McKays was a spot recommended to us and so happy we got to check it out! We showed up close to closing time so I am keeping this in mind for my review. My husband and I walked up to the host at like 8:30pm and the sign said they close at 9pm. I was expecting a sour face as the reluctantly took us- nope! SMILES. Staff welcomed us in, our waitress (sorry her name escaped me) was attentive and provided great insight on the menu. We didn't want to overstay our welcome so we stuck with dinners. Husband enjoyed his braised short ribs and said he would get it again. My Shepard's Pie was extremely delicious and came out piping hot. We sat indoors but the outdoor seating looked adorable. I wasn't totally wowed by the place. McKays is a solid food spot. I'd treat it like my local go-to if we lived around there. read more

The service and ambiance were great. Food however was a little underwhelming. We ordered bread and pretzels with beer cheese. The pretzels were great, the cheese was not. They should look into using a different cheese as it's so overpowering. The fish and chips (with mashed potatoes instead) was just okay. The breading was wayy too much giving it an "airy" texture. The breading was so thick it wasn't even on the fish, there was space between it. The mashed potatoes however were good. We also got the seafood risotto. Huge portion and I feel like they can really improve on the risotto itself. read more

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Worried after reading these reviews but pleasantly surprised Reservations are a must during peak season -it was packed and people were sitting outside on a 50 degree night (with portable heaters) Service was great. Large menu with plenty of food and drink options Food - salmon delicious but small portion - Cioppino was done well- scallops perfectly cooked. Shrimp overcooked. Sauce was a little watered down - sticky toffee pudding: best thing we ate hands down. Get it. - fall risotto: loved it - blueberry pie and French onion soup was okay - sweet potatoes fries: fantastic but we got 7-8 medium sized waffle fries for $6 Honestly for the price? Underwhelming BUT it's Bar Harbor and this is the standard. Outside of Bar Harbor 3.25. In Bar Harbor 4 stars read more

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We had a great dinner. A great waitress (wish I knew her name...she was really good). Started with truffle fries and my husband had the short rib and I had crab cakes. All was fantastic. But the real star was the sticky toffee pudding which our waitress recommended. Get it. It's amazing. read more

I was on the hunt for fresh lobster, so I stopped by this spot...only to find out it wasn't lobster season. A bit of a bummer, but honestly, the rest of the experience more than made up for it. The staff were incredibly warm and welcoming, which was a relief after coming from another place nearby that just had a terrible vibe. I started with the drink, the Tiger's Blood, and it was really good, refreshing and well-balanced. I was hungry so got right to the order! I got the truffled seafood risotto and wow absolutely incredible. Rich, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. I devoured every bite. I also had the halibut with orzo, green pea sauce, and broccolini, and that was another standout. Everything was plated beautifully and tasted just as good as it looked. Next, I tried the French onion soup. It was good, but I'm just not a huge fan of onion soups in general, so take that with a grain of salt. Now the crème brûlée....that was perfect. Crisp top, smooth and creamy inside. A true crème brûlée done right. The entire place had a calm, quiet atmosphere that I loved. Super cozy and just the kind of spot you want to go back to. I'll definitely be returning when I get the chance, maybe even when lobster is in season! read more

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I hate to give this place 3 stars, because the food was fantastic. But the service was just not great last night. After being seated, about 10 minutes passed before the waitress came over to get our drink orders. I had a cocktail off the menu and it was fantastic! We started with the Brussels sprouts - they were truly divine. They came with a pineapple sweet chili sauce and spicy peanuts on top. The peanuts added an addictive crunch that I didn't know I needed! This is where things went downhill. The time between when we finished our appetizer and when we received our entrees, was a LONG time. I tried not to care, because it is vacation and we had nowhere to be - however my husband was very close to asking what was going on. Finally, the entrees came. I ordered the soft pretzels. They were great! You can tell they were homemade, and the beer cheese it came with was yummy. My husband had a burger, which he said was really good. After our meals, we really wanted to try the blueberry pie. The waitress warned us that "the desserts are taking a really long time to come out tonight - 10 to 20 minutes". But we proceeded - thinking what on earth could take a slice of pie so long to come out? Lo and behold, that piece of pie took 25 minutes to come out from when it was ordered. Again, we had nowhere to be so I didn't care too much. But the entire meal when it was all said and done took over 2 hours for 2 people. I don't know what we would have done if our toddler was with! Overall, the food was fantastic though. I am hoping the service was not an every day thing. read more

We only went for drinks and dessert, but wow this place was good! The atmosphere is a little mixed up, you can tell it's an old house which has had a few identities in its time, which I much prefer to something phony so that's not a problem. We had a great seat with a server who understood we were there to gossip and catch up -- thanks, Hannah! read more

My wife and I ate here on one of our two nights in Bar Harbor. We made the mistake of not checking the Yelp reviews first. Anything under 4 stars is not worth your time on vacation. But I digress. We had to run in from the rain and arrived a few minutes before our 7 pm reservation. We were seated under a screened in area outside with two heaters--no problem. The heater near our table stopped working before our appetizer arrived. The appetizer we ordered was on the menu as "Pork Belly & Scallops" for $18. For that price we were expecting much more than the three tiny bits of pork belly and two tiny scallops (pictured). All were over salted and the "slaw" accompanying it was also over-seasoned somehow. If you're going to serve such tiny portions as an appetizer and charge $18, at least make it elegant and well seasoned and show some pride. To start a meal off on that note is terrible, and I can hear you saying "Welcome to Bah Haabaa, that's the standid heeya" as if because you're near a beautiful national park it somehow gives you the right to expect your guests to pay $18 for five tiny little bits of over-seasoned meat. My extremely agreeable wife used the words "ridiculous" and "laughable" to describe the appetizer to our waitress who was visibly embarrassed to come to our table for the rest of the night. Our entrees were acceptable. My wife had the meatloaf which she really enjoyed and I had the seafood risotto, which was not sufficiently seasoned and only had two tiny little (undercooked) scallops in it. Don't be fooled by the old pics on here of this dish showing 2-3 huge seared scallops. You'll have to dig around to find any. One final gripe. Remember the heater I mentioned? It was fairly chilly, especially as we came in from the rain. The staff did not notice the heater was off and did not turn it back on after I asked them to. Our waitress was very kind and sweet. None of this is on her. All the above is a failure of ownership. read more

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The restaurant is super nice with outdoor seatings available and we dined outside the beautiful patio with some lights around the fence. The food was so good. We ordered the crab cakes, beet salad with sautéed shrimp, caesar salad with fried fish, and a special menu item with seafood and risotto. The dressing on the beet salad was refreshing. The shrimp was cooked just right and the garlic gives it a kick. I absolutely enjoyed my salad! Everything was delicious! Service was also great! Will be back to try the other special menu items. read more

McKays Public House - Chardonnay and blueberry soda - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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Toxic work environment. I was so excited for the Cioppino soup- this restaurant was my number one spot to go to. Our waitress was absolutely fantastic. I did ask for a little bit of spice after the soup came, broth was watered down. The skinny, short black haired manager came over with an overbearing attitude *twice* when all I was asking for was spice for flavor for the soup - no spice needed from management. We could hear the kitchen staff yelling watered down. My husband and I made a joke that the fire department must be here. The attentive waitress came back crying because the kitchen staff made her feel bad for something she did not prepare. I stood up to hug her and you could see the desperation in her eyes. I would not support this restaurant again. Sidenote, there's no reason to fill the street outdoor patio when upstairs was basically empty. read more

Great cozy restaurant. Great atmosphere, we sat outside, it was packed but didn't feel like it. Service was great, very attentive. We had lobster bruschetta(delicious) and we also had lobster ma& cheese and the Acadian cioppino both delicious and flavorful. The drinks were ok, we had chili infused drinks and an old fashioned. Chili infused was supposed to be spicy but it wasn't and old fashioned was below average wouldn't recommend but overall food and atmosphere were great. Would definitely come back again. read more

Always the family favorite. We make sure we get at least two meals here every summer. Staff has amazing attention to detail and service is impeccable--thanks Brian and Braeden! Cioppino and sticky toffee pudding are two of the best dishes on the island. If you can swing an outdoor table, you really feel like you soak in the local charm. Even on the cool nights, the heaters keep everyone comfortable. read more

Enjoyed a lovely dinner outside! My burger was excellent and the hand cut fries were delicious. My dining compadre had the beet salad with shrimp, another hit. Our meals arrived quickly and our server was pleasant too! The traditional crème brûlée was delightful! read more

We ended up here only because it was the only restaurant in Bar Harbor that had last-minute availability on a busy weekend night. Every other restaurant -- including many with better or even similar ratings -- was completely booked. That should have been the red flag. It wasn't a hidden gem; it was the place everyone else had wisely avoided. This was the most expensive meal we had in all of Maine, and it was by far the worst. The food was clearly not fresh. We ordered the cioppino, which came with several mussels that couldn't be opened, and others that tasted like they had gone bad. That's not just disappointing -- it's unacceptable and concerning from a food safety perspective. The risotto was an unrecognizable version of the Italian classic -- an overly creamy, poorly textured dish with none of the depth or subtlety risotto should have. It felt like someone tried to Americanize it and failed. The halibut was dry, overcooked, and completely lacked flavor or finesse. Despite the poor food quality and minimal, disengaged service, they still imposed a 20% automatic gratuity for our party of five. The service didn't come close to justifying that charge -- we were barely checked on, and the experience felt transactional and rushed. There's a reason this place had open tables when everywhere else was fully booked. It's overpriced, poorly executed, and absolutely not worth your time or money. This restaurant is not a hidden treasure -- it's a glaring example of how price and presentation can't mask the absence of quality. We will not be back, and I strongly recommend you look elsewhere. read more

DO NOT GO HERE. My sweet husband wanted to give this place a try due to some decent reviews. The food is terrible. We didnt mind the soup and salad.... However the entrees were bland, horrific quality and not worth your time. The seafood risotto looked like kraft mac and cheese and had no flavor. How can a dish with shrimp, under cooked scallops and a piece of lobster literally taste like air? Not sure. But this did. Next was the fish and chips. I was served one piece of fish with wet pancake batter around it. The batter was still WET. No flavor. Tasted like pancakes... and not in a good way. Don't waste your time. They serve unsafe food. I am 6 months pregnant and I could have been served bad fish. Check out the other reviews- others had that experience! Is there an owner/manager???? Did not see one read more

McKays Public House - WTF- seafood risotto looks like scrambled eggs - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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Food was insanely good! This was by far our favorite meal of the trip. The warm brie was incredible and our waitress helped us pair a nice wine with it. It was a cozy spot for a chilly night dinner, but the outdoor seating looked beautifully set up for a nice summer day. I would recommend making a reservation in advance. Loved it here! read more

Had a lovely dinner here on June 14....food and service was excellent. There is outside dining with twinkling lights and heaters or inside dining in a lovely old pub type home. We had great drinks, bread and entrees. Service was amazing...we would love to go back... I had the short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli. My husband had a seafood risotto. All delicious. read more

Our waitress was wonderful, super friendly and attentive. It was a little odd that we got sat in the far back of the restaurant when there was outdoor seating available, but we understand that there are grids where servers tend. The food was good, the restaurant does give off haunted vibes read more

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While visiting Acadia NP we went into Bar Harbor for lunch, only one place offered food in park and there was no where to park. We found McKays and got a lovely lobster roll and house made chips. For dessert we shared a piece of blueberry pie. It was quite spendy but was good. read more

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The restaurant itself is charming and in a nice location. I am sorry to say that the service was way off. After 45 minutes, I finally got the appetizers that I ordered while tables around me got there's before. I was a party of two, the other s 4+. The waiter apoligized, but didn't check-in. He then brought the manager over who barely apologized and blamed it on the kitchen. Not right. Finally, the burger and meatloaf arrived. Meal was tasty, but the delay was disappointing. read more

We had reservations for McKays and had very high hopes! The place was darling and had a great vibe. I failed to take pics of all the food as we were starving. I only gave it 4 stars because I felt for the price of the items were a lot for what we got, and our friend had some food intolerances that they said they'd accommodate but they sent her dish out with everything she said she couldn't have. I had the famous Seafood Truffle Risotto. It was amazing, but too rich. I would have preferred to have it as a side dish instead of a whole meal. My husband had the Seafood Cioppiono. The flavor of the broth was outstanding. It's just not the best meal to have when you're very hungry as you only get a few ounces of seafood overall. Very good dish though and I would order it for myself next time. My sister got their Portobello Piccata special for the night. She loved it. I had a bite and it was very flavorful. We ordered Oysters and they were a 10/10! Amazing would order again. They were the blondes. The cocktails went down easy! read more

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Right in beautiful Bar Harbor, McKay's is a wonderful outside patio and homage to the beautiful seafood of New England. We came here for the Blueberry pie at the recommendation of ANOTHER RESTAUTRANT!! What does that tell you? We shared a ceaser and a bowl of clam chowder and then the seafood cioppino. All were super fresh and tasty and prepared with love. Loved the atmosphere and ambiance of a warm summer evening in Bar Harbor!! read more

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The patio ambiance was lovely with lots of stringed lights and hedges. The food was fantastic! The lobster roll and beet salad were both delicious! Our server was really nice too! My only tip would be to skip the blueberry pie. It was nothing special. It reminded us of a cheap grocery store pie. read more

Got a last minute reservation on Open Table - only table that was available was inside however they have a beautiful outside section. A very large menu that would suit any palate. They are very accommodating as I have a shellfish allergy and there are many options. We were a party of four and one of the entrees was delayed in the kitchen. The waiter comped that meal due to our wait. Very kind and was definitely the right thing to do. read more

McKays Public House - Fish and chips - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Very cute place in a former home. They have indoor and outdoor dining. We sat at the bar because they didn't have a table available inside for us. We started with bread service. It was focaccia bread with herbs on top. It was served with a sweet butter. The burger is 2 Patties smashed together. It was well seasoned. I wasn't a fan of the roasted veggies. They tasted like they were cooked in a beef stew. The sweet potato fries were good. The bartender took good care of us. read more

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First time here for our Anniversary. Ambiance was awesome, Service very good, Food decent but a bit over priced. Management was very good. read more

McKays Public House - Espresso Martini - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

I loved the atmosphere here, eating outside on a pleasant evening. We had made reservations and were glad we did. There was a menu of specials, which we were reviewing when our server took our drink order. I settled on a Sauvignon Blanc and for the price, it was not a very good pour. When we ordered our appetizer, we asked the server not to put our entree order in until we were done with our appetizer as we wanted time to enjoy it and not be rushed. My husband and I shared the baked Brie appetizer which was a special. It arrived within minutes of ordering it, so we really didn't get time to enjoy our glass of wine. The Brie was inundated with balsamic vinegar which was a little overwhelming. Otherwise it was decent. For the entree I ordered the steak frites, medium. Even though we asked our entree order not to be placed until were done with our appetizer, it arrived before they even took our appetizer plates away. So frustrating!!!!!!! We were being rushed so quickly. Our reservation was at 6:30, and by 7:00 we already had our entree. My steak frites was barely warm, and cooked well beyond medium. The steak was tough, the green beans cold but the frites were Ok. All in all, not a good experience. We found out the next morning that our friends that dined with us were both sick all night. They shared a caprese salad so assume it was something there. read more

After a long day of hiking at the nearby park, husband and I were ready for some good food. We shared oysters (yum), and the lobster bisque. The bisque has no chunks of lobster, so if felt more like a "cream of" soup - very thin; the flavor was good - but just not my preference. Then, we both ordered the seafood risotto! It had a very generous portion of lobster and shrimp, and one scallop. It is extremely rich and filling - but also very delicious! Service was great and, even though it was late and off-season, we didn't feel rushed or overly-served. read more

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Most of our food was good. The lobster dinner for 42.00 was ridiculous. My husband had about 6 small bites of meat. It was as if they stripped the meat out before serving the shell to him. Not impressed. read more

We ordered the fresh lobster. Something you have to do while here. It was messy but fun with the bib on! The service was really good with Emerson. The lobster was tough, the corn was definitely old with sparse old potatoes, but it was still fun to eat! read more

Can't recall ever spending $130 on dinner for the two of us and leaving hungry. I actually got a slice of pizza after leaving here. With all the choices in Bar Harbor, there has to be somewhere better to spend your money. The outdoor area is lovely, our waitress was friendly and professional, but the food is way overpriced for the meager portions. And $10 for an Alagash? C'mon. I had the caprese appetizer for $13. It was tasty, although I've never had burrata where the "soft" cheese inside was quite so thick and pasty. I also had the lobster roll at $29, which is pretty much the going rate. Have you ever had the lobster roll at McDonald's? There was more meat in that than the version here. Every bite I took was a mouthful of bread with a taste of lobster. I've had lobster rolls all over the East coast and this was by far the chintziest one ever. Hubby had the monkfish chowder, which was quite tasty, although he said it was potato chowder. There were no identifiable pieces of fish in it. Fish and chips were fine. It wasn't awful, but again, I shouldn't be thinking about what I'm going to get to eat next before we even paid the check. read more

McKays Public House - Big roll, small portion of lobster. - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Excellent! Our food was amazing. I had the tuna steak and my husband had fish and chips. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the service. The staff people were very nice. I would absolutely recommend McKays Public House. The read more

Definitely make a reservation or you'll be waiting a while, but the food is worth it! Plenty of options even for the non-seafood eaters. The baked Brie appetizer was definitely the star of the show, though of course the main entrees were also great! Book the second floor if you can! read more

We loved this meal. The patio was gorgeous at night, the food was fantastic. The cocktails were great. The sticky toffee pudding was outrageously amazing. The service was a little slow to start but then picked up. Our server was super friendly and gave us a bunch or Bar Harbor tips and recommendations. Overall, a lovely experience. read more

Awesome restaurant!! Brie appetizer and oysters were fantastic House bread I suppose was good because my wife ate the whole thing without giving me any! Lobster dinner was delicious but you have to be willing to get your hands dirty dismantling it! Short ribs also were a favorite if you're not in a seafood mood. Definitely worth a trip! read more

Service was good. Busboy was the most responsive. Food was average. (At best) I accept the high prices as it was in a vacation town but coupled w the quality - it was not worth the cost. We dined w 5 people. We had buffalo wings as an appetizer. The sauce was good. They appeared to be broiled and for an appetizer you only got 6 wings. A disappointment for a $20 dollar dish. (More than $3 per wing.) They weren't THAT good. 2 people had burgers. They were fine. (6 out of 10) Three others had salad w a protein added. Caesar salad w chicken. Caesar salad w salmon and a "McKays" salad w chicken. Unfortunately not only were the salads extremely small the chicken was bland and obviously cooked well beforehand. [one salad was ordered w /o cheese - an allergy issue that they were informed of - but came w cheese mixed in.] There was no flavor nor seasoning to the proteins. In fact the proteins were room temperature which lent to the assurance that were not cooked recently . (1-2 out of 10) Overall it rated a 2.4 out of ten. Avoid it if you can. Overpriced and not worth the time, trouble or expense. Especially in a town where there is no shortage of restaurants willing to serve quality food at the prices charged. read more

Christmas, early, dinner was simply amazing- great seasonal cocktails, delicious short ribs, sticky pudding, and lucious mashed potatoes. Delightfully decorated. Service was attentive, so knowledgeable about the wines and beers on offer. A great holiday experience!!!! read more

5-Star (evening) ambience and patio, 4-Star service, 3.5-Star meal (good, not outstanding). Overall 4.0 rating - Seafood was cooked perfectly and quantity plentiful, however food was quite bland, so required self seasoning. We came after 8p, so didn't have to wait for a great outdoor table; it was a weekday, seemed like a popular spot for drinks and food. Expect entree meal cost $20-30pp. Started with Clam Chowder and Wedge Salad. Both were OK, nice presentation but soup was served lukewarm and not much flavor like i'd expect from traditional chowda; they reheated for me, but I would choose a different starter next time. The Wedge salad was plenty for 2, but again the condiments were a bit scarce and dressing OK. Dinner was Seafood with excellent presentation. The Risotto was thick and filling, with variety of Seafood including lobster, but salt was required to enhance the dish flavor. The Seafood Bowl was tasty with mussels, shrimp, onions, scallop etc, and good to have some bread/rolls to dip in the sauce. I think though, next time i'd choose the steamed Mussel appetizer as my meal. Overall, a pricey dinner that missed the mark for me on food quality (flavor). So next time I'd suggest coming for drinks and few apps, and also sharing an entree given generous portions. Enjoy! read more

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Everything was wonderful. The evening was cold and we had outside seating but they had great heaters and enough of them to keep everyone warm. We had the crab dip as an appetizer and it was delicious! I had the Steak Frites (it was the special) and my husband had McKays Meatloaf, both were absolutely amazing! (See photos). I would have ordered the blueberry pie but it was sold out Service, food, ambiance was outstanding and I already can't wait to return (they better have that pie when I do)! read more

Good food. Good service. Expensive. We tried the coconut curry and seafood risotto. Both the dishes were very good. The manhattan with blueberry was the best. The place is expensive but left us satisfied with the taste. Cost more than $100 for two. It is not fine dining. Ambience of outside seating is much more interesting than indoors. Definitely try to sit outside to get more bang for the buck. read more

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