Slates has a very cool vibe! Kind of earthy/funky and the staff is friendly and welcoming. We got to listen to wonderful music by Ms. Gallagher while we ate our meal, which was thoroughly enchanting. Our drinks were pretty yummy. We were the least impressed by the food, which was adequate but left something to be desired. I'd return for cocktails and music. read more

Butter, cream, big-haried waitresses, hollandaise sauce and a bloody mary. Take 3 Pepcid AC before you go, cause you aint' gonna be able to shut your mouth here when the food starts rolling in. (That's just me - but I saw all kinds of fresh, yummy, butter free stuff too). Get teh red-hot Bloody Mary, lobster hollandaise sauce and fresh onion bagels. I swear there's a Jew hiding in this town somewhere. I'd go here for the high holidays if i could, but it so far from New York. My mouth is watering when i think of this, and the Pepcid AC is jiggling in my bottle. Hint: to top off an extra good meal, go next door to the spa and say hi to Nathan and ask him about his dog Morty and see if he has any Xanex! P.S. This place gets busy so send your kids to wait in line, and then have them call you. The Bakery is next door, and Jesus it's good. Mainehigh 5: read more

Slates Restaurant & Bakery - Red pepper bloody! - Bakeries Near Me - Hallowell, Maine

Yes! Slate's Restaurant is back in full blown action after a year since it was lost in a devastating fire. Slate's is my (and countless other's) FAVORITE local dining establishment in the Augusta area. ATMOSPHERE I think the newly decorated space is an excellent revival of the old. Some interior brick was salvaged and restored, artwork from the old space was also salvaged and celebrated throughout. The new walls are brightly painted with colors of lime and cantaloupe, giving the space a lightened-up feel (a great depature from the all-brick interior). The seating space feels a little more roomy, but the artwork and character of Slate's has been suitably maintained (imagine naked mermaid/angels painted upon the walls). Slate's is about creating a feel-good atmosphere in an eclectic way for all to enjoy. FOOD Well, today I enjoyed brunch (Sunday starting at 10 AM). The menu flanked two sides of an 11x8.5 piece of paper. Prices ranged from 10-15 for brunch entrees consisting of smoked maine shrimps, omeletes, benedict, salmons, steaks, salads, and chef specials. Brunch is paired well with a tall Bloody Mary and potent coffee black. I ordered an omelete with arugula, roasted tomatoes, and cheddar that came with a side of garlic roasted potatoes and started off with a house salad. The dressing on the salad is indescribably delicious and the omelete couldn't have been more perfectly prepared (no brown spots!). My mother's smoked maine shrimp eggs benedict with a Bernaise sauce looked unbelievable and HUGE. Sauce was so delicious and again the eggs looked perfect. The dinner menu is a mystery to me since the restaurant revived, but if it's anything like the old, expect NEW entrees made with fresh local ingredients on a daily basis. EXPECT A QUEUE By the way, Slate's now takes reservations for parties of 6 or more. If your party is smaller, expect a lengthy queue (or arrive at opening time). But put your name on the list and hop over to Slate's Bakery for fresh baked breads, sweets, and refreshing drinks! Or perhaps try the new Joyce's across the street for a martini or wine. read more

Slates Restaurant & Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Hallowell, Maine

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100% lived up to expectations. The food was excellent (despite being a little pricey) and the atmosphere is really unique. I had a special (they all sounded so good I post a picture of the special menu) the Mint Julep Marinated Swordfish with Grilled Jumbo Shrimp and Mango Peach Papaya Purée. My sides were Roasted Carrots and Thai Slaw. I am pretty sure they dug the Carrots out of the ground minutes before they were so fresh and delicious. My only complaint would be the beer selection was limited but the wine list looks decent. I give the servers a four chili pepper rating. Stick with the restaurant, the bakery is just ok and crappy green mountain coffee. read more

Slates Restaurant & Bakery - Cool bar - Bakeries Near Me - Hallowell, Maine

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I love Slates and my trips to Maine don't seem quite right when I don't get in there at least once for a delicious meal and a glass (honestly, bottle...) of my favorite wine with my friends and coworkers! The food is great - innovative and really, really tasty and you cannot go wrong with any of the bakery items. If you find yourself in this part of Maine - seek this place out. You will not be disappointed! read more

Wonderful space for going out to dinner with the family. Seafood is their speciality. The handwritten specials menu is wonderful. The outdoor seating in the summer is terrific. read more

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Visited here last week while on vacation. This place to us seems to be a tourist trap. Restaurant is extremely overpriced. In our opinion the food quality does not merit the pricing. We found better food available nearby for much less money. We do not recommend this place based on our opinion of the food and the pricing. read more

Totally our favorite place to eat in central Maine- on Thursday is Mexican specialties- and wow. Salmon tacos knocked me off my chair. Perfect, generous serving. (Get 2 not 1 taco if you are really hungry) . Did I forget to mention the appetizer of brazed scallops wrapped in crispy prosciutto? How do you get it that crispy? Delicious. One warning. We got bumped from our reserved table by a boisterous party that sieved it just before us-- and management did nothi read more

Slates Restaurant & Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Hallowell, Maine

Slate's lunch and dinner is fabulous if you're feeling a bit footloose and fancy, because even though it's casual, it's definitely not "run of the mill." Their dishes always have a unique "twist," which doesn't always fit what people are looking for. Their ginger-peach mimosas are deeee-lish, and their menu (which does change often) has some mouthwatering items. (my favorites are the crepes!) Be warned that some of their cakes turn out dry. I had the german chocolate cake twice, and it wasnt good at all. I'll never order it again. Breakfast is something you can skip if you want to save yourself the money. $15-20 for one person for breakfast is steep, and the breakfast is certainly good but nothing that will be "unforgettable." read more

I was on a trip to Maine with my niece to visit relatives and they had recommended Slates as we were strangers to these parts. What a wonderful dinning experience. We had reservations and upon arrival were seated right away with no wait. Although not totally accessible the welcome by the staff is warm and inviting and we had a nice table tucked away in a cozy spot. We were in the mood for lobster after driving up from Albany, NY and the only lobster dish they had were lobster rolls. We decided to order them without the rolls and were delightfully surprised and pleased by the presentation. We both were served with a large pile of big lobster claw pieces on top of fresh lettuce and a side of our choice. Everything was excellent, the lobster was cooked perfectly and the sides added to the meal. My niece had the rice and I had the roasted carrots both perfect. The serving size was perfect and just what we wanted after that long trip. We shared a wonderful Hot Fudge dessert with coffee. Alana our waitress went out of her way to see we were taken care of. Thank you for a warm welcome to Maine. read more

I look forward to dining at Slates every week when in town on a long-term project. I've been coming here since Winter 2016 and absolutely love the vibe, ambiance, varying menu options, and most importantly the impeccable service by Michael. As a sometimes solo diner given the nature of my work I've always been impressed with how welcoming the employees, specifically Michael, are here at Slates. I feel right at home (and really Augusta has become my home away from home). The menus feature locally sourced food. For instance I've had fresh mussels from Damariscotta, a dish served with blackberries from Michael's family member, or fresh same-day caught Lobster from the Gulf of Maine. I highly recommend this gem of a restaurant if you find yourself in the Augusta/Hallowell area. And don't be afraid to sit at either of the bars. read more

Fabulous food, and Jane provided great service to our party of 6. Variety and well prepared food options, with focus on seafood. Make a reservation. Great recommendation by King at Second St Bed and Breakfast. read more

This is a cool place with funky decor. The have a small bar and a cozy dining area. Overall a really cute place. I had the portobello sandwich on rye with quinoa on the side. The food is pretty good, as was the drink special that I got. read more

I had heard great comments about this place and was intrigued to try it! My husband and son had eaten here during a College tour trip and found it noteworthy. On Saturday they had a live musician signing and playing guitar while we dined and that was a treat. It was bitterly cold outside and fortunately there was a portable heater placed nearby! The eclectic decor gave the restaurant and unusual vibe - sort of a throw back in time ... I enjoyed my organic salad, followed by a seafood pasta dish. My son had fettuccine pasta and seared scallops which he said was good. Unfortunately my husband's a steak in sherry sauce with pomegranate seeds was not very pleasing. Reasonable wine selection by the glass, and an assortment of great sounding desserts. We had a pleasant experience but it wasn't wow! read more

We were on a visit to meet with the governor and wanted lunch on our way back to Portland. Slates was recommended to us and didn't disappoint. My portobello mushroom sandwich was fantastic and for some reason, their coffee - standard Green Mountain - tastes perfect. Maybe they have better water than we do in Portland. Nice waitstaff, adorable decor. read more

Had a nice meal here tonight. Amazing bread and dip to start. Burger was great. Spicy Fish tacos were good. Guacamole was not homemade. Mussels were ok. Bombay and tonic excellent. Service excellent. We would return. read more

Wonderful eclectic restaurant in downtown Hallowell. Bartenders and wait staff are always very welcoming and friendly. Best crab eggs Benedict I've ever had. Make reservations for Sunday brunch, you wont be disappointed! read more

My husband and I were visiting from out of town and we were recommended to go to Slates. The hostess was delightful, super nice and helpful. I wish I could say the same about our waitress, Jane. She was unbelievably rude and had no knowledge of menu items. She acted like it was a terrible inconvenience to tell us what was on tap. She was offended when we asked for more bread and the food took nearly an hour to get to us. We ordered a burrito and a burger. Food was good but not hot. I'm just disappointed that our last night here, meant to be a special dinner was not very pleasant. read more

Very nice restaurant, amazing breakfast and the baking goods are heavenly. My favorite breakfast place, hands down. Super friendly people

This was the worst meal I have ever had. The only reason I stayed is because I was with good company. If you're looking for any semblance of customer service, turn around and go somewhere else. At $25 a plate, the service was unacceptable. Restaurant Impossible needs to come in and teach the owner how to keep her staff in order. The sass and attitude they spewed the entire night was atrocious. Our "server", if you can call someone so rude that, wasn't happy with us from the start. She needs to go in to another profession, one that includes no interaction with people. The duck wontons were too oily and the sauce was overwhelming. The flavor of duck was non existent. We have to wave someone down to get drink refills. Only to find out they ran out of Shipyard Pumpkin. Who runs out of beer? About an hour later, our "server" stops by to say that our dinner is coming out after the big party next to us. Well they get their food in five minutes. Half an hour after that, I wave someone down to check on our meal and she says it's coming right out. Two folks got duck, and the serving sizes were completely different. Shouldn't they have been the same size? One was dry and the other was over sauced. The pasta with sausage was bland. The "crab" crepes had more 90% artichoke and 10% crab. They should have called them artichoke crepes! When asked if we wanted dessert, I asked if it would take an hour to get that too because the "server" was rude the entire meal. She said to blame the slow meal on the kitchen and she was just the messenger. She didn't seem to realize that her lack of communication was more upsetting than the slow food. We asked to see a manager because we didn't want to deal with her any more. She came back and told us to go to the kitchen because she was working and could not come out. Are you kidding me? The owner should have come right out to talk to us. When we get back there, the two servers, who looked like nagging sisters, ganged up on us and told us that we were in the wrong! Seriously? The customer service there was non existent. And the owner had zero control of her staff. I will NEVER be back. Why would I pay money to be given attitude and suffer thru boring food? Save your money. read more

You guys, it was bad. I've heard so many good things about this restaurant; I was excited to finally try it. The interior of the restaurant is so cozy and cute. Everyone was really friendly when we arrived and they sat us even though our entire party was incomplete. The wine was mediocre table wine. I had the flat iron steak with garlic fresh herb butter, kale, and quinoa. The steak came out cold with a heap of what looked like, I kid you not, a two tablespoon clump of butter. The kale tasted like it had been dry rubbed in salt, and the quinoa was somehow undercooked and burnt. For dessert I had the peanut butter fudge swirl pie and a brownie. The brownie was dry and stiff but the peanut butter fudge swirl pie was good and I would recommend it. Our service wasn't that great either. Friendly, but absent for most of the meal leaving our water glasses empty until we ordered dessert. Everyone else in my party had a similar experience with the food. As a long-time server myself, I'm a pretty easy guest and always tip 20% no matter what, but unless Slates is going to cut their prices in half to match the quality of their food, save your money and go to the Liberal Cup. read more

This place gets a ton of great press... maybe I ordered badly... maybe I was having an off day? I had a steak - over sauced, over cooked, under chosen. The wine selection was okay... The service was good. The space was pretty cramped and uncomfortable. Lot's of people still rave, so don't take my word alone. read more

Maybe I just hit this place at the wrong time of day, but we had lunch there yesterday and I didn't think it was anything worth writing home about. Servers were spread too thin. My father's silverware was dirty and the bread was kind of stale. All-in-all it was nothing to write home about and we won't be returning. I have to respectfully disagree with this Yelp listing that says Slates is a good place for kids. There's no kids menu! People with kids either have to share their meal with their children or they have to order full-size meals for their kids (which is expensive and way too much food!) read more

1st time visitor and I will be back Interior brick and artwork line the walls. The walls are brightly painted with color giving the space a lightened-up feel The seating space feel roomy. Slate's is an eclectic way to enjoy your meal. Three of us got there at about 1130 on Saturday, we were seated within a few minutes. The special menu flanked two sides of paper. Prices ranged from 10-15, I had the crab cake eggs benedict, with homefries, I also had a strawberry Italian mimosa which was tasty. The eggs benedict was the best I have ever had. I would suggest poppin' into the bakery for a treat for after your meau read more

Ho hum food. Way overpriced..Bread too hard, coffee too old and dessert was stale. Salad was ok. as was the brie and grapes. Waitstaff snotty Although some of the food tasted ok going down, I was sick all night upon returning home. Maybe they turn the lights way down so you can't see how dirty the place is. Won't be back. read more

I am sad to say that what would originally have been a 5 star review has become a 3 star review. I have been a fan and patron of Slates since 1976. I know the website says 1979 but the actual business opened earlier that than that. For years whether I was living locally or coming in from away Slates has been a primary destination for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Slates didn't start as a dinner restaurant it was primarily Breakfast and Lunch - Brunch being the pinnacle for us at least. The huge choices of Benedicts, the fresh baked breads and a different brunch bread every week using seasonal fruits and more. A former favorite has been the smoked seafood with , well anything. Slates was ground breaking in it's approach to what kind of food to serve , how it was presented and the entire model for the way the business was run. It served both the general public, tourists and still maintained the local vibe. Everyone came in through the week for a meal or a drink at happy hour. Long before every vodka was flavored Slates was infusing vodkas - in fact it was one the first if not the first to create a pepper vodka. It started with again, ground breaking Monday night music and art opening events and special dinner nights. Now it seems to be primarily lunch and dinner. I miss being able to get breakfast any day of the week and brunch on both Saturday and Sunday. We were disappointed this year that Slates would not open on Old Hallowell day for Brunch. It has been a family tradition for 30 years and this year we had to make other plans. I imagine the food is still good but a place changes and it just doesn't feel the same. Sometimes it's more than just the food. read more

I went to Slate's for brunch and ordered their breakfast sandwich with wheat toast which I had before at another time. After a forty five minute wait due to the crowd the sandwich came out on an English muffin. I sent it back and they put it on the wheat toast but the egg, bacon and cheese was lukewarm as if the cook just slid it off of the English muffin and put it on the wheat toast. Plus the toast itself was doughy. I hope the cooks can do better next time. read more

Good food, however, no changing tables for infants. This place could get a 5 star if the decor was updated-time to hire an interior decorator. Also, service is VERY slow on multiple visits. Especially on weekends.... like ridiculously slow. Most waitresses good but a few are quite rude... same at the bakery section of Slates. Not good for a restaurant in such a small town :/ read more

Although I frequently get coffee and snacks at their bakery, and sometimes I stroll in for drinks with a friend, I rarely actually eat at the restaurant because let's face it, it ain't cheap. But you get what you pay for, and if you want high quality you'd better be willing to cough up a few extra bucks. We made reservations for Friday night. A single musician sang and played guitar unobtrusively in the background while we investigated the hand-written menu. We both were drawn to the specials menu, he to the steak (of course) and I to the seafood in creamy red pepper sauce. I tend not to order seafood as it's just too easy to goof up, but I figured I could trust the chefs in this kitchen. Before too long, our drinks arrived with a small portion of crusty bread and oil for dipping. My entree included shrimp, mussels, scallops AND Lobster (yes, with a capital L), and every piece of seafood on my plate was delightfully tender and flavorful, even the friggin little claw-thumb pieces that I pretty much never eat (I've seen cats scoff at these), even they were good. The sauce was delectable, expertly rendered. The cheesy polenta altered my perspective on polenta in general (I'd had it only once before, prepared badly, so I thought it was gross, however, I was willing to give it another chance). THIS polenta was delicate, slightly crispy at the edges, and of course was complemented by the sauce. As we raved over our meals and devoured them as politely as possible, we could see the chefs hard at work in the kitchen, sometimes with huge flames bursting upward into their concentrating faces. Perhaps this image of dedicated chefs cooking delicious meals in the face of clear and present danger made me appreciate the experience that much more. I shall return in one year's time, unless you'd like to buy me dinner, in which case I'm free tonight. read more

A cozy, welcoming ambiance with very friendly and helpful servers. Choice of seafood, chicken, meat and tofu cooked in tasty flavors and sauces. Surprised to find kimchi burger and rice bowl salad with kimchi and tofu! Mild spicy and delicious. Lots of fun cocktails and drink selections. Definitely a spot to visit when in town. read more

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Wish I could say I loved it. music was great..service was great which that was never the case before but the food was..meh....crabcakes were nonexistent.. mired in sauce and soggy..hubbys fish was tiny and overcooked. Friends fish was drowned in pesto and inedible... brought the wrong wine twice to the friends... read more

My favorite Maine restaurant. Their food options are so varied and perfectly prepared

We've been looking for a 'new' place to be since we moved to the area. Our first experience was an anniversary dinner and it was very lovely - dead of winter but cozy inside, quirky and caring, the food really yummy (had stuffed haddock, moroccan veggies, warm brie, spouse raved about the tenderloin au poivre). Second time, a birthday dinner in the spring- elderflower cocktail made me feel like a faerie queen, had the alfredo and the boursin - super delicious. I think what really compels us is the attitude of the place, funky, sweet, everyone is kind and it reflects on the food. And then we found out there was a Happy Hour! I almost don't want to tell you but just relaxing at the bar with a couple of half price draft beers and half price great nachos was perfect. Now our go-to for date night, whether it's an occasion or just casual - thanks! read more

I started my night in Hallowell trying to get a meal at The Liberal Cup. Because it was Tuesday night Trivia and chaos, I never did get to eat there. So I walked down the street and popped into Slates. It's an eclectic place, a little bit of a hippy vibe going on. It was a little dark for my taste. The host (young kid) asked me if I wanted to sit at the bar. I saw the restaurant was only about half full so I asked if I could sit at a table. He first tried to give me a tall table with tall stools. I asked for a regular low table and he seemed a little put out with me. He gave me the worst table in the house, way in the back corner, by the bus station - I was being punished! The waitress was a very sweet woman who had a nice way about her. I started with a salad that was just very average. I also got some bread, that was also average. I was not impressed and was expecting just a very average meal. Then the magic happened! I had a baked haddock stuffed with lobster meat. It was out of this world - delicious. It was a well cooked piece of fish and generously stuffed with lobster. The sauce was rich and tasty. I had sides of carrots and smashed potatoes. The carrots may have seemed simple, but they were so good. I enjoyed my entire meal and cleaned my plate. Now I have been trying to be good and go with out dessert these days. But something told me that tonight I should try the dessert here. When I Maine I go with the blueberries. They taste nothing like the berries we get in Pennsylvania. They are smaller and are packed with blueberry flavor. So I got the pie and homemade ice cream. It was outrageous. The pie crust was perfect and flaky. It may have been one of the best pie crusts that I have ever eaten. Plus a nice big scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream. I learned Slates has their own bakery next door and they are know for their wonderful baked goods. The pie was very remembrable. I really enjoyed my meal here. It tasted homey and homemade. It was the right choice! read more

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I returned to Slate's last week and my second experience was much better than my first. The bread was still delightful. The beer was great. I ordered the baked haddock with potatoes and squash, and, by the end of the meal, I was stuffed, but I wasn't going to leave food on my plate! The fish was perfectly cooked. As promised by the waitress, the pesto was incredible. Rarely when I travel do I feel like I'm getting a home-cooked meal, and this was definitely a treat! Note that this place gets very busy, even during the week. We had to wait about 20-30 minutes for a table of 4 at 6:30ish on a Monday night! However, the ambiance is very nice in the back room--much nicer than in the bar area. read more

Amazing food and people. My favorite place to eat on a lazy Sunday (or any other day of the week!)

Slate's is an institution in Maine dining. My parents used to drive from Waterville regularly for dinner in the '80s because it was the only decent place in the area. It only seemed fit that while I was in Maine for a week for the first time in 4 years that we stopped by for brunch. I think it must have been an off day, sadly. Both my mother and boyfriend enjoyed their eggs benedict (his steak benedict, hers normal eggs benedict), but it took probably half an hour to 45 minutes to get our food - enough for us to each drink about 4 cups of tea. I ordered the crab cakes which were small but tasty. The deal-breaker was the crab-shells in the crab cakes and egg shells in the egg. Unfortunately the taste of the food can't compensate for being put off your eggs and then trying to soldier through the rest of your breakfast, only to discover more unwanted crunchiness in your main course. The waitress comped us the crab cakes and I just can't in good conscience give Slate's anything less than 3 because it is an institution in mid-Maine dining, though I was incredibly disappointed... read more

Excellent good and excellent service! I visited this small unique restaurant with a friend and we got fast and courteous service. It's very unique inside with local paintings, I love it there and the bakery goods are amazing! read more

Used to really like coming here, but the last few times it has not been that great. Last time we went a few weeks ago we again had an unimpressed experience. First, we are seated and we notice that one of the water glasses is broken and leaking all over the table. Next, we order the melted brie appetizer and the brie is literally ice cold in the middle. We get our food and my husband's meat is raw, needing to be sent back to be cooked. My vegetables were very undercooked, my sister's meal that was advertised as spicy had no spice whatsoever and her sides were bland and just not good. The seating feels very squished, especially where we were as the staff used the space behind us to walk around. Pretty cold with the draft of the door in the winter. They do have very good drinks here, which is why I give this place 3 stars and would be the only reason I'd come back. read more

Love this place, love the live music, garden, flowers inside, paintings. Pretty neat! The food is excellent from the steak with grilled onions or steak with lobster on top both amazing. The potato salad is my favorite hard to find good potato salad in augusta r Hallowell or Gardner but these guys nail it. Love the make salad and tomato basil soup and the warm bread and lil are great! Breakfast homefries yum! And get the lobster alfredo. Point is try this place out! Just wish they had filtered water and not faucet that I seen them using to fill our water glasses. Can't wait to come back. read more