Atmosphere is good, food is bad, and service is horrible! We just drove past this restaurant and saw it has a great view of the harbor so we decided to stop for lunch. Big mistake! The price here is much higher than those other restaurants at bar harbor, and the food is mediocre to bad(very tiny portions). What's even worse is the service. We waited 20 minutes for just water, then another 45 minutes for our food(just some lobster rolls which has very few lobster meat). The harbor view is good but you get tired of it if you stare at it for 1 hour. There were a few indian people (not american indian but people from the country India) came in after us and left after waiting in their table for 15 minutes without being greeted by a waitor. Come on! this restaurant is not busy at all. There were only 4 tables have customers, and I don't know where the waitors and waitresses are. Maybe they are transfixed by the great view too? The female co-owner came over to the next table and talked with the customers for over 10 minutes, and sneezed directly onto their table, spiced up their food with her mouthwater. Great hygiene! In the end we are still hungry after spending over $100 for some poor food, and 2 hours of our precious time where we can go to a nearby trail. Then it's an insult to find out they have the audacity to charge a 18% tip directly on the bill without asking their customer. Maybe they know they won't be getting much tip so they just go ahead and helped themselves. My advice: if you really like the view, take a few pictures from the upper deck, then leave. You will be very glad you did so. read more

Taylor & Bri are seriously the best bar tenders you'll ever have! Personable, detailed, friendly, sweet! This was our "southern hospitality" away from home! We LOVE them and will absolutely be back! read more

This was a disappointing and awful experience. Because of its location, near where the lobsters are brought in, we thought we had it made. Not so! The steamers were so salty, cold and gummy, we had to return it. We were told the water had boiled down, therefore getting overly salty and they were sorry and gave us some extra, which came after we ate over salted lobster. We didn't even complain; just wanted to get out of there. We ordered lobsters $10.00 extra for 1-3/4 lobsters and they were tiny. My husband paid and we got the heck out of there. Go toward the docks and not toward town. We found out that's where to get a good lobster. Who knew? read more

This was home to our worst dining experience of our vacation. Where to start...The service staff operation was total chaos. We didn't receive drinks for a half hour after ordering, and then got only 3 of the four. They ran out of clean glasses. Same for table settings. We saw all the signs but being late we decided to stick it out. Things only got worse. Meals came an an hour later and the food was poor to fair. Before leaving we complained to the owner/manager. She was aggressively rude and dismissive. We were astonished how the place could still be in business. You're better off buying a bag of oyster crackers and eating in your room...The one bit of good to come out of it was that the experience provided a week of comic relief read more

The short: sub-par food, awful service. Great view. The long: Came here on July 4th, admittedly a bad time to go anywhere on the island. But after reading other reviews, it seems that our experience was in line with many others'. We stopped by in the morning to make a reservation. When we came back at night, they said we didn't have one and they couldn't seat us, that they were booked up solid. Just then a table inside finished and suddenly they had space. Throughout the night, people kept coming in without reservations and were turned away. At one point, we counted 6 open tables (this was 30 minutes after their last reservation) and yet they kept turning people away - one of the would've-been customers pointed this out and the matre d finally said the kitchen couldn't keep up (even though they were winding down...) The food wasn't great. We got the mussels for an appetizer - they came steamed and were not fresh. They smelled very fishy. I ordered the stuffed haddock, which was decent. My wife ordered the lobster and it was also not very fresh or delicious. At one point, I tried to order a second beer and it took over 20 minutes to deliver a can of beer. Our waitress was never around because most of her tables were out on the patio. We wanted to order dessert, but we decided we had waited too long, so we paid and left. There are a dozen other restaurants that are better. read more

Save your money and time, go somewhere else. I went here with my girlfriends family for a dinner around 7. We were seated after 10 minute wait in a table right next to the door, which was odd because the restaurant had many empty tables, but we were still give the worst seat in the house. The food was okay, but it was way to expensive for what it was. Prices for a lobster here were nearly twice the prices of the islands other restaurants For example, m girlfriend got the Lobster mac for $25. It was about a cup and a half of macaroni from a box with 5 small lobster pieces. Even worse, all the food was cold because the service was so slow. We spent nearly two hours there. Perhaps the restaurants only redeeming factor is the view which is quite nice, if you happen to get a table near a window. Otherwise you get a view of a parking lot. read more

We visited The Upper Deck when we were driving through Southwest Harbor sightseeing. The restaurant appeared very cute and had a beautiful view of the harbor. When we went inside, we were greeted and seated immediately, but they only had a few people in the restaurant. Our waitress was very nice, however the food was not so nice. I ordered the crab dip.. And let me say, it tasted more like garlic dip then anything. In better words, it was overpowering with garlic to the point where I couldn't even eat it. The rest of my family ordered the clam chowder, and after the waitress brings me the crab dip she then tells us that they ran out of clam chowder (this was about 10 minutes after we ordered.) So we asked for the menus back, and they ordered fried shrimp with fries. The shrimp wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. The restaurant was definitely a let down. read more

Terrible service, the waiter had no idea what anything on the menu was. Took an hour just to get drinks after he forgot 2 of them, took 2 hours to get our food which came with the wrong sides, had cold fries, and the fried fish was too soggy to eat. read more

Great relaxing atmosphere with great views. pricing and flavor of food consistent with the area and other restaurants in Bar Harbor.

I give three stars for the view only. The service was just ok, the food was very disappointing , I prefer the fired seafood platter, at 2pm in the afternoon the servers response was oh let me check I think we only had two orders of the available today! Really this is seafood haven . She returned and it was my lucky day they had one preserve left. Well for $25.99 I do have to say is was the worst meal I have had in a very long time. I should have hoped that they did not have it. My husband had the fish and chips and that gets a F-. This was our first and last time here. Now if you want a drink and a view this place is for you, forget the food! read more

This place excels in the monumental task of catering to both locals and tourists. The food is excellent. The owner is an amazing baker, so have the desert. The view (overlooking the harbour) is nothing short of phenomenal. If you have lobster, it is definitely worth upsizing. I've been here three times over two years, and I highly recommend The Upper Deck to anyone in the area. read more

The Upper Deck - New American Near Me - Southwest Harbor, Maine

See all

Last night in MDI... Loved the outdoor seating and views, and the live music. We ordered steamers, lobster mac and cheese, and a salad with local crab meat. The lobster mac was good, not great... but not worth the price tag (more expensive than a whole lobster meal for a small portion). The steamers were delicious (a little sandy) and the crab salad was pretty good, but nothing to phone phone home about. Great service. Next time we're in town, I think we'll stop by for lunch for burgers - they looked awesome. read more

We had 2 pretty disappointing dining experiences. The place is cool and the people are really nice, but the food is average at best. Our first night we had the flat bread pizza which was good, but my fried clams were overcooked. The new england clam chowder was very good. The drinks were great and we had a great time sitting at the bar. Our last night we had an overly busy waiter who waa ok. My biggest gripe was with his the dinner suggesstions. We started w a lobster roll which was fine, but both the scallops w sherry and my lobster mac and cheese were both poor. As some other people have said this place should just accept the fact that its a really good bar and cool place to hang out. I.m guessing that ordering the fried seafoods and the basics are the way to go, but i would not go back for food. Other folks waited so long that they got their food to go, but again overall its worth visiting for a before or after drink. The desserts did look awesome, though but all on all a real dining letdown. Grade C - read more

Me, my bf and his parents had gone here last year for a meal when they first opened. The place filled up quickly!! We all had gotten the fish and chips! Really yummy!! Great customer service! Would recommend this place! Plus the view is awesome! read more

Cute place, friendly staff. Had the mussels one night and grilled salmon another. Both excellent.

Happened up on this place while seeing the sights. Nice location overlooking water. Was raining on our day so we dined inside. Stood at the door awkwardly before someone finally acknowledged us and seated us. Service was friendly and good after we were seated. The lobster roll and chowder were very good. The chowder was the best I had during my time in Acadia area. read more

It's location on the harbor, great view, Down Maine ambiance, wonderful cocktails and great service staff make the Upper Deck a must visit!

Had the baked scallops, way over done and blah, wife had stuffed haddock,mostly stuffing very little fish, fries and potato's were left at the table. Cold beer and very nice waiter. Will not return. read more

The food was good but the service not so much. We sat for over an hour and our food was delivered to the wrong table. We were eventually told but all in all it was frustrating! read more

Poor service, hour and half wait for mediocre food and our waiter was down right rude. Would not reccomend this restaraunt to anybody

Among the worst lunches I've ever had. I had a taco salad and the ground beef was obviously cooked another day (the colour was off), there was no cheese, there was a huge amount of hot, chopped jalapeno peppers, and the taco bowl itself was a very peculiar reddish colour and obviously reheated at some point because it was hard and inedible. My husband's fish sandwich was good, he said, but the amount of fish on it was skimpy. I've never posted a restaurant review before. Hope I never have to. read more

Atmosphere is the only plus about this restaurant. Great for a sunset dinner right on the harbor if you eat on the deck. Food was sub par and over priced. Got lobster mac and cheese for $24 and got cheesy shells that were hard with some lobster in it. Service was only ok. Dessert was not too good. Live music thurs-sat is a plus. read more

Food was good. View is nice despite the buildings between the reataurant and water . ... Too bad the railing can't be lower! It's way nicer than when it was a lobster pound under different owners years ago. Service was good until dessert time when the waitress seemed to forget about us and eventually brought out warm pie that was cold and looked like it had been thrown around before landing on the plate, then took forever to get us our check. Luckily we weren't in a big rush. I'll be back, and hopefully the service will be better! read more

Great staff, great view, owner was present and nice...totally down to earth...local vibe. We had some delicious steamers here. Great bar, great restaurant. read more

I'm not sure why people hated this place. My wife and I stopped for lunch. She had the crab sandwich and I had the lobster club. The food was good and service was good. The view of the harbor was also pretty. Again, not super bit nothing bad. read more

We had a good experience at the Upper Deck last year so we decided to go here on our first night in town this year. We ordered calamari for appetizer, wife had a lobster roll and I had a fish n chips. The Calamari was not good. Likely frozen. The fish and chips was dry and flavorless, no amount of lemon would liven it up. Wife did not like the lobster roll, had a stale bun and stingy portion of lobster. It took a while for the waitress to check on us after the food arrived, and when we were done we waited a long time for the check. An older woman (maybe the manager) asked us "did your waitress disappear?" She was obviously annoyed by this and got our check for us. At $80+ the meal (including 2 beers and a soda)it was very expensive for the quality and experience. Beal's is expensive too, but we always leave happy and full. I can't recommend this place and We will not be back with so many better choices on MDI. read more

Beautiful view of marina. Service slow. Food okay, nothing stellar. Waiter seemed unhappy with the restaurant.

We had a great dinner here over the July 4th weekend. It's a new place and was quite busy the night we came. We have been coming to the island in the summer for years and we always enjoy heading over to the "quiet side" at least a couple of times each visit. It's slightly more relaxed than the bustle of Bar Harbor and one gets a real feel for island life. This restaurant was no exception. Even though they were busy, everyone was super friendly - service was great! I had the fried calamari and halibut and my wife had the fried clams. The calamari was cooked perfectly and the portion was very fair for the price. I also enjoyed the halibut- many times halibut is too dry but that wasn't the case here. My wife *loved* her clams- said they reminded her of the fried clams she used to have at the Seawall Dining Room in Manset (a long closed, much beloved quite side restaurant). For those of you who have been there, high praise indeed. I was surprised when I read some of the negative reviews. As I said, we had a wonderful time- maybe they are working some kinks out, which is usually the case for new restaurants. As I said, our service was great (our waiter was Southern and quite professional- and hasn't been 16 in many, many years). All in all, highly recommended. Good, reasonably priced fare and quite possibly the most gorgeous view of any restaurant on MDI! We will return. read more

There is no better view in southwest harbor from the bar unless you own a boat in the marina. Calamari is cooked to perfection and the lobsters are locally caught and fresh daily. I witnessed the lobsters being brought up from the dock fresh off the lobster boat. Great service from the bar staff. There is only real Maine cooked lobster which is NEVER broiled. Always steamed/ boiled. If you would like a true Maine experience come to the Upper Deck as a former Mainer I really enjoyed it. read more

Great service, wonderful view and delicious food! Crab fritters were great. We will definitely be back.

Came here after a day of hiking in Acadia. Good, fast service, but the servers were not overbearing. We are our meal peacefully while overlooking the marina. Lobster Rolls were amazing and so was the blueberry pie! Would definitely return! read more

The Upper Deck - New American Near Me - Southwest Harbor, Maine

See all

My husband and I ate outside on Thursday,August 10th. This was the worst service we have ever had. When the waitress finally showed up 10 min. after we were seated,we started the meal with wings,which we had to ask for silverware and plates. After another 10 min. a different waitress showed up with the silverware, minus the plates! I asked for my salad before the meal,and nd she said ,"Well that's different,I never heard of that before " ! When the entree was delivered,my husband's baked haddock was burnt on the top and the fish super dry. When the waitress asked how everything was she walked away before my husband could answer. When she finally came back,I asked her to let the cook know about this,and she said not possible now,he is too busy! Really? When my meal was delivered I asked for a glass of wine,she showed up with it 15 min. Later! My linguine with white clam sause was so so. It may look like a great place to dine,but save your money and go anywhere but here! read more

Rude and poor customer service. Me and my family and friends were waiting outside for about 5-10 minutes. There were about 5 empty tables inside. When it was our turn we were turned away. My friend tried to explain that we are different families or parties but she was not even allowed to finish her sentence. Reading some of the reviews ( one from a certain Anna), it's hard to believe that i guess she is right when she says that "they were not provided service because we are immigrants". I felt the same thing, not only we are immigrants but we are dressed and look poor because we are dressed for hiking. It's not even what was said but how the manager or supervisor says it. Could have been better if it was delivered nicely and apologetically. We felt very disrespected and felt like we were shoved out of the door. I have read the reviews about this restaurant and my experience validates many of those reviews about rude service and treatment. I am certainly not recommending this restaurant. read more

Been in Maine 5 days and this was our worst meal so far. View of the harbor is nice but the service was deplorable. Took two hours just to eat a light lunch. Had to hunt the waiter down to get our drinks, food, check, etc. Music on the deck was comical, and not in a good way. Food was just ok. read more

The people who work here are good spirited and sweet, the food is comforting and good, the view over the water is atmospheric, and the air is laid back. I felt so happy after my evening here. The meal was blackened shrimp in a spinach salad and Maine blueberry pie and something off a decent wine list. Good times! read more

After some site seeing we happen to pass this place...went in for the view more than anything but found another awesome eatery. Great place for a nice lunch, brews & a view!! Service was friendly and shared some local stories which is always a bonus. Get the lobster bites...you won't be disappointed!!! read more

OMG! The Upper Deck couldn't have been worse. We had taken a long hike and were excited to have a late-lunch lobster roll with all the trimmings. When the food arrived (finally) there couldn't have been more than two ounces of lobster meat (shreds, not chunks) on a tiny, dry, crumbly roll. The menu read that you could substitute a side salad for the cole slaw - at least that's the way we read the menu and the way we placed the order with our waiter. Turns out, the tiny little side salad is a substitute for both the french fries and slaw. When I showed my disappointment, the waiter offered to put in an order for a side order of fries. REALLY? A $20 lobster roll and he wanted to charge me more for a lousy order of fries? Can't believe we spent $70 on lunch and left hungry. My best advice? RUN to nearby Beal's! Huge chunks of lobster claw and tail meat on a toasted brioche roll with a leaf of romaine lettuce. Comes with a side of home-made chips. For about the same price, you get more, better food than at the Upper Deck! https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g40898-d6849257-r583464646-The_Upper_Deck-Southwest_Harbor_Mount_Desert_Island_Maine.html# read more

Oh Lord, where to start...so my girlfriend and I decided to stop her because our original destination was closed for whatever reason. Having worked in the restaurant industry before, I had an odd vibe about this place. However, there was road work in the area and we are vacationing here for the week, so I let my judgement slide...BAD IDEA. We walk in and my gf goes to use the restroom. I wait at the front door as what I can only assume is the manager holds a conversion with the patron who arrived before us. The bartender all's if I've been helped, and I ask for a table for two. The manager is still gabbing away. Strike one buddy. We are seated outside and I notice the table isn't properly cleaned off, as some previous diner's food is still on the table. No silverware is given, and no drink order is not taken. I look around and I see a lot of tables without drinks, food, or silverware. This is looking like STRIKE TWO! So, we wait for a few minutes and finally put in our order. Looking to save some time, we put in our food and drinks together. I order steamers, a reuben haddock sandwich and a beer. My gf orders a salad and water. Couple minutes go by, and you can feel the anger surrounding us. The patrons aren't being taken care of. A couple to my right order fries and soup...twenty minutes. The lady behind me, lobster fritters and salad...twenty minutes. Now, I know what people are thinking, "gee, it takes twenty minutes to cook these things". You're right! However, between putting in food and getting it, you do not exist to the waitstaff. They take ten minutes to acknowledge you, twenty minutes to serve you and another five to fix what they forgot. Silverware, condiments, napkins, etc. So, I get my steamers. They aren't bad, as they are cooked and still steaming. Butter and broth too. I'm thinking maybe the staff is a bit overwhelmed. The waitresses look about sixteen, and later on I'm confirmed by my suspicions. Now, age isn't always a gauge on experience, but with these two, it was. They stood around talking to some guy from the kitchen between not taking orders and bringing out incomplete orders. Bush league. People are coming in and out, and the bartender (who I think is the owner, and is definitely mother of the waitresses) is rudely turning them away. Like, "oh I'm sorry you are waiting at the door in front of me, but screw you because my daughters are young and inexperienced". Yes, that is a sure sign that you enjoy your livelihood of running a food establishment. Well, my gf goes to use the restroom again, and the food arrives. Her salad looks a bit meh. She got the Cobb salad with chicken. The leaves are bone dry, the chicken is four slices, cut on the bias, and appears to be overcooked (that's confirmed) and seasoned to hide quality (cajun covers all inadequacies). My sandwich looks dilapidated, and isn't a reuben. Cole slaw and American cheese isn't reuben. It's just a fish sandwich. The fries are decent. There is a mass exodus of customers around this time, and I'm second guessing this sandwich. I bite in, and my suspicions are confirmed. Microwaved hamburger bun, poorly battered fish, and small black spots here and there (clean your fryer). My gf it's nervous about the salad, and hardly touches it. The lady behind me with the salad and lobster is pissed because they didn't bring her dressing. She gets it five minutes later. That's like someone asking for a burger and you bringing them the cheese five minutes later. Strike three chief. We stop eating and ask for our bill. The lady behind us only had a card, and their machine is broken. She gets a free meal, but I'm sure she'll pay for it later. I know I am...I'm writing this from the commode in our cottage! Let me help all lost traveler's of this lovely region...AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! Go to Jay Dub's around the corner. Great staff and food. This place sucks and should be closed. read more

This place is under new management and it is terrible! There is not enough kitchen or waitstaff. Therefore things back up terribly even with just a small crowd in the dining room. The owner doesn't seem to care. The food was so-so. Best advice is to stay away. read more

The review is for the food. It was tasty, but it was also overpriced. I have paid less money in Chicago (where you expect a big-city premium) for food of better quality. What they charge $25 for should really be $16. I suspect what you see here is a tourist premium. read more