Eventide Restaurant Review

Honest to God the best lobster roll I've had in Maine, it's the brown butter that does it. Portions are a little small, so I'd order a couple of rolls.

It will take you forever to get in--especially on a weekend--but all the dishes are great. They have a wide selection of local oysters to serve raw, and the waitress recommended several that we liked a lot. The lobster roll is light, moist, and delightful (albeit small, don't plan to share unless you've got a lot of plates coming). The lobster soup was delicious if you like curry and spice.

Absolutely unprofessional and disgusting. Visiting for the weekend and came by twice. First time was told over hr and half wait and hostess was extremely rude. Came back on a weekday, was told 3 times someone would be right with us and after 10 minutes we left. I wouldn't eat here or try it of the food was free. So unprofessional and rude.

Was there the other night. Really great place. Hope to be back again soon.

Best ice cream sandwich I've had. The cookie is soft enough to bite into easily but hard enough to have a chewy texture. The cookie is also a tad salted which goes well with the sweet chocolate chips and ice cream. The oysters are really fresh. If you like bigger meatier oysters, I'd go for the New Meadows oysters. The lobster ceviche also really good. The only thing that was a bit disappointing was the lobster roll. The bread wasn't toasted and overall isn't as great as others you could get in Portland.

This place is always high energy, with great food and drinks. I'm not an oyster eater, but my wife is and you can't beat 'em. Although it's always busy, it's not too hard to get in and get a seat for their fabulous seafood.

Is it the most over-rated place in Portland? It is certainly among them. Just remember, oysters are filter feeders. Casco Bay may not be as clean as you think it is.

I LOVE Eventide! So many raw options...everything I had was clean, sweet and fresh. Halibut was wonderful raw. Tuna was really tasty, with those Asian flavors. Really enjoyed the lobster roll, and the brown butter gave it a different twist, with deeper flavors. Nice beer selection too. There can be quite a crowd at times. Worth a visit! I will be back!

Really delicious, but be prepared to drop $40+ pp. The portions are tiny. The brown butter lobster roll was so good. I could have eaten two of them as they're the size of a Twinkie.

Fantastic food experience and amazing service. Everything on the menu is incredible and showcases the talented chefs ability and attention to detail. I can t see wait to return!

The lobster roll will spoil all other food for you. You have been warned.

Wonderful selection of Maine beers! Even the chalkboard artwork is worth seeing! Fantastic oysters and crudo! I'm only sad I couldn't eat more. Ryan is a wonderful server, and a beautiful person. Please, do yourself a favor and eat here! Try the Fernet.

Food & service was amazing even though we were only able to sit at the bar

Everything about this place is on point. Flawless execution on the oysters, lobster rolls, and oyster rolls. But beware: this place has been DISCOVERED. Expect a place packed with out-of-towners all afternoon long.

Nice ambiance! However I think it's overpriced. I don't think i will be back.

Must get the lobster seafood stew and don't share it! Trust me. This has to be one of my all time favorite restaurants. Thank you for the amazing service too, Eventide. =)

Prepare for a long wait - it's worth it!

This place loses a star because of the portion size vs. price aspect of our meal. Everything was delicious, but I guess I'm just used to more bang for my buck, especially with competing restaurants in town giving better portions at similar prices. We ordered the lobster roll, fried chicken sandwich, and clam chowder plus a couple of drinks. Ideally, I was hoping for fries or a side salad with our sandwiches/roll because of how small they are but you have to pay extra for sides.

I wanted to like this place more than I did. The oysters were delicious, but the lobster roll was more like a snack as opposed to a meal. Service and atmosphere were nice. I'm just in town visiting - if I lived in Portland, I might go back. There seem to be lots of other seafood options to choose from.

The BEST staff in Portland! Shelley- YOU ARE A GODDESS!!!

Highly recommend sitting at the bar at lunch, which isn't something I typically like to do if I'm ordering food. Great craft beer selection, including solid local options, loved their take on lobster rolls and all of the oyster options, and the nori potato salad was excellent! Must-do if in Portland.

Excellent food and beer! Must try when in Portland. Had the fish sandwich, bacon wrapped scallops and oysters and all was amazing. Definitely leave room for the ice cream sandwich! So good. Very popular for lunch so plan ahead!

Came for oysters and got them. They were great, nice varied flavor profiles and pre-shucked. Wish we had the option to shuck for less $$. Makes for a more interesting dining experience though I imagine many would hurt themselves haha. Also got the lobster puffs which are absolutely not what we thought they were. They are more like Asian shrimp chips but when our order came they definitely were not fresh because their crispness was gone.

Ah, my first sit-down dining experience since before COVID-19. And it was a good one.

My friend and her husband were in Portland the same time as me and my fiance were so we wanted to meet up for dinner. She has been to Portland multiple times and had been to Eventide before so she suggested this spot. She put her name down on a waitlist for a Sunday and received a text at around 4 that the table would be ready by 4:30. We had just arrived to Portland, hadn't eaten a proper lunch yet, and wanted to try this place out - so it was a no brainer.

The tables are all set outside, socially distanced. There is hand sanitizer at every table. Menus are one-time use paper, and to see the drink menu, you just scan a barcode to look at it on your phone. Here is everything we ordered:

Eventide Brown Butter Lobster Roll - our first lobster roll in Maine. It's tiny but it's packed with flavor. At first, the bun looked like it wasn't baked long enough but I was pleasantly surprised when I bit into it. It was light and fluffy but strong enough to hold the richness of the buttery lobster

Crab Roll - this came with the same bun as the lobster roll. Even though it was a mayo crab roll, it still tasted pretty light. I think I actually enjoyed this more than the lobster roll

Oysters - we didn't know which ones to select so we were fine with them choosing for us. We had 4 of the Winter Point Selects, 4 Dodge Coves, and 4 Norumbega. The winter point and dodge cove tasted pretty similar - just very salty. But I did enjoy the norumbega. I also liked the unique accoutrements you can choose from (pick two) - which were cocktail sauce, red wine mignonette, horseradish ice, kimchi ice, tabasco ice, lemon black pepper ice, and red onion ice. We went with the classic mignonette and the lemon black pepper ice, which did not disappoint

New England Clam Bake ($37, steamers, mussels, lobster, potatoes, pork belly, hard boiled egg, served with drawn butter and nori vinaigrette) - they said this is good for two people but we got this one for the table to share, since we ordered other dishes too. It was pretty basic - made up of mostly steamers and mussels. The lobster was just a singular lobster tail. Probably would not order this again

My friend mentioned that she had tried a few other times during this trip to get a table for two with no success - either she never got on the waitlist, or it was a 3 hour (or something crazy) wait. We passed by on a Monday at around noon and there was already a line around the block! On a Monday! While the food was good, I don't think I would wait any longer than half an hour for it.

Great great oyster menu, and the kimchi ice is to die for. Nice beer selection, friendly service. Sit at the bar and try the dirty dirty oyster martini.

First, great food. As in everything we ate was outstanding. However... a few things are off; the napkins are rediculous and leave lint everywhere, the table for 4 was a foot wide (way too small), they charge for extra crackers beyond the few included with the dip, and ice tea doesnt include refills. That being said... still absolutely worth going to.

Perfect dinner for first-time Portland visitors. We split the lobster roll, a dozen oysters, and the lobster ceviche. We also ordered a gin and tonic and an old-fashioned. The oysters were my favorite but I'd recommend all three small plates. The drinks were very good and very strong! Expect a wait, especially on the weekend. If I visit again, I'll definitely be back.

one of the best seafood places i've eaten at.

service was impeccable but be prepared to wait 20-40 minutes for a table.

Eventide went above and beyond my expectations. The food was amazing (I had my first lobster roll here!) and the service was some of the best I ve ever had. Can t wait to come back to Portland - we ll definitely be back here!

The fish sandwich was amazing, the lobster roll was great, and the oysters were fantastic as well (according to my girlfriend, who is a fan of oysters). Cocktails were very good as well.

First day ever in Portland and first lobster roll. First impressions, I thought the sandwich was a little small (are all lobster rolls this size? I honestly have no idea), but was overwhelmed by the quality. So buttery and fresh! GF had the fish sandwich; she says it very good as well.

The raw oysters, lobster roll, lobster stew were all amazing! We sat outside under the umbrella & heat lamps on a chilly day, wasn't bad!

Decent place with good food. The outside dinning can use some improvements like more heat lamps. The wait can be up to 2.5 hours which seems a little crazy to me. Maybe they don't have enough walk in tables. In NYC restaurants ask you to only dine for 90 minutes due to limited covid seating which allows for a faster turn around and the staff make more money in one day seating more tables. The food tasted really good and the prices were decent.

Mostly small plates, but so delicious. Plan accordingly with a larger party. The cocktails were amazing. Went during COVID under the street table umbrellas. The August sun is killer. A tent like others would have helped. Certain times limit your escape. Naturally we were here during a rare Maine heatwave.

Great modern twist on the Lobster Roll, I even prefer it over reds eats. Great oysters, great drinks, great atmosphere. Of the 3 restaurants I went to in a day at Portland this was easily the best.

One of my favorite spots in Maine. The various flavors of ice toppings for the oysters are so good and the non traditional lobster roll is a major hit.

An essential stop for great local beer selections and raw bar seafood.

Cool place, great for oysters and seafood in general! They don't take reservations for a small group so get ready for a bit of a wait!

Absolutely delicious! Congratulations on winning the JBF Award!

It s just so good. The service = Great. The oysters = perfection (shucked well, clean, delicious). The drinks = tasty. Even with Covid restrictions they were lovely so you should just go.

The lobster roll is 100% worth the money. Great ambiance, friendly staff

Lobster roll was amazing! Whole experience was great

Great oyster selection, with friendly staff and a good scorpion bowl. Be prepared to wait!

We were seated right away, which was the best part of the experience. We waited about 15 minutes before someone even asked us if we wanted something to drink. The food did not take long to come out and it was good. But then we had to wait for our check and then waited for them to run our card. They were not busy and had more than enough staff. They need better organization of their staff. Also this is a small plate oyster bar, keep that in mind when dining there.

Excellent food and atmosphere. The fried oysters were our best order, whereas the lobster roll was less impressive. The home made chaco-taco was a great way to end the meal

Great place. An institution in Portland. If you go through Portland and like oysters and seafood this place is a must. Beautiful district. Beautiful decor, good service I liked everything. The cevice will be remembered for a long time.

Lovely selection of local oysters and nice beer list. Definitely get the lobster curry stew.

Bravo! A MUST for oyster lovers. Quality, from staff to seafood to beer. Treat yourself & be happy you did.

Great food and drink. Hard to get in is fine, but once in it was so chaotic and noisy, impossible to have a conversation, hard to place an order, even hard to find someone to pay when done. A returning customer off season.

Life changing foods. The rolls at Eventide are filled with delicious fresh buttery goodness lobster meat!! The Scalloped waffles are impeccable and the oysters go without saying!

This place is crazy good! The lobster rolls are to die for! Waited in line for like 45 minutes just to get on the wait list, but it was all absolutely worth it. We also had the lobster stew, which was amazing, and really good sparking rose. Totally recommend checking this place out if in Portland.

Fantastic service, really delicious oysters. Gray, rainy day which is no one's deal but my own.

I wanted to love this place because of the award winning food, but unfortunately when we went for a small bite on our anniversary, the menu was clams and oysters, and nothing else listed on their website menu. We are new to Maine and loved Portland, so for our anniversary we decided to pick 5 restaurants to have quick small bites at, so I also understand I'm giving a 'first impression' chance here. I also understand this is specifically an oyster bar but I was looking forward to some of the other things offered like the scallop waffle-yaki or the clam chowder. Original wait time was 2 hours, so we had drinks next door and about 15 minutes later our table was ready. The entire street seating area had emptied with the exception of 2 other tables, party of 2 and a party of 1. We still waited about 10 min to order water, and waited for said water another 10 minutes. We asked our waiter to choose 6 different oysters from the menu for us so we could try some new things and we were given only 3 types (2 of each) which was disappointing since we were adventuring into the culinary differences in taste of oysters and didn't get what we asked for. He never returned to our table for the next half hour (he was missing from the other 2 tables as well) and we had to ask for our check, which we waited a long time for, and to pay which we also waited a long time for. My point is that raw oysters and clams are not cooked and therefor their taste is completely up to the oyster and the clam and not a chef. It is difficult to ignore ordering raw food in an empty tent and waiting longer than 10 minutes for the order to be wrong. Just disappointed and hoping this was an off night, however I don't know if I will give them a second chance.

UPDATE 12/28/13, from an (as often as possible) regular: Thoughtful, thought- provoking, head-slappingly good. PREVIOUS REVIEW: Worth the hype and the money. Went on a quiet night, and very much enjoyed oysters from ME, MA and WA. Also had a mind-blowing starter of grilled fluke that was prepared like the most amazing tuna salad I could even imagine. The staff was super friendly and helpful with information about the food.

The food was real good. A bit pricey but not as much as the food tasted.

food was excellent and very fresh, however as noted by the restaurant and the waitstaff, the dishes are small plates; tapas style ...and smaller. i had seared scallops and a crudo, which were both well seasoned and garnished, and two beers, for about $40. the dining rooms were nice and bright, and well furnished, but little room for those on a waitlist - seems like people are standing over your shoulder the whole time you're eating.
there's always a lot of hype around town about eventide, and it didn't disappoint, but there is plenty of competition for more reasonable prices/portions

Oysters! Super fresh and local. A somewhat limited menu otherwise, but you're coming here for the oysters anyway.

Best in Portland. Period.
Clam bake is a must, and oysters were tastiest and better handled than any other restaurant in the area.

The chef is a genius, a lot of creative fusion dishes, definitely not your boring Legal Sea Food. Try it out you won't regret

If it's my last day in Maine, I would definitely make the trip to Eventide.

We absolutely love this place! Everything on the is out of this world. If you're only going one thing, however, you need to order the trade marked Brown Butter Lobster Roll. It's incredible. Also try the oyster bun, fish sandwich, chicken bun.
We come to Portland every Summer and always have to stop by Eventide. No matter what time you go, expect it to be busy...it's really popular.
They boast a dozen or so different types of oysters. Their mixed drinks and beer list are the perfect compliment to the seafood based menu. The homemade Mike's Hard Lemonade was a really fun touch.
Make a point of going here if you are in Portland. Do it.

A creative oyster bar with a hint of Asian fusion flare tapas menu. The wait could be quite long, so be prepared! The oysters were all very fresh, some sweeter than others. The lobster bun was pretty good, especially the bun. The fried shishito peppers were delicious. The blue fin tuna tartar had interesting flavors and good quality. Overall, it was a very enjoyable meal!

Best Oysters in Portland I've ever had. $7 shooters, are you kidding me!!!! I will be back again and again!

Got the lobster roll and lobster stew. I felt like for both items the flavors overpowered the actual lobster flavor. You could tell the lobster was cooked well but you could taste mostly butter in the roll and mostly curry in the stew.

Great place, great lobster roll, great Scorpion bowl

My kudos to the restaurant for giving me my very first raw oyster experience, free of charge. I didn't like the taste: as far as I was concerned, tasted like all the boat ropes, with a bit of engine oil soaked in, but obviously that's my home-based Maine experience. I grew up on boats and the sea. Also had their squid---useless... I ended up throwing what I could recognize as squid into a glass of water.... because I wasn't sure if I was getting squid or something else finely chopped, and it certainly didn't taste of squid, much less look like it, but rather a bunch of oil and vinegar over who knows what. The fish, a hake, was expertly done. The sauce that came in a small plastic side dish, was useless... and overall the prices were too high.

The lobster roll was delicious! The clam chowder is good, not as creamy as I like it but it was still good. The staff was very nice. The prices are a bit high for the amount of food that you get.

Must have lobster roll and awesome craft beer selection!

This is one of my wife's favorite places in Portland. Great lobster rolls and everything else is delicious as well.

Good, fast friendly service. But it is always packed. But it doesn't feel crowded.

They need a better system for taking names. Maybe instead of a fixed tablet at the front they could use two tablets and walk down the line.

It's worth the wait and we'll be back.

The food is AMAZING! The location is small but the staff are efficient and keep customers informed on seating. It is more of a bar atmosphere. The food is excellent but the portions are small for the prices they charge. I had an fried oyster bun, the bun is an asian style steam bun, it was probably one of the best things I have ever eaten. My only criticism is that the portion was small (2-3 bites) for $9. My husband had the green curry lobster stew...that was scrumptious but it was $15 for a cup size portion. I highly recommend, I do hope they upscale their portion sizes in the future. :)

This place is legit and well worth the wait. Our first night in Portland we went there around 6:30pm and the wait was 2 hrs so we went back the next night around 5pm and waited for an hour which was fine because we just walked around and shopped. They do a good job sanitize the tables between parties. There were only outside seating available with a few heaters.

Everyone was super friendly there. We got 18 oysters from the raw bar and they were super fresh. Also got the New England chowder, 2 lobster rolls with brown butter, a crab bun, and the bluefin tuna crudo. Everything was delicious and so fresh. If you don't get anything else, you MUST get the lobster roll; and don't underestimate the bun it comes in.

It is the bomb. Been a dozen times it still makes me happy

Busy and efficient. Ordered the fried oysters and butter lobster roll. Both ok and nothing special. The servings are small and we expected that, but did expect more in flavor and taste but in my opinion/experience these dishes did not live up to the ratings. Lots of raw oyster choices and most people were ordering that. I can say I won't go back to try anything else. Staff seemed friendly enough but a bit full of themselves.

Super busy with a long wait...then they thought there were only two of us in our four person party. They recovered well and the food was great.

When you look at the menu of Eventide, everything sounds so delicious. When you go there and find that, at 2pm on a Sunday, you have to put your name down and you will get a text when the table is ready -- in "two, two and half hours" -- your expectations go through the roof. You get the text, you come, all excited, and then -- again you have to wait until a table is actually ready. Finally, you order. Lobster roll, some other roll, and, of course, oysters. Everybody seems to be having oysters here. And then the disappointment comes. The lobster roll is warm and homey, but not that special. Same about the other roll, a mix of stuff that you don't recognize or remember from the menu. The oysters are good, but, well, you can eat good oysters in a dozen other places in Portland. Oh well.

Great lunch today. Fried oysters, fish sandwich, clam chowder, coleslaw and smoked tofu sandwich were all great! Beautiful food, as well as delicious!