Cindy’s Fish & Chips

Lobster roll heaven !!! Roadside joint with one of the best lobster rolls l’ve ever eaten. Packed with fresh lobster meat, no fillers, just a smidge of mayo to hold it together. Amazing !!!

Worst fried seafood I have eaten. Roll may be ok but stay away from the fried seafood. $ 28 for almost uneatable food.

Lobster rolls were best we’ve had. I ordered the onion rings and were worth the extra 1.00. The kids ordered the haddock sandwich/​platter. It is well worth the stop and well worth the money. I hope to stop in again before heading home.

Let me start this review with a general comment and a question. The comment is that when an individual reviews a restaurant based on one item on the menu, the review has to be taken with a grain of salt. Oh, more about salt in a moment. It is, after all, just one of a number of things on the menu, each of which can be better or worse than the reviewed item.
And the question is… Should an eater be required to season the food served on the most basic level? I don’t mean someone who always salts, peppers or adds extra spices without even tasting as some people do. I mean should a dish be served without a hint of seasoning?
I ask this because I again have been served a totally bland order of fish, in this case at Cindy’s Fish and Chips. I have written of other fish and chip experiences previously which also suffered from this blandness. Maybe this is the way fried haddock is meant to be served. Is this possible? No, that can’t be! And other places have proven that is not the case.
Now I’m totally bummed about this because after driving by tons of times over the years without stopping, I really wanted to love this roadside trailer/​shack/​dive (all positive terms in my book). But I didn’t. My plan all morning was to stop here for what I understand is their battered fried clams but seeing that the name of the place has ‘fish and chips’ in it and seeing that a half pint of fried clams was being offered at today’s price of $ 15.95, I opted for the fish and chips basket. Two reasonably sized pieces of fried haddock, hand cut fries, and a small container of cole slaw made up the basket.
A very pleasant order taker who may have been one of the owners made a good first impression. I ordered take-​out with the intention of eating in my car as I often do.
So let me cut to the chase… the two pieces of fried haddock were as tasteless as tasteless can be. The haddock and coating… neither had any seasoning. The fries benefitted from a spray of malt vinegar and the very finely chopped cole slaw was of a sweet variety. Though I much prefer a tangy version, the slaw was ok, and sweet being one of the basic tastes, well that was a good thing. The price tag for this basket was $ 11.95. And a minor but kind of frustrating point… a very flimsy plastic fork provided a challenge when trying to cut through the fish.
I sit here disappointed but hopeful that their fried clams which I plan to order before season’s end will offer a more satisfying and ‘tasteful’ experience.

By far the best lobster roll you can find in and around the Freeport area! Not only do they pack the lobster roll full with delicious meat, there is no filler stuff like lettuce and celery added. It’s served on a toasted and slightly buttered bun and can be ordered with some fresh hand-​cut fries.

Lobster rolls were good.
This is a little outdoor lobster stand, typical of those found in Maine.
All Lobster is prepared in advance so there is a little bit of mayo on the meat. Not too bad though. I do not like mayo mixed in with the meat, but this was so light that it was not too noticeable.
The slaw was good and the french fries were not overly fried. They also have fish and chicken item on the menu.

The most disappointing seafood in Maine! Have been eating Maine seafood for over 50 years, and was suggested to eat at Cindys per Unilocal’ s reviews. I have never had such bad seafood. The scallops were fresh/frozen…not fresh??? Terrible breading, over cooked and unedible. We threw away three dinners. Lobster roll was cold lobster in a roll with no flavor… probably in frig too long. Prices were higher then most seafood places and that included a picnic table in a dirt parking lot. Fried clams in beer batter???, no seafood restaurant in Maine would do beer batter. Wondering if they wrote their own reviews ! Sorry for tourist that go there and think this is Maine good seafood. Complained to owner as we left and was told no refunds… a free dinner if we returned… NEVER.

5 outa 5 Lobstah Roll
They took the time to perfectly butter the roll and it blends seamlessly with the sweet overflowing lobster meat.
Picnic benches and great service.
Worth the trip!

Cute little seafood shack out of town. I noticed there were locals eating there, good sign. One of the best Lobster rolls I have ever had, tons of meat! A must if you are in Freeport!

Not much atmosphere apart just outside picnic tables along old Route 1 outside the busy tourist shopping mecca of downtown Freeport.
Don’t be put off by the looks of Cindy’s from the road (especially from the highway). It really is very good at simple Maine seafood staples. We’ve been twice this summer and always had the fish & chips or fish sandwich; always excellent, among the best we’ve had in New England or anywhere. Very nice people work there, too.
If you’re looking for honest Maine seafood try this place.

The best fried clams we have had in a long while!!! crispy and delicious– great onion rings, too!!! stop by– you will not be disappointed!!!

I wanted to love it but they came up way short. The fries, cole slaw, and tartar sauce were very good. The haddock sandwich and the chowder were ok. Unfortunately the fried clams, exorbitantly priced at $ 25, were of the heavy, sweet beer batter style. More like eating fried dough than clams.

Cindy’s: a diamond in the rough. The fish and chips were completely excellent down to the homemade coleslaw and tartar sauce. This is one of the best places to eat fresh seafood in Freeport. They’ve been in business for 35 years!

Great side of the road stop. Enjoyed the outside seating too. I had clam basket and it is more than enough food. Full bodied clams fried in a beer batter type breading. Comes with fries (fresh cut) and coleslaw. It is definitely worth the stop.

Ahyup… all the 5 stars are true. We needed a casual stop where our dogs were welcome, and this place was perfect. They batter the fish fresh as you order, fries were hand cut and perfectly cooked, and the haddock was wonderful. Nice big chunks of fish, delicate and flakey. The onion rings? Oh my! Sweet and big with nice batter. Nothing was greasy and the cole slaw was good, too. Tables are picnic style, either sun or shade with ample roof. There’s a clean and full water bowl for pups. All in all a perfect lunch as we meander up in Maine.

Probably the best part of being in Maine this weekend was the food.
The food here was outstanding. It reminded me of growing up on the cape and going to the local joint. They call you over the intercom to let you know your food is ready.
We ordered fish and chips plus clams. This was the best clams I had all weekend. It is off the beaten path I think at least from not knowing the area that well.

Last weekend we checked out Cindy’s for the first time. I got a lobster roll and onion rings. My wife got fish and chips.
There must have been ½ lb. of tender lobster meat in the roll. No spices or mayo or anything else that I could detect, just loaded with very tender, very sweet lobster meat. It was like eating fresh lobster on a toasted roll.
Onion rings were just a tad overcooked for my liking, but the onion inside was tender and sweet.
Fish was tender, flakey and tasty. Fries were the natural, unpeeled variety like you can get on OOB peer. They were well prepared and delicious.
— — — — —
OK, just had seafood basket, and my wife had fish and chips (again).
The clams are in batter and are cooked to perfection and quite tasty. The scallops are in crumbs and are tasty, although mine were just a bit chewy. Fish are in crumbs and were light, flaky, tender and delicious. Fries are wonderful.

Not sure why Unilocal has Cindy’s Fish and Chips as closed – it is not! Open 11 – 8 every day, except Wednesday, Cindy’s is a throwback roadside «seafood shack,» in the best sense of the term. In fact, Mike Urban, who has made a franchise of scouring northeast New England looking for gems like Cindy’s, rates them as one of the best «clam shacks» in Midcoast Maine in his 2011 book, «Clam Shacks: The Ultimate Guide to New England’s Most Fantastic Seafood Eateries.»
Things have gotten even better since Urban recognized Cindy’s, a mere 2.5 miles from the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport, on iconic US Route 1, or 2 miles from Exit 17 (Yarmouth/​Freeport) off 295.
Cindy’s began 30+ years ago when Bob Pottle started as a lunch wagon near L.L. Bean. Now, the stand on Route 1 is being run by Bob’s son, Alan, and his daughter, Stephanie.
You’ll be hard-​pressed to find a better lobster roll within 20 miles of Portland’s Mecca for food. In fact, Cindy’s puts any of Portland’s lobster rolls to shame! Stuffed to over-​flowing with fresh lobster meat, barely dressed with mayo, and on a hot dog roll that is toasted to perfection, Cindy’s roll nails what lobster rolls in Maine are-​simple and traditional.
Interestingly, Cindy’s is known for their crab rolls (think lobster roll, but with fresh crab meat, instead). I tried it, and it was excellent. I’m more inclined to go with lobster, however.
Cindy’s french fries are hand-​cut, and you can tell by how they look and more important, how they taste. Make sure you spray them with vinegar (yes, spray, as Cindy’s puts their malt vinegar in a spray bottle, which allows you to mist your fries with vinegar, rather than douse them, leaving them crisp, not soggy – a nice touch!), and if you love ketchup (like I do), a bit of it on the side rounds out your french fry experience.
They have chowder, too. On Sunday, it was seafood chowder, which was the trad Marjorie Standish variety, a broth-​based chowder (not coagulated with flour like so many other, inferior varieties in the area), with fresh, whole clams, pieces of lobster, and local white fish (haddock, most likely), and pieces of onion and potato. The seasoning was just right, so you don’t need to worry about adding salt or pepper.
And of course, there are Bob Pottle’s hermit cookies (Bob still bakes them!), if you have room, or want to bring some home, which I’d recommend.
So stop in if you are driving past Freeport on 295, or venture out from Portland, or surrounding towns. A trip to Cindy’s is a must to truly savor Maine seafood in the summertime.

This is NOT closed!
Cindy’s has been around for years and is amazing. A must stop. I knew the dad, Bob, from stopping here regularly as a kid. I think his son and wife run it now.
Part of the charm is sitting outside.
Favorites:
Fish stew has great broth and huge chunks of haddock.
Friend clams– the batter is their secret weapon.

It was getting late on the last night of our Maine vacation, so we headed toward nearby Freeport in search of Sunday night dinner. We’d driven a short distance, and there was Cindy’s, open for business. It’s the quintessential roadside lobster shack. It’s the real deal, with locals as customers.
We had lobster rolls, clams, chowder, fried haddock with chips, and onion rings. Yep, we were really into Maine summer staples. All the food was good, but the onion rings were fabulous. The batter was light, the onions were sweet, fresh, and cut thin. They were delicate and crisp. While the lobster rolls were stuffed with fresh tender meat, the onion rings were the star of the show. To be fair, it’s possible that we had simply eaten too much lobster during vacation. Is it possible to eat too much lobster?