The Porthole Restaurant & Pub
20 Custom House Wharf, Portland, ME, 04101
The Porthole Restaurant & Pub Menu
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Address :
20 Custom House Wharf
Portland, ME, 04101 - Phone (207) 773-4653
- Website https://portholemaine.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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A S.
I love this place, low-key, friendly and local with great food. The Casco Bay Omelette is one of my favorites.
(5)Jonathan C.
Love this place. I've been to the Porthole about half a dozen times, always when we are on vacation and stop into Portland for a day. From the outside, either the front entrance in the alleyway or the back entrance by the outdoor seating area, it can seem a little dank and rundown. But don't be fooled--the food here is excellent. Yesterday we went and I had fish and chips (actually mashed potatoes), and the wedge salad. The waiter was terrific and the food was delicious. The salad had blue cheese dressing and chunks of fresh bacon. The fish had incredible flavor, a beer batter I believe. My wife had the fish tacos and they were loaded with fresh fish, tomatoes and an aoli dressing. I can always tell when a restaurant has its act together because the food is consistent, fresh and flavorful, and this is undeniably true for the Porthole.
(4)Chloe K.
We arrived at the restaurant around 7:15. The place seemed pretty busy but since it's a combo restaurant/bar we figured we'd give it a go. We waited about ten minutes for a hostess who told us there was no wait to sit inside. We were a little bummed out but also starving so we chose to sit inside where there was no wait. A server came over almost immediately but we had just sat down and hadn't seen a drink menu yet so we asked for a minute. We got more than we bargained for because we didn't see her again for almost half an hour. When she came back she was very apologetic the restaurant was very busy you see. There'd been both a wedding and a road race earlier in the day. There were a ton of people there so we were fine. But then it took another half hour to get our food another twenty minutes to order our meals and almost forty five minutes to get our check. Eventually I got so fed up waiting I went up to the bar and paid it there. Having worked as a waitress for several years I'm exceptionally understanding of delays. But this was the first time I've ever even considered not leaving a tip, or if my boyfriend would've let me leaving all together. It's really a shame that our service sucked because he food was fine and the bar atmosphere seemed like it'd be a really cool place to go out for drinks. Overall we spent three hours in the restaurant to get two beers, two lobster rolls, and an appetizer...
(2)Harry J.
Great food! A must when visiting Portland. My husband and I split Fish Taco's, mussels, lobster bisque and of course what's main without a lobster roll.
(5)Crys S.
I could swear I wrote this review last time we were here, but if that page was deleted...? IDK The menu is relatively simple. The hash is apparently house made. The wait staff are always friendly, but sometimes very slow to show up. If it was busy when we went, I'd forgive most things, but the delays happen when there are hardly a dozen patrons there. The hash and the bacon I had this past visit seemed painted in extra oil. :( The majority is edible, but with Becky's just a couple blocks down Commercial Street, I'd rather go hunt parking that way.
(2)Jamie M.
Three stars is about right since it's definitely more of a casual, almost divey place, but they do have a great view of the bay if you sit on their patio. My friend had come here for dinner with his family for his birthday so he recommended we go there to try the lobster. While the waitstaff is very friendly and helpful, they do take a bit to get to you. We each got the twin lobsters with the red potatoes and small ear of corn for $25, though we probably should have just split one and got the $5 plate charge. Service was good, but sometimes we did have to flag him down for various things. But he was very nice, even put on our lobster bibs for us and gave us a bag of ice to take our leftover lobster with us to keep it cool until we could get it to a fridge, which I greatly appreciated so my car didn't reek of seafood! So when in Maine and better yet Portland, if you want to try the lobster, definitely hit Porthole. You can get twin lobsters for $25 and ball on a budget!
(4)Howard B.
We had breakfast on 8/10/15. I had sausage and eggs with a side of homemade hash. I must say that it was the best hash that I have ever had. My friend also got the hash and was in complete agreement with me as being the best. We will definitely make an effort to return the next time we are in Portland. The place may not be the snazziest but the food is fantastic! Keep up the good work.
(4)Sara P.
I'd agree with the majority that this place is well in three-star territory. Fiancé and I were looking for a place to chill and have a beer between the Shipyard Brewery and our dinner plans. Porthole had a huge deck on the water and although they (like most places we popped into along this stretch) don't let you sit at the deck tables if you aren't ordering food, there's a lot of standing room along the deck and some barstools if you're lucky enough to grab them. The Happy Hour specials for Saturday are just for Sam Light and Boston Lager, which I thought was really weird. I had the Sunfish Ale and he had the Monkeyfist IPA, which came to $9. Didn't try any food. The deck atmosphere was fun and there were a lot of folks there with their dogs which was cool, but overall Porthole was nothing special.
(3)David L.
A 5 star diner experience, with a harbor view. Coffee was fresh, hot, and strong; food was well prepared and very tasty. I can highly recommend the homemade hash, more corned beef than potato! Nice outside deck, with a decent harbor view.
(5)Greg A.
I was here for the first time the other day, it was great! Good weather never hurts but the outside deck is huge! The group we had was large and more than accommodated, the beer was cold, live music was good and the prices weren't bad at all! Being on the ocean is never a bad selling point :) I definitely recommend it here!
(4)Kim K.
Lunch was great today. Service was excellent and fish tacos were delicious! Added treat was watching all the lobster fishermen come in to unload their catch!
(4)Jim B.
I haven't been to the Porthole in a few years. After a long week, I decided to meet my wife for happy hour out on the deck. Local radio station, Coast 93.1 hosts a Friday happy hour weekly. What the Porthole is not: Another high-end, pretentious, over-priced eatery that everyone wants to say, "I ate at ________________" What the Porthole is: A longstanding, waterfront restaurant, a bit worn around the edges (in a favorite t-shirt way, even with a hole or two under the arms, but you wear it because it feels perfect), but you pretty much know what you're getting and you usually aren't disappointed. The menu isn't overly ambitious, but it's got a fair selection of seafood choices, sandwiches, burgers, salads, soups, and chowders. My clam chowder was solid and flavorful; not overly thick, the kind of consistency I like. There were a fair amount of clams, potatoes, and bits of onions and the flavor was just about where I want it, but lacking just a bit of "oomph." A dash of pepper did the trick. I love fish tacos and I had read in a review in The Phoenix, by Brian Duff, one of their food reviewers that The Porthole's fish tacos were really good. And at 3 for $9, as good a deal as you'll find in Portland. I'm sure Boone's next door (which happens to share the same harbor view as the Porthole, just one story up) would have been nearly double that. The ample amounts of blackened pollock, which, combined with the crunchy slaw, pico de gallo, and an aioli with a kick of sriracha, made for a very good fish taco, one of the better ones I've had. Some might object that the tortillas used by the Porthole are the crunchy, not the soft ones that many places use, but I liked the crunchiness. The Porthole offers hand-cut fries, which jacked my dish up to a whopping $13! Still a bargain, and the fries were flavorful, deep-fried to a perfect crispness, and lightly seasoned. I almost didn't need ketchup, but I always have ketchup with my fries. My wife also followed my lead and had the fish tacos, too. There were a variety of beers on tap, although I was reading some other Yelp whiner was complaining about the lack of sufficient options for his taste. "Whah, whah, whah!!! My wife's G&T was well-made and actually had some gin in it, not the watered-down variety you get at many places outside of Portland (because we know this never happens in Food City USA). Oh, and we did have a couple of the raw oysters, and they were fresh and a nice complment to the other items we ordered. If you're like me, sometimes you just want to have a laid-back meal and a few drinks, outside on the water, away from the hipsters and the trendsetters, without having to take out a second mortgage on your house. If that's you, then I think you'll dig the Porthole. Certain types of Portlanders (and interlopers like me) have for awhile.
(4)Maddy M.
I saw this place featured on Diners Drive-ins and Dives and had my heart set on trying it when I recently visited family in Portland. We went for lunch one afternoon. It was almost 2 in the afternoon so not too busy. We were seated right away, but it took quite some time before our orders were taken, and longer before we saw food. The lobster rolls were FANTASTIC. Worth the wait. I looked at the reviews and noticed a common theme here....Work on the SERVICE. While waiting for someone to come take our orders I noticed several employees just sort of hanging around...come on folks if you are on a break get out of the view of hungry customers...if you are on the clock...chip in and help even if this isn't your station...get the customers menus - water - take an order....Amazing food now let's see some amazing service!
(4)Jennifer N.
My husband saw local ads for this diner on TV so that's how we learned about the Porthole. We thought it was interesting that the place was featured on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives. I liked that it was fairly quiet when we stopped by and that there was parking for customers near the entrance. I liked the fact that the restaurant is located wharfside with a deck for the summer months. I liked that the place was small, quaint & served breakfast. I stepped outside my comfort zone and ordered a meal I wouldn't usually eat because I saw pictures of it on Yelp. Glad I overlooked the 3 stars because the Lobster Benedict & Casco Bay Omelet made for a great breakfast. This restaurant was also service dog friendly.
(4)Lauren T.
My first visit to the Porthole wasn't great. Service was slow- We waited 15 min or more before someone came over to greet us and bring us menus. The outdoor patio was spacious, but extremely quiet with no music playing? Not a very fun atmosphere on a Tuesday afternoon for happy hour. They were also out of my fav beer Allagash white and I wasn't happy about it! :( I ordered the broiled Scallops and they were good- no complaint there. However, the sides of fingerling potatoes and veggie medley were awful- cold and bland. My friend ordered the fish tacos and they were delicious! Fish was cooked perfectly, lots of crunch with toppings, and a savory sauce. Prices were reasonable. They have a great location on the water in the Old Port so I am sure I will be back and give them another chance!
(2)Kelsey K.
Had a lobster roll and a beer-good deal! The lobster roll was great, and I'm told it is the best and freshest, and biggest for the money in town! It is just slightly coated with mayo, and served with a lemon. I do t like mayo, but this was divine! The fries were also tasty, but the best part of the meal was the chowder! Yummmmmm! We're told they have a good deal on a twin lobster dinner as well. The roll didn't hold a candle to the roll we had the next day at Reds, but for a good roll in Portland this would be my go-to place! Service was good-they stayed open to serve us, and we got some tips from the locals on how to recognize a good, young tender lobster!
(4)Lori S.
We went here with our son and his friend and the place is down an off street, in the Old Port. The outside looks like any fishing wharf looks like and the inside is about what I expected. The service was fine and the place was quiet that night
(3)Royal A.
So good we went twice! Great unpretentious waterfront bar that serves great good on the wharf. Not touristy at all and very friendly. Had the best twin lobsters of my life! Was a great way to start our vacation in Maine. Be sure to meet Beth, the General Manager - and if you're lucky, Captain Mike the Lobsterman.
(4)Ashlee A.
The only reason I'm giving this place 2 stars is because they have the option to sit along the water. Where do I begin? I ordered the clams for an app. They were suppose to be "fresh" but I found them to be no better than clams I've bought at the store. The portion was skimpy, not cleaned, & pricey. Our lunch was okay nothing to write home about. What bothered me most was the server. He smelled of booze and he was very lackadaisical. I was almost finished with my food before he came and asked us how our food was. Also, my water needed to be refilled. Rather than going to refill it he went over to another table and used the water pitcher on their table! I work in the industry so I cut people slack but there was no excuse for his poor service especially since they weren't busy. My lunch was a waste of money and I won't be back!
(2)The Virus _.
The alley this place is located in and the surrounding wharf looks like a scene out of popeye with robin Williams. Twin lobster meal for $25 with sides. Chowder, mussels, all good. Filling meal on the wharf for $30. I would go back. -Paul
(4)Joey D.
Very good breakfast. Made my own omelette. Spinach, lobster, tomatoes and pepper jack cheese. My little creation delivered, big time. Don't be scared off by the 3 stars this place got. It deserves better, the mad yelper has spoken.
(5)Donna K.
Excellent service and great breakfast! No wait. Great views. We had the Eggs Bennie and Thick Cut French Toast. Great portions!
(5)Stephanie M.
Stopped in Saturday late afternoon with my bf and his parents. We had the crabcakes; which I was the only one to like. They were more of a patty with breading, but I still thought they were tasty. My lobster roll was a good size, and I swapped fries for salad, which was surprisingly fresh. BF and pops got fried seafood platters. The clams were rich and full of flavor. Dan loved the haddock. Service was meh, but she was at least apologetic. I don't have much to compare it to, and the prices felt a smidge high. I don't know that I'd repeat it with so many other similar options, but it was pretty good.
(3)Jason M.
The service was decent considering it was busy, but the rest of the experience wasnt great. We had the lobster rolls. They recommended lemon aoli we we decided to try. The lobster roll came out without the Aoli. We asked for a side of it since it cane without it which they charged us for. The lobster roll was all meat which was promising but was not good at all. It was either over cooked or old as it was extremely dry and stringy. I had 2 bites and didn't finish the rest. Very disappointed. It is what I'd expect from a grocery store fish counter not a 18 dollar lobster roll in Portland at s place right on the water.
(2)Allan C.
Wow really great breakfast the homemade corn beef hash is really good best I have had in sometime. My wife had the Casco bay omelette was fill with plenty of lobster and crab. Coffee was pretty good and service was excellent. I will be back when in area
(4)Stephen R.
After seeing The Porthole on DDD my wife and I decided we would go there during our Portland trip. I gave them 5 stars because everything from the customer service to the food was great. We each got the Lobster roll with fries and would highly recommend it.
(5)Emily H.
I had Sunday breakfast at the Porthole Restaurant this weekend. It was a beautiful morning, and my friend and I were seated outside. The waitress was attentive, and quickly delivered mimosas to our table. I ordered the corned beef hash with a side of bacon, and she ordered a M.Y.O omelet. The food arrived promptly, and looked delicious. Unfortunately, when I took my first bites, I realized that everything on my plate was lukewarm with the exception of my eggs. Not impressed! In the future I will stick with drinks.
(2)Gayle G.
This was my second visit to the Porthole, in town with a friend last night, I bought a Living Social coupon to this restaurant, we sat at the counter bar, and was greated by our server Robin, who just made our night, we not only got great service but we got a real comedy show.We both had a glass of wine and then the laughter began,Robin had been working since early am, and had to cover the second shift for a fellow server, the poor girl had a 50thbirthday party group in the back room, plus she was covering the bar and the main dinning area, well she was running but still had time to make us feel right at home. We both had sandwiches, turkey club, was wonderful, my friend had grilled chicken sandwich, our coupon was worth $24.00 and after the bill was totaled we only had to pay $9.00 plus tip. The only regent we had was we should of stayed longer because we just had so much fun, Robin gave us both a hug apon leaving, and said we should of got a room in town instead of South Portland, next time I will and believe me we will go back as long as we have her as our bartender. Do yourself a favor and head over to the porthole, they have a twin lobster special for$24.95 great price.also they serve a great breakfast, warmer weather has an outdoor patio, parking lot is small but if you go early evening you may luck out.
(4)Denise M.
My husband and I were visiting Maine for the first time and saw that this restaurant was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and wanted to check it out. I'm glad we did. The mussels in the white wine sauce....OMG. You want to drink the sauce. They give you a piece of garlic bread with it that you dip in...to die for. My husband got a lobster roll which he enjoyed. I got the fried fish sandwich which was very good. It needed a little more salt/pepper and tartar sauce, so I asked for some which they gave me and it ended up being awesome. We sat outside on the water, smelling the ocean, listening to the seagulls....great experience. It is a def go to place for an ocean lover.
(4)Will T.
I ate here for breakfast on my last day visiting Portland. The Custom House Wharf Entrance doesn't do what's inside justice. The food, service and atmosphere were excellent. Our waitress was very friendly, the food arrived quickly (I had the Lobsterman's Breakfast), huge portions, and excellent quality and taste! The prices were very reasonable. If I lived in Portland, I would be a regular here. It was exactly what I was looking for for breakfast. I highly recommend The Porthole!
(5)Thomas B.
We ate here on our way to Rockport. The food was good but the beer was better. I enjoyed the fish tacos and my wife tried the fish sandwich. Both were tasty. We sat on their outside patio. It was a bit toasty since they didn't have umbrellas for all the tables. More shade would've been welcome but we we sacrificed the shade since we didn't want to wait. All in all, the service was fine, food good and worth the small effort to find.
(4)Bill T.
O ! M ! G ! L ! E ! B ! Oh my goodness, Lobster Eggs Benedict (LEB). I had this when I was there and the lobster portions were very generous. The potatoes that came with the eggs were excellent (eggs-ellent?) and there were even two asparagus spears. Service was friendly and fast and the place was clean. Worth a trip to Portland for the LEB! You down with LEB? Yeah, you know me.
(4)Erika D.
We decided to get to our final destination via Portland, timing our drive through right around lunch time. We wanted something casual, on the water and with outdoor seating. This place accomplished all of that. It's got a good small town, local spot, divet feel even though it's in the midst of a touristy part of town. I had the lobster roll and cup of clam chowder while my husband had the fish sandwich that was on special. His sandwich was a bit difficult to eat, but that was mainly due to the substantial portion of fish on the sandwich. The fish was cooked perfectly, moist and flakey, on a decent bun with your basic lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce. My lobster roll was light with large chunks of lobster. This was only my second lobster roll, so not much to compare it too; however I have had my fair share of clam chowder and that cup was AMZING! The broth was light, not overly thick and there were generous chunks of potatoes and clams. Delish!!
(4)Annemarie H.
Enjoyed a wonderful breakfast this morning! We were greeted and seated outside right away (a pleasant surprise, since our visit coincided with many events on the waterfront today!). Our server came over right away. I ordered over easy eggs with toast and homefries and my companion got a breakfast sandwich. Our meal came quickly and it was great breakfast fare. We were dining on the waterfront on a beautiful summer morning. It was close to perfect! The prices were very affordable ($4.50 for my meal!) Loved it!
(4)Aaron P.
A great outdoor seating location spoiled by the surrounding ruin. We were looking for a place to eat outside on an unseasonably warm autumn day, and we decided to saddle up to The Porthole. I was immediately disappointed to see its state of disrepair. I'm not sure if they own the parts of the building that are falling apart, but if they do, they really should do something about it. There are porches nearly collapsing, unfinished siding, paint peeling, and a generally not-so-nice atmosphere around the outdoor seating area. It's too bad, because their spot on the dock is so nice! On to the food. Everyone but myself got the fish and chips. From their report, it was not stellar. One person said he felt queazy afterwards. I myself ordered the Porthole Burger with a side salad instead of fries. They brought me a burger with fries, and I reminded the server about my order, and he went off to go get my salad. I also asked for some hot sauce. By the time he came back I was halfway done with my burger. The burger was good, and the fries (I tried two of them) were tasty and salty, but on the soggy side. I was impressed by the look of the side salad! I expected a dinky little thing of lettuce leaves with a few huge bits of onion and tomato, but I got a nice angular bowl filled with sautéed squash, green beans, sliced cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and croutons, toped lightly in balsamic. Unfortunately, I actually *wanted* a simple little salad with dressing on the side, but I still have to give them props for their effort on the salad. Overall, the meal was fine, and the location is great, but I can only imagine what a great this place *could* be, and it's just...wasn't.
(2)Katie D.
I visited this place because it was featured on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives. When I first walked in I had to double check I walked into the correct place, this was a dive if I had ever seen one. After a quick look at the sign I was assured I was in the right place, I almost still walked out but decided to stay. I ordered the mussels. After my order was lost in the computer, they arrived to my table. I wasn't sure what the stench was and ate my first mussel, it tasted like nothing. After closer inspection I realized the stench was my mussels. The Porthole should be ashamed of themselves, as a restaurant on the water in Portland Maine and they can't get mussels right!
(1)david d.
I'm a 6th generation Mainer with lobsterman routs running deep. one word: "Outstanding!" The lobster roll is in the league of Red's in Wiscasset (maybe better, but don't tell the tourists). I hope the Porthole keeps this Maine coastal down-home charm. It has brought back the authentic working waterfront with charm and outstanding (there's that word again) food, good serving size at a reasonable price. Pleasant local service. I WILL be back; with my son! ~d
(5)Yan T.
Atmospheric, spacious seafood shack on the Custom House Wharf. We were seated on one of the outdoor benches right away for an early Saturday lunch. Our waitress was fairly new but did provide recommendations. Like every other Maine restaurant, they have really good local beers. This time it was the Shipyard Monkeyfist for us, which was a solid IPA. It went down well with the pound of steamed clams (something I very rarely have) and the lobstah roll. The roll was pretty good but missing mayo for some reason (I didn't mention it because I was taking a break from the cloying condiment). Not the best roll in Portland, but a noble effort.
(4)Kalah T.
Great food, but we had to wait for everything so long it was unacceptable. I do realize that it was a busy Saturday at lunch time, but our table of 4 were there for 2 hours! Not to mention the waitress who brought us to an indoor table before we knew that there was an outdoor patio. We then asked if we could sit outside, she slammed down the silverware and menus and told us, "Sure, go ahead. I don't even know what's going on." At least if she had apologized and told us it was really busy after she had done that, I would have felt some sympathy for her and the other waiters. Our outdoor waiter was trying to take care of so many tables, but I don't think there was even a crack of a smile to say hi. He just looked at us waiting for us to order. I felt more like they were short-handed and used a busboy or dishwasher to wait on tables. I work retail and feel bad for people when they are trying to do too many things at one time and don't have enough help, because I've been there myself, but the lack of staff and service is going to really hurt the restaurant.
(2)Matthew C.
This is the letter that I sent to the Porthole contact us page. They sent me a letter apologizing and included a $50 gift certificate for future use. I'm not sure if I'll end up using it or not. My Fiance says she won't return. Because of the quick response I'll update to 2 stars. I was at the Porthole Saturday from approximately 2-3 PM. Being from Maine and having friends and family members who live in Portland, this was not my first trip to your establishment. I've been multiple times over the years and I know you're under new management but I've never had a bad experience there until this past Saturday. My fiance and my cousin's girlfriend had been training for months for the Shipyard Half Marathon that was run yesterday. They had been working very hard for this day. We had family come down from Old Town and we drove up from Boston. While attempting to make a decision between your establishment and Boone's next door, we chose the Porthole. Your hostess was very nice and accommodating. We had 10 people and she was quick to seat us and made sure we were okay. The waitress that waited on us was very nice as well. Her name was Jenna. She checked back on us many times and was very professional and courteous. We placed our orders, most had lobster rolls, I had scallops, another had the mussels. (no complaints from any of these). My fiance who of course trained for six months to run this race chose to go on the lighter side a day before the race and got the turkey club. When ordering, she told the waitress she had an allergy to tomatoes so she couldn't have tomatoes on her sandwich. The waitress acknowledged it and said she was allergic to glutton so she totally understood. The food came out and when my fiance looked at her sandwich, there were tomatoes on it. When the waitress came by, she explained nicely that there's tomatoes on it and she can't eat tomatoes so she asked for a new sandwich. The waitress apologized for the mishap and brought it back to the kitchen. In less than 5 minutes, a new sandwich was delivered. We did a quick inspection and didn't see any tomato on it. She then ate half of the sandwich and thought she saw a tomato seed on the plate. She looked at the second half of the sandwich and didn't see any tomato. Then I lifted up the turkey and there were tomato chunks between the turkey and the bread. As someone who doesn't have food allergies, I don't know what my fiance goes through. Luckily for her and luckily for you, she doesn't have the severe allergy where consumption of an item can send her into shock and unable to breathe. Instead, she just can't digest items and she gets severe stomach pains. I'm sure your cooks get all sorts of special requests and he probably thought this was just another customer who wanted to complain and had never heard of such an allergy so he just got lazy and didn't care. The waitress said he claimed to be sorry but it's quite obvious that if he was sorry he wouldn't have been lazy and done it in the first place. He should have made a new sandwich from scratch. To just wipe off the tomato and do a terrible job at it, is just an ignorant move for someone to make. It shows that he doesn't have regard for someone's life and shouldn't be working somewhere where a mistake of ignoring someone's food allergy could cost someone their life. For the record, the allergy she has is a latex food allergy. Also in that family are kiwi's, banana's and avocado. My fiance still ran her race yesterday and finished it crying because her stomach hurt so badly. I give her a lot of credit as I would have skipped it if I had her pain. But she finished it with a much lower time than she should have had and your cook and your restaurant robbed her of that performance she looked for. The months that she spent training for this race disrupted because a cook was too lazy to make a new turkey club for someone when he was the one who messed it up to begin with. I have been a frequent visitor of your establishment over the years but going forward you have lost our business and hopefully our friends and families business as well. All because a cook was too lazy to take 5 minutes to make a new sandwich.
(2)Camille O.
Awesome hidden gem across from the fish market. I ordered the lobster Benedict. It was delicious and the serving size was just right. My husband ordered a corned beef hash. It was so good it melts in you mouth. The potato side was also good perfectly seasoned. Cool place to chill and drink mimosas or beer.
(4)Jason H.
My wife and I went here to get our lobster on. And we did. The server was super helpful to make sure we got the most out of our Twinnies. The meal was cooked nicely and we enjoyed the live music too (it was Friday night). Fun, lively crowd. It felt a little touristy, which is OK since we were visiting. With the twin lobsters, two salads, and a few beers, we dropped $100 with the tip.
(3)Alison K.
So I reviewed this place last July, when we had a not so stellar experience..having waited nearly a year to return, I was hopeful. No such luck. This time we did get there early enough for breakfast, but the first thing I noticed was how underwhelming the menu was. The original Porthole used to offer such creative dishes and not skimping. The new Porthole is just not impressive. I paid $8.50 for below average french toast that was supposed to be cinnamon or cinnamon raisin and I tasted neither. I also find it a bad sign when you have to ask your waitress twice to refill your coffee. The bacon is limp and fatty...I never understand how chefs get away with serving that? Do they like limp and fatty bacon? I can't imagine. So why serve it? Sorry Porthole, I think this relationship is over. Not interested in returning which too bad since the atmosphere is terrific and the overall restaurant holds such promise.
(1)Joshua C.
This is the new and improved Porthole?! The dirtiest bathroom I have ever seen in any restaurant (or highway rest area for that matter). Not a good sign. Mediocre food and both of us had stomach aches after. Hipster greasy spoon? Methinks not.
(1)CJ K.
This is a simple place with simple food. Ask what's fresh and order it. Accompany with a cold refreshment and enjoy the sea breeze. Had the lobster roll, wife had fish and chips. Good value, simple food.
(4)Dre D.
Enjoyed dinner here yesterday. We asked the receptionist at the hotel for a local restaurant and this place was perfect! The baked stuffed haddock was delicious. Service was authentic northern service, just enough to make you realize you weren't in the south no more
(4)John S.
A tourists point of view here! Maybe not what you would expect but definitely not bias in anyway. The food is good here! The stuffed halibut was delish! The lobster roll, my first ever!, was good as well. I was interested in how I would like I because I'm not big on lobster, but I really enjoy this. However it wasn't very filling. The service was slow but it was strictly because we sat at the bar where the bartender was just overwhelmed with having to deal with all the waitresses drink orders and the people sitting at the full bar like myself. I would have enjoyed the New England clam chowder a little better if it wasn't so bland and had more clam in it. It was missing something! They need to fix this! For a place like this to be right on the water and have fresh seafood daily this should be one thing that is not slacking. I will be back!
(4)Susan W.
Great!! Will be back. Breakfast had good options and omlet was nice sized. The location and venue makes this a hidden gem. Lunch, dinner and bar choices seemed like something I would like to explore further. Outside or inside this place has great potential!
(4)Daniel M.
Stopped in with a group of 8 for lunch. They were quick to accommodate our large group and the service was spot on. Lobster roll was huge and reasonably priced. Steamers and mussels were of good quality and quantity. Twin lobster special for $20. What a deal! The sides left a bit to be desired but overall everything was delicious, plentiful, and pleasant.
(4)Andy S.
Yes the outside is funky. But the food was great. My wife and I stopped by on the advice of a local on our way home from Cape Breton Island. This was my 3rd or 4th Lobster Roll of the trip, and it was excellent - huge chunks of meat with a choice of 3 toppings - I opted for plain melted butter. House-cut fries. The Mussels were delicious, in a wine-garlic-tomato-thyme sauce that my wife wanted to drink through a straw. She had the arugula beet salad and was delighted.
(4)Rachael C.
Sat down and took 10 minutes to have waitress address us. Ordered waters and asked for menus and she brought back just menus and no waters five minuets later. Then did not come back, after 20 minuets with not even a water decided to leave. Very unorganized, no manager Around? would not recommend
(2)David A.
I don't know what the other reviews were talking about. Great service! And awesome food. I had the Porthole lobster roll with clam chowder and my wife had the chicken cutlet sandwich. All were fantastic. .. the chowder was the best I've had. The restaurant is located down a working dock type alley and overlooks what can only be described as Popeye's place... both of which added to the local rustic ambience which we really enjoyed!
(4)Colby R.
The Porthole is what you're looking for in a waterfront restaurant in Portland. Friendly local (read: very Maine) servers, great alcoholic drinks for breakfast, good prices, great food and you're right by the water! Try the lobster Benedict!! The only downside is we had it twice - once was perfection, once good. Seemed to vary by cook. Also, parking on Custom House Wharf can be a real pain. Highly recommended.
(4)Christine J.
There are no words for how terrible our breakfast was last weekend. The quality of food was terrible. I had the Casco bay omelette and the arugula inside was rotten. The potatoes were way undercooked. My husband had poached eggs that were cooked hard. My daughter had a breakfast sandwich that was barely cooked. It was disgusting. Service wasn't great. It was almost like they were doing us a favor by waiting on us. Bizarre. With so many wonderful brunch sports in Portland, we will not be returning. It's so disappointing because the old porthole was fab. I gave it one star because I can't figure out how to post this with 0 stars.
(1)Nick S.
Came here for lunch on a Saturday. The Porthole is in a great location (you can watch the fishing boats going in and out from your seat on the deck) and I had come for drinks the night before. If the drinks were my only experience, my rating would be a little higher. However we came for lunch; unfortunately there wasn't much to like. For one, the service was terrible. Not in the sense that the waitresses were impolite (on the contrary, they were very nice!), but that it took FOREVER. We got there a little before 11, and didn't end up leaving until close to 12:45. Way too long for lunch. On top of that, the food was just not good. This was the consensus around the table. Burger ordered with bacon and avocado came with neither, and when they brought it back the 2nd time the kid eating it had to remove the avocado because it was unripe and some pieces still had the skin on. The lobster roll was small, and my chicken cutlet sandwich barely had any flavor. The chicken had a weird drab color, with no crunch on the outside whatsoever. Just a 'meh' experience. Luckily we were on our way to the craft beer festival a couple of piers over, so the day got much better after this sub-par experience.
(2)Gary B.
Never dined at the old restaurant but I have to say whatever they did , they did it right ! I had the biscuits and gravy that comes with a slab of pork belly ..it was amazing !! The food is fresh and delicious ....oh deep fried bacon !! YES !! Price per portion was okay , I would of liked more for the price I paid but I think that was because the food was that good . I will definitely be going back !!!
(5)Karen C.
$2.50 shipyard drafts at the outdoor bar up the street from the restaurant and an outdoor seating area...what's not to enjoy? Also excellent people watching opportunity.
(3)Irene C.
This must be a Lobster dinner and lobster roll type of place. Met wonderful people from there at the Harvest Tasting Event. Onion rings from a bag undercooked fries burnt crab cakes some monstrosity calling itself bouillabaisse. I was totally disappointed ruined my Saturday night. Great location but dingy and the food is not great. Good news it's fixable with some effort.
(1)Craig M.
Came in because my wife used to love this place years ago when she lived in Portland. Arrived on a Tuesday morning and loved the cozy warf environment....we had the lobster Benedict and egg sandwich...breakfast was good and happy we came
(4)Jason B.
Food was good, but terrible service. My wife ordered a Bloody Mary that tasted like paint thinner. Asked to send it back and replace with a beer and was told "we can't do that, it's not a taste test. Next time pre-taste the mix". Really? Never been told that at a restaurant. They should try a new bartender. Keep walking to the next place on the docks.
(1)Wendy A.
We've been in Portland 3 days and walked by this wonderful place until today. Beautiful outdoor seating and casual atmosphere. Live music was fabulous. But, the best part was the chowder like velvet on your tongue and the perfectly seasoned "blue" fish tacos. Well done!
(5)Juliet B.
Went here earlier this summer on a Saturday night in July because we heard live music and wanted some entertainment. Go here for: outside seating, fair priced food and drink. Cash bar outside but they also do table service. My mom and I split a lobster dinner. Plenty of people watching--- young folks dressed for the clubs, old folks dancing to music. It gets loud/busy later at night (it was a saturday) out on the pier.
(4)Ed W.
I brought friends from out of town to this lovely place. It has Maine charm. Eat in or outside on the pier. Great scenery. The Turkey club was really good. Choice of salad or fries. Salad was excellent. Service from the kitchen was slow.
(4)Alyssa R.
We had breakfast here on our first trip to Maine. My husband had the biscuits and gravy which was like eggs benedict on a biscuit with sausage instead of ham and gravy instead of hollendaise sauce. I had the traditional eggs benedict. Both were very good. This place is nothing outside the ordinary but great place to sit outside and enjoy a delicious homestyle breakfast.
(3)Cassandra B.
Where to begin? We went to the porthole for breakfast, in search of the best breakfast place in the Portland area. My boyfriend had gone there before they got shut down and swore by their Huevos Rancheros (My weak spot)! It's a cute place hidden from the busy touristy Portland scene, down a little road. We walked in to about 10 workers sitting, standing and walking around. Uh, ok. No greet. We discussed sitting outside and somebody behind us who I assume worked there said that there was a host outside that would take care of us. The porch outside was really cool. My 4 year old son loved it. We even got to catch a glimpse a seal passing by. -- that was the best part of the experience. I ended up ordering the Steak & Eggs ( They had taken the Huevos off the menu :-( ) and the boyfriend got the Casco Bay omelet. My over-medium eggs came out very over-easy. So i pushed my plate to the side to wait for the waitress to take it back and have them fixed. My boyfriends omelet looked superb but the mix of goat cheese, grape tomatoes, arugula and the lemon hollandaise were way too much. Very acidic and the flavors just didn't go together well.. The lobster was delicious but the crab was borderline no good. You could get a hint of the ammonia scent that seafood gives off just as it's going bad. That being said, we also got the stuffed french toast with mascarpone cheese and blueberries. That was absolutely delicious. Also, the home fries that came with the meals were good as well. Fast forward, we're ready to go. We ask for the check, my breakfast still untouched at the corner of the table. I told her the eggs were too undercooked for me and she compliments my jacket and brings us the check, steak & eggs and all. My boyfriend is not the complaining type, so eventually I went in to talk to somebody. When I asked to speak to a manager, an older server walked around, talked to about 5 other people and finally brought back a young lady. She was nice and took $12 off the check but the damage was done. 1 star for poor service, poor food and poor management. The Porthole is currently my least favorite restaurant in the Portland area.
(2)Darla R.
Went for breakfast 50 minute wait eggs were so over cooked had a big brown scab on bottom
(1)Emily C.
Having read the reviews I was pretty excited for breakfast here. I gave one star for the setting, which is sunny and charming. The other star is for the casco bay omelette, which really was yummy with the addition of goat cheese. I cannot give any stars for service or value as there was none to speak of. I totally understand that restaurants get slammed, but the way your wait staff handles it either gets my respect...or not. If the oj concentrate has run low, you switch it. Don't serve watery drinks and shrug your shoulders saying it's better than nothing. They upcharged me for a cold, hard biscuit that was inedible, but the server took so long to come back that there seemed no point in asking her to change the bill, especially since she brought my credit card to the table behind us. We were just glad to get out of there will definitely not be back. The folks next to us- who so nicely noticed that I had just bought their breakfast thanks to this frazzled waitress, said they were local and have only ever come for drinks, and that that's all they'd be back for.
(2)Tony M.
40 FREAKING MINUTES to get appetizers !!! I guess from the recent reviews that this place is going WAY WAY downhill. We went here after noticing that it was on Triple D on the food network. We wanted to come for the breakfast but arrived to late. It was 12:30 on a Wed. and the small deck was pretty full as was the counter/bar area. We were seated immediately and our order was taken quickly. We were the only people sitting at a table inside. After looking over the menu we decided to just get a bunch of appetizers to share. SLOW , SLOW , SLOW !!!! We ordered 4 items - clam chowder , chicken wings , calamari & fish tacos. SLOW , SLOW , SLOW The waitress kept coming by and saying she was sorry, that she didn't forget about us and that she was getting on the cooks to get out order out. 40 FREAKING MINUTES to get appetizers !!! Did they make it all from scratch?? I'm sure the nothing special chowder was hot in a bucket and could have been to us in 5 minutes. The calamari was good as was the chicken wing. The chowder was just OK and as another reviewer mentioned- the fish tacos sucked !!! Tiny little crumbles of fish and a whole lot of cabbage and a not so fresh taco shell. So many better choices in such a great food town like Portland. Save your self some time and go somewhere else !! P.S. Not thier fault but the outside of this place smells nasty - across the street is a fish market and the dumpsters are fight out front smelling like rotting fish.
(2)Darren B.
I had the twin lobster meal. The lobster was fantastic and so was the price!
(4)David V.
I had the chicken cutlet and it was real good, but there wasn't a big selection of food. Service was poor
(3)Mike G.
Went to the Port Hole because we saw it onThe Food Network . The service was awful. We waited for over an hour......had to go get our beers and the waitress never apologized . When our food was delivered, we were informed that they ran out of clam chowder ....the only thing one of our party had ordered. We were also given someone else's bill. The food was bland and below average. There are many places to eat in Portland.....don't go there .
(1)Stephanie H.
This is for drinks only experience. Went here Friday night for happy hour. It was fun. Perfect weather.....huge outdoor deck. Great drink specials and a local radio station doing a game to get free prizes. We got a couple rounds of drinks here. It had a great mix of people right on the water. Only downfall is we thought the music would be playing during happy hour but it didn't start until 7pm.
(5)Matt N.
Twice I've been there and left feeling cheated. The first time was a Sunday afternoon for two beers and some live music on the deck. The first beer was $3.50 the second was $4.00. The only difference was the serving staff. When I questioned it I was told that's the right price. Second was yesterday, a steamer starter for $24 !? Steamers are about $2.00 a pound. It was more expensive than any of our $19 entrees. It did say market price to be fair so when I got home I checked online and three guys lobsters had them for $1.00 a pound, but I guess that doesn't include steaming them...not only that but the wait staff were terrible. Go try and ask what a seafood bouillabaisse is and see what they say! It's on the menu by the way and was cheaper than a steamer appetizer with a lot more seafood in it as well! Recommended for a beer by the water only if you get it at the bar yourself.
(2)Robert D.
On a weekend trip to southern Maine last month, we decided to have lunch at a restaurant in the Old Port section. Unfortunately for us, we didn't consult Yelp! beforehand and selected The Porthole. Our server, named Sara, was terrible and thoroughly ignored us most of the time. When lunch finally came out after almost an hour wait, the clams on the half shell were so miniscule as to be ridiculous, the house salad was nothing to brag about and the raw oysters were small with little flavor. To drink, we had a total of two glasses of wine and two ice teas at our table. When we received the bill, it came to $95.00 for such a small, tasteless amount of food and beverage. We complained to Sara on one of her infrequent trips to our table, but she refused to do anything about it and said only that she'd report our sentiments to the manager. I recently saw this restaurant featured on Guy Fieri's show and couldn't believe it! In reality, the restaurant looks like a dump, the service is terrible and the food is way overpriced for the little amount you do get. After our dismal experience, we found out that many of the other restaurants in the area charge between 30-40% less for the same amount of food. The Porthole is nothing but a tourist trap to be avoided at all costs! A filet of fish at McDonald's would have been more satisfying and I hate fast food!
(1)Portland Girl K.
I wanted for the newly renovated Port Hole to be great and it was a poor experience all the way around. We had a caesar salad which we sent back because the lettuce was brown, fish tacos (stale shell, mostly cabbage), and a hamburger that was so well done it resembled a hockey puck, fries were soggy and over salted. Our server was flippant and unapologetic. Can't say I would dine here again!
(1)Deborah R.
Saw The Porthole reviewed on the Food Network, so decided to have lunch there last Saturday afternoon while on a school visit to Portland, ME. the deck outside and the draft beers were great. Unfortunately two out of three of the food items that we ordered were disappointing. I ordered the larger portion of the Haddock dinner for $14 and received two very small pieces of fish. very disappointed. Our waitress recommended the fish tacos, which my husband ordered. the fish inside was not a piece of fish, but rather small flakes of fish covered by an enormous amount of tomato salsa. There were two on the plate and my husband encouraged me to try a piece of the fish. When I tried to get a piece of fish out of the taco onto my fork, it was difficult and clear just how small the pieces of fish were. If you love salsa and aren't looking for decent piece of fish, order these plates. My daughter ordered the small plate of fried native shrimp, which she did enjoy. Clearly the food and portions have changed since being reviewed by Food Network, so next trip to Portland, Me you'll find me elsewhere enjoying a seafood dinner.
(2)Luis A.
Great place for breakfast, in a working wharf. Lobster and Cheese omelet and Lobster Eggs Benedict.
(5)C P.
A great value for drinks and lobster. View off the port. $2.50 beer and Twin Lobster Dinner for 24.99 and a bowl of Mussels for $12! The dinner came wit red potatoes, half ear of corn, giant roll and a tub a drawn butter! It was so much food. The bowl of mussels was beyond our expectation in quantity. It was delicious with thyme, butter, tomatoes and garbanzo beans. Our server was super friendly and kept our beers coming!
(5)Karen P.
I was just there two weeks ago while on vacation. Set on the wharf and it looks it! Kind of a local dive feel. It's a big place with a huge outdoor wooden patio over looking the water. Best part of the entire place. I was able to enjoy my food while watching lobster fishermen unload their catch. Beers are cheap, with your most basic selection. There was a full bar though. The food was good. Though my friend was not impressed with the Roasted Summer Corn salad, I was happy with the fish and chips. Service is okay. I was there three times and it varied. We were forgotten about during a visit during a busier time. It happens. All in all, not a bad place. I'd definitely go again if only for the view. :) Also, parking is difficult around the area. I'd suggest leaving the car a few blocks up (there are 2 hour meters everywhere) and walking to the location.
(3)Nick D.
This place feels like a classic wharf fisherman's restaurant, set on a very wharfy-looking street on a wharf. We sat out back on the large wood patio overlooking the water. We enjoyed looking over the water at boats while eating. The only problem with this place was the service, and oh boy was it shite! My amazeballs girlfriend and I stood out at the hostess stand by the "Please wait to be seated" sign, along with 3 other people, for a solid 10 minutes, servers walking by the entire time, until one waitress came up and basically said just kidding, it's seat yourself. We grabbed a perch by the water. We then sat there 25 minutes until we had any further contact with wait staff. No menus, no waters, not even the drink order to stall and keep patrons happy while waiting. The wait was so long I think I saw some seagulls be born, molt, learn to fly, have a family, become old pipe smoking seagulls, and die from old age before we saw our waiter. The table right next to us had a lobster dinner delivered and they finished the entire meal, THEN even had the wait staff come by to pick up the dirty dishes before we were seen. The table to the right had their plates delivered and picked up before we were seen, and the boy at the table on the other side is getting his own ketchup and mustard from the wait staff station. Finally, waters. Then finally, beer and our order. The service improved once the calendar year changed over and we accidentally let them see us scowl like pirates. The food came, some salvation. Great local beers, really good clam chowder (not as good as Gilbert's nearby) and a fantastic wharfy lobster roll fixed worked to improve our impression. Four stars for the food and ambiance, one star for service = a generous three stars. If you're willing and don't mind dealing with the Crap service, give it a try as the food and wharfy ambiance were really enjoyable.
(3)Kate D.
Excellent price and lobster and view was phenomenal. Not fancy, but enough ambience and excellent food. Feels like a real Portland place.
(5)Xandy G.
We got the twin lobsters for $24.99!!! Best service, great staff, great experience. Outdoor seating is a must if weather permits.
(5)Claudio C.
I've eaten here many times and I personally find the food and ambiance above average. The harbor view is always nice....outside deck dining in the summer. Cocktails get a good pour....today the Maker's and OJ was just right. I had eggs Benedict with a side of hash. The hash was good, nice chunks of corn beef, seasonings, a little onion, and potato. The hash was grill pressed giving it a nice browning on the outside....it was good. The eggs Benedict was good also....not to thick of a sauce...with a touch of lemon finish...eggs were done well.....nicely poached...with a bit of a runny yolk. The potatoes were better....I never liked them that much before....but they are wedge cut and grilled nicely. Solid place....better than the several one star comments that...well....I just don't get.
(4)Lulu L.
We had breakfast here today, seafood omelet, and it was delicious! So much crab and lobster meat with fresh tomatoes and spinach. The Bloody Mary was great too. Good food with good prices.
(5)Lauren R.
This was by far the absolute worst food we had during our vacation. The lobster rolls while they looked amazing, tasted stale and fishy, and the steak in the salad was thin,overcooked,and pretty much mostly fat and gristle. Just save yourself and your stomach the hassle and go to Gilbert's Chowder House so much better.
(1)Mary S.
What a great lunch. Oh Lobster Bisque come to mamma. I also had crab cakes to die for. The place was packed. I came in the back way so missed the outside dining area and am now kicking myself for missing the beautiful weather and view. -- Lol oh well, it was much calmer inside and I enjoyed watching the cook try to feed everyone. It was amusing to watch. I kind of felt sorry for the staff. They were hopping and in the weeds since we were on a cruise and ported that day.
(4)Danielle H.
The food is edible, but honestly you would probably be eating at home or McDonald's. it is cheap, but still not worth it. Potatoes comes with every meal and there not good. My potatoes were cold and tough...tasted old. The bread on my breakfast sandwich was not toasted and it was cold. The bacon was cold and the egg was warm but lost in too much cheese. The service was the worst, but who would expect less with one server for 12 tables. She barely had time to take our order or give us our check. We will never be back and if asked about the restaurant I will ALWAYS ADvise against going!
(1)Krystle B.
This place is awesome. On a nice sunny day, hanging out on the deck. Live music, they were handing out free beers. Doesn't get much better than that! We were wandering the streets of Portland looking for a good day drinking spot, and this is it.
(4)Kelsey S.
Loved this place! I ordered the mussels and they were delicious! They were in a white wine sauce and the portion was generous. My parents both ordered the fish and chips and raved about their food. The location was perfect... It's on a wharf and there was live music.
(5)Art J.
This place is a dump. Watched the owner rip into a friend when he tried to point out that they had been overcharged on the bill. The owner was a typical rube and doesn't know how to even speak to customers much less keep them as customers. Bad service, got the food order and drink orders wrong. Absolutely outrageous treatment of customers. LOUSY FOOD, LOUSY SERVICE. This place as shut down by the health department for numerous violations including RATS!
(1)Chris P.
Not sure why this has 3 stars, it is definitely one of the better cheaper seafood places downtown. The view and seating are great and the live music adds a nice atmosphere at night. The food isn't standout although it is very good. I'd go here for a drink and some food any time I wanted to have a laid back night downtown.
(4)Ellie O.
Had chowder and bud light here. It was packed cause it started raining outside at a concert nearby. The chowder was very average.
(3)Ryan C.
(I didn't have anything). I went to the Porthole Restaurant & Pub immediately after the Portland On Tap (beer festival). The Porthole Restaurant & Pub was one of the sponsors of the event. Our ticket said that we could get 10% off immediately after the event. The Porthole Restaurant is located exactly in the kind of area another Yelp writer refereed to as Robin William's Popeye'esk. The beer event ended at 6:00 with thousands of people descending onto Old Port. I was disappointment that when my wife and I got there (7:30 P.M. on a Saturday), we were told that they were no longer serving food. WTF?!? I don't understand why they would close the kitchen so early (the place was packed otherwise). So I didn't eat or drink anything....I will definitely go back...but I definitely need to call ahead and make sure things are open.
(3)