Halibut special was sublime - a generous filet served over potato gnocchi w/ shallots, dried cranberries, blue cheese and vermouth. Halibut was cooked perfectly. At $26 a good deal for those of us outside New England who can't get a smaller portion for that at the grocery store or seafood store for that. Nice selection of local brews on tap - Baxter IPA was tasty! Oh, and did I mention the view?
(5)
Geoff G.
The Waterfront was a good dining experience. After a day at Camden Hills State Park, we were in the mood for a meal that was quality and filling. We got just that. The atmosphere was perfect - right on the harbor. You can choose to sit inside or out on the deck overlooking the small bay(reservations recommend); either way a good call. The food was traditional Maine seafood, but with other good options (lamb, steak). Good origianalty to the menu. Overall a good Camden experience.
(4)
Ollie L.
Service way better than the food. I had a lobster which was fine... One of my first and enjoyed it. Waitress even helped me through the process. Sides were generally a bit soggy and uninspiring. My wife had a pile of fried stuff. All what am sure were once really good ingredients. Most alarming the fries too were soggy. How in the U.S. In 2015 a place like this can't get fries right I don't know. Good location, good staff, but got to stop letting soggy stuff through the pass.
(2)
D M.
Can't say I would give this place any stars considering my family never got to sit down and eat. Put my name in for a table which we anticipated a 25 minute wait, and we're told to grab a drink and hang about while we wait. Decided we would step 15 feet from the hostess to the bar for a time killer. Waited about 15 minutes without any acknowledgement from the bartender so I figured I would sit back down and save my money. Another half hour went by when we asked how much longer it would take, they said they actually took our name off the list...just disappointed with the overall experience there and hope they get their staff in order.
(1)
Laura C.
Don't go for the food, go for the view! It's incredible. You sit on the harbor with the sea breeze whisping around you. The wine didn't suck either. Got a pinot from New Zealand that was on point. The hostess and our server seemed bothered by us but between Walter, the bartender, and the view it earned 4 stars.
(4)
Caroline D.
I ordered a lobster roll with a bean salad as a side. Bean salad was clearly the wrong choice. Out of the 7+ lobster rolls ordered from our table, mine was the only one with a couple chunks of lobster in a soggy bun. No mayo/seasoning/etc. I was also the only one with the bean salad. I couldn't help but correlate the two. Totally a first world pain, like I'm so happy to even be eating food, let alone lobster, in the first place, but it was a liiiiittle disappointing to pay $17 for that. I didn't even say anything because I thought maybe someone in the kitchen was having a bad day. Should've ordered the French fries. Then maybe the kitchen wouldn't have stuck it to me with their, uh, "diet" lobster roll? But you know, I still had such a great time with friends. Lol I can't even hate.
(3)
Ann I.
A pleasant Harbor front experience. The view is something special. My son ordered a hamburger, it was huge and delicious. We had the steema's and blue mussels. The steema's were very tasty, some of the best I've had. The mussels were good but not great. Our server was spot on. Highly recommend!
(5)
Katie M.
Everything was pretty good. Mussels were prepared well and the broth was AWESOME! Someone in our group ordered a chicken Caesar salad but they forgot the chicken... Also got the crab roll and it was good as well.
(3)
Tom J.
I think the food has gone down a bit. Third trip this year and this was not as good as the first two. Yesterday some of the wait staff were grouchy including the reservationists. You have to go back because the setting is beautiful.
(3)
Marc B.
The people were really friendly and the food was good. Our waitress was extremely nice and prices were average. The wait time for our food was our only complaint.
(4)
Denise M.
Tried this for lunch. I had the waterfront chicken salad samdwich, the lemon and mint made it seem 3xta fresh. My husband had the artichoke crab dip, it was fantastic, served on a hot plate so it stayed warm, a wonderful blend of flavors, definitely give it a try.
(4)
Brian R.
Walked in and walked out. Rude hostess and rude waitress around 2:00 PM in the afternoon. Was not worth the trouble.
(1)
Anne H.
My husband and I went here for lunch on Thursday. The weather was great so we asked to be seated on the deck. Waited about 15 min for a table so that's not bad. The views and the food was equally awesome. I had the oysters as an app and they were sooo tender and my lobster roll was tasty. My man had steamed clams that were vy tasty w/ no sand. He then had 1 1/2lb steamed lobster which he said was the most tender one he's had. As you can tell we love our seafood so I recommend coming here. I will say the waitstaff was slow but being on vacation and having the views kept me relaxed.
(4)
Ava O.
I had the caprese burger with mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomato, and basil aioli. I had a side of delicious cole sale instead of fries - Absolutely delicious! Next time I come to Maine I will definitely order this burger again.
(5)
Aviva A.
We had a wonderful experience with The Waterfront - the food was delicious and the view was even better (from the outside!) Our waitress was very helpful with my food allergy. The portions were HUGE, as well, and the French fries were out of this world.
(4)
Jonas W.
The food was great.
(3)
Sally F.
Horrible service. Waited 20 minutes and no one stop by to serve us. I felt it was because I was Hispanic they did not want to serve us.
(1)
S B.
The location alone merits five stars. Given that location I was prepared for a less than stellar lunch but was pleasantly surprised by the food and service. Not the greatest seaside chow to be found in Maine but perfectly acceptable and our waitress was friendly and efficient so, combined with the iconic setting, a solid 4-stars. Six of us for lunch and we were all satisfied with chowder, lobster roll, fried clams, haddock sandwich, mussels, three bean salad, etc. Again, nothing exceptional but good all around. However, skip the house-made desserts which were disappointing except for the excellent blueberry sorbet. Camden in high summer is tourist central but this place also seemed to be fairly priced given the location. I suspect that lunch, rather than dinner, is the better time to be there.
(4)
Tom K.
I've been to this restaurant a few times before. The food is consistently good however the menu has shrunk in recent years. There is only two chicken dishes and only one beef dish. The other 8 options are seafood. The service is average. The pricing is decent. 28$ for halibut and $18 for Chicken Marsala. The restaurant really excels in terms of view and atmosphere. The Waterfront has an outdoor patio that has a great view of the harbor. The atmosphere is good as well. Overall, The combination of the atmosphere, view and consistently good food make the Waterfront a restaurant worth eating at.
(4)
Natalie M.
I am sorry to write this review and even sorrier that my last experience at Waterfront reflected the negative reviews I have been reading about it, but that is indeed the case. I have been patronizing Waterfront with my extended family for 15? Years. Weather it's a big family get together in the main dining room or a casual lunch out on the deck, Waterfront always was the go to place in the Rockland / Camden area for a nice meal in a beautiful location. Not anymore. Yesterday, we arrived late afternoon for their lite menu and were completely ignored by the half dozen gabby girls clustered around the hostess stand. We flagged down a bar man who told us where we could sit. Eventually a waitress came and took our order, however, she was visibly impaired. Perhaps she was abusing her prescribed pain medication or needs her anti psychotic drugs balanced out, perhaps she was taking nips at the bar, in any case, she was wasted and completely forgot we had ordered food. We finally caught the attention of another server who brought ours over to us. It was just shy of an hour since we ordered and I don't think our wasted server really had any idea we were still there. She claimed the kitchen must have lost our order and she would get to the bottom of it. Our food arrived about 10 minutes later. It was not worth the wait. I hope our server is not waiting for her tip, cause it's not coming. And I'm not coming back to Waterfront anytime soon either. It's a shame but it's the truth.
(1)
L. D.
It's unfortunate I can't give this restaurant 0 stars. The only redeeming factor was that our server was pleasant enough. We ordered our children a fruit, cracker and cheese plate. The plate came with a cluster of half-rotten, unwashed red grapes, flavorless and haphazardly (i.e. carelessly) sliced honeydew and cantaloupe, some sysco crackers and factory-sliced cheese that I venture to say was reused from another plate. The cheese was dirty (yes, it had dirty finger prints on it) and soggy. My husband had the fried fish and chips, and the haddock was inedible. Unfortunate that a restaurant with such a beautiful piece of real estate can be so disappointing.
(1)
Chris S.
Great selection of entrees and apps... very well priced... great view of the harbor if you sit outside... highly recommended by the locals.
(5)
Christie D.
The outdoor seating definitely raises the bar for this restaurant! The harbor is fabulous and always brings a sense of tranquility and awe! The service is pleasant and attentive. The food is totally elevated due to the lovely atmosphere. We've not been here for a number of years, it's nice to revisit and remember time gone by.
(4)
M. D.
The waterfront was a nice dinner - nothing amazing, food wise, though their setting makes up for it. We had the fish special and a menu seafood pasta dish and it was good, just not exceptional. It is a safe place to have dinner or lunch - and the view is worthwhile. Service wasn't great - but it was terribly busy.
(3)
Ellen A.
We love coming here, sitting on the deck and ordering the mussels. Good food and service.
(4)
Chris C.
We are regulars at the Waterfront. The food and service is always good. One thing that is unique for Midcoast Maine is the the Waterfront has something for everyone. Whether you want steak, lobster, chicken wings, oysters, fried haddock or a cheeseburger, they have it all. The location is great on the harbor in Camden. The owner Sam is very personable and friendly, you can see his commitment ti the restaurant, the customers and the community (especially since they stay open for the cold months!)
(4)
Cassie P.
This was THE BEST dinner of my life. The panko-crusted butternut squash ravioli with a maple-sea salt cream was out of this world. Then we also had the phyllo-wrapped baked Brie with lemon pound cake and that was equally mind (and tastebud) blowing. EAT HERE. Even for a person like me who isn't really into seafood, this place was absolutely amazing.
(5)
David A.
We had a lobster BLT and fish & chips, plus two local beers and a bowl of clam chowder for lunch. Service was slow, but the view from the deck more than made up for it. Very busy place, so the food probably doesn't sit around and "age" too much, if at all. Great location. Generous portions - we were both stuffed when we left.
(4)
Carrie Ann J.
Great food, we ordered the Phyllo Baked Brie appetizer which was PHENOMENAL. A must try. I ordered the Tuscan Dumpling Soup (spinach and ricotta dumplings in tomato broth) - the only non-salad vegetarian meal on the menu (but it is a seafood restaurant). My husband ordered the Maine Seared Scallops which he described as very meaty and the best scallops he's ever had. The food was very very good and the staff very friendly but because of the restaurant's popularity, the wait time was a bit long. If you have the time to wait, sit outside, the view is simply wonderful.
(4)
Craig M.
Everything fell into place when we arrived at The Waterfront. When searching for great dinner spots in Camden there's certainly no shortage of options, but my wife and I were looking for harbourside views, great food at good prices, and zero pretentious ambience - we got lucky when we found this place! The views of the harbour from the outdoor deck were outstanding and the ambience was great. Our server, Emmet (spelling?) was friendly, attentive, and helpful. We started with a bottle of New Zealand white to accompany our bowl of mussels, cooked in white wine and garlic butter broth, served with warm toasty bread. It was spot on. We then opted for the lazy lobster with our choices of sides and added fresh salads to the meal - everything was tasty. Homemade blueberry cobbler and a cognac topped everything off at the end. It was exactly what we were looking for without breaking bank! Don't forget this place when you're looking for dinner in Camden...
(5)
Laurel S.
We had a great dinner out on the deck overlooking the water. I had the crab cakes and they were delicious. My daughter had the lazy lobster and she was so thrilled. Everyone in our group of 8 was very happy with their meal. With cocktails and wine the total for my family of 4 was about $200 so not horrible for a really nice meal of seafood with a great setting.
(4)
Michelle K.
Visiting Maine and my friends recommended we stop here. In the past they said the service was great.. Well.. Not so much today. After we were instructed to seat ourselves my friend asked a young lady if our table could be wiped off.. The young lady whom we later found out to be the manager had all kinds of explanation n how the table looked dirty but it was in the grain... Duh,. We know how crumbs look... She then wiped the table but we could tell she was a bit put off.. Duh.. Note to managers.. If customer feels table is dirty it's easier just to wipe.. We don't care about the make up of the table.. This set the to e of a not so good experience. The food was actually good. The service not so good. My friend ordered a burger medium well.. It was obviously not medium but more rare. We tried to get him to send it back but he cut the bloody part out.. Said the cooked part was good. Just so happens another customer asked for the manager to complain a out his burger.. Maybe the burgers were sent to the wrong customer who knows.. The young lady waiting on us obviously forgot we needed catsup so we got up and got our own.. They originally said they were out of chips and we ordered fries only later being told some chips showed up.. The lobster roll was good and another friend had the crab roll and said it was good as well.. Need work on the service. My friends say it definitely went down since the last time they were there... I would say stay away or go at your own risk.. Customer service with a smile. We'll go to Cappys next time because they were very welcoming.
(3)
Franklin B.
We have been going to the waterfront for over 30 years. The view from their deck is one of the best in Camden. Great opportunity to see the harbor activity. Over the years, we have enjoyed the clam chowder, mussels, the fried shrimp and calamari either as a meal or an appetizer, the steamed clams, the fried haddock sandwich, among others. Their food is very good and the ambience is outstanding.
(5)
Heng S.
Don't know where to start. This is such a terrible dinner experience and totally ruin our trip to Camden. The food is just ok, overpriced and the worst part is the service. Slow and inexperienced server. Manager was rude when we try to change to a quieter table. I will give them a negative star if I can. The only reason this restaurant is still operating is because of the location. Don't waste your money and time and unless you want to be pissed off, come here. OMG....
(1)
Sarah O.
Like Leah H., I expected that Waterfront would be a standard touristy seafood restaurant, complete with jacked up prices for overcooked shellfish. Aside from some initial problems obtaining a table (it took forever to be acknowledged by the hostess, and like John R. mentioned, it seems that the restaurant is inexplicably split up into different areas, and certain things can only be ordered in certain areas), we were eventually seated next to the water, at a table that offered prime waterfront Instagram opportunities. The service was great from that point on, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food, which was simply but carefully prepared. The prices were totally reasonable as well.
(4)
Wade G.
4 of us stopped in for dinner Sunday night. Had a beverage at the bar waiting for a table on the deck. Before we finished our drinks, table was ready. Young man serving us came over with a smile on his face, and shared the days specials. We were all catching up on life, and just chatting away. So he was good to leave us to enjoy ourselves with a basket of bread, and our cocktails. Thanks We ordered, and received oysters to start. Tasty. Not long came our entrees. All were prepared well, presented nicely, and tasty. Followed by a couple desserts to finish. Overall a very nice time. Sitting on the deck, on Camden Bay. Looking at the One Percents toys floating out there. Nice!!
(4)
John R.
Terrible across the board. We wanted steamed lobster and they wouldn't serve it to us because we were sitting in the wrong area. Then they moved us 10' to another table in the same area......OK. The service was equally as terrible on both sides, but we wanted some fresh lobster so tried to ignore that part. The kicker was when the lobster arrived and the meat in the claws was runny/egg white like and the tomollay was runny and oozed out all over the plate. Undercooked lobster in Maine.....you don't know what you're doing and it's gross. Don't go here.
(1)
Leah H.
We checked in at the Camden Harbour Inn (amazing!!!) and wanted to walk into town, grab some lunch and maybe watch some of the game (World Series). I will admit to being a little skeptical - I had heard all about the cute/interesting/foodie places in Camden - but this was one of the few places in town with a TV so he decided we'd be eating here. It's a fairly standard tourist/seafood/pub/restaurant kind of place. I was expecting to eat OK food and grumble about the other places we could have gone to. I got the curried chicken slider special with a cup of lobster stew and he got Permaquid oysters and mussels. We were completely blown away by the quality and taste of the food. Oysters - perfect, super fresh, no fancy mignonette but great homemade cocktail sauce Mussels - the most plump and fresh mussels we've ever had (and we've eaten a LOT of mussels), a huge helping in tons of garlicky-winey-butter with great toasted bread. Curried chicken sliders (special) - yum - tons of chicken Lobster stew - I am aware of what I'm about to say might sound like I ran out of superlatives but no exaggeration - the MOST TENDER SWEET LOBSTER I've ever eaten. Not sure what they did but it tasted butter poached. I could literally push against the huge chunks of lobster meat with my spoon and it fell apart. Not even a hint of chewiness. So that's it. Sometimes I'm a food snob and only want to go to fancy places. Sometimes I end up in non foodie/fancy places and it makes me realize I'm a PITA when it comes to making decisions on where we'll eat. Go here and get the lobster stew. Yum
(5)
Laura L.
This is my favorite restaurant in all of Camden. There is such a fun, lively environment here with a mix of locals and tourists. It's a seafood restaurant, but the vegetarian fare is AMAZING as well. I always get the portabella sandwich. It's good food for the money and the excellent service.
(5)
D L.
Took a group of 6 adults to The Waterfront for my mother's 75th birthday. The service was disappointing. Our server standard answer was to tell us that something could not be done. The heaters could not be turned on. A patron could not substitute pasta for rice. The open flap to the harbor and rain could not be closed. I sought out the manager and at least we were able to get pasta substituted for rice. The chicken picatta was terrible, overloaded with lemon and no capers. When we advised our server, nothing was done about it. All in all, a disappointing experience. Because of their high traffic volume, they have no motivation to improve or change. Great location, solid menu, questionable service and below average food was our experience. Had it not been my mother's choice, we would have left shortly after being seated. The Waterfront has a lot of work to do IMO.
(2)
Sherena O.
My husband and I went here for lunch yesterday and the view of the water was great. Food was very mediocre. Our waitress was not friendly and was less than accommodating. Check around before you decide on this as your lunch choice.
(2)
Mariam E.
Great experience, waitress was very professional and efficient. Food was really good, I had the scallops which came with two sides and my boyfriend had the crab. Good quality, food service. Would recommend.
(4)
Christine P.
This is a great location for watching the sights and sounds of the harbor. We have had lunch here a few times, and it has always hit the spot. On our most recent visit I enjoyed the portobello sandwich with cheese and spinach, with a side of the 4 bean salad. They also have a good selection of beer and wine. And luckily the outdoor seating is huge so ample opportunity to find an outdoor table.
(4)
M. M.
The food was alright, pricey, but alright. I expect to pay relatively high prices to eat on the waterfront but the service ruined this place for me. Our waitress was very slow to take our drink orders and since she didn't write them down for our party of 7, she got several of them wrong. When she did bring the drinks, only 4 of us received them AND we had a glass of wine from some other table! I couldn't believe that after 10 minutes, the waitress swooped in without a word and took the now warm glass of wine to the other table instead of getting a new one. The $5 margaritas tasted extremely cheap and I would. It recommend them. The food was also slow. When two members of our party finally got their entrees, we were told everyone else's would "just be a minute." Wrong. By the time our final member of our party received his dish, the first two members had already finished theirs. When it came time for the check, we wanted to split it but when we tried to ask, our waitress quickly walked away and seemed to pretend not to hear us asking for her. She then came back several times asking if we had figured out all of the math yet and we felt rushed. As we left the restaurant, our waitress was at the hostess's station at the front flipping menus onto the floor like a child spewing a deck of cards into the air. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There are better places to eat in Camden.
(2)
Jan A.
Went here in fall so the weather was brisk chill in the air. We started out in the lounge which was very nice cozy a drink to start with to get our juices going ! We started out with steamed mussels in a white wine, with garlic, onions, and scallions so good. One of the merchants on Main St. told us the chicken wings were great well we got them they were to die for so plump and tasty and finished off with a Cobb salad that we shared, everything we ordered as so good and fresh. It was not a full meal but we were full and the Mussels well I was still talking about them the next day the broth so full of flavor. Cozy restaurant right on the bay we will go back there when in Camden, ME.
(4)
Amanda G.
Excellent lobster roll. Service could have been better.
(4)
Andy T.
WORST RESTAURANT IN CAMDEN and the manager definitely needs to go more customer service skills and manners. (check out #4) We got there yesterday for dinner and this place ruined our lovely Camden experience. 1. Made a reservation? Plan your time for another half an hour wait. 2. The real bar has to be across town because we sat very close to the bar and had to wait for 20 mins to get our bottle. Then a waitress was asking if we want to taste or just pour their over price wines. Duh? 3. Food: overly batter fried clams, so so clamchowder but it was an hour after we order to get our foods (none of us order lobster which can take alot longer to cook). Unless this place does a catch-and-cook per order, I don't see why it took that long to prepare non special, very basic American grill and fried food. 4.Manager. OMG this blond lady is probably the reason why this review gets one star (from the original 2 stars). Very rude, unapologetic with ZERO (repeat ZERO) customer service basic skill. We asked to be moved to a different table since the table is right near loud patio service station and "No" (literally). After PAIDing $350 for our dinner, we went to her just to tell her how our experience was and suggested for their improvement, the lady just surged her shoulders and said they are sorry and that was the best they can do in a very unapologetic, careless manner. The very least she can do is pretend that she listens. Maybe Maine is at the top of the country where you have to accept what you have but next time when I come back to lovely Camden. "water front" is on my black list.
(1)
Charlotte H.
Sat at the bar for lunch--bartender super distracted. Woman at end of bar asked for wine--bartender asked hostess how many tasting glasses (new & had just arrived) she wanted put up; she put them up without washing, then got the woman her wine. Finally took our lunch order but did other set up before entering it in computer. Absolutely no personality at all--won't eat there again. Food was okay.
(2)
Ali F.
This would be 4 stars if I rated only on the food and the view. Both of those things are good enough that I have to give it 3 stars even though service is below par all of the time. We've eaten here on at least 5 occasions over two years. Every time we eat here we have quite a wait, but it is expected because we insist on sitting on the deck overlooking the water. The view is ALWAYS worth the wait. But after the wait to be seated, the wait should be over - nope! The servers and staff are not the best. They figure they'll have business no matter what, and they're right, but that doesn't mean they should be so snappy in their answers to your questions or so neglectful in their attention to you during your meal. Every time we go here, we wait a long time for our food and are not approached often by our waitress/waiter. Thankfully there is something to look at. We had one waitress who lost our card, found it, charged it to the wrong bill, voided that and still had to go off with our card to charge it again. We had no serious apologies, no suggested compensation and no visit from the manager. It is just an example of the not so great service here. On the other hand though - the lobster and steamers were fantastic! We also had a lovely chocolate cake that was very good. The fries are pretty good too. Other food is not so great - the mashed potatoes and potato salad were hardly eatable. The view can't be beat for Camden dining, and I guess it is mostly this that keeps us coming back.
(3)
Michael C.
Well, this is my first restaurant review. Don't go. Lovely waitress, setting is stellar, food just average, unnecessarily up sold on the wine and our second bottle. SLOW service, snippy manager. Expected so much more.
(1)
Sara N.
Disappointing :( I grew up in Camden and always loved going to The Waterfront, so on my visit home I requested that we go there for dinner, and it is sadly not the same quality that I remember. It started well; our waiter was great, good drinks, appetizers were delicious (smoked seafood plate and crab artichoke fondue), but entrees not so much. My mom and I got the sirloin and a fresh halibut special and each split it half and half; we both agreed that each was 'meh'. Both were over cooked, the fish not so bad but the sauce was pretty salty; the steak, which we ordered medium, was med-well/well, and only didn't send it back because we were with eight other people and figured everyone would be finished eating by the time we got it. The mashed potato side was dry and bland, the green beans were tasty but the ends weren't snapped off (this is a fairly nice restaurant, right? Is that too much to expect?); and it's a little sad when the best tasting thing on the plate is the green bean side I could have made at home. Dessert (can't remember the name, but it was a layered chocolate and mousse cake) was good, but not outstanding. The general consensus at the table for 'how's your dinner?' was 'decent'. Again, all in all I was disappointed, but still giving 2 stars because the apps and drinks were what I would expect from this place, and our waiter was awesome, plus the location is so great!! Sadly, after going here my whole life, next time I'm in town I will be looking for another restaurant on the water at which to dine!
(2)
Ed N.
Lunch one day and dinner another... Both were wonderful! We would recommend this place to anyone. The food, service and atmosphere combined to make a great dining experience.
(5)
Devon D.
This is a family favorite. The food is very good and the views of Camden harbor are amazing from the restaurant. The food prices are a little high, but that can be expected at almost any place in Camden. There is also a fun little bar inside where you can grab a drink and/or appetizer if you have to wait for a table.
(4)
Perry V.
The Waterfront has been a family favorite for many years. Every time we return to Maine we make a visit to the WaterFront. Yesterday, my parents visited the Waterfront for dinner and were taken aback by its fall from grace. They ordered steamed mussels which were delivered cold. A burger that was over cooked and dry like cardboard. The service was subpar and when all these failures were brought to management's attention the blame was placed squarely on the diners. Apparently, the Waterfront has rested on it's laurels so long that they no longer care about their customers feedback. Regardless of the spectacular location on Camden Harbor, a restaurant is first and foremost a restaurant that needs to wow it's customers consistently and continue to innovate its menu programming. It appears the Waterfront has lost it's way. So, so sad....
(1)
M D.
It may be geared towards the tourist trade, but The Waterfront Restaurant delivers delicious food and good service. We had a party of four people to enjoy dinner at The Waterfront on a lovely fall evening. We called ahead to put our name in for an outdoor table, and when we arrived, we were first on the list. The hostess invited us to wait in the bar area (which serves pub food), and we had a drink as we waited. We did inform the waitress in the bar area that we were waiting, and as soon as our table was ready, we were escorted to our dockside table. It was a beautiful night as we watched the sunset and ate some delicious dishes. We started out with a crab dip and a ravioli appetizer--both rich and wonderful. I tried the cioppino, while my dining companions had the lobster pasta, the swordfish and the crab cakes. All the food was delicious. The cioppino had a wonderful broth that was a good balance of fish broth and tomato. I don't like mussels, and the restaurant was kind enough to omit them from my dish. The one detractor was that the broth was a bit gritty due to sandy shelfish...if they had cleaned their seafood better, they would have received five stars. The lobster pasta was made with a rich smoked gouda sauce. It was rich and worth the calories! It was a bit skimpy on the lobster, but the portion was still huge. The swordfish steak was enormous, and the crab cakes were fresh and delicious. Dinner for four with one round of cocktails, two appetizers and four entrees was under $200. Quite reasonable, delicious, and worth a return trip!
(4)
Sally C.
Great service from Tim, our waiter. The food was spectacular! Generous portion of fried oysters - flavorful and not greasy at all. Salad had a crispy variety of veggies with a homemade bacon dressing. The 4-bean salad was delicious as well. Lobster pie had a flaky crust and a generous amount of lobster. Best dessert ever: profiterole!!!! Wine was perfect addition to our meal. Oh, almost forgot - the bread was wonderful, and the soft, dill butter was an unexpected perk. View of Camden Harbor is magnificent, too! Can't wait to return!! Chef, pastry chef, waiters/waitresses deserve a big compliment, and the food is deserves a 5-star rating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
On the advice of some locals, we had dinner at the Waterfront, located --amazingly enough -- on the waterfront. Well, actually, on the Camden harbor, but the view was lovely from the outside deck, even though it was enclosed by plastic because the evening air was downright chilly. Service was terrific, and he food was fine. Overall, a very enjoyable experience. We relished the mussels ($12), steamed in a nice wine sauce and topped with nice garlic and green onion. The serving was huge, and so was the tasty spinach salad that came with a fist-full of walnuts and goat cheese and fire-roasted red peppers. The clam chowder ($4.95) was over-seasoned with oregano, but the broth was thick, the clams tender and the potatoes chunky. Overall good but a tad bland, maybe. The seared tuna ($20) was served medium rare as we asked with crispy fries. Prices reasonable for a summer resort town. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly, and we came away impressed and satisfied.
(4)
Luisa S.
This is the second time in as many years I have eaten here and have truly enjoyed the attentive service, consistently good food and - reasonable prices for the area. The entrees arrive hot and within a reasonable time period. I recommend the chicken with linguini or chicken enchilada.
(5)
Ilona N.
We went here for our families last dinner on our weekend getaway. We sat outside which was nice. The view of the harbor is very pretty. The food and service were not that great considering the price. Our waitress never read us the specials and after ordering three people at our table heard the specials and were disappointed because we all wanted something from that menu. Besides never getting a refill on our drinks and hardly ever seeing our server, We ordered the muscles and we counted about ten that were not opened. I had the lobster, we also had the haddock and a salad. All nothing exciting. After getting quit thirsty we decided not to have desert. Overall very disappointing considering the other reviews. Hopefully it was just an off night.
(2)
Marianne C.
There's no reason for you to ever go here. I have given my star rating a lot of thought, and although this was going to be a three-star rating in the middle of my meal last night, the more I thought about it, the fewer stars I wanted to give. People come to this area for a good seafood meal and dining experience. You can find much, much better elsewhere. Why should I encourage you to go here with even TWO stars? This ONE STAR rating is my attempt to plead with you to spend your money elsewhere. The Hoff and I went here for dinner our first night, and it was the biggest disappointment of the Magical Mystery Trip. I came here anticipating a great experience given the reviews I read. The atmosphere must be affecting reviewers, because the food and service were both disappointing. Everything started out ok with both of us ordering the local beer on tap. I had the red, and the Hoff had the brown ale. I started with clam chowder (their 82 year recipe or something like that) and the Hoff had the calamari and shrimp. For dinner, the Hoff had ordered the "lazy lobster" and I went with the Maine crabcakes. The chowder was very good, so I was encouraged. I tried the calamari and shrimp; I wasn't impressed. Both seemed flavorless. The Hoff didn't say much about them. Then we waited...and waited...and waited... Finally, the food appeared. My crabcake was not really warm. I should have sent it back, but I was hungry. The crabcake didn't taste like it had much meat in it. Instead, it was like a combination of sawdust and seeds - seriously, there were these seeds in there like the kind you find in mustard. I guess those would be mustard seeds. Yes! But they didn't give the crabcake any flavor. I really think the sawdust description is apt. How sad. The Hoff's lazy lobster was tough and chewy. It was either overcooked or old lobster. The asparagus was tiny, but they gave you more than two spears, so that was a plus. We figured something must have happened with our meals to cause them to be so delayed. Maybe they were just sitting there waiting for the waiter to bring them to us. I don't know. We saw other people eating around us who came in after us. To his credit, the waiter was nice and attentive - as attentive as he could be given we waited to long without food. But it was telling that when he removed our plates and saw that neither of us had even eaten half of our entree that he didn't ask if we enjoyed the meal. It must have been obvious. Before he could hand me the dessert menu, I handed him my credit card and we were out of there. Sorry, Waterfront Restaurant, you disappointed us. Maybe we caught you on a bad night, but we'll never know.
(1)
Jon E.
Not recommended. Average food and service. Their chowder was overrun with flour and bacon. Dishes were piled up everywhere. Nobody was greeted at the front door. Tourist trap!
(2)
Karen M.
For those of you-like me-that absolutely LOVED the lobster pasta with the smoked Gouda sauce, be prepared to be heartbroken, because it is no longer on the menu :( they have a "lobster pasta" but it is a typical Alfredo sauce and absolutely pales in comparison to the Gouda sauce. I was highly disappointed they took my favorite dish in Camden off the menu-and why? -when they had so many raves!
(1)
Richard L.
Great atmosphere and the food was delicious. I would actually give this 3.5 stars rather than 4 though. Waitress was terrific. I will go back. And actually, we did a few nights later--still the same.
(4)
Michael S.
For what looked like a tourist trrap restaurant the food and service were suprisingly good. We ordered carefuly from the menu, trying to pick the simple items and we had a very nice lunch with good wines by the glass. In addition, the location is great with wonderful views of the harbor.
(4)
Robert R.
The lobster linguini was not memorable and bordered on mushy. The cream sauce was tasteless and there was too much of it. The lobster chunks were adequate. One basket of bread was fresh and delicious. A second was stale. My companion's entree of muscles with pasta was similarly forgettable, but his lobster and orange salad was quite good. My garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette was nicely prepared too. Things went downhill fast when we got to dessert. We dared order three desserts. The strawberry rhubarb pie was served cold (not warmed as stated on menu). The pale pink filling was bland. The eye appealing crust was hard and disappointing. The profiterole with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup was a failure. The profiterole (a type of light puffy pastry) was overcooked brown as shoe leather and tasted like it too. It was too hard to dig into with a fork or spoon. Most of it was buried under whipped cream and chocolate sauce with vanilla ice cream stuffed inside, a really sorry thing to serve. A large portion of it was not covered in syrup, so it was easy to see how over-baked it was. I never saw a French pastry that looked like brown suede before. It never should have left the kitchen. The blueberry cobbler was decent, made with wild blueberry compote two inches high with another inch of light crumble on top. The crumble was too fine and uniform and lacked texture. This was also served with a mountain of whipped cream. This dish was bland and needed more sweetness. At least the desserts were only $6.00 each. I would have sent them back if the price were any higher. Also, our server was so nice, I didn't have the heart to complain. Coffee was average. We had a great table right by the water outdoors. Even with the nice atmosphere, I would not consider this a destination restaurant by any means. Go for the atmosphere but don't set your expectations high for the food.
(2)
Bonnie K.
I was given the assignment to find a place in Camden to eat out of 5 restaurants my mother in law had given me. I checked all menus, locations, views and seating. I am pleased to say this was a homerun. The outside dining was perfect and mild weather. Our table was cozy for us (6) and intimatte. We ordered, lobster, shrimp, haddock and salmon. We were not disappointed. We had a great eveining and the service was perfect. We weren't interrupted every second and got a chance to visit with our family. The wedge salad was huge and super yummy. I'm glad this evening turned out great. YELP and footwork checking the restaurants out in person really helped make the best decision for out group.
(4)
Christina S.
We had dinner here, on the recommendation of a friend, the night we arrived in Camden. Despite the fact that it was a cool, drizzly evening, the place was hopping and we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. Not a problem, we sat at the bar, enjoyed a beer and chatted. Unfortunately, this was probably the highlight of the trip. The problems began immediately when we were seated, as we didn't see a waitress for 15 minutes. Turns out we were her only customer out on the deck and she had several large parties inside - poor planning on the restaurant's part. The cheese fondue appetizer we ordered was pretty good, a little oily. After a long wait for our entrees, my mussels were served way over cooked and cold and my husband's beef medallions were nothing exciting. After waiting to see if the waitress would come, I finally got up and tried to find a manager to let him know about my inedible meal and bad service. He was chatting with some folks in the bad and seemed truly bothered that I would dare interrupt him. I told him the problem and he was rather dismissive, but my mussels and the appetizer was taken off our bill. One of the biggest problem is, that like lots of places in Maine, the restaurant is filled with teenagers working summer jobs. I'm all for giving teens work experience, but there has to be a mixture of people who know what they're doing and what a level of customer service should be. Despite the good water front location, we won't be back here.
(1)
Toni M.
Tonight was our last dinner in Maine and we decided to eat at The Waterfront, where we've eaten in past years. It's one of those waterside restaurants that's been in business for decades. Their statement on their website sums it up: "We are not spectacular, dazzling, or brilliant but our food is good, healthy and easy to eat." We were told reservations were unnecessary and they weren't. We were seated immediately. By the time we left, the restaurant was crowded and pleasantly noisy. I decided to have a final lobster. Their pricing structure is interesting, and better than the Lobster Pound: $26 for a pound and a quarter and $3 for every additional quarter pound after that. A 2 lb lobster was $5 cheaper than the 1 3/4 lb one at the Pound. It was sweet and good. It came accompanied by green beans and potatoes. I chose mashed potatoes but they were too rich. Alan had crab cakes. We shared a Titanic Wedge salad which was huge and good but had too much bleu cheese buttermilk dressing. See their menu for details. Alan decided he wanted a last appetizer of clams and it was huge. Service was good. It was a fine finish to a lovely vacation.
(4)
Bill S.
This is by far one of my favorite places to eat in Maine. I vacation every year in the area as I have family there and whether you prefer seafood or not they never fail to impress. Not only is the view beautiful from the patio but the service is excellent and any food you order is delivered promptly and is nothing short of delicious. I'd strongly recommend The Waterfront to anyone and everyone!
(5)
Wayne T.
Service and food were both excellent. Would definitely go again.
(4)
T.H. J.
It aspires to being better than it is. There is some thought being applied to what is generally glorified bar food. Too much pasty, cheese based stuff, though.
Don't believe the positive reviews; our meal was AWFUL from start to finish! The chowder was overwhelmed by oregano, the fried clams were doughy, the crab cakes were crummy and dry, and the open-faced lobster sandwich was made from what tasted like canned lobster. Location can't compensate for lousy food.
(1)
Walter H.
If you like sitting on the dock by a quaint harbor, or enjoy large, warm, post and beam dining rooms, this is the place. People generally dont go here for the food. Its passable, always been like that. Fred, at the bar, has been there forever and is as friendly a face as you will find in town. The raw bar on the deck is awesome. The owners are usually there and gracious hosts they are. Genuine and caring, they provide a human touch that lack at most places. So overall, when you leave, even though the meal was not memorable, the experience is.
(3)
Turbo Smurf X.
Really. why. Boring. best feature. water view. but owners not so friendly for tie ups.
(2)
Alexander R.
We had Easter dinner here this year with our relatives. The food was pretty good, the location was beautiful and the atmosphere we pretty nice too. Right on the harbor in Camden. Such a pretty town!
(3)
Miss Otis R.
Let me start with I wouldn't go back. Although the margarita I ordered was excellent, that is not what you come to a fish restaurant for. Salad was excellent and fresh (house). I had a special - pan seared halibut with carmelized balsamic onions over spinach and bacon. It came with fresh green beans ( v. good) and a rice mix. The spinach, apparently, was depending on the heat of the fish to wilt it, and unfortunately, the fish was raw in the center, so it was more like eating an undressed salad. The fish tasted good, thanks in part to the onions, and I was able to finish it after it took a trip back to the kitchen to complete its cooking. My companion had the baked stuffed haddock, which on looks alone, was completely unappealing to me. From the description, we expected that delightful, crumby topped fish with a crabmeat topping, but instead the fish was rolled around a crab filling which gave it the only flavor it had. He described it to our waitress as boring. She apologized. We heard Atlantica was excellent....unfortunately, it doesn't open for the season until the 25th.
(2)
John D.
This is a well run restaurant that has a strong following among locals year around. It is our go-to place with predictably good food and warm service.
(5)
Ed M.
Waterfront had the best crab cakes that we ever tried. The seasoning was just right, and the crab meat tasted freshly picked. I am giving it a four star because our mussel dish had some sand in it, which was kind of disappointing. The service was great and we loved both of our waitresses. We will definitely come back again for more crab dishes in the future!
(4)
Timothy G.
Nothing about our experience here was good. Slow service, server that blamed me for not liking the lobster pasta, this place is alive on it's tradition and not its current state. There are plenty of really good restaurants in Camden. Tho the view here is stunning, I recommend that you take a pass on this place!
(1)
David D.
Dining at the Waterfront Restaurant over the years with my guest(s), I've always had good food, good service and a very good time. Tip: When fireworks (say on the 4th of July) scheduled over the Camden Harbor, make a dining reservation for that evening, say 7:00-7:30PM, please tell the reservation taker that you'll will want your table(s) on the deck (outside dress for the weather) next to the harbor. Makes a for a nice dinner/show! Ah, sorry... the new management will now not make reservations for less than six people as a party. So, if you and your dining friend (or two couples, or two couples with friend!) are on their own getting a table. Sounds like a management mistake to me.
(4)
Michael O.
The prices and serving size are probably the best in Camden. The problem is the prices and serving size are the only good thing I can say about this place. In their defense, it was Memorial Day weekend and early in the season. I had the catch of the day and although cooking options weren't listed, my request for a non fried option was rewarded. The fish was fresh but overcooked and the 2 sides were so overcooked they were only tasted and abandoned. Not sure I'll do a revisit but it's a long summer and who knows. I know it can't get any worse. There are a lot of days to practice and improve.
(2)
Loryn H.
Had drinks and lunch. Food was good, bartender was less than interested and we were essentially the only ones at the bar.......don't like an overly friendly bartender but at least try to seem a little interested in the customer.
(3)
Tory w.
If you couldn't tell from the name, the location of this restaurant is, well, on the waterfront, facing Camden Harbor. It would be difficult to find a prettier setting for a pleasant lunch on a warm summer day. The Waterfront has a huge menu with plenty of variety. I was in a big group and they had no trouble accommodating us with a big table outside. I highly recommend the Mediterranean appetizer - hummus, olives, peppers, feta, and pita - yum! The bruschetta was also good, as were the french fries, Dijon chicken salad, and cranberry chicken salad. Yum!
(4)
R.J. R.
Food average...service good. Been to a bunch of these coastal restaurants over the years. No different. Steady Eddie.
(3)
Beth P.
Coming from NYC, the idea of having lunch right on the Bay was very exciting. We got several recommendations to eat at the Waterfront over more popular places like Cappy's and Mariner's. The service was pretty crap: the hostess was super confused and couldn't figure how to seat 8 of us at either one large table or split us evenly and got very flustered. We finally got a table outside on the water. It seemed to take forever for the orders to arrive; folks at other tables got a bread basket to tide them over which never made it our way. My food was decent, but a few friends got gumbo or chowder and thought it was greasy. The salads looked really lackluster with very gloppy dressings. Overall, I think the atmosphere counteracts the food in some way. I think the best bet at Waterfront is the Rock Crab Roll or Lobster Roll, if that's how you roll!!
(3)
Matt W.
Only place in town to see the water. Okay for a drink.
(3)
Lifan Y.
Food is great. Price is on expensive side: Lobster Roll $18(good size), oyster on shell half douzen $14.
(4)
Robert H.
The food was pretty good, but not outstanding. The prices were fairly good and the portion sizes were adequate. The harbor view was very nice, although there weren't too many boats out yet. There was an outdoor deck, overlooking the harbor, that I imagine is wonderful when it is warmer out. The service was fast enough, and our waitress, although soft-spoken, was competent. I would recommend the Waterfront to anyone coming through Camden.
(3)
aaron t.
3.5ish I've been here twice. Each year while attending Poptech. I had scallops last year, and lobster this year. I always went with friends, and was in happy mode because coming up here was a break from work, and Camden is so relaxing. Okay, the review: I like this place. It's where to eat if in Camden as far as i know. I'm sure there are fancier more expensive venues to dine in at but the staff here is great, the menu is large, and you can get a greatmeal with a drink for 35-40$. I've only been here for dinner, so the waterfront view has not really affected my review, even though it would most likly enhance it. Nothing too fancy here, just plain good food, but nuthing startling amazing. Go here with groups, or with some buddies to strike up a conversation at the bar.
(3)
A. T.
Pleasant waterfront dining experience with decent service and $4 beers. Nothing particularly outstanding about this place except maybe the ambiance/setting.
(3)
Eric M.
Came here with a big group and it was great. Food was very good, service was excellent (especially for such a large group), and they let us stay well past close to drink and generally act like fools. I don't think I could ask for much more. Prices were reasonable as well.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Ron H.
Halibut special was sublime - a generous filet served over potato gnocchi w/ shallots, dried cranberries, blue cheese and vermouth. Halibut was cooked perfectly. At $26 a good deal for those of us outside New England who can't get a smaller portion for that at the grocery store or seafood store for that. Nice selection of local brews on tap - Baxter IPA was tasty! Oh, and did I mention the view?
(5)Geoff G.
The Waterfront was a good dining experience. After a day at Camden Hills State Park, we were in the mood for a meal that was quality and filling. We got just that. The atmosphere was perfect - right on the harbor. You can choose to sit inside or out on the deck overlooking the small bay(reservations recommend); either way a good call. The food was traditional Maine seafood, but with other good options (lamb, steak). Good origianalty to the menu. Overall a good Camden experience.
(4)Ollie L.
Service way better than the food. I had a lobster which was fine... One of my first and enjoyed it. Waitress even helped me through the process. Sides were generally a bit soggy and uninspiring. My wife had a pile of fried stuff. All what am sure were once really good ingredients. Most alarming the fries too were soggy. How in the U.S. In 2015 a place like this can't get fries right I don't know. Good location, good staff, but got to stop letting soggy stuff through the pass.
(2)D M.
Can't say I would give this place any stars considering my family never got to sit down and eat. Put my name in for a table which we anticipated a 25 minute wait, and we're told to grab a drink and hang about while we wait. Decided we would step 15 feet from the hostess to the bar for a time killer. Waited about 15 minutes without any acknowledgement from the bartender so I figured I would sit back down and save my money. Another half hour went by when we asked how much longer it would take, they said they actually took our name off the list...just disappointed with the overall experience there and hope they get their staff in order.
(1)Laura C.
Don't go for the food, go for the view! It's incredible. You sit on the harbor with the sea breeze whisping around you. The wine didn't suck either. Got a pinot from New Zealand that was on point. The hostess and our server seemed bothered by us but between Walter, the bartender, and the view it earned 4 stars.
(4)Caroline D.
I ordered a lobster roll with a bean salad as a side. Bean salad was clearly the wrong choice. Out of the 7+ lobster rolls ordered from our table, mine was the only one with a couple chunks of lobster in a soggy bun. No mayo/seasoning/etc. I was also the only one with the bean salad. I couldn't help but correlate the two. Totally a first world pain, like I'm so happy to even be eating food, let alone lobster, in the first place, but it was a liiiiittle disappointing to pay $17 for that. I didn't even say anything because I thought maybe someone in the kitchen was having a bad day. Should've ordered the French fries. Then maybe the kitchen wouldn't have stuck it to me with their, uh, "diet" lobster roll? But you know, I still had such a great time with friends. Lol I can't even hate.
(3)Ann I.
A pleasant Harbor front experience. The view is something special. My son ordered a hamburger, it was huge and delicious. We had the steema's and blue mussels. The steema's were very tasty, some of the best I've had. The mussels were good but not great. Our server was spot on. Highly recommend!
(5)Katie M.
Everything was pretty good. Mussels were prepared well and the broth was AWESOME! Someone in our group ordered a chicken Caesar salad but they forgot the chicken... Also got the crab roll and it was good as well.
(3)Tom J.
I think the food has gone down a bit. Third trip this year and this was not as good as the first two. Yesterday some of the wait staff were grouchy including the reservationists. You have to go back because the setting is beautiful.
(3)Marc B.
The people were really friendly and the food was good. Our waitress was extremely nice and prices were average. The wait time for our food was our only complaint.
(4)Denise M.
Tried this for lunch. I had the waterfront chicken salad samdwich, the lemon and mint made it seem 3xta fresh. My husband had the artichoke crab dip, it was fantastic, served on a hot plate so it stayed warm, a wonderful blend of flavors, definitely give it a try.
(4)Brian R.
Walked in and walked out. Rude hostess and rude waitress around 2:00 PM in the afternoon. Was not worth the trouble.
(1)Anne H.
My husband and I went here for lunch on Thursday. The weather was great so we asked to be seated on the deck. Waited about 15 min for a table so that's not bad. The views and the food was equally awesome. I had the oysters as an app and they were sooo tender and my lobster roll was tasty. My man had steamed clams that were vy tasty w/ no sand. He then had 1 1/2lb steamed lobster which he said was the most tender one he's had. As you can tell we love our seafood so I recommend coming here. I will say the waitstaff was slow but being on vacation and having the views kept me relaxed.
(4)Ava O.
I had the caprese burger with mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomato, and basil aioli. I had a side of delicious cole sale instead of fries - Absolutely delicious! Next time I come to Maine I will definitely order this burger again.
(5)Aviva A.
We had a wonderful experience with The Waterfront - the food was delicious and the view was even better (from the outside!) Our waitress was very helpful with my food allergy. The portions were HUGE, as well, and the French fries were out of this world.
(4)Jonas W.
The food was great.
(3)Sally F.
Horrible service. Waited 20 minutes and no one stop by to serve us. I felt it was because I was Hispanic they did not want to serve us.
(1)S B.
The location alone merits five stars. Given that location I was prepared for a less than stellar lunch but was pleasantly surprised by the food and service. Not the greatest seaside chow to be found in Maine but perfectly acceptable and our waitress was friendly and efficient so, combined with the iconic setting, a solid 4-stars. Six of us for lunch and we were all satisfied with chowder, lobster roll, fried clams, haddock sandwich, mussels, three bean salad, etc. Again, nothing exceptional but good all around. However, skip the house-made desserts which were disappointing except for the excellent blueberry sorbet. Camden in high summer is tourist central but this place also seemed to be fairly priced given the location. I suspect that lunch, rather than dinner, is the better time to be there.
(4)Tom K.
I've been to this restaurant a few times before. The food is consistently good however the menu has shrunk in recent years. There is only two chicken dishes and only one beef dish. The other 8 options are seafood. The service is average. The pricing is decent. 28$ for halibut and $18 for Chicken Marsala. The restaurant really excels in terms of view and atmosphere. The Waterfront has an outdoor patio that has a great view of the harbor. The atmosphere is good as well. Overall, The combination of the atmosphere, view and consistently good food make the Waterfront a restaurant worth eating at.
(4)Natalie M.
I am sorry to write this review and even sorrier that my last experience at Waterfront reflected the negative reviews I have been reading about it, but that is indeed the case. I have been patronizing Waterfront with my extended family for 15? Years. Weather it's a big family get together in the main dining room or a casual lunch out on the deck, Waterfront always was the go to place in the Rockland / Camden area for a nice meal in a beautiful location. Not anymore. Yesterday, we arrived late afternoon for their lite menu and were completely ignored by the half dozen gabby girls clustered around the hostess stand. We flagged down a bar man who told us where we could sit. Eventually a waitress came and took our order, however, she was visibly impaired. Perhaps she was abusing her prescribed pain medication or needs her anti psychotic drugs balanced out, perhaps she was taking nips at the bar, in any case, she was wasted and completely forgot we had ordered food. We finally caught the attention of another server who brought ours over to us. It was just shy of an hour since we ordered and I don't think our wasted server really had any idea we were still there. She claimed the kitchen must have lost our order and she would get to the bottom of it. Our food arrived about 10 minutes later. It was not worth the wait. I hope our server is not waiting for her tip, cause it's not coming. And I'm not coming back to Waterfront anytime soon either. It's a shame but it's the truth.
(1)L. D.
It's unfortunate I can't give this restaurant 0 stars. The only redeeming factor was that our server was pleasant enough. We ordered our children a fruit, cracker and cheese plate. The plate came with a cluster of half-rotten, unwashed red grapes, flavorless and haphazardly (i.e. carelessly) sliced honeydew and cantaloupe, some sysco crackers and factory-sliced cheese that I venture to say was reused from another plate. The cheese was dirty (yes, it had dirty finger prints on it) and soggy. My husband had the fried fish and chips, and the haddock was inedible. Unfortunate that a restaurant with such a beautiful piece of real estate can be so disappointing.
(1)Chris S.
Great selection of entrees and apps... very well priced... great view of the harbor if you sit outside... highly recommended by the locals.
(5)Christie D.
The outdoor seating definitely raises the bar for this restaurant! The harbor is fabulous and always brings a sense of tranquility and awe! The service is pleasant and attentive. The food is totally elevated due to the lovely atmosphere. We've not been here for a number of years, it's nice to revisit and remember time gone by.
(4)M. D.
The waterfront was a nice dinner - nothing amazing, food wise, though their setting makes up for it. We had the fish special and a menu seafood pasta dish and it was good, just not exceptional. It is a safe place to have dinner or lunch - and the view is worthwhile. Service wasn't great - but it was terribly busy.
(3)Ellen A.
We love coming here, sitting on the deck and ordering the mussels. Good food and service.
(4)Chris C.
We are regulars at the Waterfront. The food and service is always good. One thing that is unique for Midcoast Maine is the the Waterfront has something for everyone. Whether you want steak, lobster, chicken wings, oysters, fried haddock or a cheeseburger, they have it all. The location is great on the harbor in Camden. The owner Sam is very personable and friendly, you can see his commitment ti the restaurant, the customers and the community (especially since they stay open for the cold months!)
(4)Cassie P.
This was THE BEST dinner of my life. The panko-crusted butternut squash ravioli with a maple-sea salt cream was out of this world. Then we also had the phyllo-wrapped baked Brie with lemon pound cake and that was equally mind (and tastebud) blowing. EAT HERE. Even for a person like me who isn't really into seafood, this place was absolutely amazing.
(5)David A.
We had a lobster BLT and fish & chips, plus two local beers and a bowl of clam chowder for lunch. Service was slow, but the view from the deck more than made up for it. Very busy place, so the food probably doesn't sit around and "age" too much, if at all. Great location. Generous portions - we were both stuffed when we left.
(4)Carrie Ann J.
Great food, we ordered the Phyllo Baked Brie appetizer which was PHENOMENAL. A must try. I ordered the Tuscan Dumpling Soup (spinach and ricotta dumplings in tomato broth) - the only non-salad vegetarian meal on the menu (but it is a seafood restaurant). My husband ordered the Maine Seared Scallops which he described as very meaty and the best scallops he's ever had. The food was very very good and the staff very friendly but because of the restaurant's popularity, the wait time was a bit long. If you have the time to wait, sit outside, the view is simply wonderful.
(4)Craig M.
Everything fell into place when we arrived at The Waterfront. When searching for great dinner spots in Camden there's certainly no shortage of options, but my wife and I were looking for harbourside views, great food at good prices, and zero pretentious ambience - we got lucky when we found this place! The views of the harbour from the outdoor deck were outstanding and the ambience was great. Our server, Emmet (spelling?) was friendly, attentive, and helpful. We started with a bottle of New Zealand white to accompany our bowl of mussels, cooked in white wine and garlic butter broth, served with warm toasty bread. It was spot on. We then opted for the lazy lobster with our choices of sides and added fresh salads to the meal - everything was tasty. Homemade blueberry cobbler and a cognac topped everything off at the end. It was exactly what we were looking for without breaking bank! Don't forget this place when you're looking for dinner in Camden...
(5)Laurel S.
We had a great dinner out on the deck overlooking the water. I had the crab cakes and they were delicious. My daughter had the lazy lobster and she was so thrilled. Everyone in our group of 8 was very happy with their meal. With cocktails and wine the total for my family of 4 was about $200 so not horrible for a really nice meal of seafood with a great setting.
(4)Michelle K.
Visiting Maine and my friends recommended we stop here. In the past they said the service was great.. Well.. Not so much today. After we were instructed to seat ourselves my friend asked a young lady if our table could be wiped off.. The young lady whom we later found out to be the manager had all kinds of explanation n how the table looked dirty but it was in the grain... Duh,. We know how crumbs look... She then wiped the table but we could tell she was a bit put off.. Duh.. Note to managers.. If customer feels table is dirty it's easier just to wipe.. We don't care about the make up of the table.. This set the to e of a not so good experience. The food was actually good. The service not so good. My friend ordered a burger medium well.. It was obviously not medium but more rare. We tried to get him to send it back but he cut the bloody part out.. Said the cooked part was good. Just so happens another customer asked for the manager to complain a out his burger.. Maybe the burgers were sent to the wrong customer who knows.. The young lady waiting on us obviously forgot we needed catsup so we got up and got our own.. They originally said they were out of chips and we ordered fries only later being told some chips showed up.. The lobster roll was good and another friend had the crab roll and said it was good as well.. Need work on the service. My friends say it definitely went down since the last time they were there... I would say stay away or go at your own risk.. Customer service with a smile. We'll go to Cappys next time because they were very welcoming.
(3)Franklin B.
We have been going to the waterfront for over 30 years. The view from their deck is one of the best in Camden. Great opportunity to see the harbor activity. Over the years, we have enjoyed the clam chowder, mussels, the fried shrimp and calamari either as a meal or an appetizer, the steamed clams, the fried haddock sandwich, among others. Their food is very good and the ambience is outstanding.
(5)Heng S.
Don't know where to start. This is such a terrible dinner experience and totally ruin our trip to Camden. The food is just ok, overpriced and the worst part is the service. Slow and inexperienced server. Manager was rude when we try to change to a quieter table. I will give them a negative star if I can. The only reason this restaurant is still operating is because of the location. Don't waste your money and time and unless you want to be pissed off, come here. OMG....
(1)Sarah O.
Like Leah H., I expected that Waterfront would be a standard touristy seafood restaurant, complete with jacked up prices for overcooked shellfish. Aside from some initial problems obtaining a table (it took forever to be acknowledged by the hostess, and like John R. mentioned, it seems that the restaurant is inexplicably split up into different areas, and certain things can only be ordered in certain areas), we were eventually seated next to the water, at a table that offered prime waterfront Instagram opportunities. The service was great from that point on, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food, which was simply but carefully prepared. The prices were totally reasonable as well.
(4)Wade G.
4 of us stopped in for dinner Sunday night. Had a beverage at the bar waiting for a table on the deck. Before we finished our drinks, table was ready. Young man serving us came over with a smile on his face, and shared the days specials. We were all catching up on life, and just chatting away. So he was good to leave us to enjoy ourselves with a basket of bread, and our cocktails. Thanks We ordered, and received oysters to start. Tasty. Not long came our entrees. All were prepared well, presented nicely, and tasty. Followed by a couple desserts to finish. Overall a very nice time. Sitting on the deck, on Camden Bay. Looking at the One Percents toys floating out there. Nice!!
(4)John R.
Terrible across the board. We wanted steamed lobster and they wouldn't serve it to us because we were sitting in the wrong area. Then they moved us 10' to another table in the same area......OK. The service was equally as terrible on both sides, but we wanted some fresh lobster so tried to ignore that part. The kicker was when the lobster arrived and the meat in the claws was runny/egg white like and the tomollay was runny and oozed out all over the plate. Undercooked lobster in Maine.....you don't know what you're doing and it's gross. Don't go here.
(1)Leah H.
We checked in at the Camden Harbour Inn (amazing!!!) and wanted to walk into town, grab some lunch and maybe watch some of the game (World Series). I will admit to being a little skeptical - I had heard all about the cute/interesting/foodie places in Camden - but this was one of the few places in town with a TV so he decided we'd be eating here. It's a fairly standard tourist/seafood/pub/restaurant kind of place. I was expecting to eat OK food and grumble about the other places we could have gone to. I got the curried chicken slider special with a cup of lobster stew and he got Permaquid oysters and mussels. We were completely blown away by the quality and taste of the food. Oysters - perfect, super fresh, no fancy mignonette but great homemade cocktail sauce Mussels - the most plump and fresh mussels we've ever had (and we've eaten a LOT of mussels), a huge helping in tons of garlicky-winey-butter with great toasted bread. Curried chicken sliders (special) - yum - tons of chicken Lobster stew - I am aware of what I'm about to say might sound like I ran out of superlatives but no exaggeration - the MOST TENDER SWEET LOBSTER I've ever eaten. Not sure what they did but it tasted butter poached. I could literally push against the huge chunks of lobster meat with my spoon and it fell apart. Not even a hint of chewiness. So that's it. Sometimes I'm a food snob and only want to go to fancy places. Sometimes I end up in non foodie/fancy places and it makes me realize I'm a PITA when it comes to making decisions on where we'll eat. Go here and get the lobster stew. Yum
(5)Laura L.
This is my favorite restaurant in all of Camden. There is such a fun, lively environment here with a mix of locals and tourists. It's a seafood restaurant, but the vegetarian fare is AMAZING as well. I always get the portabella sandwich. It's good food for the money and the excellent service.
(5)D L.
Took a group of 6 adults to The Waterfront for my mother's 75th birthday. The service was disappointing. Our server standard answer was to tell us that something could not be done. The heaters could not be turned on. A patron could not substitute pasta for rice. The open flap to the harbor and rain could not be closed. I sought out the manager and at least we were able to get pasta substituted for rice. The chicken picatta was terrible, overloaded with lemon and no capers. When we advised our server, nothing was done about it. All in all, a disappointing experience. Because of their high traffic volume, they have no motivation to improve or change. Great location, solid menu, questionable service and below average food was our experience. Had it not been my mother's choice, we would have left shortly after being seated. The Waterfront has a lot of work to do IMO.
(2)Sherena O.
My husband and I went here for lunch yesterday and the view of the water was great. Food was very mediocre. Our waitress was not friendly and was less than accommodating. Check around before you decide on this as your lunch choice.
(2)Mariam E.
Great experience, waitress was very professional and efficient. Food was really good, I had the scallops which came with two sides and my boyfriend had the crab. Good quality, food service. Would recommend.
(4)Christine P.
This is a great location for watching the sights and sounds of the harbor. We have had lunch here a few times, and it has always hit the spot. On our most recent visit I enjoyed the portobello sandwich with cheese and spinach, with a side of the 4 bean salad. They also have a good selection of beer and wine. And luckily the outdoor seating is huge so ample opportunity to find an outdoor table.
(4)M. M.
The food was alright, pricey, but alright. I expect to pay relatively high prices to eat on the waterfront but the service ruined this place for me. Our waitress was very slow to take our drink orders and since she didn't write them down for our party of 7, she got several of them wrong. When she did bring the drinks, only 4 of us received them AND we had a glass of wine from some other table! I couldn't believe that after 10 minutes, the waitress swooped in without a word and took the now warm glass of wine to the other table instead of getting a new one. The $5 margaritas tasted extremely cheap and I would. It recommend them. The food was also slow. When two members of our party finally got their entrees, we were told everyone else's would "just be a minute." Wrong. By the time our final member of our party received his dish, the first two members had already finished theirs. When it came time for the check, we wanted to split it but when we tried to ask, our waitress quickly walked away and seemed to pretend not to hear us asking for her. She then came back several times asking if we had figured out all of the math yet and we felt rushed. As we left the restaurant, our waitress was at the hostess's station at the front flipping menus onto the floor like a child spewing a deck of cards into the air. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There are better places to eat in Camden.
(2)Jan A.
Went here in fall so the weather was brisk chill in the air. We started out in the lounge which was very nice cozy a drink to start with to get our juices going ! We started out with steamed mussels in a white wine, with garlic, onions, and scallions so good. One of the merchants on Main St. told us the chicken wings were great well we got them they were to die for so plump and tasty and finished off with a Cobb salad that we shared, everything we ordered as so good and fresh. It was not a full meal but we were full and the Mussels well I was still talking about them the next day the broth so full of flavor. Cozy restaurant right on the bay we will go back there when in Camden, ME.
(4)Amanda G.
Excellent lobster roll. Service could have been better.
(4)Andy T.
WORST RESTAURANT IN CAMDEN and the manager definitely needs to go more customer service skills and manners. (check out #4) We got there yesterday for dinner and this place ruined our lovely Camden experience. 1. Made a reservation? Plan your time for another half an hour wait. 2. The real bar has to be across town because we sat very close to the bar and had to wait for 20 mins to get our bottle. Then a waitress was asking if we want to taste or just pour their over price wines. Duh? 3. Food: overly batter fried clams, so so clamchowder but it was an hour after we order to get our foods (none of us order lobster which can take alot longer to cook). Unless this place does a catch-and-cook per order, I don't see why it took that long to prepare non special, very basic American grill and fried food. 4.Manager. OMG this blond lady is probably the reason why this review gets one star (from the original 2 stars). Very rude, unapologetic with ZERO (repeat ZERO) customer service basic skill. We asked to be moved to a different table since the table is right near loud patio service station and "No" (literally). After PAIDing $350 for our dinner, we went to her just to tell her how our experience was and suggested for their improvement, the lady just surged her shoulders and said they are sorry and that was the best they can do in a very unapologetic, careless manner. The very least she can do is pretend that she listens. Maybe Maine is at the top of the country where you have to accept what you have but next time when I come back to lovely Camden. "water front" is on my black list.
(1)Charlotte H.
Sat at the bar for lunch--bartender super distracted. Woman at end of bar asked for wine--bartender asked hostess how many tasting glasses (new & had just arrived) she wanted put up; she put them up without washing, then got the woman her wine. Finally took our lunch order but did other set up before entering it in computer. Absolutely no personality at all--won't eat there again. Food was okay.
(2)Ali F.
This would be 4 stars if I rated only on the food and the view. Both of those things are good enough that I have to give it 3 stars even though service is below par all of the time. We've eaten here on at least 5 occasions over two years. Every time we eat here we have quite a wait, but it is expected because we insist on sitting on the deck overlooking the water. The view is ALWAYS worth the wait. But after the wait to be seated, the wait should be over - nope! The servers and staff are not the best. They figure they'll have business no matter what, and they're right, but that doesn't mean they should be so snappy in their answers to your questions or so neglectful in their attention to you during your meal. Every time we go here, we wait a long time for our food and are not approached often by our waitress/waiter. Thankfully there is something to look at. We had one waitress who lost our card, found it, charged it to the wrong bill, voided that and still had to go off with our card to charge it again. We had no serious apologies, no suggested compensation and no visit from the manager. It is just an example of the not so great service here. On the other hand though - the lobster and steamers were fantastic! We also had a lovely chocolate cake that was very good. The fries are pretty good too. Other food is not so great - the mashed potatoes and potato salad were hardly eatable. The view can't be beat for Camden dining, and I guess it is mostly this that keeps us coming back.
(3)Michael C.
Well, this is my first restaurant review. Don't go. Lovely waitress, setting is stellar, food just average, unnecessarily up sold on the wine and our second bottle. SLOW service, snippy manager. Expected so much more.
(1)Sara N.
Disappointing :( I grew up in Camden and always loved going to The Waterfront, so on my visit home I requested that we go there for dinner, and it is sadly not the same quality that I remember. It started well; our waiter was great, good drinks, appetizers were delicious (smoked seafood plate and crab artichoke fondue), but entrees not so much. My mom and I got the sirloin and a fresh halibut special and each split it half and half; we both agreed that each was 'meh'. Both were over cooked, the fish not so bad but the sauce was pretty salty; the steak, which we ordered medium, was med-well/well, and only didn't send it back because we were with eight other people and figured everyone would be finished eating by the time we got it. The mashed potato side was dry and bland, the green beans were tasty but the ends weren't snapped off (this is a fairly nice restaurant, right? Is that too much to expect?); and it's a little sad when the best tasting thing on the plate is the green bean side I could have made at home. Dessert (can't remember the name, but it was a layered chocolate and mousse cake) was good, but not outstanding. The general consensus at the table for 'how's your dinner?' was 'decent'. Again, all in all I was disappointed, but still giving 2 stars because the apps and drinks were what I would expect from this place, and our waiter was awesome, plus the location is so great!! Sadly, after going here my whole life, next time I'm in town I will be looking for another restaurant on the water at which to dine!
(2)Ed N.
Lunch one day and dinner another... Both were wonderful! We would recommend this place to anyone. The food, service and atmosphere combined to make a great dining experience.
(5)Devon D.
This is a family favorite. The food is very good and the views of Camden harbor are amazing from the restaurant. The food prices are a little high, but that can be expected at almost any place in Camden. There is also a fun little bar inside where you can grab a drink and/or appetizer if you have to wait for a table.
(4)Perry V.
The Waterfront has been a family favorite for many years. Every time we return to Maine we make a visit to the WaterFront. Yesterday, my parents visited the Waterfront for dinner and were taken aback by its fall from grace. They ordered steamed mussels which were delivered cold. A burger that was over cooked and dry like cardboard. The service was subpar and when all these failures were brought to management's attention the blame was placed squarely on the diners. Apparently, the Waterfront has rested on it's laurels so long that they no longer care about their customers feedback. Regardless of the spectacular location on Camden Harbor, a restaurant is first and foremost a restaurant that needs to wow it's customers consistently and continue to innovate its menu programming. It appears the Waterfront has lost it's way. So, so sad....
(1)M D.
It may be geared towards the tourist trade, but The Waterfront Restaurant delivers delicious food and good service. We had a party of four people to enjoy dinner at The Waterfront on a lovely fall evening. We called ahead to put our name in for an outdoor table, and when we arrived, we were first on the list. The hostess invited us to wait in the bar area (which serves pub food), and we had a drink as we waited. We did inform the waitress in the bar area that we were waiting, and as soon as our table was ready, we were escorted to our dockside table. It was a beautiful night as we watched the sunset and ate some delicious dishes. We started out with a crab dip and a ravioli appetizer--both rich and wonderful. I tried the cioppino, while my dining companions had the lobster pasta, the swordfish and the crab cakes. All the food was delicious. The cioppino had a wonderful broth that was a good balance of fish broth and tomato. I don't like mussels, and the restaurant was kind enough to omit them from my dish. The one detractor was that the broth was a bit gritty due to sandy shelfish...if they had cleaned their seafood better, they would have received five stars. The lobster pasta was made with a rich smoked gouda sauce. It was rich and worth the calories! It was a bit skimpy on the lobster, but the portion was still huge. The swordfish steak was enormous, and the crab cakes were fresh and delicious. Dinner for four with one round of cocktails, two appetizers and four entrees was under $200. Quite reasonable, delicious, and worth a return trip!
(4)Sally C.
Great service from Tim, our waiter. The food was spectacular! Generous portion of fried oysters - flavorful and not greasy at all. Salad had a crispy variety of veggies with a homemade bacon dressing. The 4-bean salad was delicious as well. Lobster pie had a flaky crust and a generous amount of lobster. Best dessert ever: profiterole!!!! Wine was perfect addition to our meal. Oh, almost forgot - the bread was wonderful, and the soft, dill butter was an unexpected perk. View of Camden Harbor is magnificent, too! Can't wait to return!! Chef, pastry chef, waiters/waitresses deserve a big compliment, and the food is deserves a 5-star rating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
(5)Michael D.
The Waterfront Restaurant is well located adjacent to the Camden Harbor. It has a pleasant décor with a large indoor dining area, a barroom, and an outdoor patio. This restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner, offers a good selection of dishes emphasizing seafood along with daily specials. On a recent weekday night my wife and I as first-time patrons tried it for dinner. We arrived at about at about 8:00 p.m. without a reservation. The place was bustling, but tables were available, and we were seated immediately in the main dining room. We started the dinner with Oysters on the Half Shell that were fresh, cold, and tasty. For our entrées my wife had the Pan Seared Haddock and I had the Maine Crab Cakes. My wife thought the fish was satisfactory and upon our inquiry after dinner we learned that it was "flash frozen." My crab cakes were undistinguished. The overall quality of the food was just mediocre and not a good value considering the cost. Service was friendly but a bit inattentive, i.e., we had to ask for water refills. I won't rule out returning, but I would first try other area restaurants.
(2)Bill S.
On the advice of some locals, we had dinner at the Waterfront, located --amazingly enough -- on the waterfront. Well, actually, on the Camden harbor, but the view was lovely from the outside deck, even though it was enclosed by plastic because the evening air was downright chilly. Service was terrific, and he food was fine. Overall, a very enjoyable experience. We relished the mussels ($12), steamed in a nice wine sauce and topped with nice garlic and green onion. The serving was huge, and so was the tasty spinach salad that came with a fist-full of walnuts and goat cheese and fire-roasted red peppers. The clam chowder ($4.95) was over-seasoned with oregano, but the broth was thick, the clams tender and the potatoes chunky. Overall good but a tad bland, maybe. The seared tuna ($20) was served medium rare as we asked with crispy fries. Prices reasonable for a summer resort town. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly, and we came away impressed and satisfied.
(4)Luisa S.
This is the second time in as many years I have eaten here and have truly enjoyed the attentive service, consistently good food and - reasonable prices for the area. The entrees arrive hot and within a reasonable time period. I recommend the chicken with linguini or chicken enchilada.
(5)Ilona N.
We went here for our families last dinner on our weekend getaway. We sat outside which was nice. The view of the harbor is very pretty. The food and service were not that great considering the price. Our waitress never read us the specials and after ordering three people at our table heard the specials and were disappointed because we all wanted something from that menu. Besides never getting a refill on our drinks and hardly ever seeing our server, We ordered the muscles and we counted about ten that were not opened. I had the lobster, we also had the haddock and a salad. All nothing exciting. After getting quit thirsty we decided not to have desert. Overall very disappointing considering the other reviews. Hopefully it was just an off night.
(2)Marianne C.
There's no reason for you to ever go here. I have given my star rating a lot of thought, and although this was going to be a three-star rating in the middle of my meal last night, the more I thought about it, the fewer stars I wanted to give. People come to this area for a good seafood meal and dining experience. You can find much, much better elsewhere. Why should I encourage you to go here with even TWO stars? This ONE STAR rating is my attempt to plead with you to spend your money elsewhere. The Hoff and I went here for dinner our first night, and it was the biggest disappointment of the Magical Mystery Trip. I came here anticipating a great experience given the reviews I read. The atmosphere must be affecting reviewers, because the food and service were both disappointing. Everything started out ok with both of us ordering the local beer on tap. I had the red, and the Hoff had the brown ale. I started with clam chowder (their 82 year recipe or something like that) and the Hoff had the calamari and shrimp. For dinner, the Hoff had ordered the "lazy lobster" and I went with the Maine crabcakes. The chowder was very good, so I was encouraged. I tried the calamari and shrimp; I wasn't impressed. Both seemed flavorless. The Hoff didn't say much about them. Then we waited...and waited...and waited... Finally, the food appeared. My crabcake was not really warm. I should have sent it back, but I was hungry. The crabcake didn't taste like it had much meat in it. Instead, it was like a combination of sawdust and seeds - seriously, there were these seeds in there like the kind you find in mustard. I guess those would be mustard seeds. Yes! But they didn't give the crabcake any flavor. I really think the sawdust description is apt. How sad. The Hoff's lazy lobster was tough and chewy. It was either overcooked or old lobster. The asparagus was tiny, but they gave you more than two spears, so that was a plus. We figured something must have happened with our meals to cause them to be so delayed. Maybe they were just sitting there waiting for the waiter to bring them to us. I don't know. We saw other people eating around us who came in after us. To his credit, the waiter was nice and attentive - as attentive as he could be given we waited to long without food. But it was telling that when he removed our plates and saw that neither of us had even eaten half of our entree that he didn't ask if we enjoyed the meal. It must have been obvious. Before he could hand me the dessert menu, I handed him my credit card and we were out of there. Sorry, Waterfront Restaurant, you disappointed us. Maybe we caught you on a bad night, but we'll never know.
(1)Jon E.
Not recommended. Average food and service. Their chowder was overrun with flour and bacon. Dishes were piled up everywhere. Nobody was greeted at the front door. Tourist trap!
(2)Karen M.
For those of you-like me-that absolutely LOVED the lobster pasta with the smoked Gouda sauce, be prepared to be heartbroken, because it is no longer on the menu :( they have a "lobster pasta" but it is a typical Alfredo sauce and absolutely pales in comparison to the Gouda sauce. I was highly disappointed they took my favorite dish in Camden off the menu-and why? -when they had so many raves!
(1)Richard L.
Great atmosphere and the food was delicious. I would actually give this 3.5 stars rather than 4 though. Waitress was terrific. I will go back. And actually, we did a few nights later--still the same.
(4)Michael S.
For what looked like a tourist trrap restaurant the food and service were suprisingly good. We ordered carefuly from the menu, trying to pick the simple items and we had a very nice lunch with good wines by the glass. In addition, the location is great with wonderful views of the harbor.
(4)Robert R.
The lobster linguini was not memorable and bordered on mushy. The cream sauce was tasteless and there was too much of it. The lobster chunks were adequate. One basket of bread was fresh and delicious. A second was stale. My companion's entree of muscles with pasta was similarly forgettable, but his lobster and orange salad was quite good. My garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette was nicely prepared too. Things went downhill fast when we got to dessert. We dared order three desserts. The strawberry rhubarb pie was served cold (not warmed as stated on menu). The pale pink filling was bland. The eye appealing crust was hard and disappointing. The profiterole with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup was a failure. The profiterole (a type of light puffy pastry) was overcooked brown as shoe leather and tasted like it too. It was too hard to dig into with a fork or spoon. Most of it was buried under whipped cream and chocolate sauce with vanilla ice cream stuffed inside, a really sorry thing to serve. A large portion of it was not covered in syrup, so it was easy to see how over-baked it was. I never saw a French pastry that looked like brown suede before. It never should have left the kitchen. The blueberry cobbler was decent, made with wild blueberry compote two inches high with another inch of light crumble on top. The crumble was too fine and uniform and lacked texture. This was also served with a mountain of whipped cream. This dish was bland and needed more sweetness. At least the desserts were only $6.00 each. I would have sent them back if the price were any higher. Also, our server was so nice, I didn't have the heart to complain. Coffee was average. We had a great table right by the water outdoors. Even with the nice atmosphere, I would not consider this a destination restaurant by any means. Go for the atmosphere but don't set your expectations high for the food.
(2)Bonnie K.
I was given the assignment to find a place in Camden to eat out of 5 restaurants my mother in law had given me. I checked all menus, locations, views and seating. I am pleased to say this was a homerun. The outside dining was perfect and mild weather. Our table was cozy for us (6) and intimatte. We ordered, lobster, shrimp, haddock and salmon. We were not disappointed. We had a great eveining and the service was perfect. We weren't interrupted every second and got a chance to visit with our family. The wedge salad was huge and super yummy. I'm glad this evening turned out great. YELP and footwork checking the restaurants out in person really helped make the best decision for out group.
(4)Christina S.
We had dinner here, on the recommendation of a friend, the night we arrived in Camden. Despite the fact that it was a cool, drizzly evening, the place was hopping and we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. Not a problem, we sat at the bar, enjoyed a beer and chatted. Unfortunately, this was probably the highlight of the trip. The problems began immediately when we were seated, as we didn't see a waitress for 15 minutes. Turns out we were her only customer out on the deck and she had several large parties inside - poor planning on the restaurant's part. The cheese fondue appetizer we ordered was pretty good, a little oily. After a long wait for our entrees, my mussels were served way over cooked and cold and my husband's beef medallions were nothing exciting. After waiting to see if the waitress would come, I finally got up and tried to find a manager to let him know about my inedible meal and bad service. He was chatting with some folks in the bad and seemed truly bothered that I would dare interrupt him. I told him the problem and he was rather dismissive, but my mussels and the appetizer was taken off our bill. One of the biggest problem is, that like lots of places in Maine, the restaurant is filled with teenagers working summer jobs. I'm all for giving teens work experience, but there has to be a mixture of people who know what they're doing and what a level of customer service should be. Despite the good water front location, we won't be back here.
(1)Toni M.
Tonight was our last dinner in Maine and we decided to eat at The Waterfront, where we've eaten in past years. It's one of those waterside restaurants that's been in business for decades. Their statement on their website sums it up: "We are not spectacular, dazzling, or brilliant but our food is good, healthy and easy to eat." We were told reservations were unnecessary and they weren't. We were seated immediately. By the time we left, the restaurant was crowded and pleasantly noisy. I decided to have a final lobster. Their pricing structure is interesting, and better than the Lobster Pound: $26 for a pound and a quarter and $3 for every additional quarter pound after that. A 2 lb lobster was $5 cheaper than the 1 3/4 lb one at the Pound. It was sweet and good. It came accompanied by green beans and potatoes. I chose mashed potatoes but they were too rich. Alan had crab cakes. We shared a Titanic Wedge salad which was huge and good but had too much bleu cheese buttermilk dressing. See their menu for details. Alan decided he wanted a last appetizer of clams and it was huge. Service was good. It was a fine finish to a lovely vacation.
(4)Bill S.
This is by far one of my favorite places to eat in Maine. I vacation every year in the area as I have family there and whether you prefer seafood or not they never fail to impress. Not only is the view beautiful from the patio but the service is excellent and any food you order is delivered promptly and is nothing short of delicious. I'd strongly recommend The Waterfront to anyone and everyone!
(5)Wayne T.
Service and food were both excellent. Would definitely go again.
(4)T.H. J.
It aspires to being better than it is. There is some thought being applied to what is generally glorified bar food. Too much pasty, cheese based stuff, though.
(2)Grant B.
My family and I have been travelling to Maine every year since way before I was born. One of the draws, besides a yearly respite from the heat and humidity of the lower east coast is always the abundance of fresh seafood. Lobster on the cottage lawn on Islesboro and fried clams and oysters are but part of the tradition. It was for many years that we stopped on our way into town at the Village Market, an acceptable Maine chowder restaurant with a great view of the picturesque harbor. Well what if you had a great view sitting next to the habit OUTSIDE with even better coastal fare? Then you just might be sitting on the deck at the Waterfront Restaurant. We went there to mix it up this year, and what a great decision. With a party of 7, sat on time and outside as we had asked, there we plenty to taste. To start, my Manhattan on the rocks and the fresh bread were both delicious. A heavy hand on the whiskey and still warm fresh loaf got the appetite going. As a group we shared the calamari/shrimp app, the rock crab and artichoke dip and a roasted pear and goat cheese salad. While all fairly standard, the execution was above par and the salad surprisingly memorable. The dressing was portioned just right with a great oil/acid balance. For the entrée, I had the seared scallops dusted with porcini mushroom powder on wild mushroom Risotto. With the exception of a single overdone scallop, this part of the dish was perfect. Likely the best Risotto I've ever had - at a glorified chowder house. It came with fries and I asked for the remoulade instead of ketchup. It wasn't as spicy as I had been promised, but the fries were cooked just right and thus won me over. I also tried the blackened haddock which was well seasoned and juicy. The desserts were too large for any one person, but the peanut butter pie was whipped and light - not too heavy, and the fresh brownie sunday was decadent, rich, and full of ooey-gooey goodness. Can't wait to go back next summer!
(5)Reid F.
Don't believe the positive reviews; our meal was AWFUL from start to finish! The chowder was overwhelmed by oregano, the fried clams were doughy, the crab cakes were crummy and dry, and the open-faced lobster sandwich was made from what tasted like canned lobster. Location can't compensate for lousy food.
(1)Walter H.
If you like sitting on the dock by a quaint harbor, or enjoy large, warm, post and beam dining rooms, this is the place. People generally dont go here for the food. Its passable, always been like that. Fred, at the bar, has been there forever and is as friendly a face as you will find in town. The raw bar on the deck is awesome. The owners are usually there and gracious hosts they are. Genuine and caring, they provide a human touch that lack at most places. So overall, when you leave, even though the meal was not memorable, the experience is.
(3)Turbo Smurf X.
Really. why. Boring. best feature. water view. but owners not so friendly for tie ups.
(2)Alexander R.
We had Easter dinner here this year with our relatives. The food was pretty good, the location was beautiful and the atmosphere we pretty nice too. Right on the harbor in Camden. Such a pretty town!
(3)Miss Otis R.
Let me start with I wouldn't go back. Although the margarita I ordered was excellent, that is not what you come to a fish restaurant for. Salad was excellent and fresh (house). I had a special - pan seared halibut with carmelized balsamic onions over spinach and bacon. It came with fresh green beans ( v. good) and a rice mix. The spinach, apparently, was depending on the heat of the fish to wilt it, and unfortunately, the fish was raw in the center, so it was more like eating an undressed salad. The fish tasted good, thanks in part to the onions, and I was able to finish it after it took a trip back to the kitchen to complete its cooking. My companion had the baked stuffed haddock, which on looks alone, was completely unappealing to me. From the description, we expected that delightful, crumby topped fish with a crabmeat topping, but instead the fish was rolled around a crab filling which gave it the only flavor it had. He described it to our waitress as boring. She apologized. We heard Atlantica was excellent....unfortunately, it doesn't open for the season until the 25th.
(2)John D.
This is a well run restaurant that has a strong following among locals year around. It is our go-to place with predictably good food and warm service.
(5)Ed M.
Waterfront had the best crab cakes that we ever tried. The seasoning was just right, and the crab meat tasted freshly picked. I am giving it a four star because our mussel dish had some sand in it, which was kind of disappointing. The service was great and we loved both of our waitresses. We will definitely come back again for more crab dishes in the future!
(4)Timothy G.
Nothing about our experience here was good. Slow service, server that blamed me for not liking the lobster pasta, this place is alive on it's tradition and not its current state. There are plenty of really good restaurants in Camden. Tho the view here is stunning, I recommend that you take a pass on this place!
(1)David D.
Dining at the Waterfront Restaurant over the years with my guest(s), I've always had good food, good service and a very good time. Tip: When fireworks (say on the 4th of July) scheduled over the Camden Harbor, make a dining reservation for that evening, say 7:00-7:30PM, please tell the reservation taker that you'll will want your table(s) on the deck (outside dress for the weather) next to the harbor. Makes a for a nice dinner/show! Ah, sorry... the new management will now not make reservations for less than six people as a party. So, if you and your dining friend (or two couples, or two couples with friend!) are on their own getting a table. Sounds like a management mistake to me.
(4)Michael O.
The prices and serving size are probably the best in Camden. The problem is the prices and serving size are the only good thing I can say about this place. In their defense, it was Memorial Day weekend and early in the season. I had the catch of the day and although cooking options weren't listed, my request for a non fried option was rewarded. The fish was fresh but overcooked and the 2 sides were so overcooked they were only tasted and abandoned. Not sure I'll do a revisit but it's a long summer and who knows. I know it can't get any worse. There are a lot of days to practice and improve.
(2)Loryn H.
Had drinks and lunch. Food was good, bartender was less than interested and we were essentially the only ones at the bar.......don't like an overly friendly bartender but at least try to seem a little interested in the customer.
(3)Tory w.
If you couldn't tell from the name, the location of this restaurant is, well, on the waterfront, facing Camden Harbor. It would be difficult to find a prettier setting for a pleasant lunch on a warm summer day. The Waterfront has a huge menu with plenty of variety. I was in a big group and they had no trouble accommodating us with a big table outside. I highly recommend the Mediterranean appetizer - hummus, olives, peppers, feta, and pita - yum! The bruschetta was also good, as were the french fries, Dijon chicken salad, and cranberry chicken salad. Yum!
(4)R.J. R.
Food average...service good. Been to a bunch of these coastal restaurants over the years. No different. Steady Eddie.
(3)Beth P.
Coming from NYC, the idea of having lunch right on the Bay was very exciting. We got several recommendations to eat at the Waterfront over more popular places like Cappy's and Mariner's. The service was pretty crap: the hostess was super confused and couldn't figure how to seat 8 of us at either one large table or split us evenly and got very flustered. We finally got a table outside on the water. It seemed to take forever for the orders to arrive; folks at other tables got a bread basket to tide them over which never made it our way. My food was decent, but a few friends got gumbo or chowder and thought it was greasy. The salads looked really lackluster with very gloppy dressings. Overall, I think the atmosphere counteracts the food in some way. I think the best bet at Waterfront is the Rock Crab Roll or Lobster Roll, if that's how you roll!!
(3)Matt W.
Only place in town to see the water. Okay for a drink.
(3)Lifan Y.
Food is great. Price is on expensive side: Lobster Roll $18(good size), oyster on shell half douzen $14.
(4)Robert H.
The food was pretty good, but not outstanding. The prices were fairly good and the portion sizes were adequate. The harbor view was very nice, although there weren't too many boats out yet. There was an outdoor deck, overlooking the harbor, that I imagine is wonderful when it is warmer out. The service was fast enough, and our waitress, although soft-spoken, was competent. I would recommend the Waterfront to anyone coming through Camden.
(3)aaron t.
3.5ish I've been here twice. Each year while attending Poptech. I had scallops last year, and lobster this year. I always went with friends, and was in happy mode because coming up here was a break from work, and Camden is so relaxing. Okay, the review: I like this place. It's where to eat if in Camden as far as i know. I'm sure there are fancier more expensive venues to dine in at but the staff here is great, the menu is large, and you can get a greatmeal with a drink for 35-40$. I've only been here for dinner, so the waterfront view has not really affected my review, even though it would most likly enhance it. Nothing too fancy here, just plain good food, but nuthing startling amazing. Go here with groups, or with some buddies to strike up a conversation at the bar.
(3)A. T.
Pleasant waterfront dining experience with decent service and $4 beers. Nothing particularly outstanding about this place except maybe the ambiance/setting.
(3)Eric M.
Came here with a big group and it was great. Food was very good, service was excellent (especially for such a large group), and they let us stay well past close to drink and generally act like fools. I don't think I could ask for much more. Prices were reasonable as well.
(5)