Dinner and a comedy show My wife and I went to Jonathan's for dinner and a show and what a perfect date night. I had the NY steak with a garlic butter sauce and fries. Cooked exactly as ordered and seasoned perfectly. My wife had the very fresh salmon also cooked as ordered and seasoned deliciously. Service was via a waitress tag team system and orders were placed by wait staff via iPads. Compliments of the chef was a zucchini kale soup which was amazing! For dessert we had the chocolate mousse and it was beyond amazing. The place is a little on the higher price point end, atmosphere is lively and restaurant is casual. Definitely recommend it especially when comedian Bob Marley is in town. Bob was very very funny and you should check him out as well Pictures are accurate
(5)
Seth S.
My boyfriend and I had our Thanksgiving Dinner here and it was great. We were promptly seated at our table (not a minute after our reservation time). Once seated, we were given a small mason jar of delicious, homemade pickles. Our drink orders were brought to the table right away and she took our order. We didn't have to wait long for our appetizers or any part of our meal. We enjoyed dinner so much, we ordered dessert. I would definitely come back (when the weather gets warmer).
(4)
Juan E.
Loved the restaurant. I have been here every year of the past 6 years. The dress code has become more casual. We dressed up but there were other guests dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. The service was slow. Took about 45 minutes to get our food. The food is excellent. We got the twin lobsters and Maine Seafood pasta. Both were excellent. The wedge salad was ok nothing special. We also had the mojitos and were delicious. Strongly recommend just get here early if you have tickets to the playhouse. We arrived at 6:00 pm and left at 7:30.
(4)
Joe L.
How this place has three and a half stars I just don't understand. Don't go here. Ever.
(1)
Bob C.
Had a great meal with my wife before an Ogunquit Playhouse performance. As my wife is vegetarian she ordered the veggie option which was very creative and delicious. Also, unlike some of the other reviews we had no difficulty making an 8 o'clock show with a 6:15 reservation. Also, no automatic service charge with a party of 2.
(4)
James G.
Bought the New Year's Eve early seating dinner for 2 at $65.00 per person which included gratuity. After being seated we were told we would have 2 servers waiting on us . There were many Empty tables at the 615 seating time so shouldn't have been any issue with service. We drank our wine and the glasses sat empty for quite some time along with our now empty water glasses. We were given a small piece of bread that would be suitable for 1 and no butter. The room was chilly or at least our table location near the windows was chilly. New Years decorations on the table were more suitable for a child's birthday or a baby shower, pink,green,blue,yellow pastel ribbons. The meal was mediocre except for the soup which was just horrible . It had the consistency of Apple sauce and tasted like cinnamon and cloves we really never figured out what it was . This was our first time to Jonathan's and there wasn't anything about it that would bring us back.
(1)
John F.
My fiance and I had Thanksgiving dinner at Jonathan's as well as breakfast twice. The food was excellent and the waitstaff was friendly.
(4)
Krash T.
Nice ambience, nice decor, very professional wait staff. Really good duo playing in the bar, too - unobtrusive. Only disappointment was the steak, advertised at "16 oz." I ordered mine rare, was assured they were thick. I must have gotten a bad cut; normally restaurants this good offering a 16 ounce steak send out something 1 1/2" or more thick. Mine was more in the 1/2" to 3/4" range, next to impossible to make truly rare. The cut was far from overwhelming, too. I realize it's the butcher's fault, not the restaurant's, but the chef shouldn't have let it go out like that. It looked, truthfully, like something you'd find in a place advertising "Texas fried steak". Outside of that, the food was excellent - great mussels, good salads. And the ambience was friendly. I liked the restaurant over-all, but I'd suggest changing butchers... Perhaps anyone ordering steak should ask to see the raw meat first!
(4)
J R.
Very nice place to eat. 4 people with several drinks 2 apps and 4 dinner plates, which one was lobster total $ 267.00, super cheap for seafood. The food was amazing.
(4)
Judy P.
Exceptional dining experience in every respect: expansive menu (with veg & gf options), great service, well-prepared food. Love the featured elderberry cocktail and the artichoke app especially. My husband said it was one of the best calamari dishes ever (he really likes the marinara sauce :) Sitting near the window overlooking the wildflower gardens is really very nice. Dessert selections look very good - my husband loved the cinnamon coffee ice cream (I would have been tempted to have the strawberry-rhubarb crisp but I'm gf). My cappuccino was superior, and I asked for cinnamon on top (amazing how many restaurants don't have cinnamon, or - even worse, put cinnamon sugar in it) - well, this really topped everything: the server brought out a tiny dish with about two teaspoon of cinnamon - delicious! It's tucked away, off Route 1, so we've just gone there twice - never before. I highly recommend - go earlier before it gets busy.
(5)
Mike C.
went to Jonathans on 10/5/12. Service was attentive and we were seated promptly with reservations, Had the baked scallops and my wife had the shrimp, both meals were good. Wine was delivered five minutes after dinner showed up, I realize it was busy but i had suggested to the waiter he take my order earlier and he suggested we wait. Not bad,not great! Background music was either too loud or the hardwood floors and high ceilings amplified it
(3)
Victor L.
Best restaurant in Ogunquit! Wonderful food, professional and attentive waiters and reasonable prices. If you eat at only one restaurant in Ogunquit this is the one!
(5)
Rosemary M.
Very disappointed with the so-called J Geils show July 6. All the advertising suggested J Geils was the headliner when in fact he sat in for 20 minutes. To me this was deceptive and false advertising. I will never go back to Jonathon's again.
(1)
Monica L.
I tried the salmon tonight. It was delicious. My friends were happy with their filet mignon and prime rib.
(4)
Bruce P.
My wife and I went here to see the comedienne, Paula Poundstone. She was great, but Jonathan's was not. In order to get two seats together, I had to also purchase the dinner option ($25 per ticket). I also had to purchase the dessert/drink option ($14 per ticket). A $37 seat then turned into a $76 ticket and with a nice service charge---$83 per ticket. There was no air conditioning and we each got one watered down drink during an hour and a half show. For dinner, there was a very limited menu with no bread as we waited 45 minutes for our food. Food was pretty good, but there really wasn't a lot of concern about the uncomfortable temperature or our wait. We loved Paula Poundstone, but we would really look elsewhere before we came back to Jonathan's.
(2)
Gail R.
First off- excellent meal! Probably one of the best we have had in Ogunquit. We decided to go upon recommendation of a friend. We were not going to order too much, because we had a rather large breakfast and good-sized lunch. We started with a glass of wine, reasonably priced. Both were quite good. I especially liked my French red wine by the glass. We did not order appetizers, however the waitress brought potato garlic soup, complements of the chef. We both thought that was delightful. The soup was delicious. The bread was also very good. I ordered a special - penne pasta with shrimp, pesto, pecans. It was very flavorful. However, while there were five shrimp, they were not as large as I had expected. The pecans did not seem to be too prevalent but it might have been that they were incorporated into the sauce for flavor. Although vegetables did not come with my dinner, the waitress brought them - green beans cooked perfectly, and butternut squash. Again - a little touch that meant a lot and added to the meal My husband ordered fillet mignon. His meal came with vegetables and mashed potatoes. The filet was was cooked just as he ordered, medium. I had a small bite - it was delicious and so tender. Since we were trying to be good, after a not so good calorie ridden day, we did not order dessert. However, I had the dessert coffee with butter scotch schnapps, Kahlúa, and Bailey's. Like that was calorie free!!?? No matter - it was a great way to finish the meal. The wait staff could not have been more attentive, polite, and caring. We had a great experience and highly recommend it. The total, with tax, was $100.
(4)
Hillary L.
It was hard to find anything in Ogunquet that was vegan. Johnathan's was able to make two entrees vegan by request and were very accommodating about it. My boyfriend loved the raw oysters.
(4)
Cathy M.
Maybe I would have given a rating of 3 stars but for the price... over $98 per person. Now on to the food; the lobster bisque was really bad (I didn't eat it but my friend did) and upon hearing a comment from us about the lack of (none) lobster, our waiter commented "sometimes you get some, sometimes you don't," I felt we may be in trouble. The main course was a very expensive pasta dish that did have some nice seafood in it but the pasta itself was so overcooked it was mushy. What restaurant can't cook an al dente pasta? As this was my first meal in Ogunquit, I was leery of what was in store for the rest of the weekend but let me assure you that there are much better restaurants with pricing that you'd expect for the quality of their food.
(2)
James B.
Inept service, slow, clumsy... and mediocre food. Took my family there and told the waiter that we had only an hour, hour and 15 for dinner. It took him 10 minutes to come back to take a drink order (it was not that crowded in the restaurant). He brought water for two of the five people at the table. The drinks came one at a time over the course of another 15 minutes. THEN he took a food order. The food took over a half hour to come out, and when it did only three entrees appeared (the blandest and worst lobster roll in Ogunquit)... then the fourth... and the fifth after the rest of us had been eating for ten minutes. Waiter got the dessert orders wrong. In short, everything that could have gone wrong with the service and the expediting in the kitchen did. And the food was the equivalent of wedding banquet food. In Ogunquit there is SO much great food and excellent restaurants. I would never recommend Jonathan's.
(1)
Katie E.
I attended my cousin's wedding here in the upstairs function room which was beautiful. While dinner was being served my toddler started to act up so I took her over to the back of the room. I was told by a member of the staff to "get out of the way." I looked at her and said I was a server for 13 years and never, ever have said that to anyone, ever. She was clearly embarrassed and over apologized for the situation making it more difficult to deal with my toddler. She told me she didn't want us to get hit with hot food, which had already been served and came from a different door. 2 words, "excuse me." Or perhaps, "May I suggest another area for you?" Dinner was great and the room was beautiful.
(2)
Hugh S.
Great meal. We were going to the play at the Ogunquit Playhouse and got caught in all the traffic. Found this nearby gem. Prompt service and good food. Really enjoyed the bisque and deserves a very good review with 4 stars.
(4)
Fred N.
Visited Olgunquit with my wife at the end of May 2015 for lobster special dinners. Dinners of two lobsters was very well worth the price. We shared a lettuce wedge with blue cheese and it was ok. Service was very good. Lobsters were not spit open to easily eat. Our waitress was very helpful and offered to have the kitchen split them for us. Nice menu and we would return.
(4)
R S.
We decided to sit at the bar instead of the table we reserved, that was our first mistake. The bar was fairly busy and the bartender was taking care of the bar and the tables in the bar area, so he appeared very busy. There was another bartender that was only handling the service bar. So, we waited after we sat down, got our drinks and waited to order our starters: the seafood chowder and the lobster bisque, both were very good. Then, we waited for the bartender to finally come back to take our order. We ordered the stuffed Haddock and the Jaeger Schnitzel (the main reason we came here). The Jaeger Schnitzel was excellent and the Haddock was good, although it gave me severe indigestion an hour later. So, overall the food was very good, but the service was nonexistent. The bartender never cam by to check on us or ask how everything was. What really topped it off, I mentioned to the bartender that he seemed pretty busy and his response was that it wasn't busy at all. Holy crap, what would the service level been had it been busy. Also, there was a duo playing jazz in the bar area and they were exceptional.
(4)
George T.
If you're planning to eat at Jonathan's before theater at the Ogunquit Playhouse you'd better plan to eat at 5pm or else you'll be going without dinner as did we and a number of other couples tonight. We were seated at 6:20 and left without having eaten at 7:45 so we could get to the Ogunquit Playhouse in time to park and get to our seats. By 7pm it started to become apparent that there was no hope that we'd ever see our food. Nothing was coming out of the kitchen to anyone's table. The dining room was desperately short staffed and clearly the kitchen was just as poorly managed. I can't comment on the food because we never got any. The host apologized to everyone who didn't get their meals. Fat lot of good an apology does when your stomach is growling and your blood sugar is nosediving thru a 3 hour theater show. Jonathan's is a bitter disappointment. Cannot recommend it. And as local residents four of us have now removed it from our list of places we will patronize.
(1)
Marisa D.
We had dinner at Jonathan's before Mary Poppins at the Ogunquit Playhouse. I had read mixed reviews, but was very pleasantly surprised! The service was great - no delay issues at all. We arrived at 6pm and were finished by 7:15pm (including dessert), plenty of time to get to the playhouse for a cocktail before the show. We had the Poached Lobster and Stuffed Haddock both were amazing. The Poached Lobster was the best lobster dinner I had in Ogunquit. Gotta love it when the shells and butter are already done for you! I was only surprised that the atmosphere was pretty casual. We expected more formal/romantic decor given the prices. There was a whole tour bus group dining in jeans/t-shirts when we were there. Not that we cared - but we were slightly over-dressed in casual dresses incomparison and it wasn't the romantic dining atmosphere we'd anticipated.
(4)
Jeff O.
Beware, we were a party of 2 and they added a 20% tip! Absolutely unacceptable in my book and I let them know it!
(3)
Michelle S.
I wish there were more stars to give Jonathan's Restaurant in Ogunquit. On Wednesday December 12th my now husband and I had our wedding ceremony and dinner here. They were more than accommodating. The manager Larry was great! I couldn't have ask for a better wedding day and they had so much to do with it. On top of my special day, the food and service for dinner was perfect. The bartender and waitress we had both very friendly and knowledgable. Every appetizer, salad, soup and entree we had were all amazing. I can not wait to celebrate my one year wedding anniversary with Jonathan's! Hopefully I can get back before then!
(5)
Dan L.
I recently had dinner at Jonathan's restaurant and my experience was deplorable enough to inspire me to write this review. A friend of mine and I were joining her family for dinner before attending a show at the venue upstairs. We were a little late and the rest of the table already had their drinks. The waiter took our drink order and we waited a full 15 minutes while we watched our drinks waiting on the bar and our waiter set empty tables in his section. I finally inquired about the missing drinks and the waiter exclaimed "Oh!" And ran off to fetch them without any explanation or apology. During this wait time, our waiter took our food order. Everyone at the table was on a budget so we all stuck to soups, salads and appetizers, though we requested that everything be delivered at the same time. There were two young children at the table who ordered chicken fingers and we asked that they be served as soon as possible. The waiter took our orders on an iPad. I'm all about technology, but this meant the waiter was focused more on the screen than on his guests. It took another 20 minutes before only half of the table were served, and another 15 minutes and two inquires before the other half was served. Sadly, the two young kids were the last to get their food. After we were all finished, I asked the waiter if there was any bread for the table (he hadn't provided any yet). He brought out some bread and some complimentary gezpacho for the table (my friend, whom had eaten there before explained to me that if the service was correct, we would have had the gezpacho first). My fried calamari was average at best, and the seafood chowder was decent, but certainly not worth $12. From start to finish, this dinner was a waste of time and money. I will never eat here again.
(1)
Judy R.
We had the pleasure of eating here on 7/18/14. The decor is so welcoming and the wait staff was very helpful and efficient. We enjoyed Lobster Bisque and the fresh baked bread to start. Our entrees were the Seafood Pasta which was delicious and overflowing with fresh seafood and the Filet Mignon with the Worcestershire glaze, real mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley with julienned zucchini, summer squash & carrots in a exceptional sauce. Without a doubt, the filet was the best I have ever eaten anywhere, including famous NY Steakhouses. I cannot say enough good things about Jonathan's and hope to visit again next time we vacation in Maine.
(5)
Ronald M.
I took my family to Jonathans for dinner before we went to the ogunquit playhouse .My 13 year old son had the filet mingon and raves about it still.The wait staff was very accomodating and gave us just the right amount of time in between courses.I am looking forward to going back again as it was our first time.I also was impressed that the waitstaff took your order with an ipad! The open dining area surronded by windows and a lush garden also was very relaxing.
(5)
Helen B.
We came here over the weekend for an early dinner because we were seeing a show upstairs. Overall the experience was very good. I really enjoyed the ambiance - it is bright and cheerful and we were seated with a lovely garden just outside the window. We were seated promptly and the waitstaff were very attentive. We ordered drinks and our entrees together because we didn't want to be late to the show, and the kitchen got our orders out quickly. My wife ordered the carmelized salmon, which was delicious. I ordered the wild mushroom pappardelle, but there was a mix-up and they brought out some kind of mushroom appetizer. They were very friendly about it, let us keep the appetizer and brought the pasta out just 12 minutes later. The pasta was very tasty. The drinks were very good too (lemonini and elderberry martini). Frankly, the only reason for the 4-star versus 5-star is I think the appetizer made me sick. At least, I was sick several hours later. I don't think it was food poisoning - just the appetizer itself (mushrooms with cream cheese stuffing) was a little rich for me. We would come back though, as overall we had a great time!
(4)
John R.
Nice atmosphere... Service was OK by waitress.... Both my wife and I ordered carmelized salmon... was nice dish... sides of mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables was automatic... no choice... not cool for the price, I thought.... it was good but where's the room for some choice.... the cold melon soup with prosciutto was excellent... glad I ordered it.... I asked for a speedy check in order to make a show... the staff responded adequately but not inspired... overall bill was a bit more expensive than the overall value, in my humble opinion.... nice but wouldn't rush back...
(3)
Andrea J.
My friend and I decided to go to Jonathan's last night for dinner on our first night here in Ogunquit. I have to say that the food was okay. Expensive and the service was mediocre. We did not order drinks or apps since it was later and we were hungry. Our waitress seemed to be disappointed in us. Whatever! I got the seafood pasta and my friend got the scallops. Both dishes were good but not exceptional. Our waitress decided to bring our check even before she could ask us if we wanted dessert or coffee. We did get dessert, the apple crumb pie which everyone raved about on Yelp but I found it to be a little lackluster. Good with ice cream though.
(2)
Dan E.
Great food and Great service. I took my wife here for our first anniversary and I couldn't have been happier. The prices are a little high, but you get a big portion size, and the plating is fantastic. Will definitely come back here.
(5)
Thomas F.
Began with the seafood chowder, then onto the poached lobster, to a close of apple crisp dessert. Delicious food! First time ever visiting and would come again. A warm and charming atmosphere. Very clean, romantic setting at night with piano background music. Great staff.
(5)
Kayla F.
Mediocre food with the price tag of gourmet. Long waits for no apparent reason. After waiting for 40 minutes to be seated we were seated in a room with at least 10 tables open (people were still waiting at this point to be seated). The room was cold, the atmosphere was awkward. It was half upscale and half pub like (menu pricey, some wait staff dress up and others not, some decorations nice, some cheap etc). Couldn't quite figure out what they were trying to go for. The food was average (to be nice). The service was slow and out of touch. If you are going to spend this much money head over to clay hill farm in cape neddick (5 minute ride). The food there is outstanding as is the service.
(2)
Aine C.
Great food, atmosphere, service, and so much more! When I'm in Ogunquit, it's the only place I go for a great dinner. I only wish Jonathan's were closer!
(5)
Jennifer G.
Absolutely fabulous first visit to Jonathan's. The service was amazing. Very attentive, but not intrusive. The food was incredible. Probably the best rib eye I've ever had. It was cooked to perfection. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Michelle G.
Excellent dinner for our party of 10 (5 adults And 5 kids). it was pricey but the food was excellent. The seafood pasta had a lot of seafood and very tasty sauce. The garlic bread was plentiful and delicious. The disappointing part was my husband's chicken piccata which turned out to be Pork piccata. The kitchen didn't acknowledge the mistake but I would still come back here again. Don't get the chocolate cake. .. it was very dry.
(4)
tom h.
The food was great, nice ambiance, beautiful table with gorgeous garden views. The staff was polite but curt, frankly. I didn't feel rushed, but they were not over the top in the warmth category. Our server cracked a smile once or twice after my dinner date and I made a couple jokes. It was slightly awkward, as we were on vacation and jovial, and she was just kinda -meh. A number of patrons, myself included, appeared to be having indoor allergy issues (heavy sneezing could be heard around the dining room). Not sure whether the place needed to be aired out? I'd go back because the food was great, but I'm not overwhelmed.
(4)
patty c.
Average food and overpriced. Came here for Thanksgiving dinner; Enjoyed our turkey but it was pricey, especially given the casual atmosphere. also felt the service was not up to par. Asked for more biscuits which never came; took forever to get drink refills and no water refills, either. Several tables that were sat after us got their food first, And it seemed the waitress was more Interested in chatting with a table of friends and or family than in waiting on us. I know it's a holiday, and it sucks to work on a holiday, but it sucks to eat your overpriced holiday dinner with no drinks, too! And they ran out of pumpkin pie. On Thanksgiving!
(3)
Mary B.
Service was not good because staff had too many tables. Everyone was stuffed in one Connor of the restaurant. Food was good. Atmosphere nice. Overall mediocre and overpriced.
Went here for brunch recently as it was included in our package at a nearby hotel. It isn't really brunch, there are no lunch items on the menu which was fine with me. I got the Irish eggs benedict which is real (not canned) hash which was better than I expected. English muffin wasn't toasted enough. The little muffins they give you to start are a nice touch and were yummy. Nothing really too memorable about this breakfast-overpriced if you ask me, but that's how Ogunquit restaurants are. The atmostphere is very nice and I loved looking out at the snow and trees covered in snow.
(3)
Maria M.
My husband and I came here to eat before watching a show at the Playhouse. I had heard such good things and wanted to try it. The good reviews I heard were spot on and then some. Our waitress was amazing; she treated us like we were the only couple there (we did tell her it was our honeymoon). The food was out of this world. Shortly after we got there a jazz band set up and started playing which just added to the evening. The plating, atmosphere, drinks, food and service are ally worth the pricing. We decided to make Ogunquit a tradition each year and we'll be stopping at Jonathan's on the way to the Playhouse every time.
(4)
Nathan P.
After staying at a resort that offered a meal voucher, we had to pick which of 6 Wells/Ogunquit restaurants we wished to eat at. Researching Urbanspoon & Yelp.. Jonathan's won, even though it was harder to find as its just off Route 1. Service was extremely pleasant for an early Saturday (5-6pm) dinner, without reservations. All dietary requirements were met with understanding, the waitress even went to the chef and clarified some questions. The mains were excellently cooked, cooked exactly to order and the sides were tasteful. If we come back this way we WOULD return. PS: The only sad thing about the experience, was that my wife overheard a very snotty female customer complain that Jonathan's must be giving away those stupid free food coupons to the local hotels again, because of the "riff-raff" that were in the restaurant. Then again, she also yelled at her own husband to turn his phone off because he took a call to give someone directions... so she wasn't the nicest of people in the first place.
(5)
Dr. Tyler C.
Great place to go on a date or dinner before a show. Great atmosphere and nice attention to detail at the dinner table. I would have given 5 stars if the bartenders didn't ignore us for 10-15 minutes.
(3)
Kelly S.
Just left johnathans worst service I've seen in a while. We were seated quickly in the dining room where we had 2 waiters we sat there about 10 mins all they got was a drink order we were ready to order food, we then decided to move to the bar asked the waiter , he moved us we sat there for about 15 mins without the bartender asking us if we needed anything he was more concerned with talking it up with the staff, we were the only ones at the bar. We decided to not order food to get our tab and leave. would never go back
(1)
Libby S.
Food was solid and server was excellent (though a little talkative for my taste). Kind of an odd business model. Feels a little like a "blue-haired" restaurant based on the reserved menu and general ambiance (piano and sax live music, overall dark lighting, traditional pairings hung, etc), but service was young and upbeat even using an iPad during service. They also host live music events during the summer. Walked out a little confused- but overall a very good experience.
(4)
Sue M.
Came for to see Leon Russell while on vacation for the week -show was fantastic despite the tight quarters. Tickets came with a drink or coffee and dessert. Ordered coffee with baileys for two...cost $18.00 yikes! Had to ask 4 times for a glass of water from the bartender- he was too busy wiping and just couldn't seem to remember. Won't go back any time soon, even though we really enjoyed the show, the staff seemed careless and bored.
(2)
Abbey S.
We went mid Sept. and was very pleased. Great service, great food and great drinks! Definitely recommend!
(4)
Russell O.
We were at Jonathan's for the first time two days ago, and we will definitely go back. The atmosphere and the ambiance were fantastic with beautiful and serene garden views, strategically placed skylights and the live duo of tenor sax and guitar. The food was a great match--their "sweet and sour calamari" was the best fried calamari we have ever tasted, and the "poached lobster" was out of this world!
(5)
Gena W.
We were recommended this place from the hotel and were not happy with the results. Slow waiter, took forever go get anything including our main dishes which were soup and salad! Pretty garden outside, the only good thing I can really say. Appetizers of stuffed mushrooms and artichokes were ok because we were starving but too rich. Soup and salad were ok. Way overpriced too. Wouldn't recommend it unless you want to overpay for super rich slow food.
(1)
Matthew A.
We had a wonderful meal at Jonathan's. We met an old college friend here on a cold New Year's Day. The reason we chose Jonathans' was because a meal was part of a package deal from our hotel at Admiral's Inn down the street. It was a cold and snowy day. Our reservation was not until 5:30, however there was not ANY places open in Ogunquit because of the holiday to party and It was happy hour. The road were bad, and we showed up early. The manager kindly opened up the bar for us so we would have to venture back out until our reservation. To say it in one word, Jonathan's' is an eclectic theme with high end dining. However. unpolished, this Ogunquit hot spot offers a popular bar, and lounge with flat screen, and 2 huge dining rooms. I also understand that the restaurant also offers live concerts at an upstairs 2nd floor venue. My friend reported that it is many C to D list one hit wonder bands from the 70's and early 80's. Now onto the food: The menu is itself eclectic. Steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta. The dishes are creative and pricey. Entrees start from high teens to up to over $30 a dish. I was impressed that they offered a complimentary amuse bouche, which was a mushroom cap stuffed with a blue cheese ragout. A wonderful surprise in itself and deep and rich in blue cheese flavor. My appetizer was the french onion soup (since it was a very cold snowy New England Night, was appropriate). The soup was more the a stewp (Ray, Rachel 2006). The flavor was rich. The onions were not all caramelized, with some a bit harder than others. Portion size, small to average enjoyed it but it was not a knockout. I wanted something different for my entree, so I ordered "Schnitzel" a fried pork cutlet topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions. It came with an aggressively seasoned butternut squash and green beans. The really liked the dish, however it was not hot. Warm at the most. Also asked for a wine paring to this dish. The waitress was clueless on wine and brought the wine list. I ordered a house white, and it was served late, as I was finishing my meal. Dessert was included, so I got terramissu and coffee which just hit the spot and recharged me for a long drive home to NH. I hope to come back to Jonathan's and enjoy another great meal. The chef appears to be creative and has many nice interpretations of some regular classic dishes.
(4)
Larry R.
Brunch at Jonathan's was part of a weekend get-away deal. As such, the brunch menu was ours, no limitations. Eggs benedict was just right. I had the special crepe: roasted red bell peppers and goat cheese. Rich and yummy. Good service. Lovely room. We'll definitely be back.
(4)
Bernadette B.
My husband and I ate here before a show this weekend, after reading reviews here on this website I see that others have had the same experience as we did. Slow average to poor service all overpriced. Our food was cold when we finally got it, my seafood pasta was bland and the seafood in it was scarce, I didn't expect to get farm raised shrimp along with my dried up half lobster tail on top of my pasta. The lobster bisque was cold and flavorless I sent my meal back and the staff told my husband he wouldn't be charged for his meal, we each had two glasses of wine and appetizers but our bill was close to a hundred bucks and I didn't eat dinner! I would never eat (try to eat) here again, too bad because it's a really fun place to see a show!
(1)
Christine P.
We've eaten at Jonathan's during 2 Ogunquit getaways over the last year, and we thoroughly enjoyed each visit. Funny that Old Village Inn is so heavily recommended in the area, but Jonathan's is so much better. Upon our most recent visit, we arrived close to 9PM in Ogunquit after dealing with some heavy traffic on our way to ME, and a call to the restaurant put us at ease. When we arrived, they had a table waiting for us overlooking the pretty rear garden. We enjoyed Calamari and the Crab Cakes for starters, which were outstanding. For dinner we enjoyed the Carmelized Salmon Filet and Mediterranian Pasta, and both were so delicious that we wished we had a home to take the leftovers to. We skipped dessert, but I enjoyed one of their signature Elderberry Martini's and he enjoyed his glass of red wine so much we have since bought the bottle a couple times. The only flaw was entertainment in an adjoining room that was a bit too loud for comfortable dining conversation. During our first visit, there was no entertainment scheduled that night, and that made for greater dining pleasure. If you're in Ogunquit, and you want a great, reasonably priced dinner, a bit off the beaten path, Jonathan's is the place to go.
(4)
Janie W.
Expensive, decent food that's pretty sleepy. The baked artichoke hearts were delicious. Seafood pasta is decent. You won't eat poorly here bu it's not a place to go out of your way for.
(3)
Carole C.
Very disappointed. Made a reservation in advance to celebrate a special occasion. When my husband's entree was ready they asked me what I had ordered--"the iPad missed it"! No, a human being missed it. When it came it was fine but I ate most of it alone. No apologies. We think we should have at least been offered a dessert. Nothing. We had great expectations! Too bad.
(2)
Gerard M.
We had the pleasure of dining at Jonathan's this past weekend for the third time in the past several years and I am happy to report that this place seems to be getting better and better. The staff were extremely pleasant and we couldn't ask for a better, more friendly waiter and waitress. We started our meal with appetizers...I had the very tasty and well prepared sweet and sour calamari, my wife had special local salad and our son had the lobster bisque. All were delicious. For dinner, I had the Maine Seafood Pasta which was outstanding. The pasta was cooked perfectly and was generously topped with a lobster tail, shrimps and little neck clams. My wife had the seafood stuffed haddock and our son had the Mediterranean Pasta. All of us were more than happy with our selections, Two of had the very delicious Bread Pudding for dessert and my wife had the homemade cinnamon ice cream. My wife and I agreed that this was one of the finer meals that we had in Ogunquit and look forward to our return to Jonathan's.
(5)
Anderson C.
The space of this restaurant is beautiful, i've gotta say. The windows that run along the side of the dining room and the backlit scenery beyond are certainly something out of a northeastern fairytale. That's where the greatness ends, though, unfortunately. I assumed this place didn't have a bar, as when we waited for 15 minutes for out table to be ready, they let us stand uncomfortably in the entry and sit on the fireplace mantle. When finally we got our table, we were in perfect view of the HUGE bar, which is well hidden from the front entry of the restaurant. Nothing annoys me more than when a greeter does not invite a waiting party to the bar, it both makes more money for a restaurant and makes more comfort for their wait. Any case, on to dinner. It took FOREVER for our waiter to finally get all the pieces together: water, then wine, then dinner order, then bread. Seriously, like 30 minutes to get all of those things together. The server knew just about nothing about wine (even house), had no idea where the oysters were from, when asked to describe any food item, simply repeated (verbatim) the description on the menu, such as describing the "spicy calamari" as "spicy", and simply told us they were out of things as we ordered. "I'll take the filet special" "oh, i'm sorry sir, we're out of that" "oh, ok, then i'll have the salmon" "oh, i'm sorry sir, we're out of that." He also opened my bottle of wine before presenting it, only to discover a few minutes later it was the wrong bottle of wine, though with an only $4 price difference, i didn't care enough to do anything about it. The food itself was pretty good, in fact. My pork chop porterhouse was over-cooked on one half, but pretty well cooked on the other half. My mother's swordfish was WAY overcooked, while the filet on which my father eventually settled was perfect, and my aunt loved her chicken piccata. The desserts were pretty great, though the creme brulee was quite runny and eggy in flavor. All in all, not really a terrible dinner, but absolutely nothing even great, just ok. except the service, which was pretty bad. not rude, just totally inept.
(2)
Christine J.
Everything we ordered was outstanding. Service was also friendly an food came out in a timely manner. Reasonable prices. The halibut fish was amazing and cooked to perfection. Also try the apple crumb for desert!
(5)
Tim S.
Fantastic. 4 of us had the Chicken Picata and one had the Carmalized Salmon. All 5 were awesome. Staff was very friendly and helpful / attentive. Only downside is the bread they serve before dinner - -the problem: we have been unable to recreate it at home since. 2 baskets served and we could have had a 3rd. Crisp, seasoned, warm, and lightly buttered. Excellent all around.
(5)
M B.
A lovely evening. The lobster meat so fresh it fell off the shell; no tools needed. Sweet, tender and delicious, it was worth the bib! The side veggies were cooked perfectly, Drinks, such as piña colada reigned supreme! Waitress forgot a few items for us, but was pleasant for the entire visit. Tiramisu dessert melted in our mouth,mmm mmm.Easy parking and variety of areas to sit; some cooler than others,if that is an issue. Bartender smiled and spoke to everyone in a friendly way, which bodes well with us!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Tony S.
Dinner and a comedy show My wife and I went to Jonathan's for dinner and a show and what a perfect date night. I had the NY steak with a garlic butter sauce and fries. Cooked exactly as ordered and seasoned perfectly. My wife had the very fresh salmon also cooked as ordered and seasoned deliciously. Service was via a waitress tag team system and orders were placed by wait staff via iPads. Compliments of the chef was a zucchini kale soup which was amazing! For dessert we had the chocolate mousse and it was beyond amazing. The place is a little on the higher price point end, atmosphere is lively and restaurant is casual. Definitely recommend it especially when comedian Bob Marley is in town. Bob was very very funny and you should check him out as well Pictures are accurate
(5)Seth S.
My boyfriend and I had our Thanksgiving Dinner here and it was great. We were promptly seated at our table (not a minute after our reservation time). Once seated, we were given a small mason jar of delicious, homemade pickles. Our drink orders were brought to the table right away and she took our order. We didn't have to wait long for our appetizers or any part of our meal. We enjoyed dinner so much, we ordered dessert. I would definitely come back (when the weather gets warmer).
(4)Juan E.
Loved the restaurant. I have been here every year of the past 6 years. The dress code has become more casual. We dressed up but there were other guests dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. The service was slow. Took about 45 minutes to get our food. The food is excellent. We got the twin lobsters and Maine Seafood pasta. Both were excellent. The wedge salad was ok nothing special. We also had the mojitos and were delicious. Strongly recommend just get here early if you have tickets to the playhouse. We arrived at 6:00 pm and left at 7:30.
(4)Joe L.
How this place has three and a half stars I just don't understand. Don't go here. Ever.
(1)Bob C.
Had a great meal with my wife before an Ogunquit Playhouse performance. As my wife is vegetarian she ordered the veggie option which was very creative and delicious. Also, unlike some of the other reviews we had no difficulty making an 8 o'clock show with a 6:15 reservation. Also, no automatic service charge with a party of 2.
(4)James G.
Bought the New Year's Eve early seating dinner for 2 at $65.00 per person which included gratuity. After being seated we were told we would have 2 servers waiting on us . There were many Empty tables at the 615 seating time so shouldn't have been any issue with service. We drank our wine and the glasses sat empty for quite some time along with our now empty water glasses. We were given a small piece of bread that would be suitable for 1 and no butter. The room was chilly or at least our table location near the windows was chilly. New Years decorations on the table were more suitable for a child's birthday or a baby shower, pink,green,blue,yellow pastel ribbons. The meal was mediocre except for the soup which was just horrible . It had the consistency of Apple sauce and tasted like cinnamon and cloves we really never figured out what it was . This was our first time to Jonathan's and there wasn't anything about it that would bring us back.
(1)John F.
My fiance and I had Thanksgiving dinner at Jonathan's as well as breakfast twice. The food was excellent and the waitstaff was friendly.
(4)Krash T.
Nice ambience, nice decor, very professional wait staff. Really good duo playing in the bar, too - unobtrusive. Only disappointment was the steak, advertised at "16 oz." I ordered mine rare, was assured they were thick. I must have gotten a bad cut; normally restaurants this good offering a 16 ounce steak send out something 1 1/2" or more thick. Mine was more in the 1/2" to 3/4" range, next to impossible to make truly rare. The cut was far from overwhelming, too. I realize it's the butcher's fault, not the restaurant's, but the chef shouldn't have let it go out like that. It looked, truthfully, like something you'd find in a place advertising "Texas fried steak". Outside of that, the food was excellent - great mussels, good salads. And the ambience was friendly. I liked the restaurant over-all, but I'd suggest changing butchers... Perhaps anyone ordering steak should ask to see the raw meat first!
(4)J R.
Very nice place to eat. 4 people with several drinks 2 apps and 4 dinner plates, which one was lobster total $ 267.00, super cheap for seafood. The food was amazing.
(4)Judy P.
Exceptional dining experience in every respect: expansive menu (with veg & gf options), great service, well-prepared food. Love the featured elderberry cocktail and the artichoke app especially. My husband said it was one of the best calamari dishes ever (he really likes the marinara sauce :) Sitting near the window overlooking the wildflower gardens is really very nice. Dessert selections look very good - my husband loved the cinnamon coffee ice cream (I would have been tempted to have the strawberry-rhubarb crisp but I'm gf). My cappuccino was superior, and I asked for cinnamon on top (amazing how many restaurants don't have cinnamon, or - even worse, put cinnamon sugar in it) - well, this really topped everything: the server brought out a tiny dish with about two teaspoon of cinnamon - delicious! It's tucked away, off Route 1, so we've just gone there twice - never before. I highly recommend - go earlier before it gets busy.
(5)Mike C.
went to Jonathans on 10/5/12. Service was attentive and we were seated promptly with reservations, Had the baked scallops and my wife had the shrimp, both meals were good. Wine was delivered five minutes after dinner showed up, I realize it was busy but i had suggested to the waiter he take my order earlier and he suggested we wait. Not bad,not great! Background music was either too loud or the hardwood floors and high ceilings amplified it
(3)Victor L.
Best restaurant in Ogunquit! Wonderful food, professional and attentive waiters and reasonable prices. If you eat at only one restaurant in Ogunquit this is the one!
(5)Rosemary M.
Very disappointed with the so-called J Geils show July 6. All the advertising suggested J Geils was the headliner when in fact he sat in for 20 minutes. To me this was deceptive and false advertising. I will never go back to Jonathon's again.
(1)Monica L.
I tried the salmon tonight. It was delicious. My friends were happy with their filet mignon and prime rib.
(4)Bruce P.
My wife and I went here to see the comedienne, Paula Poundstone. She was great, but Jonathan's was not. In order to get two seats together, I had to also purchase the dinner option ($25 per ticket). I also had to purchase the dessert/drink option ($14 per ticket). A $37 seat then turned into a $76 ticket and with a nice service charge---$83 per ticket. There was no air conditioning and we each got one watered down drink during an hour and a half show. For dinner, there was a very limited menu with no bread as we waited 45 minutes for our food. Food was pretty good, but there really wasn't a lot of concern about the uncomfortable temperature or our wait. We loved Paula Poundstone, but we would really look elsewhere before we came back to Jonathan's.
(2)Gail R.
First off- excellent meal! Probably one of the best we have had in Ogunquit. We decided to go upon recommendation of a friend. We were not going to order too much, because we had a rather large breakfast and good-sized lunch. We started with a glass of wine, reasonably priced. Both were quite good. I especially liked my French red wine by the glass. We did not order appetizers, however the waitress brought potato garlic soup, complements of the chef. We both thought that was delightful. The soup was delicious. The bread was also very good. I ordered a special - penne pasta with shrimp, pesto, pecans. It was very flavorful. However, while there were five shrimp, they were not as large as I had expected. The pecans did not seem to be too prevalent but it might have been that they were incorporated into the sauce for flavor. Although vegetables did not come with my dinner, the waitress brought them - green beans cooked perfectly, and butternut squash. Again - a little touch that meant a lot and added to the meal My husband ordered fillet mignon. His meal came with vegetables and mashed potatoes. The filet was was cooked just as he ordered, medium. I had a small bite - it was delicious and so tender. Since we were trying to be good, after a not so good calorie ridden day, we did not order dessert. However, I had the dessert coffee with butter scotch schnapps, Kahlúa, and Bailey's. Like that was calorie free!!?? No matter - it was a great way to finish the meal. The wait staff could not have been more attentive, polite, and caring. We had a great experience and highly recommend it. The total, with tax, was $100.
(4)Hillary L.
It was hard to find anything in Ogunquet that was vegan. Johnathan's was able to make two entrees vegan by request and were very accommodating about it. My boyfriend loved the raw oysters.
(4)Cathy M.
Maybe I would have given a rating of 3 stars but for the price... over $98 per person. Now on to the food; the lobster bisque was really bad (I didn't eat it but my friend did) and upon hearing a comment from us about the lack of (none) lobster, our waiter commented "sometimes you get some, sometimes you don't," I felt we may be in trouble. The main course was a very expensive pasta dish that did have some nice seafood in it but the pasta itself was so overcooked it was mushy. What restaurant can't cook an al dente pasta? As this was my first meal in Ogunquit, I was leery of what was in store for the rest of the weekend but let me assure you that there are much better restaurants with pricing that you'd expect for the quality of their food.
(2)James B.
Inept service, slow, clumsy... and mediocre food. Took my family there and told the waiter that we had only an hour, hour and 15 for dinner. It took him 10 minutes to come back to take a drink order (it was not that crowded in the restaurant). He brought water for two of the five people at the table. The drinks came one at a time over the course of another 15 minutes. THEN he took a food order. The food took over a half hour to come out, and when it did only three entrees appeared (the blandest and worst lobster roll in Ogunquit)... then the fourth... and the fifth after the rest of us had been eating for ten minutes. Waiter got the dessert orders wrong. In short, everything that could have gone wrong with the service and the expediting in the kitchen did. And the food was the equivalent of wedding banquet food. In Ogunquit there is SO much great food and excellent restaurants. I would never recommend Jonathan's.
(1)Katie E.
I attended my cousin's wedding here in the upstairs function room which was beautiful. While dinner was being served my toddler started to act up so I took her over to the back of the room. I was told by a member of the staff to "get out of the way." I looked at her and said I was a server for 13 years and never, ever have said that to anyone, ever. She was clearly embarrassed and over apologized for the situation making it more difficult to deal with my toddler. She told me she didn't want us to get hit with hot food, which had already been served and came from a different door. 2 words, "excuse me." Or perhaps, "May I suggest another area for you?" Dinner was great and the room was beautiful.
(2)Hugh S.
Great meal. We were going to the play at the Ogunquit Playhouse and got caught in all the traffic. Found this nearby gem. Prompt service and good food. Really enjoyed the bisque and deserves a very good review with 4 stars.
(4)Fred N.
Visited Olgunquit with my wife at the end of May 2015 for lobster special dinners. Dinners of two lobsters was very well worth the price. We shared a lettuce wedge with blue cheese and it was ok. Service was very good. Lobsters were not spit open to easily eat. Our waitress was very helpful and offered to have the kitchen split them for us. Nice menu and we would return.
(4)R S.
We decided to sit at the bar instead of the table we reserved, that was our first mistake. The bar was fairly busy and the bartender was taking care of the bar and the tables in the bar area, so he appeared very busy. There was another bartender that was only handling the service bar. So, we waited after we sat down, got our drinks and waited to order our starters: the seafood chowder and the lobster bisque, both were very good. Then, we waited for the bartender to finally come back to take our order. We ordered the stuffed Haddock and the Jaeger Schnitzel (the main reason we came here). The Jaeger Schnitzel was excellent and the Haddock was good, although it gave me severe indigestion an hour later. So, overall the food was very good, but the service was nonexistent. The bartender never cam by to check on us or ask how everything was. What really topped it off, I mentioned to the bartender that he seemed pretty busy and his response was that it wasn't busy at all. Holy crap, what would the service level been had it been busy. Also, there was a duo playing jazz in the bar area and they were exceptional.
(4)George T.
If you're planning to eat at Jonathan's before theater at the Ogunquit Playhouse you'd better plan to eat at 5pm or else you'll be going without dinner as did we and a number of other couples tonight. We were seated at 6:20 and left without having eaten at 7:45 so we could get to the Ogunquit Playhouse in time to park and get to our seats. By 7pm it started to become apparent that there was no hope that we'd ever see our food. Nothing was coming out of the kitchen to anyone's table. The dining room was desperately short staffed and clearly the kitchen was just as poorly managed. I can't comment on the food because we never got any. The host apologized to everyone who didn't get their meals. Fat lot of good an apology does when your stomach is growling and your blood sugar is nosediving thru a 3 hour theater show. Jonathan's is a bitter disappointment. Cannot recommend it. And as local residents four of us have now removed it from our list of places we will patronize.
(1)Marisa D.
We had dinner at Jonathan's before Mary Poppins at the Ogunquit Playhouse. I had read mixed reviews, but was very pleasantly surprised! The service was great - no delay issues at all. We arrived at 6pm and were finished by 7:15pm (including dessert), plenty of time to get to the playhouse for a cocktail before the show. We had the Poached Lobster and Stuffed Haddock both were amazing. The Poached Lobster was the best lobster dinner I had in Ogunquit. Gotta love it when the shells and butter are already done for you! I was only surprised that the atmosphere was pretty casual. We expected more formal/romantic decor given the prices. There was a whole tour bus group dining in jeans/t-shirts when we were there. Not that we cared - but we were slightly over-dressed in casual dresses incomparison and it wasn't the romantic dining atmosphere we'd anticipated.
(4)Jeff O.
Beware, we were a party of 2 and they added a 20% tip! Absolutely unacceptable in my book and I let them know it!
(3)Michelle S.
I wish there were more stars to give Jonathan's Restaurant in Ogunquit. On Wednesday December 12th my now husband and I had our wedding ceremony and dinner here. They were more than accommodating. The manager Larry was great! I couldn't have ask for a better wedding day and they had so much to do with it. On top of my special day, the food and service for dinner was perfect. The bartender and waitress we had both very friendly and knowledgable. Every appetizer, salad, soup and entree we had were all amazing. I can not wait to celebrate my one year wedding anniversary with Jonathan's! Hopefully I can get back before then!
(5)Dan L.
I recently had dinner at Jonathan's restaurant and my experience was deplorable enough to inspire me to write this review. A friend of mine and I were joining her family for dinner before attending a show at the venue upstairs. We were a little late and the rest of the table already had their drinks. The waiter took our drink order and we waited a full 15 minutes while we watched our drinks waiting on the bar and our waiter set empty tables in his section. I finally inquired about the missing drinks and the waiter exclaimed "Oh!" And ran off to fetch them without any explanation or apology. During this wait time, our waiter took our food order. Everyone at the table was on a budget so we all stuck to soups, salads and appetizers, though we requested that everything be delivered at the same time. There were two young children at the table who ordered chicken fingers and we asked that they be served as soon as possible. The waiter took our orders on an iPad. I'm all about technology, but this meant the waiter was focused more on the screen than on his guests. It took another 20 minutes before only half of the table were served, and another 15 minutes and two inquires before the other half was served. Sadly, the two young kids were the last to get their food. After we were all finished, I asked the waiter if there was any bread for the table (he hadn't provided any yet). He brought out some bread and some complimentary gezpacho for the table (my friend, whom had eaten there before explained to me that if the service was correct, we would have had the gezpacho first). My fried calamari was average at best, and the seafood chowder was decent, but certainly not worth $12. From start to finish, this dinner was a waste of time and money. I will never eat here again.
(1)Judy R.
We had the pleasure of eating here on 7/18/14. The decor is so welcoming and the wait staff was very helpful and efficient. We enjoyed Lobster Bisque and the fresh baked bread to start. Our entrees were the Seafood Pasta which was delicious and overflowing with fresh seafood and the Filet Mignon with the Worcestershire glaze, real mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley with julienned zucchini, summer squash & carrots in a exceptional sauce. Without a doubt, the filet was the best I have ever eaten anywhere, including famous NY Steakhouses. I cannot say enough good things about Jonathan's and hope to visit again next time we vacation in Maine.
(5)Ronald M.
I took my family to Jonathans for dinner before we went to the ogunquit playhouse .My 13 year old son had the filet mingon and raves about it still.The wait staff was very accomodating and gave us just the right amount of time in between courses.I am looking forward to going back again as it was our first time.I also was impressed that the waitstaff took your order with an ipad! The open dining area surronded by windows and a lush garden also was very relaxing.
(5)Helen B.
We came here over the weekend for an early dinner because we were seeing a show upstairs. Overall the experience was very good. I really enjoyed the ambiance - it is bright and cheerful and we were seated with a lovely garden just outside the window. We were seated promptly and the waitstaff were very attentive. We ordered drinks and our entrees together because we didn't want to be late to the show, and the kitchen got our orders out quickly. My wife ordered the carmelized salmon, which was delicious. I ordered the wild mushroom pappardelle, but there was a mix-up and they brought out some kind of mushroom appetizer. They were very friendly about it, let us keep the appetizer and brought the pasta out just 12 minutes later. The pasta was very tasty. The drinks were very good too (lemonini and elderberry martini). Frankly, the only reason for the 4-star versus 5-star is I think the appetizer made me sick. At least, I was sick several hours later. I don't think it was food poisoning - just the appetizer itself (mushrooms with cream cheese stuffing) was a little rich for me. We would come back though, as overall we had a great time!
(4)John R.
Nice atmosphere... Service was OK by waitress.... Both my wife and I ordered carmelized salmon... was nice dish... sides of mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables was automatic... no choice... not cool for the price, I thought.... it was good but where's the room for some choice.... the cold melon soup with prosciutto was excellent... glad I ordered it.... I asked for a speedy check in order to make a show... the staff responded adequately but not inspired... overall bill was a bit more expensive than the overall value, in my humble opinion.... nice but wouldn't rush back...
(3)Andrea J.
My friend and I decided to go to Jonathan's last night for dinner on our first night here in Ogunquit. I have to say that the food was okay. Expensive and the service was mediocre. We did not order drinks or apps since it was later and we were hungry. Our waitress seemed to be disappointed in us. Whatever! I got the seafood pasta and my friend got the scallops. Both dishes were good but not exceptional. Our waitress decided to bring our check even before she could ask us if we wanted dessert or coffee. We did get dessert, the apple crumb pie which everyone raved about on Yelp but I found it to be a little lackluster. Good with ice cream though.
(2)Dan E.
Great food and Great service. I took my wife here for our first anniversary and I couldn't have been happier. The prices are a little high, but you get a big portion size, and the plating is fantastic. Will definitely come back here.
(5)Thomas F.
Began with the seafood chowder, then onto the poached lobster, to a close of apple crisp dessert. Delicious food! First time ever visiting and would come again. A warm and charming atmosphere. Very clean, romantic setting at night with piano background music. Great staff.
(5)Kayla F.
Mediocre food with the price tag of gourmet. Long waits for no apparent reason. After waiting for 40 minutes to be seated we were seated in a room with at least 10 tables open (people were still waiting at this point to be seated). The room was cold, the atmosphere was awkward. It was half upscale and half pub like (menu pricey, some wait staff dress up and others not, some decorations nice, some cheap etc). Couldn't quite figure out what they were trying to go for. The food was average (to be nice). The service was slow and out of touch. If you are going to spend this much money head over to clay hill farm in cape neddick (5 minute ride). The food there is outstanding as is the service.
(2)Aine C.
Great food, atmosphere, service, and so much more! When I'm in Ogunquit, it's the only place I go for a great dinner. I only wish Jonathan's were closer!
(5)Jennifer G.
Absolutely fabulous first visit to Jonathan's. The service was amazing. Very attentive, but not intrusive. The food was incredible. Probably the best rib eye I've ever had. It was cooked to perfection. We will definitely be back.
(5)Michelle G.
Excellent dinner for our party of 10 (5 adults And 5 kids). it was pricey but the food was excellent. The seafood pasta had a lot of seafood and very tasty sauce. The garlic bread was plentiful and delicious. The disappointing part was my husband's chicken piccata which turned out to be Pork piccata. The kitchen didn't acknowledge the mistake but I would still come back here again. Don't get the chocolate cake. .. it was very dry.
(4)tom h.
The food was great, nice ambiance, beautiful table with gorgeous garden views. The staff was polite but curt, frankly. I didn't feel rushed, but they were not over the top in the warmth category. Our server cracked a smile once or twice after my dinner date and I made a couple jokes. It was slightly awkward, as we were on vacation and jovial, and she was just kinda -meh. A number of patrons, myself included, appeared to be having indoor allergy issues (heavy sneezing could be heard around the dining room). Not sure whether the place needed to be aired out? I'd go back because the food was great, but I'm not overwhelmed.
(4)patty c.
Average food and overpriced. Came here for Thanksgiving dinner; Enjoyed our turkey but it was pricey, especially given the casual atmosphere. also felt the service was not up to par. Asked for more biscuits which never came; took forever to get drink refills and no water refills, either. Several tables that were sat after us got their food first, And it seemed the waitress was more Interested in chatting with a table of friends and or family than in waiting on us. I know it's a holiday, and it sucks to work on a holiday, but it sucks to eat your overpriced holiday dinner with no drinks, too! And they ran out of pumpkin pie. On Thanksgiving!
(3)Mary B.
Service was not good because staff had too many tables. Everyone was stuffed in one Connor of the restaurant. Food was good. Atmosphere nice. Overall mediocre and overpriced.
(3)Carmen B.
We were seated half hr after our reservation time. Our waiter seemed overwhelmed. The service took too long. BUT when our food finally came the calamari was delicious and our lobsters were exquisite. We had the tiramisu and creme brûlée. Yummy.
(3)Samantha b.
Went here for brunch recently as it was included in our package at a nearby hotel. It isn't really brunch, there are no lunch items on the menu which was fine with me. I got the Irish eggs benedict which is real (not canned) hash which was better than I expected. English muffin wasn't toasted enough. The little muffins they give you to start are a nice touch and were yummy. Nothing really too memorable about this breakfast-overpriced if you ask me, but that's how Ogunquit restaurants are. The atmostphere is very nice and I loved looking out at the snow and trees covered in snow.
(3)Maria M.
My husband and I came here to eat before watching a show at the Playhouse. I had heard such good things and wanted to try it. The good reviews I heard were spot on and then some. Our waitress was amazing; she treated us like we were the only couple there (we did tell her it was our honeymoon). The food was out of this world. Shortly after we got there a jazz band set up and started playing which just added to the evening. The plating, atmosphere, drinks, food and service are ally worth the pricing. We decided to make Ogunquit a tradition each year and we'll be stopping at Jonathan's on the way to the Playhouse every time.
(4)Nathan P.
After staying at a resort that offered a meal voucher, we had to pick which of 6 Wells/Ogunquit restaurants we wished to eat at. Researching Urbanspoon & Yelp.. Jonathan's won, even though it was harder to find as its just off Route 1. Service was extremely pleasant for an early Saturday (5-6pm) dinner, without reservations. All dietary requirements were met with understanding, the waitress even went to the chef and clarified some questions. The mains were excellently cooked, cooked exactly to order and the sides were tasteful. If we come back this way we WOULD return. PS: The only sad thing about the experience, was that my wife overheard a very snotty female customer complain that Jonathan's must be giving away those stupid free food coupons to the local hotels again, because of the "riff-raff" that were in the restaurant. Then again, she also yelled at her own husband to turn his phone off because he took a call to give someone directions... so she wasn't the nicest of people in the first place.
(5)Dr. Tyler C.
Great place to go on a date or dinner before a show. Great atmosphere and nice attention to detail at the dinner table. I would have given 5 stars if the bartenders didn't ignore us for 10-15 minutes.
(3)Kelly S.
Just left johnathans worst service I've seen in a while. We were seated quickly in the dining room where we had 2 waiters we sat there about 10 mins all they got was a drink order we were ready to order food, we then decided to move to the bar asked the waiter , he moved us we sat there for about 15 mins without the bartender asking us if we needed anything he was more concerned with talking it up with the staff, we were the only ones at the bar. We decided to not order food to get our tab and leave. would never go back
(1)Libby S.
Food was solid and server was excellent (though a little talkative for my taste). Kind of an odd business model. Feels a little like a "blue-haired" restaurant based on the reserved menu and general ambiance (piano and sax live music, overall dark lighting, traditional pairings hung, etc), but service was young and upbeat even using an iPad during service. They also host live music events during the summer. Walked out a little confused- but overall a very good experience.
(4)Sue M.
Came for to see Leon Russell while on vacation for the week -show was fantastic despite the tight quarters. Tickets came with a drink or coffee and dessert. Ordered coffee with baileys for two...cost $18.00 yikes! Had to ask 4 times for a glass of water from the bartender- he was too busy wiping and just couldn't seem to remember. Won't go back any time soon, even though we really enjoyed the show, the staff seemed careless and bored.
(2)Abbey S.
We went mid Sept. and was very pleased. Great service, great food and great drinks! Definitely recommend!
(4)Russell O.
We were at Jonathan's for the first time two days ago, and we will definitely go back. The atmosphere and the ambiance were fantastic with beautiful and serene garden views, strategically placed skylights and the live duo of tenor sax and guitar. The food was a great match--their "sweet and sour calamari" was the best fried calamari we have ever tasted, and the "poached lobster" was out of this world!
(5)Gena W.
We were recommended this place from the hotel and were not happy with the results. Slow waiter, took forever go get anything including our main dishes which were soup and salad! Pretty garden outside, the only good thing I can really say. Appetizers of stuffed mushrooms and artichokes were ok because we were starving but too rich. Soup and salad were ok. Way overpriced too. Wouldn't recommend it unless you want to overpay for super rich slow food.
(1)Matthew A.
We had a wonderful meal at Jonathan's. We met an old college friend here on a cold New Year's Day. The reason we chose Jonathans' was because a meal was part of a package deal from our hotel at Admiral's Inn down the street. It was a cold and snowy day. Our reservation was not until 5:30, however there was not ANY places open in Ogunquit because of the holiday to party and It was happy hour. The road were bad, and we showed up early. The manager kindly opened up the bar for us so we would have to venture back out until our reservation. To say it in one word, Jonathan's' is an eclectic theme with high end dining. However. unpolished, this Ogunquit hot spot offers a popular bar, and lounge with flat screen, and 2 huge dining rooms. I also understand that the restaurant also offers live concerts at an upstairs 2nd floor venue. My friend reported that it is many C to D list one hit wonder bands from the 70's and early 80's. Now onto the food: The menu is itself eclectic. Steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta. The dishes are creative and pricey. Entrees start from high teens to up to over $30 a dish. I was impressed that they offered a complimentary amuse bouche, which was a mushroom cap stuffed with a blue cheese ragout. A wonderful surprise in itself and deep and rich in blue cheese flavor. My appetizer was the french onion soup (since it was a very cold snowy New England Night, was appropriate). The soup was more the a stewp (Ray, Rachel 2006). The flavor was rich. The onions were not all caramelized, with some a bit harder than others. Portion size, small to average enjoyed it but it was not a knockout. I wanted something different for my entree, so I ordered "Schnitzel" a fried pork cutlet topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions. It came with an aggressively seasoned butternut squash and green beans. The really liked the dish, however it was not hot. Warm at the most. Also asked for a wine paring to this dish. The waitress was clueless on wine and brought the wine list. I ordered a house white, and it was served late, as I was finishing my meal. Dessert was included, so I got terramissu and coffee which just hit the spot and recharged me for a long drive home to NH. I hope to come back to Jonathan's and enjoy another great meal. The chef appears to be creative and has many nice interpretations of some regular classic dishes.
(4)Larry R.
Brunch at Jonathan's was part of a weekend get-away deal. As such, the brunch menu was ours, no limitations. Eggs benedict was just right. I had the special crepe: roasted red bell peppers and goat cheese. Rich and yummy. Good service. Lovely room. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Bernadette B.
My husband and I ate here before a show this weekend, after reading reviews here on this website I see that others have had the same experience as we did. Slow average to poor service all overpriced. Our food was cold when we finally got it, my seafood pasta was bland and the seafood in it was scarce, I didn't expect to get farm raised shrimp along with my dried up half lobster tail on top of my pasta. The lobster bisque was cold and flavorless I sent my meal back and the staff told my husband he wouldn't be charged for his meal, we each had two glasses of wine and appetizers but our bill was close to a hundred bucks and I didn't eat dinner! I would never eat (try to eat) here again, too bad because it's a really fun place to see a show!
(1)Christine P.
We've eaten at Jonathan's during 2 Ogunquit getaways over the last year, and we thoroughly enjoyed each visit. Funny that Old Village Inn is so heavily recommended in the area, but Jonathan's is so much better. Upon our most recent visit, we arrived close to 9PM in Ogunquit after dealing with some heavy traffic on our way to ME, and a call to the restaurant put us at ease. When we arrived, they had a table waiting for us overlooking the pretty rear garden. We enjoyed Calamari and the Crab Cakes for starters, which were outstanding. For dinner we enjoyed the Carmelized Salmon Filet and Mediterranian Pasta, and both were so delicious that we wished we had a home to take the leftovers to. We skipped dessert, but I enjoyed one of their signature Elderberry Martini's and he enjoyed his glass of red wine so much we have since bought the bottle a couple times. The only flaw was entertainment in an adjoining room that was a bit too loud for comfortable dining conversation. During our first visit, there was no entertainment scheduled that night, and that made for greater dining pleasure. If you're in Ogunquit, and you want a great, reasonably priced dinner, a bit off the beaten path, Jonathan's is the place to go.
(4)Janie W.
Expensive, decent food that's pretty sleepy. The baked artichoke hearts were delicious. Seafood pasta is decent. You won't eat poorly here bu it's not a place to go out of your way for.
(3)Carole C.
Very disappointed. Made a reservation in advance to celebrate a special occasion. When my husband's entree was ready they asked me what I had ordered--"the iPad missed it"! No, a human being missed it. When it came it was fine but I ate most of it alone. No apologies. We think we should have at least been offered a dessert. Nothing. We had great expectations! Too bad.
(2)Gerard M.
We had the pleasure of dining at Jonathan's this past weekend for the third time in the past several years and I am happy to report that this place seems to be getting better and better. The staff were extremely pleasant and we couldn't ask for a better, more friendly waiter and waitress. We started our meal with appetizers...I had the very tasty and well prepared sweet and sour calamari, my wife had special local salad and our son had the lobster bisque. All were delicious. For dinner, I had the Maine Seafood Pasta which was outstanding. The pasta was cooked perfectly and was generously topped with a lobster tail, shrimps and little neck clams. My wife had the seafood stuffed haddock and our son had the Mediterranean Pasta. All of us were more than happy with our selections, Two of had the very delicious Bread Pudding for dessert and my wife had the homemade cinnamon ice cream. My wife and I agreed that this was one of the finer meals that we had in Ogunquit and look forward to our return to Jonathan's.
(5)Anderson C.
The space of this restaurant is beautiful, i've gotta say. The windows that run along the side of the dining room and the backlit scenery beyond are certainly something out of a northeastern fairytale. That's where the greatness ends, though, unfortunately. I assumed this place didn't have a bar, as when we waited for 15 minutes for out table to be ready, they let us stand uncomfortably in the entry and sit on the fireplace mantle. When finally we got our table, we were in perfect view of the HUGE bar, which is well hidden from the front entry of the restaurant. Nothing annoys me more than when a greeter does not invite a waiting party to the bar, it both makes more money for a restaurant and makes more comfort for their wait. Any case, on to dinner. It took FOREVER for our waiter to finally get all the pieces together: water, then wine, then dinner order, then bread. Seriously, like 30 minutes to get all of those things together. The server knew just about nothing about wine (even house), had no idea where the oysters were from, when asked to describe any food item, simply repeated (verbatim) the description on the menu, such as describing the "spicy calamari" as "spicy", and simply told us they were out of things as we ordered. "I'll take the filet special" "oh, i'm sorry sir, we're out of that" "oh, ok, then i'll have the salmon" "oh, i'm sorry sir, we're out of that." He also opened my bottle of wine before presenting it, only to discover a few minutes later it was the wrong bottle of wine, though with an only $4 price difference, i didn't care enough to do anything about it. The food itself was pretty good, in fact. My pork chop porterhouse was over-cooked on one half, but pretty well cooked on the other half. My mother's swordfish was WAY overcooked, while the filet on which my father eventually settled was perfect, and my aunt loved her chicken piccata. The desserts were pretty great, though the creme brulee was quite runny and eggy in flavor. All in all, not really a terrible dinner, but absolutely nothing even great, just ok. except the service, which was pretty bad. not rude, just totally inept.
(2)Christine J.
Everything we ordered was outstanding. Service was also friendly an food came out in a timely manner. Reasonable prices. The halibut fish was amazing and cooked to perfection. Also try the apple crumb for desert!
(5)Tim S.
Fantastic. 4 of us had the Chicken Picata and one had the Carmalized Salmon. All 5 were awesome. Staff was very friendly and helpful / attentive. Only downside is the bread they serve before dinner - -the problem: we have been unable to recreate it at home since. 2 baskets served and we could have had a 3rd. Crisp, seasoned, warm, and lightly buttered. Excellent all around.
(5)M B.
A lovely evening. The lobster meat so fresh it fell off the shell; no tools needed. Sweet, tender and delicious, it was worth the bib! The side veggies were cooked perfectly, Drinks, such as piña colada reigned supreme! Waitress forgot a few items for us, but was pleasant for the entire visit. Tiramisu dessert melted in our mouth,mmm mmm.Easy parking and variety of areas to sit; some cooler than others,if that is an issue. Bartender smiled and spoke to everyone in a friendly way, which bodes well with us!
(4)