This place is a gem! Located off the main road, it's truly a locals spot and the staff talks you like a friend rather than a tourist, which I love. The tables are cute nods to the restaurants history - with glass cases as the table top that house photos, thank-you notes, and interesting anecdotes about the restaurant. This stuff can be kind of tacky, but they manage to do it in a way where it tells a story and shows how proud they are of the restaurant and its place in the community. Now onto the food - we had the lobster mac and cheese and lobster roll. The lobster mac and cheese is phenomenal. You have 3 portion options - a full size, a half size, or a half size with a full portion of lobster (one and a quarter pounds worth). Since we were also getting a lobster roll we decided on the half, but we were sooooo tempted by the half size with full lobster portion. It's rich, creamy, cheesy, and comes with a heft portion of lobster. The best part about it, is that the ratio of pasta to lobster allows for you to get lobster in every bite! The lobster roll, like all joints in Bar Harbor, was fresh and came on a nice toasted bun. The only disappointment was the lobster roll's side portion of fries, which was pretty skimpy. Amazing staff. Amazing food. We'll definitely be back! read more

Side Street Cafe - Lobster roll with 5 ounces of lobster meat - $19.95 - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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Jasmine was a helpful and lovely server. Jalapeño margarita was excellent w homemade jalapeño vodka. I will ask for less simple syrup next time. Halibut was good. Three people had blackened salmon salad snd salmon wasn't blackened, had no flavor and was over cooked. That was the big let down of the ordering. Great blueberry pie! read more

Lots of places in New England claim to have the best lobster roll in New England, but honestly, this might be the best I've had. Great, airy atmosphere and friendly staff help, but I can't say enough about the lobster roll. Look, its difficult to get bad food in Bar Harbor, but their lobster is very fresh and delicious. They also make a great mimosa with blueberry. Give this place a try, if you're up in Bar Harbor- you'll be glad you did. read more

We were looking for a quick and delicious option after some Acadia hiking, and Side Street was recommended by a friend. We split the tuna melt and the lobster roll appetizer. The food was ready in less than 15 min, the touchless pickup was super smooth, and most importantly, the food was amazing. We live locally and have had our fair share of Maine lobster, but their lobster meat was far and away the tastiest and freshest! The tuna melt was delicious - loved the addition of avocado! We plan to make this a regular stop on our frequent trips to Bar Harbor! read more

Lovely - lots of outdoor seating on the balcony. Nice staff. Menus on QR Code per table. Quite a wide selection of food. Parking lot opposite. read more

I guess the hype for this place is because of their lobster roll, but $44 for a lobster roll (with a cup of chowder) is overpriced for this area. I ended up getting a grilled veggie salad, which was fine, and my partner got fish tacos. He said they were fine but nothing exceptional. The service was great though! Our server was super friendly and attentive. read more

Stopped in for dinner around 5:30 on a weekday in August, and no seating available, however we did find a nice spot on the deck facing the street. Not much to look at - a parking lot and a juice bar next door, but there was a bit of a breeze, which was nice, given the evening heat in August. Nice dinner menu, but by 530 we had already had some ice cream and other treats while shopping in Village Green, so we ate light. Wife ordered a small pitcher of classic margarita - which I had a bit, very tasty, especially with salt. Daughter had an avocado salad with lobster - no greens to speak of, chunks of avo, tortilla chips and chunks of lobster - some tail, some claw meat, no real dressing to speak of, but she enjoyed. I had a fish taco - 2 tacos, haddock (I think), and it came with a bowl of spanish rice and red beans (which was very tasty). Tacos could have used a bit of dressing - not very taco in nature, just fish in a tortilla wrap. Son had a small order of lobster mac-cheese - grated thin slices of pecorino cheese, typical mac and lobster chunks (he enjoyed) and wife had a BLT with lobster extra. The bacon was excellent, lobster was a bit skimpy. Nice place to dine for a summer evening, off a side street from the Village Green area. Ate on a patio facing the street, with only a countertop, so we all faced the street - not really conducive to talking, but it worked for us. Would try the restaurant again when not so busy and we could share some dishes. read more

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Well this place was very nice. Got the fish tacos which were different than most with a nice Cajun spice and Cole slaw was really a party in the mouth. The atmosphere was great as well with a mix between bar and family. Highly recommend read more

Clam chowder was good. Then, we had the lobster rolls. They were good maybe not the best ever though. I also had a Caesar salad. It was just ok. read more

I went with my husband for happy hour. Which btw, happy hour is from 4-6pm and they have some great deals. We also sat outside on the patio which is super cute at nights with string lights. Husband and I split a chicken wing appetizer and some drinks. Everything was tasty and the service was good. For an entree we split a full size lobster mac and cheese. To be honest it was really decadent/rich but I'm not certain that it was really worth the price. Though the dish was large enough to split for two. But to me the amount of lobster seemed lacking. read more

I think their lobster stew is so far the best I've ever had. We came for lunch and ordered lobster roll with lobster stew (did the side upgrade) and a lobster Mac n cheese. Roll and mac n cheese were okay. Big amount and fair taste - nothing special. But the stew was amazing. Should have got a bowl instead of a cup. The soup was creamy and flavorful and full of lobster. read more

Side Street Cafe - Lobster roll, lobster stew (omg yummy) and lobster Mac n cheese. - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Don't let the Panzanella salad fool you. You would think based on its name, it would be made of stale baguette soaked in vegetable juices like tomatoes, cucumber, basil, etc, but no, it's literally a greens salad with croutons. Not even a drop of olive oil and balsamic. So disappointing for a salad that is incredibly easy to make. read more

The staff was very friendly and they had a good drink selection. My husband and I split the Buffalo chicken Mac and cheese. I noticed someone else said that the Mac and cheese didn't have much flavor. That was definitely not the case. The buffalo Mac and cheese had a good buffalo flavor. Unfortunately, it wasn't very hot. The chicken pieces were pretty large and it was more of a pasta with cream sauce. It wasn't a thick and cheesy Mac and cheese. read more

I had such high expectations for this place but the food and the service was quite honestly just mediocre. The server we had was not knowledgeable about much on the menu and just seemed "lost in the sauce." I asked about the IPAs on the menu and he said he was a Guinness drinker so he didn't know about any of them. I ended up ordering a terrible IPA that was super malty. Next we ordered the small bacon Mac and cheese for an appetizer it came warm on top and cooler on the bottom, it was almost as if the Mac and cheese was on the steam table and the cook forgot to stir it before serving. I got the jerk chicken tacos which came LOADED with an overly sweet habanero sauce that was awful and my boyfriend got a burger cooked medium and it came out cooked on the outside raw on the inside. All in all this is not a place I would re-visit in Bar Harbor. read more

This place was so busy at night. But the resto has a large seating area and outdoor space. We were seated in the dining area towards back where booths were. It was perfect since we had our infant and needed a high chair. Pretty good cocktail, local beer menu. We ordered lobster roll it was huge but very expensive.... $30. Not drenched with butter or mayo. Very good lobster and it came with clam chowder-- slightly salty but it was good. Husband ordered burger with fries. read more

Side Street Cafe - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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We'd heard many good things about this place and it fully lived up to my lofty expectations. My Black & Bleu burger was exceptional, as were the French fries. I must also point out their ketchup. It's way better than anything you find at most places. My wife had the fish tacos and she was delighted too. She said she'd reorder if we came back. There was a good selection of beer to choose from. Service was also very good. Attentive without hovering. Just as it should be. read more

Amazing food! Ton of food for the price of your meal also! We will definitely come back here on our next visit!

My friend and I were honestly a little disappointed with our meal. I rely heavily on Yelp while traveling and was excited to see such good reviews/ratings. We were here on vacation and had a goal to eat lobster in a different dish/preparation each night. We both tried the lobster Mac and cheese and our expectations/hopes were not met. The Mac and cheese itself was pretty bland and nothing to write home about with just lobster meat dropped on top to the side of the dish. The lobster meat itself was good, of course, but for 20$ for the small version of the Mac and cheese we were both let down. On the bright side, the outdoor seating space was nice and we were seated right away just before the dinner rush. read more

I'm from the south and visited Bar Harbor. Everyone told me to try the lobster rolls. Wow. So disappointed. Just tasteless. The rolls I've had down south taste better then the junk $30 lobster roll I had here. Just. No. Taste. I also ordered wings which were obviously cooked hours ago and just reheated when I ordered them. Can't believe I waited over an hour in the cold to eat here. read more

After a long camping trip in Acadia, this restaurant was the perfect place to have a comfort food meal. The fries were to die for, and the customizable Mac and cheese was my favorite part of the experience. Best of all, our waitress was very nice and accommodating to some of our weird requests. I would absolutely go here again next time I'm in Bar Harbor! read more

We had a wonderful meal and great service from Quinn M. The clam chowder was very good. read more

Side Street Cafe - Serena Lobster and Clam Chowder. - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Food was ok. Tasteless. Cajun fish taco has nothing close to Cajun flavoring. Blueberry pie tastes flat, no depth at all, just plain ole sugar flavor for $7 a piece. Overpriced for bland meal that we paid $70 for. read more

Two upsides: 1) The servers here are cheerful and attentive, and 2) free refills on soft drinks. Side Street serves standard bar food, add lobster rolls. Downsides: Standard bar food. Nothing special. The Northern Cuban sandwich was served on a pretzel roll with a dehydrated pickle on the side, and potato chips. The ham on the Cuban was tasty but the roast pork was dry, really dry. I ordered a side of cole slaw, prepared with Mayo and sour cream, and nothing else. It had no seasoning, very bland, overdosed on sour cream; it could have used some celery seed, a thimble of vinegar, a pinch of sugar, a touch of Dijon. Throw the head of cabbage against a wall. Something. Overall, would recommend Side Street for a ginger ale or a beer, but not for food. . read more

Two words: Lobster Melt. I am still thinking about it 5 days later. We ended up going there two days in a row during our 3 nights in Maine just for that lobster melt. The wait was very long for a regular table (1 hour), so we just scouted the bar until 2 seats opened up. The first night we did this it was very quick, had seats within minutes, the second night was more dog-eat-dog for the bar seats, but we still managed to snag some chairs within 10 minutes. Highly recommend sitting at the bar if you don't mind it/only have 2 people in your party. The clam chowder and lobster roll were both good really good and the lobster Mac n cheese was slightly bland, but the lobster in it was amazing. However, nothing compared to the lobster melt. Don't let the long wait scare you away. read more

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This place had the best lobster roll i've had and being from CT I like my hot lobster roll but it was amazing. The lobster roll included cold lobster with a touch of mayo and old bay seasoning with a side of drawn butter. Our server Tyler made the experience so much better. If you're looking for a nice lobster roll along with many other great things this is the place. read more

Side Street Cafe - Homemade Soup Of The Day - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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One of the few restaurants offering vegan options but they were sparse and not very good.

Popular, low key bar for food. The bar part was its unexpected weakness - our food arrived before glasses of wine. Refills of wine were not received until the meals were finished. The food was adequate (had burger with bacon, avocado and cheddar; salad with Atlantic salmon and goat cheese). The space is loud. read more

Lobster chowder was by far the BEST lobster dish I've had in Maine! Next time I'll just have a bowl of chowder and a blueberry margarita to wash it down. Delicious! read more

Side Street Cafe - Lobster Chowder and blueberry margarita - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Positives- friendly waitstaff and prompt food service Food tasty and lots of fun choices on menu Outdoor patio dining Easy online waitlist accessed Negative Went online says there's no one here come on over we got there five minutes later there was a 30 minute wait list Food arrived tepid and all of our dishes had to be returned to be reheated Three of us got a glass of wine that filled half of a small glass We will explore other options for the next few nights for dinner read more

Great, 4-star experience...very friendly staff, good service, and solid food. Perfect for families. We stopped in for some quick food and drinks (3 adults and 3 kids). Each of us walked away satisfied! In particular, the clam chowder, the burgers and the mac and cheese were excellent. The blueberry margaritas were very good and unusual...worth a try. Overall an inexpensive, good service, good food place...worth a visit if you are in Bar Harbor and looking for casual. read more

I can see why this place was freaking crowded with a long wait. I went here with a wait of 2-3 hours. However the outside area was 1st come 1st served, so we gambled and luckily found an empty table that we pounced on. We ordered steamers. Mmmm it was fresh but maybe a bit too fresh. Helllo sand? Can you please clean the steamers a bit. Yes i know that you give the salt water so we can do it ourselves, but it didn't help at all. The sand bits were stuck on hardcore. I had the BLAT (bacon lettuce avocado tomato) w/ lobster. Yes you can add lobster to ANY dish. ANY!!!! It said so on the menu, so I did it. I'm glad i did; although i regret ordering my sandwich with focaccia instead of marbled rye. The sandwich was too bready, but that was my own doing. Overall the dish was solid, and the homemade potato chips were crispy and solid as well. I shared the lobster stew, and i wish i didn't. It was soooo good that I secretly didn't want to share it. The highlight of the dinner was the dessert. We shared a blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream... MMMMMMMMMMM! If it is on the menu when you go..I totally recommend saving room in your stomach for this dish, you will NOT be disappointed. read more

This is a cool place with outdoor seating as well as indoor. Another little location that is a house converted into a restaurant. The night I was there it was super hero night and all the wait staff were dressed as super hero's. They really seemed into it because it was to raise money for a local girl who has an illness. It was quite loud because the Women's world cup was on some televisions around the bar area and dining room. Side Street Cafe is known for their Mac and Cheese dishes. Apparently they have won awards for their recipe. Of course, they have a few different versions of lobster as well. They couldn't be in Bar Harbor without that. I chose to try their award winning mac and cheese, adding olives and spinach to mine. The portion is huge! And of course very filling. This was pretty good but I'm no mac and cheese expect. I must say though, my mother's homemade mac and cheese is better. For dessert, I spotted a chocolate bread pudding on the menu! Served warm with chocolate syrup. Had to have it but ordered it with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream which is an option. What was I thinking! After a few delicious bits I ordered the ice cream which completed the dessert. A good option for something completely different in Bar Harbor. read more

There is a happy hour from 3-6. Three dollars off apps and drafts. We had the trio seafood sliders as an app and they were really good. We took off half of the bun to make sure we got the full taste of the seafood. We ordered the lobster mac and cheese (I posted a picture) and it was life changing. The flavors, the meat, I literally can't believe it's gluten free! After that we had to try the trio dips. Their cheese dip is the best I've had. The only reason this place should get less than a 5 is because the service is a little slow because it's so crowded. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE! read more

Side Street Cafe - Lobster mac and cheese - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Good food, the lobster, steamers, soup and corn were all fresh and delicious. Good pie. Since its high season our waitress was very busy. She did a nice job & was very friendly & helpful. The restaurant is clean (for a lobster place) and well run. There are 3 bathrooms around the kitchen center of building so try them all you may find 1 open. These two were impressively clean for such a busy time. I appreciate that. read more

Side Street Cafe - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

The place is very busy. Locals and tourists. The food is amazing. Clam chowder the best since we arrived Friday. Mussels with chorizo for an appetizer delicious. We split a Mac'n'cheese with Lobster, it was huge in size and flavor (get the small). read more

Really enjoyed this down to earth pub style restaurant. So many restaurants in the area are so fancy and upscale it's nice to take a break and just where jeans and have a beer. We had the Crab Cake App which was tasty but small to share. A cup of lobster chowdah a bit rich but come on it's basically cream n butter. The lobster quesadillas was meh for the price. The lobster Mac which was so rich and delicious but big. It could have fed the whole table. It wasn't the best food or experience I had on my trip to Bar Harbor but it was open late at night which it was. Convenient location and pretty good food. read more

Pretty average cafe food and service was alright. As the name suggests this cafe is slightly off main street. read more

Side Street Cafe - BLAT - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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I suppose if you live here you might go out for burgers. I just can't see it myself. But last time we were at Side Street my wife raved about the burger she was eating. It did look good and yeah, she gave me a bite and it was. But good Lord, man? You're in Bah Haabah. Lots of places on this earth to have burgers (and these days, lobster Mac-and-cheese) but THIS is the place for the latter. Best I have ever had. It was so rich I nearly cried, because I had the great good fortune to be here and enjoy this dish. I embellish only slightly. Great place and atmosphere, lively, fun, nice folks, good service. As they say, they have lobster prepared any which way. I have not eaten all the dishes but if they taste as good as they looked when they were set down on the tables nearby, you won't be sorry. Coming back to town Thursday and I can't wait to hang at Side Street! Did I mention the drinks? read more

We stopped by Side Street twice over a week-long visit to the area. The first time we had the Lobster roll and mussels. Lobster roll was a B compared to some others we had in the area, but still obviously pretty good (Look at my pic, you'll see!). The mussels were great the first time (with the chorizo) but terrible the second time. By terrible, they basically tasted like they had been soaked in Port wine all day. The first time they had tons of flavor. Not sure what happened there. Aside from that, a huge menu and tons of drink options. read more

Side Street Cafe - Lobster roll - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

First week of May - got takeout here twice via online order because it was so good the first time! We particularly enjoyed the to-go cocktails. Food was ready in appropriate amount of time and was ready to eat by the time we got home 10-15 minutes later. Briefly saw the inside of the restaurant while picking up and it looked cozy and fun. Would love to return to dine in restaurant. First trip - roasted crab dip, full lobster mac, jena's jam with grilled shrimp + two cocktails. Lobster mac was quite large and saved half for leftovers another day. Second trip - nomad burger, shrimp quesadilla + two cocktails. Food was made to order, no errors. Burger was on a delicious ciabatta roll and shrimp quesadilla was so good! read more