Don't be put off by the basement, seedy bar setting, the food here is tasty and there is lots of it. My son and I ate here after a college visit and was impressed by the quality of the cooking. The Rack of Lamb was excellent and it was double the portion size that I would normally get in a restaurant. This is probably the best restaurant in Waterville. read more

My wife and I went on the advice of friends and were not dissapointed! We have always received great service and the food is always well presented. The service was great and when my wife and I want to have a good meal, this is her only choice. Kudos to Travis and staff! read more

The lobster cutlet with asparagus risotto is soooooo worth the money and calories. I also loved the fresh oysters as an appetizer. I go there often with a date and sit in the cozy bar area. Classy and comforting on a cold night. read more

The ambience at this restaurant is quite cozy and rustic, good for a nice quiet romantic night out. We got the escargot to start, it wasn't too impressive and the pieces were rather small. I also got their 18 below martini and it was too sweet and tasted pretty much like citrus syrup in a sickly sort of way. Not the greatest. For entrees she had the Saint Jacques Coquille diver scallops and this did redeem them quite a bit. The scallops were as expected of Maine scallops, large, freshly sweet and cooked just right. At first glance the dish seemed rather small in portion but don't let this fool you as we had trouble finishing it. The creamy sauce compliments it well, quite delectable though it did get a tad salty at the end. I myself got the cod fillet and it was also cooked just right. It was a pleasant dish overall but I was not a fan of the salsa on the side and pretty much left that alone. It was really way too salty and overall didn't quite jive with the rest of the dish. I do recommend checking this place out if you're in Waterville Maine! read more

Sure, 18 Below resides in a basement and is adorned with less-than-modern decor. But if you're willing to look past that, you'll be rewarded with friendly service and fantastic food. The dishes here are delicious and the portions are massive. The kitchen is also very accommodating with dietary restrictions and substitutions, so just ask. read more

Do not waste your time here. We waited over 30 minutes for a table only to find out that they were out of several items on their menu. At least one of the items had not even been prepared that day at all. Poorly run and their hostess and waiting system is terrible...not professional at all. read more

Fabulous food and drinks. Very friendly and hardworking staff. Love going here. Go early on Friday and Saturdays, like 5 or 6 so your wait isn't too long. Absolutely love the lobster cutlet. Delicious. My husband loves the raw oysters. The crab stuffed haddock and the salmon are both delicious too. Have been here many times and everything we've had is fantastic. read more

My wife and I had eaten here once before and had an excellent experience. Food, service, atmosphere were all top notch. So we've been praising the place to our friends and finally had an opportunity to dine here with them. To say we were disappointed would be an understatement. It was like this was a totally different restaurant. First off we were seated in the bar area this time. It was too loud and the atmosphere wasn't the same as in the other room, where you could watch the chefs at work. Also, our table was so wobbly I was worried that if someone leaned on it we would be losing food and drinks on the floor. To start off, we were trying to order beers that were on the menu but each time we asked , we were told that they were out of it. And these weren't rare beers either. Finally settled for my fourth choice. We were given the menu and a sheet of paper that had the specials on it. Before we had a chance to look at them, our server was informing us that two of the items on the specials menu wouldn't be available this evening. I was in the mood for somthing from the raw bar and there were two oysters on the specials menu. After discussing the difference between the two with our server, I said I would prefer the ones that were brinier and she said that they were out of those. So we settled for the others. The oysters were tiny and I can't be sure but I think they were completely removed from the shell along with the liquid and a different liquid was put back in. They were utterly tasteless. We also ordered the same two appetizers that we had loved before, the mussels and the calamari. While the mussels were still excellent, this time the calamari left a lot to be desired. The portion had shrunk, and the calamari itself was so small that you couldn't get a decent bite. For the entrees,I ordered a seafood bucatini that was to include mussels, shrimp, squid and cod. My wife ordered the stuffed haddock and our dining partners ordered the duck breast and the scallops. From the description on the menu I had expected the bucatini would come in an herb sauce, not the tomato sauce that I received. But I'm always ok with a good tomato sauce for seafood so on I went. The mussels and the sauce were the only two components of this dish that were satisfactory. There were only 5 or 6 nickel sized shrimp in the dish. The squid, like the calamari was so small that I wouldn't have noticed I was eating it if they weren't so chewy. And I only received two bite size pieces of cod that were so overcooked that it was mush. And speaking of mush, if you are going to feature a pasta like bucatini on a dish it had better be cooked properly. This was completely mush and pretty much inedible. I tried my wife's fish and it was good. I also had a bite of the scallops and they were cooked perfectly. And while I didn't taste it, the duck breast looked like it was soggy and the fat hadn't been rendered properly. My companion was gracious but I'm pretty sure he didn't care for it. On to dessert. We ordered the same desserts that we got the last time we ate here. The chocolate torte was excellent as it was before. However, while the creme brulee that I got on the last outing was one of the best I've had, this one missed the mark. The custard was good but the caramel was off. It was too thick and underdone in places which made it chewy. Not sure if someone was having an off night but the overall experience was much less than I expected. I was embarrassed to bring fellow foodies here after talking the place up as much as we had been. I will give 18 Below another chance, but if it's anything like the experience we had this time, it will be the last time. read more

A pretty special restaurant. Price is high but worth trying. I particularly like the cocktail. Oyster is fresh but not very good-tasting.

What a lovely spot in Waterville! This restaurant has great ambiance and fresh food. I was very impressed by the creative vegetarian offerings at 18 Below -- there were several options to chose from that were different from the staple veggie choices. I had the angel hair pasta pancake with tofu and veggies -- it was truly delicious! Will definitely be back. read more

A friend and I went to dinner on a recent Saturday evening. We arrived around 5:30 & there was plenty of seating. We had a comfortable booth. I had the rack of lamb which came with garlic pesto mashed potatoes, tomatoes & zucchini. I had a side of saffron risotto as I wanted to try it. My friend had panko encrusted eggplant which came with a few vegetables which I don't remember & saffron risotto. I ordered my lamb medium well and that is how it arrived (harder than it should be to get in a restaurant, on any cut of meat), the mashed potato was very good as were the tomatoes and garish of zucchini. The side of saffron risotto was pretty much tasteless & certainly unremarkable. My friend enjoyed her meal, even the saffron risotto that came with it, although she commented that it was not as good as risotto she had recently had at another restaurant. Our server was attentive but not intrusive. The one complaint I do have is that no bread and/or salad is serve red before/with the meal. In other restaurants in this same price range one or both are usually served. read more

All I can say is that the food and service was excellent, Going downstairs to a brick homey atmosphere made you feel special. The twin waiters were very friendly and professional. We loved the place and will return. read more

We were in Waterville for Colby Parent's weekend and went to 18 below for our last night out. It was absolutely wonderful. The lobster (hey, it's Maine) was buttery but not dripping, the steak was cooked perfectly and the service was excellent. I highly recommend it for a nice evening out, and we'll definitely be back next year! read more

When we first went it I didn't realize it was such a high class restaurant. It looks to me like your everyday place to eat, but then you sit down and look over the menu and you then start thinking where kind I place did I walk in to?? But once you get your meal and take that first bite, you see that this is a vey high class place with a nice pallet. Food tastes fabulous and totally worth the price. I got their lobster dish and I thought I couldn't loved stet more than I did, but they made it in such a way that was new and exciting! And the staff there was SO pleasant :) read more

The mixed drinks are the secret to 18 Below. If you have one, you'll be far more accepting of the mellow atmosphere. If you have two, you'll probably be feeling positively capital. If you have three, you'll be illegal to drive. I've had a mixed bag at 18B. Once I had the duck and it was excellent. I had the steak and it was fair but would have been better if locally sourced. But then I had the paella which was not good at all--the mussels were puny, the shrimp was overcooked, and what was supposed to be risotto was sad white rice in a broth of some sort. Foul ball, 18B. You can clearly do better. At it's best, 18 Below is a gem, the best Waterville has to offer. On a bad night, have the second drink. I recommend the Sazerac Cocktail with whisky and absinthe. read more

Like many restaurants in the Waterville area, deciding to have a meal at 18 Below is rolling the dice. I've probably eaten here 5-6 times. I would rate about one-third of the food I've eaten at 18 Below as "good"; unfortunately, it's often disappointing. Sadly, the service is about the same. If you've been there, you know that it's in a basement (thus the name), so although a mediocre atmosphere is forgivable for excellent food and service, it just drags down the experience in this case. Oh, and by the way, I know that some people still like it, but the chef needs to look up the definition of paella, because that is NOT it. Keep making it, dude, but don't call it paella. On our most recent visit, my partner and I shared the crab cake appetizer to start, which was the highlight of the meal. Not transcendent, but legitimately tasty. For the entree, I first ordered the Yellow Fin tuna, however, after walking away, pouring himself a soft drink, trying to put in the order and eventually returning to the table - all at a VERY leisurely pace - our server informed me that they were out of it. So instead, I ordered the Asian Five Spice Jumbo Shrimp over linguine (or some kind of noodle). The shrimp were indeed jumbo, and I was hungry, but in terms of flavor, it was about the level of quality I would expect from Chinese takeout; not at all remarkable and it certainly did not justify the price. Everything was swimming in sauce, whose spiciness overwhelmed any more subtle flavors it may have had. Instead of fresh vegetables, it had mushy baby carrots (like the kind that come in a bag at the supermarket). My partner had the NY Strip, which he said was great (I should have done the same). We each had Allagash on draft, which is honestly half the reason we go there... if they owners are smart, they will never get rid of it. read more

Fantastic. Everything was delicious. Waiter was attentive. Brie was perfect and the duck was great. Caramelized scallops were amazing. Apps could've arrived a little quicker, but other than that, no complaints. read more

I have been waiting for Yelp to put thIs on there map. This review has been way too long overdue. Tonight one of my favorite servers Steve left me with that thought as I walked away once again with a belly full of some of the most delicious food i have ever had in my entire foodie life. Nestleled in the town of Waterville is a quaint little place called 18 Bellow that we found by mistake 10 years ago or so. Lol.... My son thinking it was a go go bar hesitated walking in. (Hence the sign on the door with a burlesque dancer). DONT LET THE DARK ATMOSPHERE FOOL YA! We come from long pond but I'm told it gets a lot of theater traffic. Bottom line... My favorite restaurant ever! Sometimes I swear I visit Maine just to go to this resterant'..... And it's an 8 hr ride. The prices are responsible with never a disappointment in anything on the menu and our parties usually 6 or 7. I JUST CANT SEEM TO GET PAST THE LOBSTER FILLET.... ITS AMAZING!!!! And no I'm not done yet. My son has every food allergy in the book; they handle it effortless and the sauces they make for him leave me in awe. Anyone with people in there party with food allergies can attest that it can be a nightmare. This place is just a joy! They don't take reservations but call before you go in case it's a theater day.... In which case you may have a wait but so worth it. YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED! ........LOVE YOU 18 BELLOW read more

My wife and I have been traveling along the East Coast from Boston up to Maine. 18 Below was recommended by someone at our hotel in Waterville ME, and it turned out to be the best place I have dined on the entire trip. They have a wide selection of dishes, including many seafood entrées, and a number of appetizers. I had Atlantic cod, with a pumpkin flavored sauce on the side, and superb sautéed seasonal vegetables. The roasted pork loin dinner my wife had was excellent as well. Terrific service, nice ambiance, and the best meal I've had in a long while. read more

Checked in again recently. Janet had salmon and loved it. I had scallops and was ambivalent about it, only 5, cut in half, kinda cool in temp. No flavor. No dinner salad on the menu that I could tell. Service was fair!There are a lot of places in Waterville to try. This is not a favorite. 3 stars for the salmon read more

We have tried 18 Below twice and found it great. Wait staff was very pleasant and on the ball. No waiting for service. The food was excellent. After a great mea,l a good cup of coffee was our dessert and I must say it was excellent. The atmosphere and the room temperature was also right on. Will definitely come again and again. read more

Loved the Lobster stew! I'll get again for sure. Great place to get oysters in a halve shell. Yum!

First time at this restaurant and I'm not disappointed. The lobster cutlet, basically a crab cake except made from lobster, was excellent. The panko-crust added the final texture. I also tried a cup of the lobster stew. While not a classic stew in any sense of the word, it was very tasty. Service was very good. Atmosphere was very pleasant. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

What a great meal! The food was perfectly cooked, the atmosphere was casual but still a more upscale feeling. Strongly recommend for anyone looking for something a little different than the normal chain restaurant! The sauces and the way my scallops and my boyfriends steak was perfectly cooked made this the perfect evening. Bit of a warning: It did grow a bit loud in the lounge area toward the end of the night as a larger group came in. If you're looking for a more quiet setting, go for the dining room. read more

I had limited expectations tonight. Both the wait staff and quality of the food deserved 5 stars.

My family and I went to 18 Below after hearing fantastic reviews and were shocked with what we experienced. First off, the hostess was quite rude and unfriendly, not telling us when we could expect a table to be available. The decor didn't quite seem to match the theme of a seafood raw bar, with a more rustic, steakhouse or pub feel. Once we were seated near the back of the restaurant near the kitchen. While we waited for probably 20 minutes for our waitress to return to our table for our drink orders we noticed some interesting things. The set up of the kitchen confounded us because dishes were constantly being trucked from the prep area through the dining area to be washed. Even a cutting board dripping with blood from the prime rib special that night was carried past all of the diners. Next onto the food: while the menu seems to be exploding with delicious and intriguing options. My father ordered the duck special with roasted beets, my mother ordered the cedar plank salmon, and I got the crab stuffed haddock. We were all quite ravenous by the time our food had arrived, but even with our huge appetites, the food could not satisfy us. The vegetable sides on both the salmon and the duck were obviously from a can. What they boasted were roasted beets, we believe had actually been dumped out of a can and thrown in an oven until they were dried and flavorless. The salmon and the haddock were both overcooked and what they claimed to be a maple glazed salmon surely tasted lie teriyaki. If the haddock had not been filled with crab smothered in butter and ritz crackers, the dish would have been a dry, bland, hunk of white fish in a lemon sauce. Overall, this place needs some serious redecorating, a completely reconfigured kitchen, and a some fresh, exciting food. read more

Let's start with the positives. Drinks were good quality. Appetizers were excellent all around. Entrees were properly cooked and of high quality. Now for the details, first, the waiter sucked ask the air out of the room by inserting himself into our conversations at every opportunity. Second, while the main dish ingredients were good the asides were horrendous. While the waiter claimed everything was made on site the risotto had the flavor and texture of a boxed end, wait, if only it was that good, in fact it was inedible. The sauce taste like it was made from beef soup base instead of real stock. Very salty. Bottom line I expected more for my money. Applebees has better food at a third of the price. When my wife asked for a doggy bag the waiter cleaned lemon rind and crumbs from the table with his fingers and put the stuff on my wife's plate to t take to the kitchen to box. Very crude and unsanitary. I called him on it and he apologized. They compted 2 meals but it was still $153 wasted. Long time chef at the Silent Woman used to call cooks who put out poor quality "shoemaker" and that description is appropriate for this establishment. To cap it all off we were 2 couples with separate checks and the tabs did not reflect what we ate. Incompetence runs rampant from the kitchen to the waiter. read more

just left the worst prime rib meal ever,45% fat and ajus sauce tasted like gravy, asked for med rare but you could almost see it move. would of had another beer if the waitress stopped bye, she never even topped off our water glasses. not the date I was hoping for (terrible service) will NOT recommend to anyone. read more

I'm so surprised at the negative reviews. I have had nothing but exceptional food here. Every entree has been perfect. The only problem I have when I go here is how to decide what to to order, because it's all so good. I have only gone on weekends, so perhaps some people have run into problems with a different crew than cooked and served when I was there. I don't know. Beef has always been perfectly medium rare (which is a sore point with me-I'm VERY picky). The fish is so fresh it's practically alive. The shrimp cocktail is the best I've had since the legendary Henry David's (in Keene, NH) back in the 80's. The flavor combos from this chef are sublime. The service has been low-key and quite professional. None of that fake-cheery crap, that "I'll be taking care of you tonight" nonsense. 18 Below is where I go when I crave a truly superior meal, and I'm willing to pay for it. To pay a lot. But you get what you pay for. read more