Side Street Cafe

The best cafe and restaurant in Bar Harbor, Maine. So grateful that we could have the table for 7 people, 30 minutes before the resto would be closed. The food was so delicious and affordable. I really recommended people to buy the bangin shrimp, the sauce was so delicious. The grilled salmon was so tasty. The waiters and waitresses were so friendly and fast. The restrooms were clean. Additionally, there was a bar after the resto was closed. Really love the live music and the drinks. Would love to visit side street cafe again.

Came to Maine off season and most everything in Bar Harbor is closed until 2026. We were fortunate to find Side Street Cafe open & we’re not disappointed. I started out with the Rodrick Street Corn & it was by far the best street corn I’ve ever had. Our waiter gave us tortilla chips to scoop up the corn and it was amazing. The Lobster Melt (pictured) was delicious, we contemplated ordering a second one lol. Overall a great meal for my first time in Bar Harbor!

The Side Street Cafe is a wonderful change from some of the other restaurants in the downtown area of Bar Harbor. We arrived quite early since we had a light lunch, thinking around 5:45 and had to wait about 15 minutes to be seated. For an appetizer we ordered the Rodick Street Corn with chips. The dish was fire roaster corn off the cob, zesty butter, lime, Old Bay crema and tajin (chili spice that was a bit mild). The dish was very good. Having the chips to scoop up the corn was better than using a spoon. For dinner my partner and I both ordered the original Mac & Cheese with a parsley garnish. The Mac & Cheese was very creamy and just awesome. Darn good Mac & Cheese. Service is fantastic, great spot for dinner.

Pet friendly which is super handy. The staff didn't seem super friendly, but they were efficient which was fine. The food was good. My husband had the burger and it needed some more seasoning and we tried the lobster quesadilla (which sounds ridiculous) but it was so tasty. The sauce and guac made it perfect. The haddock fish tacos were also tasty. I didn't care for the clam chowder but I think that is just a personal preference.

Extremely expensive. This place was noisy and the food mediocre. I haven’t yet found a decent place to eat in Bar Harbor. Still searching. The lobster, although edible, perhaps weighed 4 ounces. The lobster tail looked to me the size they typically discard when fishing, which leads me to wonder where they actually got the lobster. The steak was under-cooked and contained gristle. The fries were nothing to write home about.

We ordered lobster mac and cheese, salmon, sweet potato fries and a drink. Food was generally quite tasty and served warm but small portion. Mac & cheese was in right proportion, cheese not too rich or light. Yet, a bit disappointed on lobster which was cold and cut into small pieces (was that the lobster from lobster roll?)...

We were recommended this place by a friend and were absolutely satisfied! Our server, Harmony, was so friendly and interactive with all of her tables despite the restaurant being completely full. Our food was delivered quickly and tasted divine, we had the lobster roll, some mac and cheese, and one of their salads (which are huge!!) My husband was absolutely obsessed with their lobster stew. If only we lived in Bar Harbor, we’d be regular customers here!!

Pasta was fantastic! Portions are very generous. Staff was super kind & generous — especially Marina who was so thorough & patient in helping one member of our party with dietary restrictions. The blueberry pie we ate here (not pictured) was the absolute BEST we had during our week in Maine! It is a must!🫐

Came for the blueberry pie. It was our first time having Maine Blueberry pie and we are now fans! Sooooo good! The crab dip was good. Just hoping for crab pieces instead of it being soo minced. The pita chips provided were enough as well. The bartender came to take our order and checked in frequently, along with the waiter. Customer service was great! Plenty of seats indoors and outdoors. Glad we were able to check this place out!

We stopped here for dinner on our first day in Bar Harbor. We picked the restaurant because their website said no wait, but it did end up being about a 30 minute wait for a table. The inside was very busy and was pretty loud. I ordered an apple cider margarita, which was the margarita of the moment, and it was fantastic. The apple cider was so good and the brown sugar rim really completed the flavor. I got the bangin shrimp Mac and cheese and it was good. The bangin shrimp on top of the Mac and cheese was really good, it was perfectly spicy. I wished the Mac and cheese had been broiled a little or had some breadcrumbs, it could have used a bit of crunch.

This spot is OVERRATED to say the least. The three stars here represent the Excellent Server we had and the fact that there was an online wait list available. The food and hostesses however... The $35 lobster grilled cheese came on sourdough bread with to my disbelief cheap government or cheese singles type cheese food. Doubtful it was real cheese. It was also the incredibly dry. Not sure how to make a lobster grilled cheese dry, but this spot perfected the dry grilled cheese. The cup of clam chowder was most definitely canned. I'm sure I've had that brand before on a quick lunch break while working. Finally the Caesar salad was so drenched in dressing it was hard to tell, at first, that the lettuce was old. But it was definitely old. We noticed the lady next to us ordered a dinner salad. It was beautiful, but we heard her complain it was horrible and then never touch another bite. So we were saved from making the same mistake. I don't know how this spot has such good ratings. Don't eat here! Try Testa's or even Rosalie's or go up the road and eat in Northeast Harbor at Colonel's Restaurant. They use real cheese in their lobster grilled cheese, where here I'm not sure what I was served.

This was a decent option in Bar Harbor after a long day of hiking in Acadia. Prices felt pretty standard--with a slight price premium with service being pretty good here. Food quality here felt a little off when we went here, something about most of the lobster/seafood dishes just tasted slightly off, especially compared to some of the other places we hit up in the northeast, probably was just bad luck since we ended up going to the restaurant pretty late in the evening. The lobster mac and clam chowder were pretty underwhelming overall--I feel like you're better off ordering non-seafood dishes here.

Had a nice dinner here. Sat in the Annex bar as the main bar area was full. We were greeted by two nice ladies tending to the bar area. Grabbed a couple of drinks and food. Started with some chips and queso dip. I had the Pot Belly BBQ pork sandwich. It was very good. This place gets busy so come early as both sides of the restaurant was full. We didn't stay around for it but they have some live music.

Side Street Cafe was fantastic! It's a nice October day and got right in. Service was great and enjoyed the vibe. I got the lobster roll, cider Margarita, clam chowder, and sweet potato fries, and all were fantastic. Lobster was loaded with lobster wasn't smothered in mayonnaise. It was just right.. I would definitely recommend coming to Side St., Café ! 10 out of 10 highly recommended

More of a 3.5, it's fine but wouldn't necessarily recommend going out of your way for it. We got the pitcher for two of the blueberry margarita and it was a surprise highlight, quite tasty. The signature salad was $8 and pretty sizeable, but it is just spring mix and some toppings, which is as advertised so it was good. The burger is good and they toast the bun very well. Clam chowder is mediocre. The curried chicken bowl with rice comes with SO much rice and steamed veggies but is pretty meh. We did not have the blueberry pie so can't speak to that.

Side Street Cafe is one of those restaurants that I visit every time I visit Acadia National Park. The restaurant is pretty large and they have a wide selection on their menu. They're also one of just a couple of restaurants that are open during the off-season. The Lobster Rolls here are excellent. I had the Honey Sriracha Salmon last time I came and it was delicious! The restaurant has a casual, relaxed vibe and is the perfect place for dinner after a long day of exploring Bar Harbor.

We stopped here for dinner after exploring the area. The seating area is huge but we were placed in a nice secluded patio area. I got a clam chowder and a pulled pork sandwich with chips, both of which were quite tasty. This was a solid place for a great dinner!

I was in Bar Harbor for a girls trip and we decided to stop in at Side Street for dinner. They were pretty busy, but our party of 3 was seated after about a 15 min wait. To start, we got blueberry margarita pitchers and some chips and queso. The menu states that pitchers serve 2, but honestly they serve 3!! These margs were delicious and definitely packed the alcohol. The chips and queso were fine, the cheese felt a little congealed. For my entree, I got a lobster roll which at the time in June 2024, market price was $45 which I felt was really steep!! However, the lobster roll was delicious, tons of great juicy buttery meat. Overall, loved the vibes of this spot (it felt so homey)!

Overall not a bad option for groups but we felt it was overpriced and too salty. The salmon meal was okay but it was meant to be a maple teriyaki and the only flavor was teriyaki. The Mac n cheese was good but since I got lobster it made it $38.

It was a busy holiday weekend in Bar Harbor, but we were pleased to learn that the wait here was only going to be 30 minutes, so we decided to give it a shot. Fortunately, the wait ended up being even shorter than expected! We were seated at a table at the very back of the restaurant, which was less than ideal, but it served our needs. We had heard about the mac and cheese here, so we all tried different variations of it. I had the Bangin' Shrimp, while the rest of my family had the Cowboy and the Buffalo. While not the best mac & cheese I've ever had, it was quite good.

Our first night in Bar Harbor and we were looking for dinner. Upon review in Yelp we found side street cafe so we walked in! They seated our party of 3 despite it being pretty busy so that was exciting. We ordered the blueberry margarita pitcher and the chips and queso. The margarita was excellent and had a good serving size. The chips queso were also great with tons of chips. For my entree I got the lobster roll. This was stunning by the way and I upgraded to get fries. But to be honest the reason this place gets a 4 is because this lobster roll was $45!!!! I thought that was a little crazy Overall great food and vibes and staff was awesome just wish the prices were a tad bit more reasonable.

During my visit to Bar Harbor to explore Acadia, I had the pleasure of dining at Side Street Cafe, and it was a truly delightful experience. As someone who had never tried lobster before, I was eager to sample this iconic seafood dish. The waitress recommended starting with the lobster stew, and it was the perfect introduction. From that moment on, I found myself exploring various forms of lobster dishes, thanks to the exceptional start provided by Side Street Cafe. The restaurant itself is charming, with both indoor and outdoor seating options. I particularly enjoyed the outdoor seating area, which offered a pleasant atmosphere, especially on a perfect weather day.

Side Street was a busy place on Saturday evening. Worth the hour wait! Excellent margaritas and delicious lobster roll. Highly recommend if you're visiting Bar Harbor. And there's live music next door.

We came to Side Street Café for dinner after exploring Bar Harbor. Ordered the Crab Dip, Brussels Sprouts, and Lazy Lobster, and Blueberry Pie. Crab Dip ($20) - This included peekytoe crab, cheeses, corn, Old Bay, and pita bread. This appetizer was recommended by our server. It was alright. There is a generous portion on dip and pita. Brussels Sprouts ($14) - This was cooked with sweet chili sauce and garnished with carrot. I think it was too saucy, so the natural taste of the vegetable was over powered. Lazy Lobster ($55) - This is supposed to include 6oz of butter poached lobster, but the portion we received was kind of small. The meat was good, but I don't think we received 6oz. The entrée came with a signature salad, corn pudding, and roasted vegetables. Honestly the corn pudding was the highlight of our dinner. It was light, spongey, and soft. Blueberry Pie ($8) - We were full after dinner, so we ended-up packing the blueberry pie to-go. The top is crusted with sugar and lime zest, and there is a generous amount of blueberry filling.

Overall I think this is a great spot we got seated immediately but I think the lobster roll is a bit over rated for what it was. I ordered a cocktail, crab cakes, and a lobster roll and paid about $82 didn't feel worth the price everything was fresh but I don't know to each their own

I loved the lobster roll feast which came with a lobster roll that had a good amount of lobster (6oz), clam chowder, and fries. It was market price which was $50. It's pricey but I was definitely full and it was a good meal. We sat outside on the patio.

Vibes were high heading into Side Street, Friday night, two cocktails in, a sisters trip... to set the scene. We started the night with their special drink, lavender lemonade margarita. Damn, pretty good. One sister got a blueberry gimlet and it was devine. We went for the apps for dinner kind of vibe and split: the crab dip, Caesar salad with chicken thighs (important), house fries and Brussel sprouts. Everything was excellent. The only item that could've been slightly improved was the fries being crispier but they did come with a chipotle mayo. The Brussels had some sort of glaze on it which was working and the crab dip, the pita bread that came with the crab dip is something to talk about for the next ten years (and we will) the toast, cmon! Overall loved it here!!!

We came here for dinner and I liked my food very much. I ordered the Philly cheesesteak and it was good, it had a delicious queso sauce which made it very memorable. I also had a Cesar salad which was ok; the dressing was overpowering. I had wings which were ok. I ordered a blueberry margarita and that margarita was delicious, I still think about it. I recommend it and this is a good place to have good barfood.

This was a solid meal. We skipped the line to sit at the bar as there was room available. Service at the bar was great and our bartender was very attentive. The food came out within about 15 minutes of our order. The haddock was definitely fresh, however, I wish it was seasoned a little more. The sweet potato fries were excellent. I did not take a picture of it, but I tried the margarita of the moment: lavender lemonade and I loved it.

Stopped in for dinner tonight. Nice decor, cool menu, nice staff and a nice drink menu but sad to say it is the home of the $57 lobster roll (with tax and tip) We really enjoyed the lobster bread bowl ($45) and the buffalo wings which were excellent. My son had a burger, other son had the lobster mac and cheese and wife and I had the lobster rolls with one beer each. Pretty disappointed in the pricing on the lobster roll, With tax and tip the lobster roll is $57 each!!!! This is a jaw droppping number and I saw it as a price gouge. Meanwhile travelin lobster offers 5 cooked lobsters, 2 lb of mussels, 1 lb of clams and 5 ears of corn for $115 and these guys are charging $45 for this lobster roll. bill came in over $300 without even ordering dessert. I would go but skip the lobster unless you are independently wealthy.

To start, service was so great. Staff were really nice and I was surprised by how quick our food came out. The blueberry mint lemonade was great, and the crab dip is a necessary appetizer. The cowboy Mac and cheese and the pot belly sandwich were yummy and satisfying entrees. We loved sitting outside on a nice summer day, enjoying our food. We would definitely return.

Solid lobster roll for around $40. It had lots of lobster meat on top along with chips and a lemon slice. Enjoyed this along with a mocktail. The lobster melt is alright but would recommend the lobster roll for anyone visiting. There's both nice seating indoors and outdoors on the deck. The staff are very nice and attentive.

We had a great experience here during our time in Maine. My partner and I stopped for dinner before 7pm. It was pretty busy already, but luckily we were still able to get seated right away on the porch. Our server was friendly and attentive. We ordered one of the many mac and cheeses (with pulled pork, I believe) and the fish tacos. They were both delicious. Portions were generous and filling. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant!

We came here after spending the day at Acadia. We arrived during happy hour (3:30 - 5:30 PM daily) and sat at the bar. Off the hh menu, my bf ordered some beer and had the chicken skewers. We also ordered the rack (ribs) & mac. The ribs were tender and fell off the bone. The place seemed family friendly. Kids were given modeling clay to keep busy with.

The Lobster Melt and Mango Tea were disappointing. But wouldn't mind coming back for the Mac Attack and Veggie Mac and Cheese. Thankfully didn't have to wait too long.

Was sat immediately for a table for 2 on a Friday night. Service was okay throughout the night. I got the Lobster melt which was very good. My partner had the veggie Mac which was not the greatest. Lacked flavor and the cheese was not that great. Drinks were fantastic, and overall was a great spot. Blueberry pie was to die for. I strongly recommend this

Easy seating for a group of six. Appetizers of chips and queso, spinach artichoke dip and tasty pita bread was excellent. We chose the fish tacos (with an over abundance of cabbage) were fine, but would have ordered something else had I known. Service was exceptional though and we would def come back.

Super busy restaurant, but the waitlist helps. We arrived before we were summoned, and they sat us in the annex, which we preferred over waiting. For food, the lobster in the bread "bowl" may have been the best thing I ate on our week long trip to Maine. Service is good and efficient.

Had our first Bar Harbor dinner at Side Street cafe. It was conveniently located and accessible. There is street parking on the main roads but also a parking lot right across from Side Street. Parking was free after 9pm. It does get crowded so I would either recommend making a reservation or prepare to wait for a little bit. As a party of three we were seated within 10 minutes but larger groups had to wait longer. We got two pitchers of the blueberry margarita and chips and queso to start off. Anything blueberry flavored in Maine was delicious so definitely recommend. I got the portobello and black bean burger and my friends got the lobster rolls. They were listed at market price and came out to $45 each ‍. Food was good but pricey.

Good lobster roll and burgers! We stopped here after doing a hike in Acadia national park, we were at lunch time and was able to get seated right away without waiting. We ordered the lobster roll and the burger. The lobster roll was good as it had big chunks of lobster meat in it. I also loved the chips on the side! However the burger was so good, I would definitely order this next time. It had peppers in it which made it fairly spicy which I loved. I got the blueberry crush drink which I really enjoyed as well. We split the blueberry pie at the end, this was good but I would probably skip this. The crust was a little too sugary for me.

Best restaurant on the island! Great ambiance, service and food options for everyone. In mid May the price for a lobster roll or lobster bowl was about $42-55. The BLAT was good, lots of bacon and aoili. Try the juice bar next door for a special treat.

I love this place, this is my 3rd time on the island and I keep coming back here knowing dinner will be guaranteed delicious. This time around we came here 3 times in 5 days - it's seriously that good. At this point we probably tried most of the menu items and honestly everything is just so good. Our fav apps are crab dip (a must!) banging shrimp (also a must), lobster half's , Brussel sprouts. Husband had their buffalo chicken Mac and cheese and loved it. Blueberry pie deserves its own review it was honestly so delish. Drinks are excellent as well, blueberry margaritas are our favorite this time. Definitely recommend if you looking for delicious food on the island !!

We were able to grab a seat at dinner with only a few minutes wait. Inside was very busy and lively. We shared the seafood dip, brussel sprouts, and blueberry pie. The seafood dip was delicious! It was a good size to share and would be enough for a meal. I didn't love the brussel sprouts, I felt like the flavor was too charred and sweet for me to really enjoy. The blueberry pie was definitely my favorite. Not too sweet/jammy. I regret not getting a side of ice cream with the pie.

Our server was very lovely. We sat outside on the patio and people watched. I ordered their BLT with chipotle ranch and avocado and substituted the chips for an additional $3 cup of chowder. The cowder unfortunately was a bit cold. The BLT was good, however the avocado was a bit hard. The chipotle ranch was very tasty. My boyfriend basically had the same thing but in burger form. He was a bit hesitant with the burger only being a 6oz patty (an additional $6 for another patty) but he was satisfied

Had to order take out because it was crowded on a holiday weekend (no surprise) but the service was good and the food was great. This place had so many favorable reviews I had to check it out. We got the lobster roll, crab cakes, chicken tenders and fries, Cesar salad, clam chowder, lobster melt, and blueberry pie. A solid 4 stars! The lobster roll was great! Very plentiful. The crab cakes had flavor and came with veggies which I loved because they were cooked perfectly. The Cesar salad was basic. The clam chowder was good but not great. The chicken tenders I was most disappointed in. The Lobster melt was so good. They toasted the bread on both sides before adding cheese and lobster! A pro move for sure. The blueberry pie is good and I love the sugar top. I'd go back for that lobster roll and crab cake if I didn't plan to try other places while here.

My family and I stopped here for dinner based on a recommendation. Let's start with the positives: the blueberry pie was the best I've ever had, without a doubt. It wasn't too sweet, and the crust was incredible. I've actually come back a couple of times just to grab a slice to go. I regret not buying an entire pie to take home to NYC! However, the lobster roll dinner was extremely overpriced. We should have been more cautious, especially after seeing signs for much cheaper options at other places. As for my salad, it was decent, but the dressing tasted a little off. The food was mediocre and we weren't impressed. I would only come back for the blueberry pie, if you decided to come here must grab one!

This is a great place to spend with friends and to have a good meal. It's not fancy but the food is very good. Spent a few days visiting Bar Harbor and the location was convenient to my hotel. The restaurant is away from the main street so it was a bit quieter.

Really enjoyed the lobster roll. The lobster was tossed lightly with mayo so the lobster flavor wasn't lost. The roll had huge chunks of meat. All sandwiches come with potato chips but you can also get fries. Service was good. Sound level is moderate to loud with most of the tables full. We arrived around 5:30pm and got a table. There were quite a few tables already occupied. When we left around 6:15, there was a line.

This place rocks!!! Expensive, but ROCKS, ONE OF THE BEST lobster rolls in New England and I've had a ton of them. This place is as good as the Neptune Oyster house in Boston and that's saying a lot. We ordered two lobster rolls, and a crab dip to share. All were warm, fresh and prepared perfectly. Loved the service, atmosphere and especially the food!

We stopped in for lunch after a hike at Acadia. We sat ourselves near the bar and our waitress came soon after with silverware and water. We ordered two mocktails from the menu. I have a gluten allergy so I asked if the Brussels sprouts were gluten free. Originally the waitress said yes, but came back later and said they had changed the preparation so they were not. I appreciate that she came back and told me. We decided to get chips and queso which were excellent. I got the Nomad burger with a GF bun with sweet potato fries. My daughter got the Pot Belly pork sandwich with the Mac and cheese side. Both were messy but outstanding. The sweet potato fries were excellent My daughter said the Mac and cheese was not especially flavorful, but was good. We both used the ladies room. It was clean and well stocked. There is a nice deck area with tables that would be nice in the warmer summer moths. We both agreed that we enjoyed the food and would come again and recommend!

We stopped at this place mostly because it was our first day in bar harbor and they have a convenient parking lot (which required a payment during peak season) across the street. Oh man, this place set the bar for the rest of our visit because we kept comparing everything to our meal here. We arrived around 11:30am, right before it got busy. We were seated outside and the server was really kind. Inside looked trendy and outside had a nice cover over it in case it started raining. We ordered a lobster feast -- lobster roll, French fries, and clam chowder cup for about $48 (not sure, but it is typically mkt price). We really enjoyed it. I'm more of a warm lobster roll person and theirs are cold, but it was great. The clam chowder was amazing. Their French fries are crispy and well seasoned. We also ordered their blueberry alcoholic drink that I'm forgetting the name of but it's great. The best part was the blueberry pie!! They are generous with their portion and the top part adds a new texture because the blueberries are so soft. Typically the crust becomes soggy, but not at this place. We loved this place. We were a little floored by the overall total, but no regrets stopping here.

I ordered the Pot Belly and the Regular burger. Both with fries upgrade. It normally comes with chips. The prices were decent. The portions were fine. The food did not taste good unfortunately. Also, I walked in and ordered take out and even though I did all the walking, the carrying and they were just providing the service they normally should, the receipt still expected a tip. It is a bit ridiculous. I wasn't even served. What is worse they start off at 25% and only roll back to 20. Yikes, never again!

Excellent spot! So many things that were awesome. We sat in the Annex which has live music from 8-10. Arrived around 7:30 and got perfect seats for the music while we ate dinner. Band was awesome and they had a fiddle which we loved. We ordered blueberry margaritas which were very good. We ordered the bangin shrimp for an appetizer and it was the best appetizer we maybe have ever had! It came with perfectly toasted pita and so much sauce on the shrimp for dipping. We wanted to order the sauce to go... by far our favorite dish of the trip! Dinner was veggie mac and cheese and a burger with a side of mac and cheese. The side mac was a little dry but the main dish was not. Solid burger and thoroughly enjoyed the veggie mac. Would get the veggie mac again but probably not the burger. Food: 4/5 with the bangin shrimp being a 1000/5 Drinks: 5/5 Vibe: 5/5 Value: 4/5 - very reasonable Service: 5/5 - Quinn was attentive yet not pushy and made it a point to say to enjoy the music no rush with the bill.

Great food. Locally owned and operated. Amazing kind servers. And the ambiance is modern/rustic. Great food at a good price and the drinks are on point. Only place we frequent in BH.

Food was excellent and our server, Fransiska was amazing. We had the lobster roll, crab cakes and clam chowder soup. All was 5*. My wife picked this restaurant from all the great reviews and we were not disappointed.

I might have spent longer hunting for a parking spot than in the restaurant. It was worth the wait. Phil was a treat as a server and the Chicken Caprese Salad was the perfect lunch to get before exploring town. The margarita of the moment was a must have after navigating the herd of everyone from away that seemed to want to keep their parking spots forever. So worth the parking hassle in the city lot, so worth it

If you're looking to escape the more touristy traps, find your way to Side Street. We started with the crab dip and homemade (and toasty delish) pita bread. Plenty for three and almost a meal in itself. We had to order more pita because it's just that addictive. For entrees, we did the regular Mac & Cheese, Curry Chicken and Crab Cakes. Each was unique and super flavorful. What made our evening even more special was our server, Mac, who spent extra time with us explaining all the different options on the menu, and even gave us some tips when it came to places to visit in Portland. Next time you're in Bar Harbor venture off the main drag and find your way to Side Street where food, charm and atmosphere sets this gem above the rest.