I really enjoyed my dinner here at Scales in downtown Portland, ME. The restaurant is tucked away from the main street and located on the water. It's very popular and busy, so I highly encourage you to make a reservation ahead of time. The restaurant is dimly lit with lovely tea lights strewn throughout. The dining area has a very warm feel with a clear view of kitchen, where you can watch the staff expertly prepare your food. I was seated at the bar, which isn't my favorite place to sit for a meal, but it was still nice. The bartender who took care of us was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. He also made the BEST Shirley Temple I've ever had. The menu offers a wide array of seafood and meat dishes. The oysters on the half shell seemed to be very popular amongst diners. My husband and I enjoyed the New England Cornbread, Salt Cod Croquettes, Baked Haddock (me), Seafood Stew (him) and the Blueberry & Vanilla Mousse Cake. Each item was so, so good! If you're looking for a high end restaurant to enjoy while in Portland, definitely try Scales. read more

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Very busy spot with impeccable service, everyone was great from the bartender to our dinner server. We sat on the patio and started our meal with a dozen oysters. They were excellent! Being from Mass we just had to try the fried clam appetizer...they were very small and overcooked to the point where the batter was almost bitter. But the real problem was that I think they used a shovel to salt them. The saltiest fried clam I've ever eaten!!!! For my entree I had the scallops with creamed corn. Weirdly the scallops were seared on only one side and were really darkened. The scallops were not very sweet or tender because they too were overcooked. Liz had the salmon and while it was cooked well it was not well seasoned (maybe the guy shoveling the salt on the clams could give the salmon some love). Overall it was a disappointing experience given our past experience here. read more

Came here after seeing multiple tiktoks and high rated reviews, but sadly my experience did not match up with what I saw online. The restaurant itself is stunning. I loved that it was right by the harbor and you could see the ocean right outside. I felt like the service was pretty standard, but the food was disappointing. We got the cornbread and the fried squid with cherry peppers to start. We also ordered the halibut ceviche, the fish and chips, and the seared scallops. The corn bread was decent at best. The butter it was paired with was good, but overall the dish was nothing special. (6/10) The fried squid with cherry peppers was one of the better dishes of the night. The squid was well cooked and tender. I liked the thin and cripsy batter on the squid and the peppers. The sour/sweet taste of the peppers with the squid paired well and I liked all the sauces it came with as well. (7.5/10) The halibut ceviche was not what I expected at all. The halibut was bland and very chewy. The dish was more like a crudo than a ceviche. Though the fish was fresh it was not representative of a ceviche. (4/10) The fish and chips were also a disappointment. The fish batter was way too thick for my liking though the fish inside was perfectly cooked. I also was not a fan of the beer batter itself. The fries were too salty. The best thing on the plate was the tartar sauce. (5/10) The scallops were super tender and cooked perfectly. I liked the bits of bacon and mushroom on the plate as well. The plating is also stunning. The flavors of this dish were the best out of everything we tried. (8.8/10) Overall, the restaurant is gorgeous and feels upscale and the service is decent, but the food was a let-down for me. At this high of a price point, I just expected the flavors/ quality of the dishes to be better. Though there were some good dishes, the majority of the food we had was not on par with other seafood restaurants I have tried. We could have just gotten the wrong things, but I wouldn't go back based on my experience. read more

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Scales had to be the best dining experience we had on our trip to Portland. Actually, it was one of the best meals I've had in my adult life. I was on a waiting list for a reservation and I'm glad we were able to get one! Our server, Peter, was attentive, knew the menu forwards and backwards, and had excellent suggestions for us. 5/5. The food was the star of the show (obviously). 1/2 Dozen Oysters: We had to start our meal off right with fresh raw oysters. They had several varieties to choose from and asked them to surprise us. The 3 species they selected were excellent. 5/5. Endive & Stilton Salad: A long dinner always needs a salad. This one did not disappoint. It wasn't overly dressed, the endives were crispy and crunchy, and each bite was excellent. 5/5. Pan Roasted Halibut: I was thrown off when I saw there were hazelnuts in this dish. But we are nothing if not adventurous! This dish was INCREDIBLE. Wow. I still think about it over a month later. The hazelnuts were an odd pairing, but just made sense. The halibut had an excellent sear on it, and was not dry at all. Absolutely incredible. 5/5. Seared Scallops: Wow. Wow. Wow. Perfectly cooked scallops, kale, a flavorful, creamy sauce, delicious tomatoes... Wow. Bravo. The best dish of the evening! 5/5. Broccolini: We needed some greens, of course. Perfectly cooked broccolini with a nice crunch. Paired well with the scallops, but wasn't necessary. 5/5. read more

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Scales was an incredible disappointment. I'd been looking forward to this experience for a few months. Scales is lively and vibrant and the host staff was friendly. My server was nice enough, though a bit aloof. When I booked, there was only bar seating available, which is not my preference, but I was so excited to dine here that I did not care. I wish I had made a different decision. I found the cocktail list uninspiring, so I started with a lovely Albariño. I ordered the halibut ceviche, swordfish, and griddled brown bread. Being a Bay Stater, I was looking forward to the brown bread. It never arrived. No one noticed. My server did not say anything until the end, where I was offered a free coffee and ice cream/sorbet. Insulting does not begin to describe it. The halibut ceviche was delicious. It was briny and salt and tasted of the sea. I loved it. The swordfish was rich, heavy, and overcooked. I am always cooking heirloom beans, so maybe that is why I did not love the beans. I don't think I even ate half of my entree. At dessert, my server noted the missing bread and offered a sorbet or ice cream. However, he offered after I had ordered the strawberry cream puff, so it seemed like it was an option for that, not an in lieu of offer. It was not clear until the sorbet arrived along with my cream puff. The strawberries had no flavor. I took a few bites of dessert and was over the whole experience. My server did clearly offer a complimentary coffee though, which again, was insulting. From what I can tell, the kitchen never saw the mostly untouched food, due to my seat the bar. The server placed my dishes below the bar. However, he didn't ask any questions about why I didn't finish the dishes, so it must have been clear to him. I do wish the kitchen had been informed as well. I have never regretted a meal as much as the one I had at Scales. I was looking forward to a delicious dinner with a few glasses of wine. Instead, I left hungry and sad. Scales is a waste of time and money. It's a definite skip in Portland. read more

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Highly recommend Scales. They have covered patio seating and a nice mood lighting ambiance for dinner. We had the cornbread, corn and crab chowder soup, and fish and chips. Everything was very good as was the service. read more

Scales - Old fashioned - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

Wow, we enjoyed our dinner here, this was our fancy dinner out and very happy we picked Scales. Walking in is kinda just one huge room with tables packed in there, it's right on the water with lots of windows and natural light. They were very busy and you need reservations, tables were full the whole time we were there. We shared everything we got to taste all. My thoughts... -The rolls were delicious and I wished I had gotten more of the bread services, loved they have different ones! -The salad, omg this might be my favorite salad ever, just perfect, it was salty and bursting with flavor, sharp, bright, crispy from the fried prosciutto very umami from the stilton cheese, just loved it! Could have licked the plate clean! -The grilled octopus just ok for me, it had too much sauce on it, like sitting in a sauce then covered with oil, I would have liked letting the octopus stand more on its own. - The scallops, it was good but I think i would have enjoyed it more with a thicker sauce for the corn mixture like blend some of the corn and i thought the peppers should have been roasted more, more char needed. Not to say that it was bad at all, just notes I would have liked to make it better. Desserts were delicious! read more

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Wonderful meal & ambiance! Walked in at 4pm and snagged a 7:15pm reservation on a Friday in August - pretty great! We got lobster bisque, fish, and scallops - and ice cream with caramel corn for dessert. All tasty. Staff was incredible as well! read more

Scales - Vanilla custard with butterscotch and caramel corn - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

Amazing birthday dinner. We started with the Cloverleaf rolls and Maine Steamer Clams, which were both delicious. For my entree, I had the Steamed Maine Lobster. It was rich and juicy. My friends had the Pan Roasted Halibut eared Scallops and both enjoyed their meals as well. We finished with the Chocolate & Peanut Butter Silk Pie. Everything was awesome. I would highly recommend if you come to Portland!! read more

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Loved everything about this restaurant. The decor was costal casual with wood beam accents, a rustic feel. The service was on point. Our server was very helpful and attentive. I dont eat seafood but I keep trying .He gave me a couple of suggestions and explained why he picked the dishes he suggested. I ended up ordering the carrot appetizer. It had a middle eastern flair, the flavors popped and it was one of my favorite dishes while in Portland. My entree was the potato crusted cod over a lemon cream shaved brussel sprout sauce. The cod was mild and flakes. The lemon brussel sprout mixture was delicious. This dish made me a fan of cod. I also added the garlic butter rolls. I saw them going by and they were a great add on. Soft, warm with delicious melted herb butter. Scales is a winener on every point. Definitely a must go to. read more

Scales - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

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All of the food was excellent we started with apps then had main courses and finished with dessert. Highly recommend sharing a few options and save room for the ice cream sundae! read more

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Unfortunately Scales did not live up to the hype for us. While we were seated right away at 7pm for our reservation, the rest of the service during the evening could have been better. Our server described to us the specials for appetizers but never said anything about entree specials (maybe there weren't any?). We ordered the cloverleaf rolls, a cup of clam chowder, a cup of lobster bisque, and the maine mussels before our entrees. Both the clam chowder and the lobster bisque were just ok.. nothing special. The bisque was too sweet and had very little lobster. The mussels were the highlight of the meal. The sauce of cider, mustard and dill was very interesting and had deep flavor. The bread served with the mussels was also delicious. The cloverleaf rolls were great too, but perhaps a little too soggy/greasy from the butter at the bottom of the skillet. For our entrees we had the scallops and the halibut. The scallops were delicious- nicely seared and served with mushrooms and a green pea sauce which was bright and flavorful. The halibut however was not my favorite. The fish itself was cooked very well with a crispy skin, but it was swimming in brown butter and hazelnuts and lacked depth of flavor. It also seemed like an odd choice of flavors for a spring menu. It was served with potatoes that needed a bit more salt. We were too full for dessert and also didn't finish our meals. We sat around for a fairly long time not touching our meals without the server checking on us. Eventually we had to flag them down to get boxes and pay the check. While the ambiance was very nice, for the price and the reputation we expected more. Everything else we have eaten in Portland so far has been fantastic so it was a bit of a letdown. read more

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We did a walk in on a Wednesday and they were able to seat us immediately. Our server was wonderful and helped us pick a great bottle of wine. Highly recommend the scallops as they were delicious. We also loved the octopus as well. read more

Wow. One of my favorite meals ever. The oysters were phenomenal. So salty and delicious. Scallop entree was out of this world. We also ordered some clover rolls and calamari as an appetizer. Great view right on the water in old port. The place was full on a Tuesday night and I can see why! read more

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Portland has about 5 really good restaurants. This one is in the Top 3. {FYI-The owner just received a James Beard Award For "Outstanding Restaurateur"} I booked early, and before the award, for my Birthday Dinner. Drive down a narrow road, more like an alley, toward the water and you are greeted by the valet. Since parking in Portland is difficult, this is certainly appreciated. Upon entering, there is fresh fish on ice, a semi-open kitchen and lots of space. Plenty of seating, but this place was packed for a Monday at 5:30pm. Who knows when we'd be back, so we ordered a lot !! Cloverleaf Rolls, Fresh Shucked Oysters (3 Types), Fried Scallop Appetizer, Baked Haddock & Pan Roasted Halibut. All these choices were excellent. Although, the hazelnuts did not work well with the Halibut. Unfortunately, the desserts fell short. Their version of Baked Alaska was not what I am used to. A frozen block of the key ingredients is not how it should be served. Although the candle was a nice touch. The plum sorbet tasted more like prunes. I would go back, but I'd skip dessert. read more

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This was on my list of must try when in Portland and it didn't disappoint at all! We booked this before we arrived in Maine to ensure we got in, I suggest doing that. Our waitress was so kind and helpful when choosing dishes. The food was very well prepared and intentional. I was worried it would be loud in the building but it wasn't bad at all. Overall highly recommend when visiting the area, truly was one of the top meals of the trip! read more

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This is one of my favorite places in Portland! Usually I would get seafood, but the last time I tried the duct dish, and I thought it was excellent. Can't go wrong with any of the seafood entrées, or the corn and crab chowder, which I also found to be delicious. Plus, you can't beat the setting. read more

Scales has really solidifed its place as my favorite restaurant in Portland, and one of my top 10 restaurants of all time. Everything here is just SO good, even across multiple visits over many years. I always love that their menu incorporates seasonal flavors, while keeping their all time favorites. We've tried a number of dishes here over the years, but favorites will always include the cloverleaf rolls, grilled octopus, crab fritters, scallops, and the bavette steak. All are excellent & flavors are well balanced. On a recent trip, we tried the steamers and seafood stew. The steamers are huge and the broth is absolutely delicious. The seafood stew is tasty, rich & bold in flavors, but does get a little heavy and salty after a while. Scallops are a must - the spring pea cream had perfect freshness & earthiness that balanced out the salt from the bacon & scallops. Service here is always really attentive. The restaurant is also beautiful - perfect for a date night, girl's night out, business dinner, or even just a nicer family dinner out. read more

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We visited Portland for days and looking for one of the best place to eat; Scales! Love the ambiance and interior design of it; simple and classics. All the staff are very friendly and accommodating. We ordered: Clams chowder l Grilled octopus Lobster rolls Pan seared Halibut Foods so amazeeeenggg but the star of the dishes is Grilled Octopus in our opinion. love it! read more

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This was the restaurant I was most excited to try. We had no idea the location was right off the water. Beautifully located and gorgeous inside. Walking in you know that you are about to enter an exceptional dining experience. Sadie helped us tonight and she was phenomenal and very bubbly. The Ramp Rolls were so good, I would not skip out. The New England cornbread was a close second. Clam chowder was decent but I've had better. The Endive & Stilton was amazing. The cauliflower had a middle eastern flare and was cooked to perfection. I ordered the halibut, it was very subtle in its flavor compared to the appetizers which was a nice way to complete the dinner portion. Loved this dining experience. Thanks so much Scales. read more

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Absolutely the best mackerel I've ever had in my life, unreal and gigantic. Expert prepared super fresh great service. What a good time. read more

Scales - Premium mackerel - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

We went here with a group of 7, ordered a few apps which were great. Everyone's food came out except they were missing one meal. The last meal came out once everyone else was already done eating and it was completely raw. read more

Scales - Salmon - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

Scales was on our bucket list and we are so happy we made it come true. Gorgeous location, this restaurant runs like a well oiled machine. From the moment you arrive, you know you are walking into a quality restaurant. We sat at the bar, what a show! We got immediate attention, got our drink order right away, got to see everyone behind the bar work in harmony. We then ordered some oysters, watch out, they come to you, up front and close. They shuck them right in front of you, explain what they are and where they came from and leave you the condiments to enjoy. THE BEST OYSTERS I've had in my life and I've had them all over the world. Fresh, soft delicate goodness. After you are done, they send the ice and shells down a hole built in the bar! Genius! The tuna crudo was sooo good! It is made in front of you, carefully and artfully arranged on a plate. A masterpiece! The specials where then covered and today I wanted to have one of each is an understatement. We both had to order the brown butter halibut, good God that was so delicious. Insanely delicious! We were told that there is one chef that dedicates their time cooking this dish as well as the scallops. Can't beat that! My hubby ordered some rolls to "sop up" some of that brown butter goodness and he was not disappointed. Everyone was so happy, talkative, truly enjoying the evening. This waterfront place is a true masterpiece and classic beauty. Don't walk, run, and then book it twice at least while you are in Portland. read more

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What a great dinner, even at the bar! We loved everything about Scales (except for one of the snooty hostesses). Excellent vibe and ambiance, knowledgeable and attentive servers, delicious food. I would totally do it again when in Portland. I love Scales. read more

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Great place ! Cant wait to go back for dinner . Make reservations early hard to get. Decor was on point ! Service great Food was delicious and presented beautifully ! read more

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This was by far the best food I've eaten in a long time and prices were very good for the quality. I'm so glad this was recommended to me on the plane and a cancellation came up and was able to scoop it up. read more

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Dinner at Scales was exceptional! Managed to get a res for a bar seat at Scales on Saturday night. Service was great. Don't remember their names but it was a male and a female bartender, sort of tag teaming one end of the bar. Seated promptly, got a coke! (Surprising because everywhere else I've been in Portland has had Pepsi products). Ordered the clover rolls, the grilled octopus, and the potato-crusted cod for dinner and carrot cake for dessert. Clover rolls. Read a review summary that raved about them. They're good, but....if you're a solo dinner? I would pass. Super super garlicky, very buttery (to the point of being greasy). I ate one and saved two for the main course (which was a mistake). Grilled octopus: phenomenal. Description from menu: "pommes dauphine, pine nut & espelette vinaigrette, garlic whip." The vinaigrette really added a nice spice punch to the octopus. Loved it. Cod: (from the menu) "brussels sprouts, lemon cream". Was not what I thought it would be after the bartender described it. It was ore like a bread-crumb coated, roasted cod filet. Still really good, just did not (imo) match the description. The Brussels sprouts were sliced thin longwise which was interesting. I really enjoyed this, cod is a nice firm white fish and it paired well with the lemon cream sauce. Back to the clover leaf rolls: the two I saved? The super buttery part congeals as it cools.....still tastes good, still super garlicky, just more greasy feeling.... Carrot cake: honestly? Just meh. The ice cream that came with was great. Cake felt/tasted way too commercial....very smooth texture, no bits and pieces (in other words, not homemade). I should have asked if desserts were made in house, but I did not (and I bet they aren't). Cake was the only real negative from the meal. Ambiance? Lots of windows overlooking the bay which would be real nice on a nice day....but it was cold and raining, so.....a very busy restaurant though. If you are going to go (I recommend it) get your res way early. And to add: $86 for dinner pre-tip. Worth it? Worth every penny. read more

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Prices keep going up and the food quality doesn't seem to be going up either. In fact, id say it's gradually getting worse. I blame the current economical situation. People seem to go for its reputation and how it's always booked up. I think it's overrated now. It's not like how it was around 2018-2020 ish, before quarantine. Service was good though! read more

Scales was the best dinner/meal I had during my recent visit to Portland. I was told dining here is a must. It's a great location, right on one of the docks. It's very bright and open inside - very industrial chic but upscale. When you first walk in, you see the large displays of fresh fish/shellfish on ice, and behind it an exposed line where I scoped out several of the entrees being plated. We were early for our reservation, so we took seats in the open bar lounge area. Note - the bar seats are reservation only, however they a lounge section where you can order drinks and bar bites - seating is first come, first served in that area. After we had a round of drinks, our table was ready at the time we reserved, and we were seated. Our server was very friendly and helped make some solid recommendations. I can't remember which rolls we got but they were amazing. I had the sweet potato & lobster bisque as my starter - very tasty. My husband had the Endive & Stilton salad - good portion, also tasty. For our mains, I went with the seared scallops, and my husband went with the beef pot roast (he doesn't eat fish). Both meals were delicious and beautifully plated. To end the night, we got a scoop of the flavor of the day custard - can't remember what the flavor was but it was delicious. Everything from the food to the service to the ambiance was top notch here. I would love to go back and would highly recommend making a reservation to dine here when in Portland. read more

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This place is horrible. Nobody answers the phone and the hostesses are terribly mean and rude! It's way too difficult to find parking. We wasted our time and money driving here and paying for parking just to be told that they've been open already for an hour and we would have to wait 2 hours for a table! I would never recommend this place. Very difficult to find and very crowded as well. read more

Scales - They don't answer the phone - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

We arrived at 6:30 without a reservation and they were able to sit us right away. The inside is beautifully decorated and very comfortable. The service was great and the food was incredible. The rolls were delicious. The potato was fabulous and the stuffed lobster was delicious. The dessert was amazing!!! read more

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Lovely meal! Went with three friends, although we had to take an early reservation it was totally worth it! The fried calamari was hands down the best I've had in Portland. Grilled octopus was tender and flavorful, true Spanish style. Dishes are clearly well prepared and done thoughtfully. Our server was delightful, appropriately attentive and made great suggestions. Loved the setting, the windows are awesome and the light feels good! Just awesome! read more

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The drive up Valet car park service starts the evening off right. Host was accommodating in providing a table that was not in direct sun in your face table. Cocktails were "okay" but a bit on the skimpy side for the price paid. Oysters were awesome. I got a dozen. Then I opted to get a dozen little necks on the half shell. Unfortunately they were very very small and had too much grit. I had them taken off the table. My wife had an awesome steak. Called Bavette. Very good. I got the whole fluke as you can see in the pictures. It was a bit of work to get to the meat which was a bit spongy. This visit was disappointing. read more

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Second trip to this incredible establishment! I've been introduced to New England breads that are just Devine (how did I make it to 65 without knowing what New England Anadama Bread or Boston Brown bread is! ) Fresh daily catch...locally raised beef for me. Impeccable service and location too! On the bay and lots of windows. Fresh decore and can't beat location (watch a working harbor out of two sides. read more

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Great restaurant right on the water in Portland Maine. Visited with coworkers on a Tuesday night and everyone was surprised we got a reservation because it's usually really hard to get into. The vibe is very cozy, dimly lit, and kind of romantic. There is a lot of wood and beige colors which make it feel warm. The food was amazing! I had a delicious lobster and the portion size was large! It came with cornbread and Cole slaw. We also got the fried calamari which was great. Someone ordered the scallops and they said they were really good. Another person got the clam chowder and she liked it. The wait staff was great and came by frequently to check on us. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for fine dining! read more

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What an amazing time we had at Scales! My husband recently got into Oysters and when we were thinking of where to go for our anniversary in Portland, he came across a picture of bar at Scales. He saw how they serve the oysters and he just had to go. We arrive and check in and the man behind the desk wishes us a Happy Anniversary, it took me by surprise and then I realized my husband wrote it on our reservations. They also wrote a little personalize card which they gave to us when we were seated. Our server came right over (I'm sorry I can't remember his name) and mentioned he heard it was our anniversary. He was great. Everything about our experience there was wonderful. Drinks were great, food, incredible, desert, delicious. It was also fun watching everything that was going on behind the bar. We were there so we thought we'd go big. My husband got his six oysters which he loved. We started with the Anadama Bread, New England Cornbread and Crab Fritters. For our meal, my husband got the Pan Roasted Halibut & I got the Pineland Farm Bavette Steak with a side of the Brocollini, absolutely delicious! The people next to us got a cheeseburger we both said we have to come back for lunch and have it. It looked so good. We had Frozen Custard for dessert. The service was top notch and the little extras made our anniversary dinner wonderful. I highly, highly recommend Scales! read more

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Scales delivered one of the best meals I've had in Maine. We were seated right along the window with a perfect waterfront view of the boats and fishing gear on the wharf below. It gave the entire evening that authentic, working-harbor Portland feel while still feeling polished and comfortable. We started with a crisp, refreshing local Belgian wheat beer that was light, slightly citrusy, and an ideal match for the seafood-heavy meal ahead. For appetizers, the grilled octopus was excellent -- tender with a proper char, beautifully seasoned, and full of flavor. It came with pommes dauphine, pine nut and espelette vinaigrette, and garlic whip. There was a light touch of oiliness toward the end of the plate (typical with generous finishing oil), but it didn't detract from what was otherwise a very well-executed dish. The dozen raw oysters were exceptional. All three varieties were local Maine and served ice-cold: Fare Well (Newcastle), Nautical Sisters (Yarmouth), and Weskeag (South Thomaston). I had them with just the mignonette and was rewarded with clean, sweet, briny flavor. These were some of the freshest, highest-quality oysters I've had in Portland. The main courses were the real stars. The Stuffed Lobster Frites was outstanding. The lobster was sweet and perfectly cooked, the claws were pre-cracked for easy access, and the tail was cleanly split with a buttery, herby breadcrumb crust that added excellent crunch and texture. It was accompanied by scallop mousseline and dijonnaise. This is a premium dish, but the quality and generous portion made it feel worth it. Equally impressive was the seared scallops, served in a cast-iron skillet. The scallops had a beautiful golden crust and were cooked exactly right -- sweet and tender. They were paired with crisp corn, applewood-smoked bacon, kale, and roasted peppers in a light, well-balanced cream sauce. This dish avoided the common issue of being overly salty. Every bite offered a nice variety of textures and flavors, and the cast-iron kept everything hot throughout the course. It was precise, thoughtful cooking. We finished with the Chocolate Silk Pie*, which was rich, silky, and deeply satisfying with lovely hazelnut undertones and a crunchy chocolate-hazelnut topping. The presentation was beautiful, and it made for a perfect ending. Service was attentive and professional without feeling rushed or intrusive. The pacing between courses was ideal. Bottom line: If you're serious about high-quality Maine seafood, Scales is delivering at a very high level right now. The ingredients are pristine, the execution is precise, and the waterfront setting (especially from a window seat) adds real character. This was easily one of the best meals I've had in Portland. I'll definitely be back. Highly recommended for seafood enthusiasts, special occasions, or anyone who appreciates a restaurant that respects its local ingredients. read more

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Got lucky with open table wait list and got seats at the bar for 8 pm dinner. Josh the bartender was attentive and knowledgeable. started with 2 of each of the local oysters which were served in the trough directly on the bar which was pretty cool! The bottle of pinot he recommended was perfect. we had to refill our own glasses but they were slammed so i'm going to fault him for that. we ordered the Halibut with brown butter that had a slight flavor of pralines in such a good way and potato crusted cod with finely sliced zucchini in a lemon cream sauce that was amazing. it was a little rich for my stomach (not their fault, i just have a stupid stomach). serving size was perfect for us. likely 5-6 ounce max. if your a big eater, i suggest getting a hearty appetizer or salad. total bill with bottle wine, oysters and 2 entrees was $176 plus tip and gratuity for valet read more

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I made a reservation here days in advance...maybe even a week...and couldn't get any earlier than 9pm on a Monday! That says a lot about a place. It is located by the water downtown and has a charming vibe on both the outside as well as inside. Lobster tanks and huge vats of shellfish on ice when you walk in. Open kitchen which is always cool to see. I have to say giving this place a 5 even though I didn't get my own meal for the bites of food I tasted off my boyfriend's plate were phenomenal. We did split the green salad, and his halibut was incredible. Very tasty. Wish I wasn't full from all the food we already had that day! read more

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We came across Scales on an evening walk and decided to try it. It's located off the street and along the back of the harbor. It was very busy, and more on the loud side than anything, but we could still each other speak. We waited 15 minutes before being seating and greeted by a very friendly and attentive waiter. Everything on the menu looked delicious and we ordered way more than we could eat, but it was all very good. The bar area looked very inviting and the decor was perfect for the area. Live lobsters in open tanks, the kitchen is open and everyone was friendly. Scales is an upscale restaurant, prices are pretty reasonable for what we ordered and loved the vibe. Enjoy! read more

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