J’s Oyster

My husband and I visited J's Oyster on our anniversary day. It was our first trip to ME and we were looking forward to having fresh seafood. We ordered oyster, clam chowder, a lobster roll, and a steamer. All the dishes were so good, especially the steamer!!! It was the best steamer I've ever had. We visited again the next day😆 And thank you Katie, the kind and warm-hearted staff. Her great service made my day✨ Highly recommend this wonderful place.

Nice small restaurant right by the water .

Our waitress was so nice .

I had the salad with salmon . Salmon was cooked nicely . Wish the portion of salmon was bigger .

Mac and cheese was phenomenal. Was really not expecting such high quality . Was very pleasantly surprised .

Had a meal with my dad for my daughters graduation in Portland and the food was great! We had a lobster roll, seafood casserole, oysters Rockefeller and Oreo cookie cake. The server we had was great and super friendly. It’s challenging to find the entrance to the parking lot in front of the restaurant. It is free if you eat there but I ended up in a lot next the restaurant that cost 16.00. You have to look carefully for the entrance. Overall good experience.

This is an institution. It's not fancy in the least. But I like it and it's old honky tonk style. The seafood is great, although I have experienced some sand in the steamers. Everything else, however, is pretty darn good. This place gets packed in the summer, but it is open year round. The service is always good, and prices are reasonable. I'll likely visit many more times when I'm in Portland.

The bartender here was awesome! She let me try some of the different local beers, even tho I don't think that was supposed to be an option. And they have the best oysters I've ever had! Clams were really good as well. Lobster and lobster roll were great deals and were delicious too. Highly recommended to come here!

It's been ten years since we last visited J's Oysters. It is as wonderful as we remembered it. In a positive way, it seems not much changed. Why mess with perfection? We started with bowls of the clam and lobster stew. I can't post video with this review, but a picture wouldn't do it justice. The bowl was literally full of lobster. We then had the lobster scampi and seafood casserole. Everything was just perfect. The wait and bar staff were very friendly and prompt. Hope it isn't another ten years before we get back up north. We'll be sure to stop in at J's whenever in Portland area. Thank you for another memorable experience, J's!!

Easily one of my favorite spots to eat in Portland with an incredible lobster roll. The location is great. You can’t beat it on a nice day as you can sit right on the water. Service is always good. Love their oysters and the adult grilled cheese. Clam chowder is top notch too so be sure to get at least a cup. Let’s be honest though… you have to try the lobster roll. It’s fresh and buttery and the bread is soft and delicious. I put it up there in my top 3 favorites in the city.

This place is probably the best bang for your buck in Portland. $32 for a full lobster meal with steamers, and right by the water. I would recommend this place over dimillos.

Waitress was prompt and friendly and the clam chowder is the best in Portland. Not thick and clams in every bite. Loved this place

Visited with friends on December 6, 2021. Stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Portland Downtown/Waterfront. Drove down to the restaurant to eat. The food was beyond delicious. The clam chowder is a must have. The staff there are very friendly. If you happen to be around this area come by with friends and family. There is a bar inside. The prices are very reasonable. Will definitely come here to eat again. I can’t wait for my next visit. Happy Eating everyone and enjoy.

I loved this place. My 1st experience with main seafood! I tried a few things on the menu. Everything was good and fresh tasting. The oysters were so good. I discovered the oysters fork here 🤣. I never seen them in Florida or new Orleans. I had to order me some for the house. As main course I ordered the seafood bouillabaisse. So good!

After reading lots and lots of good reviews online and googling this place numerous times we decided to choose this over the rest of the places to get seafood in the area… We could not have been more happy about the decision we made to try this place!… Yes we waited 30 minutes… But we waited 30 minutes that brought us one of the best meals we’ve had during this trip! The service here was great, the food was repaired well, the winds were fresh, and the environment that was set was incredible outdoors.

We arrived in Portland, Maine later in the afternoon. We didn’t waste any time trying the local seafood. First place we found was J’s Oysters. The seafood was fantastic. Reasonably priced whole Maine lobster, oysters, lobster and crab sandwiches. The food was delicious! This restaurant set the bar while we were here. The service/friendliness of the staff was outstanding. We ate here 3 times over 5 days!!

Absolutely charming little bar/restaurant placed just over the water in the old port. Great views and a cool old vibe, service was friendly and efficient, food was amazing and an incredible bargain, I'll be dreaming of the size of those scallops for many, many a night, every other seafood pasta will hold its pastahood cheap, whilst any speaks who dined with us, upon J's scallop linguine!

J’s Oyster house to me was the best of all restaurants that I have tried in Portland Maine. They had more items to offer and their food is very good. They have the best clam chowder to me. It has a lot of clams in it and it was very creamy and rich. This place has more to offer then Luke Lobster down the street. But Luke Lobster has the best price in town for boil Lobsters. Everyone needs to stop by and have some great sea food here. You’ll love and your tummy will thank you for it.

Jay’s is a very special place, from the food to their employees. Jay’s is a favorite with the locals as well as travelers from far away. The food is amazing & if you’re looking for an authentic Maine seafood experience, there’s no better place! It’s small but cozy, soft lighting that they dim in the evening, good music that’s not too loud. We love Jay’s & go there several times a month. It’s the best! Small free parking lot.

This is definitely a staple in the Portland area. Located on the dock in Old Port, J’s has some of the freshest oysters around. Since it’s summer, the place stays fairly busy. I was a party of one and was promptly seated at the bar. Waitress immediately took my drink order and showed me the board with the days specials. I opted for a Cajun haddock sandwich and of course, a half dozen oysters. Now when they are shucking them right in front of you, it’s going to just taste fresh and amazing. While I waited for my sandwich, I devoured my oysters and accompanied it with a hot sauce highly recommended by the waitress. Once my haddock sandwich arrived, it took me no time to eat it. Everything is fresh, delicious, and oh so flavorful.

Super friendly staff. Great place to get an oyster and have some fun. Don't over look the Red Snapper, grab one for snack.

Fresh oysters and great service! A great view from the pier too!

Food was good, nothing spectacular. Very fresh and authentic seafood. A local told us about this place so my expectations may have been a little too high. Definitely worth the visit.

Wish I had more photos, oysters Rockefeller were superb, lobster roll, shrimp scampi, and baked haddock all were superb. Service was outstanding! Ignore those bad reviews. Real seafood, inviting bar, for real people.