First opened in the 1940’s, Dead Eye Dick’s is one of the oldest restaurants on Block Island. They are located at Payne’s Dock in the New Harbor section of the island and open for lunch & dinner daily. Their eclectic menu offers the freshest seafood, including Dead Eye’s signature swordfish and lobster dishes. Open from May through September, diners can enjoy homemade soups, an extensive raw bar, creative cocktails, wine and microbrews in their casual dining room or outside on the deck overlooking New Harbor.
I hadn't been over to Block Island in years and finally made it there just in time to enjoy the scenery & food the final weekend of the season for many of the restaurants there. In all the searches I did for top lobster rolls on Block Island, Dead Eye Dick's seemed to be at top or near the top of every single one of them. As it turned out the car rental place we were using was only a few hundred feet down from the restaurant so it couldn't have been any easier to head over for lunch as soon as we arrived. It was sunny & 75 degrees so we grabbed a table on their outside covered deck and had an amazing view of the water as soon as we sat down. Since it was their last day of the season they had been running out of certain food items on the menu, but luckily our waitress let us know there were a few lobster rolls left so I quickly put my order in for a hot butter roll. They do give you the option whether you would like a cold or hot roll, which is always welcomed rather than just offering one style for everyone to have to settle for.
When it got brought to our table the first thing I noticed was the size of the bun itself and the big chunks of lobster stuffed in it. The roll also came with a small side order of fries that were tasty and crispy. There weren't many pieces of meat but every one in it was a larger size. I had a tasty claw in my first bite and then later on there was a second claw at the other end for my last bite. The bun itself was heavily buttered and grilled, provided great taste to complement the lobster but did fall apart slightly as I was eating it. The meat tasted fresh, was cooked well with good consistency and texture in every bite. Perhaps it wasn't the most fair time to assess this lobster roll as it was the last serving of the 2019 season, but it was an overall tasty roll that I would definitely order again if I was back at Dead Eye Dick's to enjoy another meal on the water.
Standard size roll - $24
w/ small side of french fries
Overall score = 8.5
Dating back to the late 1940's Monahan's Clam Shack has been a staple on the famed Narragansett seawall. Having been passed down from founder Joseph Monahan to members of the family who still run the shack to this day at the same location. They pride themselves on using fresh locally sourced seafood and have made it their focus to help keep customers coming back for 70 years now. We showed up around 7pm on a Sunday in early July to a pretty substantial sized line out front. But with temperatures in the high 70's and the sun out, we didn't mind waiting it out with their amazing views of the water. After placing out order we found a table outside with a great view and waited for our food to be ready.
They offer both hot & cold versions of their lobster roll at the same price, but whenever I have the choice I go with the hot option. The first thing I always notice about a roll is the bun and this one passed the test with a substantial one of the buttery toasted variety. Their menu describes the hot roll as "Fresh tender chunks of lobster, lightly sauteed in drawn butter & seasoning", and I'd have to agree with all of that. Although I thought there could've been a bit more buttery flavor soaked into the lobster meat itself. Overall I'd give it a solid grade and combined with the atmosphere I would come back for another roll again. While in line ordering I couldn't help but add on a Coconut Shrimp Basket with fries to taste as well with my lobster roll. The fries were decent but the coconut had a great flavor and texture to them.
Standard size roll - $17.50
Overall score = 8.1
Iggy's Doughboys was started in 1989 in Oakland Beach, a section of Warwick, by Gaetano Gavrino as a simple doughboy & chowder house and named after a nickname his son David had given him. After his father passed, David continued on the family business while opening a 2nd location in 2000 and Iggy's Boardwalk restaurant in 2015, both in Narragansett. They use locally sourced seafood from the area and are well known for their chowder, including the clear Rhode Island version.
I knew that I was going to be in the Narragansett area on a day trip doing some photography so I looked up which spots were recommended in the area for lobster rolls. Iggy's popped up near the top and after looking at a menu showing both hot and cold options I decided it was the perfect stop. What I didn't realize is that I had been looking at the menu for their Boardwalk restaurant, which was different than at their Doughboys locations. But being someone that has to complete the mission, at the order window I went for their cold lobster salad roll. At $17.99 with a side of fries, coleslaw & your choice of chowder, it's definitely the best deal that I've come across so far. We found a table outside once our orders were called and opened up the container to get a first look at the roll. They give you a good solid portion of lobster meat that's mixed with mayo, but lukcily wasn't too overpowering. The meat tasted fresh and was placed on a huge piece of lettuce bedding on a really good toasted buttered roll. I'm normally not a fan of the cold lobster rolls but this one from Iggy's was prepared well and I actually would have one again someday. Of course we couldn't not try some of their namesake "doughboys", so we ordered a batch with the cinnamon & sugar topping. They were like a light airy combination of a donut and freshly made roll, that delivered the perfect tasty dessert on a beautiful Summer day.
Standard size roll - $17.99
w/ fries, clam chowder & coleslaw
Overall score = 7.9
In the late 1800’s, the United States Life Saving Service, now known as the US Coast Guard, built a station of solid granite perched overlooking Narragansett Bay that would eventually become home to the Coast Guard House Restaurant. First opening to serve locally harvested seafood in the 1940's, the restaurant was updated in 1979 to be open year round. During the warmer weather their upper deck area is open with a separate menu, so we took full advantage of dining with an amazing view. Luckily they even seated us at a table right on the edge of the deck so that no other diners would be in the way of the water.
They offered me the option of ordering a hot butter lobster roll so I gladly accepted, along with an appetizer of shrimp cocktail. Those made for a great snack as it was a bit late for lunch and would hold me over until the main dish arrived, We also decided to go for it and ordered some adult beverages to get the full experience of this amazing day, with my choice being a mudslide. The lobster roll was packed pretty well with meat and served on a toasted bun, with a bedding of lettuce in between. The lobster meat tasted fresh but was a bit light on flavor so I had to keep adding a bit of the provided melted butter. Overall though it was a solid roll and combined with the views/atmosphere I would return again for a meal.
Standard size - $20
Overall score = 7.9