The Docksider

We stumbled upon The Docksider after visiting ANP. How lucky! First of all, it’s adorable!. We dined on the patio. The booths inside appear to be original but are just perfect. It was spic and span clean, with a cute little bar. Now for the best part, the food. This was the BEST lobster roll we’ve ever had. The lobster was fresh (it’s hand picked daily) and the yummy toasted roll was bursting with lobster meat. We are still raving about it! We also found their clam chowder to be the best one we’ve had in Maine. It was the perfect consistency, not think and goopy! And, we didn’t have to search for real clams in it. Yummy! The owners truly care about quality. They were also very gracious and attentive. So, if you are tired of the Bar Harbor crowds and clatter, drive out to Southeast Harbor and take in a little old fashioned harbor town delight. Don’t forget to top it off with a piece of wild blueberry pie for a real Maine lunch.

Loved this place, the proprietor, Steve, and the location just above the marina at Northeast Harbor. The food was great! Try the lobster roll - order it hot - with a side of coleslaw and chips or fries. The bread was toasted inside and out, the lobster was very fresh and sweet, and amply provided. The coleslaw was delicious, made in house, and the chips are from Maine and super delicious. My wife had the steak and cheese sandwich with fries, which were piping hot and crispy, right from the fryer, so good. The sandwich was hot and gooey and delicious! The current owners bought the restaurant 4 years ago, disregard older reviews, they are for the prior owners.

Found this place on a whim after our hike around Little Long Pond. We were tired and hungry, this place did not disappoint! Got there around 1:30 and it was not busy at all. Service was great and they even gave a mini lobster show/lesson to my sons (which they loved!). The raw oysters were delicious, lobster & crab rolls were also fantastic! Beer selection was also great, we even were offered samples of the local beers. Great place all around! Highly recommend!

Stopped in for a late lunch after biking in Acadia. Great relaxed vibe (we sat outside) - Grateful Dead playing on the sound system. Had a beer, fresh raw oysters, and some lobster bisque. They were the BEST raw oysters I've ever had! Really great little place.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at the Docksider and it was an absolute delight. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with friendly and attentive service. The ambiance was cozy and inviting, perfect for a relaxing easy meal. We had the option of dining inside or out. The seafood dishes were so fresh and flavorful. We had clams, scallops, haddock, fries and all I would try again. I’m planning on going back to get a lobster roll and icecream!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had an absolutely amazing experience at Docksider Restaurant! From the moment we walked in, the staff went above and beyond — friendly, attentive, and truly phenomenal in every way. The food was out of this world! The mozzarella sticks are a must-try — seriously the best we’ve ever had — and the lobster roll was incredible, fresh, and full of flavor. Every bite was perfect, and the atmosphere made it even better. We left full, happy, and already talking about when we’ll come back. Highly recommend Docksiders to anyone in the area — you will not be disappointed!

We easily found a table outside at this restaurant, which had a local, casual feel. The server was friendly and the vibe was chill. We also got the inside scoop on local tips and tricks to make our overall visit more fun. My kids enjoyed it so much that they wanted to go back for our last dinner in the area. We had a great experience that time too. The food is good and it was a little less expensive than other restaurants nearby.

This is an off the trail restaurant in the Northeast harbor. It is family owned and operated and might have been the best lobster roll we had all trip. The mozzarella sticks were insane and definitely worth a try. They are huge so come hungry! We appreciated the staff and great beer selection.

Delicious scallop roll....crisp fries....friendly service. Great that it's off the main drag and we could park! Highly recommend. (And my husband was able to get a blt--he'd had enough seafood).

Excellent fried clams! I would suggest you to stop by there and try it. Also, good service!

Hot or cold lobster rolls, toughest decision so far today! Excellent beer on tap too!

Lobster bisque and Caesar salad were good. Sat out on the deck and it was very comfortable. Service was great!!

Food was amazing!! The family that owns/runs it was super friendly!! The lobster rolls was the best I have had this trip. And very accommodating to my wife's food allergies.

Very generous haddock filet fish & chips as well as clam chowder for lunch. The crab roll is a nice change from the ubiquitous lobster rolls sold everywhere. Great service and parking across the street in a town with limited parking. Only downside is imminent closing for the season.

I highly recommend the Docksider! Since early July I have visited here three times. The place is spotless, service friendly and prompt and the food has been served as ordered. I recommend the burgers, grilled haddock.... and the ICE CREAM is a must. Prices are reasonable for the area. It's a shame that they have a low overall rating as it is due to the much older reviews of the previous ownership.

About as reasonable as you can get with seas food around here. The vibes are awesome inside. You can tell it's very small town ownership vibey. Doesn't feel super touristy, more local. Definitely recommend if you want a good lobster/crab roll!! Would put a picture but I ate my food too fast!

The clam chowder is outstanding! We had tasted lots of chowders and this really stands out. Very casual almost picnic atmosphere. Great experience just up from the harbor.

This place rocks. Honestly have no idea why this has 3.4 stars. Place is 10/10. 1000% recommend it to anyone. We came here after hiking Jordan pond with our dog. Not too long of a drive and way less crowded than bar harbor on the weekend. Food was GREAT, had the hot lobster roll and steak and cheese with two excellent draft beers. Ambiance was lowkey, service was nice and relaxed. Definitely great spot to hit after a hike.

We were hungry. This roadside spot came up. I actually regret that I gave in to settle for less. Not expect any plating lol.

The food was good but the service was very disappointing. The menus are handwritten and there was an error on the price of my entree. There is no children's menu. The waitress was very inattentive. It took at least 15 minutes for my husband and I to get our beer after it was ordered, and she never checked on us to see if we needed anything after the meal was brought out. When I asked another employee about the total of my bill (the discrepancy due to mis-marked pricing) she was helpful but condescending. I would not recommend this restaurant.

Seriously. You are trying for a fresh start. You cannot make mistakes! BLT: doggy barely toasted bread. Flimsy bacon You HAVE TO HAVE crisp bacon and well toasted BREAD. Our lunch was so disappointing. You aren't boing to make it in this town w lousy food .Sorry, but we had high hopes

Unassuming little "dockside" restaurant. You order outside at the window but can eat inside or outside. We arrived so early for dinner - 4:40! - but they were so pleasant about getting things going to make dinner for us. We had the lobster roll, haddock sandwich, shrimp dinner, and burger, and it was all fantastic and out so quickly. To top it off, we had asked about the delicious-looking onion rings we saw on other yelp reviews. And even though they hadn't been serving them for years, they surprised us by whipping up an "experimental" batch - they were amazing! They totally go above and beyond to make it a great dining experience. Love this place and will be back.

The wait staff was VERY FRIENDLY!!! So I don't like to give this review....but.... We went on opening day. First day jitters? I hope so.....but if not....they didn't have full lobsters, nor the wine I wanted (both on the menu). The clam chowder was not right.....was like milky water---so if that is "normal" for them, do not order. The lobster rolls were okay, and the sautéed lobster had plenty of butter. The staff was gracious and 'comped' the soup (didn't explain why it was made that way? And another customer complained as well) and gave us a side for free .... two other tables were seated/ordered after us....& served before.....the kids were not pleased. If the management could respond???

Easy, great food and quick. New ownership, great menu for fish, lobster and clams. Reasonably priced

We are a late lunch at The Docksider after a hike nearby. Everything was fabulous- the waiter- Madeleine was accommodating and knew the menu well. She made me a fantastic blueberry-lemon margarita. We started out with the onion rings - a must! Light crispy and similar to onion straws. We had the lobster dinner, lobster roll and a burger. Everything was cooked to perfection! The food was fresh and tasty. If you're in NE Harbor stop here to eat!!!

Under new ownership for 2022. Popped over for a late, deep-fried take-out dinner this evening and have to say, it hit the spot. The fried clams were grit-free and absolutely delicious. Fried shrimp were sweet and juicy. Fried haddock was a thick slab, perfect proportion of fried to flesh. And French fries hot and crisp. It's been a few years since I've eaten here, and I'm glad I came back. Yummmm. P.s. please bring back the shoestring onion rings. And thanks for keeping the fryers on for me!

For once in my yelp career I am here to complain about water AND food. The water is gross. It has the problem of warmness, and also not having much ice. However, my dinner was terrible. I ordered a Chicken Parmesan sandwich, and when I took a bite, there was cheese sticks. And when I say cheese sticks, I actually mean breading with no cheese in the center. Remove the bloody cheese sticks. Blueberry pie is beyond incredible. Two of those three stars are for the pie alone.

Hi! Our family loved this restaurant! We ordered the shore dinner and Downeaster. Generous portions, great clam chowder, fries, tater tots and coleslaw: all good. Mashed potatoes and baked beans were home made. Mussels and clams were large portions and excellent. Lobsters were 1 lb chicks but very sweet and tender. Blueberry pie was awesome. No missteps from appetizer to dessert. New favorite restaurant on MDI!

Eh. The clam chowder was thin and bland. Plus the clams were chewy. The crab roll was just ok. The lobster roll was pretty good but small. On more positive notes the service was great, the blueberry pie and the blueberry mascarpone cake were delicious.

Better than ever! ...... This very special place .. which has been in our Summer's for 21 years has always been very good .. at times even more ... but after 3 visits and 3 takeouts this Summer very happy to say ... Better than ever ... quality and freshness of the long time favorites and some of the very special and not typical dishes ... Gazpacho for example or great salads with grilled fish .. but of course the famous .. for good reason onion rings ... and lobster rolls and crab rolls and haddock bites ... and of course the great and famous deserts . in any case .. not to be missed ..for the authentic deal ... inside or out .. eat in our out!

Yes covid is affecting everyone but this still falls way short. Clam chowder was long on milk and potatoes and short on clam taste. Fried clams included some bellies, a good thing, but frying oil should have been changed a long time ago. Adequate in a pinch.

Grateful to find this harbor side restaurant on the 4th of July. While everyone else is waiting in Bar Harbor, we found the best lobster roll in ME! Great craft selection. Charming place, with great service. Already thinking about going back.

Been coming here for years (since I was 10). The atmosphere is classical New England and the service is welcoming and friendly. We enjoyed our food (3 lobster dinners and a lobster roll w/ clam chowder) and the blueberry mojito was delicious . Nice beer selection. Stay for the pie and ice cream!

This place deserves more than 3and a half stars! The food is delicious! We had mussels and lobster dinner as well as steamed clams and lobster dinner. The service was fabulous and the price is great! Much better than places we went to in Bar Harbor. My husband and I have found that places off the beaten path is where you want to eat!

Came here while waiting for the ferry. I can't speak for the inside as my large group opted for takeout since the ferries only run every two hours and we didn't want to miss the next one. I got the lobster roll with fries. The woman at the take out counter was nice but seemed overwhelmed. I was a little taken aback at the price of the roll at $20 which is the about the same price here. But it was very good and had much more lobster meat on it then local places here. The fries were great too. Ice cream portions seemed small. But I would come back.

Served my wife rotten lobster, said it was just "over cooked". Shouldn't be that hard to tell a lobster is rotten, stay away

The food is simple but honest. Blueberry pie was baked that morning by our waitress. I can see how people would get upset on a summer weekend. Service was a bit slow for our party of 9 on a weekday at lunch when the rest of the place was fairly empty. The gazpacho was excellent. Very fresh and chunky. The jumbo lobster roll with butter was great. My companions enjoyed mussels and clams as well. Was it overpriced? We were there because a friend's yacht was being serviced at Morris down in the harbor. Judged against the cost of a big sailboat's winter overhaul the prices were not shocking. (No cheaper nor more expensive than an outlet of Legal Seafood in the Boston area.)

Love the Docksider! It's been renovated, but still retains her charm for us Rusticators. There's a cute 5-seat pub area now with a handful of local beers on draft. The onion rings and fries are still great, as is the burger and (quasi) Philly cheesesteak. They ALWAYS do the local lobsters proud, whether in a dinner, in a roll or or in a stew. Our waitress Stephanie was adorable. How she keeps her sweet demeanor all the time after wall to wall touristas is a credit to her and the atmosphere at the Docksider. The other wait staff is ready to pitch-in with busy tables, and rather than say "I'll get your waitress," I've seen them just jump in and serve the customer right. I wouldn't ever come to NE Harbor without dropping by, even if it was just for home style ice cream. This is just one of those must visit / must re-visit places.

This place is a classic spot to have steamers, mussels, cold beers and lobster, lobster rolls, crab rolls and even burgers. Not fancy, just plain good food, great friendly service and very reasonable prices in the heart of a very "tony" Northeast Harbor! They have a cute inside space, a covered patio and even tables outside the takeout window to enjoy. We dined in twice and did lobster take-out once during our seven day stay. Our kids loved the ice cream and we enjoyed the wine, beer and nice small bar! Highly recommend if you are looking for a simple Down East place owned by locals and run really well.

Great find when my family and I were visiting Maine. The team was very nice and helpful. Great service and the food was also delicious. I personally ordered the islander and it was absolutely delicious, especially the blueberry pie that was heated up for a few seconds with whipped cream. Recommend to everyone if you like sea food. The lobster, clams and mussels were all delicious as well.

I really wanted to like this place. We stopped in for a bowl of chowder on a gloomy, damp day. Despite the menu stating that the chowder had a thinner broth than normal, we didn't think it would matter, that the flavor would still be fine...Flavor? What flavor? Simply clams (rubbery), potatoes and a few pieces of onion in hot milk. A huge mistake. The fries were great...that's why the 2 stars. The onion rings (almost 8$) were straws, thinly cut onions, which were overwhelmingly more batter than vegetable -- also a huge disappointment. End story, save your money, eat elsewhere unless you have no other choice.

SO old school, with the hugest plastic coated menu. Yummy seafood - we had lobster rolls, fried fish, onions rings, scallops, root beer floats, etc, etc. All of it was yummy. I'd go back for lunch, though this upscale little town looked like it had several other decent dining options I'd try for dinner. Two questions - where is the dock? I didn't see a dock. What's with the red hot dogs?

Not sure why this place doesn't get more stars. We loved it! Hesitated at first because it wasn't right on the water but their lobster roll was our favorite in all of Maine. Cold beer, delicious food, casual little setting. Steamers were also delicious. A diamond in the rough. Try it, you won't be disappointed!

This is a small place, with an outdoor eating area and some tables inside. We were invisible for several minutes which worried us, but a note on the menu about the NY Times recommended lobster roll kept us from leaving. And oh my, for all the lobster rolls we've been eating across New England, this was the best. Lightly toasted bun and ridiculously fresh and tasty lobster. (We overheard the waitress tell another table the lobster meat is so fresh it could bite you.) If you're not in a rush, I highly recommend the lobster roll. This place is a total do over.

I have been coming to Northeast harbor for 15 years. Been going to the dockider just as long. I feel the need to write a bad review after today's exipericene with it. I don't know if I can bring myself to though because it's my go to restraunt. So I won't be as harsh. Food is simple, exspenvie but good. Service is friendly but takeout is so slow. The reason I had a bad time was indeed takeout. Today I waited 20 minutes for someone to come to the window. At least 4 people walked by, looked at me and walked away. I finally called over to a woman walking by and she somewhat froze, looked at me and walked away. Finally someone came and said "well I'm not on takeout this shift but I guess I can". He wasn't friendly at all. Never seen this type of service at this place. All I wanted was a lobster roll. Took him 5 minutes just to take my simple order and a coke. Then I waited 40 minutes for a lobster roll. When he handed me the bag and I opened it I was shocked. It looked like someone stepped on it and threw it at a wall before placing it in the takeout container. I showed it to the man and he shrugged and pointed to sign that said we are not responsible for food falling, etc. like what the heck this wasn't my doing. Not coming here for a while. At least until this batch of staff leave.

The best blueberry pie on the island! The secret is that the crust is made with lard.Thats right my friends pure fat. Im coming back to Maine just for this pie.Dont waste your time with everything else.Its the pie.

Had a really disappointing meal at the Docksider today. A couple of years ago I had the Haddock fish sandwich of my dreams! Toasted bun, generous piece of real Haddock with tomato, lettuce, and tartar sauce. Delicious cole slaw on the side. Yummy! $11.99 Missed last year because restaurant was closing as we arrived for lunch. Disappointed but looking forward to this year. Today I was served a square, badly breaded, thin tasteless piece of Haddock that probably came out of a frozen food container. Bun was an ordinary cheap doughy small white bun with three pitiful strips of lettuce. No tomato. Tartar sauce on the side. Delicious cole slaw but pitiful excuse for a sandwich. Still $11.99. What happened, I don't know, but I will not bother to come back next year.

I've been coming to Northeast Harbor, ME for the last 6 years with my girlfriend, then fiancee and now wife. Her family has deep roots in the community both as summer and year round residents and they all said to me DO NOT go to the Docksider because of 'bad food and worse service'. Today I decided to roll the dice and go for a lobster roll and order of fried oysters for takeout. Big mistake. After waiting five minutes for someone to come to the takeout window just to take the order it took them three separate staffers to run my card after I placed the order. I then waited over 20 minutes and when I dared to ask how much longer the rude and clearly disgruntled waitress that took my order told me, she didn't know. When I mentioned I didn't care I just wanted to know she barked back at me, "I don't know!". As a side note while I was waiting there two separate customers approached the window trying to order but when no one appeared after 5 minutes each they walked away. After I realized they were putting spit in my food for asking a simple question I asked for my $42.00 back (yeah $42.00.. did I mention it's massively overpriced?). This place is a dump with angry out of town staff and worse food (so I'm told). Fortunately Mount Desert Island offers a number of great places to get lobster and lobster rolls including the Colonel's right on Main Street where I'm writing this post on their complementary wifi.

the most disappointing lobster roll we had during our vacation in Maine. there are definitely better places on the island for your lobster roll fix.

This place is a touristy dive and disgusting. Chicken Fingers are black. And the waitress said they are that way because they aren't packaged but homemade. Every chicken finger is homemade somewhere and I've never seen them black before. Ever. If you want a cheap ice cream cone in Northeast Harbor, then it will do. But they only have about 4 flavors and if you want a smile with your ice cream I wouldn't hold your breath. This restaurant IS FOR SALE so if a new owner comes in don't hold this against them. But the homemade black chicken finger people are still running it at this point so I'd avoid it until they can find someone who knows how to cook.

Really can only stay open with these absurd prices because they are in Northeast Harbor. The food is mediocre, if they had normal prices I would totally be down to giving this place at least three stars, the ambience is nice enough, but the views sitting outdoors are minimal at best. The staff seems like they could care less if you are there. Really, Northeast Harbor defined in a fried food restaurant.

We were the only ones there at first but the restaurant quickly filled up and they seemed to be short-staffed. I had a veggie burger and it was pretty good but the sweet potato fries were completely raw on the inside and inedible. The service was horrible and we couldn't get our check until she waited on five other tables and delivered their drinks too. I doubt I will ever go back.

Just go here. You're already in town and there aren't a lot of options. It's an old wooden shack and that's part of the charm. The waitress has seen her share of tourists so you're not special. Be polite when you order. The fisherman's special is good - a lobster roll with more meat than you really need and a cup of chowder. The chowder isn't the creamy version you're accustomed to; it's thin and milky. There are clams at the bottom of the cup so dig deep. The beer is cold, the island is lovely, and all is right in the world.

We went again last summer and the food tasted like leftovers. Weird. Maybe they were leftover from the previous day. I wish that this place was not in Northeast Harbor. My advice: just go to Littlenotch, have a baked product and wait until dinner to have a decent seafood meal.

Started out with a friendly server-ordered the lobster dinner and a bowl of the seafood chowder listed for $14.99 on my menu. The lobster-a 1 and 1/2 one was overcooked and did not seem like one that large. Then the corn on the cob was terrible undercooked. Seafood chowder was good and packed with scallops,fish-shrimp. When we complained about the lobster-server said she would tell them. She came back and said they had taken off the price of the sweet potato fries-nice but they were included in the price of the dinner as a side! So really nothing done. Then my chowder was 15.99 on the bill. I pointed out the difference and expected them to adjust price. She came back and said the manager said it was last years menu and the price had gone up. The server said she had looked at the menu and all the current menus had 14.99. Now I ask to speak to manager-she refused to come out and just said cost of fish had gone up!! I was not happy at all! If the price is not what they want, it is not my fault. I know-it is Dollar, but the point is-I was overcharged and they should have made it right! This total disregard for the customer-when it is their error just made me know I will never eat there again. And they told us that the lobster was because soft shells absorb water and that is why it is soggy. Now maybe some tourist will believe this, but I've lived in Maine my whole life and this is just a lie!Not impressed.

I didn't have cell service while driving through Northeast Harbor so I couldn't check Yelp for a place to grab lunch. In hindsight that was fortunate because the reviews of this place would have kept me away. Instead, my parents and I were treated to a fantastic lunch of fresh seafood and blueberry pie. We chatted with the affable waitress about how she makes the pie crust so delicious and she offered her tips. I'd gladly stop here again.

Our experience at the Docksider was a little spotty. When we walked in, we were standing awkwardly in the front and weren't even acknowledged for almost 10 minutes, and after sitting not asked for anything to drink for another 10 - 15. At first, the restaurant had been packed, so slow service was understood, but even as the restaurant emptied things seemed very disorganized; at least three orders around us were filled incorrectly, and as I went to order the "day's special" lobster roll for $2.00 off, the waitress took the sign down and I was told the special no longer applied. The lobster roll was pretty tasty, but the clam chowder was thin and watery; the base did not have much flavor or seasoning at all. Overall, the staff, including the owner who was present, seemed pretty indifferent towards the operation, and the food (besides the tasty lobster roll) was so-so at best.