One of the best dining experiences I have had in a while. Aside from the top tier service and beautiful view of the water, the food was AMAZING. Highly recommend getting the mussels and clam chowder. Whatever entree you pick, you won't go wrong. Worth a visit here! read more

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Best restaurant we dined at in Portland. The hostess was rude but we weren't gonna let that ruin our experience. Everything looked fantastic on the menu so we ended up ordering a bunch of apps and small plates. Things we ordered included the: 1) raw oysters: best oysters I've ever had! 2) tuna tartare: very fresh and I enjoyed the sauce and pumpkin seeds mixed in 3) side of fried calamari: cooked Perfectly and not overdone or chewy 4) crab fritters: wish these were bigger but they were very good. All crab and no filler 5) raw scallops: this was sooo good!! Highly recommend if you have never had 6) cooked scallops entree: scallops were cooked perfectly and had a very nice sear 7) octopus: cooked perfectly and the it was the best we had in Portland 8) halibut: I actually really enjoyed the hazelnuts it was cooked with. Felt like that elevated the dish and kept it exciting. 9) wild blueberry custard: perfect way to end the meal!! It was so delicious with the fresh wild blueberries Overall, good ambiance since it's right on the port. Our waitress was very nice read more

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What an amazing experience! We were very early for our reservation. We were happy to wait in the lounge. We found a couple of chairs with a couple of young ladies who were sitting on the bench. We ordered wine and oysters. 30 minutes later our seats were ready. We sat at the bar. The service was amazing. We started with the clam chowder. It was different than I'm used to but still very good. The bread we ordered was divine. It's good only three came out. I could have eaten that as my meal. The server was happy to stagger our order so we didn't feel rushed. After the chowder we ordered the special scallop tartare with persimmon puree. So fresh and flavorful. We ended the experience with the entree special of monk fish on potato puree and it was amazing. It was cooked to perfection with a crisp top and flaky inside. read more

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Food was excellent and vibe very cool. Bar staff was a bit uppity and condescending. Dining staff superb and insightful. read more

Scales - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

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The food is wonderful ... i love it ... the restaurant is so cute , i sit at batio so cute n lovely , and we dont have to wait for anything... the only minus is i ordered a ex'ra bread and he brought out it cold , they did not make it crispy for me , i felt like i ate a old bread read more

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Possibly a top 10 restaurant all time. The ambiance is perfect. Started with a cocktail at the bar. Perfectly made. Once seated our server Paige was awesome. Extremely knowledgeable. We started with steamed clams appetizer and grilled octopus. So tender. So good. For entrees the scallops were super. My wife had fish and chips. Fresh cut perfect fries. My brother's lobster was great. My sister in law had the halibut in a brown butter sauce. She loved it. Very extensive wine list. Excellent desserts. Highly recommend and I suggest a reservation. Enjoy read more

Overall: Scales is a seafood restaurant located right on the water. Reservations can be difficult to come by, especially for prime times. It's best to plan ahead. Everything was fresh and flavorful - I'd definitely go back! Food: 5 Drinks: 4 Service: 3 Value: 3 Atmosphere: 4 Food: Everything was delicious. We ordered the cloverleaf rolls, half a dozen oysters, the clam chowder, lobster bisque, grilled swordfish, and pan seared halibut. The bisque was very unique tasting (made with sweet potatoes and slightly spicy) and the fish dishes both had very interesting sauces. The Halibut had great texture and the savory flavor of the XO sauce on the swordfish was phenomenal. Would definitely go back for more food, there was plenty more to try. Drinks: We each got a cocktail. I got the Black Pearl Manhattan, which I thought was a nice mix of a boozy profile with some other muted flavors. Very good. Service: Our waiter was very friendly, attentive, and helpful. I'm dropping them to a 3 because they were 15-20 minutes late to seat us for our reservation. Value: All in our check was $178 before tip. Most entrees were ~$40, drinks were ~$18, and apps were $10-20. Everything was delicious, but I was a little bit disappointed with the portion sizes of the mains. The pieces of fish were small and didn't come with much of any sides. It's good food but not a deal. Atmosphere: The restaurant has a nice feel to it - it's partitioned off into large group tables, two person tables, and a bar area. We had a nice time - the view of the water is very nice and there's plenty of space. You're greeted as you walk in by a display of their fresh seafood and live lobsters. It helps set the scene for the meal - overall very nice. read more

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Our table was served by a trainee graduating that day and she did a great job with excellent hospitality skills. Potatoes were a hit. Wish my seafood stew had lobster in it and more stewed tomatoes. Phony Negroni was fun. Baked Alaska had a nice presentation but no wow flavor when cutting into it. read more

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We went back, as we do every year. Just a top flight restaurant. Exquisite food, perfect presentation and attentive service that isn't intrusive. read more

We had a really nice meal at Scales, but I have to be honest the dining experience wasn't exactly what I expected. Thankfully the food and service were great. We were expecting a little bit more of a refined dining experience, but the place is big, loud and there are lots of families dining with kids and babies. Sort of a Legal Seafoods kind of vibe. Not a deal breaker, I mean families with children need to eat, but we were seated right next to a baby and the dad was tossing this child up in the air for a good part of the meal. We were dressed for a nice night out, and not expecting to have a baby bottle and binky tossed in our lap from time to time. Sigh. So how about the food? We thought very good. We did try the stuffed lobster, a showstopper of a dish, priced at $65. It was a refined take on a classic dish. Not heavy at all, with a scallop mousse stuffing. Delicious! Craft cocktails were well made, and the lobster and sweet potato bisque was decadent. Don't shy away from trying, but just know this is a casual family dining spot, and we were hoping for more of a fine dining intimate experience without screaming children. read more

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

We spent a couple days in Maine and this place was my fav place for dinner. Our server, Briana, was the best. She was engaging, helpful, knowledgeable and personable. You can tell when restaurant staff are customer focused. The restaurant is spacious and I enjoyed looking at the live lobster bins in the front of the restaurant. We shared a blue cheese dressing endive salad. It was delicious. He ordered the duck breast with barley. I tried a piece of the duck breast and it was too chewy for my taste but the sauce reduction with it was really good. I finally bit the bullet and ordered a steamed 1.5 lb lobster. Hubby remarked how wonderful the claws had pre-cuts in the claws and thru the top of the tail to make it easier to remove the meat for the diner, as he struggled the night before at another restaurant with his lobster which didn't get the assist pre-cuts in the shell. The lobster dipped in butter, was really good. It came with a side of Cole slaw and small cornbread cupcake. We added a side of fries which were crunchy and crispy. Everything was so good. Cole slaw could use a bit more tang. The butterscotch vanilla custard for dessert wasn't too sweet and topped with yummy caramel popcorn. I would dine here again but needs reservations. read more

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Both service and food was spot on. Definitely one of the better places to dine in Old Port.

I thought last year's visit was our best dining experience. Well, I was wrong. This year's was even better. The oysters, the fish, the lobster rolls, drinks, service: just perfect. Plus they took note that it was my wife's birthday and made her feel very special. read more

Scales - Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We expected a different experience considering all the hype about this restaurant. There were no reservations available so we were walk-ins and ate at the bar. Our server was excellent - very attentive, friendly. We ordered a bowl of chowder, steamers, and the fried oyster plate. We should have known better and skipped the fried oysters when after asking the server their origin, he said they were from the mid-atlantic. (The oysters used in the fried oysters) Why would an acclaimed seafood restaurant in portland use oysters from anywhere else? They had no flavor. We ate a few and didn't bother finishing them. Probably the worst fried oysters we ever had, and we've had plenty. Using fresh Maine oysters and charging more for them would be much better. The steamers were excellent, not one grain of sand to be found. The chowder was OK. The place is nice, although when we were there there were a few very large parties and a bit loud. (Bachelorette groups) The server did notice the uneaten oysters and removed the charge for them from the bill, which was very much appreciated. read more

At first, our waiter was polite. We ordered a raw appetizer, lobster bisque, a glass of wine, and a root beer to start our meal. Before we had even finished reviewing the menu, he strongly suggested that we needed to order a main entrée. The way it was presented felt unusual and somewhat uncomfortable, especially because we observed him interacting differently with nearby tables. Other guests were encouraged to "take their time" and continue looking over the menu, while we felt pressured to order additional items immediately. We also ordered bread before deciding on our entrées, but throughout the evening the service toward our table felt noticeably less attentive compared to others around us. The waiter appeared far more engaged and accommodating with surrounding tables, while our experience felt minimal and overlooked. There were several occasions where empty or finished plates remained on our table for extended periods, and my wife's drink was not refilled despite the waiter repeatedly passing by our table. Meanwhile, we observed him regularly checking on and conversing with other guests to ensure they were receiving attentive service. As a mixed-race couple, with my wife being Native American, the difference in treatment left us feeling uncomfortable and concerned that we may not have been treated with the same level of hospitality as other guests in the restaurant. Whether intentional or not, the overall experience made us feel unwelcome and undervalued as customers. read more

I can't say enough good things about my experience at Scales! I was traveling solo, so I made a reservation for bar seating. I was able to walk from my hotel, but they do offer valet parking as well (not sure on the fee). I was seated promptly, and greeted by my server/bartender, Guy. He was fabulous! He told me about the specials and took the time to answer my questions on some menu items. Drink: Blue Lagoon (mocktail) - made with mango, orange juice, lime, and blueberry soda, very refreshing! Appetizers: Griddle brown bread - definitely worth trying! A slightly sweet, toasted, molasses bread. Clam chowder - warm and creamy with lots of meat Scallop (special) - a raw scallop served on the half shell with a cucumber and ginger mignonette - absolutely fabulous, not something I would normally order, but Guy convinced me and it was the star of the show. Dinner: I had been told not to sleep on the fried fish sandwich at Scales, and it did not disappoint. A huge fish filet, flaky and perfectly crisp. Served with a generous portion of French fries, coleslaw, and a pickle. I had a wonderful evening sitting at the bar, watching the chefs at the raw bar shuck oysters, scallops, and prepare beautiful dishes. All of my food came out in good timing, and the staff really seemed to work well together. Scales will absolutely be on my must-visit list next time I am in Portland! read more

Definitely a little more upscale of an experience here. Service: We tried walking in on Friday but they were booked, so we made a res for Saturday. Came in a little early but were seated right away. Busy place, so there was a bit of a lag between server visits to the table. Food: Excellent, but salty. Scallops were cooked well with a flavorful sear. The skillet was hot but everything in it was delicious. The Lobster Roll was very good and the ingredients were definitely carefully selected to create a balanced dish. Also had the Lobster Bisque, which was very reminiscent of a creamy consommé with the squash. The Clam Chowder was not as thick or creamy as at the surrounding restaurants, but still very flavorful! It felt like a chicken noodle soup but with clams. Overall: Happy for the experience but not necessary to repeat it read more

Scales - Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Seafood Stew. Best version of the dish I've ever had. That alone gets max rating. The sauce was delicious and every bite of seafood was tender, fresh and full of flavor. Service was excellent and we had a really nice booth that created a sense of privacy in a very busy restaurant. I sampled some bites from my dining partners and everything I tasted was excellent, however, I will never order any of that as long as the seafood stew is on the menu. read more

Scales - Seafood Stew - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

Walking in, I thought this would be a complete tourist trap. It's on the water side of the main street in downtown Portland, and it just felt very tourist trappy. I will also bet that most of the people eating there...were tourists. However, I cannot have been more wrong about my expectations on the quality of the food and the service. Anna, our waitress, was attentive and knowledgeable. She was efficient and did a wonderful job serving us today. The standout dishes were the cavatelli as well as the duck breast. You wouldn't think that at a restaurant that specializes in seafood, duck breast would be the best dish that we had today. It was extraordinary. The interior was light and airy, and the restaurant was pretty hectic when we went at around 5 PM. We ate quickly because we were in a hurry, and the kitchen was generally efficient. We were very happy with our experience, and left paying about $80 a person without alcohol. Good luck eating here without a reservation. When we came around the time they opened, there wasn't much of a wait. But when we left, there were a lot of people waiting. read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner. Started with the brown bread, clover bread and corn bread! It came out quick and was warm and delicious! We had the whole belly clams and lobster bisque for apps! Tremendous! Service was outstanding. For entrees people at our table had crab fritters, burgers, haddock and scallops. Everything was wonderful except the scallops were extremely salty. The difference between a 5 star and a 4 was one entree not at its best. I'd still come back! Excellent experience! read more

6/24/2005 Kudos to this place and its staff. When we headed down Franklin Street at 6 pm it was exactly 100 degrees. The kitchen area was not much cooler, yet the wait staff hustled out the plates with efficiency and smiles. Three of had: Oysters- simply the best we've ever tasted Seafood stew- the broth perfect- a ten Mussels- equally fine Crab cakes- perfect The place was packed and noisy- tourists- that can be excused. Another home run for Scales. read more

Scales - Still five stars! - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

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This was the perfect dinner spot to celebrate my birthday. The space was gorgeous and had so many perfect details to add to this Bay restaurant favorite. From the service to the food to the wine- everything was superb. I was thankful that I was able to snag a last minute reservation to celebrate my birthday here. My husband and I definitely indulged with appetizers, and I was sad we did not have more time to go back for a 2nd dinner. The cloverleaf rolls are an absolute must- I loved the ramp butter with it. The cornbread was baked to perfection and the chili-honey butter was the perfect addition. Being in Portland, I wanted to try all the seafood- so we also indulged in the Maine mussels, which was delicious. The mussels were impressively sized and we had a very generous portion. The broth was so creamy and delicious. We also got the summer squash and tuna tartare, which were fine but not my favorite items. The halibut was perfectly roasted and was one of my favorite fish dishes I have had in a long time. To end such a special dinner, we got the upside down peace cake and blueberry and vanilla mousse. Maine does not disappoint when it comes to its blueberries and even though I am more of a chocolate gal, this mousse had me wanting to order an extra one to go. Pro Tips- Book in advance if you want a prime dinner slot. Also be prepared to come in when they open if you want to snag a walk-in slot. read more

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Scales completely delivered on every level. Starting with the oysters and crab fritters, both are an absolute must and set the tone for the meal. After much review of the menu, You can't go wrong with any of the dinner options; everything is fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. You can see the kitchen cooking the fresh seafood while you wait for your plates. For a perfect nightcap, don't skip the espresso martinis -- smooth, rich, and absolutely divine. One of the better ones I had while in the Portland area. If you can, try to book around sunset and request a window seat -- the view adds the perfect touch. A total gem on the waterfront! read more

Scales - Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

One of the best restaurants in Portland! BOOK RESERVATION IN ADVANCE!! Everything was amazing. I love the lemon cosmo drink. If possible ask to be sat by the window read more

Scales - Lobster frites and halibut - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

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One of our favorite places to eat in Old Port. It's always packed but we were able to come at 5:30 on a Sunday evening and was seated on the patio without a reservation. The waitress was super nice and attentive, the ambiance is so fun with perfect lighting as the afternoon becomes dark. The food is always fantastic and always consistent. We tried 2 new fish dishes that we don't normally order and it was so good and fresh. The tuna was apparently off the coast of Maine. You can't get any fresher than that! Not pictured are the oysters and the mussels which is a must when coming to Scales. It comes with a sourdough for sopping up all the wonderful creamy dill sauce. I just wished they had a gluten free bread to offer. We ended our dinner with their special of the day Peach & Blueberry Cobbler and the Buckwheat Brownie. It was a perfect ending to another wonderful dinner at Scales. read more

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This is one of Portland's premier seafood restaurants and your bill reflects that status so be warned, it is a very expensive restaurant. Is it worth it? Yes! The food and service at Scales is exceptional and the large bright space overlooking the working waterfront is the perfect ambiance for dinner. If you are looking for an upscale restaurant serving seafood this is the perfect spot for you. read more

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Came for a birthday dinner -- what a beautiful space by the water! Food was average but service was really great. We enjoyed the seared scallops (pork belly and apples were great flavor additions to the dish) and the cloverleaf rolls. The sweet potato and lobster bisque was also great. We really didn't like the seafood stew -- was waaaay too salty. Note: they have free valet parking which was really convenient. Would recommend making a reservation in advance because it filled up pretty fast, even on a weekday night. read more

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Third time dining here and it is still fabulous. Made reservations for the bar on a Monday evening (somehow bar seating was the only thing available on Open Table). When we arrived, the place was very busy. We notified the hostess that we would accept a table instead of the bar but either would be fine. There were no tables available so we waited at the bar lounge area for our seats. We each had a Balvenie Doublewood 12 to celebrate our mini- vacation. The bartender was excellent! While we were enjoying our drinks, the hostess notified us that a table was available and so we were seated in the dining area. Our Sandra was also excellent- nice personality and attentive. We started with the Corn and Crab Chowder (husband and he devoured it) and the Sweet Potato and Lobster Bisque (me and it was outstanding!). We shared the Crab Fritter app. The main course was swordfish for him and duck breast for me (I know, a premier seafood place but I like duck, don't get it at home often and it was delish!). Of course we had dessert - butterscotch sundae and something called chocolate pots de crème. It was wonderful. read more

Scales - Pre-dinner single malt in the waiting area. - Seafood Near Me - Portland, Maine

First off, the outside is very deceiving. We were walking over to the restaurant and at first I was a bit confused since the outside was kind of plain and there's not huge signage and it seemed quiet. My father even said I probably didn't even need to make a reservation since it's already off season. BUT THEN.... we open the door and the restaurant is VERY busy still. We checked in and were led immediately to table further in the back. It took a little while for our waitress to come by since they were busy but she immediately apologized for making us wait which I appreciated. We decided to forego the entrees and instead ordered entirely from the left side of the menu and thank goodness we didn't add any entrees because the appetizer portions were quite large. We started with the cornbread and I really wanted to order some of the other bread as well since I read a lot about how good the bread selection here is but that's just too many carbs and we had a lot of other dishes we wanted to get. The cornbread was great and I really loved the chili butter that came with it. I love a really good flavored butter and this goes in my top 5. We followed that with the clam chowder which was just fine. This was probably this most underwhelming dish. The crackers that came with it were on the large side and honestly seemed a little stale. Then came the fried clams and fried oysters. These were perfectly fried and not dried out at all. I even loved the little bed of lettuce they were on. They must have dressed the lettuce because I usually don't care to eat the lettuce that comes with a dish but those greens were really good and still crisp. Lastly came the grilled octopus and the steamer clams. The grilled octopus was amazing. Perfectly cooked and a nice big piece. The steamer clams.... that is NOT and appetizer portion. The clams themselves were also quite large. The only complaint I have is that the clams were VERY sandy. However, I loved the piece of bread that came with it. Super crisp, just the way I like my bread. Sadly, we did not make it to dessert though I saw they had some nice options. Overall an amazing meal and the staff were also all very friendly. read more

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We had a large group here tonight. Great spot for large parties or a few oysters at the bar. Service was great, everyone was fun. Our meals were not anything spectacular but they were good. To start we shared whole belly clams, fried squid, crab cakes and bread. All were good. Some had chowder. I had seared scallops and others had lobster rolls, fish & chips and salmon. Scallops were a nice dish with asparagus and slab bacon. Lobster roll could not make up its mind if it was CT style with butter or ME style with mayo. Not sure what the drizzle was on top. The fish and chips were my favorite. I finished with the caramel cake dessert which was good but did not have much flavor. Overall, the spot is nice. If you don't eat fish, this isn't a spot for you as the non-fish options are extremely limited and for me, the prices were high on a bit of lackluster food. read more

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When we arrived at 4:30 p.m. for Scales' first seating of the evening, we met a gentleman from Boston who was headed north to his cabin in Maine. He asked us how we found Scales and I told him I used a Yelp search. He said "You don't realize it now, but you're about to dine at one of the best seafood establishments on the East Coast." Wow! That's quite a recommendation from someone who's lived in Boston and on the East Coast his entire life. He told us he never travels north to his cabin without stopping at Scales. Now I'm from Nebraska, but I've traveled and enjoyed seafood around the world. So his recommendation could have been a lot of hot air. But after dining at Scales, I'm ready to say that it could rival anything when it comes to seafood. Having not tried many other establishments on the East Coast, I won't go as far as he did, but I will give it a five-star rating and tell you it's a "don't miss" when you're near Portland! I ordered the Pan Seared Halibut in brown butter with hazelnuts, fingerling potatoes, and lemon. It was spectacular! Fresh, flaky Halibut with crunchy, perfectly seasoned hazelnuts in a wonderful, buttery lemon sauces. I strongly recommend this dish. It's one of their top sellers for a reason. My wife ordered the Seared Scallops with fregola, capers, and raisins in a Calabrian chile sauce. It was served beautifully in the pan - to the table - and is one of Scales most attractive dishes. She too really loved the entree. Scales is located on the wharf in the bustling Portland Waterfront. As you dine, you can gaze upon the working fishing boats docked right next to the restaurant, a testament to the freshness of their seafood, which is on display as you enter. If you're in Portland - put Scales on your list of top choices. It won't disappoint! read more

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Came to Scales yesterday and enjoyed our time! We originally had a 4:30pm reservation that we ended up not being able to make because of traffic, and they were kind enough to move us to a 6pm reservation instead. Love the service, and especially our server Natasha! We tried the rolls (garlicky, buttery, what's not to like?) And the scallops crude (literally so insanely good, creamy, sweet, hint of a kick, delightful!). We also tried the black cod (perfectly tender) and the seafood stew (so flavorful with fresh bread) but those were a bit too salty for our taste. We also tried the Indian pudding for dessert, which was very good! We loved the large windows and decor-it made for a special night to celebrate a birthday. Thanks Scales! read more

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I stumbled across Scales when researching restaurants to check out in Portland that I hadn't been to before. The fact that the restaurant is owned by the same people that own Standard Baking (one of my favorites bakeries in Portland), really piqued my interest. That, combined with the great reviews and pics here on Yelp pretty much sealed the deal - so we made plans to to try this place for dinner. Scales is located on the wharf - I have admittedly not tried many spots on the water but there are a ton of them so I'm making a mental note for future trips. Anyway, the entrance is somewhat miniscule, however once you go inside you're greeted by a grand space - it's loud and long with high ceilings and large open kitchen. Color scheme is mostly earth tones - lots of neutral browns with light wood tables/chairs; my brother said the decor was very 90s and I would tend to agree. The menu has a lot of seafood (indicative the name), but there were a couple of land options and a decent selection of apps and a raw bar section. I noticed they had a selection of bread services, so we went with two: the cloverleaf rolls and the brown bread. While both were good (I love carbs), the former was out of this world - warm and buttery and seasoned with salt and herbs; I could eat like 10 of them. We then all decided to get the NE clam chowder - this was pretty good, I wouldn't call it anything mind-blowing but a solid offering. For my main I went with the halibut which was prepared with brown butter, hazelnuts, and lemon. This was good - the fish was super flaky and the layers of flavor made it a noteworthy dish. We opted for dessert and I went with the butterscotch sundae - this tasted more caramel than butterscotch but was good regardless and paired with caramel popcorn which kept it fun. Service was pretty good - everyone was friendly but our entrees did not all come out at once which is a pet peeve of mine. It was a good 5 minutes or so after our initial dishes were served that we were waiting for a main for one person in our party. Seems like a small amount of time but when you're sitting there it's like an eternity and just isn't good service in my opinion. Overall, Scales is a solid seafood restaurant - the food is high quality and despite one service hiccup, it was a good experience. I would personally want to try other seafood restaurants in the area before returning here, but I would have no qualms recommending Scales to others. read more

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What a surprise! Two of my dear friends brought me here for a surprise birthday dinner on Saturday, 10/26/24. We had a 7:30 reservation, and our table was ready right on time. As usual, it was PACKED. This was my second time here in 7 or so years and it was as incredible as it was the first time I went. We ordered drinks - one friend had Maker's on the rocks, another a white wine and I had the Allspice Old Fashioned. I loved it! Adding the allspice gave it just enough of a twist on a classic to be different. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My friends enjoyed their drinks as well. For starters we had fried cauliflower, halibut ceviche and brown bread. Omg, where to start! The cauliflower arrived first. It was so delicately fried, we were guessing it was breaded with rice flour. It perfect crunchy exterior and the inside was not too firm, but not too soft. And the pistachio chili romesco took the dish to another level. Next to arrive was the halibut ceviche. I was a little on the fence about this at first, not sure if it was going to be something I was totally in to. I was. It was like not other ceviche I've had. The perfect bites with a bit of everything arranged around the plate in a gorgeous green sauce that was tangy and bright. Then came the brown bread. If you haven't had this New England delicacy, you are missing out - especially this version of it. Brown bread is a molasses bread, typically baked in a can. It had to have been made in house as it was not a B&M brand. I fry/griddle mine in butter and it has never tasted that good. This was pan fried in butter and sprinkled with flaky sea salt. It was heaven. We liked it so much - we ordered a second plate of it! Thankfully, we still had room for entrees. One friend had the seafood stew. Similar to cioppino. I cannot eat clams/mussels so I didn't try it, but he said it was amazing. My other friend had the salmon. It was slightly overdone - in my opinion, but I prefer my salmon cooked medium, not medium well to well. However, it was still delightful and skin which I usually wouldn't eat was light and crisp. I had the scallops. Wow, were they incredible. After my scallops earlier this week that were a little gritty I was hoping I would not have a repeat and thankfully - I did not! No 'feet' were left on, they were pan seared with apples and mushrooms. A combination that I found interesting and complex. For our sides we shared broccolini with guanciale and the loaded Hasselback potato. The broccoli was so good! It's not a side I would typically order, but it was a solid choice. The Hasselback potato was very interesting. I'm not sure what sauce was under the potato, but it was good. Maybe a butter, sour cream mix? On the potato was sour cream and pickled onions. That was the first time I've had pickled onions on a baked potato, and I put them on A LOT of different things... it was good, I enjoyed it, more than my dinner companions did, I think. For dessert we shared the Apple Cider Donut Cake. It was to die for! The donut had been fried so it was crisp on the outside and moist with a good crumb on the inside. It was the perfect size for each of us to have a couple bites as we were stuffed. Our service was impeccable and the overall experience was perfect. THANK YOU! read more

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Amazing fresh seafood, clean and bright atmosphere. Upscale, yet kid friendly. We dined outside during the summer. Their crudo/apps are amazing and the oysters are tasty, briny, yet sweet at the same time. Would gladly return. Res highly recommended! read more

Phenomenal restaurant. Everything you'd expect and more. Chowder is amazing , salty but good. Every time a plate comes out it wows you. Definitely recommend the potato battered cod. Worth a night if you're lucky enough to get a table. Enjoy read more

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Great dining experience. We had 7 folks in our party and we all had a great time along with a fabulous meal. Couple of things to note - 1. They won't let you hang around at the bar while you wait for a table. They do have a small lounge area where they prefer you order drinks 2. You have to put in your order - apps and main course, all at once. 3. The Bronzino is phenomenal. Don't fall for the "it's just the fish and you may need to order a side' gimmick. The fish was plenty! 4. Make sure to order steamed clams when you order clams, else they come out raw. LOL Overall, would definitely visit again! read more

Slightly less impressed with my revisit a good year later. The service from Ben was impeccable, I can't say enough great things about him. I was there with a group of friends (from away), and one member of their party also had Scales recommended to them as well, so they were excited to try. Lavish spenders, promising to cover my part of the bill, I took advantage and tried a few different things. The oysters were okay. Neither here nor there, though I feel like I've tasted better. The cod fritters were pretty good, though maybe not a million miles from something I could get from Trader Joe's. The ceviche was one of the better items, I feel like that's the sort of thing I wouldn't be comfortable with trying to do at home. The scallops... I love scallops and maybe it's just that I know I could have cooked this at home, I felt a bit disappointed. Even the sauce was just "meh" well cooked dish, but kind of basic. Wish I'd chosen something else. Worth noting that the group tried all the breads, and I can attest, they were all really good. Maybe I chose poorly this time, maybe the menu didn't speak to me. I know they got the goods, so of course I'll come back again and hopefully get my socks blown off like I have in the past. read more

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Went here with a group of 10, and while it was not easy to get a reservation organized, the experience itself was amazing! They have a great selection of beers and ciders, and the appetizers are a must. We had one of each of the bread options. The garlic was by far the group favorite, which allowed me to get some extra cornbread (perfect consistency)! Oysters, Calamari, and the Squid Tails were fantastic The sweet potato lobster bisque was tasty, but I was disappointed by the lack of lobster in it - I had trouble finding any... The Scallops were a large portion and tasty. Dessert was so-so. I was not a fan of placing our order all at once and they ran out of stuffed lobster since we were not ready to order the moment we sat down. read more

We had heard great things about Scales, so we gave it a try for a fancy night out. The interior is airy, sleek, uptown with lots of windows overlooking the wharf. We were warmly welcomed. I had a pre-dinner blonde award winning Allabash Belgian beer with a haddock ceviche app with Hubs while we waited for our table. We shared a chopped salad with buttermilk dressing. The bread sounded so tempting that we ordered both Boston brown bread and ramps soft yeast rolls. The soft, doughy yeast rolls rested in a sea of drawn butter. The brown bread sliced discs were springy, bursting with rich molasses flavor, sprinkled with coarse Kosher salt. I cannot begin to describe how heavenly the ramps rolls were. I knew I was in trouble once I sampled both. Where in the world would I find room for the entree?! I ordered the haddock in a cream sauce accompanied by onion and mushrooms. Hubs had the baked halibut swimming in lemon butter with roasted hazelnuts and new potatoes. Against our better judgment, for dessert, we shared the vanilla frozen custard smothered with homemade caramel sauce, topped with butterscotch popcorn. After that, we yearned for our fat pants. Natalie was our efficient, friendly waitress. She patiently guided us through the meal with great recommendations. The meal was world class. I never say that, but it's true. Scales is not to be missed. read more