7 Chain Restaurants Serving The Best Lobster Rolls, According To Reviews

Lobster rolls are a seafood restaurant staple. Typically, the revered shellfish sandwich is served in two different forms: There's the classic Maine-style, featuring chilled, tender meat mixed with mayo inside a toasted bun. The other is the hot Connecticut-style, which involves dousing the shellfish in warm butter before carefully placing it inside an equally savory bun. Both renditions are popular, especially at chain restaurants, which constantly serve customers with tasty varieties across the United States.

According to reviews, however, not every chain restaurant has perfected the art of a good lobster roll. It takes detail-oriented taste buds to give mass-produced rolls that signature New England flair, whether served hot or cold. This list covers seven chain restaurants across the country that get it right. By embracing the cool succulence of a classic recipe or the warmth of a more buttery rendition, these chain restaurants are some of the best places to buy a tasty lobster roll.

A classic seafood establishment primarily based in Boston, Massachusetts, Legal Sea Foods procures gargantuan lobster rolls perfect for a night out. The restaurant serves ¼-pound and ½-pound cold Maine-style rolls with lemon mayo as well as warm Connecticut-style rolls with butter. While the restaurant is no stranger to developing unique lobster roll dishes, like the limited-time Legal Sea-Cone, the giant, meat-filled regular rolls really draw a crowd. There's a clear focus on quantity here that, according to customers, only adds to the tender deliciousness of the sub, no matter which way it's served.

Newcomers and regulars alike attest that the cold style lobster roll is the best preparation method. It's a classic that benefits from a flavorful approach. The tangy lemon zest of the mayo is elegantly balanced by the natural sweetness of the meat. Tenderness is another important attribute, the juicy texture making the experience all the more worthwhile for happy customers. Legal Sea Foods' lobster rolls are tempting in either size, too, with some attendees unable to resist going back for more. With Maine-style favored by many, the chain delivers a simple but delicious roll that makes for a hearty lunch or dinner.

Bluewater Grill touts East Coast-style lobster rolls, served to a customer base mostly in California, with one locale in Phoenix, Arizona. According to the menu, the lobster roll comes in a cold or hot variant: chilled New England-style or warm, buttery Rhode Island-style. Regardless, both are equipped with heaps of meat stuffed in a toasted brioche bun, and customers can choose fries or coleslaw on the side. Those familiar with the classic, cold variant say Bluewater Grill offers a pristine sandwich. Some even claim it's reminiscent of regional, New England lobster rolls.

But, for this chain, hot lobster rolls also earn plenty of attendee praise. The buttery approach adds a rich warmth to the dish, suitable thanks to the toasted bun and the tender sweetness of the lobster. Many customers say that, no matter which version of the roll is purchased, you're still destined to have a tasty meal. It's also memorable enough for some to consider it the best place for a cold lobster roll in California, while still procuring a heated variety just as divine. Clearly, customers at Bluewater Grill find the lobster roll appealing no matter the method of preparation.

If you're looking for a delicious, Massachusetts lobster roll, Luke's Lobster offers a Maine-style sandwich perfect for all one's tender seafood needs. Fresh, juicy meat from wild-caught lobsters is stuffed into a rich, toasted bun. Lemon butter and mayo enhance the meat and bread, while the dish is also sprinkled with Luke's Secret Seasoning. The taste is divine, according to extremely satisfied customers. The buttery bread is of special note to many, who find the crunchy, toasted exterior a complementary contrast to the chilled, mayo-rich, chewy, savory meat inside.

The roll is rather creamy, too. Purchasers say the inviting smoothness bolsters the meat and butter with a twinging mayo twang. What really helps Luke's Lobster stand out from the competition, though, is its gluten-free buns. The restaurant offers this option as a core part of its service to customers. It allows for more accessibility than other lobster rolls on this list, with gluten-sensitive buyers able to freely enjoy rolls without fear of physical consequence. These factors make it one of the best lobster rolls in Boston while also being a core highlight in areas of New York and California. It helps the restaurant stand apart from the crowd, yet still keeps it delivering succulent lobster rolls brimming with meaty, buttery flavor.

As the name implies, Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls is a go-to stop focusing on a classic lobster roll recipe, alongside a few unique dishes for more intrepid customers. The restaurant serves a cold roll with mayo and lemon butter, alongside a hot roll carrying meat drenched in buttery flavor. It also offers the Lobster Salad Roll, which adds celery to the cold interpretation, and the Lobster BLT Roll, which is just as described: bacon, lettuce, tomato with lobster. Any roll can be upgraded to The Bar Harbor, too, which touts "50% more lobster meat" than a base sandwich.

Across the board, Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls are delicious. Customers are extremely satisfied with the heavily stuffed sandwiches, with many professing the taste is of precise quality. The lobster meat is one highlight thanks to freshness and a chunky presentation, but the bun is just as important. It's prepared at such a high standard that it acts in sync with the meat to deliver a worthwhile meal. 

Some customers are uncertain about the price, since city locations charge up to $30 for a roll. But others are just as appreciative that it makes for an easy lunch. It's made all the more impressive by the number of options, all of which need to be expertly handled given the restaurant's name. Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls delivers satisfying meals to its customer base across its diverse array of tasty shellfish subs.

While lobster isn't exactly its claim to fame, Kelly's Roast Beef offers an unforgettable lobster roll some customers say is the best in the Boston area. The restaurant's humble beginnings as one of the first roast beef sandwich shops in the country have allowed it to evolve further beyond. This comes in the form of a chilled lobster roll, with meat sourced from fresh Atlantic lobster. The taste is also bolstered by the addition of celery and mayonnaise. It comes served with fries or onion rings, but can also be purchased as part of the Surf & Turf combo, which includes a ¼-pound roast beef sandwich.

Even though roast beef sandwiches are the most highly-praised dishes – expected given the name of the restaurant — the lobster roll's quality pushes it to a close second. Regular customers say Kelly's lobster rolls are meaty, with many pointing out a chunky presentation that delivers a tender, seafood-focused taste. The celery and mayo elevate the overall flavor with well-placed crunchiness and creaminess. The chain doesn't just deliver high-quality meat and ingredients: It's also aided by hot sides that make it a perfect seafood meal. While pricing varies from cheap to expensive, Kelly's Roast Beef procures some of the finest lobster rolls in Boston and surrounding towns, no matter which location you dine at.

Cousins Maine Lobster can be found far beyond the border its name implies, with trucks and restaurants in 32 states across the U.S. Its lobster rolls focus on delivering a classic East Coast taste throughout the country. Not only does this include both Maine-style and Connecticut-style rolls at physical locations, but also lobster roll kits. The chain even offers the product online, allowing buyers to get ready-made boxes with a pound of lobster meat inside delivered right to their homes.

Of course, when it comes to dining out, Cousins Maine Lobster provides deliciously prepared subs within a perfectly toasted brioche. According to testimonies, the heated Connecticut-style roll is the chain's best. A buttery bun makes for the perfect exterior, while chunky, tender claw and knuckle meat converge with tastiness. Regulars say the lobster always tastes fresh. It helps the rolls stand out, providing a memorable dining experience that shows how much care the restaurant puts into such a core dish. Cost-wise, customers also have few complaints, with individual rolls priced around $20 in some areas. But, on the whole, Cousins Maine Lobster offers a delightful, delicious lobster roll that sticks with its customers long after eating.

Quincy's Original Lobster Rolls has plenty of lobster dishes on its menu. But, as the name of the New Jersey-based chain suggests, it's clear which one stands out the most to customers. Served inside buttered, toasty buns, the restaurant produces the two classic types of lobster roll: a Classic Roll, containing mayo and lemon butter, and a Connecticut Roll, with meat lathered in melted butter. Both also include general seasoning that bolsters the taste. According to customers, this works wonders, with both roll types standing out.

Some customers prefer the Connecticut Roll for its buttery meat, but others are more partial to the Maine-style taste of the Classic. No matter how one eats a lobster roll from Quincy's, the bread is fresh, and the meat exudes tenderness, matching its naturally sweet and savory taste. The hot variety is popular, but only goes to show how well the chain produces lobster rolls of all types. Its buttery smoothness contrasts with the crunch of the toasted sub roll, making for a succulent meal filled with the savor of shellfish. A simple design makes Quincy's Original Lobster Rolls the perfect place for one, delivering a tasteful sandwich that brings an authentic East Coast flavor to the wider world.

The chain restaurants chosen for this list were picked based on the frequency of positive customer reviews. Strong testimony determined which locations have the best lobster rolls, be it Maine-style, Connecticut-style, or a different form. Tripadvisor and Yelp were the primary sources, but social media posts on Reddit and Facebook also helped decide which restaurants to feature.

Taste was one of the biggest factors, with savory meat, buttery buns, and additional flavors having important sway on customer opinions. So too was texture, alongside the preparation of the meat and how freshly it was served. Price factored into a number of dishes as well, particularly for those that are on the more expensive side, and others that provide relief for diners' wallets.