We loved this place! It was down the pier with a small sign. When you walk in you immediately see the kitchen and fresh fish on ice. We had a nice table near the windows. Our server was friendly and gave us some good recommendations. It was 4 of us and we ordered a number of things. The Octopus and tuna crudo were stars of the evening and were our favorite dishes. For entrees we had the scallops and seafood stew. Both had generous portions of seafood. The scallops were tasty. The seafood stew was flavorful, but way too much salt. I was on the verge of sending it back and ordering something else. Overall, that was our one complaint a number of dishes were over salted. read more

We overheard a random couple talking about this place so we decided to check it out. We didn't have dinner reservations but got seated within 30 minutes. The staff and host were very accommodating. The oysters were fresh and delicious and you can choose the source from three different areas in New England. Since this is Maine, I opted to get the whole lobster and was so glad I did. The claws and tail were massive so I felt like I got my $$ worth. My husband got the halibut and it was so buttery and decadent. This place is worth the hype. 10/10!! read more

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Ambiance was amazing. The staff was knowledgeable, patient, and kind. We arrived approximately a half hour before opening to try and get walk-in reservations, which worked very well. Both the sides and the fish were absolutely amazing. Amongst the best meals I've had in years. read more

When you walk in you are struck by the size and the light coming in from the wall of windows. Nestled on the wharf in Portland the free valet parking is a true bonus. At our table we had the Halibut, Tuna Crudo, Steak and an heirloom tomato salad. Everything was very good. I personally loved the tomatoes and the tuna crudo which were beyond exceptional. Our waiter, in fact the entire wait staff was very professional and attentive when we needed them. Absolutely highly recommended if you find yourself in Portland Maine read more

Must visit place if you are in Portland, Maine! We made reservations about one month in advance. Tables here fill very quickly so I suggest making reservations in advance. Ambiance is upscale but not pretentious and it is bound to impress out of towners as the restaurant sits right on the docks. We sat outdoors in covered patio which was very nice on a summer night minus the unfortunate loud music at neghiboring bars on a weekend night. But aside from that everything was on point. The food is the highlight here. If you are a seafood lover you won't be disappointed by their delectable selections. For our apps, we ended up getting the grilled octopus, which was nicely cooked but I wasn't a huge fan of the sauce it came with. For our entree, we got the seared scallops and seafood stew which were all very good. We made the mistake of not ordering bread for the table as these two dishes had plenty of sauce to wet the breads in. The scallops were seared to perfection with a soft inner. The stew had a nice kick with great umami flavors. Overall, a must check out restaurant with your friends or S/O for date night! read more

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I brought my wife, then fiancée, here for our 7 year anniversary. It was her first time in Portland so I wanted to find a place that could showcase the wonderful seafood of the area well, and we came across scales! First, to get it out of the way, our entree, bottle of wine, 2 entrees and dessert came out to $212. I just want to make it clear that I absolutely felt this was fair based on the quality of service and food we received. The location is stunning with massive windows overlooking the water, we came right at sunset which was around 7pm and had reservations, very important you book on open table here because it was BUSY! I can understand people complaining about the wait time, however, plan ahead and you will not have this issue. Also, your whole party needs to be there out of the respect for other patrons that did the same and waited just like you. The food is incredible, we got over the course of the night, asparagus, crab, hollandaise, lobster, scallops, wine, and a slice of chocolate and vanilla cake. Everything was perfectly cooked and consistently became the best thing we ate one after another. Our server was very kind and attentive but not overbearing and coordinated a table with a hand written card expressing their thanks for dining with them for our special occasion which was very nice. This is not in our opinion a regular date night spot, the food is too special, this is an event dinner spot that you should be prepared to spend a good amount on but is totally worth it! Will be back when we return sometime! read more

Make a reservation well in advance! We called on a Wednesday for a dinner reservation Saturday and they were fully booked, dining room AND bar! Same for Friday night but thank goodness they had an open spot on Thursday so we didn't miss out during our trip. Also, they do not take Discover card. We started out with the corn bread and it was warm and delicious. Next was the crab fritters which were melt in your mouth good. I will be dreaming of the taste of those! You only get 3 small fritters so if there more than 2 people you will want to get a couple orders. Our waiter came by to take plates and refill waters several times, he even changed out our utensils and wiped the table after the appetizers were cleared! My friend got the duck special which came with a duck and pork sausage, pork belly, and duck confit leg. She enjoyed every last bite of it, said it was a hearty meal and cooked to perfection. There was white beans included as well. My meal was the seared scallops and it came in a cream sauce with mushrooms, spinach, and bacon chunks. So delicious and left my satisfied. Desserts we had the lemon olive oil cake and the chocolate cremeoux. Both came with a custard or sorbet and was a perfect ending to the night! I can't say a negative thing about this place! A perfect dinner out. read more

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Enjoyed a lovely 15th wedding anniversary dinner here. The handwritten card was a nice touch. The oysters were divine (they post where they're from at the bar). I saw a recommendation to order the cloverleaf rolls - OMG! I don't typically order rolls, but these were just on a whole other level! Served in cast iron, wondrously pillowy soft and incredibly flavored with chive butter. We had the scallops and seafood stew, both were delicious! The stew was slightly too salty, but I could eat the broth of that stew for days! Service was fantastic, bathrooms and restaurant were clean. It gets pretty noisy on a Thursday night but on a level that's typical for popular restaurants. Parking can be a challenge: we chose the Dimillo's lot. I HIGHLY recommend making reservations ASAP - those timeslots go quickly! read more

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The location is great, right on the water! The service was outstanding! Ben took great care of us and was very attentive. The food is amazeballs!! We had a dozen killer local oysters, some wicked good cornbread, and some rolls with garlic and herbs as appetizers. Main course was seared scallops with pork belly, short rib pot roast, and seafood stew! These dishes will change your life forever!! For desert we had the butterscotch, caramel, popcorn Sunday and the blueberry custard. Both were delicious! Come give this place a try, but make reservations early as they book out a week or three in advance. read more

Great location and outside atmosphere. Seafood is fresh and portions are generous. The clam chowder is thick with nice clam chunks. We had scallops with bacon and corn which were tender and flavorful. The lobster steamed to perfection. The only reason I couldn't give Scales a higher score was the fried squid (calamari) was overly salty and the prices seemed high. read more

Scales - Steamed lobster - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

Great food and environment for sea food in Portland, we liked the scallops and mussels, plus heirloom tomato and solid octopus dish read more

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The food and the ambience is excellent, and the wait staff is well versed in the menu and engaging. The seafood is fresh, the bread yummy and the wine & cocktail list is fabulous. We made in line reservations with only the option to sit at bar, but we arrived early and were able to snag a table. Yea it is expensive but well worth every penny. Parking is pain and expensive in the area. read more

Loved this place. Very unique and tasty dishes. Great service. Excellent drinks. Relaxing atmosphere. Glad we tried them.

I am a massive fan of this family of restaurants... it probably goes Fore Street, Scales, then Street & Co for me. (And I love Street & Co!) For some reason I imagined a quiet, romantic spot. And perhaps it is during parts of the year. I came on a summer weekend and it was absolutely bumpin', and very loud. It was fun - but just be aware of what atmosphere you're looking for. Everything was excellent as expected. The scallops are of course a must get, and my husband also really liked the burger. By the end he did say it was too rich for him... I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not. (Although, who gets the burger at a seafood place? They are apparently known for it though.) The menu rotates seasonally, although you can always count on those cloverleaf rolls. Yum. Bring back the Baked Alaska! Our server told us it was coming back by popular request but I haven't seen it on the menu recently. read more

Scales - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

My husband and I walked in the day we got married from city hall to have dinner here. We didn't share it with our server because it was SO busy and didn't want to add any extra stress to her plate. We didn't catch her name, but she was very attentive and nice. The place was packed on a Monday at 6pm. But we were seated quickly with no reservations so lucky us. We started with espresso martinis, appetizers were: grilled octopus, half an order of oysters and half order of clams. They were both sooo fresh and delicious. The food was all truly amazing. For our entrees we had steak special, which was steak frites with chimichurri sauce. SPECTACULAR. I ordered the scallops, which were also amazing. This was the best food we've had in a long time. Absolutely nothing to rate less than 10/10. It began to rain right as we were ready for the bill. But that changed nothing. Hopefully we will be able to see this place again sooner than later. We're from California and we'll be raving about this place forever. read more

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Wow this place was a highlight of my Maine trip! Definitely recommend making a reservation. We had a reservation for 5:15pm for 6 people on a Wednesday and the restaurant was consistently packed the entire time. I honestly don't have a single complaint. Casual, but nice ambiance. Great for groups. Fresh seafood. And great service. Food- wise, it is expensive. However, pricing seems inline with the rest of Maine's nicer restaurants. I ordered the below: -New England Cornbread: serving comes with 2, we ordered 3 servings so we could each have one. They are sooo good. -Endive & Stilton: my favorite salad ordered. Comes with a lot of blue cheese. So good! -Pear Salad: very good! -Grilled Octopus: cooked perfectly. So good. -Pan Roasted Lobster: I believe market price when I went was $49, which isn't bad. The sauce was rich and buttery and delicious. The lobster itself wasn't very big, but still worth it. -Hasselback Potato: good! Recommend sharing for a side because it's pretty large. -Maine Apple Pie: I don't normally like apple pie, but this was pretty good! It wasn't too sweet or artificial tasting which was good. The top is a crumble versus flaky pie crust. -Choux Pastry Dessert: can't remember exactly what it was called but it was a special for the night and absolutely amazing. One of the best things we ordered! Others ordered the seafood stew, cheeseburger, and branzino. Portions were large and everyone loved their food. read more

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Patrick at the bar really knows his stuff and he's also really friendly yet professional, the perfect combination if you ask me and his wealth of knowledge was just what you'd ever hope for, as well as his expertise making amazing cocktails! Adorable place. We went multiple times and can't wait to go again.. This time we tried the clam chowder, tuna crudo for me and , fried cauliflower and the bread with molasses for my dining partner.. we shared the Indian pudding which was a fave the last time we were here. Star of the evening was the cocktail for me though. Printemps I believe? Not artificially flavored with the coconut which was a really nice surprise and it's local.. Last time we had two ciders which we're disappointing and the oysters, scallops, ramp bread, fish and chips and the Indian pudding .. We got here at 9:30 PM tonight so just missed dinner but the apps and drink was more than enough to bring smiles to our faces tonight.. Patrick knew the menu so incredibly well, had a great vibe and sense of humor, helped fellow diners at the bar find a next drinking spot and did it all with such grace and ease.. he also knows his gluten free choices very well too which I really appreciate.. read more

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The food, service, and ambiance were great. We went for my husband's birthday and the table had a birthday card. The tuna tartare is a must! I could've gone without the calamari, but everything else was absolutely delicious. We had the cloverleaf rolls and cornbread, which were both absolutely delicious. The table does not come with any bread. I would check this place out again in downtown Portland. read more

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Great food and service! The interior looks beautiful and relaxing. We dine there for girls weekend. Scallops crudo and seafood stew were wonderful! Also had yummy grilled branzino and eggplant. Don't forget to try cloverleaf bread. I will definitely go back there. read more

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I wish we would have tried this place earlier on our recent trip to Portland because I would have wanted to eat here during our stay multiple times! The hosts and servers were so kind and responsive and made our experience memorable. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but the interior is warm, bright, and coastal. The thing that stood out here the most was the food (obviously ). For an appetizer we had the grilled octopus, for main course we had the scallops and haddock, and for dessert we tried the blueberry & vanilla mousse cake, and the peach upside down cake. It was all delicious and we left full and happy. read more

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One of the best meals I've had in a long time! Scales is fantastic dining spot right on the water. A wonderful variety of top-quality seafood with great wait staff and a solid wine selection. This isn't a "fancy" place, and it shouldn't be. It's everything a great seafood place ought to be. I can't wait to return. read more

Sadly I don't know what the food tastes like because the hosting staff ruined the experience. I asked to sit at the bar and there was "no room" due to reservations at the bar but there was room at a lounge table - fine. I was asked to step to the side to wait. A couple came after me (no reservation) and was seated at the bar. No one came to take me to my table. The hosting staff looked quickly at me and watched me walk right out the door (and down the street). read more

We showed up at 8 without a reservation (not a good idea). We were willing to sit at the bar and they got that done in about 5 minutes. We are originally from the east coast and this was our last seafood dinner before heading back to Colorado. It was awesome. From the service to the food to the ambience it was just outstanding. If we're ever back in Portland we'll definitely visit again! Peter, our bartender/waiter was fantastic. read more

Great seafood. Probably the best dining spot in Portland. Can be a little heavy but all the seafood is fresh, ambience and service are great. Super busy so make sure and call ahead. read more

Scales - Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

This place was unreal. When you first walk in, there's a big table of ice with fresh fish, oysters etc! The big windows make the restaurant so classy and such a vibe. I will say the hostess was a little rude/ not accommodating towards my sisters 4 month old being in a stroller, but the staff seating us allowed us to sit somewhere else to allow the baby to stay in his stroller. Anyways, the food was unreal. You order everything at once (app and dinner). The cornbread and octopus were soooo good. The octopus was definitely the best thing we had, it was seasoned soo well, definitely get. I'd skip the fried squid- tasted like any other fried calamari and was served on a bed of fries which made the portion of calamari look miss leading. For dinner I had the seared tuna and scallops which were both delicious. Btw- The tuna was not a tuna steak so it was not evenly seared, it was like 4 big chunks seared. My dad and brother in law got the steak and branzino and the steak was alright according to me, but they liked it! Mom had the halibut which was also so good! read more

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Great seafood, probably the best my wife and I have had in our lives. Everything is extremely fresh. The location is great right on the water. Service was great and the staff were very knowledgeable. read more

Excellent seafood. 8 of us went and enjoyed everything from fish and chips to halibut to lobster. We started with 30 oysters on the half shell. They were extremely accommodating for our reservation and the service was top notch. Well worth a stop if you're in the area. read more

Love this place. Good , service and atmosphere - excellent. It's casual, fun and lively. We started with the oysters and shared 3 entree- lobster, seafood stew, and scallops. All were excellent. Highly recommend! read more

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Scales opens at 5 pm. We entered an open door to a maître D/hostess with a horrible disposition, she was rude and non customer centric! She said we don't open for 3 minutes and shushed us out of the restaurant closing the door in our face. I do not care how good the food or table service is there should be no excuse what so ever for being rude and unkind human being, and am sure they won't even care to reply to this review, the owner and management team should be ashamed of themselves. Needless to say we left. There are so many other restaurants in Portland that have great food and kind and customer centric staff. read more

They deserve 10 stars!!! Wow, what a dinner! From fresh seafood to friendly staff to beautiful waterfront location, there is NOTHING to complain about. It was a FIRST CLASS experience all the way read more

The staff were all kind. The ambiance is very open and lively. We had a nice seat overlooking some of the water. We ordered some non alcoholic beverages that hit the spot. We ordered the clam chowder that had a beautiful herby flavor we also ordered the steamer clams. I was a little put off by the tails that you have to pull off. The broth was very good. My husband enjoyed his sea scallops. The tuna dish was not something I would order again. It just was more raw than seared and I recognize that may be the way it's done in Maine but it's still not my favorite flavor combination with the purè. The presentation of each dish was gorgeous. read more

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Amazing! Eating solo I made a resy for a bar seat and was so glad I did! The bartender was delightful my cocktail was perfectly on point. I ordered the scallops which were fabulous! I would recommend those or the halibut both are wonderful. I would never go to Portland without adding Scales to my dinning experience! Hint make a reservation way in advance! read more

Scales - Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

I came back here while visiting Portland and it still doesn't disappoint! I'm we got our usual order of clover rolls (garlicky deliciousness) and opted to try the corn bread which was more like a corn muffin. It was okay, but I wouldn't get it again just to save on stomach space as it wasn't super special. To start we got Halibut Ceviche (honeydew aguachile, red onion, cucumber, cilantro), Tuna Crudo (lemon aioli, fennel chili crisp, pickles) and Tuna Tartare (maitake confit, pumpkin seeds, black garlic). Everyone loved the tuna crudo. I think the ceviche was everyone else's least favorite, but I loved it! Overall they were all amazing. We also got the grilled octopus, which is always a favorite for me. For an entree, I got the fish stew again which was filling, large and flavorful. I have some to my boyfriend and he only got an endive salad, which he said was okay. Overall it was the perfect amount of food for two. I also got a side of Delicata Squash Gratin with Parmigiano Reggiano, which was okay. My brother got the fish and chips, which were fried perfectly and I was happy he gave me some of his fries! I think next time I want to try the Seared Scallops. A lot of people got them and they looked very delicious! The service was amazing as always read more

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Started by being told to wait in the "lounge" while our reservation that was delayed was not ready. No seats in the lounge and the bar is reservation only. Stood around aimlessly for 10 minutes then sat down at table where waiter took over 5 minutes to acknowledge us. Had the bronzino and wife had the scallops. Scallops came out raw and salty and my bronzino they filleted for me had dozens of bones in it still. Then comped nothing for the inconvenience when I ate my whole meal and wife waited for scallops to be remade. This is definitely a once and done. read more

My family was in visiting from New Jersey and certainly wanted some Maine seafood! I don't eat seafood so I usually just take them to Luke's Lobster. But this time, my husband and I remembered that everyone always recommends Scales! So we walked over there. First off, I thought for sure we would have to wait to get a table. That's generally always expected in Portland around this time. This wasn't the case at all. The host was very kind. He greeted us right away and mentioned that someone had just canceled their reservation and that we could have their table! The table was literally right by the water, the best view in the house. I couldn't even believe it. Our server came right away and shared with us some of the best starters and offered us some water. Soon after she took our drink and appetizer order. The greens with the Mackerel (special) was out of this world good and I don't even eat fish. I couldn't even believe it was fish since it tasted so good. I don't even know what else to say but whatever I tasted in that moment was delicious and delightful! I tried a little of everyone's fish at our table. I ordered the hamburger and surely missed out because all the seafood was great! The Fish and Chips were great. The Pan Roasted Halibut was great. The Seared Scallops were good. Everything was amazing! The Butterscotch Sundae was unreal! The Cappuccinos and Espresso were very good too! read more

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Delicious! Outside of a local seafood boil, this was fantastic. Highly recommend. Staff is equally amazing! read more

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The food is delicious, ambiance is fun and the service is always perfect! It's my favorite restaurant in Portland.

A MUST GO in the Portland area! I went on a trip to Maine a while back to celebrate my graduation. As a recent graduate, Scales was a tad out of my budget but I decided to go for it anyway, since it was a special occassion. I'm so glad I decided to go. My boyfriend and I got the 1/2 dozen oysters, the kingfish crudo, the steamed clams, and lastly, the pan roasted duck breasts. The service/ambiance: Lucky for us, I made the reservation a week in advance of our trip and there were a couple of openings for the day we were going to be in Portland. The only con for this restaurant was that it the entrance was somewhat difficult to find, but we did eventually find it after walking around the neighborhood for a couple minutes. Upon walking in, we were immediately greeted and seated at the bar. The Oysters (not pictured): The oysters were extremely fresh and we were provided with oysters from three separate regions around Maine. The server shucked and introduced each type of oyster to us, which was very interesting. We were able to figure out which regions of oysters we enjoyed and which we didn't. The Clams: Not much to say here, the clams were tangy from the white wine sauce, perfectly fresh, and the bread was the perfect vehicle to soak up all of the delicious broth. The Crudo: The kingfish was sweet, the fresno chili and lime gave it a spicy and tangy kick while the tempura gave it a bit of a crunch, overall, it was very visually appealing and delicious. The Duck: Now THIS was the star of the show. The duck breast was roasted to PERFECTION, it was nice and juicy, and so mouthwateringly delicious. I definitely recommend for anyone around the area to check this place out, there will be no regrets! read more

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From what we experienced, Portland's pier stretch is home to some of the best quality seafood and Scales on Commercial St. at the Maine Wharf- has topped that in food of course and style. We actually noticed Scales when we'd finished dinner over at Boone's Fish House not far off. And from where we stood, we thought it was a COVID-safe Art Gallery function. Wrong! We followed the path and the only walkway we noticed was a narrow-ass, at least a 24" wide path with the water right below us (maybe?) 10' down. So if we lost our balance- which we didn't, we were f*cked. Once around, we noticed the soft glow and elegance looking from the outside- then made it a point to make an 8:30 reservation for the following evening. Went for the gusto and ordered a dozen Oysters on the half shell, Steamers and shared Fried Oysters. Highlights were the first two. Although meaty and fried perfectly, these almost tasted floury. (I hold a particular Sanibel spot in high regards for their Fried Oysters). Hubs had his Negroni but my 'Prickly Pear' cocktail was more than half-way filled with ice and no substance. Our server asked if I wanted another and nicely mentioned to her it had way too much ice and no alcohol. Rosé it was. Hubs' Meyer lemon Tart and my Hazelnut Custard desserts where both phenomenal and an ingredient-rich work of art. Our server was friendly- so was everyone else. The location couldn't be more perfect. And if you're seeking succulent seafood in stylish surrounds, come here. Go for the extensive wine list and skip the cocktails. read more

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It's been a while since our Maine trip, but I decided to leave a review because of the amazing experience we had at Scales. First of all, the food-10/10 overall. I ordered the pan roasted halibut as my main, which ended up being my favorite out of all the dishes. It was decadent and buttery, with a slightly crispy outer layer. The crunchy hazelnuts also added a nice texture and flavor, and paired nicely with the fish. The smoked mackerel pâté was next on my list. The smokiness from the mackerel and citrusy flavors from the relish balanced each other very well. I'm usually not a fan of capers but they were delicious on the toast. Other than the food, service was very nice and I especially loved how the lights were a bit dim at night. I highly recommend! read more

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