This Surf City restaurant is best in NC for seafood, according to Yelp
Trevor Dostie knows it sounds unbelievable. But in a recent post from Yelp, his family-owned restaurant in Surf City was named best in North Carolina when it comes to seafood.
It's common for the review site to post about a wide variety of food bests, from burgers to brunch. This one lists the top-rated seafood eateries in every state, ranked using factors like the total volume and ratings of reviews, and those that had a passing health score as of July 19. On the Yelp site, Maine Lobstah Shack at 411 Roland Ave. boasts an impressive 4.9 stars out of 5, based on 100 or so reviews.
“It's a big deal. There are thousands of seafood restaurants in the state,” Dostie said.
Yes, and many of them offer local seafood. But in a category that includes poke, and seafood boils and sushi, Maine lobster rolls are a small subcategory. It probably helped the Shack stand out. Dostie is more impressed that his restaurant beat out Cousins Maine Lobster, which has locations across the country, including Raleigh and Charlotte.
On Yelp’s list, there are some tributes to local fare, like Ry’s Poke Shack in Kahuku, Hawaii and The Salmon Spot in Talkeetna, Alaska. But Cajun-style restaurants were listed as the top seafood spots in Massachusetts (Nola Cajun Kitchen in West Boylston) and Washington (The Crawfish Hut in Burien). The Codfather serves “Proper Fish & Chips” in South Carolina’s North Charleston area and JJ’s Poke is the best rated seafood restaurant in Minnesota.
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Although sometimes maligned, Yelp remains a popular site for checking up on restaurants. It's hard to say what other metrics the company used for the list, but it looks like there were other local challenges for the top spot. Places like Cape Fear Boil Company, with locations in Carolina Beach and Oak Island, is listed with a 4.8-star rating, as is Seaview Crab Company and another Wilmington spot for lobster, The Maine Lobster Roll Company. Topsail Steamer and Tidewater Oyster Bar have a 4.7.
Dostie added that he and his business partners haven't paid to boost their presence on the Yelp site.
"We've been really blessed," he said.
He got into the business at the encouragement of his 20-year-old daughter, Addison. And he now co-owns the Shack with his ex-wife, Jen Williamson, and her husband Chris, he said. They have a connection to bring in fresh seafood from Maine every day and have just celebrated a year in business. In that short time, it's already become a local favorite for the food and the location on the water near Soundside Park.
You can find mac-and-cheese there, as well as beer and whoopie pies. But their No. 1 seller is the classic Maine roll, he said, which comes with a quarter pound of meat. The Loster Bisque and the New England Clam Chowder are also winners, he said.
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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Maine Lobstah Shack in Surf City is best in NC for seafood, Yelp says
