Testimonials

What Clients Say About Us

Sarah M.

“Coastal critters did our wedding rehearsal/lobster bake dinner for 40 people, and I have to say I wish I let them convince me to do the full wedding dinner!! (So many folks tried to tell me lobster is 'too messy' for a wedding. They were wrong!) Well, the price was unbeatable, the service was superb, and everyone had a blast. Who comes to Maine and doesn't need a Maine Lobster? The experience was top notch. CC's team traveled about an hour to our venue, did all the prep and cleanup super fast and tidy, and were extremely professional.”

John T.

“Coastal Critters catered for our outdoor oceanfront wedding in June, in Maine, and did a fantastic job! James was great to work with and easy to communicate with. The staff was also great, and the food was phenomenal! We are still getting compliments weeks after on the food they served. We selected the option of lobster and steak, which came with potatoes, corn, salad, and bread. Everything was hot and served well. Coastal Critters also did our cocktail hour with cheese and vegetable platters. They also did our dessert for everyone.”

Charlotte Evanofski

Meredith and Justin Hafner

M Sob

Amazing - a perfect representation of a traditional, high quality. New England lobster bake We had Coastal Critter Catering for a welcome family lobster bake prior to my sisters wedding. I was tasked with planning the event from start to finish, and I was most nervous about the food. I didn’t need to be - it was such an incredible meal, and was an excellent representation of a traditional, high quality (but not stuffy or formal) New England lobster bake (to the delight of my family from other corners of the country).

Jane

Excellent food, incredibly easy to work with. James worked with us from the beginning to cater an excellent dinner within our budget. His communication was super fast and efficient. He and his team showed up exactly when they said they would, and were totally self-sufficient. They brought everything they needed, and didn't even need an electricity or water hook up. Dinner was ready exactly on time, and it was fabulous! People raved about the soft-shell lobster. They provided excellent non-lobster options as well. They helped with clean up, and took away the trash for a small charge. James and his team were a super local and kind group, and we can't recommend them enough.

Emily

Wedding in Maine I want to give a special Thank you to James; Coastal Critters was my caterer for our Wedding in Maine and it was absolutely Sublime, James is Great but everything he made was delicious between the clam chowder and cheese platers for starter and the lobster plate with the clams it was 100% perfect. I received very good feedback from my guests too. + it was very easy to communicate with James, You are very talented and thank you again.

Steve

Coastal Critters exceeded our expectations in every way. We did a lobster bake for a wedding of ~100 people. Best lobster I've ever had (and I'm a native Mainer). The beef was tender, the sides tasty. The staff was professional, courteous and flexible. Don't waste your money on overpriced Portland-area "gourmet." If you want a real Maine wedding that won't cost a fortune, go with Coastal Critters. You will not be disappointed!

Lauren

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Alison

James and his staff are absolutely AMAZING! James was extremely easy to work with and extremely responsive to questions. On our wedding day his staff knew exactly what to do! They were always making sure to keep in touch with our bartender and DJ. The food was out of this world delicious! We offered our guests a choice of steak, chicken, or salmon. I had the salmon for my dinner and it was incredible! All of our guests were raving about the food and asking who our caterer was. James's staff even packed up leftovers and left it in the fridge at our reception site. I wasn't expecting this at all - it was a great surprise

Tmana

James was very nice, and the critter team was very professional. They are flexible and are happy to go over different menu options. Food was well prepared and there was plenty to go around. Everyone was happy and full. I would recommend Coast Critters Clambakes & Grilling.

Susan

Prior to our daughter's wedding, James and I worked together to design a menu that met our needs and he was flexible and creative. The day of the wedding, the staff were so professional, so helpful and so funny, I can't say enough about how delighted we are with choosing Coastal Critters! The food was fantastic, the staff were efficient and the whole ambiance was better than I expected. I received many compliments from our guests as well!

Tarrah

James and his crew were wonderful. We had a beautiful rustic wedding on a lake in Ellsworth and they added the finishing touch! James was very responsive whenever I had questions and made sure everything was perfect. We had the grilling menu (steak, salmon and chicken) and the food was wonderfully prepared. We had numerous complements on the food. I would highly recommend Coastal critters for your catering needs!

Beth

James and his staff were amazing! They even set up a distance from the tent so I did not have to compromise on my walk in and aisle!! Love these guys!! Very attentive to all our guests and especially my husband and I! Food was fantastic!!

Michelle

Coastal Critters & Clambakes did an excellent job of catering my intimate garden wedding in Windsor, Maine!!! My husband and I wanted a intimate garden wedding that was casual yet elegant and family inspired. With James' help, that is exactly what we got! James and his staff steamed almost 30 lobsters and grilled over 30 steaks on site. They also provided steamer clams and corn on the cob while family members brought additional side dishes for a potluck feel. Everyone raved about how delicious the food was. My father-in-law and I didn't get to eat our meals so James packaged up to plates and put them in the refridgerator for us

Wendy

Sincere thanks to Coastal Critters for providing such delicious food and excellent service at our wedding yesterday afternoon. We can honestly say the crab cakes were the best We've ever eaten and the lobster and steak was superb. We would thoroughly recommend this family business for your catering needs .... And they couldn't have been nicer. Thank you.

Kim

James was a pleasure to work with and he was super helpful in planning out which food to order and listening to our specific requests. Despite being very busy this summer he was very responsive and extremely accommodating with issues like food allergies. Most importantly the food was DELICIOUS! Even my brother, a veritable NYC foodie, said the food was excellent. It was priceless to see our family and friends coming in from around the country feasting on lobster with their bibs on. But even the non-lobster food was delicious- the chicken and salmon were perfectly cooked, and the hors d'oeuvres were delicious.

Sara

James worked with us to give us a great value and was very responsive to our many emails and questions. Our guests enjoyed their lobster and we loved being able to give our out-of-state guests a Maine experience at a more affordable price than other vendors.

Kenneth

James and his crew were really amazing to my wife and I as we planned our outdoor wedding in June. we chose James because from our first conversation, he seemed so down-to-earth, honest, and willing to help and accommodate all of our needs. We desired very certain specifications in our outdoor catered wedding and he was able to accommodate all of them basically. For example, we had an extra long reception/cocktail "hour" that he had to hire extra wait-staff for, with no hassle to us. James also was able to cater in certain ways to help us feed our guests on time and give them the food that they needed. Needless to say, James was great. Personable, honest, no hidden fees, easy to negotiate with, fun to talk to, and very accommodating. Would highly recommend!

Nick

James and Coastal Critters were great! We hired Coastal Critters for our wedding and were very impressed with the food and service! James and his team are great. From our initial inquiry, James was super responsive and very helpful with planning. The Coastal Critters team did appetizers and a lobster bake for our 150 person wedding and the food was great! All our guests were very impressed. It's also worth noting that our wedding was on a local island a couple hours from James's home base. He coordinated this more challenging wedding location seamlessly. Thank you James and Coastal Critters!

Matt

DO NOT EVER HIRE THIS COMPANY! My wife and I decided to have the ideal Maine wedding.. on an Island off the coast of Bar Harbor. Picture perfect afternoon, a light breeze in the air, sunny but not too hot and of course, the ocean and Acadia Park mountain range as a backdrop. What could possibly go wrong? How about the catering company you hired and paid handsomely to come make your island wedding everything you have ever dreamed about being over an hour late, thus missing the water taxi you hired specifically for them and all of their gear to ensure they were able to make it on time (ironically enough) all of which paid for by you.

Libby L

We could not have been happier with the catering for our wedding! The food was absolutely delicious, beautifully presented, and our guests are still talking about how amazing everything tasted. Every dish was fresh, flavorful, and prepared perfectly. The service was just as outstanding as the food. The staff was professional, attentive, friendly, and made sure everything ran smoothly from start to finish. They went above and beyond to ensure both we and our guests had a wonderful experience. Thank you for helping make our special day so memorable. We highly recommend your catering services to anyone looking for exceptional food and outstanding customer service!

Katie D

We had such a great experience with Coastal Critters Clambakes & Grilling. They were very quick to respond, incredibly reasonably priced, the staff was so friendly and efficient, and the food was amazing. Cannot recommend them enough.

Madison M

The food was absolutely INCREDIBLE and James and his staff were very kind. The event went seamlessly and our guests are still raving about the experience! We'd recommend this to anybody, you will not regret it in the slightest!

Brette C

We hired the Coastal Critters team to cater our May 2024 wedding and would do so again a million times over. James was extremely communicative and helpful as we worked through the menu and logistics, which I was grateful for as we planned from across the country. The day of the wedding he and his staff were remarkably kind, up-beat and attentive. Even small details such as putting out cake plates for the cake cutting never went unnoticed by his team. The food was absolutely delicious and many of our guests commented on the dinner menu and great staff.

Alyssa W

The staff were friendly and professional. Our guests absolutely raved about the food from Coastal Critters! We served the surf & turf buffet and could smell the amazing food just approaching the buffet. Our guests ate so well, and it surely enhanced their energy-levels for a night full of dancing 🙂

Sara H

The Coastal Critters crew was amazing for our wedding celebration in Bar Harbor yesterday! All pre planning was timely and efficient, and the service on the day of the event was spectacular. They even offered to drive offsite to pick up a new tap for us when our keg wouldn't work (not part of the catered menu). Truly above and beyond. And the food was excellent! Thank you so much! Sara and Nicole

Kate A

Although this day had a few hiccups and life happens, I wish I could give this crew more than 5 stars!! We had a few shifts and changes very last minute and Costal Critters & Clambakes worked with us, went with the flow, and we’re absolutely amazing! On a day that is to be full of fun and laughter, they met the energy of the group and also had fun! Oh and by the way, the food, 20/10 amazing!!! We had some leftover at the end of the evening and they helped us pack it up so that we could enjoy it the next day. The food was amazing and the service was phenomenal. They helped me navigate the menu and determine what would be the appropriate items to have day of and what would be too much or what might not go with the rest of the menu. On time! Great energy! Phenomenal food! Honest and hard working! They were the perfect fit for us and I would recommend this team without hesitation!

Samantha T

James and his team catered our rehearsal dinner and it was fantastic! My in-laws wanted to create an authentic Maine experience for my family traveling from away and James helped us do exactly that. The food was delicious and his team was kind and friendly. We would very much recommend him!

Meg L

James and his crew catered the rehearsal dinner for our wedding and did an amazing job! Leading up to the event, James was very easy to get ahold of by email and responded quickly to all my questions - he was so kind, flexible and accommodating and made the entire process easy. Day-of, his team showed up on time, were so pleasant to work with and provided fantastic food! Our guests absolutely raved about the quality of the lobster and especially loved the blueberry cake that was served for dessert. I would absolutely work with Coastal Critters for other events in the future and whole-heartedly recommend them to anyone looking for a fantastic lobster bake caterer. Thanks again, James!

Nicholas S

We hired Coastal Critters for our wedding and were very impressed with the food and service! James and his team are great. From our initial inquiry, James was super responsive and very helpful with planning. The Coastal Critters team did appetizers and a lobster bake for our 150 person wedding and the food was great! All our guests were very impressed. It's also worth noting that our wedding was on a local island a couple hours from James's home base. He coordinated this more challenging wedding location seamlessly. Thank you James and Coastal Critters!

Casaundra T

Our food was so good. They went out of their way to make it so I could eat it without worrying as I had several food allergies. At one point we had some communication issues but I was very impressed with how they handled our concerns. They came dressed professionally and even impressed my husband the foodie!

MAGDELENA V

We hired James and his crew to cater our 9/12 wedding and let me just say he was FANTASTIC!!! We contracted with him roughly 1.5 years before our wedding date, and he just completely went with the flow and caught every curveball we threw at him throughout the planning period. Then COVID hit, and we had to weigh all of our options. After figuring out that it would not be possible for us to postpone for a number of reasons, James was more than happy to rework our entire plan AGAIN! Every time we called, he answered. Every struggle or problem we came across, James was there to help and make suggestions. Our venue became increasing difficult to deal with as COVID pressed on, and James just kept chugging along and working with our ever-changing plans in a very professional manner. James and his crew showed up the day of the wedding looking great and with great attitudes.

Emilie S

I want to give a special Thank you to James; Coastal Critters was my caterer for our Wedding in Maine and it was absolutely Sublime, James is Great but everything he made was delicious between the clam chowder and cheese platers for starter and the lobster plate with the clams it was 100% perfect. I received very good feedback from my guests too. + it was very easy to communicate with James, You are very talented and thank you again.

Ben B

James and his crew did an amazing job on our 140 person wedding in September. He offers options for all different types of budgets, ranging from the white glove surf and turf on rented china to your bare bones lobster bake on plastic plates. We opted to land somewhere in the middle, kicking off happy hour with a clam chowder bar and cold apps. Dinner included buffet choices of lobster tail, steak, and vegetable kabobs, along with corn and salad. We rented china to dress it up a bit and James brought a few more people to account for washing and repacking. Planning this with him was so easy and people raved about the food. Highly recommended.

Kayla N

The food was outstanding and everyone had a wonderful time at our rehearsal dinner! It was everything we hope for and more!

Steve R

Coastal Critters exceeded our expectations in every way. The lobster was delicious, the beef was tender, and all of the veggies were fresh and tasty. The staff was professional, helpful, and kind. Skip the fancy (and overpriced) Portland restaurants and go with Coastal Critters. You will not be disappointed.

Sarah B

James and his staff are wonderful! They catered my wedding and I could not have asked for a better experience. I actually had guests request cards from them. The food was absolutely fantastic (I am still hearing about it) and the service could not have been better!! James was incredibly responsive and a pleasure to work with (including last minute requests and adjustments). I cannot recommend Coastal Critters Clambakes & Grilling enough. Thank you so much for making my day special.

Kim C

Lauren R

James catered our rehearsal dinner on June 24th, 2016, and it was wonderful! Our guests raved about the fresh food, as a lobster/clam bake is fairly foreign to the Michigan/Colorado folk! The quality of the food and service was amazing and we were so pleased with the experience. Thanks James!

Mallory P

I can't begin to express how grateful I was to have Coastal Critters do our wedding. Don't be fooled by the name, this is not just lobster and clambakes! We wanted a simple menu and it was important for me to use a caterer who uses local foods. Our guests had the option of steak or chicken, red potatoes and green beans. We chose the assorted cold appetizers and everything was absolutely amazing. The food was tasty, presented well and there was plenty of it. I had several guests tell me it was the best wedding food they'd ever had. I particularly loved that they cooked the food on site with their own grills.

Alison M

Abbie C

The food was great on our wedding day! And the staff were wonderful as well! Guests and the wedding party were all very pleased with the grilling buffet, and we DEFINITELY recommend them!!!

Michelle W

I just had Coastal Critters and Clam Bakes cater my outdoor garden wedding in Maine last weekend. I'm not sure why they received a few bad reviews, but James and his staff were excellent! We wanted our wedding to be a casual yet elegant family oriented celebration and that is exactly what we got. James worked with me on the menu and the budget. He steamed almost 30 lobsters and grilled over 30 steaks for our event. He also provided steamer clams and corn on the cob. We had family members bring other side dishes for a potluck feel. Everyone raved about how delicious the food was. They were on time and extremely professional.

Erin L

The food was delicious and plenty of it! It was a great accent to our backyard wedding.

Natacha N

We hired Coastal Critters for our wedding, and everything is perfect. We had salmon, and chicken on the menu, and both were excellent. I love salmon, but it had to be cooked perfectly, and gosh it was good! The veggies were very fresh, salads were good, etc. They can adapt to anything you want, even for people with allergies (gluten, dairy, fish, etc.) The staff was nice, and helpful. I did not have to ask anything!! Plus, from all the quotes I got, they were by FAR the cheapest. No added costs, gratuity was included (less hassle!), and they didn't try to push anything (which I love). I would definitely hire them again. 🙂

Jo S.

Excellent service and quality! We had a traditional lobster bake for 27 people plus some nice appetizers. Ben and Mikayla were the on-site staff and they were professional, courteous and efficient. They chatted a little with the kids and let them hold a live lobster. Clean up was so thorough that you couldn't tell they'd been here! Highly recommend.

Sara H.

My wife and I hired Coastal Critters to cater our wedding party this weekend in Bar Harbor, ME. From the beginning, James was friendly and easy to work with. He was very responsive, always emailing back within 24 hours or less. On the day of the event, the crew was fantastic. Very pleasant and easy to get along with, and extremely helpful. We ordered the basic buffet service and they went above and beyond, offering to bus tables in the back of the house where we had separate beverages and appetizers, and even making a 40 min round trip to get a new tap when our keg wouldn't work.

Kathryn L.

James was the absolute best! Not only was he extremely patient and responsive as I navigated planning a family reunion lobster bake for 50 people, but the food and service the day of was second to none. He was even so thoughtful as to offer us their pop-up tent to create more shade and took the corn off the cob for a toothless 6-year-old:-) I highly recommend Coastal Critters and we will most definitely hire them again in the future!

Lenora J.

James and his crew were absolutely amazing! They were everything you would want in a caterer: friendly, helpful, responsive, flexible, creative, and they put on an excellent Lobster Bake for our reunion. Our party was small (25), but they still treated it with care and attention to detail. Justin did the best job of demonstrating how to eat a lobster and helping guests crack the shell and get the meat out. I was also super appreciative of the non-lobster entree choices for my less culinary-adventurous friends. The food was wonderful. Highly recommend the homemade Maine wild blueberry crisp!

Brette C.

Nancy K.

James and crew were fantastic. They went above and beyond what I expected, for example, taking all the trash, including trash we generated, because "we know people hate the smell of left over lobster bodies." The lobster was perfect, the corn and steak really great. The service was amazing and the servers knew exactly what do do and went beyond to help guests. When they left, you would never know they had been there. I thought James was easy and flexible to deal with and I will certainly use them again in the future.

Michelle G.

We used Jim and his company, Coastal Critters about 10 or 11 times during the summer of 2022. Jim did a fantastic job. He was easy to work with, responsive in emailing, timely, helpful with location suggestions, extremely flexible, professional, and a fun person to talk with. His food is always delicious and served on time. Our guests were always extremely satisfied and loved getting instructions from Jim on how to crack a lobster. I wouldn't want to use anyone else for our events. I look forward to working with him again this 2023 season!

Ken R.

James did a great job on my company outing at the lake. Food was great, and the service was excellent.

Harry H

Recently hired coastal critters to cater a party for ~30 people. Menu included lobster, steamers, chicken, veggie skewers, and dessert. Price was very reasonable, food was very good. We ordered about 5 extra entrees and everything got eaten - no leftovers! Staff person was friendly and efficient. Affair was decidedly casual, but that's what we were looking for.

Michelle G.

Coastal Critters and Clambakes catered my outdoor, family-oriented, garden wedding in Windsor, Maine on July 23, 2012. James and his staff did a fantastic job! We wanted our reception to be family style. James worked with me on the menu and budget. We had him steam lobsters and grill rib-eye steaks on site. He also provided steamer clams and corn on the cob while family members brought additional sides giving it a potluck feel.

Bijan V.

James and his crew catered our rehersal dinner at the Camden Hills State park and did a phenomenal job. The food was great, the price was great, the service was great! In addition, he was extremely responsive to all of my calls and emails. He really made a complicated event super smooth. Literally was the most pleasant vendor to deal with across all of my wedding vendors!

Jason R.

My wife and I hired Coastal Critters for an August wedding in Camden, Maine and we had an excellent experience with this company. To begin, the food itself was excellent. My wife and I loved the lobster as did every guest we spoke with. It was a first time experience for several out-of-towners and the dinner really helped pull together the theme of our wedding. The appetizers we tried were also excellent, although my wife and I had to take photos during the majority of cocktail hour. Everyone we spoke to also really enjoyed the appetizers from the clam chowder to the coconut shrimp. Great stuff. The food was not only incredibly tasty, but the portions were hefty and the meals arrived hot.

Em S.

Melinda P.

My family hired Coastal Critters to host a luncheon after a Memorial Service we had for my father. It was awesome and considering the circumstances which brought my family together, that is a very big deal. You certainly don't want a sad occasion to be marred by a poor lunch and ours was top-notch!

N C.

Frankie P.

I hired Coastal Critters to cater my central Maine wedding last year and people are still talking about how good the food was. Even my husband, who is a bit of a food snob, is still in awe at how great everything turned out. James was so patient with me, and so unbelievably accommodating with my growing guest list, I couldn't have asked for better service.

Christopher C.

We hired Coastal Critters to cater our Wedding in Bucksport ME just last month. Everything was fantastic. We had shrimp and scallop skewers, along with a carved chicken and steak station as our entree. All the guests we had commented on how spectacular the food was. I remember distinctly being impressed by the chicken, as it was extremely flavorful and juicy.

Steve R.

Coastal Critters exceeded our expectations in every way. All the food was delicious. We had lobster, beef, corn, potatoes and some kabobs. Everything was perfect and the staff was great. Would hire Coastal Critters again in an instant. No complaints whatsoever. Skip over the overpriced Portland-area vendors and opt for Coastal Critters.

Maggie A.

We hired Coastal Critters to cater our rehearsal dinner. Not only was the service great, we and our guests could not stop raving about the food! From the lobsters and clams (that were huge!) to the salad and berry crisp, everything was fabulous. The chef even cooked me some delicious salmon because I'm not a huge fan of lobster. Coastal Critters had no problem feeding 40 people in a quick and timely fashion. We highly recommend them to anyone looking to do a lobster bake!

Steve P.

We recently had a large family reunion and after being disappointed by other caterer's cookie cutter menus selected Coastal Critters. James did 2 meals for us and both times the food and service surpassed most restaurants. It is a family business that prides itself on excellant food and service. The grilled and steamed food was prepared fresh at our rental house and everyone commented how great it was- not a typical catered affair. Definitely consider them. Thanks to James and his family again!!

Jeff C.

We hired Coastal Critters to do an island wedding earlier this month and everything was great! They were responsive to all of my questions over the course of 4 months, adjusted counts a week out from the event, and dealt with a tough load/unload on a small boat and long ramp. Great attitude, great service! Would recommend to everyone!

Joanne C.

We hired Coastal Critters for our daughter's waterfront wedding last weekend in Friendship, Maine. The food, service and staff were wonderful. We couldn't be happier. It was a very laid back, happy wedding for about 50 people under a tent. In that regard, we were the late ones and still everything went perfectly. The staff was excellent and explained to us where the delicious food came from (local gardens, farmers' markets, etc.) and were very friendly. They even worked in the rain! The food was delicious and we had more than enough. I would definitely recommend them.