The Waterfront Restaurant

The Waterfront Restaurant in Camden is an absolute gem and deserves every bit of its five stars! My dining experience here was fantastic from start to finish—truly one of the best meals we've had. We ordered a few of their classics and every dish was executed perfectly. The Clam Chowder was rich and creamy, loaded with clams and had a wonderful, authentic flavor. The Mussels were fresh, perfectly cooked, and served in a delicious broth that we practically drank! The Salmon was moist, flaky, and beautifully prepared. The highlight for me, though, were the Crab Cakes. They were incredibly flavorful, packed with real crab meat, and seared to a perfect golden brown. Honestly, my only complaint is that I could have easily eaten a dozen more! If you're in Camden and looking for amazing seafood with a great view, you absolutely must visit The Waterfront Restaurant. Everything we had was top-notch!

The immediate impression you get upon walking into this restaurant is how cozy and charming it is. It's right along the water and has a few fireplaces on the inside. The oysters were fresh and the lobster club sandwich was delicious! My wife ordered the clam chowder and enjoyed it as well. We were really glad we listened to our hotel's recommendation to eat here and would highly recommend as well!

Monday, July 14, 2025 I must say, everything was excellent during our visit. We experienced a 45-minute wait before dinner service began, so we decided to relax at the bar with a couple of drinks. The atmosphere was quite laid back. I found the food to be outstanding, and the scallops were the best I have ever tasted. One of the best restaurants we went to on our vacation. I will certainly return!

Pleasant and memorable experience. We got seated right away, even though the place was almost full. Nice table overlooking the bay. Food was excellent, the lobster roll was delicious. Had the baked brie as a starter which was fine too. Very friendly and attentive staff, relaxed atmosphere.

Great experience. I got the Mediterranean seared scallops. While the strong olive flavor in the pasta was a bit much for my taste, I kind of craved it the next day, oddly enough. The scallops were cooked to perfection. The fresh house made bread was wonderful. Hubby got the haddock fish and chips and enjoyed it. Step son the crab cakes and he also enjoyed those. Would definitely go again.

Well, Camden’s waterfront is beautiful and this place takes full advantage of that. Service was good, at a crowded time we waited at the bar for a seat on the deck. Hostess found us, she was on top of things. Food was terrific. Despite being in Maine, I went for the crab roll instead of Lobster and was delighted. Light, buttery, toasted, fresh roll. Perfect.

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! WHO doesn’t love to eat outside near the water?! View was amazing! While you wait you can order a drink from the outside bar window or go in and grab a drink inside and sit in their outside waiting area. I had the oysters that were sooooo amazing and my husband had the burger! I’m a burger connoisseur and this burger was so good with a delicious grill flavor, brioche bun, and actual fresh looking lettuce, Tomatoe, pickle. We had the chowder. Very good. Nice and creamy, flavorful but just needed a touch more of salt. Service was so amazing. We will definitely be back and I highly recommend.

We enjoyed a delicious lobster roll (large buttered roll with fresh lobster ) and my husbands fish sandwich was huge. The side of beans was delicious! Perfect meal before heading out for a day sail. Harbor views are spectacular too. Waitstaff was excellent as well. Highly recommend!

Honestly, horrendous doesn't really start to cover this place. Sat at the bar as we got there at 4:45pm... 15 minutes before the restaurant opened. Got drinks and placed our order at 5:02pm. The bartender to her credit did all she could as she was the only one behind the bar. The manager on duty, watched her struggle to keep up at the bar and doing drinks for the entire restaurant, he never once asked her if she needed help or acted like a manager and jumped in. Finally, over an hour after placing our order got it - one entree between us we split.... Crab cakes, again shouldn't have taken over an hour to receive. Thankfully the bartender comped our food, but terrible management, he should be fired.

Honestly would give this place a 4.5-4.6 star review. we happened to stop here along route 1 looking for lobsta and while we did get a lobsta stew, the rest of the meal was delicious! Food: we got the scallops (seared perfectly, well cooked) and fish and chips. By far the best fish and chips I've had since New Zealand. The fish was very lightly battered, and it was haddock so it wasn't oily. 10/10 would recommend. We also stared with the lobster stew which was very large and had a lot of lobster bits inside! Ambience: we came here at night but did sit by a window. I would have loved to see this place in the daytime, super cute. Also definitely a very local spot, we stoped by on a Tuesday and it was quite busy with everyone from town!

We have been to the waterfront three times now, and the food is always a very high-quality and extremely consistent. The staff are friendly and welcoming, and very prompt. The lobster stew has become one of our favorites in the midcoast region, a very flavorful base with a good quantity of fresh juicy lobster meat. Today I tried the Colorado burger for the first time and it was fantastic. Essentially a BBQ bacon cheeseburger, the patty was cooked perfectly as ordered, all of the vegetable toppings were extremely fresh, perfectly cooked bacon, and a mound of shredded cheese with a delicious house made barbecue sauce. If you can get a seat out on the deck, the views of Camden Harbor and the fall foliage up the mountain is second to none. One of our absolute favorite spots! Big shout out to Kendall, who provided us with fantastic service today for the second time.

One of the three restaurants was open, and we experienced a brief wait of approximately 30 minutes. However, the wait was hardly an inconvenience, given the excellent selection of cocktails available. Our meal included clam chowder, lobster, wings, halibut, and fried shrimp--all of which were outstanding. The quality of the food, combined with the well-crafted cocktails and attentive, friendly service, made for a highly enjoyable dining experience. This restaurant is certainly a great choice, and you can't go wrong by choosing to dine here.

It was a perfect day up in Maine and there was nothing better than have a beer on the outside patio seating. We had to wait about 12-15 minutes for a seat outside, but we just had a drink at their bar and it was definitely worth the wait. The staff were extremely attentive and friendly. When our table was ready they escorted us over. Our table was right against the railing. Watching the boats scoot by and feeling the light breeze was very relaxing. It was so relaxing that we ended up with a bottle of wine, which our waiter helped select and let us try. The oysters were very fresh and the clam chowder was good as well. We were not that hungry for much food, but loved the view so much we just stayed and enjoyed our drinks. I would definitely be back, but of course I would recommend coming during the day so you can take in all of the fabulous views!

Terrible management. The bar tender was the only saving grace! Got here at 4:45, manager rudely told us they would not seat us until 5, did not offer a waitlist but said we could sit at the bar. Ordered food at 5:02p and waited over an hour for our main entree. Bar tender asked the manager multiple times to go check on our stuff and I would watch as he walked to the kitchen door and turn around. She was the only one working the bar, and he stood there just watching. She informed us he had worked that same bar for 20yrs before becoming a manager so he definitely could've helped her out. Manager stood with hostess to rudely let people know they had an 1+ wait to dine. Bar tender again is the only saving grace as she was kind and apologetic about the situation, and ended up comping our food.

Very busy place for lunch. Large amount of staff were working. Good service. Haddock fish and chips was good. So was bacon crab and avocado sandwich was good. Nice view of the harbor. Very comfortable.

True to its name, amazing waterfront views while you dine on the back patio. Highly recommend waiting for a table on the main deck to open up, and ours was ready much faster than the 40 mins quoted by the hostess. I had the "haddock reuben" and it was one of the best things I ate on my trip through Maine. My wife got a crab sandwich which was very good as well. The only negative was that the service, although friendly, was painfully slow at times.

Terrific dining on the water! They say it's the little things that make for a great experience, and at the Waterfront, it's true. The homemade rolls (a different flavor nightly.) Excellent and creative specials. Inventive sides (Cumin spiced butternut squash? Yum!) Tasty cocktails and delish mocktails... But the big things are on point, too...Lobster, -- lazy, in the shell and in stew. Terrific burger. Crisp and fresh salads with great homemade dressings. A great clam chowder, fish and chips. A tasty steak.... All spot on. This is a family place where mom, dad and the kids are joined by a fine and caring waitstaff. As locals, we appreciate that the Waterfront is open year round. It's cozy in a snowstorm by the fireplace. But during high summer? In the outdoor dining room overlooking moon rise over the harbor? Absolutely perfect!

Oh the mussels! They were fabulous and plentiful! Drinks were good. Two of us had mocktails and two had cocktails and all were happy. Salad was fresh. Gluten free options are limited, but we're very good. Chowder and lobster stew were enjoyed by the non-celiac members of our table. However, the mussels were the star of the evening. There must have been close to 4 dozen perfectly cooked and flavored fresh mussels per pot.

We had the most horrible experience today. We arrived for lunch with our service dog and were very rudely told by the manager and hostess we were not allowed there. They said they knew our dog was not a service dog (wrong), and got into a verbal altercation with us when we explained we were legally allowed to enter. They threatened to call the police and then even made rude remarks about our political affiliation as we left. We have been all over this country with our service dog and have NEVER been denied entry, and especially not insulted. It was embarrassing for us and for all the guests waiting to enter. Their actions were totally illegal and their behavior insulting. Do not visit this establishment.

I opted for the clam chowder over the lobster stew although my expectations were low. I was pleasantly surprised and the two ladies working at the front when I ordered were a pleasant enough that I'll leave a nice review as a thanks for their service!

The view is fab, if you get a seat by the window. I loved the house salad. The homemade creamy dill dressing is so good on this! I could eat this everyday! So very yummy! I can't wait to go back!

Overpriced and loooong wait for it. The food was decent tasting but the service was awful. Our waiter had some sort of superiority complex. He completely ignored us when we were trying to ask for more water. We literally had to keep asking for refills as he did not attend to us at all except to take our order and bring our food. We had to track him down to get the bill and pay. And at one point we had asked one of the staff about moving outside to the patio as there were quite a few tables that looked open but then our waiter came over and was like you can't ask him that he's just a busboy. WTF my dude. How snobbish. The other young man was just trying to be helpful and this waiter was a bully. My kind husband still left a tip for him even though I told him not to.

The Location is amazing! Love to see all of the sailboats coming in and out and the deck is covered which is always a plus so we can eat without direct sunlight. There is usually a wait for the deck but it is never as long as they say so stay nearby and I am sure a table will open up. I had the lazy lobster which is where you get a tail and a claw already de-shelled for you which I loved! The butter was also fresh and great. The side of gazpacho was not a gazpacho...I wish they had not advertised it as such, it was literally salsa. A gazpacho is a puree or soup and this was neither and not very good. A friend had a burger and said it tasted frozen and was not very tasty. The waiter was okay, he clearly did not want to be working that day and just seemed to walk around and just talk to co-workers and not engage very much with any guests. When we got the oysters to start (which were great) he did not bring three forks for all of the guests so we could all have our own and no side plates were brought until we asked. They also never cleared finished food which is a huge pet peeve of mine. How am I going to eat my dinner when you still haven't cleared appetizers which were clearly finished... Price was a bit over priced in my opinion but I guess you are paying for a view? To sum up, come here for oysters, a beer and the beautiful view and leave the nice dinner outing for another spot.

The crab cakes were so delicious! The salmon burger was also great. Nice seating outdoors. Spot to park strollers.

Excellent food and service. Went early on Friday night @5:45. Ordered the mussels and loved them. First timer. Also ordered the haddock tacos. Had the ginger cosmo too. Definitely check them out ! Good views too

The blue mussels were the best my wife have ever had and the portion was generous. I had the 1.5lbs fresh lobster. It was excellent and very reasonably priced. The staff was nice and attentive. The interior has an older classic fisherman vibe. On a nice day I'd recommend eating outside as the setting is lovely. The view from inside is just ok if you even have one. We would definitely go again and get the same thing. We enjoyed the food much more than Barren's Distillery across the inlet.

The atmosphere on the patio... overlooking the marina? Delightful. The food? Atrocious. I couldn't believe how bad everything was that we ate. The burgers were disgusting. The haddock tacos and fried haddock sandwiches were so bad.

Amazing. The atmosphere, the food, the service- A+++. Came to Camden for my 50th birthday and had a super disappointing experience at the Hartstone inn but it was redeemed at the waterfront. The food was amazing but even more importantly the service was 12/10. Do not miss this place!!

The food was great. The atmosphere was nice even in the off season. We visited in early March. The crab dip was delicious but I was so excited to try it I forgot to take a pic. We had the Reuben sandwich and the grilled cheese sandwich with vegetable soup and clam chowder, all of which was delicious! Service was pretty quick too.

Classic waterfront location with a solid menu. Crab cakes are mom's favorite. Friendly service.

We loved it here so much, we went back for a second meal in one weekend! Both visits were relaxing and delicious. Our time at the bar and two different meals at tables were met with fabulous service by attentive, friendly servers. The food was fantastic and you can't beat the views and walkability to town.

Probably the worse lobster stew I've ever had! More like cheese soup with lobster. Too salty also. My wife had the halibut which was very good ...she also had a cup of clam chowder which was OK

Waterfront has an excellent patio, which indeed was the star of the show. Food was decent, best dish was the fried shrimp..which indeed isn't saying alot, but hey the dish was great. Service was great, and waitress took good care of us.

Perfect lunch spot. We came here after hiking Camden trails and we're VERY hungry. My only requirement for a restaurant was that it had a view and this restaurant has a perfect patio right on the water. Views are amazing, and food hit to spot. We shared the chicken Dijon mustard salad which had the perfect combination of everything - mushrooms, artichoke heart, bacon, blue cheese, chicken, and the perfect amount of chicken! I got the miso salmon burger and my fiancé got the chicken club. Both of us were really happy with our choices. Nothing too fancy here, just laid back easy vibes and good food.

Lovely location on the water viewing the comings and goings of boats. I was met with whom I can only guess is the "owner" best described as a Grumpy old man. We were told the wait is 15-20 minutes. I am a visitor with my nephew and I suggested that I give the hostess my cell and she could buzz me when the table is ready, the GOM jumps in with "We don't do cell phones!" Ok so we walk around for 10 minutes and get back and we're told we lost our table (?) and now we can wait for 1-1.5 hours for a table, or we can sit inside. No problem we sit inside. The inside is nice and comfortable and the view is still nice. Food: I had the 6 oysters on the half shell, and a wedge salad with lobster, my nephew had a duck and sausage gnocchi with local mushrooms. All was delicious. I do recommend this restaurant for the food and view but have a thick skin because the Guy running the show is an ass

Wow. What rude and ignorant people who work here. Denied us to come into the restaurant bc they claim to "know what a service animal looks like". I have all of my ADA requirements met and they threatened to call the police. Sorry to have experienced this because we are traveling the country and never have had an issue like this in all the places we've been. They blatantly discriminated against me and kicked us out. Also referenced who they thought we'd be voting for... just absolutely embarrassing, sad and wrong.

The lobster bisque speaks for itself. I dream of it and it was LOADED with lobster and had the best sherry cream broth I've ever had.

Very nice views the service was good but the food was excellent. We had mussels and crap and artichoke dip for a late afternoon snack! Drinks were great as well had a rum/ planter punch and a blueberry mule . Would go back

This fun restaurant is by the waterfront, and it is popular with the locals and tourists alike. We were a party of 5, two of whom are Camden residents. There's a wonderful feel to the restaurant -- our friends knew most of the wait staff and bumped into several of their friends. There is a patio but it was too cold to sit there early June, but while we waited there for our table, I could see how wonderful that would be in summer. It was crowded, there was a wait, and it made us very hungry for the delicious food they serve. Even the sides are tasty! So, go early, unless you are a party of 6-8 and can make reservations, and don't miss this warm and welcoming restaurant in Camden!

Upscale, sat at the bar because we were starving and there was a wait for tables. GREAT OYSTERS. Friendly quick service despite the crowd.

Delicious lobster! Don't waste your time on the clam chowder. Fish tacos were good too. Sunset time was perfect on the deck.

Had lobster and mussels. Both were fantastic. Highly recommended for those dishes. Service was also very good.

If you have a party of more than 4 people, apparently it is beyond their ability to seat you before 5pm on a Tuesday. Even though we had no problem being at separate tables, they made no effort to accommodate us. Or perhaps we just aren't the demographic they prefer There were only 8 of us today, but all 16 of us plan to go out Friday and make some place VERY happy in this off season. WON'T be here!

Of course we arrived on a perfect evening of autumn in Maine. Seated immediately in a comfortable couch grouping as we waited for our table, we had drinks and soft conversation. Once seated we were right on the deck at water's edge, overseeing the harbor and boats and the schooners slowly sailing in for the evening. Our hosts and waitress were so cordial and friendly. Amongst us we had oysters, fish tacos, and grilled salmon. All perfectly presented, cooked, and delicious. The price is worth the quality of the food. I would love to enjoy such an evening with friends again .. and at the very least, I will remember this one with joy.

The food was good, the service was terrible. We waited 40 minutes to be seated and were seated for an hour and 30 minutes to be seated. Overall almost a 2-1/2 hour ordeal. Nice location on the water.

Really enjoyed lunch here! Great outdoor deck right on the marina so you can watch the boats go by as you drink and dine. Friendly and attentive service. Delicious food. We ate the steamed "lazy" lobster, crab/bacon/avocado melt, and the crab cakes. Everything was yummy. Would happily go there again.

After driving to the top of nearby Mt. Battie in the Camden Hills State Park, we wanted to try a Camden restaurant, preferably to eat outside with a view of water. We accomplished that after a 20-25 minute wait or so. (By the time we were seated they were telling people 30-40 minutes). There are a few waterfront restaurants along there, but only one named "Waterfront." Like every coastal tourist town, parking is an issue. It took us two trips around a couple of blocks to find the public lot where you pay by license plate at an automated kiosk. The `hourly cost was reasonable and there were a few spaces available, though they were quite narrow. It would have been a lot tougher I am sure except we were there past Labor Day and on a Monday. So we gave our name and sat near the outdoor desk where she was tracking wait times. We asked if we could look at menus while we waited and she said no, but she was joking and we laughed when she said she had wanted to say that all during her shift and we looked safe to say it to, which struck me as a compliment. (And she was right: we were safe.) There was another 10 minute wait or so at our table until our server came to take our drinks order, though she brought a carafe of ice water and glasses with her, so we didn't have to wait longer to have something to drink. (It was a warm day.) I ordered an IPA draught beer, because they didn't have Guinness on draught. My wife stuck with the water and our friend had wine. There was another five minute wait for the drinks. They have a few daily specials but they didn't speak to me. I was tempted to try the Haddock Reuben, but I succumbed to the fried clam dinner because it is hard to resist whole belly clams when available. My wife ordered a lobster avocado salad and our friend got that Reuben I passed on, so I got to see it at least. My friend thought it was great, but then again, so were the clams. There were out off mussels, but that hadn't been on our short list of choices, so no prob. My wife liked her lobster avocado salad as it was generous -- no, not with the lobster, which had the 3.5 ounces the menu said it would, but rather there was plenty of avocado, what my wife considers the perfect food. Oddly the clam meal was a set price but the lobster salad was market price based. We traded bites of clam and lobster as you do. My clams were good and the French fries looked rather ordinary, but they were tender inside so that was fine. I was planning to get a second pint of the IPA, but we didn't see our server until near the end of the meal. She seemed competent, so maybe she had more tables than the other servers, because I saw them out and about more than I did her. But it saved me the cost of another drink and by the time we were done eating and walking to our vehicle, I was still able to drive, so her lack of attention wasn't a terrible thing. It was probably bad timing. We probably won't go back, because if we are in Camden again it would be silly not to try one of the other many restaurants there. But I wouldn't discourage others from going. Even with the lack of server attention it was a pleasant and tasty meal.

View of the waterfront and the service was spectacular. Menu could have been a little more inspiring. I ordered Haddock which was coated in Panko and was very bland.

It gets two stars for location.. we got there early before they opened waited to be seated. Our order was taken waitress was pleasant enough. We didn't get our food for one hour ..we had to ask. She claimed it was the food we order ( mine was a lobster roll) .the rest of the table was crab cakes , steak and chicken. When I did get my lobster roll it's was probably the worst one I ever had . Way to much mayo and lobster tastes either overcooked or old .When I told the waitress because I wouldn't finish it ..she was snappy with its very fresh here ..I said maybe it is but this one isn't .They didn't take it off the bill and no manager didn't come over .

This spot is always fun to watch the harbor and all the boat activity. We were lucky to get a table right on the edge outside. We were a party of two and ordered the mussels and a wedge salad. Both were delicious, but I highly recommend the muscles they are so soft and juicy sweet/ tender! Just enough garlic and spices to dip your bread in and enjoy to the end Service was Attentive, and we definitely will go back to enjoy!

Service was awesome Molly took good care of us. The food not so great. We came here last year and absolutely loved the mussels. This year they left a lot to be desired. Mussels were small, no broth, bread not toasted. French fries were served cold, which was corrected. Server used the excuse that "it's the end of the evening, cooks are tired and ready to go home."

Avoid this place based on the reviews. The service was terrible: the manager was rude, and the waitress repeatedly forgot our orders. When the food arrived, the quiche was dry, the fries were rock hard, and the soda was flat. I really wanted to like this place, but it was ultimately disappointing. Plenty of other places with a similar ambience- try Peter Ott's!

What a great spot. Went last night, about 6:30 so it was dark and we couldn't see the view, but the restaurant was very nice inside and well decorated. Our meals were great, haddock, salad, and chowder. Server was great and we'd absolutely be back the next time we're in the area.

We had bad service the hostesses were rude and it was a very hot day we waited for an hour when we were told it would be only 30 mins and no apologies and the were still rude throughout the lunch.

Rude, entitled. Stopped by to inquire on availability and told to come back in an hour and a half for another hour wait. Skip it and hit one of the breweries instead and you'll have better food, more fun, at a much more reasonable price.

Unexpected evening in Camden. Used Yelp to search for dinner options. The menu looked yummy and considering the weather, location was key. Though I bet the view on clearer evenings would be awesome. The staff were so pleasant and considering our COVID environment, they were so pleasant, polite and professional. They provide social distance seating for guest. Must wear masks when moving about and you should wear mask when not eating. Protect the staff. The cocktail menu was very appealing and they offer a full array of drinks to your liking. The food menu for dinner was awesome. I was looking for a nice relaxing evening and that was what I got. Well, when I say relaxing it means sitting at the bar, enjoying a meal while watching football of the tv. The food options were awesome and the variety will satisfy anyone in your party. The shrimp wedge salad was the perfect start and my only choice. But after reading the description of the lobster stew, had to try. Man, glad I did. So tasty and full of lobster. It was a great evening and I thank the staff of The Waterfront for being a part. See you soon.

Everyone in Camden recommends this place, but it was one of the worst dining experiences I've had. The young host was friendly and the ambience and lighting in the dining room by the water was good. Aside from that, there was an older gentleman helping host who was rude. The waitress was too busy, I think, because we barely got waited on. The food took forever, and, even though it looked appetizing, it was not appetizing at all. I am not a picky eater, but bad seafood is about the worst. I guess we just had bad luck.