its the harbor.
Soft shell lobsters are really tasty. Gotta love the salty sweetness of fresh Maine lobsters. Plus some steamers and your set.
2 x 1 ½ lobsters and 1lb of steamers and butter cooked was 18.47. That is right folks at the price how can someone go wrong. I cannot even buy 2 lobsters in NY for this price at a market.
I would recommend this place. I came back 2x and well worth it every time.
If you have napkins and handy wipes and a extra bottle of water to rinse your hand you are very prepared.
On the way back down to NY. I picked up a bakers dozen lobster for the family. They also carry gel ice packs and this fits perfectly in a cooler. Remember NO REGULAR ICE. It will kill them.

Let me tell you a little story that I like to call, «The Greatest Day of my LIFE.»
It starts with me waking up in Boston, blissfully unaware that in a few hours I would be encountering food of the GODS in Portland. Sure, my girlfriend and I had planned to wake up early and drive to Maine to eat lobster, but little did we comprehend that the stories of Maine Lobster being delicious were so sinfully accurate.
My drive up to Vacationland was full of visual stimulation as the array of orange and yellow from the trees are far more vibrant than anything I’d been used to on the west coast. As we entered Portland, I was immediately overwhelmed by the aroma of salt, literally– It smells like the ocean. I drove down the main coastal strip in Portland, Commercial Street, seeking out where I would get my first taste of Maine Lobster. There were so many places to choose from, but I heard through the grapevine that Three Sons Lobster and Fish was the place to go.
After passing this place at least three times due to it’s location on the rear side of the building (and my faulty navigation system, damn you Sprint phones!), we finally found it and made our way into this culinary aquarium. The prices for the tasty crustaceans were scribbled across a chalkboard, and I made note of how unbelievable cheap everything was! $ 1.29/lb for CRAB. $ 1 a pop for OYSTERS. What the hell was going on? The CORN that I was about to purchase literally cost more than the crab! But wait– what lobster was I going to purchase? 1 ½ Soft Shell LOBSTER for $ 5.79/ lb! My head was spinning like a cartoon character.
The employees at Three Sons were gracious by accommodating our touristy lack of knowledge, helping us select from their wide range of succulent sea creatures. After about a 15 minute wait our feast was ready– and arming us with brown paper bags and newspaper the employees bid us good luck.(We needed it!) On the seagull surrounded picnic tables outside I unveiled the bounty, and at this point I slipped into a slight euphoria. As a foodie I knew I had found gold, struck oil, and hit the jackpot all at the same time– and I hadn’t even taken a bite into the lobster tail yet.
Suffice it to say, I made a mess. Like dirty, unadulterated, sloppy food fornication– I became a ravenous beast who scarfed down that lobster like it were my last meal on death row. The flavor, oh sweet baby jesus the flavor! I want the reader to understand that the flavor of Maine lobster is unparalleled to any other masticable item that the writer can think of! The time I spent in the company of Three Sons Lobster has been a climax in my life of eating– a moment engraved in my mind and stomach for life.
In short (is it too late to say that, now?) I highly recommend eating lobster in Maine. If you need a place to eat lobster at in Maine, I highly recommend eating lobster at Three Sons Lobster and Fish. And lastly, if you need a cigarette after reading this review– i’m sorry.

No frills lobster shack for the seafood enthusiast. I came here once in the spring when lobster was a bit more expensive. Came back a few weeks ago while the lobsters were in season and am completely satisfied!
There are many types of lobsters that I’m not 100% familiar yet… give me two more months but from what I know, the tail is where it’s at. If you’re on a student budget, get the cull or the chix since these come with only 1 lobster claw. Soft-​shell is better than hard-​shell in my opinion since I like to rip the tail off with my hands (shell crackers are for wimps) and most likely, tourists who come here won’t have one handy. If you want butter dipping sauce with your lobster or corn or lemon wedges, these come at an extra cost. Look around, there are other fresh seafood to be had. People have told me the crab is awesome as well. I’ve never been able to venture there since I am on a tighter budget.
Get your lobsters to go so the 3 lobsters you ordered for yourself and «friends» can be enjoyed in the privacy of your own kitchen — free of judgement =P Besides, it’s getting colder and I wouldn’t want my lobsters getting cold while I’m eating outside.

This place is alright. It is more of a fish market than a restaurant although you do have the option to eat here. I got the special which was a lobster (not sure the size but I want to say 1+ lbs?), a bag of clams, and a corn on the cob, for $ 15. At first glance, of course you’d think «what a deal»! But the only thing delectable was the lobster. The clams were small and too salty and the corn was dry. So a lobster for $ 15? I’d rather have gone to Portland Lobster Co. If I ever decide to come back, I will just buy the lobster.
The way they give you your food is really not intended for eating there or taking home. If you eat there, you have to bring your own napkins, plates, and basically your own claw crackers, and whatever else you need for a comfortable meal. If you take it home, the juices will drip out of your bag and they are reluctant to give you extra bags or napkins.
Overall, if you do not like mess or too much fuss and bus for food that is just boiled in salt water, then I would not recommend this place. And if you do decide to take a live lobster home and cook it, it is not the cheapest place to do so. If you want a cheap boiled lobster then I guess that is worth the money (about $ 8).

Recommended by friends, we stopped by Three Sons on a Friday about 11:45am. After calling to confirm we didn’t need reservations (she explained it’s not a restaurant but best to call ahead) and confirming it was indeed BYOB (it is), we made our way over for a little lobstah lunch.
We passed a handful of picnic tables all equipped with their own trash can and headed into the store (though I guess it could just be called a dock?) I asked the woman how the process worked and we were here for lunch. She asked if I wanted the special: 1lb steamed lobster, 1lb of your choice of clams or mussels and corn on the cob. Ever the New Yorker, I looked at her skeptically and asked how much this bounty was. $ 14.95. After I picked up my mouth from the floor I announced: lobster for everyone!
We then waited outside in the sun for about 20 minutes for our lunch whilst enjoying bottles of Geary’s Pale Ale (local brew, highly recommended) When our meal came, we ripped in. You don’t need crackers because it’s soft-​shell lobster and they kindly showed us how to use our hands. It was one of the best meals I’ve ever had — nothing quite beats fresh seafood caught just a few minutes prior enjoyed on a picnic table with beer and good friends.
Things to remember: lots of napkins (a nearby hot dog vendor gave us a roll) and hand sanitizer for afterwards — and in our case, also a Tide Stick. Also, at about noon on the dot, cars and people started to spill in so I’d recommend getting there early or as the other reviewers mention, calling ahead!

This place is fresh to the MAX and cheap! I ordered 1lb of steamers, mussels, as well as 1.25lb of a hard shell lobster. They steam it for you on the spot and the lobster bibs, butter, and other utensils needed is additional charge. The total of the steamers, mussels, and lobster came out to be around $ 20! CHEAP!!! The clamp requires a $ 5 cash deposit, which is later on given back to you.
For the steamers, fresh boiled water to wash them is not given to you, yet I still ate them on the spot, and there was a little sand, which was not a big deal. The lobster is great, I can’t find much words to emphasize that. They have an outside bench where you can sit outside and eat. If you want, you can give them a call to place an order ahead of time so when you get there, you can be ready to feast!
I love seafood, so I give this place a pretty high rating. This is my second time here, and I promise that this will not disappoint! One time in late April, and also late August (during lobsterfest). ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE! Bring your own drinks, napkins, etc.

We had a fantastic time at Three Sons Lobster & Fish, and the next time I got to Portland, ME for a weekend, I’m going to go back multiple times!
By the time we made it down Commercial Street to Three Sons, we were stuffed to the gills on a variety of seafood and blueberry derivatives. That didn’t stop us from dropping some cash for steamers ($ 3/​lb) and lobster bisque ($ 5.25).
The lobster bisque was good, creamy with chunks of sweet lobster, but it was the steamers that really blew our minds. We destroyed the steamers while we were sitting outside in the sunshine, waiting to take the ferry to Peaks Island for reggae fest. Despite our full bellies, we kept peeling the little suckers out, dunking them in our little tub of butter and plunking them in our eager mouths.
Steamers:
Menu:
Lobsters:
PARTING THOUGHT: Butter makes everything better!

Almost directly across the street from our hotel, this place couldn’t have been more convenient. We went in with the intention of buying some lobsters and whatever else looked good that we could take up to my Dad’s place in the evening for a family dinner.
Tons of live lobster options here. I won’t pretend to by any kind of expert, there were more types than I realized and have little clue what the difference is, so I went with what I knew. Got 4 hardshell 1 ¼ pounder live lobsters, 2 pounds of mussels, and 1 ½ pounds of sea scallops. Total damage was about $ 80 which was a steal considering how much food we got. The lobsters were only $ 5.99/lb! We put it all on ice in the cooler and cooked it up at home later that night with corn and potatoes, a real Maine coastal feast.
A tip for anyone concerned with humane cooking of lobsters– right before you cook them take a big sharp knife and give the poor little guys a sharp jab in the head, there’s a seam in the shell where the knife will slide in easily and it kills them before you cook them. We made a royal mess eating them and I had forgotten what a pain it is to crack lobsters apart, but it was totally worth it for the best fresh lobster money can buy.

Awesome place! I even bought a tshirt from them. Staff was super friendly and helpful. Amazingly fresh seafood and not that expensive. I have a picture of our receipt somewhere, but we got a big lobster, a crab, a bunch of jumbo shrimp, cocktail sauce and butter for under $ 20.
You go in, pick what you want out of the tanks, and then they will cook it for you while you wait and you can sit out on the pier at some picnic tables and pig out. Will most definitely be going back if I ever find myself in Portland again.
Edit: 2^nd visit to Maine… we had to come back!!! Got another lobster, a bag of steamers (based on Ida C.‘s review), and a bowl of lobster bisque. All were great! Lobster is always amazingly fresh. Lobster bisque was delicious, my 9 month old daughter loved it!!! Nice big chunks of lobster in it, yum. And of course the steamers, got them somewhere else last time I was here and these were WAY better. Double delicious, thank you Ida.

An adventure not to be missed when visiting Maine…
— Walk through an empty pier wondering where we are while following hand-​written «lobster» signs, then walk through wet cement floors passing by lobster tanks
— Look through handwritten chalkboard, pick a lobster weight, watch them fish out the lobster for steaming, and wait 20 minutes
— Sit at mold-​ridden picnic bench outside (don’t wear white) with borrowed lobster cracker and one red lobster starring you in the face, wonder what to do and where you are before you begin to crack him open…
— Stare down the seagull next to you, hopping closer and closer, until he finally decides to attack you for lobster and it’s a tourist vs. seagull fight. Tourist 1, seagull 0.
— Wonder how long the lingering smell of lobster will last on you as you clean-​up the shell, lobster brain goo, scraps that fell on your clothes, and wonder how long it’ll take for your fingers to regain circulation from the cold.
— This was fun… let’s do it again :)
Thank you Three sons lobster and fish, for memories I will never forget.

If you have somewhere else to bring your seafood to eat and you’re down for some unpretentious, SIMPLE food, this is a fabulous place to buy lobster and seafood.
The only thing we did NOT like was the sour clam chowder. They definitely had sour cream in the soup and if you enjoy your chowders sour, then this will work for you. If you want something more traditional, you’re not gonna enjoy this. Bleh.
Clams are a GREAT deal (Less than $ 3 for a pound) but needed some kind of dipping sauce.
Steamed lobsters — Absolutely delicious and in my opinion, did NOT require any butter or sauces. Usually, lobster claws I’ve had have always been too salty and tasted too much like the sea. These fresh flaws were flaky, tender and sweet.
P. s. Don’t be freaked out by the weird blue creaky front door you have to walk in to… and then pools of water and tanks of lobsters.

I was here with my cousin and his wife on the way back from Northern Maine this summer from white water rafting.
This place is simple one word… AMAZING: P or AWESOME :) or WONDERFUL or YUMS! okay those are four different words… this place is just that.
If you are looking for frills, bells and whistles this place is not for you… but if you are looking for fresh cheap seafood!!! It is located right on the dock and basically a wholesale seafood place. Upon walking in you are greeted by a friendly staff which are ready to help you with what you need. Of course we were there for the maine lobster! :) The first thing that i noticed was the soft shell lobster… it was a first for me so i had to try it! For 50 cents an item they steam whatever you buy for you. so i got a 1.5 lb soft shell lobster for about 8 – 9 bucks had it steamed and ate it out on one of their benches in the nice summer sun… it was a taste of HEAVEN. hands down the best lobster EVER! The meat was tender and so sweet i barely used the butter. It is too bad that they don’t travel and ship well and to get it you have to go to maine or live somewhere close.
ahhh Maine Lobsters… I MISS YOU! why do you swim so far away from me??? :P

I had a pretty great time in downtown Portland. Fort Wiliams Park was absolutely gorgeous. Shipyard Brewery gave me free booze. But the hands down highlight of my Maine weekend was lunch at Three Sons.
We parked down the street, not knowing there were spots available dockside. A tantalizing menu hung in the back room, listing chowder, clams, caviar, whole lobster and just the tail. The prices were unbelievably low. The people were sunny.
While waiting for our boiled buddies to emerge, I amused myself with the rocking chairs made from lobster traps on display up front, and keeping an eye out for the Three Sons mascot (a costumed crustacean with the words «EAT ME» emblazoned on his/​her back). Despite the stormy sky and constant drizzle it was al fresco or bust, so when the food came we set up camp on the picnic tables.
The clam chowder steamed out of plastic pouches, hearty and satisfying. My 1 ½ pounder was beautiful; I almost felt bad ripping into it. Almost. The warm lobster meat dipped in butter was exactly what I wanted on such a cold day — 5 stars times infinity.