Spinney's Restaurant in Phippsburg, Maine

Spinneys sits right on the water in Boothbay Harbor, slinging straightforward seafood to a mix of locals and visitors. The kitchen does stuffed haddock, blackened fish tacos, steamed clams, and a clam chowder that regulars swear by. Service can be uneven, and the menu has some forgettable add-ons, but when the kitchen's on, it delivers.

• Clam chowder lives up to the hype.
• Blackened or stuffed haddock is excellent.
• Ocean views and a casual bar setup.
• Maine blueberry pie is homemade and local.

Start with the clam chowder. Get the stuffed haddock or blackened haddock tacos if you're there for seafood. Steamed clams and oysters are reliable. The blueberry mojito is worth ordering. Skip the pizza and wings. Finish with the Maine blueberry pie if you've got room.

Casual oceanfront spot with views that pull focus. Gets loud and busy on summer afternoons and evenings.

The strongest plates are the seafood: haddock done blackened or stuffed, oysters, steamed clams. Skip the frozen pizzas and pre-battered wings. The blueberry mojito is a popular call, and the Maine blueberry pie (made by Trish, a pie baker down the street) is worth the trip on its own. Portions run generous.

Guests love the chowder and haddock, and the blueberry pie keeps people coming back. One recent visitor called the pie "phenomenal." Staff tend toward friendly and knowledgeable, though service can slip during peak hours.