North Beacon Oyster

MidCoast Maine has many superb restaurants and North Beacon Oyster fits into the fabulous category. A small quaint spot in downtown Rockland that does not disappoint. We tried their Damariscotta oysters, shrimp cocktail, crispy Brussels, steak fritters, Parmesan fries, and fish tacos. A nice sampleing of delicious items and will be back for sure. Rather easy to get in during the Winter but can be more challenging during the touristy Summer months. Owners Eric and Amanda have put together a great crew serving up wonderful dishes…enjoy!

The food and bar area here was stellar! Kim was extremely knowledgeable and warm, the bar area was such a cozy place to enjoy a wonderful meal. The oysters were super yummy, the cucumber jalapeño mignonette was delicious. We also enjoyed the steak frites which had the best parm covered fries ever. Would eat here every night if I could. Thanks Kim!

This place was awesome. Our wait staff Tony was right on the mark. The food was excellently prepared. The Ceaser salad with calamari as the protein was finominal. My wife's burger sliders were so very good. French fries and coleslaw were the bomb. I had the pemiquid oysters which were very good. The sauce for the oysters was a little vinegary for me, however the classic cocktail sauce was spot on. The food was definitely worth the price. Overall A+ and a do again.

Congratulations! You just found the sweet spot in Rockland! The food is sooooo good and the service is lovely. I make a point of always having lunch here when in the area. Have a Vesper martini with your oysters and then go from there. All items on the menu are cooked with intention & love. Meals & service are rejuvenating. 💕 Sincerely, A born Mainer 💕

We’ve never had such an awful dining experience and it was terribly upsetting. The owner is RUDE and ARROGANT. We were both looking forward to eating here and would’ve never expected such a horrid experience. We got there early but owner said he’s running on schedule so come back. So we left and walked around the area. When he said this we felt he was a bit curt. Okay, we figured he’s busy so he flustered. We returned exactly 2 minutes before our reserved time & he seated us. Our waitress took our order promptly. She was a sweetheart but very flustered from a large table she had. My husband ordered a cup of soup and I ordered 1/2 dozen oysters. My oysters came fast, but no soup. We waited a total of 20 minutes for a basic cup of soup. My oysters were okay but the chowder tasted like dishwater. Our main course Cioppino and Fish and Chips was taking forever so we said something the our server who went to check. It was now almost a full hour and we told our waitress again….. That’s when she said that the owner was coming over. When he came over we said to him it’s an hour we’ve been here and no food. He was curt and said the food will be coming. Finally our food came and it was absolutely horrible. The fish and chips tasted like iodine and sour. The breading was flavorless and fries cold and soggy. I couldn’t eat it. My husband’s Cioppino tasted like someone poured bad tomato juice and threw pepper in it. It was awful. We informed our waitress about this and she said the owner will come and talk to you..again! He asked what was wrong with our food and we told him in detail. I also said we waited and hour…. He said “but you got your food”. That was wrong to say. I said to him bring us our check so we can leave. I said this several times to the waitress as well. He finally said dinners on him. I said I’ll pay for what we ate and he said no he’s covering the dinner and we could leave. But he was curt and horribly rude to us. We’ve never been spoken to like this before with such attitude from an owner. We were starving by now at 8:45pm. That’s 2 hours we dealt with this. Horrible place and not worth the hype. We did tip the waitress since it was not her fault. The restaurant is extremely small and is very loud.

Gem in Rockland downtown. Thoroughly enjoyed our meal, server awesome, met owner and the chef! Small dining room with excellent atmo, music well suited. A lot of seafood choices and a few land fare. Recent New menu offerings, lunch is also new. Haddock sandwich with pickled onion, slaw and parmesan garlic fries very good!

We were looking forward to dining here. The good were my cocktail and the chowder. The bad, well everything else. The service was as close to non-existent as possible, which was surprising as there were two servers and just about the same number of occupied tables. Beer was flat and had an off taste. Fried clams were inedible cardboard-- every road side stand in Maine does them better. Fries were soggy, and the "Parmesan" fries were soggy fries covered in what seemed like ranch dressing. Yuck. Coleslaw was bland and unappealing. When we said we were finished to the server she didn't even ask why we didn't even eat a 1/3 of our food. $100 wasted for lunch for two.

We've been here a week in Rockland, ME for a week and after finding out about North Beacon Oysters, had to wait a couple of days for normal business opening. But it was certainly worth the wait! We had a dozen, two each of the six types. What a treat over the southern ones we get in Florida. Not to mention that Kim, the very knowledgeable bartender was more like an everything sommelier! Note the before and after pictures. It's interesting to see how the shells change 😁

The oysters were excellent- 3 different varieties The fish sandwich was not very good. The fries were excellent the haddock chowder was tasty but almost all potatoes. I returned it for another try. This time the chowder had haddock in it!! The biscuit served with the chowder was excellent I had an italian mocktail- nothing special. Our waitress was awesome !!! The owner was very hands on & very pleasant. The restaurant is very small but was extremely crowded.

Service was amazing, zero complaints. Drinks, the espresso martini was out of this world. Food...let's just say I'll go back for a martini. Caesar salad was lettuce, plastered with cheese, with a slice of sardine on top, not a fan. Gnocchi and baby scallops dish was not very flavorful and I would have enjoyed a little more texture in there. For the hype, and price, I was disappointed.

The ambiance here is so beautiful, so artistic, so unique. We came during a very busy weekend, though despite the crowds, they kindly seated us close to their closing time and we grabbed a few small plates. The staff was so attentive, knowledgeable and kind. The calamari absolutely blew me away, that dish alone I would give the chef a James beard award, the flavor combo of the whipped feta, olives and calamari was just explosive wow, gave serious positano coast vibes. It was hands down the best calamari I've had on this earth! Thank you chef for such a wonderful experience. The oysters were delicious, the rockafeller oysters were the best we had in Maine the whole week!

North Beacon Oyster is homey and comfortable, and clearly a local favorite as it was filling up fast on the evening after an early spring storm. The bar was the perfect place for me, with a friendly bartender who made me a perfect martini. There's a menu up on the wall with the daily oyster choices: I opted for two of each and my favorite were the zippy, briny Johns River from the Damariscotta area. So delicious--and be sure to try some of North Beacon's house mignonette, made with cucumber and jalapeño! You can also get small and large plates, with an array of seafood options like fried clams, lemon shrimp, mussels, oysters Rockefeller, and calamari, and tons of raw bar choices--this really is seafood paradise! There are also salads, and larger plates with meat options, too. I was pretty hungry so I had the steak frites, which came with a delicious aioli and Parmesan sauce. And then for "dessert" I ordered another half-dozen Johns River oysters, because why not? These were some of the best I've had, and this place is top-notch.

Dinner on a Thursday evening in August so the place was popping. We started with oysters, one of each kind on the board. It was nice to see oysters from a couple of areas in Maine. Oysters are served with 3 different sauces. For dinner we shared three items- fried oyster sliders, mussels- and a spicy shrimp with rice cake dish. The shrimp and mussels were my faves. We had a bottle of wine with dinner and after getting through half a glass each we realized we had been served the wrong bottle of wine. We had ordered a more expensive wine and were having the cheaper wine. The restaurant handled this as well as you would hope. Once they realized the issue, our glasses were whisked away, new glasses appeared and the bar manager herself came and poured the new wine. Thank you, really well done. We tried the Pot d Chocolate for dessert, loved it. Great place, great food, great service and people.

Ate here on a recommendation from a local...the food and service were excellent. Definitely make a reservation, as people were hoping to get a table or seat at the bar the entire time we were eating. Another really good menu on the Main St in Rockland. If you like Oysters this is your place. Try the Aphrodite Oysters. Farm raised by a local woman and entrepreneur!

What a beautiful walk to this seaside location! Parking wasn't an issue, seeing I stayed at a hotel near by. The staff were welcoming and greeted everyone with a smile. Now the food.... Wow! They had many choices from small plates to larger meals. Their oyster selection was great from local areas and the little necks were sweet and fresh. The Lobster sliders tasted amazing but feel they could change the bun. I may have bias but feel a traditional New England roll is key. I highly recommend this place if you'd like a taste of Maine and some great cocktails.

Came here because we were craving fresh oysters. Sucky part is we had to wait until Wednesday when they were open. Worth it! Oysters Amazing. Shrimp cocktail super fresh. Really enjoyed the raw bar and our experience. The vibe here just a really good time. Our server Autumn really kind and personable as well.

We came here looking for a place without reservation and would be delicious. We were not disappointed. We had a somewhat wait but not long. With oyster in the name, we had to get a variety. We tried 4 raw oysters of 4 types. I can't remember the names but they were all delicious and subtly different. I don't think you can go wrong with the raw oysters here. The food was delicious and service was on point. What more can you want?

Overall a pleasant experience. The oysters were delicious and refreshing. The fisherman's stew had a variety of seafood which was satisfying and why I chose the dish but the stew was a little too sweet for my taste. The arugula salad was simple and nothing shocking. The strawberry shortcake was a good sized portion for the price and was slightly dense. Loved the service and ambiance!

After a disappointing dinner at Primo I was hoping all the hype about restaurants in Rockland wasn't just marketing. NBO was an absolute gem. We ordered Pemaquid oysters (super fresh, succulent, delicious) and calamari (an awesome combination of arugula, olives, feta accompaniment) that were both 10's. For entrees I ordered cioppino (crab claws, shrimp, haddock, octopus, mussels in a unbelievable tomato/fennel broth) and my wife ordered fish tacos (lightly breaded haddock on a bed of shredded cabbage with a a tasty sauce) that had us recommending these entrees to other diners. To top dinner was an apple compote over a biscuit with fresh crème. Good, but not as awesome as the rest of the meal. All of this in a lovely space, with great table service.

Ok. This place has over 50 5 star reviews for a reason. Excellence. Everything. Assorted Oysters. Brussels. Service.

Everything on the menu is AMAZING! They have small plates if you are looking for a light meal and entrees that are out of this world. Highly recommend!

Came for dinner. Ordered the nbo chop salad,Asian style Fried Brussels sprouts,Oyster Rockerfella. Fast friendly service. Plates are on the small size.

Three of us had a pleasant dinner at the restaurant - an informal cheerful place, with personable waitstaff. We started with sharing nine oysters: weskeag, nonsuch, and mere point, which were all good. (My favorite was the second.) Then onto a steak taco, a fish taco and a chicken sandwich. The first two were very good, but I would give the chicken a miss. We also shared a dish of Brussels sprouts with peanuts which was delicious. We shared a chocolate cake dessert. And washed it down with our choices of wine. It all came to $ 140. If we visit Rockland again I would return to this place for a meal.

We had oysters, drinks, and small plates to share. The type of food was more "foodie" than your average lobster roll joint but for the style it is going for, prices were quite reasonable and ingredients fresh. Loved the oysters and fried whole belly clams. Our waiter was friendly and quick to help us make reservations for 4, take our orders after we arrived, and check regularly on our progress and what else we needed.

Our entrees were fish & chips and crab toast. Delicious! Service was friendly and efficient. So glad we were able to eat here.

Crab Toast Oyster on the Half Shell Mussels Wow this place was fantastic. We walked by and peeked our head in during the day to get a reservation for that night. They squeezed us in at the bar. We had great conversation with bartender & other friendly diners. We came for the oysters which were sublime. The bartender made dinner suggestions that we jumped on. The crab toast was light delicious with subtle flavors not overwhelming the crab. The mussels were so delicious It was everything I could do to not pick up the bowl and drink the sauce. If I had to make a suggestion it would be to give more bread with it so one can lap up all that beautiful sauce. Home run, will be back next time I'm in the area.

We had dinner here last night for the first time. We made a reservation but decided to sit at the bar upon arrival. It exceeded our expectations .....great food ...great environment...amazing oysters......we can't wait to come back. We opted for sharing menu.....We started with Winterpoint raw oysters that were incredible and then we shared fried oysters, a caesar salad and Louisianna shrimp ....Shrimp were just ok...but everything else was amazing.....can't wait to come back.

This is one of my favorite spots in Maine. Considering I have been to most of the top restaurants in the state due to living here for nearly 20 years, that in itself is impressive. The bartender Jen was amazing! The food and service and ambiance was impeccable! Cannot say enough about the daily crudo, the oysters, all the salads and the amazing lobster sliders!!! Wow!!! Just an awesome experience!!!

I usually read 4.5+ ratings with some skepticism, but NBO is a 6 out of 5! We were in town for the weekend. Stumbled upon them late on Friday night and while they were packed and we didn't have a reservation, they squeezed us in. Holy crap was this a find! Every plate was beautifully balanced. Everything is fresh and they do run out of thing as they ran out of lobster on day 1. We were envious of the person who got the last lobster roll that night so much and that we made an earlier for the following night! Everything was AMAZING. We enjoyed the daily crudo, cioppino, raw oysters, lobster rolls, extra dirty martinis, stupid good garlic-parm fries, and somehow saved room for the blueberry biscuit dessert! We forced the owner to step out of the kitchen for some praise and he immediately stepped out of the spotlight and acknowledged the rest of the staff. The full team worked very well together providing us an excellent dining experience. I will make this a destination for future trips!

We really love this quaint little dinner spot. The oysters Rockefeller were absolutely delicious and so was the crab claw. The scallops in the gnocchi were very good but the gnocchi on the other hand the gnocchi was overcooked and turned into mush the second you put them into your mouth. The sauce was great though.

We had a fabulous dinner here tonight. Started with fresh oysters from Damariscotta and Bath. These local oysters are fabulous and were served perfectly with delicious vinaigrettes, etc. We then had fried oysters and crab toast small plates. Both were really good and perfectly prepared. For our main course, we had blackened shrimp gnocchi. Gnocchi is one of their specialties and they change particulars weekly, based on availability of local ingredients. This version was out of this world. Such a unique dish for culinary creativity! We also had great cocktails, including Black Manhattan and Aperal Spritz. Their bartender takes pride in making a great cocktail. Loved it! This is a small, intimate restaurant. It reminds me of top restaurants in the East Village (New York)) where chefs are creative, and everyone involved, including wait staff and servers, acts like an owner that is committed to making sure you have a great time. Our server was fabulous. GO HERE!

An actual Beacon on Maine St! Amazing food, comfy place, inviting staff, I could go on and on. Had a blast and will be back!!

This little gem of a spot is a great example of small town casual excellence. Great presentations of fresh local seafood. Non-obtrusive effective service.

This place has outstanding food and outstanding service. What a great place to enjoy some of the best oysters we've ever had (and we've had some oysters.) The owner is such a nice guy, and the staff are friendly and professional. They all create such a great atmosphere--we can't wait to come back! The oysters are fresh, tasty, briny, and bright. The chef features two beautiful minuets with them, one red vinegar-based, one rice vinegar-based. Both are delectable, each so different, yet so complementary to the oysters. We enjoyed a great Pinot Grigio from the wine list with them. Jen at the bar is just a pleasure. She's helpful, friendly, and doesn't miss a beat. The other staff members were great as well, so friendly and accommodating. Dessert was also a treat--strawberry shortcake: mascerated strawberries on top of a savory homemade biscuit with caramel and whipped cream. It was extraordinary. We look forward to coming to Rockland each year because of this place, just awesome. If you appreciate fresh, delicious food, go here. Thank you for a beautiful dinner and wonderful memories. See you again soon!

This place is fantastic. Fresh local oysters and fantastic seafood. I had the crab BAT which was delicious and the perfect sized sandwich. Everyone around me at the bar was raving about the crudo and the chowder. And don't skip dessert! The honey butter grilled biscuit topped with apple compote was the perfect fall treat. Rich, salty, buttery, and sweet... perfect way to end a meal.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Rockland! We hardly ever plan where to go on our Friday nights, so if NBO is a last minute decision with no reservation, gotta be there as soon as they open to see if you can squeeze in! Our preference is sitting at the bar where you can watch all the action, owner and chef shucking oysters/preparing meals in the open kitchen and the bartender hard at work filling those drink orders and taking care of the bar patrons! Of all the fried haddock sandwiches I have had, my absolute favorite is here! I never eat it with the lettuce and tomato (only a slather of tarter), unless I am at NBO! They use fresh arugula and it is delicious!! And the hand cut shoestring fries are so good!! I don't think I have had a meal here that I didn't like and the service is always good!!

This restaurant has everything - great decor, great food and great service. Loved the biscuit with honey butter. Not an oyster eater but the people around us seemed to enjoy them.

Fantastic meal-and totally unexpected. We were not expecting this place to be as good as it was. Oysters were fresh, chowder was delish, brussel sprouts worthy of trying to replicate. Chloe was our server and she was very friendly and attentive. Outdoor seating leaves a little to be desired right on the street but not much other space for it. Definitely worth the trip-11/10 recommend.

This might have been the coziest place in Camden. We were lucky to make happy hour that day and I don't think we regretted it neither. I believe that this place is tucked in nicely on main street across from a brewery/restaurant that was packed that night. The waitress was very helpful and inviting. The food was good too, but the drinks were creative and had a level of flair that made them almost stand out. If your in the area I recommend going for happy hour and staying for dinner.

So happy they were open because we were looking for a place to get raw oysters and this was the perfect spot! The oysters were fresh and delicious and the drinks were fabulous! We also ordered a couple of small plates, one was shrimp toast and it was delicious! We sat at the bar and the server was very friendly. The entire visit was very pleasant and I hope to be there again on a future trip to Maine!

What a fantastic meal we had! From the oysters to the starters (shrimp toast, oysters Rockefeller and the crudo) to the entrees (fish and chips, crab BAT and steak frites) to the dessert (strawberry shortcake)- everything was stellar. Oh, I forgot the cocktails! The service was perfect, too- friendly and efficient. Make a reservation because they are understandably busy.

Best fish sandwich I've had in a year. Started out with 12 oyster on the half shell which were served cold and very fresh. My companions both had fish tacos which were the best I've seen in a long time. They were given rave reviews by my companions. The peice of fish on my sandwich was humongous and probably was big enough for 2 people. A must if in Rockland...

The Crab BAT is truly awesome! And the daily crudo can be qualified as a Michelin dish

Excellent Haute cuisine style restaurant! I visited "North Beacon Oyster Restaurant" during COVID 19. The menu was not the same as normal time. I have to admit the I was not sure if I would like the food because the menu seemed so simple. I had many dishes including fish taco, shrimp Toast, crab sandwich, oyster slider, Brussels sprout and shrimp garlic. The food was awesome!! The fish taco was In big pieces in great quality, quantity. & tasty and the same for other dishes. We stayed in The Samoset Resort for a week this time. Our 5 th time in Samoset golf resort and I am sure that North Beacon will be on the top list for our dinner. Thank you for taking our advance reservation. So happy to find an excellent restaurant like yours!

This little place is a gem. I ordered the specials which were mushroom soup and a squid dish. Neither had flavor profiles I expected, but they were delicious and absolutely beautiful. I read the reviews about the fish and chips and couldn't leave without trying it. I told the bar tender (who was sweet as pie btw) that I felt guilty ordering the whole plate because I knew I couldn't eat it all, but I really wanted to try it. She told the owner and he was kind enough to have the kitchen just make me a small piece. Oh. My. Word. So. Good. I also grabbed the blueberry dessert covered in some dreamy mascarpone whip. (I think you get where I'm going with this.) The cherry on top of my experience.... the food is absurdly well priced. I ate like a queen and did a double take when I got my bill because I thought there had to have been a mistake. I thought I would have owed at least another $25. I also had the opportunity to chat with the owner for a bit... such a nice guy who just wants you to enjoy your experience in his restaurant. Needless to say, I'll be stopping in next time I'm in Rockland. I would recommend reserving this place for a group get together. It's a small intimate location, but bring your friends/family for a nice meal.

The mussels were plump and fresh. Had a good balance of curry, fish sauce, and lemongrass flavors. Whole belly clams were lightly battered and fried perfectly. Haddock soup and fish sandwich was ok. Good IPA on tap. We sat outdoors. No fault of the restaurant, but everyone at the table got bitten by mosquitos. We should've sprayed on insect repellent.

Food and service were fantastic! We sat outdoors on the sidewalk. Felt safe and respectful with Covid protocols. We had a 7:30 Friday night reservation and many of the dishes were gone already though, with a pretty select menu to start that was disappointing but understandable in these tough times. What we did eat was phenomenal: crudo special, dozen raw oysters, haddock chowder with biscuit, and fish'n'chips. One recommendation: some non-alcoholic beverage options to the menu to be more inclusive simple hot teas go a long way!

We called on 2/10/21 to ask if they were doing dine in and if we needed reservations. We were told no reservations and seating was on a first come basis. We arrived from out of town on 2/13 to be told it was order out only and had been for the past two weeks. I'm not sure how someone managed to not know this important bit of information. I generally don't leave bad reviews, but this can not be overlooked. I get Covid and all, but the misinformation provided seems pretty intentional.

Our server was super helpful and friendly! Food was amazing! We recommend the fish tacos for sure!!!

Excellent food and service. Small and quaint. We had fresh, perfectly shucked Glidden Point oysters and several small plates to share. Would highly recommend.

I never do reviews on yelp but this place was absolutely amazing-- across the board. Just go. You will not be disappointed. Get there early.

Nice surprise, great food and interesting menu. Wanted to try everything. Can't wait to go back.

Fantastic, fresh, delicious oysters! I will definitely be back! I tried Oysters Rockefeller too and they were the best I've ever had!

Stopped for an evening snack. I had a dozen oysters and a vodka rocks with olives. Both the pour and the oysters were excellent. The two sauces with the oysters were wonderful. My wife had the fried oysters and said they were the best she had ever had.

Everything was wonderful, the oysters, mussels, you name it it was good. The drinks were affordable and for an upscale oyster place, this dining establishment is more than affordable. Highly highly recommend.

Had to wait for a long time for a table but the food was very good. Halibut might have been a little bit over cooked. Will try again later this summer.

Make your reservations to enjoy the best restaurant on Main Street! We had fired oysters, steak frites, Crab BAT, and it was all delicious with great customer service!