Yes you might be seated practically in the doorway, yes they consolidate the water vases, yes they might drop a broken wine glass with liquid in it and dirty napkins on your back and not even acknowledge doing so but the food is really great. read more

Pizza was okay, definitely not the best I have ever had. The desserts were huge and very well enjoyed by our group!

The space is great, the free garlic knots are THE BOMB, and we had really friendly service. I had the duck, which was delicious. Would recommend! read more

Creative menu supported by excellent service - what more can you ask for. Some reviewers seem put off by the menu or dishes, but if you are looking for somewhere special, (though go I don't know Portland we'll), I would think Davids is on the short list of places to go. The food was perfect with presentation to match the dishes. Bonus - the home made garlic knots were amazing!!!! We'll keep this one on the list of places to revisit when in Portland... read more

David's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

We were looking for cozy appetizer and drink place. This was just OK. The lobster and avocado slider was lobster and cucumber. read more

Ok, I came into the restaurant and the hostess took my order. She was friendly but I did an order to go and sat at the bar. I found the bartender to be rude! She looked at me up and down before she ask me if I wanted something to drink. I'm Black and it felt like a racial thing to me. I could not help but notice very few other Black people in the place. read more

Spectacular food and ambiance. Service is always top notch. David the owner is the epitome of New England talent and warmth, both as a chef and manager and host at this really wonderful restaurant. In the heart of Old Port, you cannot go wrong. Don't miss out on the Strawberry Mojito - amazing. Burrata Caprese is simple and delicious. And the Haddock & Crab is perfection. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed their lunch buffet. Great deal for under $13 given the reputation of this phenomenal restaurant. Recently toured the back room which is for private events and chef inspired dinners. Hopefully one day. I love this restaurant. read more

Sometimes I have these moments when I am immersed in an experience, where I'm hit by a sudden bolt of clarity and I take a look around me and realize that I make age-inappropriate choices. Just such a thing happened to me when I was dining at David's for my birthday recently. I love David's, the food is rich and well prepared, the dishes are comforting and savory. Nothing flashy, simply good quality, fulfilling, beautiful food. So I was shoving my face full of garlic knots, working on my second Monument (their version of the Manhattan), watching visitors without reservations get turned away in droves at the front desk, when one of those aforementioned moments of clarity descended upon me. Scanning the crowd, I noticed that there wasn't a single hipster in the place. No trendy twenty-somethings in skinny jeans and carefully groomed facial hair. In fact, the median age of my fellow diners was somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty and they were well-heeled and well-coiffed. These were people who liked nice things and they, of course, liked David's. read more

I went there with a large group a couple of weeks ago. They can't accommodate large groups so we had to sit a different tables. Not a problem but it was a bit of a downer. The food was very good. The service was excellent. I ordered a hamburger and it came on a flat bread that was toasted and the combination wasn't what I expected so ate the hamburger as a steak. It was really good. They also serve these buttery rolls that are simply to die for. You eat them and you are filled up. I would have given then 5 stars except for the seating. read more

FOOD - tastes great, but of course portions are small with a big price tag. I opted for the mixed plate of scallops, shrimp and steak. Everything was grilled to the way I requested. creme brule - just as good as the majority of other restaurants. Parts of the sugar coating was overdone and became rather hard. kahlua dessert - delicious. Tastes just like what it sounds like. I wouldn't order it if you don't like the taste of the alcohol itself or dark chocolate. SERVICE- very attentive and friendly. ATMOSPHERE - nice place but can get pretty loud. Also decently lit, you can actually see your food here! Would I come back? Maybe some time way in the future. The food was not to-die-for since it lacked originality. Other places can very well grill a steak right. But I'm not against going again if a friend wanted to. read more

Meh. Pretty much sums it up. We either dined on a night where David's struck out or other Yelpers in Maine have different expectations than we do. Either way Yelp let us down on this one. My wife and I were in town for an impromptu 4th of July weekend getaway. We decided to wing it Saturday July 5th for dinner. Being Saturday we figured we'd run into crowds with all the other tourist in town. Our first choice Street & Company was packed and we didn't feel like waiting. We had stumbled upon David's earlier while wandering around Portland earlier in the day. Yelp reviews looked promising. I pulled up the Yelp app on my phone and they had availability for later in the evening so we walked on down to see if we could get in on a walk-in. So we were able to walk right in and get a table. Place wasn't too busy for a Saturday night, which maybe should have been our first sign. Things started off ok, bread was brought and our drink orders were taken. We perused the menu and decided to have the truffle fries as a starter. They were ok, but didn't have the punch of truffle flavor that one would expect, it was present but just not as pronounced as I expected. For our entrees my wife chose the Ginger Bourbon BBQ Salmon($24.95) and I chose the Haddock with Crab ($24.95) per the waitresses recommendation (over the exotic mushroom ravioli) Our entrees came and my wife as quite disappointed with her Salmon. While we were told it was medium rare, which is ok, it was almost as if it was steamed, as opposed to being broiled or quick pan fried. The big issue was the complete lack of flavor. The 'glaze' was completely tastless and the salmon was otherwise unseasoned. The potatoes were also bland. My Haddock though was better. It had good flavor and was cooked just fine. The same potatoes were bland though. Overall we've had better meals at chain restaurants like o'Charleys with dishes with more flavor and much better service. Our service was lackluster. Didn't see a whole lot of the waitress, even though the restaurant wasn't terribly busy. Combine this with not evening having our appetizer dishes cleared from the table and we just weren't impressed. So in Summary: Food is overpriced. Service is lackluster. Food was less than impressive. I'd look elsewhere. read more

David's is in a great location and the decor is great but I have to say the food and service are just adequate. The bartender was attentive while we waited on our table, but after we were seated we felt incredibly rushed. We were in and out of there in about 45 minutes. The food was okay, not outstanding (and not near as good as the David's in Kport or South Portland). We waited for our bread, then it came out with the appetizers and before we were half way through those, the main courses came. I had the duck and it was underdone, and I prefer my meats rare so that's saying something. It was also rather bland. I feel as if I am being totally negative here, and that's not usually like me, but after reading some of the other reviews, I think it might be in a downward trend. I'd like to try it again, but with the prices I'd need to be convinced to return. read more

::Homer Simpson-esque drooling noises:: There is a dish on the menu called "Open-Faced Lobster 'Ravioli'." Order it. Don't spend time wondering what "open-faced ravioli" means. It's just wide sheets of pasta haphazardly folded over ricotta. Still totally delicious. This particular variation came covered in an anise-lobster cream sauce with lobster, shrimp, and scallops. A LOT of lobster, shrimp, and scallops. For $14, this is def a good deal! And I usually steer clear of anything anise-flavored, but the sauce was delicate and delicious; I wouldn't have changed a thing. Oh, and their clam chowder has bacon in it. I don't know if that's traditional. Frankly, I don't care. read more

Color me unimpressed. In this case, I think that would be a puce or beige color. Rather than relive the gory details of our disappointment, suffice to say that we were really saddened by the customer service, on many levels. Our food was also a little disappointing. I had the "open-faced lobster ravioli," (since they were out of the dish I actually wanted at 7pm on a Saturday night). The ravioli, which I had remembered had come highly recommended by Yelpers, was flavorful, but the "sauce" was more like an oceanic soup. I had to literally fish for each little sheet of pasta and crustacean meat-- this cannot possibly be the dish reviewers were referring to. The waitstaff was incredibly inattentive and rude... Despite the many 4 star reviews here, on closer inspection you will notice that several reviewers make mention of some unpleasant interaction with this establishment's staff. We only had one dinner opportunity in Portland for this trip, and I am truly sorry we wasted it on David's. read more

This place deserves 5+ review---AMAZING food and great cozy decor. We shared the Burrata salad with aged balsamic vinegar and the cheese was like melting, you know the ones you see on TV far away in an Italian village. Incredible! And I wanted the mussels, but, this was perfection. We also got the garlic rolls, of course!! And yes, no complaints in that department. They were warm, garlicky and the dough tasted as if they prepared it. The duck was sooooo good and we could have had it medium rare, but shamefully, I asked for medium. It was like a very light crisp and soft and tender inside, that you just ate it with a fork. I think it may have had a liquor and fruity glaze. The salt caramel torte with amaretto was for the finale. Guess? Yep, we devour it. And in the end, with wine and everything, the bill was less than expected. The other couple had the same experience with their steak ( looked incredible!!!) and seafood and pasta ( I think). They also had the Chef's ice cream which looked divine (for next time). I mean, this place , if I lived here , would be my go to place. The Chef is fabulous! Oh, one more thing I noticed, he does change the menu a bit, so I decided not to post any pics. Okay, no, truthfully, my eyes and mouth didn't let me-- what??!! I'm going to be taking pictures instead of eating??!!! Really??!! I don't think so....... read more

NOTE: They ONLY take reservations. You can't walk-in and eat there unless you want to sit at the bar. Went here a couple weeks ago with visiting family. In a few words: good food, but a bit pricey and pretentious for my taste. My mother-in-law got the lobster and said it was good, but a lot of work as it's a WHOLE lobster with sides and I believe came w/ clam chowder too. My father-in-law also got the clam chowder and said it was really good. I ordered the Shrimp & Scallops (Skewers of Shrimp & Scallops- Gulf Shrimp, day boat scallops, citrus/parsley & truffle oil $23) which was tasty and buttery, but at the same time, rich and heavy. I don't typically eat that type of food so I felt a bit ill afterwards. I think it was just a lot of heavy, rich food. We tend to eat mostly whole grains & veggies. Our party of 5 shared two desserts- the Salt Caramel Cashew Chocolate Torte & the Berry Crisp. The torte was to die for! The crisp was good too. My complaints about this place is that at times it felt like they were trying too hard, our server was friendly, but a bit clumsy and unprofessional for such a nice place, and the dishes were pricey. I'd consider this a special occasion place and not somewhere the hubby and I will frequent. Glad we checked it out, but don't plan to return anytime soon. read more

One of the best happy hours in town from one if the city's premier fine dining locations. It features $5 appetizers and $4 select local pints. I ordered the calamari and the pot stickers and was quite impressed. The calamari was fresh, with a light yet crisp and salty batter--on point, if I say so myself. The dipping sauce was a creative fusion of sweet and spicy thousand island and tangy coconut base. It carries a funky flavor that complements the calamari well, albeit in an untraditional way. The potstickers were also quite good. They were on the crispier side, and contained a mix of meat and spring vegetables. Very tasty! The indoor dining has a classy ambiance--low light and some sort of smooth jazz or acoustic music playing. The patio is also great when it's in season. Monument Square is a great place to enjoy a beer and quality appetizers on the end of a full summer day in the city. read more

I can not say much for the service. It's not that it was bad by any means, but nothing to write home about either. The waitress was sweet and fast just nothing that blew my mind. However the food, oh my gosh the food!! I am a meat eater but my mom is vegan. Finding a place that does both meals well is nearly impossible. They got it though! My mom got the vegan pizza and said it was awesome. It smelled great but I did not want to disturb the amazing taste in my mouth. I got the bacon Mac and cheese with lobster. I can not describe how happy that meal made me. I'm excited to go back. Plus sitting outside was great too I have to admit the view gives you a feeling of the day just slowing down and having a nice moment in the day. read more

Came in for NYE dinner and were pleasantly surprised that we were not locked into the overpriced and under-flavored pre-fixe menus that most restaurants force upon you. They have a great selection on their menu with a wide range of apps, salads and entrees sure to fit anyone's taste buds. The server was knowledgeable & I loved the open concept kitchen and being able to see what was going on back there. The husband ordered the crispy duck which he declared decent and I opted for the Filet (I know big surprise) and had an equal response of decent. Neither of us were disappointed or excited about our plates which is why I have to go with a 3 star review. Decent prices did make the decent food a bit better though - so that's a plus. Ambiance is a big one for me and they just didn't quite cut it. The restaurant is a bit cramped and with the entry way spilling into the dining room it can feel a bit overcrowded & cold instead of warm & cozy. Plus the decor & furniture reminds me of a cafeteria and less upscale restaurant. read more

We enjoyed our meal here. The service was excellent; friendly and prompt. We had a reservation for 4 on a Saturday and were able to sit right down. If you go early you might be OK without one, but by the time we left it was so busy that they were turning people away (not putting them on a waiting list, just turning them away). My husband ordered the clam chowder, which was tasty. I prefer a thinner stock, more of a traditional New England style, this was heavy and thick, but it was tasty. The mussels were fabulous. The entrees were a bit on the small side, and although we don't expect or even want supersized portions, we were very glad that we ordered a couple of appetizers. I ordered the shrimp and scallop entree, and my husband ordered the land/sea entree. The seasoning and preparation were great for the most part, and the risotto that came with mine was amazing. The shrimp, sadly, on both of our dishes was overcooked. It was cooked on a skewer with the scallop so possibly they don't cook at the same rate and the shrimp suffered for it. Dessert was a very rich chocolate tart which was heavy but delicious, and a great cup of coffee. read more

Holy smokes, try the garlic knots and the crispy podstickers and Asian beef. Omg, so good!

Very solid lunch place in downtown Portland. Blackened chicken salad (4.5 stars) - delicious! I wasn't expecting much but the chicken was tender and so flavorfully marinated. The dressing was also good. Clam chowder (4.25 stars) - very good and creamy "chowda" full of potato pieces and good herb taste. I'm not a big bacon fan and it had a very noticeable bacon taste but overally was still very tasty. Lobster cakes (3.25 stars) - this was the lobster version of fried crab cakes. The waitress said we'd like these but we could barely taste any lobster flavor. The rest of the filling was tasty but we wanted to taste more lobster. Service was friendly and Nicole was very accomodating. Bottom line: Great place for a casual business lunch. read more

The food was amazing! Drinks were awesome and the bartender(Andrew? I think) was AMAZING! Perfect service. We had a fabulous time! Highly recommend the filet! read more

I treated my boyfriend to dinner for his birthday at David's. Growing up in the area, David's has a great reputation as a special occasion restaurant. For the price point, we had a pretty mediocre experience. I made a reservation through Open Table for Saturday night and noted in the reservation we were celebrating a birthday. We were seated at a high top in the bar. That wasn't really what I was hoping for. Our server was friendly and attentive. We started with the daily preparation of mussels. They were fine, but we found the mussels themselves to be not as fresh as they could have been, as well as a little tough. For an entree, I had the sirloin, which was served with a reduction that tasted like a thick gravy. I found it to be too rich and I ate less than half of my meal. My boyfriend had the haddock and crab. The crab and risotto were both delicious. I found myself eating off of his plate more than mine. Overall, our meal was fine, it just wasn't what I was hoping for on a special occasion splurge dinner. I've had much better meals in Portland for less money. read more

Looking for a reservation about a week prior to my bachelor party, they were able to accommodate a party of 12 for a busy Saturday night. Food and drinks were excellent and service was outstanding. I highly recommend it! read more

I took my parents here when they were in town visiting, and it is a great location for something like that. Reservations were available on open table so we did not have to wait at all. Service was excellent, portions were large, and everything was delicious. The warm bread to start our meal was definitely a nice touch as we were all pretty hungry when we arrived and it did take a bit for our entrees to come out. I also liked sitting near the kitchen so that we could see the activity inside. My father was particularly into his dessert, a berry-apple tart, but my husband was less into his which was a white chocolate mousse. The duck breast, mixed grill and the night's seafood special also got good marks from our party. read more

Well, yesterday may have been the day before Valentine's Day, but it was an occasion to celebrate. Why, you ask? I ate the best meal of 2013 so far. Granted, we're only 2 months in, but it is going to take a lot to top this. Having been recommended both by my boss and my boyfriend, my interest was certainly piqued at the idea of visiting David's Restaurant, on Congress Street. Tonight was my lucky night (well last night) and I can't wait to tell you all about it. It started with a lovely glass of Prosecco, and a glass of Allagash beer for him. When I go out, I go all out. Then the bread came out, which was too good for words to express. Soft and warm, it was smothered in a heavenly combination of olive oil, garlic, and cheese. Heart attack by carbs, basically. Now we get to the best part: the entreés! Without meaning to, this turned into a steak dinner for both of us. No regrets at all. First up, we have the Sirloin. Tender, juicy and everything a steak is supposed to be. This is a manly man's sort of steak, and B had no complaints about that. I tried a bite and was almost considering changing my order, because how could a cut of steak be any better than what I was tasting right then and there? Marinated lightly, leaving only the true flavor of the meat to be savored, and subsequently devoured as well. Filet mignon is my favorite cut of meat, besides perhaps Prime Rib. This filet mignon, was out of this world, galaxy and everything out in the Milky Way. I went out of my way to try something different, though that was easier said than done when I was perusing the menu. But this was the best choice I could have made. I would have never expected Blue Cheese topped on filet mignon could taste so good. Yes, I am a cheese fanatic, but Blue Cheese, has never been my calling. However, the flavor combination, of the cheese, which was a great consistency, and the tender steak, marinated and topped with a great sauce, it just came together like something out of a steak dream. It was so tender I really didn't need the big knife that they supplied me with. Divine! Now, nothing beats dessert in my book. It is my favorite meal of the day, and the ultimate test for a restaurant is how good their desserts are. David's passed with flying colors. Ordered and split the Creme Bruleé, which was Maine Maple and Disoronno, blow torched to hard candy perfection on top, and smooth, sweet custard at the bottom. Heaven in a bowl! Also, somehow this was B's first time ever having creme bruleé but he was quite impressed, as was I. In my top 3 of desserts, this is my second favorite! I am in love with David's, and though it is certainly not a place I can frequent regularly, I will be sure to come back for another special occasion in the future. If you like food that will tantalize and invigorate your taste buds, this is a place you must explore! read more

Best. Fries. Ever. Obviously they use sea salt but there's something else in there. . .love perhaps? Who knows (besides the chef and he ain't talkin') After I got done devouring my starch (not something I usually eat, by the way) I remembered that I'd gotten a burger with those fries. Better be the best burger ever. It was pretty spectacular. The sauteed mushrooms and onions were perfectly done, the burger and juicy and well-crafted. Damn I'm getting hungry! What else? Oh yeah, our server was prompt and even stopped me between the restroom and my table to get my drink order since I hadn't been there when he came around. AWESOME! Oh yeah and the scotch selection. Quite impressive, quite impressive. Overall, I'm tempted to drive to portland right now just to eat here, I loved it that much! read more

I was dying for a Maine lobster roll, I sifted through a bunch of Google results and ended up at David's. Actually, I didn't want to get into the sit down because I had to hit the road back to Boston so I looked over the online menu and phoned in my order. The guy who answered was very helpful. Since I don't "do carbs" right now, he told me they had a lobster salad so I got that, plus a chicken salad and some spicy shrimp w *truffle ketchup*... hello? Hard to describe but I'm a ketchup lover and it was really good. Anyways, I was pleasantly surprised at how fresh all the greens were, how tasty and sweet was the dressing and the lobster was so succulent and fresh and I hardly ever use the word succulent so that ought to tell you something. The chicken salad was not the chunkey kind that you find so many other places and I was glad for that because all too often the chunks can be a little dry in the middle but this was moist all the way through. Overall a really good styrofoam, eat-while-driving experience. ;) read more

I used to go to the Davids in Newburyport, MA before I moved to Portland. Was very happy to find this location back in 1993, upon my arrive in Maine! This place serves delicious seafood, I have always loved that you can pick your fish, and you can also pick what kind of sauce you would like, and how you would like it prepared. I just love having lots of choicies, and the possibilities are endless. (That being said, I almost always got the Swordfish, broiled with Warm Buttered Chive sauce!) LOL...a creature of habit, plus I know a good thing when I find it! Speaking of that very thing, this place served as the very first official date for my husband and myself....we were out at Cadillac Jacks with a group from work (Yes, this was a long time ago...mid 90s) and we decided to go get a real meal, and we ended up at Davids and our food was so good......we were eating off each others plates in no time, and well, the rest is history! We were together from that day on! I am not giving it 5 stars, because one time a few yrs later, hubby got the Steak au Poivre, and something was off with it, because he started throwing up before we finished eating (LOL, sorry for the visual) but that was only once, and while it was enough to make him stop ordering that meal ANYWHERE....it was one time of of tons of dining experiences there. read more

I brought my boyfriend for dinner on his birthday after reading all of the excellent Yelp reviews. I was surprised to see that there were only a handful of other people at the restaurant. The food was excellent! The garlic rolls were out of this world, and the olive oil dipping sauce was to die for. We ordered the duck potstickers which were on the specials menu that day. They were AMAZING. I'm still thinking about them days later! We also had the Conan the Barbarian pizza which was great. I'd be curious to try the other things on the menu. The only downside was that they close pretty early (9 pm). We ordered a bottle of wine and it was tough to finish in the time we were there. read more

David's was really good. I had the bacon mac and cheese which was stellar. A few too many breadcrumbs for me, but I'm sure others would love them. My girlfriend had the lobster ravioli and absolutely loved it. Great place. read more

Just stopped in while in Portland for a happy hour beer and found a wonderful restaurant. Only had a duck slider appetizer, but damn that was good. The rest of the menu made us want to stay but We had to move. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable regarding the menu even though we weren't ordering. We were said reservations would be a good idea. Let us know what you think. read more

So I did not eat here for dinner but showed up for happy hour. Wow! 3 dollar beers, wine is 4 along with mixed drinks. And amazing apps. Deff a stop at happy hour. read more

Had a business lunch here and it was absolutely amazing! Small restaurant with a great personality! The service was great and the food was amazing. I had the butternut squash risotto with shrimp and scallops. Really enjoyed coming here and if I'm ever back in Portland, I will definitely dine at David's! read more

David's Restaurant - Shrimp and scallops risotto - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Great food and atmosphere, and they squeezed us in when there wasn't any room. Fun place. NOT for a quiet dinner necessarily, but we had a great time sitting at the "chef's bar" watching them cook. Great wine list too! read more

One of the top tier spots in Portland, and much more bang for your buck than the comparable Fore Street or Street and Co. Excellent service, even better food and great custom cocktails! read more

We came here a on Saturday night and was seated immediately. The service was fast and attentive. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the complementary bread and garlic bread served. The garlic bread was delicious and cheesy, the garlic oil dip also had lots of spices in it that made it really good. We ordered clam chowder, which was creamy and delicious, it was sweeter than most clam chowder I had and had bacon bits in it. The lobster cake was also very soft, fresh and tasty. The superstar of the meal was the Open Faced Lobster ravioli, it was so ridiculously good its mindblowing. The dish had more seafood than actually ravioli, the sauce in this dish was a cream based buttery lobster sauce that was simply heavenly, every bite of scallop, shrimp and lobster dipped in this sauce was a flavor explosion. This is a must try if you come to David's! read more

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When you order a steak medium rare at an acclaimed restaurant, you'd expect it to be cooked properly, right? Ok, good. Me too. My wife and I both ordered the sirloin medium rare. Mine was closer to rare, which I was OK with, but my wife's was so undercooked that she had to send it back. I would have sent mine back if it was that red. Our waitress didn't apologize for the inconvenience when she took it away or brought back the new one, which made us feel like she either didn't care or thought we were being difficult. However, she did tell us upon returning that they "Cook their steaks on the rarer side." Yeah, um, what does that mean? The rarer side of medium rare is "rare." That's not how we asked for them. If we order it rare, do they bring us carpaccio? While that was disappointing and frustrating, the rest of our meal was great We split a pizza as an appetizer and it was outstanding. I actually had the mixed grill (steak, scallops and shrimp) and they do a great job with the shellfish. Everything was very fresh, and I believe mostly local. It's very energetic but we were sitting in the bar section and it wasn't too much. Still, I wouldn't go running back here. I resent the fact that they acted like my wife was in the wrong for sending back a steak they messed up, especially when they ADMIT they're not cooking them properly. But a lot of people love this place, and that's great. When you go, make sure that you "level up" on your steak order or you won't get what you asked for. read more