We are regular visitors to Pemaquid for years and always enjoy dinner at all of the nearby co-ops as well as going into Damariscotta or even Wiscasset on a rare occasion. On this visit we enjoyed the Anchor several times during our stay, for dinner, as well as a couple of happy hours. The front was very welcoming every time we went, when we reserved a table our server, Madison was friendly, knowledgeable, and even humored us by singing Happy Birthday to my wife in Spanish (with company lol). Other visits we ate at the bar and Andrea always kept our drinks and the conversation flowing - it was very enjoyable every time. Regardless of eating at a table or at the bar, the food was delicious every time. Over the course of four visits we had scallops, haddock, halibut and a pork chop - all prepared deliciously with nice presentation. My personal favorite was the grilled romaine salad which I three of four times - so good! We have eaten at the Anchor in the past and thought it was ok, but this season it really seemed together. Even when the restaurant was busy (happy hour) service was equal to the task and seemed to keep everyone happy and the quality of food and speed of service was excellent. I recommend you try this place (or try it again) if you are looking for something more upscale than a lobster on the dock and don't want to drive into town. Nice people and delicious food - thank you. read more

We really enjoyed the harbor view. Oysters were fabulous. Servers were great. Also loved the off the beaten path feel.

Went last season and so excited for opening day! The food is amazing and the atmosphere is so welcoming

Food was absolutely terrible, Steak overdone, French fries overdone, service was extremely slow. read more

Amazing farm to table restaurant in Round Pond! We arrived by boat, coming from about an hour away in Cushing. We called ahead en route to secure a reservation for our large party of nine, and by the time we arrived our table was ready. Beautiful views, great atmosphere, excellent service and delicious food and drink, the Anchor has it all. They were able to accommodate my gluten allergy with aplomb. We started with some local oysters from Penobscot Bay, lovely briny bites with homemade cocktail sauce and homemade mignonette. For cocktails, I had the Bristol Cooler, a light and refreshing Hendricks gin cocktail. Irish whiskey fans enjoyed the Chipper Ginger. Attention is paid to the smallest details in the entrees and the plating. Edible fresh flowers garnish each plate, and the sauces and sides complement the expertly cooked proteins. The local pork belly appetizer with scallop served as my main course, and was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. We capped off the evening with a sunset cruise back to Cushing. A stellar evening with beloved friends and family. read more

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A lobster roll on the Maine coast shouldn't be an issue. Mine was. For $34 I got a bizarre and relatively tasteless pile of lobster "bits" piled into a hotdog bun along with some fries. Add on 2 beers (one from a can) and the other a tasteless hefeweizen draft and you've got yourself - with tax and tip - a very mediocre meal for one at the grand total of $60. But it was 7p, dark and the nearest restaurant was 10 miles away... so I figured that something had to be okay with this packed restaurant (couldn't get a seat at the bar - had to settle for a wobbly table for 4.) Now I know. Service was a notch above hostile - the waitress literally tossed the bill on the table. To be frank, I believe the 1-2 star reviews over the 4-5 star ones. I've been there, eaten there and won't be back. read more

Anchor Restaurant - a plate of fries and a lobster sandwich - Bars Near Me - Round Pond, Maine

Yes, It was delicious, with wonderful service! We will return soon! Thank you! Our waiter was excellent! read more

Great food, amazing location, service is excellent. We always sit in the bar for best view. Sit and watch the day fade over beautiful Round Pond harbor and enjoy a craft beer or fine beverage. Add calamari for an appetizer, then move on to fish and chips or amazing fish tacos (bar menu) or haddock or steak from dinner menu. The Anchor is a great option for an evening out on the Pemaquid peninsula. read more

Anchor Restaurant - Bars Near Me - Round Pond, Maine

We've been coming to this area of Maine for about wo years....every year during August. The original Anchor Inn was our favorite restaurant but after they so,d it and the name was changed to the Anchor, we've tried to like it. At first it was ok, the menu changed some and the food was ok. The past two years they seemed to struggle. The other night we decided last minute to stop in for dinner. We were surprised that there was no problem getting a table on the porch even without a reservation. That's when it all went downhill....waitstaff was very friendly. Our server was training another girl. I was excited that they had fried clams on the menu so I ordered them. It came with French fries and coleslaw. When my food was delivered, the plate appeared plentiful. The French fries were almost black. I did try to eat them but it appeared they had been cooked and reheated. Greasy and cooked to the level that there was hardly any potato inside. The clams were ok but not great. My table mate had the haddock which was a small serving over polenta. It was not the best and not worth the high price. This sealed the deal not to return until we start to see the parking lot full again and the absolute need for a reservation in August. That will tell me they are back to the standard we remember. read more

Beautifully executed creative expansions on local dishes. We rented in Round Pond for 10 days for our daughter's wedding and ended up eating here at least five times. Whenever we thought of going somewhere else in Bristol or Damariscotta, we realized the food would be better at The Anchor. Also, Andrea (the owner) and her staff willingly accomodated parties of from 10 to over 20 on short notice. We also really liked the balance of seafood and non-seafood items. There was something tasty for everyone, including meat eating, gluten free and dairy free diners. The Chef is in Florida in the winter and adds some nice latin influences, particularly to specials. We also liked the simple decor with great views. Nothing kitschy or fussy, just simple and tasteful. Plus reservations. We are New England sailors and have a cruising saying that "it doesn't have to be far to be good." We told Andrea that that goes for The Anchor as well. read more

The food was the worst I have ever eaten in any restaurant. Fish and chips consisted of three very small bits of fresh buried in globs of gooey batter. All accompanied by a mountain of greasy, overdone fries that seem to have been made hours before. Way overpriced and simply awful. Enjoy the view from the town landing and then go find a restaurant in another town. read more

Amazing food. Nice ambiance as well. We had tuna in wanton cups. Great. Ceviche-excellent. My husband said the halibut was the best fish he'd ever had and he does not give complements easily. I had grilled romain - good. And a very nice gumbo. read more

We live walking distance to the Anchor and enjoy great meals there frequently in the summer. The staff are very helpful, even when short on staff, and the food is consistently delicious. We love the Tuna Saki appetizer, Ceviche specials and all of the seafood dishes. read more

The food doesn't seem as good as when it was under previous management. I had the popcorn lobster and it was salty and the outer coat was not crispy like it use to be. I also had the lobster bisque and it was a bit bland. It's a beautiful spot with amazing staff but the food disappointed a bit. read more

The worst meal I have ever had in Maine. Nothing really went right. First the hostess tried to seat us at the bar for lunch without asking even though the dining room was almost empty. I ordered crab and avocado wraps. It's amazing to me that anyone thought those 2 wraps belonged on the same plate. One was "browned", the other wasn't. The one that was "browned" was burned. The one that wasn't was stone cold. One had a fair amount of filling, the other almost none. The French fries had obviously been sitting under the warming lights for hours. They were tasteless and very, very soggy. I felt like the restaurant thinks the customers are stupid. Our table was sticky, which I really don't like. An employee was wiping down tables but only in the middle. The edges of the tables never got cleaned even though that's the part that people touch. And the biggest mystery - a server came over while my wife was in the rest room and asked me if I wanted anything to drink. I ordered something, and she said she'd come back and take orders when my wife returned. Why ask for an order and then refuse it? Could it be because I didn't order alcohol? It's really a shame what has happened at this location. The Anchor Inn, which was here previously, was consistently good. That's probably the only reason the new occupant is still in business. read more

Fine dining at reasonable prices. We were expecting the usual fried seafood with a view , but The Anchor turned out to be one of the best dining experiences we've ever had. Excellent service and friendly staff. Everything we ate was absolutely delicious! read more

Please do yourself a favor and find another place to eat. The prices are extremely high for what you get and the management is rude. When we first got there, the manager was very rude about seating us. There was only a few people in the restaurant and she was more concerned about a large party she had coming in 2 hours. We spent over $250 and she was ready to let us walk. I was actually going to walk out watching the reaction but I stayed because of how friendly our waitress was. She was the only bright spot of our experience. I had no problem paying the prices on the menu but please give us some food for the price you are charging. I had a lobster sandwich that all I could taste was the bun because there was barely any meat on it. Two people in our party ordered the fried clams and the portions on the dishes were both different amounts. Overall, you can do much better then the Anchor. After reading other reviews on here, I see I am not the only one to have these experiences. read more

My grandmother likes this place; if not for that, I would never step foot in the door. Perhaps I am not yet used to food being as expensive as it has become, in the past few years, but I cannot abide a place that will charge $25 for ribs, and not even include a side salad. Oh, I got about 15 french fries, and some (rather boring*) slaw, but a salad would have cost me an extra $4.47 (not a typo), and dressing an extra 50 cents. Seriously, The menu said that salad dressing was extra. I'm not going to get into details about how flavorless and bland my ribs were, or how the waitress was ridiculously rude (we were all rather shocked), or how small and inconsistent the portions are, compared to the inflated prices. I don't really need to bother: the salad dressing pretty much says it all. Just extrapolate from there... * I understand that their target audience is elderly, thus the bland food, but that doesn't mean I like it. read more

We weren't sure what to expect after learning the restaurant changed management but we're pleasantly surprised. My wife and I went on a Thursday night in June and were seated quickly although we had no reservation. In all fairness, the restaurant was not very busy when we arrived at 6:00 PM. By the time we left at 7:30, it was 2/3 full. It is quite different and pricier than the previous iteration but the menu was quite varied and the selection good. The service was attentive and the staff checked back with us often. I had an appetizer of fried clams which were very good, followed by the braised short ribs with turnip and brussel sprouts which were very tasty and nicely presented. My wife had had the steak frite which featured skirt steak and was served with green beans and steak fries and reported it to be very good. For dessert we had lemon cream pie and chocolate creme brûlée both of which were excellent. We are pleased that the Anchor remains on our list of good restaurants in mid-coast Maine. I am not sure why they have received those bad reviews. Our experiences have been just the opposite. We went for dinner tonight (a Wednesday) and arrived a little after 6:00 PM. The restaurant was pretty full and they seated a party of 8 just before us but quickly seated us although we had no reservation. The staff was attentive and quickly too our order for drinks, appetizers and main courses which were delivered in reasonable time. The food and presentation was very good (I had the mussels, fried green tomatoes, and ribeye steak - my wife had her favorite steak frites and sampled my fried green tomatoes) and everything was completed by 7:30. I can't see why they got those negative reviews - they seem undeserved. read more

Came here on a special vacation with a date... and we both arrived ravenously hungry because of unusually bad traffic. We were greeted warmly and quickly seated despite the place being pretty busy. Throughout the meal, our server was cheerful and attentive without being intrusive. We tried the lobster mac and cheese and the lobster dinner (yes it was a lobster theme night for us). The lobster dinner was simple and straightforward. Interestingly the mac and cheese seemed to be a risotto, instead of ordinary pasta. The plate was nicely decorated. I think the chef may have been experimenting: if so, it was a nice success. I appreciated the attempt to innovate without losing sight of providing a good meal. Great experience. I left a 50 dollar tip on a 100 dollar meal to say thank you. read more

The Anchor Inn is well worth the trip. And unless you are already staying on Pemaquid Point, its going to be a drive. Both times I've eaten there everyone in the party had seafood. Everyone enjoyed it. I've had the mixed scampi and the seafood risoto. Both were spectacular. One of my friends who knows wine liked the wine list. I liked their draft beer selection. The atmosphere allows for both casual and formal attire. The porch and main indoor dining areas overlook the working harbor of Round Pond. There is a smaller bar area with tables as well. The staff are down to earth locals. I am going back again. read more

This is a Yelp start for this restaurant. The old "Anchor Inn" went out of business in 2015 and new owners opened this restaurant in the same location. It is not the same restaurant - so everyone out there that says it's not the same anymore - that's right it is not the same; it is a new restaurant. It's nice to have a seafood restaurant that prepares seafood other than fried. Started with some local oysters that were prepared well. Our food was very good. Had the lobster risotto and the lobster ravioli. The service was generally good; our server got s little slow when she picked up another table which happen to be a large group. read more

Great dinner with large group of 12. Hostess and servers were fantastic. We had 5 young children and they were patient and kind. Porch has amazing views! Food was very good. Oysters were wonderful and fried clams delicious. Highly recommend! read more

So this is the place to go in coastal Maine for a nice evening out. The food is good and the prices aren't too bad, but you're going to be paying a little more for atmosphere and the fact that it's the only restaurant like it in the immediate area. It's set in a working harbor, therefore you can see the lobster boats and pleasure boats that are moored there. I would reccomend this place for a fancier dinner while vacationing in Maine. You can get a little dressed up if that's what you're looking for, but no one's going to kick you out for wearing jeans. read more

The Anchor Inn is definitely located off the beaten path. We were staying on Pemaquid Point for the weekend, and my mother and auntie wanted lobsters and friends recommended the Anchor Inn. The weather was craptastic outside, and they had the plastic flaps down in their outdoor seating area. It was very comfortable even through it was raw and wet outside. The waitstaff were definitely local-yokels, but very nice and pleasant. I had the crabcakes- I ordered them because the menu said they are a guest favorite, and they were fantastic! They were served with a sauce that was some sort of mixture of dijon mustard, pepper and other yumminess. Their 20 under $20 wine list was great! How often do you get such a variety of cheap wine in a restaurant? The Anchor Inn Restaurant might be tough to find, but it's worth it. I'm sure it's very nice when they weather is nicer, too- when they can open up the outdoor seating to the river. read more

Simply stated, this was an amazing experience! If you are looking for an outstanding culinary experience coupled with incredible views as well as an interior design that enhances your view regardless of where you are sitting then The Anchor Restaurant is a must visit place if you are on the Mid Coast of Maine. Owners Dan and Andrea have painstakingly renovated and created an environment that will provide you with a truly memorable experience in food and your view of Round Pond Harbor. It absolutely was one of the best experiences that I have ever had. As we came into the restaurant we were cheerfully greeted by several people. When the hostess (Andrea) came to seat us she had a brilliant smile that that said without words that we were about to have an amazing experience (and we did!) Our waitress (Olivia) was as cheerful and very knowledgeable about the menu. She did everything to guarantee that we were comfortable and paid meticulous attention to us throughout the evening. We started the evening sharing a Crab Cake appetizer and some Point Judith Calamari. Possibly the best ever crab cake that I have ever had and the calamari was lightly coated, golden brown and so tasty that you could consider having more immediately but the best was yet to come! I had the Maine Lobster Ravioli which was combined with a Sherry-Tarragon Cream Sauce, Shiitake Mushrooms, Grilled Ramps & Picked Meat. Simply stated it was the best ever! Tasty beyond belief and just enough to leave a little room for dessert. My wife had Seared Scallops that came with roasted fingerling potatoes and incredibly delicious creamed corn decorating the plate. As my wife tried her dinner she looked up and said this is absolutely cooked to perfection. She gave me a taste of a scallop and it was so tender and tasty that I said that will be my next meal to try when we come back. Our friend had one of the evenings specials (and there were several). He loves Tuna so when they read the specials he immediately changed his mind on what he was going to have and ordered the grilled Tuna. He is very particular on how he likes his Tuna prepared. He described what he wanted (blackened on the outside and red on the inside) and it came just as he wanted. As he took his first bite, he looked up, had a big smile and said "this is amazing". Lastly we topped of the experience with a Coconut Crème Brule ... amazing! We had a wonderful meal combined with terrific company and outstanding views of the harbor. I highly recommend The Anchor Restaurant without hesitation! read more

I've been coming here for about 20 years - it's quite delicious, worth the $ (not pricy, for those who have complained about it - try eating in Los Angeles or New York City once in a while; this place is moderately priced, and you get enough for your cash, for sure). One thing I miss is Jake's Cake - used to be my favorite dessert. I assume in the 10 years between my visits, they had some turnover in kitchen (menu has changed slightly). No worries, though; I'll miss my Jake's Cake and happily dive into Seventh Heaven Nachos or something equally tasty! They do have a kid's menu, for those wondering. Gorgeous view of the water from the porch. read more

What a wonderful surprise! I had eaten here twice before over the years, and while the food was acceptable I wasn't very excited about going again. I was delighted to discover a new innovative menu and absolutely fabulous food! The calamari was the best I've had anywhere. We had three salads, all delicious. Salmon, mussels, lobster done beautifully. Our hostess was charming and checked in with us several times during the meal. Our only complaint was the server who clearly did not give any f*cks, but she didn't ruin a wonderful meal. We will definitely be back. read more

Good not great. Dishes were salty and weak. For the price you would expect a salad and more than a crouton sized dinner roll. We expected great things after the change in management, disappointed as it was once a frequent visit for us during the summer. read more

Absolutely delicious. Beautiful view. Our experience was first rate. The young staff were professional, courteous and prompt. I opted for a meat entree. I had the Maine ribeye. I couldn't do just seafood that night. The steak was perfect. Appetizers included the mussels and scallop with pork belly. The later was so good my wife had it again for dinner. I kind of ate 3/4 of the pork belly. Highly recommend. Make reservations, so you can get a table on the deck. read more

Friendly, courteous staff compliments the stunning flavors the chef is turning out. Happy that a place is using the local ingredients to take some more than palatable risks (downright delicious!) in the area! read more

went on 9/9/18- disgusting !!!! two parties had lobter risotto- a few lobster flakes and undercooked rice i had the broiled haddock-fresh ??no way!! tough, chewy and still frozen on the inside!! the polenta cake had good flavor- and very burndt bottom ! never again-- yes it was end of season -- but seriously what a horrible meal read more

We spent two and a half weeks in the Damariscotta area, and this was by far the best meal we had.

Phenomenal visit as usual! We had the lobster popcorn, mussels, fish tacos and short rib tacos. The food was out quickly but not too fast between courses. All dishes were super tasty. I had a great local beer from the long list of excellent choices. My wife had a great dirty martini. Don't miss this hidden Geronimo the coast. Great food, great people and an awesome view too! We'll be back! read more

This place is an embarassment to the town of Round Pond, and with its opening has taken over the title of worst restaurant in Round Pond from the previous holder, the dumpster next to King Ro. Yep, The Anchor is bad. You can read my review, and trust me, and my 100+ reviews, or trust someone who has just a few reviews. But if you do go to the Anchor, don't tell me I didn't warn you. To start we ordered three meals to go. Two Steak Frites, one medium, one well. One Broiled Haddock no mushrooms, three Truffle Mac and Cheese. Now, I'll ignore the horrendous fact that it took the bartender over seven minutes to type this in to her computer, and then another 2 minutes to figure out how to charge me for it, but the bigger failure is that they still got our order wrong. Even after we waited thirty five minutes for it. Here's what we ended up with. Two Steak Frites, each half done medium, half well, One Broiled Haddock (overcooked to the point it was borderline inedible) WITH mushrooms, Three Rice with cheese with absolutely no hint of truffle of any kind. And what did we pay for this horrendous meal? Around $100. I could buy a George Foreman Grill, two steaks, a haddock filet, EasyMac, and truffle oil all for under $100 and enjoy a much better meal, in less time, and cooked properly. If you want to go to a place that gets your order wrong (from their already limited menu), takes a long time, has mislabeled menu items, and is the most expensive place to eat by far in town, then feel free to go to The Anchor. If you value quality food, then go literally, anywhere else. Even canned soup at King Ro is better than this. Or maybe treat yourself to a Giffords Ice Cream dinner at Granite Hall, or maybe you prefer to just eat grass and gravel from the Anchor's parking lot. All of these are better choices. It's really a shame that the Anchor's owners decided to evict the Anchor Inn as tenants at the end of their lease because though the Anchor Inn wasn't that great, the Anchor is far worse, and definitely the worst meal I've had in the entirety of Lincoln County. read more

Prices are way too high. Place could use some hanging plants and fishing nets along the ceilings. Food is good EXCEPT the Caesar salad which is the worst we've ever had. We've heard the owner is not good to his help (most of whom don't look happy). We asked on the way out "where are the mints" and got a snotty answer from one of the hostesses. The Anchor Inn used to have colored mints which was really great to nibble on on the way out. This place used to be buzzing with people, not any longer now that it's changed. read more

Bottom line: don't bother. Too much money for what you get. And I speak as someone who LOVED this place last season. I'll start with what I liked - the view. And the decor. But it was cold! I had to go outside and get my leather coat to wear through dinner, with my scarf, to stay warm. What else was lacking? The food. And the drinks menu. Last summer, we were delighted with the inventive and interesting mixed drinks and honestly, that was the draw last night. It was a beautiful day and the view is wonderful! But the waitress looked at me like I had 3 heads when I asked for the cocktail menu. So I ordered a glass of wine. The table bread was a nutmeg roll that was bland, except for the hint of nutmeg, which was nice. It would have benefited from some salt or a more flavorful spread. Plain butter? Honestly, who does that in a fine restaurant these days? For my meal, I ordered a Caesar salad. It had no flavor. It looked nice enough, with shaved parmesan on top, however, the cheese certainly wasn't high quality because why? NO FLAVOR! The dressing was there, but all I tasted was oil, no lemon, and certainly no anchovy. The croutons were fried white bread cubes. I also ordered the Fresh Asparagus "in bed" - whatever that is. The asparagus was grossly overcooked to the point of being mushy. The egg on top was cooked nicely and the overall flavor was there. But I can't forgive overcooked asparagus. So, sure, the locals may drink enough to keep you open for a bit. But they will get tired of paying too much for not much and go elsewhere. Like next door to Muscongus Bay Lobster, where they can bring their own drinks and appetizers and enjoy the view. read more

Halibut way overcooked - consistent for two diners Venue still terrific. Hope this is an anomaly... read more

Avoid at all costs. Horrible service from staff and management. You may need to drive many miles for another meal but it will be worth it.

They provided an outstanding lunch for bicyclists passing through on Bike Maine tour. I had the haddock tacos and they were flavorful with nice accompanying garnishes. They also prepared a vegetarian option with marinated mushrooms and a beef short rib slider option that was well liked. read more