Dennett's at the Wharf

Love the vibe of this place and could stay all day looking out at the harbor. I’ve been for brunch, lunch, and dinner and the food is consistently fresh and good. Esp love the blueberry pancakes and Caesar salad with homemade croutons and lobster meat😋. Everyone is super friendly and pleasant!. *The baked goods are also delicious!

In from Galveston TX to see friends. Mussells, hot dog and blueberry brie were really good

We had an amazing lunch here today. Madison was a wonderful bartender, super friendly and informative. A great host. Lots of gluten free options including a dedicated fryer. We had oysters, corn chowder, a crab melt on a GF bun with fries and Cole slaw, and the fish and chips. All were delicious! Spicy margaritas are also recommended. Beautiful space, both indoors and out. Definitely worth the trip from Bangor.

Small suggestion. I wouldn’t try that no waitstaff method again. It was our first time and I’ve never experienced such a cluster. 45 minutes for a hot dog. Having to see the host to order another beer. The line of people waiting to see the menu. So they could order. And on and on

The only restaurant in town that was peanut-free. Lovely hostess who took the time to check ingredients. Big plus is the fact that they make most of their own bread. Laid-back vibe with clean simple good food.

Dennett’s current incarnation is utterly delightful. Great casual atmosphere with incredible breakfast and dinner!! The blueberry pancakes are not normal— they are somehow a step above any pancake you have ever eaten. Excellent breakfast sandwich. Really a cornerstone of the Castine and Penobscot bay food scene. Bravo!

There is no longer any waitstaff, you have to order food yourself. My family ordered the fish tacos, and did not find them to be very good- they were drowning in some type of sauce that overpowered the entire dish. There were also flies we had to continuously swat away from our food. The prices we paid did not match the quality of food we received.

Food was excellent, from lobster to the cheeseburger my kid had. Service was not great. From the rude hostess at the door to waiting and waiting. Staff cannot be used as an excuse because there were lots, but they spent most of the time hanging by the bar. I wouldn't say it is priced appropriately either. Again, the food is good, the view is excellent but the service is non-existent.

Dennett's is awesome. They have great service, everyone who works there is friendly and the food slaps

Waited over an hr for food - didn't come until questioned about it Food underwhelming Will not be back Too loud

Lovely location on the Castine waterfront next to the Maine Maritime Academy. We came during inclement weather, and had to ask to be re-seated as our first table was very drafty and the protective plastic weather covering unable to be closed. At our second table we enjoyed watching the rain and yet could imagine sitting on the back deck on a sunny day. Service was okay and friendly. The food gave me a little bit of sticker shock, but we came for my first ever lobster roll. It was very tasty, but I really like tartar sauce and asked for a little on the side. Once the bill arrived I had sticker shock once more as they charged $1 for maybe a tablespoon of tartar sauce. I purchased a souvenir shirt (no sticker shock)

Amazing food/pastries and staff were so nice. Beautiful views overlooking the harbor.

Excellent at every level! Our dinners were superb! We are visiting from Illinois-anyone who visits Castine should experience your delicious smashburgers and lobster rolls!

Meh. Fish tacos underwhelmed and over priced. Chicken tacos were better than the fish. Self-service was excellent and Deck view was good!

Having eat at Dennetts several times recently I have found the food to be well prepared and excellent...I hope to eat there several times before closing in sept.The location is perfect for the Maine atmosphere

A lot of potential at this spot. A beautiful location and the dishes coming out of the kitchen looked wonderful, were reasonably priced given the ambiance, but the lack of adequate staff meant everything arrived cold and underwhelming and empty plates and glasses piled up on our table.This situation could have been addressed by limiting reservations or seatings to match the staff capacity rather than allowing an almost full house. If in the area, I would give it another chance maybe at peak summer rather than as they wind down for the season.

Great clam chowder and the absolute best damn lobster roll I've ever bitten into. Service was perfectly attentive and very pleasant.

Food was over priced and mediocre, the lobster in the lobster roll was like chewing on bubblegum, no flavor. Chips were way over peppered which i am a pepper lover. You must seat yourself, walk up and order your food individually, get your own water and utensils, there were no forks, you have to get your own drinks from a room temp water jug and no ice. It was like a school cafeteria, Bus your own tray and then they ask for a tip? For what reason? Besides bringing the food to the table you have to do everything yourself.

I was so pleased to see that Dennett's Wharf - an absolute institution for decades in Castine - is BACK and has returned to its original name. The new owners and management are clearly veterans at hospitality, and it was lovely to see some of the old favorites on the menu (get the crab melt!) as well as some new items (fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese was a hit at our table) and the lobster cobb salad to share was so tasty and satisfying. The share portions are great for 2 people, don't be shy to order them! Anyone complaining about seafood prices and the like clearly doesn't have a clue about what it's like to operate a good business right now and hire good staff/team members. Worth every penny and you know you're supporting locals in a coastal Maine community -- and I didn't even get to mention THE VIEW. A true Maine experience - 5 stars!

Solid waterfront restaurant. The setting was a 5, food 4 and service a respectable 3. My husband and I shared the hamburger and lobster roll. Loved both of them. Down East roll purists may not appreciate the tarragon in the mayo, but we loved it. Lobster was very fresh and cooked perfectly!

Fantastic dining on the dock overlooking the bay next to the Merchant Marine training Ship, The State of Maine. The only reason not lacks the 5th star in my review is the service and the clam chowder. The service was prompt but very cold, short and uninformative. Had to ask if there were any features offered? And other questions almost in an effort to drag out the information that should be offered...clam chowder? Was not NE Clam Chowder Chef needs a tutorial. Aside from that good experience

I've had several meals at Dennett's this year and was pleased each time. Also, I see many ***** recommendations from people from San Francisco (as am I). People who live in San Francisco have the opportunity to dine at some of the best restaurants in the country. We know food! :-) The cost of dining out has escalated everywhere (as has just about everything else), so you can dismiss those complaints outright. There is also a shortage of staffing everywhere, so patience with that is to be expected. Overall, It was delicious and the staff were courteous and professional. Highly recommend that if you travel to the Blue Hill Peninsula, take a trip to beautiful Castine and enjoy the village and all it has to offer. I am curious, Yelp, as to why the ***** recommendations are hidden.

The service was awesome. We sat outside and enjoy lobster rolls and a whole lobster. The service was excellent! We asked if we could shift tables because omg! It was too sunny ;) The staff easily complied -Made the trip worth wild Food was delicious , laid back vibe This is our second trip there. Both awesome

What an amazing change of pace - if you like amazing food - and I'm not talking about sloppy canned or fried out of the bag food - then you'll love it here. The food is well thought out and professionally created to suit the palate of both fine and modest diners. They provide family style dishes that can be shared with a few people. From their raw bar, especially the crudo, to their entrees (fried chicken, fish and chips, NY strip) etc.), you really can't go wrong with their refined take on family classics. You pay for what you get and what you get is quality, well executed food.

Eager to try this place. Overall pretty good. Ordered oysters as an appetizer but they came after the main courses. Not the most gluten free friendly menu but you can find celiac friendly offerings. Food was good but pretty simple. Ordered post dinner coffee, which never appeared except on the bill. They "fixed" this and split the bill. However they sent us the wrong itemized bill so we're not entirely sure if we got charged for the coffee or not. Overall will we go back? I'm pretty sure we will. Beautiful setting on Castine harbor. Food was good. Seems like new restaurant teething pains. Have to say staff was incredibly friendly, polite and apologetic for any miscues.

I agree with Veronica!! The family portion was enough for one. My 85 y/o parents had to split it and they don't give you an extra plate big enough for a portion. It was such a mess trying to serve it in two. They don't give you serving utensils either. It was absolutely nutty! My burger was greasy, well done (no choice) and cold as I had to wait 20 minutes for my parents food to arrive. Drove 45 minutes each way to get there. What a waste $115 waste of time and money. Oh, the waiter was fine. He gets the star. Thank you.

Run don't walk away. Menu is extremely limited and the items they have are "family sized" the waiter says 3-4 people can share. We got fish and chips..4 pieces of fish...10 FF $60. 4 of us left hungry after $110 tab with 2 glasses of wine and 1 beer

The wait service was adequate however highly encumbered by the inefficiency of the kitchen and bar staff. a simple drinks order for 5 took over 30 minutes. First and main courses came out sporadically over the span of 3 hours with the final main course to the table at 10:00 PM. Our seating was at 7:30 PM While we registered our disappointment with the waiter, the co owner came to our table with a host of excuses for the poor experience but offered no apology. All this after a $350.00 bill. Sadly the only restaurant in town but don't waist your time or money.

We had a glorious lunch at Dennett's Wharf. The orange wine, the oysters, the chowder, the lobster, the rolls, the salads, all so good. And the staff was so lovely. Can't promise you'll have such great weather, but I'm pretty sure the food will be great.

Lovely Castine restaurant. Excellent service and serving staff is very familiar with the menu. The outdoor deck is the place to be in the summer. My dog was allowed in outdoor seating.

This is a must stop in Castine - we try to get their every summer seafood is fresh great service and nothing like sitting on the wharf with a cocktail

A lovely restaurant in a lovely town. The clam chowder was perfect! Talk about jumbo shrimp; they were gigantic and perfectly prepared! Nice beer selection. Not sure who our actual server was because all of the young staff helped us out the whole time. Lovely view of the bay.

An excellent meal with an excellent chowder. The halibut was cooked perfectly. I have been several times and always found the wait staff very attentive and pleasent. It is hard for me to square my experiences with the negative reviews posted here. I would recommend you ignore the negative reviews and enjoy the beautiful setting ad great food.

We had a great meal for 3 at Dennett's. Lots of menu options. My lobster roll was the best so far during our Maine visit. The food was excellent, service was quick and the staff were super attentive. You can't beat the views! Highly recommended!!

This place is over priced and the food sucked never again it sucks don't waste your time or your money not at all worth it

On a wonderful trip to Maine from out of state we looked forward to a meal on the water. The food was wonderful! There were 10 servers all doing different jobs. The server we got never came back to the table and didn't offer water or remove plates or get off his phone. When management was told they said good riddance. This is not a place I would recommend on good faith that the patrons would get good service in this establishment. If he was a new server he should have been trained. Management said good riddance. They ruined my Castine dining experience.

Lunch menu is a bit abbreviated with limited selections of appetizers and meals. Our server was attentive and prompt. We shared a Bloody Mary which was just ok. Our other beverages were fine. We ordered a bowl of clam chowder which had plenty of clams in it and it was delicious. Our Jonah crab melt was way too spicy and we really couldn't appreciate the crab part of the sandwich . Another couple seated next to us voiced the same opinion of the crab melt. The manager stated they had only been open a short time since new owners had taken over. Overall we enjoyed the views and probably won't return any time soon.

We visited Castine today to find the most beautiful town in Maine! We brought our lunch and ate by the docks and then walked all over town. I suggested we go to Dennetts because it was such a beautiful day and they have the best deck to sit and have a drink. While there, we ordered the fried clam basket. First off I got a glass of Pinot Grigio only because it was $10 and I wasn't in the mood to spend more. I have to say, it was crisp and cold and a good choice. Husband's ice tea was fine. We got our drinks promptly and then our clams. Wow! They may not have been the biggest portion (not complaining) but they were the best fried clams we've had in years. Crisp, light batter and absolutely delish. If you come to Castine, don't miss this spot! Great service and beautiful ambience. I forgot to mention...I have to find out what sauce they use for their clams. It was fantastic. not your typical tartar Mayo base sauce. I need to call to find out!

Seven for lunch on an incredibly busy Friday in Castine. We had lobster rolls, crab melt, lobster bake potatoes and Stonington steamers. Everything was delicious! Great service, helpful and attentive. Highly recommend!

Great revamp of an institution. Menu is more creative an interesting while not losing touch with the core flavors for Maine 'dockside' dining. Really like the family sized portions. My wife and I have split both the fried chicken and the fish and chips and took a doggie bag home both nights. Service is much improved, and the waitstaff seem happier. Indoor space is cleaner and more modern, but still feels like Castine. We will be back!

Delicious. We started with the clam chowder, loaded with minced clams and minimal potatoes. It was a perfect consistency. Not overly thick. My wife described the smoked haddock hush puppies as something to die for. The coating on the fried green tomatoes was crisp and a great crunch that went very well with the pimento cheddar cheese spread served on the side. Be sure to stir the melted butter served with the steamers to awaken the herbs sleeping on the bottom of the cup and better blend with the steamers after you rinse and dip them. The serving sizes may feel relatively smaller compared to on the higher side of pricing, but in this period of hopefully the tail end of the Pandemic, with overall high food prices, it can be forgiven, as quality of the food has not been sacrificed or compromised. Enjoyed sitting on the wharf on a late summer evening for a cozy sunset. Beautiful views, worth the drive to this out of the way gem.