Mike's Clam Shack (or what's wrong with saying you don't know)

We head down to the Wells Harbor on Saturday night while in Maine to see a free concert. Oddly, it's the same bad singer we saw last year with the big band group. She now even worse fronting for a country/pop group. For some reason she seems even more off key. After about 3 songs we go in search for dinner.

We have decided on Mike's Clam Shack (1150 Post Rd, Wells, ME) based on a recommendation from the cashier's assistant at Mardens (Maine's version of Building 19 - for those of you unfamiliar with that store, there logo is "good stuff cheap." Need I say more? It's not always good but it is always cheap. It always amazes me that I find stuff there that I never even imagined I needed or wanted.

The hostess at Mike's tells us it will be about 15 minutes and gives us one of those buzzing disks that tells you when your table is ready. We go to the bar and sit next to a couple who as decided to eat dinner in the bar because their wait was too long. Waitress comes over and I inquire as to what type of bourbon or rye they have. What kind do you want? What kind do you have? Why don't you just tell me what you want and I'll tell you if we have it. Rye? Tell me what you want. Old Overholt? No. Rittenhouse. No. OK, what kind of bourbon do you have. Jack Daniel's. And? Tell me what you want. Maker's Mark? We have that. Woodford Reserve. We have Maker's Mark. This would be funny if it weren't so annoying.

I decide, if you can call it that, on a Maker's Mark Manhattan. Surprisingly good and I don't detect any evidence that the waitress spit in the drink.

Our buzzer goes off about two seconds after we get the drinks. Waitress produces the check. Can't complain here - manhattan was $6.50 and wine was $4. We are lead through a labyrinth to a booth in the back. We each get clam chowder (not as good a Oceanaire) but good even if the clams were a little gritty. We split a lobster roll on grilled bun and the fried clams that come with french fries and coleslaw. All delicious. Service at this table is very good.