Damariscotta River Grill

Fantastic meal and service. Abby was our server and was informative and helpful. You’ll find many of the same items on other menus but their spin made the choices unique. Oysters were perfect, Greek salad delightful. Cornbread is the best we’ve had. Moist and flavorful. Our dining room required that we walk through the kitchen which was clean and orderly. How many places can say that? We will definitely be back!

Had the fish tacos, clam chowder and the mixed seafood(fish, shrimp and scallops) and fries. Everything was delicious. The clam chowder was so good I even forgot to take a picture of it. 😅 would definitely come back. The house was busy so it was hard to get a hold of our waitress, but completely understandable.

While visiting Maine we have ate mostly seafood and we are here eating and I had baked haddock. It is probably the best I’ve ever had . The rest of my family had other food on the menu and they all were pleased.

As my uncle stated, "moderately good restaurant." The service was a little spotty as she really should have written things down. She was very pleasant, just forgetful. I have a Gordon Ramsey streak in me when it comes to food prep as the shrimp was not deveined. For the price, I would like the shellfish to be cleaned. The oysters on the half shell were fantastic, but my uncle crunched into a piece of shell in his pan seared though. Again, the prep needs to be improved, especially when your menu is seafood.

I can't say enough good things about this place. Every year, we end our Maine vacation with dinner at DRG and every year, it's a memorable experience. The pemequid oysters are amazing. So sweet and delicious. The broiled seafood was a great way to end another Maine vacation. See you next year!

Had the lobster pallela it was pretty good. The orzo in the salmon dish was a bit too acidic. Mussels were fresh and cooked well in a nice broth. Price is a bit high for what it is. Will be coming back. The tuna appetizer was amazing.

Outstanding food, ambiance and service distinguish The Damariscotta River Grill and make it a must visit for foodies, art lovers and fans of New England. We were driving from Pemiquid Lighthouse to Salem and happened to end up going through Damariscotta, Maine. The town is absolutely charming, lined with charming shops that would be enjoyable to explore. Our goal was good food and we were so happy that we chanced upon this restaurant. It’s a 2-story building, renovated to have a rustic wood and brick, comfortable, and spacious feel. The walls are covered with paintings for sale by local artists and the upstairs has a large bar area where locals seemed to be enjoying their afternoon libation. Both upstairs and downstairs have dining tables. It’s a good size restaurant and we saw it filling up quickly while we dined. Be sure to make a reservation if you are planning to eat at a busy time of the day! We sat downstairs and had a dozen delicious oysters followed by entrees which included a wonderful salad, grilled sea bass, and a wonderful scallops and shrimp dish. The food was excellent! Gourmet and creatively prepared with attention to detail. We loved this restaurant and the attentiveness of the staff. We recommend this restaurant without any hesitation and congratulate the Damariscotta River Grill for delivering a 5-Star level of culinary excellence in a setting that makes you want to sit and enjoy the food, the art, and the day for as long as possible. Thank you Damariscotta River Grill!

Amazing food! Everything we tried was absolutely delicious! The seared scallops, duck risotto, and latkas with smoked salmon were all phenomenal, with really lovely and unique flavor balance. So glad we stopped here on our road trip!

First time in Maine and what a delight stubbling onto this local Gem. Exceptional seating on two levels in the heart of town.. Great selection of local fare try the mussels.. Our server was amazing ask for Jessica Z she will guide you through the menu with care. If your in Damariscotta stop by you will not regret it ..

We had a Valentines Day dinner here. It was the best dinner out that I've had in years. The service was great. My salmon was cooked to perfection. My husband's steak and lobster cakes were exceptional. We'll be going back and I highly recommend this restaurant.

Damariscotta River Grill had great food, and a great atmosphere. Our server was prompt to give us what we asked for and dinner itself came out super fast. These were the best scallops we had on our trip through Maine. We were pleasantly surprised by how delicious the risotto balls - served with the scallops- were. Don't get the tap water though...

The best meal we've had in a really long time!!! Our server was friendly and knowledgeable. I started with a delicious cocktail and then we had the mussels. I believe mussels should be served simply in a flavorful broth that doesn't take away from the star of the show. The garlicky white wine broth was perfect and the mussels were fresh and delicious! I ordered a glass of Malbec with dinner and it was lovely. I can't tell you how often wines by the glass don't taste fresh, but this was the best glass of wine I've had at a restaurant in years! Finally, the main event! I had the steak salad. The hangar steak was grilled to perfection and absolutely delicious. My husband had the seafood paella. The seafood was so fresh and the whole dish was flavorful without being overbearing. We finished our meal with homemade blueberry crisp! The perfect ending to a perfect meal! We live over 30 minutes away and have been eyeing this spot for a while! Now that we've tried it, we can't wait to come back! The prices are more than fair for the quality of food and portion sizes! Definitely make a reservation! This place has been around for a while and they definitely know what they're doing! Finally, the 3% kitchen fee was posted on their menu. Maybe it wasn't posted before, but it is posted now. We go out very rarely and are happy to pay fair prices for quality food and service.

This place is a hidden gem along the Maine coast. Beautifully prepared locally sourced delicious food, thoughtful service, and elegant presentation. Restaurant is in a vintage building with lots of ambiance, especially on a cool and rainy night. Very accommodating for my daughter's food allergies. Best meal of our week along the Maine coast.

Consistently excellent food with beautiful and cozy ambiance. Both upstairs and downstairs dining areas as well as bar seating upstairs. Having a full dinner with drinks can get pricey. However they have plenty of less expensive appetizers and specials. Also gluten and dairy free options are appreciated. One of the best restaurants in the area for quality food.

We had such an outstanding dinner with waiter Scott that we went back again the same week. The food is superb and they accommodate tweaks for food preferences and needs - so wonderful. Scott's service was excellent, professional, and above par. A new favorite place!

We had a super friendly and accommodating waitress who was helpful with my gluten and dairy allergies. The food was delicious as always. Prices have gone up but we are not surprised because that is the case everywhere!

We had not been to this restaurant in years and it has improved. Are the owners new? The menu is more interesting than it used to be. Mussels with "garlic upon garlic" was the best I have ever had. Duck confit with risotto was also delicious. Service busy but friendly and attentive, atmosphere casually elegant with lots of local art. We will return:

They have a hidden 3 percent Kitchen fee. Not displayed on their web site nor on their menu. After one week vacation in Maine, this is the only place to have such a fee. Their prices are very high and they are pulliing in enough money to void out this hidden fee. Be aware

Damariscotta is a great spot for big parties, they have the room to accommodate. The decor is pretty traditional New England coastal. Wine list is great and at a great price. Service was efficient and warm. We had the vegetarian french onion soup which we were SUPER excited about, and loved. The oysters were great. The Thai coconut soup was a bit disappointing, it was missing flavors and pretty blend.

Omg. Had no idea this place would be so good. Appetizers: lobster cakes--succulent, well seasoned and delicious. The corn purée on which they were served was amazing. Char sounds burnt ends? Omg. The best. So good. Could not stop eating. Calamari? Fried to perfection--not rubbery, Crispy And light. The paella? Perhaps the best I've ever eaten. Exquisite. So good. Service was good. Beer (Scottish Ale) was amazing. We had no idea this place would be sos good. 6 people, $60 bucks a person, so not cheap, but with every penny. Loved it.

We went here for a special occasion. Is was on the good side of OK. Didn't start well as the guy who took our orders was surly and not very welcoming (I think it was the bartender). The other waitstaff were great. The oyster first course was very good, with tons of oysters, maybe a little salty. For the main courses, my wife said her seafood fettuccine was excellent, my son pronounced his duck risotto as very good but not great. My Thai fish stew had all the right stuff in it but lacked much Thai flavor. The portions were very big and so were the prices. Spending a fortune on leftovers doesn't make sense. And at this price point, the place should have been excellent all around. I understand that circumstances have forced restaurants to raise their prices, but at over $30 per entree, that's a bit out of hand.

Service was excellent and the food was even better! We had burnt end appetizer and steak and crab cakes for our meal. Pleasant view of the river and overall great experience!

Dropped into the Damariscotta River Grill on a weeknight in August. The bartender and wait staff were wonderfully attentive and helpful. The food was fabulous (I had a couple of seafood dishes). I look forward to my next visit!

I don't know how this review slipped my mind. We came here for a very special occasion in August for my wedding night dinner with my newly married husband. This experience was beyond incredible. Not just because of the occasion but because of the remarkable food and service. We made our reservation in advance and we're aware it was cutting close to their closing time but the staff was very accommodating and we never felt rushed. The restaurant has a very cozy feel and I'm sure a beautiful view in the three story building during daytime. Located directly on the Main Street in Damariscotta near the River. For food we couldn't have asked for a more amazing experience. They accommodated my husbands allergies and he was able to get a bowl of french onion soup on this chilly night. They topped it with gluten free bread just for him. He also had a perfectly baked fish rice and veggies. I splurged on our wedding night and got the Broiled Seafood Plate. Every bite was memorable!! It comes with a taste of everything seafood including haddock, scallops, wild caught petit shrimp, a lobster cake, rice pilaf and mixed veggies. When in Maine... right?! We both loved our food so much. For drinks we both ordered a cocktail and enjoyed them throughly. We were also gifted two glasses of champagne by two women to celebrate our marriage(our attire gave it away). As if the experience wasn't lovely enough the restaurant gave us a dessert to go. There was no room after all the amazing food. I enjoyed the blueberry cheesecake on our honeymoon. Overall excellent experience and I would highly suggest stopping here for a special occasion or any occasion at all because it's that good.

The food and service was so bad it was almost amusing. Everything is frozen prior to use, clearly, and very overpriced for such shameful dishes. The hostess was incredibly rude and cold, and as it turns out she was one of the owners. I am really surprised at the positive reviews for this place to be quite honest. It was so obvious the wait staff was not happy working at this place, even the atmosphere is off. The other restaurants located in this town were good, especially for such a small and quaint area. If you want actual good quality food and atmosphere, just walk up the street. On our venture through places between portland and rockland, this was without a doubt the worst.

Went to Damariscotta River Grill yesterday and the service was subpar. I'm not sure if it was because we were a group of 9 people or because our waitress, Sophia, was only 2 days back to waitressing after being off for the last 2 years. But it seemed like she just kept missing things that should have been standard. 1) She asked the table what type of water we wanted, which was fine, but then didn't ask if we wanted any other drinks. We had asked for the breadsticks and ciabatta combo to be delivered, and when she delivered it, it was breadsticks only. We asked her about the ciabatta and she said she thought we only wanted the breadsticks. 2) We asked her to check with the kitchen if the shrimp was de-veined due to allergies, and we noticed she was hesitant about what that meant, so explained she can ask the chef and they would be able to tell her. We changed one shrimp order just in case, but she never followed up to let us know whether it was de-veined or not. (BTW - it's not). 3) When she brought out the appetizers, she didn't bring out any small plates first so we had all this food on the table, and were all waiting till the plates came to eat it. Same with the soup; she would bring the soup in, but we were all waiting for spoons. Same with the meal; we had asked for some additional plates, but they were only delivered after the meal had arrived. 4) We asked for an order of the seafood Alfredo with a side of fries and she explained that she wasn't sure if the kitchen would provide it, and then brought the pasta without it and left. We waited for her to come back to ask about the fries, but by the time she came back, we were done with our meal. We asked about it, and she said they didn't have any, but didn't offer any other substitutions - however, we noticed that the kitchen did have chips that they served other diners. 5) We asked for some boxes to take the food home, and waited a while,...then we noticed she came back in the dining room and was taking down orders for another table. We asked about boxes again, and they finally came. We still tipped Sophia because she had to run everything to our table; I just think that some changes would have made the experience better. Food was fine. Calamari and mussels were good for appetizers, New England clam chowder was tasty even if it wasn't as creamy or consisting of potatoes as we have had before from other restaurants. We ordered a bunch of entrees which were huge portions. Mashed potatoes side was good.

I stopped here for lunch with a friend yesterday. She got the blt with Cole slaw, I had the lobster cakes. She also got the panna cotta and I had the triple chocolate mousse cake. The food was very good, worthy of 5 stars. But the prices were high. It's unconscionable to me for a place to charge $18 for a burger that doesn't even come with fries (they don't have fries). You do get chips or slaw, but it's just a pricing problem. The dessert menu is extensive--I can't imagine any diner not finding something that appealed to them.

We were on our way back from Pemaquid Point Lighthouse We stopped here for a wonderful relaxing lunch. We ordered French onion soup that was so amazing, really cheesy. The potato latkes were really good but nothing compares to grandmas...for the main course we got the haddock and broccoli salad . The haddock was crispy on the outside and nice and flaky on the inside. Broccoli salad was just ok. We also ordered the crab and avocado bun this was the best .. the bacon was cooked just right and the sandwich was very delicious. To finish the meal we got the mocha which looked like something out of a magazine it was beautifully served. The blueberry cobbler was served warm with vanilla ice cream and finished off the meal perfectly.

Absolutely Incredible! We ordered takeout from Damariscotta River Grill and were pleasantly surprised! The food was fresh, well seasoned, and most importantly still warm when we sat down to eat. Duck Confit Risotto: Outstanding! It was so delicious I considered going to get it again the next day. The risotto was incredibly creamy with bits of butternut squash, duck, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds mixed it. At first, I was hesitant about having cranberries and seeds in a risotto, but it absolutely works. The duck on top was not only flavorful but falling off the bone. I'm salivating just thinking about this dish! A definite must order. Musscles Appetizer: Delicious and fresh. It hit the spot if you're in the mood for musscles and was more flavorful than most. Nutty Green Salad: Great combination! I really loved the sweetness of the candied nuts with the salad dressing vinaigrette. A great salad to pair with the rest of the meal.

The dinner opened with bread dipped in buttery olive oil (Greek?) and cheese sticks. Next, we had bowls of New England Clam Chowder. Loaded with potato, ham, and generous chunks of clam. Then, we were presented with hefty portions of seafood fettucini with massive shrimp and scallop on tender noodles and velvety cream sauce. The duck confit risotto did have fork tender duck leg and a pleasing emulsion of rice like a mac and cheese with sweet dried cranberries. Finally, my broiled seafood had a lovely lobster cake, seared scallops that bested those in the fettucini, sweet medium shrimp, rich salmon and flaky haddock. I would have preferred roasted caramelized vegetables and sweet corn sauce on the side. The dishes were rich in butter and cream and made the large portions feel even more generous. Paired with sips of Alagash Black on tap... decadent. Dessert was a glassy crackle creme brulee with close to perfect patisserie cream and a not too sweet mousse tort. The dining room had fascinating art for sale. We were quite taken by a few pieces. The servers cooperated well to take care of us even when the food was delayed due to an issue on the kitchen. On the pricey end, but elegant with solid food examples!

We stopped by for dinner on our way back from Pemaquid point. It was beyond disappointing... the food lacked flavor, drinks were mediocre, service was strange... all for ridiculously high prices. If a restaurant is going to be pricey, it needs to deliver... this place however is an absolute failure.

Food was disappointing. Oysters to start were not properly shucked and had a ton of broken shell. Calamari did not have good flavor and didn't care for the sauce it came with. A classic aioli would be better instead of an Asian sauce. My boyfriend had a scallop dish with a weird jumbo at the bottom with corn and sausage that we did not care for. I had the halibut special which was okay. I did not care for the maple pecan Brussel sprout. Especially in the summer. I think this restaurant needs focus on classic seafood dishes and use more in seasonal sides using produce Maine has to offer in the summer (both Brussel sprouts and asparagus were on the Menu and not in season) instead of trying to be unique because it isn't working unfortunately. There was a lot of rice pilaf on the menu which is also yucky. Chocolate mousse for dessert seemed like it came from a box. The waiter was also strange.

Very disappointed in the food after reading many excellent reviews. Service was great. The lobster cakes where more bread crumbs and veggies than lobster. The peppercorn encrusted tenderloins where overcooked with basically ground Dijon mustard brushed on them, did not find a single Peppercorn or taste of pepper. The duck dish was the only item we ordered that was worth getting.

I have to give five stars purely because of the staff. Wow. Everyone was so friendly and so attentive. Our waitress was LOVELY and gave excellent recommendations for what we should both eat and drink. All of it was delicious, and everything came out so fast! This is such a quaint little Maine town, and this restaurant is the epitome of quaint. The artwork on the brick-faced walls is gorgeous, and it's a quiet little respite from the hubbub on the street. HIGHLY recommend if you're in the area!

The food and ambience was so wonderful here. They have a few nonalcoholic cocktails which I always appreciate, and for my main course the chef made up a vegetarian thing for me which was one of the best dishes I had on my trip. Even the house salad was really special! They put care into everything, not a single course was subpar. Also a very beautiful location for a restaurant.

We used to come here quite frequently and enjoyed their varied menu and specials. Unfortunately, Covid and lack of staff have really degraded the grill. The menu is very slimmed down, and with items that are pretty run of the mill. The prices have gone up considerably - a steak salad is $32 - $10 higher than any other place in the area. Food was just ok. I can't say I would recommend this place over King Eider or Publick House - higher prices, and nothing special on the small menu, or better food (2 years ago I would have recommended the Grill hands down over the other two in Damariscotta.

We didn't know that when we stumbled upon this little town that we were in an area known for their oysters. Driving up the coast, we just happened to stop here for lunch. We ordered some comfort food on this chilly day, which were huge servings and delicious! After the fact tho, I encouraged hub to continue his "oyster tour" of Maine by at least ordering 1/2 dozen...just to get a taste. He ended up getting the LAST oysters of the day, and there were 7. (Because it had been raining, their oyster delivery was interrupted). Anyway, everything was really good, service was nice, and this is a great little place with a diverse menu.

This was the best meal we have had in some time! We started wirh the crab and spinach crepes which were fantastic, as were the bread with olive oil and the bread sticks! I had the haddock which was so fresh and moist and perfectly cooked. The house made tartar sauce was perfect with it. I donated my rice and veggies to my husband who added them to his with salmon. He said it was incredible, one of the best he has ever had! The waitress was very good and fun. We will be going back when in the area!

I just wanted to say thank you so much to the owners of Darmariscotta River Grill. I've not met you personally but I couldn't believe what you did for us. We love the River Grill and out of all the restaurants in the area you guys are always our first place to go. Service is outstanding and food awesome. There were three of us and we stopped in last Saturday around 4 sat at table 20, and order a filet, seafood fettuccini, and haddock. Everything was perfect. Except I found 3 bones in the haddock and couldn't eat anymore. This has never happened before. But I'm very nervous when it comes to fish bones. Had a bad experience with one. Anyhow the whole point of the story is. I mentioned it to our server just as a precaution, nothing else. I just thought it might be helpful for the chef. Well to our surprise our server informed us that you deducted the haddock meal off our tab. We couldn't believe it. We had to ask her twice that you guys really did that for us? Holy cow, that was unbelievable. I just wanted to thank you from the three of us for your generosity and caring. Just wanted you to know.... See you again soon.!!!

The waiter was so friendly and kind, it made the night enjoyable. We ordered fried oysters to start which came with a chipotle Mayo. I ordered the jerk season scallops which were cooked perfectly and the heat of the jerk seasoning paired well with the bell peppers and grilled pineapple. Great dinner after visiting the pemaquid point lighthouse

This place was so good we went back twice during our visit. The locals come here during happy hour so that told us this was the place to go. As the oyster "Napa valley" for New England we ordered oysters every way they had--raw and briny, sautéed in a heavenly creamy broth and fried. My husband had the best steak and he's from Texas so he knows beef. My sister had their horned devil jalapeño blood orange margarita and it was the BEST! For the pat 15 years we've been coming to Maine as often as we can and we always come to DRG! Their happy hour is our favorite way to sample the fare and talk to locals. Kudos to the chef and owners for maintaining delicious excellence over the years!!

A very quaint, older neighborhood bar. Great drinks at great prices during Happy Hour. The food was good, just a bit pricey.

Made a reservation for dinner here a few weeks ago for a friend's birthday. We were seated upstairs. I loved all the local art they had hanging up. Their menu is very seafood-heavy, which I would expect in this area. There were some non seafood options, though. Their menu gives you the option of ordering small plates or larger entrees. They even had a sort of create-your-own prix fixe option which I might consider doing if I went back. I ordered the duck confit risotto and it was delicious! The duck was falling off the bone, and the risotto was decadently creamy. There were also some dried cranberries, squash and I think (?) pumpkin seeds for crunch, but I could be wrong about that. I also ordered a old vine zinfandel that I loved. Another plus is they give you complimentary crunchy cheesy bread while you're waiting. Huge win. I would say the only thing less than perfect that night was our server. She was pretty cold and seemed unhappy to be serving a group. When we were finished, she plopped the check on the table without asking us if we'd want to split it up or not. Regardless, I think this place is a great option if you're ever around Damariscotta (like in a few weeks for their big pumpkinfest where they race in giant pumpkins as boats!).

We chose DRG because we wanted to try Damariscotta oysters. This restaurant offered different options. We ate upstairs where there is a bar and a great view of the town. We ordered pan seared oysters, latkes with smoked salmon, seafood platter and scallops. The oysters and scallops were fresh and cooked perfectly. The latke with smoked salmon was recommended by our waitress. It was different but delicious. If you like fried food, the seafood sampler platter is perfect. The salmon tasted like gas or whatever they cooked it with. The service was excellent. Good drink options. I recommend having dinner here then drinks across the street at the pub.

We stopped in on a chilly spring day and had a wonderful experience. The food was fresh- oysters were perfect. I had fried and raw oysters and the fried were light and crispy. Wonderful wine selection. Try the potato pancakes with local smoked salmon. Superb!!

My dearest cousin was in town so I suggested the River Grill. There were 5 of us and we ordered both appetizers and entrees. Everyone was happy with their choices, (I had the rare grilled tuna salad). We shared a bottle of wine and one delicious dessert. The service was excellent and my cousin was very pleased with our experience. Thank you River Grill!

This was a perfect way to start a Maine vacation! Come for dinner with a friend who also loves food like me. Our service was perfect. Not to fast, not to slow. Only complant was a lack of pepper mills in the restaurant and the waitstaff had to hunt one down. No big deal, they found one quick enough! The eats - Started with the calamari with the spicy Thai sauce. Perfection! Lightly breaded and not chewy. Sooo good! You also get fresh local bread and oil. Then dinner came. I got the broiled seafood dinner and she got steak. Ok - the steak was good. It is a skirt streak and they throw the mashed poatatos on the flat top to give them a little crisp - delicious! My seafood platter was more than I could have hoped for! I got salmon, cod, shrimp, 3 scallops, and a lobster cake! There were rice and fresh veggies too! There is a little bit of breading sprinkled over the top. It was amazing. The total bill with 2 glasses of wine was only $80 + tip. I would totally go here again!! Highly recommend

We came in a group of eleven, with a reservation and were seated in their back room behind the kitchen. Our server was smooth and welcoming, and we sampled a wide range of their menu. The food was excellent with dishes varying from salads to duck confit. We all were very happy with our dinners, to a one we would highly recommend this restaurant to you.

We've been meaning to try this place for a while and finally made it in a few weeks ago. The staff was wonderful. Cocktail menu is great with at least 10 delicious sounding drinks - Mai Tai was delicious as was the pineapple one. Would 100% go back for drinks. Wine menu seemed extensive. Beer menu is ok with some decent local hitters but lacked variety (almost all were high alcohol content DIPAs). The food was pretty mediocre. I got the risotto which I didn't love. Overall, we expected more of farm to table/ fresh feel with local Maine ingredients and this wasn't that... the menu felt kinda heavy and dated. All that said, we will be back to try again at some point.

Our third time here and the meal was off the hook. Just fantastic and our waiter, Ava, was working her last night before going off to college. She was bright and attentive. She actually cared about her job. Started with a Negroni and we ordered three appetizers: lobster cakes, tuna, and fried oysters. All really amazing. The corn chowder or creamed corn for the lobster cakes was like crack. I just wanted more. BTW, their bread and Parmesan bread sticks they make at the restaurant. I need those bread sticks! Dinner was seafood paella and seafood fettuccini with a bottle of Justin Cabernet. Both excellent. The mussels didn't come off in the paella. They never opened, so they were forced open at the table and were inedible. Not a huge problem. Blueberry sorbet for dessert. Sweet and cleansing. A beautiful time. Funny enough all the new places that we've tried this year had issues, but our old regulars are still just as good. The grill has great staff and great food.

I've been coming here every year for the Fourth of July for at least 10 years...and before that the Anchor Inn which no longer exists but was run by the same family. Damariscotta River Grill is always on point. Never a five star experience, never a 2 star experience...always somewhere in the three to four stars. It is consistent. Consistently above average. There is often a wait for a reservation, it seems people "from away" don't always like to leave their tables in a timely manner when they have an early time...or maybe it is just that we're always a big party. Either way it's not too bad. The flatbreads are always great for the table...I love the tomato and mozzarella one...get it every time, and we always get whatever the special is as well. It never disappoints. The bread...well actually the cheese sticks are among my favorites and I usually overeat on those, but that's only until my appetizer comes. I alternate usually between the Latkes which are average, the quite good caesar salad (seems to be a theme in Maine...places know how to make a good caesar), and sometimes another option. The main course is where DRG's follies most often occur. Either something is unbearably spicy or overcooked but I find these to be 50/50. I never send it back though since it is always edible...never gotten anything that is completely inedible which isn't necessarily true about other restaurants in the area (I'm looking at you "The Anchor"). This year my steak was overcooked, but last year I had an absolutely stellar swordfish. I think the best bet is to go with a seafood dish. There are two very important things you should know before making a trip to DRG. 1) They're well known for their oddball prices. 2) Their portion sizes are big. Following up on #2, nobody at our table could finish their main course. The paella, steak, duck confit risotto, everyone was too full to finish. You can definitely split a portion with someone else and both leave feeling satiated. The value proposition of DRG is quite good. You get a meal in a great town, in a nice atmosphere with food that hits most of the time, and you get all of this for a pretty reasonable price compared to the prices you'd find in a larger city at a comparable establishment. Sure it may be a tad bit expensive for the neighborhood, but where else can you find a multi-story restaurant over looking the water in Damariscotta? (Hint: nowhere) I'll continue to come to DRG every Fourth of July until either I stop going to Maine or DRG changes significantly from what they've been doing for decades. If you've only got one day in Damariscotta my recommendation is lunch at Fernald's Country Store, walk around, experience the town and then dinner at Damariscotta River Grill.

Damariscotta is a pretty town off the hectic Route 1. We had a wonderful lunch with fish tacos stuffed with fresh haddock and the beet salad. Friendly staff, nice ambiance, and a sense of real quality local food. Great experience!

Took the drive from Old Orchard Beach to Damariscotta at the recommendation of a dear friend. I researched restaurants and decided on Damariscotta River Grill, I am so happy we did. We arrived between lunch and dinner menus so we decided to have an appetizer of the calamari and a drink and wait for the dinner menu at 5. It was happy hour so appetizers were $3 off and drinks were discounted, but they sure don't discount the size of the drinks or appetizers!! We had the Calamari and it was perfectly cooked and so tender. When dinner time rolled around my husband ordered the tenderloin dinner, it was served with a mashed potato that was kind of baked , delicious! Tenderloin was perfectly cooked for him. I ordered the tenderloin with lobster cakes. My tenderloin was served perfectly medium rare as ordered, lobster cakes were the best ever and I had the potato and vegetables. I also had the french onion soup it was amazing also. After this amazing meal I had to try the blueberry cobbler with ice cream, great! Service could not have been better! It's a beautiful drive from Old Orchard Beach, I highly recommend this quaint little restaurant!!

Wow. Truly speechless. Who knew such a small town could have such excellent food. Some of the best gnocchi I've ever had. And and great selection of wines. 10/10!

Family of 4 had excellent dinners at the DRG!! I would put this at the top of your list for dinner in the area. The chef uses all local suppliers and you can taste the freshness in the soups, salads, entree' and desserts. The service was top shelf. We had Kendall as our server! She was excellent. Ask for her if you go. She is one of the best. I've owned two restr and would hire her to train my staff. We will be back. PS Kendall is off Tuesday's and Wednesday's.

Damariscotta River Grill was an excellent find last minute during our trip to Maine. We were searching for a place to eat on our way to Bar Harbor and jus happened to find this restaurant as we were driving by via Yelp. Reviews looked good and our experience made the stop one of our favorites. All food was excellent and service to match. I had the crab melt (best I've had) and bread served as appetizers with oil was delicious. Others in my group had the haddock sandwich, lobster salad and a pizza. All were enjoyed. Mixed drinks were spot on also. If in the area, this restaurant is highly recommended. We would love to go back if we get in the area again.

This meal was awful. And we paid a lot of money and waited a long time. My fish was inedible. It was as dry as canned tuna. No one really touches their food. Save money and check out other locals spots.