The pie is delicious. Ambience can't be beat! And the food is as great as the pie! Dining is comfortable with pleasant options for seating.

This may be the slowest restaurant in America. We stopped in for lunch on a relatively slow Saturday afternoon and waited over an hour before we saw the first tidbit on the table. Personally, I would have given up after an hour, but I was dining with very patient people. While waiting, we had to beg for water. I love when that happens. The food that finally arrived, was just plain, mediocre crap that you could have bought at your local Cumberland Farms, except the chefs at Cumbie might be a bit more skilled in the kitchen. The painfully slow service continued right up until we got the check, which we had to request. I love that, too. The view is lovely, but unfortunately that's the only positive thing I can say about this restaurant. read more

Great place, nice feel and good service. Kind of an upscale diner feel. Everything was perfect, good portions. Seafood platter was perfect. Burger (blue goat) was great. Can't beat a place like that. Got pie to go for later. read more

Helen's Restaurant - Seafood platter! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Machias, Maine

Every few years I visit Jonesport Maine and I love going to Helen's at least once or twice during my stay. This tradition was my mother's when she would come down east to visit her mom, Eva M. Beal. The meals are great, the service is fantastic, and the homemade pies are out of this world! To me the scenery is so beautiful inside and out! read more

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We ordered every pie on the menu. They were all yummy. Location is right on the water.. grab a blanket and enjoy some delicious !! read more

Three words: Blueberry Cream Pie! They apparently only have this specific pie when blueberries are in season, so boy did we luck out. We also ordered wings, pot roast, meatloaf, and the fish chowder. They were all very good, and I feel like the menu was priced $2 too cheap across the board for every item. It's a very pleasant ambiance that is clean and spacious. Well behaved dogs are allowed inside the restaurant. Great value food that was very good, but the real standout is the pie. read more

Helen's Restaurant - Blueberry Cream Pie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Machias, Maine

Not a fan of Helens. The seating is very uncomfortable. The food is outrageous just like anywhere else. Some of the waitresses are rude and stuck up. But that's typical of downeastern girls. read more

Asked me if I wanted a bag for my takeout order, weird question given Maines bag laws don't apply to hot served food and seeing as I had 5 items I'd be carrying out with me. Said sure and was then shocked to see on my receipt walking out that I was charged $0.50 for a small paper bag to care my family's dinner in. Additionally, like always, they take away/don't serve the chips that come as a side to their sandwiches if you order and pay for any appetizers with your meal. Only restaurant I can think of that serves you less food with the entree you order because you purchase appetizers. Scummy. They think they're a community fixture, but I guess time can't buy class and good hospitality. read more

Stopped in here for breakfast after a week long camping trip in Lubec. The exterior is pretty sitting right on the river. The interior is nice and fits the location of the restaurant. I ordered the crab Benedict which was tasty and had real crab, but I think it was a bit expensive for the portion size ($12). Most places give you hash browns or a side with your Benedict for the same price. My aunt had the the egg breakfast which looked like your standard egg breakfast. We came here initially for the pie but didn't end up getting it because the service was really slow and we didn't have time. Also most places in Maine are very dog friendly but I noticed that you can't even eat with your dog on the outside patio which was disappointing read more

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They don't want your business. They don't need you. That is the total vibe. My first and last visit. I was so disappointed as was my aunt and uncle who brought us there for this great breakfast! 7 of us came in on July 4. At 10:40 am after the local 5 k. Breakfast is served until 11:00. We were seated with our breakfast menus. At 10:59 the waiter (the waiter and I both looked at the time) came over and told us they were no longer serving breakfast. We said we were confused that we had been there and were given breakfast menus, but no one had come over since we got there. He said sorry the kitchen is backed up - we'll be happy to serve you lunch. With 7 of us hungry after the 5k - we agreed. Begrudgingly. I half-joked what are ya' gonna do special for us since we're all bummed out? I ordered their brand new blue goat beef burger- rare. It came with potato chips did I want to exchange for fries? I said no i didn't want potato chips could I exchange for Cole slaw instead? He said of course. My burger arrived-It was a medium well (way off from rare) burger with the "new" ingredients sloppily spread on the burger with under sautéed onions that were ready to be onion rings rather than on a burger. Long and sliced with one cut. I really wanted rare, but we had already been there far too long. With other tables being served before us. And I was trying not to make my aunt and uncle feel worse than they already did to disappoint. Wish the restaurant cared as much as they did. When I got the bill I had been up charged for my coleslaw that came in one of those 2-3 tablespoon plastic containers $2.50. I usually throw a restaurant a bone even if I give it a low rating. Helen's doesn't get one. You obviously do not need me as a customer-so I will oblige... read more

We arrived just as a very large party was sitting down, so the initial welcome from the waitress took quite a while. The food came out quickly though! Spaghetti and meatballs was okay, tasted a bit sweet. We also had the hot roast beef sandwich that was good. Pie was a must for us, but there wasn't really anything special about it to us. read more

Ate here once a day during my entire visit to Machias. Had a different entree every time (all were delicious) and always had a slice of blueberry pie to top off the meal. Get that pie warm and a la mode. Might be the only way to make that masterpiece better. Pro tip: you can order a "lazy man lobster" off the menu if you want some local lobster goodness without the digging for the meat and messiness of a standard lobster meal. I know it's not the authentic way to eat one, but hey, I was a tourist. Every bit of the wait staff was helpful and friendly. Definitely busy during peak times so plan to eat outside those times or factor in a wait. read more

Helen's Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Machias, Maine

Family restaurant you feel like your a member of the family food is good at reasonable price, service is excellent it hard not to be comfortable. read more

The salmon with blueberry mustard was the best. The haddock was good but nothing close to the salmon. The clams and onions rings are very good. The blueberry pie was okay but we have found no one makes pie very sweet in maine. read more

Always delicious and has been every time we have gone back over the last 20 years. The chowdah is a favorite

Can I give more than 5 stars????? I have been gluten free for a couple years due to an allergy and have been craving a fried chicken sandwich since and OMG!!!! When I found out this place had it, I did not care if it tasted good or not but that chicken sandwich was honestly better than any gluten fried chicken I've ever had. And the service was great, we got take out and had to wait just a bit because of a line and they were super apologetic and tried their best to get us checked out. I wish I didn't live so far away, but might be worth the trip if I'm ever craving a fried chicken sandwich! Also my partner got the fried fish sandwich and it was a HUGE piece of fish and that breading was perfectly seasoned and flakey. And the homemade potato chips are soooo good. read more

We've been coming here for years and make sure to bring any visitors to Maine in with us! The owner, Julie, is great and staff are friendly and knowledgable. The food is amazing and it's no wonder they keep busy! We often have a gang with us and everyone samples the different meals but no one can decide what's best because it's all SO good. It's a great place to go if you want gluten free options besides a salad or broiled fish. Helen's offers fried fish, seafood, and even onion rings in their special GF coating! Their coleslaw is some of the best anywhere. We're usually too stuffed to eat dessert there, but would recommend getting some pie to go -- you won't be disappointed! read more

Great place on the water! Nice lunch stop!! Good food! Beautiful views! Local eagles all around!! read more

Stopped in our way through town and I'm glad we did. Started with the blueberry sangria which was quite tasty. For dinner I had the roast beef sandwich and mashed potatoes, hubby had the lobster roll with onion rings, both were delicious. Don't miss the fresh blueberry pie! We grabbed some to go as we were both full, and that was a great decision. read more

Very overpriced and I never enjoy anything I order here. I have been here twice and I have been disappointed both times, on top of paying over $150 for three people to eat. read more

What a wonderful find! The Blue Goat Burger is absolutely delicious! The fresh Wild Blueberry Single Crust Pie, only available in August, was so good I wished I could have brought one home. Their cinammon rolls are the definition of what a cinammon roll should be! The wait staff was friendly and attentive and the prices were reasonable. If you are ever in Machias, ME in August be sure to stop. You won't be disappointed! read more

Helen's Restaurant - Fresh Single Crust Wild Blueberry Pie! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Machias, Maine

This was the most charming dinner spot! We even met the owner bc my husband recognized her from the photo album they had in the front that had pics from the fire they had a few years back. Our food was amazing! We had onion rings, the BEST blueberry glazed salmon and delicious blueberry pie! The staff was kind and gracious and their menu did not disappoint! Definitely make time for dinner when you stop in for their famous pies too! read more

Ordered to go as wehad 2 puppies with us. Ate outside under the umbrellas. Blueberry pie was ok despite the flavor of cinnamon. Never had that before. On to the negatives... $142.00 for lunch. 2 reg size lobster rolls, 2 chowder, 2 slices of pie and clam straps. Waaaay overpriced! Received whole belly clams instead of strips (try getting a kid to eat those) Received bag style potato chips instead of French fries. Seafood chowder was white water with shrimp, fish and some scallops at the bottom. Onion rings were wet shoe strings. Despite the pleasant service, none of the food was what I had expected and I will not be stopping on our return trip. We ended up throwing out 50% of our $142.00 in the dumpsters behind the restaurant. Very disappointing . read more

I always stop by here if I'm traveling in the area. It's a popular sit-down restaurant in a relatively remote stretch of coastline. The pie is amazing--you can't go wrong with any flavor. The service is prompt, if somewhat hurried. I felt like their popularity had service worn a bit thin last time I was there, but still a worthwhile stop. read more

Hi friends, your traveling foodie here with another tish delish review for Helen's restaurant. While vacationing here in the lovely Machiasport (pronounced Ma-chai-as-port), we wanted to go to a local eat that would leave us satisfied, because when traveling the most important thing to do is try the local eats right? Yes, of course! Glad you agree with me. Now on to the highlights. First you are greeted by a plethora of scandalous pies just tempting you with their deliciousness. Whoever decided to place them there, shame on you for making us mouth water before we even decided on what to eat. I felt terrible for the lovely waitress who had to come back for us twice as we were musing on which slice of pie to get later. They have a nice atmosphere inside also. They have a mantle of antlers at their bar area if you're into that (beautiful antlers of course). And the view depending on where you sit! We were greeted by our lovely waitress, Robin, who has amazing taste in earrings and was so patient and kind (major plus). We started off with a garlic goat cheese and crackers, because you know what they say about cheese and crackers, right? Good, I didn't either. The cheese was delicious and local too! Any restaurant that supports local farms always gets a plus. Now I will make the choice easy for you here folks, just get the Blue Goat. Yup, that's it. Yes, I'm being serious. Even if you are vegetarian, get the blue berry burger, without the meat. Trust me, it is that good! That or just get a slice of pie. Making food choices for you aside, I have to say it was tasty eats! The burger was so very tasty with a blueberry jam on goat cheese, and blueberry mustard with bacon and sautéed onions! Tish delish! I had to share bites with everyone. The family ordered a clam roll which was okay, fish and chips which was good and a steak sandwich akin to a philly cheese steak which was also good. If you happen to be in the area, please go to Helen's. You will enjoy it as you relax in the area. We did not get a chance to order their lobster so I could not tell you how it is, though I'd imagine they would not disappoint. Update: So we loved the place so much we went back two more times on our trip including Friday evening where there was a moderate wait but not long. Quick highlights: The delicious - The prime rib was huge and enjoyed! The lobster dinner was delish! The banana split pie is so good! The lobster mac and cheese was heavenly. You have to try the fish chowder. It is not the thick kind of chowders that many people would be use to, but it will not disappoint. The good - If you love fruit pies or even curious, try one. They are known for their blue berry pies. Their blueberry pie was a unique experience that I won't experience any time soon! The spicy chicken sandwich was delish! A little too much blue cheese though. The fish and chips were just okay on Friday night. I would have knocked a half a star but we did go here three times and we really enjoyed coming here. All three times our waitresses were super lovely and kind. Bon appetite! read more

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Fantastic food and service. We stopped in on our way down from Canada to Bar Harbor. We had lobster mac, meatloaf, blueberry pie and pumpkin pie. And those delicious rolls! Our server was so helpful about the menu and the area. read more

I was in Machias for work and a friend recommended we stop at Helen's for their pie. We found ourselves with more time than planned and got to go for lunch. I had their new Grilled Cheese Meatloaf Sandwich. Garlic bread, melted slabs of mozzarella, and a hearty slice of meat loaf all with some marina to dip. Delicious! The pie was incredible. It had flaky crust filled with local low-bush blueberries. (That type of blueberry is the small kind, local to that area.) HOLY CRAP, so good. The perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee. Check it out if you find yourself there. read more

Helen's Restaurant - Helen's Famous Blueberry Pie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Machias, Maine

Helen's--Well known far and wide here in Maine, especially for their pie. I don't write a lot of reviews, but after last night's experience, I knew I had to write this one. I don't have an axe to grind, and hope to give an honest, accurate review of this long-standing local Maine establishment. Our latest visit was disappointing to say the least. THE GOOD: 1) Helen's is clean. 2) The decor is stark--"industrial". 3) The view (of the Machias River) is nice. 4) The waitresses at Helen's are friendly. 5) The food is, perhaps, a bit above average, but not by much. 6) The prime rib is excellent THE BAD: 1) The prices. Some items on the menu are priced too high. For example, the prime rib that we enjoyed several years ago for $14.99 has jumped to $24.99 for the same 1-pound portion. 2) The "house salad". It is a mix of romaine lettuce, a few grape tomatoes, grated carrots, a few cucumber slices, and 2 or 3 red onion rounds. Now, most restaurants offer at least two, or at most three sides with their entrees. Helen's offers two, but salad is not one of them. You cannot just swap one of their bland steamed vegetables (served without butter) for a salad, and be good to go. No, there will be a "slight upcharge". Okay. One might expect $2 or $3 for the salad, at most. But no. We were presented with a bill for $6.29 for EACH salad! What?? Why not $6.50, or $7.00? No--$6.29. Strange indeed. 3) The wait. We waited almost exactly one hour for our entrees to arrive, and when they did, I was served a dish which I did not order. The waitress explained, upon putting the order in front of me, "I was not going to make you wait one more minute for your order, so when the kitchen made you the wrong thing, I brought it to you anyway." What? I don't like crab meat on top of my haddock. I wanted it with a nice bread stuffing with garlic and Parmesan, as promised on the menu. I was not even asked if this was okay, so I dutifully ate it. It was brought to me barely warm, as though it had been sitting in the kitchen for a while. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't what I wanted. 4) The scallops. My husband ordered the fried scallops, and many of them had a tough, chewy portion. Helen's does not remove the small, chewy muscle on the side of the scallop, something that most self-respecting seafood restaurants wouldn't dream of serving. 5) The baked potatoes. They are obviously cooked well ahead of time, and heated up as ordered, or kept warm for hours, which renders them pretty pathetic. They have a "leftover" taste. 6) The seats. They are extremely uncomfortable. Done in the "industrial style", they have metal arms which press uncomfortably against you (especially if you're a woman), and the seats are not padded, or contoured. They do have some booths, but good luck getting seated in one of them. We arrived at 4:45 PM and they were already taken. THE DETAILS: Helen's is definitely not "fine dining", though some of the prices suggest otherwise. Our waitress was nice (I think they all are), but during the hour-long wait, she didn't come back to give us any updates as to how much longer the wait would be, until the very end. Everyone in the dining room got their food before us. As I mentioned, when our food finally arrived, she put in front of me a dish I didn't order, and didn't bother asking if a substitution was okay. When she arrived at our table to ask us about dessert, I asked her if she didn't think that perhaps an adjustment in the amount might be justified in light of the long wait and the fact that I didn't get what I ordered. She seemed genuinely shocked that I would complain about getting something different than what I ordered. She told me she would have to check with management about any adjustment. A few minutes later, she informed me that both of our desserts would be comped. There was no apology for the wait or getting the wrong order. At this point, we were still unaware of what we were going to be charged for two very simple salads. We passed the desserts on our way to pay the check, and noticed lots of red raspberry pie (one of my favorites), which our waitress neglected to tell us about. My hunch is that Helen's has raised prices significantly (and I feel, unreasonably) in order to compensate for lost revenue from the pandemic in the past 15 months. I understand this has been very difficult for businesses, but they should not take this out on the customers. And when Helen's messes up, they are very reluctant to make any adjustments to the check on the customer's behalf. THE BOTTOM LINE: We will not be back. Unfortunately, there are few other choices in this part of Washington County, Maine. Therefore, I will be making meals at home. They will be superior and will cost much, much less. read more

Friendly service, in a bright and clean dining room. You can't beat the view or the pie. I wanted to rate this higher, but after eating Here three times. They're just a four star restaurant, decent food, with good service. Perfect place to take a break from the road. The chowder is good, the haddock is good and the pie is pretty damn good. An above average meal for weary Travlers. read more

How does a San Diegan end up in this part of Maine? My husband (who is from here) suggested this place the first morning on our visit to see his family. First impression: the place was "insta-worthy". It felt nice and cozy with beautiful farmhouse fixtures that city people like myself emulate in our homes. We requested a table by the window to look at the waterfront. Granted, it was a cloudy day, but it was still beautiful. Customer service was great. I feel that any establishment that tries to make a one year old comfortable gets an automatic 5-stars. The food was good, not great. I got the bulldog burger. The angus patty was definitely homemade (love) but I wish they did more with it. My son got the alfredo which tasted off. They could do better with that. I had a taste of my husbands lobster roll - amazing. Fresh lettuce and delicious lobster. So, so good. My mother-in-law had a sandwich with some kind of fish and that was also super yummy. I guess what I'm trying to say is if you're going to eat here, choose the seafood. For dessert, my husband had the strawberry pie which was the best strawberry pie I have ever tasted. Back in CA, there's this famous strawberry-filled donut that is a glutinous good time, and this pie rivals it. If I could find a way to take one back home with me, I would. Overall, I love this place. I will try to come back before I go, and will definitely return when our family makes the next visit out here. read more

Great Service and great food. We come up here every year from the Boston area. It never disappoints. Lobster roll, meatloaf sandwich and a big chunk of pie. Love it. Thank the owners for keeping this place around. Where else could you go? read more

Ordered takeout and everything was very good! Blueberry pie was good but the crust could be better. The filling is excellent, not too sweet, all fresh blueberry. read more

Was passing through Machias, ME and I will tell you that this was a very nice surprise to run into up there. When I was stationed up there back in the day, I never really frequented it that often but this time I didn't remember it being so tasty. Now, remember Machias is not the most financially sound area and the economy is not very strong in the area, but Helen's is an institution that has survived the times and kept on kicking. The food is really just ok for the most part in this restaurant but the desserts and breakfast is something pretty special. The blueberry pie and the chocolate cream pie are two that stand out to me as the people I was with ordered and LOVED. They do also have a breakfast buffet on the weekends that is sufficient enough. But remember that they don't have the funds and cash to run like a place in Portland or Bar Harbor but it is still a diamond in the rough. One of the other pieces that I love about this little place is the small town feel to the teas and trinkets that they sell with the heritage of the annual and traditional blueberry festival in Machias, ME. It isn't the most glamorous place but it serves its purpose. So, if you are combing Downeast ME along the coast, be sure to stop into Helen's and be served by some of the nicest people on the face of the earth. read more

Seafood Chowder is creamy and stuffed full of Haddock, delicious. Lobster Roll is like having a whole lobster on a toasted split bun. Amazing. Maine Blueberry Pie, wow! Service... great. I would make the 5.5 hr trip just for this. read more

Helen's Restaurant - Lobster Roll - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Machias, Maine

An obvious route 1 stop, as not much else is around. Apparently it burned down before we came, but was rebuilt (which means it was worth rebuilding...usually a good sign) and was incredibly aesthetically pleasing. Modern design, open spaces, natural light and quite warm inside despite concrete floors and large windows. Many people think modern means cold- but Helen's was a marriage of the old and the new and paired the small town with a great place for anything from a slice of pie to grabbing a drink at the bar. The food was good- we had "the Dutch special" as an appetizer- potato crisps with bbq sauce, chipotle mayo, and onions (a must get- it was the bomb) and it was great. Burgers, sandwiches and haddock followed. Just like other coastal Maine towns, seafood was on point. Pie for dessert was AMAZING. A healthy selections of homemade pies. The waitresses were twenty somethings, attractive and friendly- all of them. Not an important detail but I found it odd they all fit the same mold. No complaints though, it just seemed strange for such a small town. I would eat here again in a heartbeat. Too bad it's far from home. read more

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Thank you for having gluten free batter options for the fried food! Much appreciated but more than that.... It was sooooooo delicious. Can't wait to visit again. read more

This was our stop for dinner. The restaurant itself is very nice, white and open with amazing views of the water. The decorations are perfect for the environment. We walked in and were seated immediately. Our server was excellent, great service and very friendly. When I ordered a Moxie, she warned me that I might not like it (my first time trying the drink). In my party we ordered fish chowder, chicken strips, lazy lobster (lobster meat without the shell), and crab cakes. Everything was amazing!! The flavors were so good. The food was high quality and filling. The portions are very large. We got a piece of blueberry pie and loved it. We would definitely come here again if we lived close by. read more

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Loved the decor and view! Everything looked fresh and clean and there is a nice view of the river, especially in the back of the restaurant. There is also an outside eating area facing the river if it's a nice day. Shared the lazy lobster and the Bellamy's Bounty of the Sea (clams, shrimp, scallops, and Haddock). The lobster, scallops, and Haddock were all delicious, as was the cocktail sauce. Clams were unexciting, breading needed a little something more and the shrimp was pretty shrimpy. If I were to visit again I'd go with the scallops. Staff were all friendly and the service was great. Wish I had room for pie as they all looked delicious! read more

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Love Helen's. Love their staff, the organic and gluten free menus. Love that they try to favor local breweries, local fishermen and keep their menu up to par with the latest trends in food tasting. Definitely the #1 place to have dinner in Machias: I would recommend their Famous Fish Chowder - to die for - and just about anything seafood on the menu. If you've never had crab from this part of Maine, DEFINITELY try the Crab Salad ... it's sweet, it's delectable and it would take you hours to break down the amount of meat they offer in such an affordable package! read more

Helen's Restaurant - Mudslide - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Machias, Maine

Fish chowder has become my Maine obsession. And this was delectable. Simple. Broth so good I was ready to tilt the dregs into my mouth. I followed that with a Ceasar salad (lettuce! Healthy!), an Irish Bastard beer, and a slice of wild blueberry pie. Nice way to end a very long day of driving in Maine. read more

Helen's Restaurant - Beer & blueberry pie: it's what's for dinner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Machias, Maine