Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls

Mason’s is a total game changer! 🦞✨ I had the Lobster Roll and the Lobster Mac & Cheese, and I’m still thinking about them. You can really taste the freshness in the lobster, and they don't skimp on the meat! The mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food—super cheesy and loaded with flavor. Great service and an awesome atmosphere. If you love seafood, you have to try this place!
​A quick tip: If you remember whether you had the Classic (chilled with mayo) or Connecticut (warm with butter) roll, adding that detail helps other users even more!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great spot for a quick bite. We popped in late on a Sunday right before closing, and they still welcomed us without hesitation. The lobster and shrimp are so fresh you’d swear you were eating seaside.

Pro tip: sign up for their rewards-you’ll snag a free fountain drink or chips, which makes a good meal even better.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Had to try it - the Lobster Salad roll is delicious. ALMOST like the ones in Bar Harbor. ALMOST.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The food was top of the line. The classic was FIRE! Had the same roll back home at the Reston location but the people, Ian, and Owner, Sandra, made the experience that much better. Might make the 45 minute drive just for the customer service experience again! Thank you!!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great lobster rolls... kind of tired of being asked for tips for everything, though. Not quite the establishment that warrants a tip.

Food: 5

Highly recommended! My husband and I got the lobster roll, shrimp roll, clam chowder, and lobster mac and cheese; the ingredients were fresh and matched the price point. Service was friendly as well 😁

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls in Reston lives up to its name and is usually our go-to for their signature rolls. The prices are on the higher side. The Classic and Connecticut are $23 each, while the larger Bar Harbor is $30. The freshness and generous lobster portions make them absolutely worth it.

On this visit we skipped our usual favorites, which are also the clear stars and what first-time visitors should order, and tried the lobster salads instead. One came with corn and another with avocado, which appeared to be their basic Garden Salad topped with lobster and the chosen garnish. Both were fresh and well prepared, but underwhelming. Perhaps it simply was not a salad day for us. Shrimp ($19) and crab ($20) salads are also available.

Our preference, and the choice of friends we have brought here, continues to be the Classic, the Connecticut, or the Bar Harbor Lobster Rolls, along with the New England Clam Chowder. We have never been disappointed, and all of us agree these dishes are worth the price.

We often add soup to our meal. The New England Clam Chowder is the standout. The Lobster Bisque comes second, though one reviewer noted, and I agreed, that it lacked lobster meat. The menu mentions it can be “topped with lobster meat add $5,” but the overall impression was lighter than expected.

Curious, I researched lobster bisque traditions. In classic French cookery, bisque is built from shells alone: roasted or sautéed, then simmered into a rich stock layered with mirepoix (French for onion, carrot, and celery), garlic, and herbs, before being finished with cream. In this style, it is not unusual to omit chunks of lobster altogether. American-influenced versions, however, tend to be heartier, often incorporating lobster meat directly into the soup or reserving it for garnish. Looking across 15–20 U.S. recipes, about 80–85% include lobster meat, either mixed in or as a topping. Of those, 65–70% stir it into the soup, 20–25% use it primarily as a garnish, and 10–15% take a hybrid approach. Personally, for an additional $5, I would prefer a small garnish of shredded lobster on top as a visual cue, along with a few pieces stirred into the soup to avoid the “where’s the meat” impression.

We have also tried the Bar Harbor Roll ($30), which includes meat from a whole 1¼ lb. lobster, tail included, for a more indulgent experience. Other roll options we have yet to try include the Lobster Salad ($23), Lobster BLT ($23), and Shrimp Roll ($19).

For kids, the menu offers Grilled Cheese ($7), Mac & Cheese ($8), and a Nathan's 100% Beef Hot Dog ($8). Adults can add Lobster Mac & Cheese as a side ($9) or order the full portion for $18. A Lobster Grilled Cheese is also available for $18. For context, a soda is $3.50.

Prices here align more with what you would expect at a sit-down restaurant with table service, yet Mason’s is a counter-service spot with about ten seats inside. Utensils are plastic and drinks are self-serve. The space feels more tight than cozy. Compared with Reston’s averages, around $24 for an inexpensive sit-down meal and $11 for fast-casual, Mason’s falls right in between. Bottom line: you are paying for the fabulous Maine lobster, not the service or ambiance, and I am fine with that. For some, the rolls go down easier than the price.

Note: prices are accurate for this location as of August/September 2025.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 5

Service: 3

Best roll ever.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I love Connecticut style lobster rolls and they’re not always easy to find. It’s a bit pricey for a sandwich at $22, but very tasty. The lobster mac & cheese was yummy, but really all you could taste was the mac & cheese so probably not worth the price. Service was good; not much space for seating. No parking directly out front, but I was able to park over by Bart Taco.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Have eaten Mason's Lobster Rolls several times. Even had their Lobster Roll meals shipped to Oklahoma. Always an excellent, but too quick, meal. Connecticut rolls are our usual oder. $22 for a roll with a decent amount of meat is a good price. For $6 more you can get 50% more meat. Excellent tasting. Friendly service. Ate at the Reston location this time. Would go there again!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Go ahead and spend the money big dawg, this is so good 😭 Took this photo after 1 bite. It isn't the best because I wanted to get back eating asap. My first time here I had the lobster mac, it was really good but not great (a bit watery). This Connecticut roll though? Yummmm. It looked like not enough meat at first, but it is just stuffed in. And for the pickle girlies, yes they use the good pickles 🤌🏾

Recommended dishes: Connecticut Lobster Roll

A little small, a little on the pricy side, but phenomenal lobster with lots of butter! If I could afford to eat there more often I would

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

The food and service were fantastic! However, it's a very small venue, so it's more so a place to pick up food rather than sit down and eat.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 4

Lobster rolls have gotten smaller with less meat and the clam chowder is watery and not flavorful

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 5

Visiting from Denver came in for Dinner around 5:30 and it was Delicious. Great deal $29 lobster roll Connecticut and soup shrimp sausage gumbo and a drink Blueberry soda. Recommend it and will be back later in the week, Greta service as well friendly and quick plus great beats/vibes with the music

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Connecticut Lobster Roll