Desi-Rae S.
Yelp
King Eiders is a must visit if you're in the Newcastle/Damariscotta area. Famous for their oysters farmed from the nearby river, everything is always fresh, flavorful, and generous. I eat here a lot and have never had a bad meal. I love lobster and their shore dinner is over the top. Local Maine lobster, mussels, cole slaw and fries. Can't go wrong. They are well known for their crab cakes and seafood pot pie. The menu is classic pub grub with an upgrade. Bangers and mash, steak, salmon all menu staples, or just chill out at the cozy oyster bar upstairs with a Guinness and couple oysters.
They have a full bar, signature cocktails and there is a nice selection of locally brewed beer and wine. You will always find a specials menu and a dessert menu. King Eider's has a pretty active social media presence you can find them on Facebook and follow for the pubs hours and specials.
The building itself is historic and oozes that classic pub vibe. The challenge with the building is that there are a lot of stairs - which some people may have a hard time navigating. The setting is cozy, it can get loud because the space is smallish. The outside dining area is neat and is a good spot to people watch.
Summertime this area is very touristy. There is a parking lot nearby that the local business share, parking on the street if you're lucky to get a spot, and the waterfront/boat launch across the street also offers free parking.
The pub is a Damariscotta go-to, always busy, service is friendly, and if there is a wait - it's worth it. I promise.