Eventide Oyster Co.
Oyster bar restaurant · Portland
86 Middle St, Portland, ME 04101
Highlights
Brown butter lobster rolls, raw bar, and creative New England fare
Brown butter lobster rolls, raw bar, and creative New England fare
"Eventide Oyster Co is a seafood go-to in Portland, where you can spend an evening trying more than a dozen different local bivalves with accoutrements like kimchi and horseradish ice. You might raise an eyebrow at Eventide’s non-traditional brown butter preparation and steamed bun, but sometimes innovation is a path to greatness. The steamed bun feels like a happy marriage between the New England hot dog roll and a bao, the sprinkled chives add some brightness, and the pillowy soft dough absorbs the extra moisture from the browned butter without leaving it a soggy mess." - carlo mantuano, anne cruz, team infatuation
"Eventide Oyster Co is a seafood go-to in Portland, where you can spend an evening trying more than a dozen different local bivalves with accoutrements like kimchi and horseradish ice. You might raise an eyebrow at Eventide’s non-traditional brown butter preparation and steamed bun, but sometimes innovation is a path to greatness. The steamed bun feels like a happy marriage between the New England hot dog roll and a bao, the sprinkled chives add some brightness, and the pillowy soft dough absorbs the extra moisture from the browned butter without leaving it a soggy mess. It also doesn’t hurt that you can also order a few dozen excellent fresh oysters and a bottle of Italian sauv blanc while you’re people-watching at the bar." - anne cruz, carlo mantuano
"When you’re in Portland, there are two things you have to do: theorize about Stephen King’s childhood and attempt to eat your body weight in lobster and oysters. For the latter, head to Eventide Oyster Company, which serves some of the best seafood in the city. This small oyster bar near the East End carries 20 different types of bivalves, along with one of the best lobster rolls in town, which is served with brown butter in a steamed bun rather than the typical hot dog bun. Other dishes have twists with a similar spirit: the lobster stew involves green curry and the bluefin tuna tartare comes doused in nước chấm. This should be one of your first stops in town—there’s always a wait, but it’ll be worth it once you’re sitting outside with a cocktail in front of you." - alana dao 2
"A large granite nest of ice and East Coast oysters takes center stage in this small venue, where fresh bivalves and brown butter lobster rolls mingle happily with celery gimlets and doubly dirty martinis, awash in both olive and oyster brine. Of course, if you’ve already been to the Fenway location of this nationally acclaimed restaurant, consider a stop at Eventide’s sibling noodle bar next door, The Honey Paw, a delightful destination in its own right." - Stasia Brewczynski
"A James Beard Award–winning raw bar known for long lines and outstanding seafood, this restaurant is worth the wait for starters like halibut ceviche or bluefin tuna crudo and, most famously, the Brown Butter Lobster Roll: lobster meat bathed in a cooked-down blend of powdered milk and unsalted butter and served on a steamy, house-made Chinese-style bao bun. The roll’s popularity has inspired many imitators, but this original execution remains unparalleled." - ByBriana Bononcini
