Joe’s Boathouse
1 Spring Point Dr, South Portland, ME, 04106
Joe’s Boathouse Menu
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Brunch
Healthy Meal suggestions for Joe’s Boathouse
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Brunch
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Address :
1 Spring Point Dr
South Portland, ME, 04106 - Phone (207) 741-2780
- Website https://www.joesboathouse.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Bill S.
Took family here for dinner who was visiting from away after a day at Fort Williams looking at the light house. The staff was great & the service was excellent! Lobsters -( of corse people from away always want maine lobsters )-was cooked perfect and plated amazingly. The outside deck over looking the docks made for perfect atmosphere. Even more perfect were the Alagash Whites fresh of a new keg.....yum... :-) Thanks to Joe's for helping us make our family have a memorable day!
(5)Madeline M.
I'm a Maine girl at heart, so I ALWAYS have to make sure I get a good lobstah dinner before I head home to Ohio! My mom suggested Joe's Boathouse in South Portland because it had a great view of the marina and they had an inside seating area which we wanted because it was chilly out. Typical Maine! Making a reservation for 7:30 was a bit of an ordeal--the girl on the phone was quiet as a mouse. When we got there (at 7:30), our table wasn't ready and the hostess said it might be 30 more minutes. What?! Fine, so we sat at the bar and got some appetizers. Only, it took about 15 minutes before we ordered drinks, and WE had to flag down a waitress!! After we ordered, Joe (the owner) came over and talked to us for a while, which was neat. He also gave us a free rum punch that was accidentally made! Very nice guy. When we FINALLY got our appetizers, they were only sub-par. The mussels were well-made but the sauce was far too lemony for any of our tastes and the "fried" calamari was completely soggy. The clam chowder was good though! Our waitress re-fried the calamari for us, but it still wasn't great and it was too tangy. We finally sat down at our table around 8:00, one hour after our reservation. It took another 10 minutes for a waitress to come take our orders. I ordered a lobster (obviously!). Lobster is always pretty good to me, even though this one was a little over cooked. My mom got a lobster roll and said it was "pretty good" except for the bun. My aunt's fish and chips seemed to satisfy her! On a scale of 1 to 5, I'll rate each of the following categories: Service: 2 (we got no apologies for the calamari, the wait, or people failing to wait on us, but Joe was very nice) Food: 3 (there were two new chefs though, so maybe the food is usually better) Ambiance: 4 Price: 2 (WAY overpriced!)
(3)Kristi M.
I met a friend here for an early dinner and drinks. It was a warm evening and we arrived early enough to score one of the coveted patio tables. As much as I love the food scene in Portland (Old Port), one of the things that it is severely lacking in is great outdoor seating with fantastic views. I get that Portland is a working waterfront, but occasionally, you really just want a nice view with fresh air while you enjoy a bite. Summer in Maine doesn't last long, so it's important to savor every minute of warm weather! Anyway, getting off my soapbox, back to Joe's Boathouse. So, yes, I like the view here. It overlooks a marina with dozens of privately owned boats docked. In addition to the view, the patio sits right along a popular running path, so while you enjoy your meal, you get an occasional dose of interesting people watching. For dinner, I ordered a Warm Goat Cheese salad and Crab Cakes. The salad was exceptional! A beautiful bed of mixed greens tossed with walnuts and a balsamic dressing served with sliced apples and a large piece of lightly breaded goat cheese that had been lightly pan fried. It was a decent size as well and really probably would have been enough on its own for a dinner. But, I indulged in an order of the Crab Cakes as well. To be honest, I've probably been here 3-4 times and I think I've ordered the Crab Cakes every time. The quality and cost of a crab cake can vary widely from place to place. The crab cakes here are hearty and delicious, served over a bed of crispy potato sticks and topped with a tasty remoulade. Finally, I'd like to note that my friend and I lingered for more than 2 hours and never once did I feel like the server was trying to rush us out in order to turn the table over. She was also very patient in that it tooks us a long time to even order as we were spending too much time just gabbing rather than actually reviewing the menu.
(4)John F.
Excellent service. Excellent food, I had the crabcakes. Sat on the deck overlooking part of the Springpoint Marina. It's a busy place, but overall I had a good experience, and would like to go again.
(4)Elaine H.
Great beef stew and popovers. Popovers were as tasty as Jordon Pond's!!! The Thai salad awesome. So well thought out with a light peanut cream sauce Thai noodles over romaine. Sprinkled with carrots, cucumbers, red onions, celery, peanuts and toasted coconut on top! Oh, and a chili pepper. Service v good. Great view. I had one of the best Sangrias ever. Again, view of the harbor is nice. Great local place. See you next time!
(5)Patrick C.
Went to Joes Boathouse for breakfast. Had the Eggs Benedict, pretty good, tasty but served on the cold side. Same for my girlfriends Salmon EB. Our friend had the crab cake EB, said they were very good, not cold for hers Nice place, nice location by the water. Good service, good food, would likely go again.
(3)Cassandra P.
This place saved our night. After asking for many suggestions over waterfront places to have a drink and relax (4th of July weekend) we were told Boones (yah no). I walked in to Boones and walked right back out, after being scolded by a waitress about tables and reservation. Boones to me is a watering hole you go to for cheap drinks and live music. I got on yelp and found Joes boathouse. For us, having never visited Portland but being from Cape Cod and lived in Florida for 12 years I wanted a relaxing water/marina area. Little did I know there is really no where to get that on the fisheries side of Portland. So we grabbed an $11 uber and bounced over to Joes in south Portland. They said it would be a 45 minute wait but had an area to have drinks. So we got there, ordered a bottle of wine and just decompressed. When we were ready to eat they took us in straightaway. Chowdah - this cape codder approves! Gumbo - my boyfriend loved. The lobster was great with the mussels and fries and slaw - so much food for under $30! I had the lobster roll and it was delish! It was a bit buggy and they gave us bug spray - I mean really! True hospitality! It's not a huge place and the out door patio can only accommodate a few groups but if you are like us and don't mind eating at 830 you should be able to get a table! Definitely seemed like a local spot to go to and be next to the water! Totally recommend. Oh - order wine by the bottle. Mark up isn't too bad. You can take to go what you don't drink. I will say their wines by the glass could be better - hence the reason we did by the bottle!
(4)Alise K.
Great waitress, pretty good food. I really like their lunch menu better than the dinner menu.
(3)Sara G.
There are a lot of new hot spots in and around Portland, but I think there is something special about Joe's. I've been coming here for years - and always get fried calamari, which is AMAZING. I can say this with authority, and I don't say this lightly - when my sister made the decision years ago to become a vegetarian, giving up Joe's fried calamari was what she could not fathom, and so over six years later, this very serious vegetarian routinely makes her only exception for Joe's fried calamari. Add to this that it is an extremely generous serving - the appetizer can easily be an entree. My last visit, we got the salmon salad, fried calamari, and clam chowder. The salmon salad was good, but the fried calamari was still the favorite - big pieces of meat, friend with some sprinklings of cheese, over a bed of lettuce and great dressing. The clam chowder was also delicious - I like my chowder thick and a bit salty and this hit the spot. Prices are a little high - but for me, being able to sit outside, smell salt air, listen to the seagulls, waves and boats, makes it worth it. It is nothing like sitting on a crowded street in Portland - it feels relaxing and low-key. The wait staff is always courteous and friendly and Joe himself often makes the rounds in the evening. My only reason for not putting 5 stars is that I would love to see Joe's do some type of happy hour menu - I love getting a lazy late lunch there so I can linger at the deck tables and watch the dock, but on the days I don't want a full meal a smaller apps menu could be fantastic. Overall, this is a wonderful restaurant off the beaten path and the location alone is enough to make the trip worth it. (With the bike path, you can even bike there very easily from Portland!)
(4)Eli E.
Delicious food served by talented servers. Wonderful, fun atmosphere (not quiet). Wonderful view. We arrived in a storm with reservations for the deck. They somehow managed to get all the outside diners and the inside folks sheltered, fed and happy without breaking a sweat. I was impressed. Our party had two with allergies, and our server handled it easily. Her name is Nicole, and if you have allergies you should be so lucky to get her. She was knowledgeable, considerate, and on top of things, even with the tight squeeze mentioned above. They had made their own Italian dressing that night and I don't remember the last time I enjoyed lettuce that much. Yum. Met Joe and asked him to keep making that dressing and keep Nicole happy!
(5)Suzette M.
Mediocre at best. The menu and pricing suggest that this is a much better restaurant than it is. We had 4 adults and a 3 year old. We ordered a lobster roll, fish and chips, muscles and the pasta and cheese from the kids menu. The lobster roll was drenched in mayo, so much so that you could not taste the lobster. (Being a Maine restaurant, they should know how to make a lobster roll). The fish and chips had bones in it. The muscles were okay. The child's plate of pasta and cheese could have fed a whole day care, and was served much too hot for a child to eat. The service was slow, the waitstaff never returned to see how the meal was or to re-fill the waters, other tables that arrived after us, ordered before us and were served before us. Needless to say, we will not be returning customers.
(2)John B.
This was my second time visiting Joe's and overall the experience was acceptable but had declined from our last visit. The place itself is in a nice location in South Portland, right off the water. The view is great and there's pier-side access for those with boats. Our party of 6 had reservations and were seated immediately. However, it took about 10 minutes before anyone came over to take our drink orders. While the place was admittedly busy, they had plenty of waitstaff and they continued to walk past our group even when one of us politely tried to get the server's attention. Then, after we ordered drinks, it took nearly 15 more minutes for our server to come back to take our food order. All of this was on a Tuesday night! Not a great sign. Overall, the service was 1-star at best. Our table ordered the crab cake and mussels as appetizers. The crabcake was very good - golden and crisp on the outside, and moist on the inside. Served with crunchy potato sticks and a remoulade sauce. It was loaded with crab with minimal "fillers", and had a nice cayenne kick without being overly spicy. A solid crab cake. The mussels, however, were amazing. Fresh, plump, and succulent, they were cooked perfectly in a sauce made with white wine, butter, and saffron. Absolutely fantastic! We ordered more bread for the table since we could not allow any of that heavenly sauce to miss its way to our bellies! Our party ordered three different entrees; the Seafood Fra Diavolo was a mixed seafood dish with lobster, haddock, clams, scallops, and shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce over linguine. The seafood was fresh, the pasta cooked al dente, and the sauce had just the right amount of crushed red pepper to justify the dish's name. The lobster fettucine featured a generous portion of lobster meat in sherry cream sauce over pasta. The sauce was luxurious and the lobster cooked nicely. Finally, several of us order the whole 1.5# Maine lobster. Served with drawn butter and lemon atop a bed of steamed mussels, this is the definitive, purists way to eat lobster. Our lobsters were extremely fresh and delicious. Sadly, mine was a touch over-cooked; the claws were done nicely but the tail was a bit over-done. It did taste very good, it was just a bit chewy. Service: 1 star Ambience: 3 stars Food: 4 stars Overall: 3 stars
(3)Jess K.
Warm goat cheese salad was delicious! Large enough for two people to share. Clam Chowder wasn't anything special. We both felt it lacked flavor. He had the Seafood Fra Diavlo (over sautéed spinach instead of linguini) and loved it! I had the Broadway Provencale. It was good, but I think I'll try something else next time. Our waitress was great! Friendly, knowledgable and attentive. Overall great experience. Good date spot.
(4)Matt J.
I went with my family so I tried a few different dishes and we had two specials and the crab cakes. They were all amazing. They were all fish based foods so if you get fish you will be pleased.
(5)Becca S.
Went back to this place twice in our week stay! The lobster roll was delicious just make sure to ask to get the roll toasted. Small but great beer and wine list but a nice patio seating right on the water and very nice staff
(4)Jessica F.
Went on a recommendation, and was very pleased when I arrived. Great location, ample parking and a great view. In general, it was good, but not great. I stood at the entrance for quite some time before I was acknowledged. I asked to place a to go order, and was told I could browse the menu outside and someone would come take my order. They never did. I almost left, but was tired and cranky from a travel day for work. I went inside and placed my order, a salad and lobster fettuccini. My wait was long, but the hostess warned me and was good about checking in with me. Meal was okay. The garden salad was tasty with a nice garlic dressing, but had huge chunks of onion. The lobster was well cooked, but the sauce on the pasta tasted like plain cream, and seemed underseasoned. Prices were reasonable, and the food was good, but I'm not sure I would return.
(3)Ethan H.
This picture esc tavern is mediocre. The decor is warming and comfortable with a fire place good for cold winter nights. We had one main waiter who was zombie like and boring and a side waiter who was more friendly. I initially ordered a 2lb lobster but they didn't have it so I settled for a 1 1/4 lb lobster with mussels and fries served alongside it. It was great as lobster always is. Desserts were a hit as I had the flourless chocolate cake and that was rich. Prepare to bring a substantial amount in your wallet when you come to joe's. It is on the expensive side.
(3)Louise S.
My first lobster dinner in Maine, and it was worth the trip. Great food, friendly, efficient service, even though we arrived a half hour before they were supposed to close. I recommend you come if you find yourself in these parts. I highly recommend the New England clam chowder-delicious!
(5)Nancy H.
Service wasn't good, had to wait 45 min for our meal, my Ceasar Salad was awful, soggy limp greens and tough chicken. Needless to say, we won't be back.
(2)Diane H.
Two for lunch on at Tuesday, and we were able to snag an umbrella covered table on the rail looking out at the marina/harbor. Service was prompt and helpfl and our waitress recommended the haddock sandwich (over what she said was a very good chicken salad wrap). We were not dissapointed ~ the fried haddock sandwich with chips and cole slaw was great. I've had quite a few haddock sandwiches this summer and this one was one of the best. The coating on the fish was light and the fish was flaky inside. The bun looked very good, but I went sans bun for the full fish flavor. I'm usually a fries gal, but the home made chips were delicious - crispy and lightly salted. A small serving of cole slaw - not my favorite - but it was too small to really impact the review. Tables were far enough apart so that private conversations could be held. It was a great impromptu lunch and i would definitely come here again.
(4)Catie R.
Disappointed. Based on reviews, we decided to take my parents here for a special dinner. I made reservations online, and when we got there, the hostess stated they don't always check the online reservations. Nonetheless, we were seated promptly. But that should have been a warning sign. Our waitress was inattentive, it took a long time to order our food and we waited about an hour for our food. Although the scallops were good, the steak special was an unidentifiable cut of meat, the crab cakes were so so and the haddock was fresh but dry. The shrimp/lobster sauce was tasty but there was not enough to overcome the dry fish. I really wanted to write a great review but was disappointed. It was a very hot day, and we opted to sit inside. It was very uncomfortable as if there was no air conditioning. Maybe it was just an off night. ?
(2)Ryan C.
I have had 4 star experiences here as well as 2 star visits, so to be fair I will give 3 stars. I really like going here in the summer when you can sit outside on the water, it's ok when the weather is colder, but definitely not the same ambiance. The service is lacking at times, for instance you may find yourself sitting and waiting 10-15 minutes to get water, another 10 minutes for a drink order, another 10 minutes to get the drink, another 15 minutes to order and so on if your server has other tables with people she knows (they appear to be taken care of right away). The food is just ok, but the ambiance can make up for it. Unfortunately if the service is bad you find yourself thinking "why did I drive all the way out here?"
(3)Mike N.
Charlotte was awesome, I have never had a bad meal, the chowder is always good. Swordfish was tasty.
(5)Little L.
Service was horrible. Food was mediocre. I wouldn't go back. Was my favorite place years back and now I can't say anything super great. Has gone down hill for sure.
(3)Johanna C.
I have never written a review before but felt compelled after this really mediocre experience. We had reservations for 4 on Father's Day. When we arrived we were told that they had our table ready but could not seat us because the kitchen was backed up and it would be 10 minutes. After waiting 30 minutes we were seated. Our server although pleasant, never smiled and just seemed super stressed out. We ordered pretty simple entrees - Benedict, a couple of sandwiches and French toast. A good 45 minutes or more later we got our order. The food was not great. My fries were saturated in oil- shiny and greasy. My husband poached eggs were hard as rocks. Don't waste your time. What used to be a pretty reliable place to go for brunch has gone down hill.
(2)Renae O.
We had reservations for 10ppl today to celebrate Mother's Day with some family visiting from out of town. Joe's has always been a favorite of ours, but after today we won't be returning. We were seated promptly at 130 and our order was taken (omelette, French toast, lobster roll, nothing elaborate) after an hour of waiting our waitress apologized and said our food would be right out. After almost two hours of waiting I approached the manager to ask about our food and was told "I'm very sorry", but it's not ready. At this point I stated we would be leaving, and they let us walk out. Extremely disappointing and embarrassing. I've worked in he hospitality industry for years and this is one of the very worst experiences I've had, with no explanation and no effort of service recovery. Epic fail Joe's.
(1)Jimmy H.
My friends and I came into joes last week. The place had a few tables inside and some outside. We wanted to grab a few beers and celebrate the start of summer and boat season. Hostess told us to wait for someone to seat us. We literally waited for 5 minutes and there were 4 staff walking around and doing various things but not a single one asked us if we have been helped. It's not like they were busy. The hostess walked passed us a couple times and ..,nothing. Maybe they didn't want our business for some reason..,.
(1)Robin F.
I have never had a really good meal at Joe's boathouse, but my family and I like sitting on the water, so we usually prepare for some mediocre eats and a decent glass of wine or beer. Tonight, however, Joe's Boathouse hit an all new low. A LONG wait time for food, soggy, tasteless "fried calamari", a terrible burger (DRY!) for one kid, and disgusting fries for all! Plus, a ridiculously long wait to ever see the waitress, and more waiting for the check. The restaurant was not full either. Also, when we asked for some marinara sauce to dip our gross calamari into, she brought cold sauce. Who uses cold marinara?! So, yeah. I'm good now. And from the looks of other reviews here, it looks like I'm not the only one!
(1)Amelia H.
Joe's Boathouse is the total package for me. A beautiful location and delicious food. The restaurant is located right on the water and on nice evenings you can sit outside and enjoy the view. Even if you are seated outside, you can enjoy the view through the beautiful glass windows overlooking the ocean. The restaurant also has its own convenient parking lot which is free and always a plus in my book. We started with an order of the calamari and the crab cakes. The crab cakes were the best I have ever had, and I have eaten a fair amount of crab crakes over my life. The calamari was also well done. It was lightly fried and not overly greasy. It also had a sweet, oniony tasting sauce on it. Then came dinner. I have been here every summer for the last 5 years or so and the menu has not changed a whole lot, but it doesn't need to because it is so good. I had the lobster linguine, which as always was fantastic. My mom also had that. My husband had the jumbalaya, which he said was great. My sister and dad had the chicken pullo which they get every time. Of course, they said it was great. They have a good selection of wines, and they have some of the local breweries on tap. I had an allagash white which went lovely with my meal choice. The majority of the menu is fish/seafood, but they do have a chicken option and had a filet as well.
(5)Bernard G.
Fresh oysters. Good beer. Front row seat on the harbor. Nice evening with my girlfriend. I rest my case.
(4)Patrick C.
Had a fantastic lobster dinner. Best I've ever had. My wife and kids all enjoyed there meals. I'll definitely. Be coming back to Joes Boat House in south Portland next time I am in Maine. Parking is a little tough but worth the search for a spot.
(5)Connie C.
We took some friends here today for brunch. Good food but it was 1 hr. 15 min. before it arrived. Sunday is very slow, as this has happened before. Otherwise , good food and nice staff. Great location by the water. Lunch is also good.
(3)Tony M.
Went to Joe's on 4th of July and they let us in as they were about to shut down the kitchen. Great, friendly staff. We both had the lobster roll with fries and it was a very good lobster roll. The fries were just normal fries but I would go back for the great service and the lobster roll.
(4)Jessica K.
We took a chance based on Yelp reviews, & had a delicious meal! Joe's clam chowder was very smooth, if not hot. My goat cheese salad was excellent! We shared a special of scallop scampi over linguini with olives, tomatoes, spinach, & feta--very good. We came late & had a table in the window because it's not crowded. We'd come again!
(4)A M.
04.30.11 1800 Us: Party of 7 celebrating a friend's mom's 60th bday. Atmosphere: homogenous WASP-y. No diversity in sight aside from my beautiful caramel chocolate complexion. That's alright; this IS Maine afterall. Sounds of sizzling food, laughter, utensils hitting plates avidly made for a great back drop to restaurant conversation. Drink: reisling -- not sure of brand; but very good! Not to dry, not too fruity sweet. Appetizers: crab cakes -- decent to good. Kind of flavorless but the inner texture and outer crunch were appealing. Served with roulade sauce on a bed of greens and tiny fries. Entree: Thai curry scallops. OMG!!! The amazing texture, smoothness and flavor of the scallops was incredible. The sauce was mildly sweet, Thai/Indian-influenced and not too oily or heavy. Served over fettuccine with squash, zucchini, carrots and broccoli. I was definitely impressed. Service: lackluster. Our waitress had an obvious attitude--I've done hospitality; even when you have personal drama going on, leave it at the door and smile for your tip. From door to order was 20 minutes. Placed orders to receiving entrees about 30 minutes. Overall assessment: great company, good to great food, excellent wine. I'd return again when I'm back in town!
(4)Kris M.
Great food and a great view. This place was a little out of the way but I really enjoyed it. Our service was perfect, the waitress recommended some excellent dishes!
(5)Aaron P.
We were seated outside, but back in a corner without a view. The food ranged from ok to surprisingly bad, and the service, when there was service, was terrible.
(1)Paul B.
My wife and I ate here on a rainy evening a couple of weeks ago. We were a bit early for the dinner service, but we were allowed to start off with cocktails and an appetizer. The calamari were crisp and tender. Even the tentacles where tender which they often aren't when I order calamari at other restaurants. My pepper crusted, seared tuna was cooked perfectly. The pepper was sharp but not overpowering. My wife had the linguine with lobster and she loved it. The restaurant had a nice deck overlooking the Fore River with views of Portland across the river. Had it not been a cold rainy night, it would have been great to sit out there. The prices make this a place I wouldn't make a weekly visit to, but I would definitely go back for a treat.
(5)Amanda P.
What to expect: You can wear anything from nice, casual attire, to semi-formal. Could be a casual dinner, or romantic, or family (adults) dinner. It's a classy place but you definitely won't feel out of place in jeans and a t-shirt. I wouldn't necessarily bring children here because everyone else is probably going there for a nice dinner (i.e. paying decent money for amazing food and a gorgeous/peaceful atmosphere in the marina), but if you must, they won't necessarily be out of place either. I think they may have a children's menu. For example: One family next to us did bring an infant, and at one point the grandfather was clapping with her, and since it tends to be quiet outside, everyone was staring at him for a bit, waiting for him to get the hint. Definitely expect exquisite, well prepared food. One option each of chicken, pork, & beef, the rest of the menu is seafood. My review: Came here for an early dinner. They were no longer taking reservations at that point (about 4:30/5:00), so we just arrived hoping the wait would not be too long. We were seated right away and we even got a table outside on the deck right on the marina. Our waitress was very attentive and very helpful in picking out a fish meal for myself- a very inexperienced fish eater (ironic having grown up in Portland). She was very patient and explained everything. I ended up with a Tuna steak, well done, with a sesame glaze on top, garnished with pickled ginger, served over a brown rice pilaf. AMAZING. LOVED IT. My friends got a lobster, the Blueberry BBQ Ribs, and the Scallops in a yellow curry sauce. They all said it was great. We also had mussels for an appetizer, which were also great. Overall a peaceful and pleasant experience, filled with excellent flavors in a very relaxing atmosphere. A little pricey for me to be a regular (avg entree at about $21-$23), but I definitely will keep this on my special occasion list.
(5)Joe A.
I've been to Joe's on past visits to Portland and always had a good meal. That ended last night. I decided to go there again because I enjoy the view overlooking the harbor and wanted seafood. I ordered the mixed grille and wish I hadn't. The meal consisted of shrimp and scallop skewer, chicken sausage, a petite filet, mixed greens, and garlic mashed potatoes. My opinion, "not even a good effort"! The seafood was undercooked and had no sear. The filet was tasteless, the chicken sausage was disappointing, and "how do you screw up mashed potatoes and mixed greens"? You have them prepared at Joe's, that's how! I had a table by the window and all throughout my meal there was a lady at the bar who was exceptionally loud and just could not shut up. While I thought it must be difficult for the staff to ask her to keep it down, I was even more surprised when she moved from the customer side of the bar to behind the bar. I think she was the manager. I guess that explains why this place is now at the bottom of my list in Portland. Who ever took over this restaurant or changed the cook and manager should either try again or warn past patrons of the change. I'm sure that I've seen the last of Joe's which is disappointing because in the past this place was something to look forward to. I strongly recommend that you steer clear of Joe's Boathouse.
(1)Michelle C.
I took a little detour to South Portland in order to check out Joe's Boathouse, based on a recommendation from someone I trust with my tastebuds. The trip was well worth my while. I arrived at a marina and saw the sign for Joe's right away. A lunch crowd was settling in and I arrived just in time to snag an empty table that looked out on the water. The menu featured a ton of options, from soups and salads to wraps and sandwiches to pasta. Everything was very fairly priced. I had difficulty deciding between three items and called on my server to break the tie. She recommended the curry sea scallops with fresh vegetables, served over rice noodles and topped with fried wonton strips. Curry isn't usually my thing, but in the effort to expand my horizons, I rolled with it. Not long after placing my order, a huge bowl of deliciousness arrived. The sauce was creamier than I expected and had a nice flavor of sweetness balanced with spice. There were a bunch of large scallops, plus broccoli, carrots, zucchini, peppers and onions. The crunch of the wontons added an extra element that really made the dish. I was totally full before hitting the bottom of the plate, and I was one hungry lady at the start of the meal. Even now, as I type this review six hours after eating, I'm still not hungry! I definitely recommend checking this place out if in the Portland area.
(4)Samuel L.
I have been to Joe's Boathouse perhaps a dozen times over the last six-odd years, and it's time to spread the word. DO go to Joe's for superb seafood, excellent dish execution, a decent wine list, good service, not-over-the-top maritime decor with a nice view of the marina, and the lobster fettuccine alfredo. DON'T go to Joe's if you're expecting numerous non-seafood options. Joe's is superb. The food is the true hero; Joe's consistently has among the best clam chowder in Portland (I speak as a native Mainer). The southwestern chicken egg rolls are unique and savory starts to a meal, and the mussels appetizer barely qualifies -- I've built several meals on this curry, garlic, and butter delight alone. The main course options are varied, the specials are always excellent and creative, etc etc. If the food is the hero, the lobster fettuccine alfredo is Achilles. We're talking the better part of a solid 1.5 lb. lobster, tender and perfect, in a well-balanced and spiced creamy sauce. A wonder to beyold. It is...not a "light" dish, though -- keep that in mind as you order. Decor is nice, if a touch dark at times. I like the fireplace, and general natural wood and whitewash decor that bespeaks of maritime simplicity. Service is always good and I've never had a bad experience at Joe's.
(5)Angelo G.
Not sure what happened this place use to have good food. Simply awful.
(1)Joshua C.
Great for lunch/brunch. Way overpriced for dinner.
(3)Thor S.
The best chowder I've ever eaten. It's better at lunch because the clams are more tender.
(5)Monica L.
I liked the casual atmosphere, the view of the marina and the lemon curry sea scallops. One of my friends raved about the clam chowder -- that's what I'm having next time.
(4)Kelly C.
After looking online for a good place for lunch in the area, we decided to try Joe's Boathouse for their Spring Point Haddock Sandwich, which we found on their online luncheon menu listed for $9.95. When we ordered, we discovered that the haddock sandwich is actually $12.95, a 30% increase over the price listed online. We asked the waitress twice whether they could honor the online price, and were told with a shrug that haddock prices had gone up. As I write this, three days after visiting, their online menu still lists the haddock sandwich at $9.95. I expected better customer service from a restaurant of Joe's Boathouse's popularity. The restaurant was very clean, and the ambiance is nice. Food quality was only middle of the road. Waistaff kept water glasses filled, but were standoffish after we pointed out the discrepancy in their menu pricing.
(2)Claudia D.
Amazing view of the marina. Great service. Very good crab cakes and excellent chowder. I could do with a little less mayo on the lobster roll.
(4)Laura C.
We stumbled upon Joe's Boathouse while visiting Bug Light House in South Portland. Glad we decided to eat there. Nice views, good service and tasty food. The New England clam chowdah is wonderful - best ever. The lobstah roll was good but I've had better. Certainly a place I would visit again!
(4)Susan H.
A great location, but for the price, a so-so meal. I had a tuna steak and Tony had the special of pork ribs with a blueberry barbecue sauce, and while they were both fine, they really didn't add up to a $100 dinner. (No appstizers, one split salad and 2 glasses of wine. No dessert.) At half the price it would have been great,but for the price charged we expected better.
(3)FerryB M.
Crispy salmon salad was absolutely disgusting. Nothing in the dish went together, namely warm rice noodles under salad greens, the salmon tasted old, and the dressing was simply unpalatable. Service was unattentive. Didn't get napkins and silverware until we were finished with the appetizer, then we waited a half hour after we had pushed our plates away to get the bill. The only thing going for this place is the location.
(2)Seeley R.
Tourist trap. Go for the view, but it is cheaper if you buy a sandwich and eat it at Spring Point lighthouse, then enjoy a good meal in Portland.
(2)Allyson B.
It was sort of a bad day for us .... but the food was just ok. I ordered some Crab cakes and it was really good. My husband ordered the lobster bisque and while it was good, he had one later in the day that he enjoyed more. I loved the ease and location and think on a better day, I may have rated it higher. Our waitress was not friendly and it left us feeling a bit cold and as though she was doing us a favor to serve us.
(3)Libby H.
Awesome dinner tonight with a great friend! I can't wait to go back again! The waitress was great too! I think I've found a new favorite!!
(5)Emily A.
I've had many amazing brunches here. The food is fantastic and the menu offers quite a few seasonal offerings. The service can be a bit slow, but the place is fairly small and is generally packed. This also can cause some issues with parking but it's all worth it for the food. There's nothing better than having brunch here on a warm spring day, sitting on the deck mimosa in hand, watching the waves.
(4)lina y.
absolutely gorgeous view! average food service is fine
(3)John B.
Took a couple of clients for lunch, excellent service and the best clam chowder I have had in a while.
(4)Robert C.
My wife and I have late lunches at Joe's Boathouse frequently. Ou favorites are the muscles in saffron butter ( the sauce is so good and rich you need extra bread to soak it up). The muscles are perfectly cooked. The scallops are a favorite which are also cooked to perfection. I agree with another reviewer that the haddock sandwich is outstanding. So is the salmon salad. We have never had any problem with service but as I said we usually go for late lunches when the chef and services are unhurried
(5)Bob R.
I've eaten here a number of times and always enjoyed my meals although I do believe that last few times have gone a bit downhill. Of course, there's the view. That alone is worth a couple of stars but, alas, it was dark out so the slow service was more noticeable - I did order the half chicken which usually means a longer wait. Food was all OK. Salad had some overripe (mushy) tomatoes - better to leave them out. Chicken was on the dry side. Good crab cake. DC's liked the chowder. It was very slow, especially for a Saturday night (even in winter). Go in the daylight and, if the meal isn't quite up to par, at least you can stare out the window.
(3)Tom R.
I was taken here by business colleague who is also a local. He recommended the Cajun chicken and corn egg rolls appetizer. I agree. This is not to be missed! I had some delicious mahi mahi, which was also a daily special and not on the regular menu. The wine list is somewhat lacking. I had to get wine by the glass since my colleague is not a wine drinker, further limiting the selection. However, I was content with the Chilean cab sauv that I got. It's in a nice location and is not one of those huge restaurants that can be very loud.
(4)John R.
The restaurant was a terrific choice on a warm fall evening. As one might expect on the Maine coast the menu has an abundance of fish, but with a twist. We have the curry scallops and swordfish with chipotle benedict, which were both excellent. Then warm goat cheese salad with walnuts was terrific as well. They could do without the very pedestrian bread. Service was great and the food was largely amazing. One conundrum...why would anyone charge $24 for fish and chips?
(4)gary b.
The food is generally good but the prices are on the high side of Moderate . The dinner menu could use more choices as it is somewhat limited. They do have a nice brunch. The service is good and has a nice atmosphere. Nice location on the Portland Harbor and in the summer you can dine outside overlooking the harbor.
(3)Chris D.
I have to start out by saying that I really, truly wish I could give this place a better review. My wife and I decided to go here tonight to try the place for the first time. We came in, were seated and had some nice conversation while we waited for a little longer than I figured we ought to for our waitress to ask us if we would like a drink. I'd like to mention that the place wasn't crowded, there was a healthy amount of patronage but by no means was the wait staff being overtaxed. The atmosphere in the place was cozy and pleasant, and the other customers seemed like happy regulars to me. We got our drinks finally and the waitress seemed like she was trying to escape she ran away from our table so quickly, this would seem like the theme for the rest of the very infrequent visits from our server for the rest of the night until the end. The menu had a lot of great offerings, nice salads and apps, a pretty great array of entrees and a nice beer and wine list. Waitress came and took our order, again nice delay coming, race to get away. I had the crab cakes, my wife had the goat cheese salad. Wow, a nice hat tip to our chef, the crab cakes had a ton of flavor, nice presentation and the oriental noodles underneath added a neat crunch to them that was a pleasant, surprising difference from any others I've had. My wife's salad was pretty good too, lots of flavors there, maybe a bit overcomplicated, I'd sort of like to see them split it into two different salads, maybe an arugula salad with pears a nice sweet vinaigrette and the goat cheese, and then a mesclun salad with the port vinaigrette, the candied walnuts and the goat cheese, all together tasted great but was a little distracting for you to fully enjoy any of the individuals. entrees were served and the Thai curry scallops dinner I got was like a flavor parade in my mouth, so many flavors that all worked perfectly together and just the right level of intensity. Great job again chef, you are clearly pretty great at what you do. My wife got the haddock Gabrielle and she thoroughly enjoyed it also. She did say that the dish was a little bit dry and was a tiny bit short on the sauce which she says was incredible. Waitress hadn't been back since we ordered, well into the meal and my drink was empty, had been for a bit, her third visit came about 12 or so minutes later, she filled my drink and asked if we would like anything else. We were pretty stuffed at this point so dessert was a no, she ran off again and was back seconds later with our check, then ran off again (literally ran off, seriously?) then was back moments later to get the check, ran off again and then came right back. If this was how it was in the beginning or at any other time this would be a whole different review. Damage for the dinner and drinks was $93 and change. I really felt like the $12 tip I left was undeserved but I had to leave something. I would have happily tipped our server $25-$30 after the food if she was even remotely competent. Long story short (or long) this place has ok atmosphere at night (when you can't see the waterfront), great food, at least one terrible server (the others could have easily been better, I have no idea) and pretty high prices for a place that isn't spot on in ALL areas. I honestly wavered between 2 and 3 stars but couldn't give it 2 when I didn't know if it was just our server that night. Again, with good service this place could easily have gotten a 4, and a change in atmosphere, or the overall pricing would take a 5 for sure. I liked it but i don't think I'll be going back anytime soon, there is much, much stiffer competition here in greater Portland that deserves the patronage...
(3)