Nice spot that didn't have a ridiculous wait. Sat at the bar and enjoyed a local beer and starter of clam chowder. Bartender was very to himself and didn't say much but was friendly when he did speak. All the food came out quickly. The food runner placed down my main meal and a few chips slid off the plate and she then picked them up with her hands and put them back on my plate. I was shocked and almost couldn't believe she did that, and poor girl probably didn't know what to do. Besides that awkward chip moment the food was amazing. HUGE peices of lobster in that sandwhich. I would definitely go back again. read more

Finback Alehouse - Lobster Grilled Cheese - Gastropubs Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Been in this biz for over 40 years. Could not get acknowledged by any of the staff. After waiting 7 minutes- clocked it- went to the bar to wait on myself. Was served quickly, but without a smile, still tipped 25%. When will places like this get a clue? read more

Solid meh. Waitress was friendly, but not exactly warm. We ordered fish and chips and onion rings. The beer batter was super nice. The fish was good. But the French fries had been sitting a while and were cold. On the plus side, not eating the fries saved me a bunch of calories. But. Fries are super cheap. For what they charge, I'd expect them to be fresh and piping hot. read more

Food, service, atmosphere, value, everything at this place is great. Our first time in bar harbor and we've tried at least 6 of the local spots and this was by far our favorite. read more

Finback Alehouse was a great first meal in Bar Harbor. My husband and I shared the Finback Lobster bake and really enjoyed it. I've never ordered a whole lobster before (only recently really became a fan and I've never lived anywhere to get great fresh lobster) so that was a fun experience. It also came with clams, mussels, a bowl of chowder, and dessert! Totally worth it and the price was awesome ($44 I believe). I believe our lobster was a bit over cooked because it was slightly tough, but overall not bad. Our waitress was so sweet and did a fantastic job, especially for it being her very first night! read more

If there was a 3.5 I would give them that but overall a solid place! Had the lobster bisque which was great, clam chowder was just ok, so go with the lobster bisque. The lobster was very good and one of the meatier ones I have had on my trip. Cole slaw was dry, but the hand-cut fries were very good. The mussels were also good! Also tired their apple pie which was really good! Service was good and we were able to sit right in the front but we did come at 9:35 at night! read more

Very good food, excellent cocktails, super atmosphere, excellent friendly ambience. Fish tacos were really good - loved how the tortilla was toasted on the griddle to impart taste and a little crunch to what is a very unremarkable holder of the taco's contents. Bartender was exceptionally knowledgeable and inventive! read more

Two stars not because it was bad,we didn't eat there, we walked out because it's new ownership with a new menu and it caught us by surprise. Just a word of warning, what you see on this Yelp is not accurate. The server was nice but explained to us that there was new ownership and a new menu. We knew what we wanted when we walked in but none of that was offered anymore. Just be forewarned that what you see on this Yelp is not what you will find there..example the lobster Mac and cheese is now cauliflower Mac and cheese. Not what I was wanting, that's all read more

Good selection of stouts on draft - definite double milk stout is a must if you like chocolate stouts. Decent lobster roll. read more

Finback Alehouse - Double milk stout - Gastropubs Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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This is one of many seafood/bar/pub establishments in Bar Harbor. It's hard to say that it's distinct in any way. The food was tasty (I got the fried sampler, my wife got the mega plate with lobster, muscles and steamers), but not particularly unique or prepared in any special fashion. The waitstaff was awesome and totally engaged with our kids. For food alone, this is 3 out of 5 stars, but our server boosted it to a 4 star on her personality and attention. You'll leave feeling satisfied but I doubt you'll remember the place a few weeks later. read more

Great food. Great atmosphere. Excellent fish and chips. Butter chicken burrito was great. Waitress was very friendly.

I'm a FIVE STAR fan! We may or may not have made repeated visits to this bar during our stay. Everything I had here was good -- lobster poutine, lobster bisque, lobster mac and cheese, the meaty oysters, and the local beer list! The lobster taste was surprisingly strong and chunks of claw meat present in the heavy dishes like poutine and mac and cheese. The place is pretty cozy so if you've got a big group (over 4), you may be expecting a wait. Even during "off season" they were on a wait for all until 8:30 or so. They do close for the season, but it's not til super late, like mid November I think I overheard? Service was decent to good, depending on your server. read more

Nice little Alehouse. We were seated at a table by the front open window, which was nice. Service was good. We tried several different items. My Clam Chowder was good. The Main Crab Cake BLT sandwich was tasty and very good. The sandwich included bacon, smoked pepper remoulade and a apple and clergy root slaw. Others enjoyed the Maine Lobster Roll and the California Club. A good place for an ale and sandwich. read more

I visited them few days ago. Loved their brisket roll and blueberry donut. They have live music and it's great. Coming from NYC and it's been rough since COVID-19 hit it. Only recently we started to hear life music so hearing it in this amazing place made my night. If you are around and enjoy country/blues type of music then definitely stop by. Food is delicious and service is great! read more

Finback Alehouse - Gastropubs Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

After seeing 4 stars and 200 reviews, I was sure this place would have amazing seafood that Maine can offer, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment. We had to wait 5-10mins just to sit in our reserved tables as the maître d' was busy fetching some silverware and glasses. The carb cake and the baby lobster mini chimis, were every average. However, the island fish taco was disaster. It was rather a salsa taco with a couple of pieces of haddock. This place cannot decide what it wants to be, there are TV's trying to be sports bar, playing some baseball or stupid informercials or serving Chinese short ribs to thai red curry to taco to chili. read more

Finback Alehouse - Yay, one and only salsa taco with fish bites - Gastropubs Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Decent food and a good beer selection. Way overpriced though, for what you get. Beware the $MKT prices- ask before you commit.

In August just about everywhere in Bar Harbor is going to have a wait ... but if you like good food it's worth the wait. Finback puts your name and phone number on a list and then calls you to let you know your table is ready. The staff is very friendly and efficient. The first table we sat at was very wobbly and they moved us with no problem. Our server was Mark and I can't say enough amazing things about him. He was pleasant, funny, informative, and helpful. He also was there when you needed him but also gave us the space we needed. To be honest my four star review is about the service, the food was good but not great but the experience we had was complimented by the service which elevated the 3 star food to a four star review. read more

Only ok. After our appetizer soups, we waited an additional 45 minutes for our entrees. To the restaurant's credit, they gave us a 10% discount on our bill at the end to apologize for the wait. My sister got a lobster mac and cheese that was tasty but was such a small portion! For the price, we were expecting it to be a little more... My uncle had the grilled lobster which had great flavor and was a little different from the norm. However, I had a steamed lobster dinner and it was just not very good. I had a hard time getting the meat out and it tasted mealy and rubbery. That was a disappointment! The meal also came with mussels and steamers which were very nicely seasoned and tasty. read more

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An afternoon of searching thru our options landed us here at Finback Alehouse. I liked that there were very tempting options available to those of us who suffer allergies, so - we gave it a try. Full house around lunch time- always a good sign. The menu noted that everythi g was made fresh to order, so, keep that in mind when they're busy. Another good sign! We atarted off with a Mediterranean salad with white wine dressing. Generous portion, enough for 3-4 people, or as a meal if you like. Absolutely impressive. The dressing was bold, and the tiny cup was enough to give excellent flavor throughout. Greens were all extremely fresh, tasty, and perfect. Even the small details, kalamata olives, feta, quality ingredients at every step. Our meal was as follows: Lobster Bisque, lobster mini chimis, and a cajun burger made gluten free (allergy). After that impressive salad, we couldn't wait to get our entrees - We were absolutely not disappointed one bit. The lobster bisque was especially tasty. Delicate flavors were pronounced, the bisque had a slight cheesy taste along with a very smooth buttery flavor. Not a drop left. Excellently made, and very clearly made from scratch. The lobster chimis were equally impressive- a mexican inspired lobster roll that somewhat had the look a sliced up mini-burrito (chimichanga). The lobster was cooked to perfection, and seasoned flavorfully with a particularly delicious sauce on the side. The sauce on its own was very impressive with two parts: a creamy seasoned sauce, and a spicy sauce. So good we requested more. Lastly, was the cajun burger- specially ordered. One bite into it, the first thought that came to mind was: "holy s***!" The burger was a combination of flavors - pepper cheese, cajun spice, salsa, jalepeno - with fresh veggie toppings and cooked to order. Fresh, fresh, fresh - and definitely prepared with passion and pride. Juicy, thick, flavorful - all I can say is, this was one of the 3 best burgers I've ever had. Will definitely be back. Finback says they prepare fresh, and it's very clear, with the flavor and quality delivered to your table. You will leave delighted if you stop here. read more

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As we entered, the place had a slightly nicer than pub style to it. All tables were full, although we were seated within two minutes, as two people were just leaving. The atmosphere was lively chatter, mostly from tables as opposed to the bar. There seemed to be only one server in addition to the hostess and bar staff, around 9:40 on a Saturday night. As other spots closed by 9, this seemed to be the overflow dinner crowd, just before the live music warmed up at 10. The clam chowder was first to arrive, was standard, delicious, and came served in a square bowl. Standard portion, a slight cheesy sharpness to it on the first bite, but creamy and as expected from there on. Not too salty, on the border of needing salt, but I was fine with it as-is once the crackers were added. The main course was the ribeye steak over fries. The fries were thin, not quite shoestring, and had an ok inner texture, but could use some crunch on the outside. They were lightly sprinkled with some sort of feta-like cheese, although there was hardly enough to tell for sure. They were also a bit gritty, and the wine sauce kind of did them in. The steak itself was generous, and more than I could finish, although even at medium temp, it was tough, and had some hard seering on one side. While I believed it to be locally sourced, it seemed like it had been frozen. At $27, it was quite a disappointment. My friend got the duck burger, which he felt was on the small side for $18, and agreed that his fries were too soft. However, where I had no interest in finishing mine, his were no problem, and he left with a clean plate. All in all, I wanted to like this place, and it's other dishes might be fine, but the ribeye over fries was a letdown at any price. The soup was fine, but everything was overpriced, except the beer. Tourist trap, anyone? :/ With the mixed reviews from The Thirsty Whale, I wanted this place to be better, but I'm not so sure. Service was fine, but the food was a letdown, and disappointment was amplified by prices I would expect from New York City. TLDR: nothing stood out food-wise, prices suggest tourist trap. I will not remember this meal a week from now, except as the weakest meal of my trip. read more

Finback Alehouse - Clam chowder, at $7 for a cup. - Gastropubs Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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Good food and good staff, the seating place was way too smushed and the ambience was ok. I got the veggie quinoa burger which was weird that came in a toast instead of burger bun (the menu said burger, not sandwich) but not complaining as the taste was good. My husband had the grilled lobster and liked it. There are so many other good places in Bar Harbor Maine so if I go back again I wouldn't think of this place as a "re-visit" read more

I wish we could have eaten here. We have a 1 year old so didn't want to bother a server. So my wife went back to the Inn and left me to get food. I approached the bar, but let two people have the seat in front of me because I wanted them to enjoy their experience. The bartender, taller, hat, brown hair smiled, handed them menus, very polite. After answering their questions he said, do you need something?" I said I'd like to place a to-go order. He answered if you want to-go food, you'll have to wait at least 45 minutes to an hour. I said for food, really?! He said, "yes, if you want to go food. I have to feed everyone in the restaurant first." I said nevermind and walked out That was one of the most bizarre and dismissive responses I have ever heard. As a fellow bartender and server, this blew me away. He could have added $60 in sales for him and the restaurant, gotten a tip, and never had do do anything for me. The restaurant wouldn't even have lost a turn on a table. Easy money. I don't get it. He was rude, dismissive, and doesn't know the business well enough to make his business money. read more

Terrible service. Ordered the single serve fried seafood combo platter for $18. Repeated thrice that I wanted the single serve. Waitress messed up the order and gave me the large fried seafood combo for 2. Given I have never ordered this dish and I am not based from here, I didn't know that this was the combo for 2 instead of single serve. I was only made known of the fact when I charged $28 for my food. Complained to waitress who took the wrong order. She simply shrugged her shoulders and said, "well, you ate the food, right? So.....?" Terrible. read more

Great food! My husband loved their fries. Yummy fish and chips and blueberry rum cocktail was delicious and not too sweet. Good service. Would recommend! read more

This place was our fallback when our preferred eatery had too long of a wait for a 2 year old. I'm giving 2 stars for friendly, quick service, and a pretty tasty lobster roll. Portions were crazy small, we typically share our dinners with the kiddo but both of us were glad he didn't want more than a pickle and a couple fries. Paying an extra buck (on top of already pricy sandwiches) for waffle fries got you about 10-12 waffle fries. Wife's crabcake sandwich, according to her, tasted like Thanksgiving stuffing. Little to no crab flavor at all, just filler. What crab may have been there was drowned out by bacon and a remoulade (that was requested on the side and came out on the sandwich). One local pale ale (not a double or anything crazy) was $8. After a long day in the national park the wife really wanted a cocktail, but balked at the $12+.. price of most of them. Drastically overpriced, small portions, of food that could probably be better done elsewhere. read more

I had the worst experience with the bartender at Finback! After I already ordered a drink, I asked for a sample of beer so I could try it before deciding, which is standard and all bars are happy to do. However, this bartender told me all beers taste the same and he wasn't going to give me samples. He was extremely rude and nasty. He eventually voided my check and ripped my drink out of my hand to throw away. I will never go back there and do NOT recommend it! read more

We found this place on Yelp, and seeing how many good reviews, rating and comments we went without hesitation. The way that on the menu the owners claimed that was so fresh, home-made etc. really appealed us. So excited to try it! I took the famous grilled lobster and my wife the California Cobb salad. "Fresh"?! Really?! My lobster was full of water when you cracks a he clamps, so I guess it was "frozen fresh" and the salad was missing the main ingredient (avocado), the egg yolk was black on the outside, and the chicken far from looking as a freshly prepared chicken breast. We don't understand the good reviews. Go to the Thirsty Whale, just next door where people were queuing. Probably a sign of satisfied customers... read more

Sat at the bar here two nights out of three. Every bartender was fantastic. Had the hanger steak (perfectly cooked with amazing fries) and the lobster roll (best I've ever had). Come here. Eat and drink. Best place on the island. read more

Wide variety of classics. All well done. I had the lobster bake which was cooked perfectly and fresh. All prepared quickly. Lobster bisque and clam chowder were smooth and creamy. Professional and knowledgeable staff. All with tasty and local beer. read more

Finback Alehouse - Gastropubs Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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Had a great dinner. Wait was about 40 mins. We started with lobster bisque and it was outstanding. Bear our server recommended the special which was scallops and braised beef. The scallops were perfect and the beef was a great touch. Had a couple of mules to drink that hit the spot. The pumpkin cheesecake was light and fluffy with a nice pumpkin flavor. It's not quiet in there but great atmosphere. read more

Neat little place with good beer menu. Menu looks solid but service is iffy and food slow. I am talking glacial slow. The menu does warn you about time to prepare your meal but an hour is a bit much. The place wasn't really that busy. Ignore the good reviews and go elsewhere. read more

Beer batter fish and chip lacks seasonings. When referring to seasoning I don't mean just salt, I meant the use of herbs, garlic powder, onion powder and such. Hence I took a star off. Please add more burst of flavors and you will get 5 stars. Lobster bisque was excellent as well as services. Our waiter was very efficient although he was the only server last night on quite a busy Sunday dinner rush. read more

We were in Bar Harbor over labor day weekend and had dinner here on Saturday. We made it just in time before the dinner rush (about 6p). We ordered the grilled wings, turkey club, lobster bisque, and short rib crostini. All was good. Turkey club had carved turkey, the bowl of lobster bisque was huge! (I kind of over ate) which made enjoying the delicious short rib challenging. The meat was delicously tender but wish the bread underneath was toasted. I didn't realize the gorgonzola was a cream sauce and not crumbles but still very good. Drinks and service were good. Only complaint, they couldn't find the Penn State game to put on TV. read more

Finback Alehouse - Gastropubs Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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Great place for lunch. I highly recommend the Blue label burger. This was honestly one of the best burgers I have had. There's a lot going on, and it's a little messy to eat, but just go with it and hose yourself down afterwards. The haddock sandwich was tasty - perfectly fried and not fishy at all. You can tell it's fresh. read more

Finback Alehouse - Blue label burger! Top notch. - Gastropubs Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

The place is really cute and staff was super friendly! However the food was a TOTAL miss. My husband's tacos were $16. He got two tiny tacos. No sides, anything. Our plates were so small they looked like appetizer plates. My steak was severely overcooked and I've had jerky that was more tender than my medium rare steak. Their chimchurri sauce tastes like lime crema. Nothing even close. To top things off the tiny appetizer sized plate was swimming in grease. I took a few bites but my husband and I didn't have the heart to tell the kitchen how everything was just awful. Come here to drink I guess? read more

Great spot for a quick bite and a local brew. Went in last night and sat at the bar and the bartender was immediately there and fully engaged in making sure everything was perfect. We had pulled pork Mac n cheese and a lobster avocado melt and they were both perfect and delish. Had a few Blaze brewing Co El Mo IPA's which were great. Look forward to the next time there!! read more

Finback Alehouse - Cocktail hour!!! - Gastropubs Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

This is a classic. Decided to go here for lunch before heading out to ANP. Not a huge place, but then again nothing really is in Bar Harbor. Service was also really quick and friendly...seemed like only one guy was working as the main waiter/bartender...which was fine since it wasn't packed. We went for a cheeseburger and the Reuben. Both were delicious. Especially the Reuben. Wife tried the waffle fries and I opted for onion rings...which were huge and not overly battered. Other than a little extra seasoning for the rings...they were top notch. We started with a cup of clam chowder, which wasn't a huge hit. It lacked clams and that's pretty much what you're ordering it for. Anyway...overall I would recommend this place. Menu looks interesting...want to go try more. Enjoy! read more

First time in Bar Harbor. So much good food around town! My girlfriend got the Mushroom and Swiss Patty Melt (on a gluten free bun with fries) and I got the Short Rib grilled cheese (with onion rings). We also splurged for the peanut butter pie. Overall good vibes. My gf loved her dinner, and I enjoyed the Short Rib grilled cheese. The homemade onion rings were just "okay". For a rainy weekday night, it did the trick. read more

Horrible food!! Horrible cocktails!! Horrible service!! I typically only write good reviews. This place is a waste of time and calories read more

Very good food and impressive service. The lobster roll and bisque were great; all the food was very fresh and tasty. The beer selection was also nice. There was one person on staff the afternoon that we came here for lunch, and he was exceptionally attentive. The food came fast and with a smile. He was quick to refill our drinks. When he overheard one member of our party mention that she liked a lot of onions in her salad, he brought her an additional plate of onions. The waiter expressed as he delivered the food that he didn't like the shape of the fillet he served in the haddock sandwich (as pictured), so he gave it to us for half price. Overall, a very positive experience. read more

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