The Traveling Wheelchair

3155 Cranberry Highway
Buzzards Bay- Wareham, Massachusetts
Phone: 508-759-3876
http://www.lobsterpotrestaurant.biz/

While traveling home from Cape Cod Vacuum Mart in Falmouth, my friends and I stopped for lunch at the Lobster Pot in Buzzards Bay. We heard it was one of the best seafood restaurants in the area. It is owned by two grandsons of a local fisherman, who started it back in 1908 when he came to New England.

As we arrived we noticed three handicap parking spaces, located on the right side of the building, close to the wheelchair access of the sidewalk. There are no handicap parking spaces or wheelchair access to the sidewalk in the front or left side. 

The restaurant has two entrances, both having double entry doors. I would recommend the right side entrance for there is handicap parking and access to the sidewalk on the right. Neither entry door is automatic so you will need help with opening the doors.

Once inside, I found it spacious with plenty of room to maneuver my chair. The customer service counter where you place your food order is NOT wheelchair accessible for it is too high; the counter where you pick-up your food order NOT accessible for it is too high as well.

In the center of the dining room are two sections with booth seating only. None of these booths are wheelchair accessible for the end of the booth table has a center wooden beam that blocks wheelchair access. Even if I was able to fit my chair at the end of the booth table, I would block access to others for I would stick out into the narrow aisle. A booth can easily be made accessible by simply replacing the outer side booth seating with removable chairs.

The tables, located along the side, next to the windows are all of good height for my wheelchair to fit. Yet, I could ONLY access one accessible table, located on the outer side because my wheelchair could not fit in the narrow space between the tables and the booths to get to the other accessible tables.

After enjoying a great meal, an employee told me there is another door that leads to the right side of the building where we parked in the handicap parking space. We did not think this was an entry door for it  looks like an only an exit door. 

The outdoor patio, for customers who wish to dine outdoors, is not wheelchair accessible for there is a step leading to this area; the seating located in this outdoor patio is not accessible for only inaccessible booths are located here. 

The restroom is spacious and wheelchair accessible but it is not fully ADA compliant; the toilet has only one safety grab bar, located on the side wall but not on the rear wall of the toilet; two accessible sinks are of a good height for me in my chair but the pipes underneath are not covered as is ADA required; the soap dispenser and paper towel dispenser are set too high on the wall and out of my reach.

I give Lobster Pot in Buzzards Bay only TWO STARS for wheelchair accessibility. To earn the other stars they would need to install an automatic entry door on the side of the building where the three handicap parking spaces and access to the sidewalk is located; place a wheelchair accessible sign on the single entry door, located on the right side by the handicap parking space; lower the counter where you place your order and the counter where you pick up your order to a wheelchair accessible height; place more space between the booths and accessible tables so a person in a wheelchair can access all the accessible tables; make a few of the end booths  accessible by simply replacing the booth seating on the outer side with removable chairs; place an accessible ramp leading to the outdoor patio; place a few accessible tables in the outdoor patio area; place a safety grab bar on the rear wall of the toilet, as is ADA required; place protective covering around the pipes under the accessible restroom sink; and lower the paper towel and soap dispenser to a wheelchair accessible height.