Remember When Red Lobster Was in Maine? It’s Now in Only 1 New England State

Did you know that Red Lobster used to be in several New England states?

Unfortunately, for the restaurant, it could never seem to crack the regional code.

It's not surprising that the place had an uphill battle either. Why go out for chain seafood when there's a ton of top-tier locations in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, etc., delivering some of the best local lobster rolls, fried clams, oysters, haddock, and more?

But you might be surprised to know that there is one New England state serving up those Cheddar Bay Biscuits and Ultimate Endless Shrimp.

Is There Red Lobster in Maine?

Lobster and Maine go pretty much hand-in-hand. In fact, the clawed crustacean feels pretty synonymous with New England in general.

While there is no Red Lobster in Maine now, back in the '90s the chain made its way up the Pine Tree State.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, in 1992, Red Lobster opened up a South Portland location.

The Bangor Daily News noted a few other Red Lobster establishments in the state, including Bangor and Auburn, but they would eventually close near the end of that decade.

Did you ever get a chance to eat there when it was in Maine?

Red Lobster in Connecticut

Turns out, Red Lobster's sole New England residence as of today is in Connecticut.

According to the restaurant's website, you can find it in Bridgeport, Danbury, North Haven, and Wethersfield.

That's four places in the ol' CT.

In mid-2024, there was concern for those remaining New England locations when Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy, per a CNN report.

However, late 2024 brought about a different scenario. According to Nation's Restaurant News, Red Lobster got out of bankruptcy and was put under new ownership.

The Connecticut locations are here to stay.

READ MORE: Maine Restaurant Lands on Yelp’s List of Top 100 Seafood Places in the US

So if you're craving some Red Lobster and are in New England, there are some places you can still hit up.

Otherwise, you'll just have to hold onto the memories of when Red Lobster had some spots in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts long ago.