Is this the world’s most famous lobster shack? Maine eatery popular with Tom Cruise and Lionel Richie has lines stretching down highway for their $36 rolls
- Red’s Eats has been called “the most famous lobster shack in the world.”
- The lobster rolls are filled with the meat of two claws and a whole split tail
A Maine eatery dubbed “the most famous lobster shack in the world” where customers wait in line for hours to purchase one of their $36 rolls has officially opened for the season.
Red’s Eats, located on the corner of Water and Main Streets in Wiscasset, has been serving fresh New England seafood for more than 80 years.
The shack has been ranked in numerous lists as Maine’s best lobster roll and has attracted the likes of Tom Cruise, Lionel Richie and Susan Sarandon for its famous appetizers.
Red’s Eats opened for the summer on May 1, and for $36, customers can get a sandwich filled with the meat of two claws and a whole split tail with a side of butter or mayonnaise.
“They don’t make them like most other places, they don’t chop up the meat, they don’t put mayonnaise or anything on it. It’s just the lobster, the roll,” said a customer named Diane WGME.
Red’s Eats, located on the corner of Water and Main Streets in Wiscasset, has been called “the most famous lobster shack in the world.”
For $36, customers can get a sandwich filled with the meat of two claws and a whole split tail with a side of butter or mayonnaise
“It came out of the ocean yesterday, I mean it’s so fresh. You’ll never get fresher than what you get here,” said a customer named Jonathan.
The cabin was number one Boston.com‘s best place to get a lobster roll in New England in the 2023 list.
Not only do they serve one of the highest-rated lobster rolls, Red’s Eats also offers an extensive menu of fresh seafood, grilled dishes and desserts.
“I’ve been waiting all winter for mussels because there’s no other place in Maine where they taste like this,” said a customer named Jerry.
The family business is currently run by Debbie Gagnon, daughter of the previous owner and man who brought the iconic lobster rolls to the Al Gagnon menu.
The shack has been ranked as Maine’s best lobster roll on numerous lists and has attracted the likes of Tom Cruise and Lionel Richie (center) for its famous appetizers
Locals have expressed their frustration with the traffic around the hut through a Facebook group of nearly 10,000 members who are dedicated to posting photos of their middle fingers at the building
‘She [Debbie] makes you feel like family when you step up to the window and order,” said Cumberland resident Lorraine Rardin Bangor News Daily.
Debbie said she gets the most pleasure from serving repeat customers and said her motto is a quote from her father: “You can feed everyone once, but feed them twice and you’re doing something right.”
Red’s Eats has been featured on several shows, including Phil Rosenthal’s Netflix show “Somebody Feed Phil” and Andrew Zimmern’s Travel Channel show “The Zimmern List.”
Due to its fame, the hut has become a bucket list item for visitors across the country.
“I read that you should go to Red’s and get a lobster roll,” said Allie Ackles of Rochester, New York.
Red’s Eats has been featured on several shows, including Phil Rosenthal’s Netflix show “Somebody Feed Phil” and Andrew Zimmern’s Travel Channel show “The Zimmern List.”
“I also saw it on Facebook because I get a lot of information for Maine since my daughter goes to school there,” said Donise Gehrisch of Chicago.
While the popularity is good for business, local residents have expressed their frustration with the traffic around the hut through a Facebook group of nearly 10,000 members posting photos of their middle fingers on the building.
However, Paul Merrill, a spokesman for the Maine Department of Transportation, insists the cabin is not the cause of the traffic.
“Red’s is a popular restaurant that attracts a lot of customers, but is not the reason for traffic congestion on Route 1,” Merrill said.