Luke's Lobster on Portland Pier delivers the complete waterfront experience -- outstanding fresh…read moreseafood, a prime historic location, and that perfect mix of casual Maine charm with comfortable, scenic dining. Tucked at the end of the working waterfront in Portland's Old Port, the setting is special. The shingled building is lined with colorful lobster buoys, and large windows inside offer beautiful views of the harbor and boats. We sat inside on a sunny June afternoon; the relaxed pier atmosphere still came through while we enjoyed the scenery from our table. We started with the hot honey dip -- an incredibly light and airy creamy spread that delivers a subtle, building warmth from the honey rather than an upfront kick. Finished with fresh chives and served with crisp crackers, it was a refreshing, shareable starter that didn't weigh us down before the main course. For the main event, I ordered the lobster roll flight paired with a blueberry beer from Orono Brewing. The flight was an excellent choice, letting us sample three distinct variations side by side. Each roll was generously packed with sweet, fresh lobster on perfectly toasted buns. The clear standout was the butter lobster roll -- it's hard to argue with. It was loaded with fresh, clean lobster and absolutely smothered in delicious butter. The flavor was outstanding. The other two rolls were also excellent: one featured a prominent lobster tail piece with a cleaner presentation, while the third came heavily seasoned with red spices for a bolder flavor. The Orono blueberry beer was a fantastic pairing -- light blueberry notes and very easy-drinking, perfectly complementing the richness of the lobster without overpowering it. Service was friendly, efficient, and professional even during a busy lunch rush. The staff were knowledgeable and kept everything moving smoothly. A couple practical notes: This is a popular spot, especially in summer, so it can get busy. Street parking and meters around the pier can be competitive, but it's worth it. Prices fall in the $ range and feel fair given the quality, generous portions, and prime waterfront location. Overall, Luke's stands out because it nails the full experience. The lobster is exceptional, the setting is memorable, and the whole place has that polished yet authentic waterfront charm. Whether you're visiting Portland for the first time or you're a repeat seafood lover, this is worth it. We'll absolutely be back. Pro tip: The indoor seating still gives you great harbor views through the large windows. Start with an appetizer if you're hungry and take your time -- the buttery lobster is worth savoring.

Monday night... pretty quiet. Expecting great hot food! Ordered a beer for hubby and wine for me!…read more Asked waitress, for best appetizers, fried calamari, (yeah, we live calamari) ok, not hot a layer or balsamic is over calamari... ok, however the breading has no taste. Then order large Caesar salad and fish and chips... to be split and shared. Both came out at same time... shame on me for not telling the waitress how to bring out. Both arrived at the same time. Caesar salad the lettuce was warm and wilted, croutons burned. Fried fish, the fries were tough and cold! The fish had the same breading as the calamari! The fish was warm, not much taste. Funny, at end of meal... where the waitress clearly sees we did not eat our food... she asks how the drinks were (remember we ordered beer and wine) The manager shows up, we told him we did not want comped food. Did tell him all of the above.... His bigger concern was "was the fish cooked correctly" The table behind us got the clams comped... no idea why! We will not recommend nor will we ever return!

A beautiful visit to this fine restaurant! Our server,…read moreElizabeth, greeted us with a warm smile and information about the restaurant after learning it was our first time there. Husband started with a fresh lettuce salad that had a nice vinegar & oil with fresh garlic dressing on it. I ordered the Squash soup which was savory and perfect for a cool evening. Cod for me and halibut for him were the main entrees. Both were deliciously prepared and had wonderful flavor and didn't last long, even with a nice serving size! We added the mashed potatoes(OMG!) and carrots as side dishes and both complimented our mains perfectly. I'd let the staff know that it was my husband's birthday so when the Rhubarb Crisp came out, it included a birthday candle and Happy Birthday written in chocolate on the plate. Elizabeth was outstanding and a delight to meet. Fore Street has a great reputation that is well deserved. We spent $200 including tip which included one beer with our dinner. Highly recommend for future visits!

THIS WAS THE BEST RESTAURANT IN PORTLAND!!!! We did not have a reservation, so we got in line on a…read moreFriday at 4:30 right when they opened. We were able to snag 3 bar seats right away or they gave us the option to come back for a table at 5:15. Both great options. Everything we got was seriously so amazing, you cannot go wrong ordering. My favorite was the tuna tartar & the roasted carrots side we ordered. I have never tasted for fresh tuna tartar in my life. The haddock was also cooked perfectly and smothered in an amazing sauce. All the drinks we got were great too. I'm normally not a cosmo girl but we saw these being brought to another table & they looked so good we had to order them. I'm so glad we did because they were delish! The chefs and bartenders really know what they are doing here. Cannot recommend this place enough!!!!!

If you're in Portland and craving a real diner breakfast, Becky's absolutely hits the spot. The…read morehomemade corned beef hash is the star of the plate: big chunks of corned beef and potatoes, crispy on the outside, tender inside, and super flavorful without being greasy. You can taste that it's made from scratch, not scooped out of a can. The blueberry pancake is everything you want from a Maine diner--loaded with berries, golden on the edges, and fluffy in the middle. It's one of those pancakes you tell yourself you'll share, then somehow you don't. The fiddlehead omelet is such a fun local twist, with the fiddleheads adding a tender, slightly earthy bite that makes the whole thing feel special and seasonal. Service is friendly and efficient, even when they're slammed, and the whole place has that busy, waterfront, "locals and tourists together" vibe. Expect a wait, especially at prime breakfast hours, but the homemade corned beef hash, blueberry pancake, and fiddlehead omelet make it more than worth it.

Trusty diner on Commercial Street in an area that was once far from the epicenter of Old Port, but…read morecity growth has brought it closer. Relatively easy parking. Good breadth of menu. Seats in relaxing booths plus plenty of stools. Servers very experienced and very friendly. It's a comforting environment. Their many loyal "regulars" are there for a reason. I've already got a few visits under my belt and liked them enough to have bought a souvenir mug. First visit actually reviewing was a breakfast trying the Hobson's Sampler with eggs, meat, homefries, toast, pancakes, and many choices among them. -- Scrambled Eggs: Nothing remarkable but no mistakes. Cooked just right, avoiding brownage and runny goopage. -- Homefries: Cut into non-cubes with heights less than the widths, achieving better crispness that way. Good variety of textures. Not much seasoning or onion, but solid homefries. -- Sausage Links (3): Standard. Lightly crisped, still juicy. Seems easy, but hardly anyone does them this well. -- English Muffin: I told the server to skip the toast, seeing there'd be plenty of carbs with the two pancakes, but she strongly recommended trying the English muffins, since they were homemade. Great flavor, great choice. Will have these again and I recommend you try them too. -- Pancakes (2): Fluffy and delicious. And big. Not elite, but really close. Enough that you'd have to go to 10 other places before finding one better. Just a great all-around place. No wow factor, but on every visit (all breakfasts), everything was good, right down to the efficient and friendly service.