I didn't come to Maine to eat steak, but boy am I glad I did here. My wife got the filet and I got the hanger steak. Both were delicious and cooked perfectly. Order the bread basket and definitely end the meal with their blueberry cobbler. The service was attentive and the restaurant is a really cool building over looking the water. We really enjoyed this place and will definitely come back. read more

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Great spot for happy hour on Maine street in Damariscotta. Good service and yummy food. Note the 3% kitchen fee. read more

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Excited to check out one of the only year round places in town and left extremely disappointed. The bacon wrapped scallops were microwaved to a degree that it was similar to chewing on a rubber bouncy ball. Fish cakes were just a lump of fishy paste. The latkes were definitely the worst though. Even if you're looking to cut corners, why would you pre-cook your latkes and then re-heat them after god knows how many hours or days? This meal was a complete mess. Equal parts hoping that they don't do this in-season and that they don't disrespect their local customers like this habitually in the winter. read more

First time in Maine and what a delight stubbling onto this local Gem. Exceptional seating on two levels in the heart of town.. Great selection of local fare try the mussels.. Our server was amazing ask for Jessica Z she will guide you through the menu with care. If your in Damariscotta stop by you will not regret it .. read more

Damariscotta River Grill - Cannery row - Seafood Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

Great food, great atmosphere and not pretentious! Seafood is always fresh of course, flavors are a cut above the everyday! read more

Decent seafood grill with generous portions. Broiled seafood platter had a lot of broth - was expecting more of a grilled texture. Tasty with mashed potatoes and carrots. Husband loved the broiled oysters. They were served like a creamed soup which wasn't expected. Similar to a lobster stew but with oysters. Ambience was a miss - but that was due to the table next to us. Wish the host had considered how many tables were available and given us some distance as they were extremely loud - making it hard to hear my husband - and we were the only two tables seated at the time. No reason to sit us right next to such a loud group. read more

Damariscotta River Grill had great food, and a great atmosphere. Our server was prompt to give us what we asked for and dinner itself came out super fast. These were the best scallops we had on our trip through Maine. We were pleasantly surprised by how delicious the risotto balls - served with the scallops- were. Don't get the tap water though... read more

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Our latest visit to DRG was mostly good but ended on a bit of a sour note. Sat out back for first time. Cool and comfortable w view of the river. Our server Amanda was on her game from start to finish. I ordered the broiled scallops which is pictured and my wife got the seafood fettuccine. Amanda suggested 1/2 order when my wife wondered about portion size and she thanked Amanda for suggestion. My dinner was perfect with the amount of scallops that were cooked to perfection. My wife noted a lack of shrimp in her meal but enjoyed it and easily finished 1/2 portion. Shocked that price for 1/2 order $32 compared to full for $36. My wife would have definitely ordered full plate if she had this info. Amanda checked w owner and verified amount. Had we known the small difference we would have ordered full size and taken 1/2 home. To be fair we didn't ask price difference but perfect opportunity for owner to make adjustment. I'm sure Amanda will note price difference when future customers ask about portion size. Also a visit from the owner would have been nice. Maybe we are expecting too much after being avid fans of "The Bear". We are summer residents in the area. read more

Damariscotta River Grill - Bill - Seafood Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

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Consistently excellent food with beautiful and cozy ambiance. Both upstairs and downstairs dining areas as well as bar seating upstairs. Having a full dinner with drinks can get pricey. However they have plenty of less expensive appetizers and specials. Also gluten and dairy free options are appreciated. One of the best restaurants in the area for quality food. read more

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The best meal we've had in a really long time!!! Our server was friendly and knowledgeable. I started with a delicious cocktail and then we had the mussels. I believe mussels should be served simply in a flavorful broth that doesn't take away from the star of the show. The garlicky white wine broth was perfect and the mussels were fresh and delicious! I ordered a glass of Malbec with dinner and it was lovely. I can't tell you how often wines by the glass don't taste fresh, but this was the best glass of wine I've had at a restaurant in years! Finally, the main event! I had the steak salad. The hangar steak was grilled to perfection and absolutely delicious. My husband had the seafood paella. The seafood was so fresh and the whole dish was flavorful without being overbearing. We finished our meal with homemade blueberry crisp! The perfect ending to a perfect meal! We live over 30 minutes away and have been eyeing this spot for a while! Now that we've tried it, we can't wait to come back! The prices are more than fair for the quality of food and portion sizes! Definitely make a reservation! This place has been around for a while and they definitely know what they're doing! Finally, the 3% kitchen fee was posted on their menu. Maybe it wasn't posted before, but it is posted now. We go out very rarely and are happy to pay fair prices for quality food and service. read more

Very good and unique apps, great bar tender upstairs, service was quick and mood was chill and comfortable

Had made a reservation for a Birthday Special Dinner for my girlfriend on our first night in Maine. Was notified two weeks later that they decided not to remain open on Sundays in September. It seems to me that establishments have become too selective lately and possibly due to post covid attitudes prices of dining and rooms seem out of control. Sure miss the old Maine read more

We had a Valentines Day dinner here. It was the best dinner out that I've had in years. The service was great. My salmon was cooked to perfection. My husband's steak and lobster cakes were exceptional. We'll be going back and I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

This place is a hidden gem along the Maine coast. Beautifully prepared locally sourced delicious food, thoughtful service, and elegant presentation. Restaurant is in a vintage building with lots of ambiance, especially on a cool and rainy night. Very accommodating for my daughter's food allergies. Best meal of our week along the Maine coast. read more

Damariscotta is a great spot for big parties, they have the room to accommodate. The decor is pretty traditional New England coastal. Wine list is great and at a great price. Service was efficient and warm. We had the vegetarian french onion soup which we were SUPER excited about, and loved. The oysters were great. The Thai coconut soup was a bit disappointing, it was missing flavors and pretty blend. read more

Damariscotta River Grill - Thai coconut soup - Seafood Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

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I don't know how this review slipped my mind. We came here for a very special occasion in August for my wedding night dinner with my newly married husband. This experience was beyond incredible. Not just because of the occasion but because of the remarkable food and service. We made our reservation in advance and we're aware it was cutting close to their closing time but the staff was very accommodating and we never felt rushed. The restaurant has a very cozy feel and I'm sure a beautiful view in the three story building during daytime. Located directly on the Main Street in Damariscotta near the River. For food we couldn't have asked for a more amazing experience. They accommodated my husbands allergies and he was able to get a bowl of french onion soup on this chilly night. They topped it with gluten free bread just for him. He also had a perfectly baked fish rice and veggies. I splurged on our wedding night and got the Broiled Seafood Plate. Every bite was memorable!! It comes with a taste of everything seafood including haddock, scallops, wild caught petit shrimp, a lobster cake, rice pilaf and mixed veggies. When in Maine... right?! We both loved our food so much. For drinks we both ordered a cocktail and enjoyed them throughly. We were also gifted two glasses of champagne by two women to celebrate our marriage(our attire gave it away). As if the experience wasn't lovely enough the restaurant gave us a dessert to go. There was no room after all the amazing food. I enjoyed the blueberry cheesecake on our honeymoon. Overall excellent experience and I would highly suggest stopping here for a special occasion or any occasion at all because it's that good. read more

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We went here for a special occasion. Is was on the good side of OK. Didn't start well as the guy who took our orders was surly and not very welcoming (I think it was the bartender). The other waitstaff were great. The oyster first course was very good, with tons of oysters, maybe a little salty. For the main courses, my wife said her seafood fettuccine was excellent, my son pronounced his duck risotto as very good but not great. My Thai fish stew had all the right stuff in it but lacked much Thai flavor. The portions were very big and so were the prices. Spending a fortune on leftovers doesn't make sense. And at this price point, the place should have been excellent all around. I understand that circumstances have forced restaurants to raise their prices, but at over $30 per entree, that's a bit out of hand. read more

We had a super friendly and accommodating waitress who was helpful with my gluten and dairy allergies. The food was delicious as always. Prices have gone up but we are not surprised because that is the case everywhere! read more

They have a hidden 3 percent Kitchen fee. Not displayed on their web site nor on their menu. After one week vacation in Maine, this is the only place to have such a fee. Their prices are very high and they are pulliing in enough money to void out this hidden fee. Be aware read more

Damariscotta River Grill - final invoice with kitchen fee 3% - Seafood Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

We were on our way back from Pemaquid Point Lighthouse We stopped here for a wonderful relaxing lunch. We ordered French onion soup that was so amazing, really cheesy. The potato latkes were really good but nothing compares to grandmas...for the main course we got the haddock and broccoli salad . The haddock was crispy on the outside and nice and flaky on the inside. Broccoli salad was just ok. We also ordered the crab and avocado bun this was the best .. the bacon was cooked just right and the sandwich was very delicious. To finish the meal we got the mocha which looked like something out of a magazine it was beautifully served. The blueberry cobbler was served warm with vanilla ice cream and finished off the meal perfectly. read more

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Absolutely Incredible! We ordered takeout from Damariscotta River Grill and were pleasantly surprised! The food was fresh, well seasoned, and most importantly still warm when we sat down to eat. Duck Confit Risotto: Outstanding! It was so delicious I considered going to get it again the next day. The risotto was incredibly creamy with bits of butternut squash, duck, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds mixed it. At first, I was hesitant about having cranberries and seeds in a risotto, but it absolutely works. The duck on top was not only flavorful but falling off the bone. I'm salivating just thinking about this dish! A definite must order. Musscles Appetizer: Delicious and fresh. It hit the spot if you're in the mood for musscles and was more flavorful than most. Nutty Green Salad: Great combination! I really loved the sweetness of the candied nuts with the salad dressing vinaigrette. A great salad to pair with the rest of the meal. read more

Damariscotta River Grill - Nutty green salad, duck confit risotto, mussels - Seafood Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

We had such an outstanding dinner with waiter Scott that we went back again the same week. The food is superb and they accommodate tweaks for food preferences and needs - so wonderful. Scott's service was excellent, professional, and above par. A new favorite place! read more

The dinner opened with bread dipped in buttery olive oil (Greek?) and cheese sticks. Next, we had bowls of New England Clam Chowder. Loaded with potato, ham, and generous chunks of clam. Then, we were presented with hefty portions of seafood fettucini with massive shrimp and scallop on tender noodles and velvety cream sauce. The duck confit risotto did have fork tender duck leg and a pleasing emulsion of rice like a mac and cheese with sweet dried cranberries. Finally, my broiled seafood had a lovely lobster cake, seared scallops that bested those in the fettucini, sweet medium shrimp, rich salmon and flaky haddock. I would have preferred roasted caramelized vegetables and sweet corn sauce on the side. The dishes were rich in butter and cream and made the large portions feel even more generous. Paired with sips of Alagash Black on tap... decadent. Dessert was a glassy crackle creme brulee with close to perfect patisserie cream and a not too sweet mousse tort. The dining room had fascinating art for sale. We were quite taken by a few pieces. The servers cooperated well to take care of us even when the food was delayed due to an issue on the kitchen. On the pricey end, but elegant with solid food examples! read more

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We had not been to this restaurant in years and it has improved. Are the owners new? The menu is more interesting than it used to be. Mussels with "garlic upon garlic" was the best I have ever had. Duck confit with risotto was also delicious. Service busy but friendly and attentive, atmosphere casually elegant with lots of local art. We will return: read more

I stopped here for lunch with a friend yesterday. She got the blt with Cole slaw, I had the lobster cakes. She also got the panna cotta and I had the triple chocolate mousse cake. The food was very good, worthy of 5 stars. But the prices were high. It's unconscionable to me for a place to charge $18 for a burger that doesn't even come with fries (they don't have fries). You do get chips or slaw, but it's just a pricing problem. The dessert menu is extensive--I can't imagine any diner not finding something that appealed to them. read more

Dropped into the Damariscotta River Grill on a weeknight in August. The bartender and wait staff were wonderfully attentive and helpful. The food was fabulous (I had a couple of seafood dishes). I look forward to my next visit! read more

Omg. Had no idea this place would be so good. Appetizers: lobster cakes--succulent, well seasoned and delicious. The corn purée on which they were served was amazing. Char sounds burnt ends? Omg. The best. So good. Could not stop eating. Calamari? Fried to perfection--not rubbery, Crispy And light. The paella? Perhaps the best I've ever eaten. Exquisite. So good. Service was good. Beer (Scottish Ale) was amazing. We had no idea this place would be sos good. 6 people, $60 bucks a person, so not cheap, but with every penny. Loved it. read more

Went to Damariscotta River Grill yesterday and the service was subpar. I'm not sure if it was because we were a group of 9 people or because our waitress, Sophia, was only 2 days back to waitressing after being off for the last 2 years. But it seemed like she just kept missing things that should have been standard. 1) She asked the table what type of water we wanted, which was fine, but then didn't ask if we wanted any other drinks. We had asked for the breadsticks and ciabatta combo to be delivered, and when she delivered it, it was breadsticks only. We asked her about the ciabatta and she said she thought we only wanted the breadsticks. 2) We asked her to check with the kitchen if the shrimp was de-veined due to allergies, and we noticed she was hesitant about what that meant, so explained she can ask the chef and they would be able to tell her. We changed one shrimp order just in case, but she never followed up to let us know whether it was de-veined or not. (BTW - it's not). 3) When she brought out the appetizers, she didn't bring out any small plates first so we had all this food on the table, and were all waiting till the plates came to eat it. Same with the soup; she would bring the soup in, but we were all waiting for spoons. Same with the meal; we had asked for some additional plates, but they were only delivered after the meal had arrived. 4) We asked for an order of the seafood Alfredo with a side of fries and she explained that she wasn't sure if the kitchen would provide it, and then brought the pasta without it and left. We waited for her to come back to ask about the fries, but by the time she came back, we were done with our meal. We asked about it, and she said they didn't have any, but didn't offer any other substitutions - however, we noticed that the kitchen did have chips that they served other diners. 5) We asked for some boxes to take the food home, and waited a while,...then we noticed she came back in the dining room and was taking down orders for another table. We asked about boxes again, and they finally came. We still tipped Sophia because she had to run everything to our table; I just think that some changes would have made the experience better. Food was fine. Calamari and mussels were good for appetizers, New England clam chowder was tasty even if it wasn't as creamy or consisting of potatoes as we have had before from other restaurants. We ordered a bunch of entrees which were huge portions. Mashed potatoes side was good. read more

We didn't know that when we stumbled upon this little town that we were in an area known for their oysters. Driving up the coast, we just happened to stop here for lunch. We ordered some comfort food on this chilly day, which were huge servings and delicious! After the fact tho, I encouraged hub to continue his "oyster tour" of Maine by at least ordering 1/2 dozen...just to get a taste. He ended up getting the LAST oysters of the day, and there were 7. (Because it had been raining, their oyster delivery was interrupted). Anyway, everything was really good, service was nice, and this is a great little place with a diverse menu. read more

Damariscotta River Grill - Seafood Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

Service was excellent and the food was even better! We had burnt end appetizer and steak and crab cakes for our meal. Pleasant view of the river and overall great experience! read more

This was the best meal we have had in some time! We started wirh the crab and spinach crepes which were fantastic, as were the bread with olive oil and the bread sticks! I had the haddock which was so fresh and moist and perfectly cooked. The house made tartar sauce was perfect with it. I donated my rice and veggies to my husband who added them to his with salmon. He said it was incredible, one of the best he has ever had! The waitress was very good and fun. We will be going back when in the area! read more

Damariscotta River Grill - Haddock and Salmon - Seafood Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

I have to give five stars purely because of the staff. Wow. Everyone was so friendly and so attentive. Our waitress was LOVELY and gave excellent recommendations for what we should both eat and drink. All of it was delicious, and everything came out so fast! This is such a quaint little Maine town, and this restaurant is the epitome of quaint. The artwork on the brick-faced walls is gorgeous, and it's a quiet little respite from the hubbub on the street. HIGHLY recommend if you're in the area! read more

The food and service was so bad it was almost amusing. Everything is frozen prior to use, clearly, and very overpriced for such shameful dishes. The hostess was incredibly rude and cold, and as it turns out she was one of the owners. I am really surprised at the positive reviews for this place to be quite honest. It was so obvious the wait staff was not happy working at this place, even the atmosphere is off. The other restaurants located in this town were good, especially for such a small and quaint area. If you want actual good quality food and atmosphere, just walk up the street. On our venture through places between portland and rockland, this was without a doubt the worst. read more

The waiter was so friendly and kind, it made the night enjoyable. We ordered fried oysters to start which came with a chipotle Mayo. I ordered the jerk season scallops which were cooked perfectly and the heat of the jerk seasoning paired well with the bell peppers and grilled pineapple. Great dinner after visiting the pemaquid point lighthouse read more

We stopped by for dinner on our way back from Pemaquid point. It was beyond disappointing... the food lacked flavor, drinks were mediocre, service was strange... all for ridiculously high prices. If a restaurant is going to be pricey, it needs to deliver... this place however is an absolute failure. read more

Food was disappointing. Oysters to start were not properly shucked and had a ton of broken shell. Calamari did not have good flavor and didn't care for the sauce it came with. A classic aioli would be better instead of an Asian sauce. My boyfriend had a scallop dish with a weird jumbo at the bottom with corn and sausage that we did not care for. I had the halibut special which was okay. I did not care for the maple pecan Brussel sprout. Especially in the summer. I think this restaurant needs focus on classic seafood dishes and use more in seasonal sides using produce Maine has to offer in the summer (both Brussel sprouts and asparagus were on the Menu and not in season) instead of trying to be unique because it isn't working unfortunately. There was a lot of rice pilaf on the menu which is also yucky. Chocolate mousse for dessert seemed like it came from a box. The waiter was also strange. read more

The food and ambience was so wonderful here. They have a few nonalcoholic cocktails which I always appreciate, and for my main course the chef made up a vegetarian thing for me which was one of the best dishes I had on my trip. Even the house salad was really special! They put care into everything, not a single course was subpar. Also a very beautiful location for a restaurant. read more

Made a reservation for dinner here a few weeks ago for a friend's birthday. We were seated upstairs. I loved all the local art they had hanging up. Their menu is very seafood-heavy, which I would expect in this area. There were some non seafood options, though. Their menu gives you the option of ordering small plates or larger entrees. They even had a sort of create-your-own prix fixe option which I might consider doing if I went back. I ordered the duck confit risotto and it was delicious! The duck was falling off the bone, and the risotto was decadently creamy. There were also some dried cranberries, squash and I think (?) pumpkin seeds for crunch, but I could be wrong about that. I also ordered a old vine zinfandel that I loved. Another plus is they give you complimentary crunchy cheesy bread while you're waiting. Huge win. I would say the only thing less than perfect that night was our server. She was pretty cold and seemed unhappy to be serving a group. When we were finished, she plopped the check on the table without asking us if we'd want to split it up or not. Regardless, I think this place is a great option if you're ever around Damariscotta (like in a few weeks for their big pumpkinfest where they race in giant pumpkins as boats!). read more

Damariscotta River Grill - Duck confit risotto. Delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Damariscotta, Maine

We used to come here quite frequently and enjoyed their varied menu and specials. Unfortunately, Covid and lack of staff have really degraded the grill. The menu is very slimmed down, and with items that are pretty run of the mill. The prices have gone up considerably - a steak salad is $32 - $10 higher than any other place in the area. Food was just ok. I can't say I would recommend this place over King Eider or Publick House - higher prices, and nothing special on the small menu, or better food (2 years ago I would have recommended the Grill hands down over the other two in Damariscotta. read more

This place was so good we went back twice during our visit. The locals come here during happy hour so that told us this was the place to go. As the oyster "Napa valley" for New England we ordered oysters every way they had--raw and briny, sautéed in a heavenly creamy broth and fried. My husband had the best steak and he's from Texas so he knows beef. My sister had their horned devil jalapeño blood orange margarita and it was the BEST! For the pat 15 years we've been coming to Maine as often as we can and we always come to DRG! Their happy hour is our favorite way to sample the fare and talk to locals. Kudos to the chef and owners for maintaining delicious excellence over the years!! read more