Dogfish Head Chesapeake & Maine

Dogfish Head Chesapeake & Maine: A Coastal Culinary Gem Dogfish Head Chesapeake & Maine truly stands out as a Rehoboth Beach must-visit, offering an exceptional dining experience that perfectly blends innovative cocktails with fresh, delectable seafood and hearty classics. From the moment you walk in, the vibrant atmosphere hints at the culinary delights to come. Their crafted cocktails are a fantastic way to start, showcasing creative mixes that are both refreshing and well-balanced – a far cry from your average bar offerings. The oysters are, without a doubt, a highlight. Sourced fresh, they're perfectly shucked and presented, offering a true taste of the sea. But the value extends beyond just oysters, especially with their incredible $15 lobster specials. This is an unbeatable deal for a perfectly cooked lobster that's sweet and tender. Beyond the stellar seafood, Dogfish Head Chesapeake & Maine also excels with its land-based options. The prime rib is a robust and flavorful choice, cooked to perfection, while their burger is juicy and satisfying, proving they can master both surf and turf. The overall quality of the food is consistently high, reflecting a commitment to fresh ingredients and expert preparation. Given its popularity and the consistently great food and specials, reservations are highly recommended. You won't want to miss out on this fantastic dining experience.

Food is great - highly recommend the crab dip. Dogfish is the beer on tap, obviously, but the cocktails are great too. The bartender also provided great service despite us coming in near closing time. We really appreciated it considering how we came into town late during off season, and we were so hungry.

We visited Rehoboth after 3-4 years and tried this place for dinner again. Kudos that they continue to maintain great standards. We tried the Walkin' After Midnight cocktail and it was just a lovely pre-cursor to an enjoyable dining experience. With the hefty Maryland crab dip to start with and then having soft shell crabs and lobster & crab club, was a tad too much....of good things. As a side note, we would have preferred less batter and garnishes on the soft shell crabs. To me, that affected the taste and texture of fresh crab meat. Something to think about. Alex, our server, was very enthusiastic and provided great menu recommendations.

We had a wonderful family dinner. The knowledge server took great care of the 10 of us. Everyone enjoyed their food and drinks. I had the dozen oysters with four 8 oz. beer samplers. Tried 3 varieties of oysters; the local Delaware oysters were hands down the best ones.

From my 7 yo: Everyone loved their food so much. It was perfect. We had to take the leftovers home because it was so good. We were a group of 4 adults, 2 kids, 1 infant. Food was delicious; fast, professional, friendly service; good for families. Brussels sprouts side was yummy, lobster was just right, French fries were great, tropical squall beer was the right choice.

We hosted our wedding reception at Chesapeake & Maine with a full Saturday night buyout, and it was absolutely perfect. The space had just the right amount of seating for our 50 guests, creating an intimate and comfortable setting. The food was incredible and the cocktails were top-notch—our guests are still raving about both. The staff was outstanding: friendly, attentive, and incredibly accommodating. A special shout-out to Jess, the on-shift manager, who went above and beyond during the planning stage and by providing an emergency kit (make-up touch-up) for the brides—such a thoughtful and helpful touch that truly made a difference. The entire evening was stress-free and seamless. We highly recommend Chesapeake & Maine for any private event or celebration!

We went on a not so busy night and it took quite some time for our apps to come out, this is a picture of the crab dip which had a 1/4 inch of oil in it. My soup was ehhh, finally received our crab cake dinner and they were ok but the homemade French fries were clearly cooked prior and sat for awhile because they were stale. When we mentioned the dip we were told the oil is from the chese, my suggestion would be use better quality cheese. I suggest going somewhere else.

We were skeptical, because we did not have a good experience (service and food) at their sister restaurant Dogfish Head Grill. But the food was really tasty and the caesar salad with the crab cake on top was one of the best and healthiest options on the menu. It did not disappoint! The crab and lobster club sandwich was also excellent and the server was very friendly and efficient.

We had a very enjoyable dinner at Chesapeake & Maine. Dining out in Reho has become pretty pricey, but our dinner for two (one entree, one app, one cocktail, one flight of beers, and one "half glass" of beer) came to a very manageable $60 before tip. Next time I want to try their sister restaurant right next door, where we can enjoy that same "out on the town" ambiance while splitting a pizza and spending even less. Walking around Reho on a summer night is always fun but now that parking is 4 bucks an hour, even that simple pleasure has become a pain in the wallet, if you're not a member of the upper crust. But I digress. Getting a flight was a great idea and the glass of 90 minute, fresh from the tap, was Dee lish. The monkfish bites were a pretty scanty portion but very tasty. The crabcake sandwich with fries, on the other hand, was a big hot mess which we lustily devoured. My gf's orange crush was a real treat too. The service was super friendly and gay as can be, as it usually is in old Reho.

cute place and very convenient to everything at rehobath beach. drinks were good, but bar staff was backed up, understandable be use who would've thought a weekend in November would be this warm and there would be so many people out. Not a lot of G/F options. i did have some oysters and they were great. not a lot of seafood options for a seafood restaurant tons of lobster variety, some scallops and that was about it. my son had the lobster, not great. overcooked and quite rubbery. we were a party of 2, had a reservation but did come in about 20 mins early. we were happy to wait but they sat us right away. we were sat in the back part of the restaurant where there was a couple large parties, seemed to be some wedding guests, we were seated in a two top in the corner of this room, as people kept getting up and down to hug and greet other guest from the wedding, we felt completly weird almost as onlookers, when there was plenty of room in the regular dining area, it just felt odd that we were back there. almost like we were in their private party area. Not sure i would visit again just due to the lack of gf options, but understand this could have also just been a flukey night.

I love dogfish head and wanted to love Chesapeake & Maine but the meal was a disappointment EXCEPT for the monkfish bites. Those were phenomenal. The orzo puttanesca and flounder was SO salty. Complaints at the table as to how overly charred/burnt the burgers were. French fries also hard and over cooked. Mushroom crab cake was.....interesting. Would recommend to pop in for a drink. Maybe oysters. Cute space - but meh food. Service was friendly and attentive.

Disappointing experience, mainly due to poor service. Ordered soups and sandwiches, and a kid's meal for our toddler. The restaurant was so cold that I was using my napkin as a blanket. I asked our server if the AC could be turned but I was told that if it was turned down at all, it would get too warm. (Even 1 degree?!). After watching the table next to us get their soup when they hadn't even ordered their meal, we asked after ours. She said she was waiting for the toddler meal to be ready...we asked for our soups to just be brought out because, well, we also wanted time between that and our sandwiches. She said she "had it all planned out." A moment later, it all came, so we had the fun of eating our soup and attempting to get our toddler to eat. And then, before we could finish our soups, our sandwiches arrived! I didn't finish the soup and couldn't finish the sandwich. And froze the entire time. (Bonus! Felt heartburn all night). Only pro - what I did eat of the soup was good. Lobster roll bland.

Was a lot more upscale than I expected, and I probably would have been happier at their other establishment. I did enjoy the live musician, and I wish I had got their name. Service was good. Our waiter was attentive. Everyone seemed pretty content with their food. The only issue was wanting more. All in all, it was pretty good. If I'm back in the area, I'll go next door though.

Terrible experience. We left. We came for the off-season special. Unfortunately what we thought was a seafood restaurant was serving beef goulash as their special of the day. So we decided to order off the regular menu. We were mistakenly given the weekend menu that had a low price lobster option so we ordered that but then we were told "oops we gave you the wrong menu." And then they proceeded to swap out our menu. The right thing to do would have been to honor the menu we were given. Very disappointing.

Woah how do you beat a $15 lobster special on a Sunday in the heart of Rehoboth Beach? We had some local oysters (fresh!) and salads. Buffalo cauliflower was a nice twist. Lobster was so fresh! Excellent service!

I recently dined at Chesapeake and Maine, and the experience was disappointing, especially for a Dogfish Head establishment. The Bad: Don't go on lobster night--I'll leave it at that. Just kidding... Here I go: The crab cake was full of filler and tasted more like mayonnaise than crab. As a fan of Brussels sprouts, I was let down by their version, which was burnt to a crisp, oily, and lacking any real flavor. To make matters worse, most of the other dishes were overloaded with salt, which drowned out any subtler flavors (except for the sprouts, which had their own problems). The Good: The lobster was excellent, cooked just right, and the scallops were delicious, though one was cold inside. Still, the flavor of the scallops stood out. The staff, however, were super friendly and helpful throughout the evening, and the beer was cold, which helped ease the sting of the meal's flaws. Overall, I left feeling underwhelmed and I had a stomach ache. While the service was great and the drinks were cold, the food quality just didn't live up to expectations. I hope for better consistency next time, but as it stands, I wouldn't recommend going out of your way for a meal here. I would for drinks and cocktails.

My favorite night is Sunday! Whole Lobster and Fries! Absolutely delicious! The servers are very friendly! They also have a very nice bar!

Loved this place. Great vibes. Loud and perfect for a social group. Food was amazing and so was the service!

We came on a Friday night in December and we were seated right away in the back. Their was a live musician performing. I sampled two beers and decided to stick with water but I did like the stout (black tag). 'My husband had "covered in nugg" and enjoyed it. For food my husband and I were each sold on the lobster club thanks to our server Ashlee's recommendation! It was tasty and unique. My husband loved it and I enjoyed mine but probably wouldn't order it again. The crab fries were delish and dipped in ranch were even better. Our toddler enjoyed the kids menu fried fish bites and fresh veggies. Ashlee was awesome! She usually works next door but didn't miss a beat and was happy to offer recommendations. I would come back and try some other entree options and seasonal beers!

Great night meeting up with friends for the Sunday Lobster special. We had a reservation for 6 people and were seated right away. Decor was bright and airy and the noise level was at a minimum. Our server JD was cordial and took care of us right away. I had an Old Fashion cocktail that was on point. Lobster was excellent and the side of Old Bay fries were crisp and tasty. We were never rushed and able to sit and talk with our friends after our dinner. All in all a great night out.

Had a great time at happy hour here with my wife. Much quieter and more chill inside than the bigger dogfish place next door. Service was also a step up. Good at both places, but more engaging here. We tried most of the happy hour food, and most of it was fantastic. The Brussels sprouts and bruschetta were my favorites. My wife liked the muscles. The only letdown for me was the fries. Not bad, but nowhere near as good as the ones I have had next door.

Great service and wonderful off-season Thursday date-night shared entree! Homemade ice cream and pastry to top it all off :)

Always make it a point to stop here while visiting Rehobeth! Theres a large bar with a raw bar off to the left where you can see them shucking oysters, etc. The staff is always kind and knowledgeable of the menu. They have a great drink selection. The food is phenomenal. I highly recommend trying the crab dip with their bagel chips.

Taylor was such an amazing server. We ordered the crab stuffed whole lobster with Brussel Sprouts and Green Beans. We also ordered a bottle of wine. The lobster was prepared perfectly and freshhh. The crabmeat topping was absolutely divine. It was creamy yet lumpy just the perfect blend of seasoning and not over powering. The wine was crisp and def what we needed after a long day of moving around. We ended with the Smith Island cake. The raspberry/chocolate combo was everything I needed plus more. And the whipped topping was to die for. I couldn't have asked for a better date night. Thanks again Taylor, for the superb service.

Good restaurant but not as good as next door. Crab dip, lobster roll were both good but the fried chicken was oversalted and in an impossibly large portion for one person. Service was quick but this was on a less busy weekday night.

Such a cute restaurant! Oyster bar in front and live music to set the beach vibe. Not too much seating so definitely make a reservation. Our server Mary was great, very sweet and patient with our party. The cocktail flight is so cute and all the drinks I got were very refreshing, not too sweet or strong. The lobster was such a good deal; $20 for whole, $25 for it opened. The sides are not included. Fresh and delish. The steak salad was perfectly cooked and had great flavor. We had ordered hush puppies as an app, but they came out halfway through our meal, but they were amazingly fresh, crunchy and the honey mustard sauce was to die for. Clam pesto linguine wasn't all that, but definitely recommend the fried chicken, burger and lobster.

Went for lobster Sunday... lobster was sweet., sides were just ok. Oyster were very good.

I was really excited to try one of the Dogfish restaurants on my 1st trip to Rehobeth beach. The service was ok but I was really disappointed with my meal - The Steak Oscar. I was excited to have some local crab on a nice piece of steak. When my meal arrived I actually thought it was béarnaise sauce as it was a very small portion (certainly not lump crab)...as I ate it a felt small pieces of shell ..on top o that the steak was not tender(Flank?).. I told the waitress about the shells "she said, well at least you know it's fresh"! Really? Not the right answer..also the meal had a lot of fingerling potatoes which were not listed on menu causing me to order fries as a side. She did take these off the bill but overall I was disappointed and would not recommend..certainly not what I was expected when ordering steak Oscar..a small portion of crab with shells and tough flank steak

Chesapeake & Main is a really nice brewpub which is part of Dogfish Brewing located in Rehoboth Beach. The service here was really nice as was the food. I've been a fan of their product line of beers for many years and decided to give this spot a try a couple of weeks ago. I started off with the Kokua IPA and, I did have a second. It was nice, light and refreshing. I opted for the Scottish Egg as an appetizer. I haven't had one in quite some time and this one was really good. If a soft boiled runny egg isn't your thing there are many other options on the menu to choose from. For the main course I chose the steak frites. The flank was cooked perfectly and the frites were seasoned just right. Overall I had an enjoyable experience. They have happy hour daily (I think) and they offered a couple dinner special which consisted of an appetizer, entree, and desert for $45. The waitress offered me that for a single portion but I chose to order from the regular menu. Definitely check this place out when visiting the area.

Always great food and great specials. The $12 crab cake is cooked very well. Doesn't come with sides but if you're like me I just add extra apps or get the mash potatoes! The clam chowder special is some of the best clam chowder ever. I really enjoyed the grilled oysters as well. Food is always great. And there are so many options, I love to go with a group who is willing to share! Service is kind and friendly, but it can get busy so you do have to be patient! Leave room for dessert, you won't regret the cheesecake!

Terrible service. Empty restaurant. Refused to seat because of a reservation an hour later

Awesome experience. Our waiter John really sold me on the "fish dog" (fish hot dog). I hadn't had one of these since I was in Belmar in 2012 at my parents' summer house. They added tartar sauce and extra salt to make it seem like it had some ocean brine and everything. Thanks for bringing me back to my childhood if only for a short evening

It's a shame. I'm a local. Chesqpeake and Main was a decent restaurant. But after their renovation the food went downhill. Go next door to Dogfish Head, same owner but much better options and food is much better.

Our meal was not good. All of our appetizers, hush puppies, fish bites were very dark. My mushroom dinner had no flavor. The burgers were actually charcoal burned black in the outside. The menu changed. Very disappointed.

We absolutely love all Dogfish establishments and Chesapeake and Maine is one of our favorites. Known for its seafood, we wanted to try it all. Everything on the menu sounded delicious. We ordered a dozen oysters (3 of each kind), mussels as an appetizer, the crab cakes, and steak frites with a lobster. They have all of the Dogfish beers and canned cocktails available as well as a cocktail flights. Great options for those that are indecisive like me. It's close to the boardwalk but just elevated enough to get a delicious meal

Our 2nd time there. Crab dip is the best we have had. $20 lobster has been great both times. Last time the fries were amazing. This time....super floppy and undercooked. The service is always good.

Stopped by during a recent day trip up from OCM and was glad we gave this spot a try! They are part of the Dog Fish Brewing group's restaurant stable. The interior is very beachy and the servers fun and attentive. We each ordered drinks and the flour of us split a bunch of appetizers around the table. The had a good selection of Happy Hour drink and food specials we took advantage of...Eddie's Delight cocktails, hush puppies, stuffed clams and Maryland crab dip. The hush puppies came out crispy outside and moist inside alongside a honey mustard dipping sauce. The stuffed little neck clams came with a slightly spicy ground pork sausage, peppers, cheddar cheese, bread crumbs and topped with lemon. Our favorite dish was the Maryland crab dip, a creamy, bubbling concoction served with bagel chips. This was a great pit stop during the day's travels...would love to come back and try a full meal!

Ambience: 9/10, beautifully decorated interior and exterior. Bar was very aesthetically appealing as well. As another reviewer mentioned there is no waiting area which was not ideal. Service: 9/10, server was warm and took good care of our table while bartending simultaneously!! Food came quickly as well. Food: 8/10, really appreciated the vegan mushroom cakes and the effort put forward for a more exciting vegan option! I didn't find the cakes oily as other reviewers described them; they didn't hold there shape well but the taste was still yummy. My table overall enjoyed our meals.

If you're looking for a slightly more upscale experience than the Dogfish head brewery this is a great option. They serve Dogfish beers and craft cocktails made with their distilled products as well as more upscale menu than their brewery counterparts. We had their mussels and lobster- both were excellent.

My 78 year old spouse has run several 1/2 Marathons in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It's held in December and we only missed last year because of a conflict with the fiftieth annual Honolulu Marathon. When we've gone to Rehoboth in the past, we tried for reservations at Chesapeake and Maine, operated by Dogfish Head Brewers. They have never failed us when seating was available. We did both Friday and Saturday dinner, being lucky having planned ahead and secured. Saturday night was sensational. My wife had the Clambake Basket which was as pretty as it was scrumptious. I ordered Steak Frites and added the whole lobster option. For me, steak frites' a special treat and i'm picky. When they ask how i want it prepared, i expect the server to both listen and comply. They did both perfectly. The last order of steak frites that I ordered was eaten in Paris where they invented the dish. It was wonderful in Paris. It was even better in Rehoboth. Menu, atmosphere, preparation, presentation and service were super. You bet I'm likely to do it again.

well ordered the crab mac and cheese, would of been awesome if there was crab in it. Another person ordered the crab cake sandwich, $2 cheaper and had 1,000,000 times more crab.... I'd come back but not for crabless mac and cheese.

First time there. It will certainly NOT make it on our list of favorite places. It seemed cool- more like overrated. Inadequately salted food, loud atmosphere. Burger buns were burned. Waitress was nice, but tried to talk her way out of the bad food. Would not recommend.

Raw oysters were great. Highly recommend along with a flight of cocktails. Also really enjoyed the mushroom cakes, although the coleslaw needs seasoning, such as celery seed, etc.

Both our hamburgers were well done and must have been sitting out for a while. Not tasty at all. We asked for one medium and one medium rare. Service was great though.

First time here and very disappointed. We came here to celebrate my mother's birthday and we got burnt hush puppies. The service was also lacking, but we were probably the only non white family there. The only good thing is that my mother's birthday wasn't ruined by this awful experience.

We enjoyed our food here so much we came back the next night. In the off season they have $12 crab cakes on Wednesday. They were very good and I ordered the lobster bisque and hush puppies with them. So yummy. Hubs had the steak frites. Also tasty. We sat on the patio with our dog who also enjoyed the frites and the treats from our server. They brought her a water bowl. We got there just in time to get a discounted cocktail during happy hour. I tried one of the rum drinks on Wednesday and the other on Thursday. Both very good. Hubs had the Pom Hanks and the lemonade. We liked the honey rum so much we bought a bottle next door. On Thursday we had the $45 for two special. It changes weekly. They served lobster empanadas, a Mexican style hake fish with mole sauce, rice beans and avocado and a pumpkin tres leches. We enjoyed an expression martini with dessert. The staff was super nice.

Come for the crab cakes and cocktails!! Everything was amazing, from the fries to the salad even. Try to call to make a reservation as the wait can be very long, but it's worth it.

Inspired by founder Sam Calagione's summers spent in Maine. Chesapeake & Maine is Dogfish Head Distilling Company's seafood & cocktail spot. With seafood sourced exclusively from the Chesapeake and Maine regions. As a James Beard Award semi-finalist nominee for 'Best Bar Program,' Chesapeake & Maine's inventive cocktails highlight their scratch-made spirits from the Dogfish Head Distilling Co. Chesapeake & Maine is involved with The Surfrider Foundation Ocean Friendly Restaurants Program. This program focuses on reducing plastic pollution and the carbon footprint of restaurants. They avoid the use of plastic/Styrofoam and ensure that their seafood is sustainably sourced. Although they are primarily a seafood restaurant, Chesapeake & Maine has options for everyone with dinner service from 4-9. While my wife and I both really enjoy seafood, it can be poorly prepared fairly easily, and many times even well-prepared seafood is just so-so. This was not the case with our experience! The food was actually very good! Chesapeake & Maine is currently one of our favorite dining options in Rehoboth and we look forward to returning here soon for another fantastic meal! The wait staff was also amazing and they had no issues despite how busy the restaurant was. You absolutely have to try the Maryland Crab Dip! Made with jumbo lump blue crab and the bagel chips! This was phenomenal!! The whole Maine Lobster meal was definitely something my wife was looking forward to and enjoyed it very much! I had the Maine Lobster Roll and it was great! The sides were awesome too, the house coleslaw, hush puppies, and "Old Bay" fries were definitely a hit! If you are looking for a great place for some seafood or a fabulous signature cocktail this is the place for you!

This place was delightful. Awesome apps and happy hour specials, all priced well and super tasty. You can't beat $1 oysters. Buck a shuck all day! We also had crab dip which was delicious and Buffalo cat fish bites. Super good. The only ok so so was the stuffed clams. Felt like all filler. But 3 for 4, good food, nice drinks and a wonderful waitress, like baseball, those are superstar #s Chesapeake & Maine..... In!

Clearly very understaffed so we waited a very long time to order and then to eat. When it came, the food was just ok. Polenta and Brussels were all very tasty, and the chicken was delicious. Crab cake was so-so, and several of the cocktails were just bad. Weirdly the menu was full of spelling errors. Staff were very nice and pleasant, but we won't be back.

Sometimes by accident is delicious. I had set up a dinner with friends midweek after the dinner hour at Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats thinking --- hahahaha -- thinking even in the tourist season a midweek night would find us ushered in to empty seats with glee. Nope. Totally nope. Place was jam packed and there was no chance in h-e-double hockey sticks we'd get to eat there... Soooo. Try next door. Chesapeake & Maine is next door. It was busy too but we nabbed two bar seats. I swear we're not twins but we ordered the same things. Monkfish Buffalo Bites. Lobster Mac and Cheese. The bites were suitably hot and tangy coming with the prerequisite Ranch and celery. Ah--yum. The Lob MnC was great with a cheesy-mustard sauce and dusted with Old Bayesque Panko bread crumbs. Good portions of lobster nestled amongst the seashell pasta. And we both had NA Samuel Adams' Just The Haze brews. Our tenders were very helpful and attentive. Overall it was such a delicious alternate. Go. By accident or otherwise.

Fried Garlic Reggiano Chicken used to be big piece of breast with amazing bread coating. Recipe was from chef's aunt. Today it was tiny chicken finger without the original coating. Super odd. Chicken is cheap around DE. Why the change?

Had a party of 7 and they were amazing! Had crab cakes, vegan crab cakes, oysters, hush puppies, greens, fish sandwich and Buffalo bites and I think a couple more things. It was all delicious. Came out hot and good!! I would recommend this place.

Excellent service and food! The staff were very accommodating to our group and dog. Everyone loved their entrees and the Brussel spouts.

Arrived at 8:20, restaurant closes at 10:00. Was turned away because... they didn't want to work til close I guess. Interesting business model. I would never go in the last hour by the way, but c'mon an hour and forty minutes is an acceptable time. Plenty of open tables.

Came here on a recommendation from a local chef for crab.... No crab. Ordered baked lobster from the weekly special. Very disappointed with the $20 baked lobster that had 2 bites of crab cake stuffed into a lobster with no lobster meet in any of the crevices. Beer was good and waitress very kind.

You cannot visit Rehoboth and not take in some delicious Dogfish Head. DFH is an attraction as big as the ocean! To miss this, is just wrong. No better place than happy hour from 4-6 daily, than here. It's an experience you won't soon forget. First and foremost, our server Gabe was the best part. He and the staff make this a must on a trip to the DE beaches. As if the beer, food and fun weren't enough? When Sam and Mariah founded DFH it was important that if the beer did not make it - the restaurant would. Well, both are put little Milford, DE on the map. The seafood is some of the best I have ever had. I highly recommend the oysters, clams and lobster. But the star of the show is the shattered dreams dessert with EDIBLE sand! You do not want to miss that. The cocktails are stupendous. When ordering beer, be sure to ask what is limited to the tasting room, as you don't need to get a 60 minute when things that may never be available again are on showcase.