A Portland institution since 1898 — two decks over the water, baked stuffed lobster, and the kind of waterfront energy that turns colleagues into friends.
Alexander Boone opened this restaurant on Custom House Wharf in 1898. He invented the baked stuffed lobster here. This is not marketing copy — it is culinary history. The dish, stuffed with fresh Maine seafood and the same blend of seasonings Boone developed on the Portland waterfront, has been on the menu ever since. That kind of institutional continuity is vanishingly rare in the American restaurant industry, and Boone's has earned the deference it receives.
The two outdoor waterfront decks are where Portland summers reach their highest expression. Watch lobster boats return with the day's catch. Smell the salt air. Order a dozen oysters and something cold to drink and spend an afternoon in exactly the state of mind that Maine exists to produce. Inside, the beautifully restored dining room — original Douglas Fir beams, cherry wood accents, exposed brick — achieves the kind of rustic dignity that most restaurant designers spend considerable money trying to approximate and rarely achieve.
The menu is New England seafood executed with pride. Baked stuffed lobster remains the signature, but the raw bar draws serious attention — fresh-shucked Maine oysters that slept last night in Casco Bay, as the restaurant's slogan has always promised. The twin lobster dinner, the lazy lobster sautéed in butter, the fried clams: these are dishes that taste exactly like what they are, which is to say, exactly right.
Chef Ryan Preston leads the kitchen with a deep respect for the waterfront tradition he has inherited and the ingredients it produces. The Oyster Room upstairs serves as a private event space for groups who want the full Custom House Wharf experience exclusively. Boone's remains the most authentic expression of Portland's seafood identity: not reinvented, not deconstructed, simply done exceptionally well.
There is something about waterfront dining that dissolves hierarchy. A team that arrives at Boone's as colleagues tends to leave as something warmer. The two outdoor decks, with lobster boats visible on the water and Casco Bay air doing what Casco Bay air does, create a shared experience that no conference room or standard restaurant can replicate. The menu is broad enough to accommodate every preference without negotiation. The baked stuffed lobster arrives at the table with a visual impact that generates conversation. The price point is generous enough that no one feels the company has cut corners, and no one feels a burden has been placed on them. Boone's has been doing this since 1898. They know how it works.
Address
86 Commercial St, Custom House Wharf, Portland, ME 04101
Neighbourhood
Old Port / Custom House Wharf
Price Per Person
$45–$75 with drinks
Cuisine
New England Seafood
Dress Code
Casual waterfront
Reservations
Resy; parties of 9+ call (207) 774-5725
Hours
Sun–Thu 11:30am–8pm, Fri–Sat 11:30am–8:30pm
Phone
(207) 774-5725
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