James Hook & Co

The LIVE lobster they advertised showed up Dead and the chowder was thawed and warm. I called just to give them a friendly heads up and the «
manager» denied the lobster was guaranteed to show up alive and there was NO WAY the chowder was thawed. Crap customer service! Crap food! Maybe I should go with something safe like the lobster roll but I will not trust these guys to get it to me safely.

Best lobster roll I have had in Boston. Granted I’ve only had lobster rolls at 5 different establishments. It’s the best I’ve been to. Many other places only put the meat from the claws into their rolls, but this places uses meat from the tail as well.
The lobster bisque was also on point. It was so flavorful and left me wanting more. The lobster itself was just a bit above average. Because of the space they provide to eat, it can get a bit messy. We got the 3 lb lobster for a pretty hefty price. It looked like getting a raw lobster and going home to cook it would be a lot better, but what is a tourist to do.
I also tried the lobster Mac and cheese. I haven’t had enough of these to judge but it was pretty darn good. I didn’t get to try the stuffed clams and scallops but Jose looked pretty good too.
Tip* remember to return the cracker and pick (if you order the whole cooked lobster) to get your $ 5 deposit back.

Yes. Just Yes. Fresh lobster with mayo, piled high on a small bun. The regular size is big enough, but if you think you need more, go for it! So so good, and a lovely little patio area for people watching. I need to start stopping by on my way home to grab some fresh seafood to cook at home. Looking at all the crabs had me drooling.

Located at the corner of Atlantic and Northern Ave, this place is a not-​so-​hidden gem. I’ve walked by this trailer-​looking thing several times thinking it was a souvenir shop.
Finally after seeing lobster options on a sidewalk menu display, I popped in for Sunday brunch. Today is Tuesday and I will be returning for dinner. It’s that good!
Quality, portion size and prices are all spot on!
I’m moving out of Boston in a week and have decided to spend the last of my days trying local spots, and man am I bummed I didn’t discover this sooner! It’s perfect. Go! You won’t regret it!

I love eating at small establishments like this! You could order live seafood as well as cooked. We got clam chowder, a stuffed scallop and lobster rolls. They were all great and the rolls were loaded up with lobster. I wasn’t a huge fan of the buns but it was still good.

Very good lobster although I personally didn’t love the roll. The lobster had nice big chunks and tasted pretty fresh, but the roll was a bit boring — needed butter. It looked like the mayo was going to be overwhelming but the taste worked out just right. Reasonably priced and definitely worth a visit
EDIT: the owner let me know there is a toasted butter roll option. Will have to look for it next time.

James Hook & Co is the King of Seafood in Boston in my opinion.
The food is that damn good!
The lobster roll is something else man. There is nothing like the sweet taste of fresh lobster on top of a hot and buttery roll. The hot butter option is an amazing enhancement. The bun was rich and chewy and warm. Eating a lobster roll can get a little messy around the face area as the butter rolls down the side of your face after each bite, but it’s a beautiful kind of messy. Feel free to get messy, it is worth it!
The crab cakes were out of this world. A lot of times I’ll go to a place and order crab cakes and out comes a dry and flavorless mess. Not here my friend. The Crab Cakes here were moist, tender, and flavorful. Perfect texture, Perfect Flavor. It kinda reminded me of them Mrs Paul’s Deviled Crab from back in the day, except it’s a million times better and with only the freshest crabs.
Cocktail Sauce — The cocktail sauce here was spot on buddy! It was rich and spicy from the horseradish. I love it.
Stuffed Clam — I dig this stuffed clam. Perhaps the most underrated food item in the city of Boston. It’s rich, moist, and tasty. Nice spices. I really love the softness of the stuffing and how each bite you get the chewiness of fresh clams in each bite.
The staff was cool as hell.
I enjoyed the patio to eat at outside. There were many picnic tables to enjoy your meal. I saw a bird swoop in and try to sneak in a bite out of this blond hussy’s meal, lol. I don’t blame that bird at all haha. This food is sooooooo good, even the birds know. Lemme tell ya something bird — if you ever want some James Hook — Caw Me Up!
I would fly to Boston just to eat here again: D

James Hook has always been a contender for best lobster roll in Boston so I finally decided to give it a shot. You can choose from either a small or large size. I think the roll is the same, but the amount of lobster changes. Overall, not bad! I’m usually not a fan of mayo overkill but it wasn’t terrible. I also got a fish chowder but it was really bad. The soup was really sour and I ended up throwing it away.

This is the place I recommend everyone that asks me where they should go for their Boston Lobster Roll. It has the taste, the vibe, the price, and the view. To be honest, I don’t enjoy ordering a lobster roll in a fancy sit down restaurant, having to be conscious of how I am supposed to dive in to a sandwich overflowing with juicy lobster. I would much rather be in a hut surrounded by people equally eager to dive in face first into this scrumptious lobster roll, not caring about all the sauce and juice dripping down my hands. That being said, lets talk about the food.
Food:
Lobster roll: they have a regular size and large size. I personally think a regular size is enough (it still comes with a crap ton of lobster on it. literally overflowing) if you’re planning on ordering other things. But if you’re solely having one item (why would you do that though) I guess a large size would be better for you. The lobster is chewy and juicy, they don’t add other unnecessary things to the mayo base, and the bread has the perfect amount of butter so that you don’t want to hate yourself after gobbling the whole thing down in 2 minutes.
Clam chowder: One of the better clam chowders in Boston. It doesn’t have that metallic taste that I hate, and it is thick and flavorful and also abundant with clams and potatoes.
Lobster bisque: Smooth and abundant in flavor. I wish it came with bread so I could dip it into the soup. Very creamy, and a little too salty, but once again, it would be perfect with some bread.
Lobster mac and cheese: I’m pretty sure it uses the same base/​sauce/​soup as the lobster bisque. Therefore the carbs of the mac and cheese balanced the saltiness of the bisque better than just the lobster bisque in my opinion. Full of flavor and a hefty amount of lobster in it too!
View: It’s right by the water! Eat outdoors if the weather is nice — there is PLENTY of seating outdoors, and shaded areas as well.
Parking: if you’re driving, expect there to be no parking spots at the actual location. Yes, there is street parking across the street in little alleyways, but that will take some time to find.

Lobster roll was ok — it was served on a hot dog roll and not thick toasted beard.
The clam chowder was Luke warm and lack flavor.
The atmosphere is awesome — sitting outside enjoying a great Boston day.

Seafood heaven! Fresh seafood with amazing seasoning. The lobster rolls are the best I have ever had and has the juiciest meat. Also, must are the clam filled shells, not sure what they are called though.
The place is tiny and has no frills but is a must go on your trip to Boston.

Lobster, lobster, lobster. That’s what you should come here for. This is a little shack with tables inside and out right off the bay. They serve fresh lobster and fish. I came in right after opening and ordered a large lobster roll and cup of clam chowder. The lobster roll was a great deal. Lots of lobster on a subway roll. If you get the small one, it’s on a hot dog bun. The sandwich was great although I wish the bun was a little more toasted. The clam chowder was good. Creamy with lots of clams. The lobster roll was cheaper than anywhere I found in the city ($ 19) so definitely a great place to come. I walked and it didn’t look like there was place to park.

Great little snack place to get your fill of lobster rolls! lobster rolls here are served cold, but that didn’t bother me. The only problem is that these lobster rolls didn’t sit on my plate very long. I chomped it down quickly and was quite satisfied.
The lobster roll just had a hint of mayo to keep all of the meat together, with hints of pieces of celery which gave it a nice crunch. Overall, this place compared to Neptune’s Oysters is different. I think you have to try both to get an even keel on the lobster rolls in Boston.
I loved that this seafood market was tucked away in a little corner, and it was nice because I didn’t have to wait too long to get my delicious fill of lobster rolls!

This place is as no frills as it gets. They also close very early, 5pm on most days so if you were planning this for dinner you can forget it. Unless of course you eat dinner at 4pm. It’s more of a market and take out kind of place. They do have very very very limited places to sit. Notice the amount of «very’s» in that sentence? The tables are tiny, not good for groups. Usually packed too. If you get lucky grab that seat as fast as you can or surely the next person will. You can see all the lobsters, crabs, and such right in the containers and they have some gigantic ones. Wow!
A guy came out from behind the counter to take our order while there was another guy that continued to work the counter. If you want to shorten your wait time and they are busy you can have someone reserve your seats while you get in line to order. We all wanted lobster rolls. There’s a large and small size. We weren’t asked what style we wanted or anything or may be they don’t offer different styles. They all came out with mayo but I’m an old bay and butter kind of girl (Connecticut style) but I just went with it and asked for butter on the side. Butter and mayo don’t really mix very well but the roll itself was dry so after I picked off some chunks with a fork so the roll was actually small enough to stuff in my mouth I put a little butter on it. The reason why a place with very little frills gets a five stars from me is because the chunks of lobster were gigantic. Easily the biggest chunks of lobster I’ve ever had short of making the darn roll myself. The lobster was also very clean and delicious.
So will I be returning to this hole in the wall on my next visit to Boston? Yep, you bet I am! But rather than order the same thing I will likely just get a container of lobster meat to go and season it up the way I like it. Or I can just eat it straight out of the container and rationalize that I am on a low carb diet so I nixed the bread. Sure, sure I’m on a low carb diet ;) I swear!

I’ve had my share of lobster rolls in the city and would say that they serve the best ones in town! Sweet, meaty, and perfectly paired with a toasty (but not too toasty) bun.
Buy a large one. It’s worth the extra few bucks.
Wish that there were fresh oysters available to order. With a prime location on the water, you’d think that they would!

This place was really good! There wasn’t anyone available to take our order and we were awkwardly standing around but a young server (she seemed like she was in her early teens) was really sweet and quickly took our order.
The lobster roll was so good!!! They do not skimp out on the lobster and I liked how the chunks were quite large. The lobster bisque was really creamy and hit the spot after a huge bite of the lobster roll.
I thought we were lucky to have grabbed a table after we ordered, but it seemed like the waves of people eating/​ordering matched up nicely.
Huge plus!!! There was parking in the back and it really saved us a lot of trouble finding street parking!

4.5 stars for James Hook and the title of a very very close 2^nd for best lobster roll in the great city of Boston.
James hook is awesome. For lobster lovers like myself, James hook is about as good as it gets. I prefer my lobster rolls overflowing with lobster and very light mayo (you don’t put A1 on a filet mignon do you?!?), and that’s what you’ll get when you go to James hook. They offer their lobster roll in 2 sizes (you’d be crazy not to get the bigger one, because bigger is better, duh) and will toast it for you if you want (I went with toasted, I like contrasting temperatures and textures). I also got a cup of their lobster bisque, because lobster, and it proved to be the perfect accompaniment to the fantastic lobster roll.
Even better is James hook occupies a cool location (right near the water) in a red trailer which has a neat nautical theme to it. I was there on a nice sunny day and sat outside, which it doesn’t get much better than that.
Big thumbs up to James hook!

On business trip from Dallas, TX, had plenty of excellent encounters with fresh steamy hot lobster in Maine so decided give this place a try. The 1.5 lbs lobster was at room temperature, shell was somewhat soft, meat wasn’t tight, over all it was OK. Maybe 1 notch better than the live lobsters sold in Asian markets back home…
My colleague from Spokane, WA tried a crab roll… wasn’t great.
With a water and lobster the bill was $ 32.00, not impress.

James Hook is located near Boston South Station, it is great for a quick bite if you are taking transportation there. I came during Winter break Monday lunch time and there was no wait.
I’ve been there twice within a week, and I have to say it tastes great. The lobster meat is tender, chewy, yet meaty. James Hook uses a mix of lobster meat and lobster claws meat. I like the texture of the lobster claws as they are a lot more chewy. The bread is not good as Boston Chowda, that has warm toasted butter bread, but because the quality of the lobster is so good, I still prefer James Hook better.
The price is very decent for lobster roll, I think it was 17 for small and 20 for a big? Get the big one, you won’t regret it. I will def. come back again.

Amazing…
6 pound lobster that did not dissapoint.
Large lobster roll and very good as well.
5 star food.
5 star attention…
Worth it…

Had a lobsta roll and chowda and wanted to bring a couple more home

I am a musician. I travel all over the world. As a consequence of my work, I have a lot of down time. I spend much this time seeking out culinary gems in these various cities. I give James Hook my highest recommendation. The chowder is rich, the clams are tender and the portion is generous. I have never been too big on Lobster rolls and I realize now that it was because I didn’t know good lobster until today. Again a very generous portion. The freshness, sweetness and tenderness of the lobster combined with the perfect amount of mayo made for a perfect lunch. Wow. This doesn’t scratch the surface of what they offer but if everything else is of the quality of my lunch you will not be disappointed.

The husband and I got the regular Lobster Rolls and the New England Clam Chowda. The Chowda was delicious and the Rolls were stuffed to the brim with lobster meat so you can’t complain.
This is a cute little place with lots of charm and character. The seafood was being brought in fresh and I’m glad we didn’t get Chowda at the Quincy Market but rather walked over here for the freshness.

This was our first stop after checking in to our hotel.
I had bookmarked this spot based on the reviews. The staff is very friendly and helpful. We went in and there was no line which is unusual from what I understand but it was after 230pm on a Friday — even so they do not have very many tables so even when it is not busy, it is full.
You walk to the counter and place your order. And you get the bill after your food is delivered to your table.
I ordered a lobster roll and clam chowder. The lobster roll is either reg which is served in hot dog bun or a bun a bit larger. I think I may have expected a lot more flavorful lobster roll based on the reviews so I was a bit disappointed with the flavor. It was basically mayo or dressing with large pieces of lobster– needed salt. The clam chowder was pretty good– creamy with pieces of clams.
My husband ordered a 3 lb lobster but we were later told that they were out so he settled for a 2 ½ lb. His lobster although good, was not steaming hot. We recently were treated to a lobster boil from a New Enlgander friend so no way did this compare. Our friend’s lobster boil was much better.
Price is right for a lobster roll but not sure if it is «a must” — at least that is my experience.

What a way to celebrate my very first afternoon in Boston! The rumors are true!
The Lobster Roll is something you simply cannot leave this city without trying and this spot does not disappoint. For a mere $ 15 you can stuff your belly with deliciously fresh lobster meat. No frills needed, just a hint of lemon and celery to round out the flavor.
At first, the long line seems unbearable in the summer heat (especially with a hangover), but rest assured – these people are professionals. It moves quickly and the staff is friendly and ready to serve!
I highly recommend this spot if you’re in town. YUM.

Location, Location, Location! Seriously, whats not to love.
This was the highlight of the day. I see people complaining about the prices, but at $ ¹⁶⁄₁₉ for these rolls, that might be the deal of the century. They are excellent, the perfect touch of mayo and lemon, and just enough celery to give it a little texture. Many places up here put too much crap in their salad but this would be difficult to improve on.
Check out their website, they have a bonanza of shellfish here, even lobsters up to 7lbs or more, and they ship to anywhere. Love this place, a Must Do when you’re in Boston.

Definitely a lesser-​known gem! A friend told us about this place, and I’m so glad he did! We came here for a late lunch on a weekday, and there were only a few other people eating inside. James Hook is located inside of a red and black bungalow with both indoor and outdoor seating. When you step inside, you’ll immediately see tanks of live lobsters! Walk up to the counter and choose from a huge display of every type of seafood you can think of – lobster tails/​meat, shrimp, fish, crab, scallops, clams, and more! They also have lobster rolls, crab rolls, stuffed scallops/​clams, crab cakes, and soups that are served warm.
Food:
— Whole lobster — Can’t call it a trip to Boston without demolishing one of these babies, right?! Super fresh, and served with drawn butter. It was my first time really cracking open a whole lobster, and it was a lot of work but pretty exciting nonetheless! They provide all the crackers and picking tools you need!
— Lobster Roll — If you’re feeling lazy or short on time, have the hard work done for you and get a lobster roll! Lots of lump pieces of lobster meat that were oh so delicious!
— Baked Scallop — I really, really enjoyed this! Chopped scallops mixed in a stuffing like mixture, placed back on the shell, and baked. Very flavorful!
Overall, I had a great experience here! You could tell that everything was very fresh, they have a great variety of seafood, and it’s all reasonably priced! I only wish they’d open up a location in CA!

Absolutely amazing lobster rolls!!! I stopped by here for lunch today around noon and fortunately for my boyfriend and I, the wait wasn’t bad at all! The lines move fairly quickly and the service is efficient. I ordered the regular sized lobster roll ($ 16) while my bf ordered the large lobster roll ($ 19) and the New England clam chowder ($ 7).
Lobster roll: (5/5)The only other lobster roll I’ve ever had was in LA called Connie and Ted’s. So in comparison, I enjoyed hook’s place a bit more. For one, the portion is very generous. It’s about 70% lobster and 30% bread. Flavor was there, no nasty taste of the sea flavor, and also cooked well.
New England clam chowder: (⁴⁄₅) Delightful. Not heavy nor thick. Perfect consistency. And love the clams and potatoes!
Service: Fast and efficient! And the people who work here are friendly and informative.
Price: $ 7-​$ 20. This is speaking for the soups, salads, and rolls only. Love seafood is a bit more over $ 20.
Venue: Order inside and pick the seat either in or outside. Love the atmosphere! It’s very casual and the great for large groups of 8 – 10. Just try and get here before the rush so you can grab a seat. Food is fast so anytime is a good time.

PICTURE THIS — A tiny, little Asian girl demolishing a 3 lb. lobster all by herself with juices and cracked shells flying EVERYWHERE (literally) on a beautiful, sunny day. This was me at James Hook & Co.
It was my second day in Boston and I was on the hunt for some delicious, fresh lobster. James Hook & Co. appeared on my Unilocal radar and I set off to find the little shack on Boston’s Historic Waterfront. Immediately upon arrival, I got in line and took a moment to review the menu (provided for guests outside). Their menu was very simple: classic rolls, soups, plates, and sides. I was solely interested in their live lobsters, which were priced in a range depending on size.
The line moved fairly quickly and all orders were taken inside of their little shack. I ended up ordering a cup of New England clam chowder ($ 7.50) and a 3 lb. lobster ($ 55). Considering how gorgeous the weather was, I seated myself outside at one of their picnic tables and began eating my soup. The clam chowder had a rich and creamy taste, with medium-​sized bits of clam scattered throughout. Not bad.
After about 15 minutes or so, an employee brought out my freshly steamed lobster served on a tray with hot, melted butter. It was INSANELY HUGE, piping hot, and oh so fresh. It was absolutely delicious. The large chunks of lobster meat were very sweet, tender and juicy. Paired with the melted butter, I was in heaven.
Now if only the image of me devouring it was as pretty, because I am pretty sure I got some stares along the way. Oh well — I was quite proud of myself for finishing such a large, satisfying meal. Perhaps I’ll go for the 5 pounder next time ;)

We always go into Hooks to get seafood, particularly lobsters to take home. We have always been very pleased with the very fresh quality and great service! A great array of options in multiple sizes-​you won’t be disappointed, you’ll be thrilled! Highly recommend for shellfish or fish!!!
You can eat there too-​steamers, little necks, shrimp and more!
It doesn’t get any fresher!!!

The best lobster roll I have ever had. Finding it was harder than I thought it would be. If you come in from the wrong side, you don’t realize that this small, brown, non descript building is actually home to such deliciousness.
The rolls are large, the lobster chunks are large and deliciously fresh, the price is fair, service is speedy, and there is outdoor seating. What else could you ask for?!
Just after noon on a Monday there was no wait to order and it only took a few minutes to get our food ready. We also ordered a stuffed crab. It was good, but wasn’t really necessary as one large lobster roll was enough for my husband and I to split (along with a small bag of Cape Cod chips). You can also buy fresh fish.

I’ve had my eye on this place since I moved to Boston 4 years ago. For years I told myself that I would go and enjoy some seafood plucked straight out of the Boston harbour.
My boyfriend and I finally went for the first time on Saturday, and were a bit disappointed. First of all, we were under the impression that the Lobster and Crab Rolls were much cheaper then they actually were. I saw a couple of Unilocal photos where the Crab Rolls were advertized as $ 10 and the regular Lobster Rolls as $ 12.50. I recognize that these are unusually cheap prices, but it’s what we expected when we arrived at James Hook. Instead, it cost $ 16 for a regular sized Lobster Roll and $ 15 for a Crab Roll — kind of a let down when you’re expecting something cheaper. Anyhow, the rolls were small, but overstuffed and tasty. Between the two, I preferred the Crab Roll, which I thought had a better flavour. We also shared a bowl of Clam Chowder, which was decent and more reasonably priced at $ 7.
Overall, I enjoyed the food, but it wasn’t worth it to me to spend $ 40 on a cup of soup and 2 small rolls — I guess i’m just not a big enough fan of seafood. The best part are the outdoor picnic tables that allow you to enjoy your food in the heart of Boston’s famous Seaport district — one of my favourite spots in Boston.

They made it easy. It’s right next to our hotel and of course being right next to the harbor sells it. During the day the operate as a wholesaler selling lobster and other fish. Limited hours and long lines to expect to wait. We were lucky and able to take ours to go to enjoy a the club lounge otherwise expect 5o eat outside or cramped quarters inside.
The nice thing is they offer SEASONING so for those who don’t get just the lobster and mayo taste you can self season.

The small fish market style restaurant has limited self seating inside and outside. Nice place for a casual lunch in the city. They have lobster rolls, clam chowder, stuffed clams, lobster mac and cheese.
$ 15 for Regular sized Lobster rolls! Huge pieces of fresh lobster spilling out of toasted bread. Simple, but so delicious! Who needs to spend $ 25+ on a lobster roll when you can get such a steal at James Hook! Tried the clam chowder, thought it was alright. Lobster roll was definitely the man the show today :]
Tip: there’s free parking behind the restaurant!

Not bad of a place.
Small shack for a quick lunch or if you want to grab some fresh lobster, I would drop by here.
Lobster roll wasn’t bad here along with chowder.
Cool hint is that this place has parking in the back!

Eating a lobster roll in Boston was high on my bucket list. I am a huge lobster lover and I set out on a mission to enjoy this delicacy on the correct coast. I walked miles to the waterfront area, following my Unilocal bookmark, yet I still passed right by it.
The building itself is more of a shack than a destination. They have tanks with live lobsters of all sizes and various seafood available, but I was not distracted. I ordered the largest roll they would sell me which was served quickly and with a smile. This is certainly a no frills restaurant so forget about table service, plates or fancy accoutrements. My roll was served on a piece of foil which suited me fine. It would be a perfect way to wrap up leftovers with no waste, but that was a mute point. I could probably have eaten three of these babies if I did not have to walk 6 miles back to my hotel.
I had often wondered what a lobster roll really was. Two years ago I was a virgin and envisioned a lobster roll to be somewhat like a California roll. This was only the second lobster roll that I had ever eaten, now I am spoiled. The roll is just a vehicle to get the lobster from the plate into my mouth without utensils. A lighter flaky bread will achieve best results.
James Hook did not disappoint, my roll was fully loaded with sweet, tender chunks of fresh lobster meat that was tossed in dressing. I would have preferred a lighter dressing to highlight the hero here, but I loved every last bite.
James Hook is definitely a touristy place, but don’t let that distract you. I would move to Boston for these decadent rolls if the weather resembled what I am used to in San Diego.

I’m so glad I was able to find this small place by Boston Harbor and try the lobster here, was it was very good!
Do not let this place deceive you as it is small. There are not many places to sit here with just a few tables. Right when you enter you see an area on the ride side where all the fresh lobsters are located at all various sizes from 1.25 lb and up to 3+ lbs! When I went here there was a line but it would go fairly quick. These people go right to the point with your orders. I got a large lobster roll with a New England Clam Chowder and my friend got a fresh 1.25lb lobster.
They do not kid around with this lobster roll, it was GREAT! What I especially enjoyed was that they do not put an overabundant amount of mayo in it. I feel sometimes places would add extra mayo to mask the fact that the lobster is not as fresh. I personally do not put much mayo, if not any on my food, so this was a great treat. The roll was full of deliciousness and fresh lobster meat that I wish I had in front of me again to feast on. The New England Clam Chowder also was very fresh and delicious. It was the good helping of clam chunks in the soup that made it very flavorful. I had a piece of the fresh lobster my friend had and that was awesome too. We definitely both had a great time eating the food here.
With how good the lobster roll is, I definitely want to come back for this. However, I do want to try some of their other menu items that they have, such as the stuffed scallops and lobster mac & cheese.
What is also nice is that you are able to pack some fresh lobsters and take them back with you in specialized containers. Also, if you even check their website, they have a store with options for shipping fresh lobsters and other of their seafood items. Give it a try!