Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine

Fav place to stop before jumping on a plane!!! I have been here a couple of times and never fails me… I always get the Lobster Roll and the taste is amazing!

Quick pop in before a flight. Didn’t try any seafood by had a solid bacon cheeseburger. Plus they were quick as my flight was boarding.

I went to this restaurant on the way out of Portland with my mom. We were expecting a delay at the next airport we were arriving in, and decided it was a smart decision to eat before we left. I of course, had to get a lobster roll before leaving Maine, so I ended up ordering the lobster roll that came with chips. My mom ordered the seafood platter that came with various fried seafood items. It didn’t take too long before our food came out and I was certainly surprised with the amount of lobster that was in my roll. Everywhere outside of Maine I have had a lobster roll, has disappointed me and presented me with not enough lobster meat. At Lina Bean’s, they gave a real good amount of lobster which made me happy. Their chips were also nice and crispy which i enjoyed. My mom’s seafood platter had plenty of food for the both of us and made our stomachs nice and full for the next plane ride.

This place is great for an airport restaurant but only okay as a restaurant in general.
I got the Maine Lobster Roll and a whoopee pie (don’t judge) and found both tasty enough. The Lobster Roll was basically just a hot dog bun with lobster thrown in, but the lobster was too good for me to even remotely care. The handmade potato chips that it came with were equally tasty, if not a bit greasy and salty. The whoopie pie was just okay.
This place is probably one of your better options in the airport, but I expect not somewhere I would go anywhere else.

Great last lobster roll before our weekend trip was over! French fries crispy and coleslaw delicious… my boyfriend wasn’t a fan of the dill on the lobster but he squeezed some lemon and enjoyed it… for airport food this place was great… I was worried the lobster roll was going to be horrible but quite delicious with even a nice toasted butter roll perfectly crisp too

We have eaten there twice, at the jetport. Lobster rolls taste like frozen meat: poor texture, weak flavor. Crabmeat rolls are made from some stringy, wiry part of the crab which you rarely if ever see elsewhere in Maine. No leg meat at all. «Clam Chowder» was all but certainly canned and very expensive: $ 9 for a tiny ‘bowl’.
I would add that there’s celery, and herbs or something, in the lobster roll: a big no-​no for me. Quality meat, real mayo, hot dog bun, butter. Really simple to accomplish: everyone screws it up with extras.

I have had their burger and their fish and chips (actual home made chips, not fries) and they have been good.
I had the James beard special tasting menu chicken there last week and it was terrible. Everything tastes frozen and reheated and the chicken had some kind of unidentifiable brown sauce on it. Even the potatoes tasted freezer burned. I ended up eating the artichoke dip bit and leaving everything else.
If your going to eat there stick to their regular menu. The James Beard foundation would be embarrassed by being associated with the dish I got.

Disappointing, wanted to try a lobster roll in Freeport. Harraskeet was closed for the season. We figured Linda’s would be a good alternative esp since it was LL Bean town. Chowder tasted more like a strong base of chicken soup and lobster did not taste fresh compared to Bite into Maine. Skip it if you can’t get try Harraskeet or Cindys if your in Freeport.

Linda Bean should know more about customer service, given her LL Bean DNA. This restaurant is at an airport which means people need to be served efficiently. If you can’t handle breakfast for travelers, don’t open in the morning. I just had the slowest breakfast service ever. Oatmeal ok but had to wait 30 mins and no coffee refill. Should have gone to Starbucks. Better coffee, service and price.

We had to eat one more Lobster Roll before departing Maine and Linda Bean’s at the airport looked nice and was right across from our gate. The menu had some great choices. We each did the traditional roll and substituted the chips for side salads.
The server was polite and quick. Our cold beers and salads were out in no time. Husband ordered oil and vinegar and they brought out the pourers of each which is old school and a nice touch. The Wife’s Caesar had homemade (or at least we thought because they were so good) croutons.
Then the rolls! Perfect portion and they were lined with a fresh Dill mayonnaise and not overly buttered. We are both not slaw eaters (surprising being from the South) but LB’s slaw hit the spot and was a perfect light topping on the Rolls.
You can even purchase a LIVE lobster along with other goodies to take with you on your flight. If you have time, hang out here before departing Portland.

meh. I had low standards considering its in an airport… guess they weren’t low enough. Lobster omelet was lacking flavor and not worth the $$. No problem, it’s just a quick, pricey breakfast. When I ordered I gave the server my credit card so we could expedite the process quickly. He accidentally ran it for another table’s check. Ok, mistakes happen at 6am. BUT he never willingly came back, a manager had to fix everything and brought my check. I waited, waved ate everything, then waved some more. After thoroughly alienating the other guests by all the waving I finally got my water. Had gone the entire time without anything to drink. I left a decent tip because anyone who has to work that early in the morning still deserves a tip. Super early mornings suck, as did my experience.

If prices were cheaper I may have given it five stars, but being in the airport they really stick it to you. Had to get my lobster roll fix and made my coworker who never had one, try it. It was very sweet with light tartar sauce and big chunks of meat. Perfectly done.

This is one of the most delightful airport take out I’ve had in long time. Chips were freshly fried and crispy, lobster roll was flavorful that made me want to run back out the jetway.
PWM looks a lot like one of those hipster west coast terminal, but doesn’t mean you have to shell out $$$ to dine well. After all this is still Maine. Life is simple and so the food. As my last meal in Maine I was honestly happy to order my take out at this joint.
(*keep in mind though, kids grilled cheese was kraft, tasted like crap as Kraft does, that’s the only downside and deducted a star for not using locally grown cheese as healthy choice for kids).

A solid airport dining experience.
The service would be a five star. For a casual airport spot, I couldn’t have asked for more. Very friendly and attentive and helpful service.
A decent selection of wines and beers. I like the Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc which is nice and crisp and served here in 6, 9, and 12 oz pours depending on how bad of a layover you have.
There are plenty of tasty lobster dishes to choose from, though most are around 25 or so. I opted for the lobster tacos, which were just what I was craving. Lightly toasted tortillas (much appreciated touch), fresh meaty lobster claws, lettuce, tomato, cheese, guac, and sour cream, with some Thousand island type dressing on the side. The cheese adds nothing, and the sour cream is a little too heavy handed, though a little of that or the dressing adds a lot to the taco. This is an awesome way to pass my time before my increasingly delayed flight!

The standards for Linda Beans are definately not the same for the airport restaurant… i had just eaten the day before at their Freeport restaurant and it was awesome. Next day at the airport restaurant blah. The clam chowder definately wasnt the same recipe. I also had the fried fish platter with calamari shrimp and haddock. Not great.

The food ok but they opened 20 min late and the waitress /​bartender was really rude. Good place, but open on time and act like you want to be here.

I found this place to be a bit overpriced (but that’s all airport food, right?), but the lobster roll was delicious. If you’re leaving Maine and didn’t get a chance to try a roll this is your last chance. You’ll enjoy it. The side of chips were over salted but had a nice crunch.
The service here is speedy because they know you have a flight to catch. It’s a nice little spot to wait for a flight of you have the time. There are TVs, subtle music, and comfortable booths.

I love the Lobster Roll and chips every time I come here I have to bring my wife one, great service

My boyfriend and I stopped in last night before taking on the holiday shoppers in downtown Freeport. The place wasn’t busy at all, and we were seated upstairs. It was a little bit chillier than downstairs due to the complete openess of the space. We were greeted immediately with these massive menus — I hate having so many options, it takes me forever to decide!
Our waitress was very pleasant and polite. I ordered a side salad with grilled chicken and he ordered the fried chicken tender dinner… Mine was awesome. The size was perfect; there were just enough greens in proportion with the grilled chicken breast. His dinner was massive. The great thing about it was also the amount of fries that he shared. hehe… and came with THREE dipping sauces: ketchup, honey mustard, and a spicey & sweet BBQ sauce. Overall, the dining was a very pleasurable experience and the food satisfying. Our bill was $ 38, which included our two meals, a beer and glass of wine.
Why didn’t I order a lobster roll? Go to a place that’s not geared toward tourists and filled with fluff… that’s where you’ll get your best bang for your buck.

I’ve only had breakfast here, but have been happy every time. I usually order the Downeast breakfast sandwich or the grilled sour dough pannini. Both large enough to share. Coffee is also good and strong. Sit at the bar

Correct, fellow Unilocalers and native Mainers, this is not «the world’s best lobster roll.» But you know what? Sometimes you have to align your expectations and perspective according to your environs, and in this case, you’re in an airport. When you’re in an airport, there are always going to be food-​related compromises. There are also going to be differing levels or cost or serving size compared to a non-​airport eatery.
So, in summary, Linda Bean’s is a sunny spot inside the über-​cute Portland airport, where one can grab a quick lobster-​related bite to eat, in an area that could not be any more convenient. We also found the service to be exemplary, especially for an airport restaurant, so that was a pleasant surprise.
We didn’t find the lobster to be chewy or overcooked as some reviewers as noted, and in fact the bread was fresh, not dry, and there wasn’t an overabundance of mayonnaise. There was a little too much claw meat, but maybe that’s Linda Bean’s style.
We also enjoyed the salt-​and-​vinegar kettle chips; they tasted fresh and had a nice tang to them.
If you didn’t have a enough time while in Maine to have an «on the water» lobster roll, or you’re just passing through the airport, then Linda Bean’s is a safe choice. They also will package up a live lobster for you to take on your flight home with you to cook later!