Maine’s Eventide Oyster and Bob’s Clam Hut Make List of Best Seafood in the Country

I dare say that Maine is the country's best place for seafood lovers. The seafood here is not just delicious, it's a huge industry for Maine.

According to the Maine Department of Marine Resources, Maine's fishing industry hauled in $574 million worth of seafood in 2022. Maine lobstermen alone hauled in almost $100 million worth of fresh lobster.

Maine may be famously known for its lobster, but Maine fishermen harvest cod, hake, haddock, halibut, swordfish, scallops, muscles, and crab. You can find fresh Maine seafood all over the state, not just in coastal towns like Portland, Scarborough, and Rockland.

With a dizzying amount of excellent seafood restaurants in Maine, it's no surprise that two of them made the list of timeout.com's 21 best seafood restaurants in America. The two restaurants aren't as high on the list as we would hope, but they made it, and both cater to different seafood tastes.

Eventide Oyster Co. - Portland

Eventide ranks number six on the list and gets a lot of love from out-of-state visitors at its location on Middle Street in Portland's Old Port. The Old Port seems to be the landing area for all of Portland's visitors.

Eventide isn't my type of seafood place. This is a bit too fancy for me, and raw oysters aren't my thing.

Besides the oysters, Time Out highlights Eventide's "house specialty Brown Butter Lobster Roll and fun offerings like the Scallop Waffle-yaki (tempura, kabayaki and umami mayo)." Yep. If I can't pronounce it, it's not for me.

Bob's Clam Hut - Kittery

Now this is more my style! Bob's Clam Hut on Route 1 in Kittery ranked number 16, and they serve seafood the way I like it. Clam strips, fried shrimp and scallops, haddock, french fries, cole slaw, and a fresh roll. That's how to do seafood.

Timeout says about Bob's, "In place since 1956, the Route 1 institution checks off every box with ease: quaint cottage digs and a slew of al fresco picnic tables; a constant, all-ages queue of locals and tourists alike at the order window." This is pure Maine seafood eating, but Mainers don't call eating outside "al fresco."