The Front Room

Lovely establishment! Great place to eat and then walk to the Eastern Prom’s ocean views or downtown. We enjoyed a delicious brunch of Irish Benedict, home fries, and a pancake with real maple syrup. The portions were sizable and appropriate for the price, and kept us full until dinner. Staff were friendly and welcoming. We sat inside, but the outside area is lovely, it’s a great neighborhood with historic homes. The coffee was good, too. I appreciated the nostalgic ambiance inside, and it’s definitely a great place for a meal anytime they’re open. I plan to try their dinner menu when friends come to town.

Food was great! We loved everything, but the salmon with carrot puree was our favorite (particularly the puree). The staff were great and friendly! But was really really hot inside.

Absolutely delightful breakfast! We tried the omelet and brioche french toast and the cooks really nailed it! The omelets and the french toast were fluffy and cooked perfectly with good flavor. The french toast wasn't overly sweet but balanced perfectly with the custard and maple syrup. Our server was great, the coffee was great, and the atmosphere was laid back and comfortable. As a picky eater, I really enjoyed myself!

Great place for breakfast in Portland! Pancakes and lobster eggs Benedict are amazing! Outdoor seating.

Don't sleep on the fried egg sandwich, it is succulent and so satisfying. Partner really enjoyed bacon gnocchi, our server was excellent, and they made room for five of us easily. Raucous cozy atmosphere with the sounds of the kitchen throughout, highly recommend for casual meal

Corned beef hash did not disappoint. However, the biscuits and gravy seemed light on gravy and seasoning. Overall, it was a good experience, but I think it could have been better.

Loved everything about this place. Great atmosphere, energy was great. Noisy but able to have a private conversation so it was the best of both worlds. Service was perfect. Food was divine. Cornbread with chili butter was unmatched, so light and delicious. Farm fresh salad was absolutely perfect. We shared entrees, scallops and wagyu burger with potato salad. Both amazing and packed with flavor.

The brunch is decent but dinner is just mediocre with barely seasoned food. The cooks definitely do not put any love into the food. The short rib tasted like an unseasoned piece of meat was placed into a pot and cooked until tender and then garnished for presentation. Salt and pepper are on your table. I do not want to eat something I can cook better myself at home. Please use seasoning. As far as comfort you had better wear something cool because the AC either doesn’t work or doesn’t work well enough to cool the restaurant. You would think they would fix the AC so their employees and customers are not sweating but nope. I guess everyone gets to suffer so someone doesn’t have to pay to have it fixed.

Neighborhood joint with a local tavern/style vibe. It ticks all the boxes: hefty portions, decent diner-style coffee, delicious corned beef hash and the lingering smell of grease in the air. I got one of the daily specials, a corned beef hash omelet with hollandaise and a side of home fries. The omelet was huge and I would be shocked if it weighed less than 3 pounds. I persevered till I reached halfway before I called it quits. It was delicious and warmed up well when I went back for Round 2 a day later. My cousin ordered a pancake for the table (this is a power move she has started and one that I highly recommend you adopt in your brunch practice). It was fluffy and delightful. I've never been the type to enjoy having my first meal of the day after 10AM, so luckily we went at 9:30AM on a Saturday and had no wait, by the time we left ~10:45, the restaurant was completely full with several parties waiting outside.

My wife and I just went for an overnight trip to Portland and the next morning went here for brunch which was great. They were busy but very efficient, seating and serving us without missing a beat. We ordered a couple of cappuccinos, I had a 3-egg omelet, my wife had the blueberry pancakes, and it was all excellent. For visitors like us, it really was worth venturing a bit outside of the Old Port to have a great meal! Next time we're in town, we'll definitely return.

I came for brunch with three friends over Veteran's Day weekend and had a lovely time. We were seated immediately; service was efficient. The interior is wood-paneled and homey: it looks like a fun neighborhood spot to grab a pint, too. My partner and I split the corned beef benedict and french toast. Our friends shared the huevos rancheros and dollar pancakes. Everything tasted good, but the french toast was my favorite of the bunch. They managed to get it perfectly caramelized, and it's absolutely delicious with the Maine maple syrup and butter. The corned beef benedict was good with some hot sauce. It also comes with a generous amount of corned beef, and the english muffin was well-textured. Overall: a solid spot for brunch. I'm looking forward to returning for a pint sometime. I also hear they have a great oyster happy hour!

Went here for brunch the other day and we really enjoyed it here. We heard good things and it lived up to the talk. This is a great spot for a breakfast/brunch on any day of the week. It seems to get quite busy though. We had the smash burger and potatoe salad which were both great. We also got the full breakfast with eggs, potatoes, bacon and toast with a pancake on the side. All of it was so delicious and done perfectly. Their drink options are also good and I got the coffee with makers and maple syrup which I loved. We definitely recommend stopping in if you have the chance.

We stopped here for brunch on a nice fall day and were able to sit outside on their "deck." The service was great from start to finish, especially given how busy they were. The food was all fine, but some issues along the way that held this place back. I started with the french onion soup that was unfortunately left under the broiler too long and was past charred to the point of being burnt. I still enjoyed it, but the kitchen should have corrected the issue in this instance. I had the steak benedict as my main mean, which was under-seasoned and the bearnaise sauce was incredibly bland. The overall combination was still fine (bonus points for the mushrooms), but not quite as good as I would have expected.

The omelette seemed like it was simply a large sheet of cooked egg that was laid over top of the cooked innards. Sadly, the egg part was dry, rubberty, tasteless. The feta wasn't really melted, the mushrooms were small, and there wasn't a ton of spinach. Worse yet, I added bacon, thinking there would be some crispy strips but they came cut up inside the omelette. They therefore weren't very crispy, and imparted a greasy flavor into what I thought would be a standalone healthy omelette (I only ordered cheese/veg in it). My friend got the burger, which said it came with aioli, but it seemed like there was a red salsa instead. He didn't love it. This was our second mediocre experience here. We probably won't go back. ‍

Stopped in for brunch before a show. Food was tasty. I had a mimosa which I thought was great, my husband wasn't into the drink options and beer isn't his thing with breakfast so I took 1 star off for that. The bread was homemade and delicious!

I thought Front Room was only for breakfast/brunch, and boy was I wrong. Their dinners were excellent. Lots of choices, good portions, decent prices. The wine pours are the largest I have seen in Portland and the prices by glass are at or below average. Staff are casual and very friendly and fun to get to know. This restaurant can be quite loud when full, so expect that. And the bathrooms are shared by both men and women.

Really incredible and good quality brunch place! This is a hot spot for brunch in town, so get here early or be prepared to wait for a while. They luckily accommodated a last-minute 10-person group. I got the bacon gnocchi, which is exactly how it sounds like, but there was some sauce they added to it that just made this dish from great to spectacular. Great brunch spot in town! You should definitely try this place!

The Front Room is THE place for an upscale American brunch! The Lobster Benedict is a standout dish that elevates a classic brunch favorite with lobster, poached eggs and a toasted English muffin, all drizzled with a creamy hollandaise sauce. Pair it with one of their signature mimosas--my favorite flavors are the blood orange, apple cider, and pomegranate. The Front Room is a cozy brunch spot in the East End with friendly service that will have anyone going back for more.

Vibe: nice open room with kitchen in the back corner, some outdoor seating Service: great service from wait staff although there were only two people in the kitchen so we waited just under an hour for food Food: very good, absolutely LOVED the french toast: delicious custard, good texture, perfect portion, real maple syrup. Had a bite of the croque madam which was very good. Home fries were good but nothing special. Had a mocha latte which was fine. Value: $$ pricing felt on point for quality and quantity of food Other: street parking nearby is somewhat limited, we were able to park down at the end of the road in a lot near the shore. Overall this was a good breakfast although food service was on the slow side. Highly recommend the french toast.

Loved this place. The whole experience was fantastic. It's cozy and warm the minute you walk in. Our server Jerry was funny, friendly, very professional...everything you hope for in excellent service. He made the experience a great one. The deviled eggs were AMAZING. Entrees of pork tenderloin and short ribs were cooked to perfection. Also, the cocktails were delicious. Next time we're in Portland we won't hesitate coming back.

Went today for brunch. Wow, wow, wow! French toast was the bomb! They dip it in vanilla custard and it was freaking awesome. We also got an omelette which was fantastic and the Eggs Benedict. I like Eggs Benedict. But I typically scape some hollandaise to the side because I only like it in moderation. I could have drank this hollandaise from a mug. It was delicious! And a little bit spicy which was delightful. We also had some other sides which were all great. Special mention for the griddled blueberry muffin. Cool way of preparing it. Service was great. And they had more than enough staff in the restaurant and they all were attentive and helping each other. Very well run restaurant based on this first time going. We will go back and try dinner. Our brunch was fantastic.

Went for dinner last evening. Saturday they start seating at 5:00. Place is small so reservations are essentially mandatory. I had the halibut special and wife had braised short ribs. Both were very good. Drinks - blueberry sangria hit well too. Not much in way of parking. All of it is on street so be prepared to look for a spot. Would recommend and go back for sure.

Stopped in for dinner from a recommendation from a friend while driving from Bar Harbor to Philadelphia. Even though it was a bit late, Jerry our server was fantastic. He did not rush us, was very pleasant and knowledgeable about the cuisine available. We took his recommendations and it was all superb. Highly recommend and will be stopping in again on our travels.

Was told about 45 minutes wait. Waited for 1.5 hours outside and there were still no seating available. At least give people realistic expectations about the real wait time.

We waited over an hour to get our food. Home fries were hard and under cooked. Ridiculous pricing and the eggs were hard.

This 3 easily could have been a 4 if the inside dining area wasn't extremely warm. Great service and food. Will definitely be back on a cooler day. Outdoor seating available. Good cocktails.

Jerry our server was awesome. Professional servers are awesome, as they make the restaurant. Cocktails were amazing and we came back 2 nights in a row. Wife said the oysters were the best she ever had. Salmon was stunning. Daughter had the pork loin and it was unreal. I had Caesar salad with steak. Perfectly cooked. Great food and great real neighborhood feel. Made you want to just hang out there. You could tell everyone there loved their job. This is serious food and not just a fad. This place rocks and you get what you pay for. Quality ob service and food is second to none.

Our new favorite restaurant in our favorite City. Excellent and friendly service in a casual atmosphere. Incredibly delicious food. We've tried the tuna tartare, the mussels, the truffle burrito, the deviled eggs, the Delicata squash, and the crispy Brussels sprouts. After more than 15 years dining in this town, this is our new favorite. In addition to the items listed above, the duck breast, the roasted bird, the spaghetti squash and mushroom "pasta", and the pork schnitzel have all been fabulous. Great food, casual setting, no pretense. Go here and you may just be pleasantly surprised....but don't tell anyone about it!

On a quiet Wednesday morning, my sister and I chose The Front Room for breakfast. Big, big mistake! We were the only couple in the entire restaurant when we arrived. The hostess seated us, but our server elected to fill salt and pepper shakers instead of taking our order. When I Indicated we were ready to order, she reluctantly came over. The prices were extremely high, the service was extremely poor, and the food was extremely disappointing. I had the Eggs Benedict, which did not resemble anything that I've experienced when I've ordered this dish before. The "alleged" hollandaise sauce looked more like the powdered, orange concoction one would expect from a cheap box of macaroni and cheese. It did not even slightly resemble Eggs Benedict. The ham was grizzly and cold. My sister's order was incorrect. She ordered bacon and received the same nasty ham that I did. Do your research, do yourself a favor and avoid The Front Room at all costs! Ick. Ugh.

Make a reservation for and go to Sinful Kitchen for the breakfast experience you deserve - do not even try this place

Beyond rude service at lunch time today. Unfortunate because the food is good and previous experiences have all been positive. Seems like a different wait staff - maybe a change of ownership?

There are so many great restaurants in Portland; this was a disappointment. Tomato soup tasted like it came from a can. Crab Rangoon pasta with "house made tagliatelle" was boxed spaghetti with overly sweet sauce and a few bits of crab. Tables packed close together but noise level was fine. Service was fine.

This place is so yummy, if you are in town and you want to have a good breakfast experience you have to try this place!! Food is sooo good and the staff is really friendly.Brioche French Toast

Great brunch with fabulous eggs Benedict options. Bloody Mary's are great as well as mimosas in many flavors

A wonderful meal tonight at The Front Room with our friends Misty and Darrel; it was so nice to see and visit with them after a long gap that seems like forever. Food at The Front Door was off the chain! Great service, drinks, menu, and simple ambiance. We ordered deviled eggs to start, and they were covered with siracha and bacon! And you know what they say about bacon--everything tastes good with bacon, right? Entrees were Braised Short ribs, scallops, and pan seared duck. All were killer! We ended our meal with crème brûlée, cheesecake, ice cream, and lemon pie. I tasted all of them and they were awesome (lots and lots of walking tomorrow)! We ended the dinner with a walk down to the bay. Such a nice evening with friends.

Huevos rancheros very poorly made! Undercooked, soupy abd not appealing. Argued with us and Did Not make it right! We will not go back

Lovely neighborhood restaurant where everyone will know your name. Food is always good and the staff are memorable, in a good way.

Tasty breakfast good vibes. It's definitely pricey for a breakfast place that is trying to be a diner but the food it really quality regardless of that. They also show premier league games on the weekend. Service is great too.

The young man greeting people was disrespectful,,,we were a party of three,,,,our third person was parking the car and this jackass wouldn't seat us and said "when your third gets here, we will take it from there".....btw there were numerous tables and booths open,,,,,you really are taking your job too seriously bro....No one is forcing you to work here,,,,, The prices are outrageous for what you get,,,,beet salad for $15.00.....had 8 pieces of beets the size of dice....flooded with vinegar and mostly arugula and very little cheese.....I wanted chicken with it and was told it's $15.00 extra....really???? Bottom line $15.00 for a shitty salad and shitty service with a side of an inexperienced greeting.... If you want to feel like you're getting robbed without a gun,,,,go here,,,,but if you want value with respect and a good meal ,,,, go somewhere else,,,,there is a plethora of eating establishments in and around the area!!!

Charming, welcoming spot for breakfast and lunch. Started with a delicious freshly baked blueberry muffin and a refreshing mimosa with pomegranate and cranberry option instead of traditional oj. Eggs were perfectly cooked to order with fresh sour dough toast. Loved our server Jerry - super friendly and attentive. Definitely recommend.

We have eaten here in the past but not recently. We were served lukewarm coffee right off and had to ask for hot. The menu is really nice, lots of choices. My partner had Eggs Benedict which also was delivered lukewarm, and covered with "housemade Hollandaise" which is lemony but not traditional, as it was orange. It tasted good however. My biscuits and sausage gravy was a disappointment as the gravy was laced with bits of red pepper which I cannot abide. I wish restaurants would quit doing this to traditional dishes! Biscuits were buttery and delicious, but the hot pepper dominated the sausage taste. Might go back, but will remember to ask about anything if it has hot peppers in it! The room was full and noisy, as we remembered.

I came to the Front Room years ago for dinner, and I had thought the food was okay, and their ventilation was not great and you left smelling entirely of food. I had no reason to come back, until recently when a friend and I decided to come try out the Front Room for breakfast. I'm happy to report that they must have fixed their ventilation system, because this didn't seem to be a problem on my recent visit. My friend and I came around 8:30, and we were quickly seated by the host. We were then greeted by our waitress, who was extremely nice and answered all of our questions without hesitation. I was impressed with the breakfast options that the Front Room has to offer. For starters, they have your typical breakfast drinks to offer, including Bloody Mary's and a variety of mimosas. I opted for the bloody while my friend opted for the blood orange mimosa. Both were well-made. As far as the menu, there was a variety of traditional and non-tradition breakfast foods, which again, I can appreciate. I have a hard time spending money on bacon and eggs when I can just make that at home. I ended up ordering the gnocchi with spinach, bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. My friend ended up getting the French toast dipped in creme brûlée custard. My gnocchi was incredibly good and was light, but filling. However, thankfully I got a taste of my friend's French toast and OH. MY. GOD. It was SO good. I'm not typically one to order a sweet breakfast, but it was amazing. Overall, the prices are reasonable, the food was great, and the service was also awesome. I would definitely come back for the breakfast and even try out dinner again!

Cute quaint brunch place in Portland!! Very rich flavors and a nice home style feel. Got the eggs benedict and the potato gnocchi. Both were topped with a generous portion of Hollandaise sauce. The gnocchi were so soft, basically a delicious cloud ball that melted in your mouth, and when paired with the spinach very refreshing. Side of home fries for $2 was a very good deal too. Overall a nice first restaurant to visit in Portland! Glad we stopped by.

We popped into this restaurant on our way to the airport, leaving Maine. What a gem! The food was delicious. The best biscuits I've ever tasted. I would love to have their biscuits and gravy recipe.

Cute place, had a nice outdoor table when we came for brunch. Service was great, had lovely coffee, and then our food came. My dining companion had ordered right because that plate looked so amazing - it was loaded with eggs and potatoes. Just a perfect brunch plate. And then my plate came. A giant plate with the tiniest, saddest sandwich on it. I had ordered the Chicken Bomb (which was ground chicken, onions, peppers, goat cheese on a ciabatta roll). This sandwich was also $14. It tasted fine, but it was about 5 inches long and nothing came with it. I double checked the menu and there was no indication that for this much money you dont even get a little bit of fruit or chips? Come on now. No pun intended but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Like, put this sandwich on an plate of a better size, like a saucer, and please update your menu to state that if you want an appropriate, rounded off meal you will have to order an extra side for more money.

Another great experience at the Front Room. We were able to sit outside today and even had a glimpse of the Eastern Prom from where we were sitting. Our waiter was very attentive and promptly had our coffee out to us within minutes. They offer great coffee which is by Coffee By Design. Full bodied and sooo good. I ordered the House Burrito. It was a generous order consisting of scrambled eggs, moist pulled chicken, just the right amount of pepper Jack cheese, delicious black beans seasoned with jalapeños. The ranchero and crema added amazing flavor to this breakfast/brunch burrito. It also came with a side of seasoned potatoes that were perfectly done. I think that they may have been even better than the burrito. We also splurged with sharing a grilled carrot cake muffin which was so moist and flavorful. A great spot for brunch in the East end! I wasn't able to finish it all. More for later!

The Front Room was an excellent first meal in Portland! We arrived hungry and our Airbnb host immediately told us to check this place out. The food was unexpectedly amazing. I wasn't too excited because the menu looked basic. I ended up getting the crispy chicken sandwich and it left me speechless. It was so juicy and tender and spicy and flavorful and crisp! Not oily at all! BF had the lamb shepherds pie. He said it was a bit different than traditional but delicious nonetheless. I had a few scoops, too... *drool* We basically ate in silence because the food was that good. Even the cornbread side was better and tastier than it needed to be. Service was super attentive and friendly and quirky! Would definitely recommend!

This place is amazing! The atmosphere is pretty, the waitstaff makes sure that you have everything you need, and the food was amazing! I would recommend the Chicken Parmesan and the Bolognese!

Worth the wait! Can grab a drink at the bar and wait outside. We were lucky to sit outside with a view down the hill of the water! The French toast is SO vanilla and large. The homemade sausage patties not greasy and full of flavor. My husband loved his gnocchi! The drink are very good and not light pours. Walk around before and after and check out a cool neighborhood

We stumbled upon this place after we realized the wait at Duckfat was 2 hours long. It was a late Saturday evening. It's definitely not a family friendly place. The music was blasting and there was nothing for our daughter to eat but baked Mac n cheese. It took 1 whole hour to get our food after ordering it. We saw a ton of takeout go out before our food finally came. I got a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup which was delicious. My husband got the half chicken and he said it was good. I split the Mac n cheese with my daughter and it was over cooked and bland. We barely touched it. The only reason we gave them a 4 star rating was because the wait staff was amazing. Our server was attentive and acknowledged the wait. I think it's great for a younger crowd looking to get drinks and a late dinner. Definitely not family friendly or vegetarian friendly.

This little gem is located in a quaint restaurant located in the East End. We arrived around 11 or so and it was bustling full of energy of brunch goers. The crowd seemed to be 20-40 years old and I don't recall seeing any children. I do believe it would be family friendly though as there is no sound proofing in the restaurant so conversation carries and stays loud throughout your meal. We wanted to try their brunch menu and when I heard that they had chocolate chip pancakes on special (not normally on the menu), I had to go for it. They're my favorite so I didn't actually adventure much on the menu. But let me tell you what, these were the best darn chocolate chip pancakes I've ever had. They were loaded with chocolate chips. My husband ordered the Sweet Potato Hash and the combination of flavors in the dish was spot on. He's lucky I didn't steal it from him. If you're looking for a private breakfast where you can hear each other without raising your voices, this probably isn't the best choice. But if you're looking for amazing food and fun company, you found your calling.

Moved into the neighborhood during the pandemic and this is the first chance I've had to visit since reopening. I got lucky and sat right down at the bar. Much like any other good brunch spot in New England, get there early! I quickly introduced myself and met Ryan the bartender. He pours delicious drinks. I ordered the Corned Beef Benedict. It was divine! The egg was cooked perfectly and was quite filling. Their mimosas are just what a lady needs after a long week. If I'm home on the weekend, you can count on seeing me there for brunch. Blood Orange Mimosa

The veggie breakfast gnocchi and brioche French toast...the most phenomenal brunch I've ever had

Last night we went to an oldie but goodie from our past. We decided to go to front room we got there at 5 no reservations so we sat at bar. Ryan who has been there for like 14 years , was excellent with service and drinks. The food AWESOME as usual. Can tell short staffed but excellent all around Thanks Ryan

Menu has not changed in well over a year and priced went up. We used to love this place but find nothing interesting to attract us back. It's good at best but hardly ever great. Boring is about the best thing I can say.

Stopped in on our last evening in Portland on a very full evening and were seated immediately even though we didn't have a reservation. I wouldn't try that again given the cozy dining and bar area. It's not quiet but you can carry on a conversation despite the kitchen noise and the lively table conversations. It's a great atmosphere. Waitstaff is excellent, the menu has a lot of great new-American type choices, and the food is excellent. The Brussels sprouts with honeyed goat cheese was delicious, as was the daily fish choice - Arctic Char, and the grilled meat loaf. All so good! Overall an excellent dining experience that we will do again whenever we're close by.

Our monthly breakfast Club met here this past Saturday and we were all very pleased with the stellar service and the exceptional brunch menu. I highly recommend the Bloody Mary with the jalapeño infused vodka to start you off. Yes!!