Chowderheads

Great food, great prices, and very clean. I have been coming here for fried shrimp since I was three years old and I have nothing but good things to say

Good chowder and shrimp roll. A place to grab a quick bite to eat. No atmosphere at all, plastic utensils, plastic plates, but clean. Can’t rave about it, but it’s an ok place to get a quick and decent lunch or dinner on the run. Reasonably priced.

BEST CLAM CHOWDER I HAVE EVER HAD, Prices are reasonable, Service is great, friendly people, My New favorite restaurant when I am in the area

Chowderheads is probably one of the least cool places to eat in the greater Portland area but it’s also great. I’ve been coming here my whole life and I’m never disappointed. Their lobster rolls are actually very good (on a croissant? yum!) and everything else I’ve had has also been delicious. Definitely a grab-​and-​go place (atmosphere = not top notch), but consistently good food and a community staple.

If you’re looking for good fried seafood, try Chowderheads. It is not a fancy place, but everything on the menu is well prepared. Their clams and oysters are large and juicy, and the batter is not overwhelming. Their seafood chowder is very reasonably priced and filled with seafood, not loaded down with lots of potatoes.

Visiting the Portland area and wanted a quick seafood dinner. This is not fine dining, but Chowderheads offers good food, very generous portions, friendly service, and reasonable prices. Can’t argue with that!

We have gone here for good, basic, fresh seafood for many years and have never been disappointed. Recently had very good clam chowder, a nice addition to the menu. An additional vegetable side would be good. Recycling practices and «décor» could be updated a bit. Nice people, too.

Not revolting, but not off the charts either.
The clam chowder was actually quite good.
Most of the other stuff on the menu fried, fried didnt seem that appealing… though I had the scallops and they were a C+.
Probably an okay place for lunch and thats it.

Let’s put it this way… if you could get seafood chowder this good back home in Chicago… major 5 stars… However, being a spoiled brat by the seafood in Maine, can only give it 3… Listen, it was really good… very very happy… great sweet service too… would …and will… definitely go back next time picking up my Viagra prescription at the nearby Walgreens… seriously though, it was very nice… will try something fried next time…

I got sick from the clams
This place is very much a hole in the wall and I’m usually up for those. In this case it was the worst kind. The food was greasy and over friend. The frying batter was bland.

Life long New England’er, visited many seafood places, hands down Chowderheads offers the best fried seafood and chowdah’ in the area.

This place is great! The seafood chowder was hot and packed with delicious seafood! The creamy chowder was flavorful without being overpowering.
The lobster roll was unique be being on a croissant! Loved that twist! It’s buttery, flaky goodness only enhanced the lobster packed sandwich for a price of $ 8 which was a steal!
Can’t wait to try other menu items!

Awesome place! We read the Unilocal reviews as we were driving around and my wife found this place. Lobster rolls for $ 8! I know a typical Maine lobster roll is to be in those funky buns but what a treat in a crossiant! Soft and buttery definitely accentuates the lobster. We’ve had lobster rolls from NJ to ME this week and I like these the best. Its nice to find a great roll without the crazy prices especially with two kids who love lobster rolls. Very friendly people too. We also had the seafood chowder. That too was equally awesome. Great taste and lots of oceany goodness. Extremely satisfied with the food and prices. Very casual laid-​back place with great food and value.

They do fried seafood, no big deal, right?
Except they do it better than anyone, hands down. Year after year, height of summer, dead of winter, doesn’t matter. They are the absolute epitome of a clean consistent operation that sells fresh food, done perfectly at a reasonable price.
The ambience isn’t, the view is of a walgreens. This should knock a star off but she achieves precisely what she sets out to do. There’s a cooler with some soda, Moxie and Odwalla. A small counter with a variety of tea bags.
I travel for work, have for years and I schedule Maine trips around this place. There are many many excellent places to get fried clams, fish and scallops but this is the pinnacle. Get the scallops, especially in season (winter). Sublime.

For years, I’ve been hearing about the shacks on the side of the road in Maine that sell awesome lobster rolls, but they were either closed for the season or we weren’t lucky enough to find one. Unilocal to the rescue! We made a last second decision to try Chowderheads instead of the sports bar near the freeway. It is really difficult to find a hidden gem like this back home in CA. Hubs loved his seafood chowder and lobster roll; exactly what he craves, basically all-​year around. I had a nice fish n chips that totally hit the spot.

I got the Scallops and Fried Whole Belly Clams combo. It came with a choice of (2) sides, which is nice. Onion rings were very good. Normally I do not like when scallops are cut up in smaller pieces but these were cooked to perfection and delicious.

While spending another week in Maine on business, my staff recommended this little gem. After checking here, their website, and calling the restaurant, I decided to give them a try. Excellent move.
The location is off the touristy path and in a no frills strip mall. At first glance you may consider passing. Don’t! This place with simple tables, non fancy décor, and a posted menu board, provided me with the best fried seafood combination I have had in my two visits to Maine this year. It is also worth mentioning the counter help and cook were down to earth and genuinely nice. They even remembered my calling earlier that day.
I ordered a shrimp and scallop combo with onion rings and slaw. See the photo. I got so many scallops that I lost count after twenty. The shrimp was fresh, tasty, and not over shadowed by the coatings. The onion rings were obviously homemade with tasty onions and they gave you a ton. The slaw was good too. It needed a wee, just a wee bit more flavor, but that does not lower my five star rating. Yeah. All this for about $ 19. Back home, and that’s not even with fresh seafood — this is a $ 40 meal, easily. Color me easily pleased. Oh, by the by, my cooked to order takeout was done in five minutes.
Avoid the tourist traps. Solicit advice from the locals and find this place. You’ll be back. Again and again and again and…

Decent chowdah. I’ll be back. Not a tourist trap, not pretentious. Paper plates…
Verdict on the lobster roll — good value at $ 8, the seacoast tourist traps charge up to twice as much for exactly the same thing.

Located in a strip plaza (Oak Hill) at the corner of US Route 1 and Route 114. Chowderhead’s serves up great tasting Seafood Chowder, which lots of potato chunks, baby shrimp, haddock, and bay scallops in a creamy broth (orange in color). Besides the great chowder, they also serve fried & broiled seafood, chicken, sandwiches, subs, beverages, and ice cream bars. See the menu at
The place is order at the counter and casual dining room is mostly ocean blue in color. The chowder passed the spoon test due to the generous amount of seafood in the broth.
HOURS: Mon-​Sat: 11AM-​8PM, closed Sundays