Eventide Restaurant Review

Glad we didn't wait to be seated! Three hour wait when they close in two hours?
Very tiny lobster roll! The only reason I'm giving 2 stars is it did have good flavor.
Not very filling.....

Went with family (I'm a vegetarian) and I was expecting to just not eat here but their smoked tofu burger was so good. Our waitress was so nice and sweet. A bit pricey but it's understandable based on the location

Lunch, lobster roll, clam chowder. Busy oyster house, limited seating. Thin chowder but plenty of clams and flavor. The best on my trip, and I tried a lot! For me, more of a lunch place, but a nice one!

I was in town for a race and recognized the name from a place I know in Atlanta, which I think may be a different place altogether. I visited on my own for dinner at 5:30 on a Saturday and had a great experience. Super friendly and helpful staff (and I felt like I interacted with a lot of people for some reason). There was already an hour+ wait but because I was a party of 1, was seated at the windowfront bar before my drink even arrived (they serve drinks while you wait, which is awesome). The lobster roll was phenomenal and the chips were a perfect compliment (don't judge, I had run a half marathon!) I just wish I had room for dessert. Seemed great for couples and families but groups will definitely want to call ahead.

Phenomenal oysters! Lobster roll is worth trying (but small). Long wait is worth it, BUT if you re ok eating while standing, try to get one of their standing room only spots at the bar or in the side room!

Great oysters and food options. Nice beer selection.

Amazing oysters, good atmosphere & service. Pricey, but worth it. Try the ice cream sandwich... truly amazing.

Highly recommend!!!! I came here with my parents who were so set on hating oysters because of one bad experience. But I somehow convinced them to try one and because of the freshness of Eventides oysters and the sauces they provided (horseradish was amazing!), I m telling you it changed their minds. We ended up ordering another half dozen! Also I have to highly recommend their lobster roll!! The roll tasted homemade and the lobster was so fresh! Their service was very good as well. They had somewhere we could wait inside with drinks while we waited for our table! Can t recommend this place enough!

Visiting Portland, my wife and I went here for dinner on 9/12/19, and I see from other 1-star reviews that our experience is not uncommon (should have read them). The non-smiling hostess had an "I hate my job" attitude. No tables available, so we were told to stand at the "waiting area," a wall with a shelf where you can look at the wall or at the people dining 2 feet from you. A "table" became available outside (street side). "Table" is in quotes as it wasn't even the width of an ironing board and had a support pole in the middle of it further reducing usable space (and conversation). The seating was exceedingly uncomfortable wood stools (like you would stand on in your kitchen to reach something). I had ordered a cocktail inside, which didn't come before we went outside so I made note of our move to the server. What finally came was not my cocktail but a glass of wine, so had to re-order again (that's 3 times for one drink). To start, we ordered oysters and two lobster stews (said to be between cup and bowl size). What came were no bigger than cups (no bread either) that we scarfed down in about 60 seconds. Having had enough of this "too cool for you" and physically uncomfortable environment, we left very "hangry." To review, we had gotten 2 drinks, 12 oysters, and 2 cups of stew for $100 including tip. This is a great example of a place trying to be so oh-so-trendy in design and with an expensive small plate menu, they have eliminated the reasons you go out to eat -- comfortable atmosphere, good service, and the reasonable expectation of not having to continue ordering food to get to some level of contentment. If those three elements are what you expect, DO NOT GO TO EVENTIDE in Portland, Maine.

Lobster bun & Crab bun are very unique and delicious as well as the local beers & Oysters they serve

This is one of my favorite places. It's where I discovered that oysters are awesome and leaned all about them. They are beautifully displayed on right on the bar where you can really appreciate how different the varieties are. Speaking of the bar, Eventide offers the best specialty drinks in Portland and, quite possibly, the universe.

Excellent change of pace establishment. Very friendly staff. And the chocolate store next door was a pleasant surprise. Oyster selection is second to none including places from Miami to San Francisco, Boston and not to be left out, New York.

Very cool, authentically delicious and busy restaurant. It's indoor/outdoor seating is perfect for the warmer months!

Yum. Had to go. Diners Drive Ins and Dives went. We go where ever Guy goes

Ok the taste is great. But when you see the "moules frites" all French must turn over their graves. Feel a complete ripe off when you compare the price and the quantity.

Wonderful selections, perfect portions for tasting options. Go with friends and share! And be sure to try an Oyster Shooter :)

I don't like seafood, but the fried pork sandwich was awesome!

One of the best places for seafood and shellfish... in the country!

One of the largest variety of local oysters I've seen in one place!

We requested a random sample of a dozen oysters and received 2 each of 6 varieties. All were amazing! We live in Rhode Island, so the bar is set pretty high for us as far as seafood is concerned. These met and exceeded our expectations!
Brown butter lobster roll was delicious, but small. You probably want 2. :)
Bloody Mary was on point as well!

Tried the brown butter lobster roll which was yummy but wasn t as spectacular as I imagined especially considering how long we had to wait before eating them and the events leading up to it (please see below). Also tried NE clam chowder and it was also delicious .

Just a disclaimer/to give them the benefit of the doubt, we went today (Saturday on Labor Day weekend) and they were much busier than they anticipated from what they were telling us. That being said they should really start taking reservations in advance. We got on the wait list around 7pm today, and around 1045pm we went back and they told us there s a huge number of people ahead of us (180 something if I heard right) and there s no way at this point we ll be sat. I wish this could ve been communicated to use earlier but again giving them the benefit of the doubt, times are very different and we re still adjusting. Anyways so we order online, told to pick up the food at 1124 walk up at 1118 or so and the food is ready at the desk. Then we ask if we could sit at their closed sister restaurant s empty table next door and we re told only if we are going to order more food and drinks... we respond that the only reason we ordered take out is because we were told we can t sit. So we leave because now my wife and I are pretty annoyed and hungry and after all this hassle we were left with lukewarm clam chowder and lobster rolls that I m sure would ve tasted much more delicious fresh at the table and without alll that unnecessary frustration

Always a huge variety of oysters to chose from. The lobster bun is ridiculous. The cocktails are amazing. The staff generally LOVES working there and it comes through in their attitude and service.

Best. Place. Ever. It just has a great feel. Went 3 years ago and then this year. I will admit the James Beard award has boosted their popularity quite a bit. by 5:30 or 6pm it is very possible to have very long lines.
I recommend you pop into Eventide first and then go visit the historic area while you wait. Absolutely lovely food, well prepared and served by friendly professionals. On the day i was there i watched a difficult diner send back a perfectly prepared lobster roll along with $40 more of perfectly prepared food because it was not what she expected. The server handled it politely like the pro that she is. I also love the selection of oysters here... though i do wish they would bring more down from Canada. While i appreciate their farm-to-table leanings, since Canadian shell fish are much harder to access in the south it would be great if i could access them when i head north.

4.5 solid stars.
The tough part would be the tight quarters on the table. Is that worth giving any pros or cons, I think it does. Is it part of the charm, sure. Yet with five folks at a table really for 4, it gets tight to manage. Still, we loved this place. Coming from a small coastal town n Maine, it's nice to feel the excitement and creative magic with Maine seafood. Thanx Eventide. Liked the kimchi too!

Unfortunately popular fashionable restaurant close to the tourist attractions of Portland, but great food and drink all the same. "Savory" cocktails were excellent. Their regional raw oyster selection is as good as you can find anywhere on Earth. We finished with some sandwiches (because it's hard to fill up on raws regardless of how delicious they may be), and the hot food was tasty too. The only bad thing I can say is that it is crowded and there's always a wait (we came mid-afternoon on a Monday), but I can see why, and I'll probably try to go once more for my oyster fix before I leave Portland.

Food was delicious, but a bit pricey for a small plates style menu. Was a bit stressful getting in and getting a seat, though.

We got lucky and got seated with a minimal wait (later on it looked like people were waiting in line to put their name on a list to wait longer). Food was great, oysters were delicious, service was pretty good. Lobster bisque was great and clam chowder was pretty good. Would go again. During tourist season and weekends I would recommend going during an off peak time.

Everything here is Amazing ! We spent about 2 hours eating oysters and other awesome crustations !

AMAZING staff. AMAZING small plates. AMAZING selection of oysters. Did I mention how amazing this place is?

I went with a large group and the staff was very accommodating. I would give them a heads up in advance.

I wasn't the biggest fan of their lobster benny but others in my party enjoyed it.

The lobster rolls were certainly worth it. The fish sandwich was delicious as well.

If you're in Portland you have to check-in at Eventide!

Best oysters I have ever ate so fresh it s a must try if your in Portland

Had a twenty minutes wait for an outside table at 1230 on a Wednesday, but it was well worth it chowder and lobster bisque were amazing. Excellent oysters too.

Great food and even better music. Make sure to call ahead for reservations on weekends. The oysters, lobster roll and clam chowder are some of the best we ve ever had. They are owned by the same people that own The Honeypaw, next door. If you go to one, they can escort you through the kitchen to the other.

The staff, environment and great food give this place a five huge star rating.

I love this place. Must visit!!
I went there alone but I do not feel lonely.
Service is excellent. Oysters are fresh like I kiss with the sea.

HORRIBLE SERVICE! Told us table would be ready in 2 hours and we waited patiently.. Got there by the time and they said 36 parties are ahead of us... How is that even possible? I definitely did not see that many people waiting around the area to get seated.. It was late and nothing else was open so we had to order from them to go and they kept making us wait to even order. Avoid at all costs.. Food wasn t even all that either..

Favorite was the lobster stew. The lobster roll was smaller than I expected. Everything was tasty.

Best lobster roll we've had. Fresh buttered lobster. Perfect texture. On a unique homemade steamed bun.

Other dishes excellent and interesting as well. Roasted scallop, tile fish crudo with strawberry and jalepeno, raw bar oysters with Kim chi ice.

Fiance had a cucumber spritzer cocktail. Was good. They had quite a selection of cocktails and craft beer.

Place was packed at 11am on a saturday. Get there early or you'll have to wait.

Outstanding experience. A multitude of oysters to pick from, lobster roll and chowder were to die for.

Made 2 trips to Eventide on my last visit to Portland, ME. I had a great meal my first night, lobster stew and some oysters, but had to return when I was told by more than one person that eventide had the lobster roll to try in town. Did not disappoint. Great lobster roll and the bartender gave me an oyster shooter on the house. Great restaurant.

Lobster soup was amazing and oysters were spot on. Arrive early or you will be waiting a couple of hours... Worth it.

So many choices of oysters but it is all of the things that you can get with them that sets this place apart. I did not have the lobster roll but I heard it is fabulous.

Awesome food and drinks and a thoughtful staff, though this place gets SLAMMED, so be ready for a 2-3 hour wait unless you're willing to stand (but it's worth it!).

This place always has a long wait, and the food is pricey. It's good, but don't expect to eat until you're full unless you have deep pockets. The oysters are great!

Over priced and under delivers. Be prepared for OK food, a line that far too long, and a ridiculous wait. Overrated restaurant.

Katie is a wonderful waitress. The food was delicious.

Lobster Steamed Buns! The best Damariscotta oysters outside of trawling them yourself.

Very popular, so expect a line. We enjoyed our oysters and drinks at the bar. Can't recommend enough the dirty Martini with oyster juice. I think fondly about this place at least once a week.

Great food tiny portions.
Waited an hour for dinner had a big salad and two tiny oyster dinners. Loud and congested not for the faint of heart. Seems to be a bar that wants to serve sea food since the drink menu is 10 times tue size of food menu.

Greatly enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. Fun place with an interesting menu selection especially for the fresh oysters.

Clambake was absolutely amazing and feeds two people, definitely worth the price. Not a huge seafood fan but I alsolutely loved it! Clam chowder was out of this world. Definitely get the clam chowder! VERY busy, but it's worth the wait.

Greatest Oyster menu I have seen. Also you need to check out their regular and specials menu.... make sure to try as many as you can. All ate exceptional.

Friendly, professional staff serving top notch seafood and a strong selection of local craft beers. The setting is casual and upscale. This is a five star choice, with thousands of well earned postive reviews.

What can I say this place is excellent and dog friendly. We will be back.

Good seafood. Asian influence menu needs improvement in how it adapts to an American palette.

Food is amazing. Pricy but well worth it. Get there right when they open or you will be waiting.

Great food, worth the wait! There was a 2 hour wait, but you give your cellphone number and they text you when your table is ready. So we walked around and shopped at the super cute local shops. Food wise... My husband got 6 Oysters and said they were really good, Brown Butter Lobster Rolls were yummy, and Maine Lobster Stew was super delish. Glad we decided to end our day with Eventide!

We expected to enjoy some good food and made Eventide a special stop detoured from our way home from Bar Harbor. However, Oysters were okay, lobster bun was soggy and didn t taste any special. Service was not so good. Food portion is small compare to its price. Disappointed.

The very finest hospitality,and best food and drinks

This place consistently has the most amazing food. I love being able to stop by here in the winter time when the long summer lines are gone.

My favorites are the Fried Oyster Roll, The Lobster Roll and the Grilled Octopus. The Octopus is always tender and delicious. I leave here dreaming about the light, yeasty, rolls and the tender, flavorful octopus.

Trendy and delicious specials, solid cocktails, variety of well prepared entrees and excellent service. Dog friendly establishment.

Got there at 4pm on Labor Day weekend, the wait is 4 hours. We put down our phone number then went somewhere else for dinner then shopping. Finally the tracking app text us at around 9pm and we got in. We order Clam chowder, stuff clam, scotch eggs, bucket of seafood(muscles, steamer clam, potato, 1 lobster tail) 2 dozen oysters of 3 variety. The oysters were exceptionally good, we have non-oyster fan sucking them down like its the cure for cancer. The rest of the food you can have better and cheaper elsewhere. This is at heart a loud busy bar for drinks and oyster. Bunch of local beers and drafts , I got 2 Kentucky bicyclist and loved it. Definitely return for the oysters.

Sometimes the world hands you a pearl in the shape of an oyster. It s sweet and everything you ever needed. Thanks, world. Life is my oyster again.

The food and service was beyond exceptional! Unique menu and the freshest seafood..not to mention the best lobster rolls ever! Had a wide variety of local oysters and the staff was very helpful on talking about the differences in oysters and making great suggestions.

Great music, oysters, beer, and service and everything else too

Great friendly staff, but the portions are outrageously small for the price! It was disappointing because I was hungry.

Lobster stew was amazing. Be open to sharing your table with others.

Great local beer selection, Maine oyster is fresh and unique.