Boothbay Harbor's restaurant scene is firmly oriented around seafood, particularly lobster. The lobster pounds are the most honest places to eat — you pick your lobster from the tank, it's boiled, and you eat it outside at a picnic table with butter and a view of the harbor. Trevett's Lobster Pound and Robinson's Wharf are long-established options across the water in Southport Island, a short drive from town.
In town, the restaurants along the waterfront serve chowders, fried clams, and the full range of Maine seafood standards. Prices are summer-tourist elevated, but portions are generous and the quality of the raw ingredients is hard to fault. For something away from the seafood strip, the Boathouse Bistro on Granary Way has a more varied menu. Cap'n Fish's on the pier is a reliable spot for a quick chowder or lobster roll without much fanfare.