Stern Seafood Restaurant

We were expecting something better. The food wasn't very good. The lobster pizza was very grainy for some reason and just not good. The haddock dish tasted like mayonnaise. The saving grace was the dessert. Brownie and ice cream. You can't go wrong with that. The waitress was nice. However, the server who dropped off the food just threw it on the table and left and we sorted it out. We had a seat by the window. It was nice. We made a reservation for 6:45 and got seated immediately.

The food, service, and atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for, with gorgeous view! We had oysters harvested from mere yards away, scallops, and mussels that we describe as “pillowy” and perfect. We returned the next day for calamari and Bloody Mary cocktails!

Amazing seafood and amazing service from Marina. Crab cakes cooked perfectly. Probably one of the best lobster rolls ever! Beautiful view as well. 5 stars, 10/10, must visit!

We were the first guests of the season this year at Sterns and we will certainly be back! Terrific staff, great menu and the food was DELICIOUS! We ordered the steamed clams and they were fresh, no sand, no crunch. The drinks by Mykaila (Yes-I spelled it wrong) were complimented by the great hospitality of Josh and crew. Definitely going back, don’t miss this one! MUST STOP!!

I don't like doing negative reviews but beyond the marvelous view and excellent waitress I can't truthfully say much good. I personally started with a crab cake appetizer. They miss the mark by a long shot to a fan of crab cakes. I've bought frozen with better taste. If you like Maryland Crab cakes, do NOT order this appetizer. For my main course I had a Fried Haddock Sandwich. The haddock was overwhelmed with lettuce, tomato and served on Texas Toast. It reminded me of the Wendy's "where's the beef" commercials. I did eventually manage to find a decent sized piece of haddock. My dinner companions were disappointed as well. They said food was okay, but nothing special. It was well presented but unfortunately the goodness ended there. Expect a noisy atmosphere even if it's not very busy. Needless to say, I was very underwhelmed.

Great hidden gem right on the water. Sat outside and watched the boats go in and out. Service was amazing and friendly. The food was top notch and priced fairly with good portions. Can't wait to go back!

What a great find! Right on the water. We had the bonfire lobster bake for 2 and it was phenomenal!! Everything was so fresh!!! We loved our bartender Jane?? What a lovely person she was! I could have sat there all night and talked with her but we had a trolley to catch! We will definitely make this a must stop.on our next trip!!!

We got the crab roll and it’s crab salad and mayo. Should’ve been more specific. We hate the mayo rolls. So had to pay $50 for something we did not like. Should’ve asked. And my twin lobster tails were so tiny, more like shrimp. The salads were amazing.

We're from Cape Cod now living in Florida and Georgia. We loved this place. It was the best seafood we've had since leaving the Cape years ago. Best clam chowda and lobster bisque in the area. We tried them all this week. Clams, scallops, haddock and lobster rolls with hot butter were outstanding. Thank you Josh for great service! Go here first. And second and third. We're told by relatives that this is where the locals go.

This place underwhelmed. I ordered the fried scallops and got six puffy, over-salted pieces. The scallop on the inside was about half the size of what you can see. Tartar sauce had no flavor. She liked the lobster roll. A few weeks before we ate at the Back Eddy in Westport, Mass. which kicks Stern's ass. Noisy, but our waitress, Erin, was terrific. Not a good bang for the buck. You can find better seafood elsewhere.

The food was tasteless except for the fried cauliflower with lemon aioli sauce. I had the lobster tail that tasted water soaked like it had sat in a pit of boiling water all day. I asked for butter to dip it on hoping that would give it flavor but that too had not flavor. I get live lobster from my local grocery store in New Jersey and it tastes sweet no need for butter. I thought Maine was suppose to have great lobster? My husband had lobster roll which he said had no flavor and the bread tasted like it was toasted in a pan of old oil. The waitress was very nice. But the food was not worth 100.00 for two entrees water, 1 appetizer shared, a water and ice tea. I was charged 2.00 for the tiny cup of tasteless "butter"

Very little to eat if you are lactose or cream intolerant. Everything, including the baked dishes are cooked in a cream sauce. And the cream sauce has no real flavor. Too much mayonnaise used in dips. The wait staff was very good and attentive. I would give them a 5 rating. But overall, because the food and cost of the meals, I would have expected much more.

Worst lobster roll I have ever had! How is this possible? The lobster goes from the trap...to the kitchen...to the table!! For $50 bucks throw in a piece of tail!!

Clam chowder , Fried Clams and Haddock sandwich was fantastic. Great service and friendly . Wonderful views of Higgins Beach , The Harbour , The fishing boats and the pier.

We were seated by the window. It's a nice view but the windows were smeared with dead bugs and spider webs which honestly should be addressed before opening each day. We had the beet salad to start. Not sure what is in the dressing, maybe horseradish, but there was way too much of it. The arugula was swimming in it. The beets were diced and probably canned. Although plenty for two people, a smaller portion with a lighter dressing would have been more appealing. On to dinner. My husband had swordfish. Yikes! It looked like the sole of a shoe run over by a tractor. It was absolutely devoid of flavor, overcooked and as he described; burnt sawdust. The mashed potatoes were boxed potatoes and the veggie, which we both were served was baby Bok Choy that you couldn't cut with a knife. Needless to say he went home hungry. I ordered the Baked Scallops. They were served with a gloppy lobster sauce and a thick topping of buttered breadcrumbs. The bottom of the casserole was so watery and the scallops, although tender, had no flavor at all. My guess is they are frozen scallops. I ate 3 of the 6 scallops and passed one to my husband and he was at a loss for words. I'm still trying to figure out why any decent chef would marry a scallop casserole with a side of orecchiette in cheese sauce and a side of Bok Choy. The bill came to 146.00 with a small glass of wine and a beer +tip. In a positive note the waitress deserved a decent tip as she was very nice and did her job well.

Such a great find! With so many options in the area we just took a shot and scored! The Clam Chowder was absolutely delicious and I loved how they put a few little neck (clams) on top! So yummy! I had the double lobster roll and omg it was out of this world. Had a great view and the ambiance was so peaceful. We will definitely be back next month!

Right on the pier, you can absolutely taste how fresh everything is here. A beautiful view of the water, and plenty of delicious seafood selections to choose from. I went with the lobster bisque to start, which was absolutely delicious, and topped with plenty of delicious lobster. For my meal I had to try the lobster roll, which was absolutely huge! It was just as delicious as it was large. It would have been the perfect meal, until the waitress spilled ketchup all over my new white shoes and jeans. I was less than amused at that point, especially regarding the lack of trying to help fix the situation at all. Sadly, I spent a good portion of our trip trying to get the stains out following this incident.

What a nice down to earth place to relax with some friends or family. I really like the use of the bow end of a boat as the bar! Definitely fits with the waterfront view of the Nonesuch River. For food I got 1/2 dozen oysters with a champagne mignonette & shared the Caesar salad with shrimp....both were very good. The drinks were good. Our server was prompt and friendly. Price wise for food & drinks it was quite affordable. I give 4 stars as a 1st visit being we chatted with a few other barflys who also mentioned that they luv the place...good food, good drinks, good service & affordable. So give the Stern a try & Enjoy!

Never have waited so long for food especially in this small of a restaurant. People and the views were nice but could definitely improve on speed of service.

Second time having a casual lunch here. On Sunday, August 11, 2024, we had the calamari which was fantastic and the swordfish which was surprisingly good as swordfish is often improperly cooked. The mussels were ok, not great, as they tasted "dirtier" than is typical. The crème brûlée had not set properly but tasted very good. Great view and very good service. Will go back.

Ordered take out online (Fried Clams dinner). Was told the food just came out, but when we started eating it 5 min. later it super cold and tasted awful. Clams and fries were soggy and cold. We live locally and will not return.

This restaurant is a small little place I would want to say on a loading doc? My family came here bc they wanted to go crabbing for some baby crabs in the water.. while they did that a few of us went inside to eat. We ordered a few things and nothing really hit the spot for us. Everything was cold and bland. We barely ate our food snd just packed it to go as I didn't not want to complain.

Off the beaten path, but definitely need a reservation. Casual yet not necessarily a beach bar or clam shack either. Full bar, quality meals, moderate pricing, ASTOUNDING views of the mouth of the marsh at Pine Point. Quick service even in a packed house. We can be choosy; my mother the lobster roll expert didn't think hers was "flavorful" enough. Also be sure to ask for your salad dressing on the side, there was a soaking that covered up any taste of the vegetables. Crab cakes snd mussels were exceptional, and though we didn't have dessert tonight, word on the street was the blueberry cake is outstanding.

Very, very disappointing. Had lobster roll that had chopped up lobster pieces and too much bread. The lobster comes right off the docks in the back, do you really need to put so little? The fries were also under cooked. How hard is it to cook fries so they are no longer white? Is it that challenging? The linguine with shrimp...3 pieces of shrimp for $32..seriously!! I don't recommend this restaurant. Go into Portland if you want good food. Stay away from this overpriced, under whelming establishment.

Nothing but a tourist trap. Average food at ridiculous prices! $25 for a haddock sandwich? Really? The $38 swordfish was a disaster Go to Ken's or the clambake just up the road

This place is a small delightful spot! The service was excellent and everything we ate tasted amazing! So glad we happened upon it!!

$$$.1/2 glass of Chardonnay $15!! Friend clams were so overdone you couldn't even eat them! Service was poor! We went with 4 of us and no one thought the meal was any good!!

Perfect lobster! We had the single lobster meal. It was very reasonable on price, perfectly cooked! Erin our waitress was very attentive and pleasant!

Cool little joint serving up delicious fresh seafood and great drinks! Celebrating their sixth year on the pier in Scarborough. The staff is attentive and friendly. I know I sound like a paid endorsement but I'm not. These folks are the real deal.

I am surprised to see the number of one-star reviews for this restaurant. Stern was my first dinner in Maine, and they served up the freshest lobster I've ever had. The scallops were delectable too. The dining room was crowded, but the staff moved it quickly. The wait was less than half an hour on Friday night at 7.

Stern is a cute seafood restaurant in Maine. The menu is on the smaller side and has a lot of great options. There's something for everyone. Outside there is seating as well as a boardwalk overlooking a marsh and the ocean. I caught the sunset with some friends after eating dinner and it was so nice. The vibes are great. The bar is really cool too. Made out of the stern of an old ship. I would recommend ordering the oysters. They were delicious and super fresh. Loved the fries and lobster roll too. Cant go wrong!

If your looking for food with a view, then I guess this fits the bill. The menu looked hopeful, albeit the prices were the same as your top seafood restaurants in Portland. For starters we ordered the lobster bisque, the mussels, burrata salad, and the fried calamari. The lobster bisque was thick and tasty and the calamari was well fried with a red sauce. The mussels were flavorless, and the burrata was fine. A few bites into our starters our server brought out our entrees. There was no place to put them, but she stood there until we made room by moving food onto other plates ourselves. She was unapologetic about it, and when asked why it was so fast (my husband had only eaten a few mussels at this point), she said she could bring it back to the kitchen for them to hold it for us. We opted to pass on the heat lamps. The swordfish was again nothing to write home about, and the shrimp alfredo had an Olive Garden taste and feel, not what you would expect for $34. Two of our party had gotten the sole special and mentioned that the fish was good but the sauce was rather bland. I guess if your a tourist and don't know what good food taste like I can see how this spot would be lovely just for the view, but for those that want a good meal then head elsewhere.

Excellent food and quality service all in a beautiful location for a very good value too.

Fried clams were excellent, and we had a widow table overlooking the water. Ambience was delightful for a casual, summer seafood place.

I went to Stern Seafood yesterday 8/14/24 for dinner with my son. He had the Lobster dinner and i had the Fish sandwhich dinner and both tasted delicious a 10 out of a 10. But the best part of our experiance was the bartender Jane. She asked my son if he was going to put the lobster bib on and he said yes. She then asked if he wanted help and he said yes. Before she did she asked before placing the strips around his neck if he was ok with that and he said yes he was. Jane i hope you see this because your a special understanding woman that knows how to read her customers and treat them special.

The food was very good, the service was as well. It was really hot, and the a/c couldn't keep up, and some windows were open. My only complaint is with the management or owners. I ordered a $45 twin lobster dinner and it came with one small melted butter. By the time I finished my first lobster, my butter was mostly gone, and it was cold and solidifying. I really thought our server would come back and check and offer a second warm butter and a discarded bucket dump. I asked if I could please get a warm butter, and she said there is a charge for more butter. What? I had TWO lobsters and one small butter that was now solidified. I don't even know how much it would have been, I was so ticked. To not give someone spending $145 on dinner for 2 a pat of melted butter? Even a charge for dinner rolls. Up until this point, we were looking forward to coming back again this week to try more menu items we were eyeing. We'll, we didn't. The prices were very high, so we tried some other places nearby. I'd recommend the Pine Tree Deli for an early dinner (close at 6), pick your raw food, and they cook it for you, eat on picnic tables outside. They even have adult beverages for purchase.

As we wandered around Portland we had to have dinner, right? So this was our first night out, and we picked Stern. The food was good. The settings were amazing. Literally our table was right next to the window and we could look out over the water. I am a huge fan of fish and chips. This was a huge piece of fish and was perfectly prepared. I didn't like the chips, they were overcooked so I took one star. But overall the experience was wonderful!

Double lobster roll was great! Probably only needed a single but it was worth it. Mussels and Crispy Cauliflower were perfect.

Great Main-ah sea side restaurant. Not "high-end" but the food is fresh and right off the boat. We had oysters, clam chowder, shrimp and barata salad with Lobster. Awesome. We sat at the bar and Marine was the BEST. You def need to go.

This spot is a hidden Gem! Wonderful service, fresh delicious seafood and a bottle of Veuve Cliquot yellow label for $65!!!! While we watched the sunset over the Marsh. Thanks to David, our server! Nothing pairs better with Lobsta than Champagne and a sunset! Highly recommend- we will return!

Great view,food was average at best very good service just way too expensive I realize prices have gone up but there's a lot of gouging going on I got the fried clam dinner about 12 clams and a pound of fries

Hidden behind their fish market, Sterns does not disappoint. The herb ricotta with the calamari is a nice touch, ask for some extra if you think you'd like it. :) A juicy swordfish steak fills the plate and melts in your mouth. The view of the boats in the water at the commercial pier and marsh add to the feel of a true fresh seafood experience. And if it's a holiday weekend you can experience the weekend warrior boaters try to get their boats in and out of the water against the tidal currents.

So disappointed. The main dishes were just surprisingly bad. For $36 I expected baked scallops and pasta in lobster cream sauce to be fantastic. $32 for shrimp Alfredo? Should be pretty outstanding. No. After salting the lobster sauce and covering in pepper it was enjoyable. The pasta was stuck together like someone threw it in a pot of boiling water and never touched it again until serving time. Shrimp Alfredo had no taste. Like none. Flour and water on pasta. The bathroom was straight up horrific. For $3,000 they could renovate both bathrooms to not have rotting linoleum and walls that are falling off.

Not a great meal here the other night. Yes the location is beautiful and the service terrific, just don't order anything fried. I had the clams and they were way over cooked and they had an odd taste like the oil needed to be replaced. I ate a few and was never asked how they were or why I didn't eat them. Will that stop me from returning? Probably not as it's a pretty spot.

I went there today when they reopened for this season and I got to tell you I had the best fried clams ($22) I've ever had in my life! It's a little pricey but then isn't any seafood pricey now? The clam chowder was okay and the cheeseburger was so so, but I will definitely be coming back for the clams! The waitress was very attentive. Of course the view was fantastic. Looking at the lobster boats in the foreground and the clam diggers out beyond, on the flats pulling up what I was eating! They didn't have as many entrees as I expected. It seems like you have to order appetizers and then a la carte all your sides. So you end up having an expensive meal but it's worth it. Next time I'll be getting the fried scallops with a couple of sides so that'll be a $40 meal, but if it's anything like the clams, it'll be worth every penny!

Great food with a great view! This spot is a a great dinner location as the sunsets are beautiful from the table!

Would drive 2hrs from MA, or even more when I lived in NY, just to enjoy a great lobster meal. I have loved this place since it was still Pine Point Co-op back in 2014; And was wonderfully surprised when they included Rice as a side in their menu in 2019. I like this place better for the open views, big parking space, and overall better dining experience than in downtown Portland. Took a star off this review, because Yelp showed them as Open; Only to find them closed when I got there in late Apr.2021. I called their tel#, and voicemail said that they're supposedly open by Spring'2021. Was just so disappointed, that there's no announcement, or whatsoever, when they will actually be open; Such that my party ended up going to the fast-food style Clambake restaurant, which isn't the same. Planning to drive up to ME again for this Labor Day weekend, just for the lobsters. It's almost May-end, and I called their #, but still getting the same voicemail greeting. Are you guys still going to open for the remainder of 2021?

The food was amazing and the service was just as good the waitress came over multiple times to ask if we needed anything and you can't beat the views!!

Food and View was amazing. Quick and friendly service! Had the lobster roll and it was delicious. My wife had the burger (non seafood eater) and enjoyed it.

Visited this restaurant twice in the last month. The lobster and steamers were very good. I found the swordfish bland. The drinks were excellent for the first visit. Less so for the second. Service was OK, but not as attentive as I would expect at this price point.

Swordfish was excellent but... I had the swordfish in an orange reduction with potatoes and asparagus. I could not have asked for better. My wife had roasted haddock with linguine. It was edible but the linguine was undercooked and the haddock too salty. The waitress was, at best, poorly trained. She did not come back to check on us until we were halfway through our meals. When we we done, we tried 5 times over 15 minutes to flag her down for our check. She never looked toward our table even though she looked at other tables in our area that weren't even hers. The nice folks at the table next to ours, which wasn't hers, finally told her that we were trying to get her attention. We got a simple, "Sorry to have held you up." The place seemed adequately staffed.

This is a great stop if you are in the Pine Point area. Staff is very attentive and service oriented. The Baked scallops and Swordfish were great choices. The freshness of the seafood is such a key. Great flavor and done correctly !!!! Even dogs are welcome on the patio. Who doesn't love dogs. Don't bother if not ;) Look it all comes down to value and you will get value for your money here. What else can you ask for. Please let me know.......

Nice setting, great deck area,although it is a small restaurant and tons of parking. We were heading someplace else but there was an hour wait and no parking. We came here got seated right away on the deck . We ordered the shrimp cocktail and fries cauliflower to start. The cauliflower was delicious had the non-cauliflower eaters begging for more. I may return and just eat the whole thing myself. Shrimp cocktail was plentiful with very large shrimp. The haddock sandwich was greet generous portion and very fresh. The lobster rice bowl was very good , the mango sauce had a bit of unexpected spice to it. Chicken and cheddar sandwich got great reviews plenty of hot fries . Chicken Cesar salad came with a very large piece of chicken and looked very appealing the plain Caesar salad a bit underwhelming. Lobster bisque was really good. We passed on dessert as we were so full. The view, food and experience and staff was all wonderful .

We were regulars at Rising Tide so we were nervous about the changeover. I read the bad reviews and worried it was ruined and overpriced. Well guess what? We came for the lobster and it was fantastic! Not only that, it costs us less than Rising Tide! $15 gets you a one pound plus steamed lobster with corn or potato salad which we subbed with fries and slaw. It was delicious although I did ask for my fries to be extra crispy and they weren't. The lobster was so good I didn't care. Why I deducted one star: No umbrellas on the deck to protect yourself from seagull shrapnel or the sun on a hot day?? The restaurant formerly known as Rising Tide had you covered, why change what was working? Nice decor changeover from Rising Tide, but our table was very rickety which our server couldn't fix. The windows and "boat" seats situated next to our table needed a very good cleaning. Still a delicious and fairly priced meal!

Stopped by for a late lunch with my mum and had an amazing meal. The space is very pretty, and the bar is made out of a real boat! It's a great alternative to The Bait Shed Bar if the weather is a little chilly. For our meals we both started with the clam chowder, which was very good! For an entree she had the scallop forest - this is lightly fried scallops propped up on forks served with a side of tartar sauce. She loved them! I had the veggie rice bowl and that was also very good, and had an amazing sauce. I've heard the drinks are delicious so I will definitely have to try some next time!

Enjoyed a lobster dinner with roasted potatoes and corn on the cob. Spouse had a Caesar salad with grilled chicken. It was a beautiful day so we dined outside. The service was great and the food was delicious. We will certainly return.

Not so good. The corn was old an dry the lobster was full of water. Won't go back To expensive for what you get