Why Gilbert’s is the Best Unpretentious Seafood Spot in Portland

For over 30 years, Gilbert’s Chowder House has been a staple of the seafood scene in Portland, Maine. Founded in the fall of 1993 by brothers Eddie and Jim Gilbert, Gilbert’s mission was relatively simple: they wanted to create a restaurant that both locals and tourists could enjoy, serving fresh local seafood at relatively inexpensive prices in an unpretentious environment.

Gilbert’s opened in the former Lundgren’s Cash Market storefront, which had in turn been the entrance to the Casco Bay Lines ferry terminal beforehand. The warehouse is over a century old, and at the time it was established, several long-vacant buildings along the Commercial Street waterfront were being revitalized. It was a shift for the neighborhood, from a arguably run-down section of the city to an area that attracted out-of-towners, and Gilbert’s was a key part of that transformation.

Eddie Gilbert had worked as a chef for most of his life, and Gilbert’s restaurant showcased his signature chowder recipe. Though Eddie passed away in 2024, the business remains in the family. Stewarded by his brother Jim, who is generally considered the more entrepreneurial of the pair, Gilbert’s remains a location that serves great food at prices that are reasonable compared to the sky-high seafood prices of some of their competitors.

Our visit to Gilbert’s was a lot of fun. The area is bustling with life and music, the waterfront is so close you could toss a stone in the water, and the chowder was great. I personally would recommend going with the seafood chowder over the clam chowder, as they’re both very similar and you get a bit more with the seafood chowder, but they both are excellent, and you can’t beat soup in a bread bowl. We also appreciated that our dog Charlie could join us on the deck and our server kindly brought water out for him.

While it is nice to go to a fancy restaurant if you’re new to the area, I often prefer to go somewhere that feels like a part of the community, and Gilbert’s definitely fit the bill. What’s your favorite seafood place along Route 1? We’d love to hear it!