I ordered tacos they were very good. Loved the ambience etc. I am looking forward to being in town again and visiting this place. So I'd recommend this place for sure. The service was uneven. One bar tender was amazing the other was too busy chatting with people to do his job. (He was new, and clearly doesn't get what the mission is.) read more

I've been here several times and they never disappoint. Very friendly staff, delicious menu selections, and comfortable atmosphere. This has been an excellent addition to Waterville! I highly recommend the street tacos (flavor changes daily). read more

Front & Main - Dessert for my birthday: bread pudding with apple compote and candied walnuts. Absolutely delicious! - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

What a great restaurant! I had the best non alcoholic drink ever! "Tea time in Paradisi" was the name and it was so good!!! My aunt had the bourbon old fashioned which she really enjoyed. I ordered the skate fish piccata which was wonderful! I got extra sauce and polenta to go with it. My mom had the Caesar salad with crab and she thought it was too salty. So if you're sensitive ask your server first. My aunt had it with shrimp and liked it a lot. My brother had the steak And liked it. And my uncle has the pork belly tacos. Nice ambiance and great service. Our server Rianna was lovely. Will Come Back again read more

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Food Review: Front & Main - Waterville, Maine 9 Main St, Waterville, ME 04901 Tucked away in downtown Waterville, Front & Main is serving up some seriously bold flavors and thoughtful presentations. Sometimes you have to leave the buzz of Portland to discover hidden culinary gems, and this spot proves it. The ambiance is elevated yet comfortable--with beautiful seating and a cozy fireplace area that adds a warm, inviting touch. Let's dive into the food! STARTERS & SMALL PLATES Smoked Ricotta (V/GF) - $18 This dish was... intriguing. It featured roasted asparagus, a ricotta whey emulsion, and an orange leek gremolata. Based on the menu, I expected it to be warm--especially the asparagus--but it was served cold. While the flavors worked surprisingly well together, the temperature threw me off. Honestly, a bit confusing but still tasty? A solid 7/10 for flavor, but presentation and temperature missed the mark. MAINS Street Tacos (3) - Pork Belly Special These were the highlight of the entire meal. No notes, no complaints--just pure joy. Crispy, juicy pork belly with the perfect blend of spices, tucked into soft tortillas. Easily a 10/10, and I'd return just for these alone. Gambian Peanut Stew (GF/V+) - $34 What a flavor bomb! The mafe sauce was rich and spiced beautifully, and the lentils, carrots, plantains, and peas added heartiness. That said, some of the vegetables (especially the potatoes) were undercooked, and a few elements felt more raw than al dente. Still, I was so taken by the taste that I'd order it again in a heartbeat. 9/10, with room to perfect the texture. Potato Gnocchi (V) - $29 Wow. These gnocchi were pillowy soft, served with pearl onions, asparagus, a pine nut & arugula pesto, and topped with pecorino. The pesto sauce was vibrant and full of life--hands down one of the best gnocchi dishes I've had in Maine. A perfect 10/10! Roasted Chicken (GF) - $32 This one fell a bit short. The curried cauliflower, mushrooms, and tikka masala flavors were great, but the chicken itself was dry and lacked the tenderness I hoped for. With better execution on the protein, this dish could have been a standout. 7/10--great ideas, not fully realized. DESSERTS Frozen Key Lime Pie (GF) - $14 A beautiful blend of tart and sweet, topped with toasted meringue, pistachio crumble, and a blackberry sauce. Refreshing and indulgent at the same time. Loved it! Bananas Foster Budino (V/GF) - $14 This was my favorite dessert of the night. A velvety banana custard, brûléed on top with vanilla wafers and chantilly cream--like crème brûlée meets banana pudding, and I was obsessed. Both desserts easily earned 10/10. OVERALL IMPRESSIONS Front & Main brings a creative, globally-inspired menu to central Maine and executes it with a bold culinary voice. The ambiance is polished but relaxed, and the staff were friendly and attentive throughout our visit. Food: 9/10 - The flavors are incredible across the board, with a few execution missteps. Affordability: 5/10 - This is definitely on the upscale side for Waterville. Expect to spend. Ambiance: 8/10 - Sleek, elegant, and warm--especially with that fireplace nook. Would I come back? Absolutely. Those pork belly tacos and Gambian stew are calling my name. read more

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I'm not even sure that a one-star review is appropriate here, as my dining partner and I didn't even make it past the host stand. Walked in on a Saturday at noon. Entire waitstaff waiting by the host stand. Dining room was completely, 100% empty. No customers. Before I could fully calculate what a red flag that was, we were asked if we had a reservation. Kind of silly, since the restaurant had zero paying customers at that point, but I let it go; you never know what their upcoming schedule or seating plan looks like. We said, "no reservation, just a table for two please," at which point, we were stopped by the owner/manager/#1 Tough Guy In Charge (older guy with a beard) who pointed to my friend's cup of espresso in hand (we had just gotten coffee at the opera house a few minutes prior and my friend still had a little bit left). Guy says to my friend in a very aggressive, scolding tone, "Yea, we don't allow outside food and drink, so you're gonna need to do something about that coffee." I don't think I've ever encountered that level of confrontational, un-welcoming attitude at a place of business where I was about to spend money, so we just looked at him, then looked at one another and said, "Okay, thanks but no thanks," and walked out the door. The guy made absolutely no attempt to rectify the situation. I think he was oddly happy to see us leave. I mean, I guess rules are rules, and if it's your restaurant you can create and enforce whatever rules you want (kinda runs counter to the whole "hospitality" thing, but what do I know?). But we were ready to spend $60 or so in there and have a nice breakfast. Instead we spent $0 there, and went down the street to Selah and had a fantastic breakfast. If you're in Waterville, ME, be sure to check them out! read more

This restaurant was located in the hotel that we were staying at so it was super convenient. We did take out one morning because we were in a rush. They might have had an off day or a new cook but the food was nothing to write home about. I had the benedict and the poached eggs were overdone (not runny, in fact almost hard boiled). Somebody else had the Pork Belly Lettuce wraps and The Lockwood and we all came to the same conclusion. The food was cooked well but everything was under seasoned except for the breakfast potatoes. I'm not sure how the pork belly (which was the protein in my benedict) was so bland! We visited another night for the Frozen Key Lime and that was really good. It was presented very well and was very tasty. There was a nice mix of textures with the toasted meringue, pistachio crumble, and blackberry sauce. I'd have that again any day. Our server was on top of things despite it being a very busy Saturday night. I also had the Main Street Mule which was also delicious. read more

Front & Main - Main Street Mule - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

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I'm. Or sure where the positive ratings are coming from, this is an OK restaurant but nothing spectacular. The positives are location and excellent service, but, we don't eat service. The menu is rather limited, and what they bring is passable but certainly not something I'd look forward to. The arms of the chairs are terribly dirty and clearly have ne er been cleaned. The crowd seems to be primarily marginally unpleasant older ladies. Not a great vibe as a result. read more

Front & Main - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

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The good: I've had breakfast twice there and both times found it very flavorful. The food products are high quality, the coffee is delicious, and the waiter is very friendly. The bad: it may seem petty, but the chairs make an enormous billowing sound in the huge open floor design. A bit of felt under the chair legs would help. Overall: I would eat here again and recommend this place. It is a little pricey, but worth it. read more

Service was excellent. Shannon was very friendly and attentive. Food was delicious. I had the lemon-ricotta pancakes, with an egg on the side. Coffee was fresh and tasty. Only comment is when they clean the tables to wipe down the window shelves for crumbs, etc. They have a full bar and great ambuance. It is conveniently located in downtown Waterville. Prices are comparable with any high-end restaurant. If I'm back in the area, I'll definitely return. read more

Front & Main - Lemon-ricotta pancakes, one egg on the side and coffee. - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

Fantastic ambience, nice, upscale restaurant you can get dressed up & enjoy a more fancy GNO / date night or great spot to celebrate a special occasion! Wonderful menu with many unique offerings not found at other local restaurants. The apps are very generous portions and delicious - we had the duck confit bao buns & street tacos, both great - the tacos really were loaded w/meat! The desserts are to die for!! The Dark Chocolate Amoretto Torte was sooo rich & decadent!! The Frozen Key Lime Pie so bright & flavorful - tasted like summer! Hard pressed to pick a favorite between them. Even tho very busy & we needed to hang out in the lounge vs. restaurant, the service was friendly, prompt & attentive. Will definitely be back. read more

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My niece booked a room for a one night stay. Myself and 6 other family members met her for a drink at the bar. Everything was fine, until my niece opened a can of thc seltzer and poured it into a glass ( not the first one of the night) . The bartender came over and politely stated she couldn't do that. As he walked away, I made a comment that he seemed nervous coming over and telling us this, meaning , let's not be jerks to him. He turned around and said " oh I'm not nervous " and my niece said " theres no need to get loud" and he replied " this isn't loud I can get a lot louder" and that he was texting his manager . About what, we do not know. My niece went to the check in area and told that person and the bartender he was not very professional when speaking to us. At that point , we were all going up to my nieces room to finish our drinks. many members of my family have stayed there the past few years and have negative experiences with this bartender. I in no way meant anything negative toward him with my comment, however , he really jumped on us. We ended up going to my nieces room, with our drinks. I had 2 drinks called "pain killers" that I seriously question if they had any alcohol. I am not the only one in my party that felt the drinks were non alcoholic. My family will not be using the Lockwood again read more

Upscale, yet laid back, was my first impression. Located on the first floor of the Lockwood Hotel, this place is chill, popular, and worth a try. My maiden visit happened recently. My writers group gathered for their first meeting of 2025 and we didn't know what to expect. But, we were NOT disappointed. Seriously, I can't say enough good things about the food, ambiance, and service. There were at least 15 of us taking over their family style table, and we were ALL on separate checks (bless our servers heart she took it all in stride). I had their appetizer BBQ ribs (which I think is a seasonal item though I'm not sure). The ribs were bone in (yes!) and tender, barky, chewy, and smokey, everything I wanted in a rib, and I got messy. Others around me ordered the street tacos - which can vary based on what the chef decides, they looked amazing. I saw the house made falafel which came in a heaping bowl with tons of goodies like hummus, olives, pita and a Mediterranean salad. Were a writers group so we were chatting away and let's just say the group got pretty quiet when the food came and we nom nom'd our way long into the night. Front & Main has a full bar with drink specials, beer, wine, and spexy cocktails. The bar and the food service was FAST considering what a large group we were. I stuck around for dessert. They are famous for their frozen key lime pie but I went for the coconut cake, and my dessert was the envy of the table. It was cold, dense, and utterly decadent. The presentation was stunning. I should note ALL the dishes were presented beautifully. There is plenty of parking on the street, and also on the "concourse" which is across the way. All free, and handicap accessible. There are fun cozy, intimate nooks and crannies to sit and have a fireside chat with friends. I was woefully underdressed. If you're looking for a decent date night spot to get a little gussied up, this is your place. Waterville is making a foodie scene comeback! read more

Front & Main - Coconut Cake - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

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Yum! The cocktails here are definitely something. It's an experience from start to finish a little expensive but it is worth it! Can't wait to drop by for dinner again soon read more

This is a delightfully fancy restaurant in a hotel, in a small town. We got breakfast here on the drive back to Vermont from Katahdin. The ambiance was fresh and fancy and the food was deluxe. Truly unbelievable how good this place was, given it's humble location! My only complaint was that the service was a little too hands-off for me. After the food was delivered we never saw the server again until the check was delivered. read more

Front & Main - breakfast - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

Lunch on a Thursday! Great staff members! We were promptly greeted by a friendly and welcoming host. A staff member immediately brought menus and water. Shortly thereafter our wait staff member, Anika, was at our table to welcome us, and see if we had any questions. We did have a couple and she was so pleasant and sincere, based on what we received for our orders. She checked in on a couple of times, but was not intrusive at all. The interior was simple, elegant and clean. We loved the glassware! Something about it was just so unique and practical. The food, the servings were great. My sister and I order the Barbacoa Fries and the Burger. Anika asked if we were going to be sharing and we said yes, she immediately offered to bring sharing plates. So nice and no extra charge, as some places do. The burger was perfectly cooked medium, it was well assembled and presented with a beautiful side salad and cilantro dressing on the side. The barbacoa fries were also plated beautifully. There were so many fries, and delicious beef. Loved it and in fact we were unable to finish it. We then were offered dessert and once we saw the menu, we knew we needed to get at least one to share. We chose the warm spice cake, it was delicious!!!!!!! We had a great experience all around. I highly recommend this location if you are in the area. read more

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We had been looking for breakfast, and ended up here - I had not been to Waterville for years - and what a transformation. The food was good; the sandwich & platter were worth the cost; not sure about $4.50 for coffee. Service was slow, and we kind of wondered why. The bar area looked like a place I would love to visit and sit by the fireplace read more

Front & Main - The Lockwood - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

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What a beautiful dinning room! We were the first to arrive this past Sunday morning for 9:30 breakfast. I had studied the menu on the website so was quite surprised & disappointed that what was on the menu offered to us was quite different, in fact, it really didn't resemble the same establishment that we were in at all. The choices were definitely NOT greasy spoon fare, More high end on the " hoity toity" if you will. I ordered the frittata and my husband had the eggs Benedict. The server was very accommodating and friendly and answered our questions about the food items. The presentation of the food was lovely and then..... ??? These beautiful meals were absolutely tasteless! No salt & pepper, no herbs or spices, and the Hollandaise which I think of as lemony delicious goodness had absolutely no flavor at all . Not sure what happened in the kitchen that day, but we were throughly disappointed and most of our meal we had boxed up to take home. Today I reheated my fritatta along with slices of cheese, garlic, salt & pepper. It was quite yummy. Perhaps the cook for -got to add the seasonings to everything yesterday, hopefully the lack of flavor was an accident that isn't normally made. We are will to try again. Fingers crossed that will have a much better experience.. P.S. our server never did return to see if we wanted more coffee, water or tea that was disappointing as well. read more

We chose Front and Main for our family Thanksgiving dinner and we have already decided we will return to celebrate more holidays and birthdays. As a vegan family, we don't often find a variety of options when we dine out. I communicated before our visit and the staff went out of their way to ensure we were happy with our menu choices. The waitstaff were pleasant, and picked up on cues to move on to the next course. Not chatty but very pleasant. The room where we were seated had lots of natural light and the contained fireplace made it very welcoming. Hands down the best restaurant in central Maine. read more

Front & Main - Paella - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

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Great spot , the brunch was great and nice cappuccino too ! Definitely , try it again !!

Experience was this. We walked in a few minutes before the reservation. We saw the bar was very nice and lit up as they walked us away from it to the back corner of the restaurant where it was so dark I had to use my phones flashlight to see the menu, we basically sat directly next to a bunch of other people. We had to ask for napkins. Then waited 5 minutes after food arrived to get silverware. This place was completely over priced and the food and service were mediocre at best. For. $200 bill for 2 people I should have gone to Texas Roadhouse. My steak was so plain and chewy. Not impressed to say the least. We will never entertain the idea of going here ever again. read more

Staff is very friendly & accommodating! Food is excellent. Allot of locals dine here that says allot. Outdoor area is great & has sun shades for hot days. Dog friendly!! read more

I enjoyed my experience at Front & Main. The food exceeded expectations, however the service did not. We sat outside, which may have been a mistake, although they do have a nice seating area right on the main drag of downtown Waterville. Sitting outside may have slowed down the service, because we waited over 45 min for our food. Appetizers held us over, but it was a long wait. The food was very good when it came out, but I was expecting better service. read more

Had dinner here on September 27 with my wife. We made reservations online, and they got us right in. Very pleasant atmosphere, and the server was very helpful and fun to deal with. We ordered drinks, I had the Pinot Noir, which was wonderful when my wife had a new piña colada type drink that was very sweet and refreshing. I had the pan seared salmon and she had the bucatini, which were both cooked to perfection. Would highly recommend trying this out if you have not already been here. read more

It had been awhile since I visited Front and Main. But, the weather was begging for a patio and a cold beer. I had my dog with me and the patio at Front and Maine is super dog friendly. Bonus: my favorite server Reana was working! I wanted a light beer and she recommended a local Session beer on draft. She also brought water for my pup. I didn't get any food this time.. but the menu looks delightful! If you want a knowledgeable server and great service, request Reana as your server! You'll be happy you did! read more

Gorgeous, brand new space. Friendly, attentive, and professional wait staff. And the food is a cut above even the best among the other restaurants in town. I would go so far as to say my salad, with beets, arugula, goat cheese, and chicken, was the best salad I have ever had. The chicken was screaming hot -- straight off the grill. The salad was nice and cold, well-balanced and beautifully dressed. It is the salad I'll forever aspire to when cooking for myself at home. Seems like a salad should be a simple thing, but it's hard to identify mediocrity until you experience real professionalism. (I now realize my own cooking might be mediocre, but it was worth it.) read more

Service with a smile, and truly amazing food. Sat outside on the patio to enjoy the perfect weather! Crispiest fish and chips, and the Panzanella salad with salmon were outstanding! Chef's daily deviled eggs were perfection! read more

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Whether you are at F&M for dinner, drinks, happy hour or an overnight stay at the hotel, you can't go wrong here. It's worthy of any city on Earth, let alone a little town in central Maine. This place is truly a gem. The staff is fantastic, the food is supreme and the signature cocktails are just divine. Front and Main has the best happy hour in town. A truly welcome addition to the food scene in Waterville. read more

There is a new chef. They no longer serve the the most delicious buttermilk fried chicken. The new menu is weak by comparison. The tacos were tiny and dry. My fish wasn't cooked through and had to be sent back. We were a party of 6 and literally no one enjoyed their expensive dinner. read more

We had dinner last night at Front & Maine and had the best experience even tho there was a few hiccups with our order. The restaurant went above and beyond to make things right and our server was exceptional. I recommend. read more

Shockingly, pleasantly surprised. Definitely what Waterville needs....only disappointed they've just opened now that my son is graduating. Where were you the past four years?!? Service was impeccable, ambience lovely (indoors and out), but the winner was the food. All presented beautifully. 1. Kale & arugula salad - fresh greens - yummy dressing. My *only* hesitation was the granola had cinnamon and kept throwing me off. My husband liked it but I would have opted out of the granola. 2. Grilled ribeye on the face looks disappointing but how wrong I was after the first bite. Even sans sauce. Seasoned and cooked to perfection. The chimichurri was my favorite sauce. Brussels were good but could have been cooked a flash less - some were mushy. 3. Sea scallops - again seasoned and cooked to perfection. I tend to shy away from scallops as not many restaurants cook them properly but would order this time and time again. 4. Desserts: I don't generally order dessert but the frozen key lime and the lemon ricotta cheesecake were out of this world. I'm a big crime brûlée fan so I appreciated the burnt sugar on top of the cheesecake. We sat outdoors and took advantage of the live music playing across the street. Definitely a must go! read more

Front & Main - Ribeye - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

We enjoyed a great early dinner before a movie here. The charcuterie plate was excellent: lovely cured meats and Manchego cheese supplemented admirably by apricot chutney, peppadews, mustard, olives and nice croustade-like crackers. Lobster bisque was served hot with lobster bits and had delicious flavor. My companion's fried chicken dinner was served hot, chicken was juicy and seasoned well. Sides of Cajun potato salad and cole slaw were again, nicely seasoned. Pickles and cornbread added to the special effort by the kitchen. We finished with the Basque cheesecake with a lovely fruit and real homemade whipped cream garnish. Wish the movie had been as good! Our server did a great job too; friendly but professional. The pricing seemed reasonable, too. Thanks for the nice experience. read more

Great food. Excellent Service. My favorite special occasion restaurant. Great Thanksgiving meal.

This first floor hotel restaurant is an absolute gem. Usually for these types of places you pay top dollar just because of the location/setting but the food was worth every penny. Possibly one of the best burgers I have ever had! Hearty and flavorful with an amazing bun. Can't ask for much more! read more

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The cuisine, per usual, was delectable. The presentation, smashing! Our server, Erica, was superb! She's an educator by day and good server by evening - give that wonderful person a raise!!! Brilliant service - impeccable! Thanks, Erica! We'll definitely be back! read more

Front & Main - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

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Found Front&Main to be a very popular place tonight. Overall the food was good - not great. The food came out very very slow - my salmon dinner with polenta and green beans as tasty but not hot at all - barely warm. My hubby's Bucatini with mushrooms was supposed to have sugar snappeas but came with snow peas which have a different texture and taste. The sauce was good and plentiful but the mushrooms were skimpy. The shining star was the Brussel Sprout! Hot, well seasoned and flavorful! Not sure what was going on in the kitchen - all the tables had slow service - our server was just ok. So the verdict is we will probably give it another try when in the area but tonight was not a 4.5 experience as the overall Yelp rating shows. read more

High end but worth the expense. Highly recommend the pork belly street tacos if they are on the menu.

Great service and great food as always. Loved the flamingo theme, it was fun. Very clean and it doesn't feel like you are in Waterville

I went to this restaurant without a reservation on a Thursday night and there was an extremely large crowd of people. The staff were very accommodating and found a table that was in the lounge area where we could eat. In this area it was significantly quieter, yet the staff did not forget about our table. This was definitely the best dinner food I experienced in the area. I had the chicken that came with broccolini and mashed potatoes along with a side of Brussel sprouts. The Brussel sprouts were one of the best parts of the meal, and were crisp and had not too much oil. read more

Front & Main - Fried chicken dish with broccolini and mashed potatoes - Bars Near Me - Waterville, Maine

Great food, lovely ambience, good service... a little expensive but very good overall. Our drinks were nice and cold and very tasty. Our food came out hot and was very well seasoned. The staff was very attentive. The bathrooms are nice and clean. read more

One of the best restaurants in Maine and a hidden gem in Waterville. Top service , great drinks and delicious food. Tacos are always fresh and tasty , and the short rib is amazing. The bartenders are friendly , the decoration is classic and the place is always clean. read more

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