To start, this was a great dinner and experience. Service was fantastic. Food was good. We tried the Lobster Bisque and Lobster Brioche and while the Brioche was good, we weren't blown away with the Bisque. Worth trying though. Wife had the catch of the day and I had the Atlantic Salmon. Both were really good. Didn't care for the grits or orange rice, but overall worth the money. There was a piano player, valet parking, we were seated by a window overlooking the garden. I appreciated they had a loud group come in and they closed curtains to reduce the noise and distraction. Desert was a smores cheesecake and chocolate oblivion which were absolutely amazing. Had drinks from the bar, well done. Overall, this is a nice dining experience for a special event or doing a night out with friends. It can be a bit pricey, but it was half of what a Ruth's Chris would charge with better service. We ate at a few tourist trap places where it was cheaper than here, but not as good food, experience, etc. Well worth the money! read more

This used to be my go to spot for our anniversary, sadly I think this is our last time. The service wasn't great, they no longer offer the duck leg, the salads have changed and the cheesecake they rave about was not very good at all. The prime rib was very good and cooked the way I wanted, the lobster was a bit over cooked. read more

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This restaurant had mixed reviews, but we wanted to give it a try. The food was tasty (steak, pork chop, scallops, salad), and warm rolls are always a plus, though the side portions were small. What gives it three stars is the service. It was slow, and the server was not super friendly. It seemed they were running back and forth from inside to outside so I think they were overwhelmed, but at the end of the day it detracted from our experience. Glad we tried it, probably a one and done for us. read more

Old school, service was somewhat questionable, food was pretty good. Dont think id recommend it but it was nice enough for a birthday dinner. read more

The property is beautiful when you first pull in. There is valet parking that is complimentary. When you enter the building, it resembles and old country club and is formally decorated. It's pretty. Definitely not modern. Our hostess was lovely. Our waitress was clearly upset we would bring three children with us. There is a kids menu. She was standoffish to the children who are incredibly well behaved. It took a long time for her to get us drinks and to order at different times. It was a Sunday night. Previous reviews mention it. The wait staff all seems older than 55. The drinks were absolute trash. Still very expensive. Don't expect much from the bar. The food on the other hand, chefs kiss. The lobster risotto was amazing. The brioche was delectable. The salads were very fresh. But the icing on the cake (pun intended) were the homemade desserts. Blueberry cheese cake. Home made ice cream and sorbet. Chocolate mousse. The food was amazing. We would go back, maybe without children to avoid the waitstaff's response. read more

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We had such a great dinner here! Lots of charm at this restaurant and the live piano tunes was a hit. Service was great! We started the infamous lobster bisque, I opted for the caesar salad. Both really good. For dinner I had the chicken and my husband had the lobster cavatelli. Phenomenal. Honestly so good. The chicken was reminiscent of Thanksgiving minus the turkey. For dessert we had the special s'mores cheesecake and vanilla bourbon crème brûlée. They have valet parking. I would definitely recommend it. read more

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We were really looking forward to dinner based on all the great reviews, but unfortunately the food didn't live up to the reputation. While the location is beautiful, the ambiance is charming, and the service was attentive and friendly, the meals themselves were disappointing. The overall dining experience was pleasant because of the setting and staff, but the quality and flavor of the food fell short of our expectations. read more

Still such a great restaurant. The prime rib is so good and so is the flourless chocolate cake. Love love love this place. I wouldn't say it's wheelchair accessible as there's two stairs to get into the building. read more

Have not been here for a while but thought I'd try it again. I think it's better than my last visit. First if you like lobster bisque do not hesitate to order their Award Winning soup. It's definitely the best I've ever had! Nice and creamy with a touch of sherry and yes a good amount of lobster bits in every spoonful. It very rich & filling so I just had the cheesy grits as that is another favorite. Totally full after that no room for their delicious homemade desserts, next time My husband had the prime rib anjus, cooked to perfection with fingerling potatoes & asparagus. With a good amount of horseradish cream, was delicious! Our servers 2 sisters Christen & Jen were so attentive! The piano player was a nice touch playing easygoing music great ambiance! We sat in the window looking out at their beautiful grounds. Will always go back! read more

This wasn't the upscale experience I was expecting. We were seated in a back room with no aesthetic appeal and outdated decor from the 1990's. There were several tables of loud kids; while not necessarily the restaurant's fault, diners should be aware that this is apparently a destination for families with small children. I had the duck leg confit. The duck itself was good, but it was served with raw pickled carrots and an odd-tasting biscuit. I would describe it as a "country supper" vs. an elevated entree. Others at my table had dishes that lacked presentation and looked a bit unappetizing. The service was fine but again I would have expected more. read more

Had high hopes -was celebrating a birthday with 2 friends. Atmosphere - lets just say, needs an update. It was stogy and dated. We started with the brussels sprouts appetizer - which was very good. We all had the haddock dish - which totally lacked seasoning or flavor, and arrived luke warm. Should have sent it back. We noticed the table next to us sent their meals back twice. Opted for dessert as it was a birthday- Creme Brule was meh and the apple gallette was also lacking a flavor punch. The service was attentive but not great. read more

Never had an experience that sent me from loving a place to never wanting to go there again Celebrating my 65th birthday. We had 7 pm reservations. Seated around 7:15. We walked in to a full dining room, and many people came in after us. But we ended up being the LAST table to leave. Close to 9:45. Starting with waiting a drink order to be taken. Watching tables around us , seated after us, get water, bread, drinks and their meals before us. Had to ask for bread and water. Then drink order taken and waited for 15 minutes. Server got drinks to wrong people. Confused and disorganized. Then another 15 to get meals ordered, another 1/2 hour to get food. I ordered a lobster tail to go with prime rib, and a little bowl of lobster parts came not a tail ($35!) String beans served in the meat juice. Never had servers ask for a water refill, never had them ask for another drink. Then checked me were out on wrong credit cards after a long explanation. Then two severs continues to talk with the second to last table to leave right behind us when we were waiting and ruining our meal with their laughing and talking. read more

The location of this place is not far from downtown ogunquit, but far enough to be quiet and quaint. The grounds are beautiful and the live pianist was a lovely accompaniment at dinner. I had the seasonal lobster with gnocchi and green beans in a brown butter sauce, and my partner had scallops. Both were absolutely delicious! The only downfall of this place is the limited offerings based on the season (smaller but high quality menu). The pacing of the meal was also perfect, and the proportions are just right as well. Service was very good. I definitely recommend! read more

Clay Hill Farm - Lobster and gnocchi with green beans in a brown butter sauce - New American Near Me - Cape Neddick, Maine

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We arrived early for our 7:30 seating for 6. The hostess from awesome. She brought us two delicious cocktails while we waited for the rest of the family to arrive. Once all arrived we were seated within 10 minutes. Our waitress was awesome, very knowledgeable & friendly. The brussel sprouts were amazing. The pulled pork flatbread was just ok. Caesar salad was very good with salmon. One wedge salad was very good the other had very little blue cheese, tomatoes & bacon. The steak was good, my duck was less than spectacular. It came out before I was done eating my awesome strawberry salad with candied pecans. The duck was overcooked the skin not crispy. Not a very enticing looking plate. The desserts were very good except the crème brûlée was not very crispy on top. Overall a very disappointing dish. For the fine dining that Clay Hill Farm is known for I was not overly impressed with the presentation of all the dishes. My bad, I'm sorry I didn't take pictures of the plates. My final impression is there are way better restaurants for the same pricing structure or less that are better. For the high dollars spent we went & will not return. read more

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Unfortunately this was not the usual dinner. We have enjoyed Clay Hill Farm during the years always saving it when we had a celebration. We did sit in the room with the fire place. I ordered the mushroom risotto as it is often my dinner when in Bostons North End. We started with the Barata appetizer which arrived with 5 Ritz crackers. We asked for more and were giving Pilot crackers. Missed opportunity to provide a special touch. The other meal was short ribs which arrived in an unappealing presentation that was barely warm. Meal was taken back to reheat the meat. The sides were reheated but not the short ribs. Again it was taken to the kitchen with the request of a newly plated meal. It again was returned in the same condition barely warm. The wait staff was so pleasant and helpful but apparently the kitchen staff did not Understand the issue. Unfortunately they are off our special places to eat. read more

The plan was for dinner last night to be special valentine event. Service was excellent from the valet to our servers we could not have ask for more. I ordered the prime rib it was excellent. My wife ordered the swordfish evening special -- what a disappointment a very small serving of swordfish portion impossible to know it was real. The fish was VERY dry and had an old smell and it was accompanied by some kind of rice and vegetable disguise. We did not want to spoil the night by being negative. So, when you spend $235.00 including tip, we left disappointed I doubt we will try again. read more

Our annual Christmas dinner at Clay Hill is always a festive experience. But the dinner prices for a 3 course meal has increased every year to the point this year that was beyond reasonable . Especially since the food was not that great. While we enjoy the ambiance, it ruins the day when we see the prices. Let's get real , Clay Hill. read more

We had a reservation for Christmas Day dinner. Prior to the days, I reached out to the restaurant regarding being handicapped accessible. I was told they were. Upon arriving and seeing stairs at the only entrance, I was told they used a "temporary wheelchair ramp". The ramp was old, rickety and completely unsafe. The food was average and service was slow. Not a place I would ever return to read more

We went to Dinner with Dickens. It was fabulous!! The food was amazing!! The staff was attentive to all the guests at the interactive dinner presentation. I highly recommend you go see this performance. read more

Great ambiance and service but the food was a little inconsistent. The service was 10/10, with kind staff and beautiful live piano music all night long, and delicious appetizers - the fried fish, crab cakes, and lobster bisque was top notch. When it came to the entrees, it was a little all over the place. The salmon with a mango sauce was perfectly cooked and balanced, while the haddock was far too acidic / lemony with sauce that was quite honestly gross. One plate of duck was perfectly cooked, while the other was a little over cooked. read more

Our 5 star reviews time and again for dining at Clay Hill are indeed the norm. It's our go to place for special occasions and other times when we just want superb service excellent food and a relaxing environment. Never disappoints. read more

It was a surprise birthday dinner for me, so had no expectations. The location is off the beaten trail and the restaurant is nicely decorated. Love that they kept the old/original look at the bar area and in front. When we arrived, the host was very pleasant and said if we could wait a few minutes he would set us up with a better table. I was thinking the front area which offer low lighting and seem perfect for my birthday dinner. Instead we were placed in the back section in the middle of a few of people. So more in display. The servers were very attentive and polite. The menu options met our needs and overall the food offered a great celebratory setting. It was April, so early in the season so lite crowd, the grounds would be awesome for pictures. Especially when there is snow. The bar is full and also a great place to sit and hang with friends. Worth a visit. read more

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My husband and I visited Clay Hill Farm last week while on vacation in Wells. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a friendly and efficient valet who promptly opened my passenger side door and quickly parked our vehicle. The host at the host stand seated us quickly sat us at a standard table. Decor of the restaurant is fine, nothing special and certainly not romantic or intimate in any way which was kind of disappointing as we were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary however, to be fair, I didn't investigate the atmosphere prior to reserving. I should add that the pianist playing live music, which was piped throughout the restaurant, was very talented and did add a positive element to the atmosphere. We were greeted by our server who took drink orders and my husband and I each ordered a cocktail from the special cocktail menu. We waited for 10 to 15 minutes before our cocktails arrived although the restaurant did not seem particularly busy. During our wait, our server greeted the table adjacent to us and told them the nightly specials and took their drink orders etc. Our drinks finally arrived, and our server asked us if we were ready to order. We found it odd that she did not offer to tell us the specials, so we asked if there were any. She then proceeded to tell us what they were which did in fact, change what we were planning to order. I ordered the lobster bisque for appetizer and my husband ordered the "deconstructed bacon-wrapped scallops," one of the specials. We finished our cocktails and awaited our appetizers, at this time, our server came to offer us some rolls and herbed butter and I ordered a glass of chardonnay to go with my lobster bisque. Our appetizers were delivered soon after and they were delicious, I would say the best part of the meal. I finished my lobster bisque with no sign of the glass of wine I ordered. At this time the back waiter came to clear our drink glasses and our empty appetizer plates, I then canceled my chardonnay and ordered a glass of Merlot which was the wine recommended with the Steak Frites I had ordered for my entree. My husband's entree choice was the duck with the Boursin polenta. We had to request a second roll and that was delivered with no butter, so we had to request that as well. Our entrees arrived and I was very surprised to see that the "frites" part of my steak frites appeared to be frozen fries. They were definitely not hand cut like most restaurant's interpretation of Steak Frites usually are, and they were grainy and not very tasty. The steak was cooked correctly but was nothing special. My husband enjoyed his duck but was not impressed with the polenta. We both had green beans as the vegetable, and they were served cold. Throughout the meal, our server was fine and relatively pleasant but not very friendly and she was kind of slow. Her back waiter/assistant was much more engaging and friendly which helped to make up for what I would consider mid-level service. We decided to order dessert and I ordered the chocolate pots de creme which was absolutely delicious (maybe this was the best part of the meal?) and my husband had the flourless chocolate cake with raspberry coulis which he says was, "good but not that memorable" although I quite liked it. All in all, our experience at Clay Hill Farm was OK. We visit Maine yearly for two weeks at a time and with the number of restaurants in the very touristy area, I will definitely not go back again. It gets three stars because of the lobster bisque and the pots de creme but I feel like the level of service was more two stars because of the apathy and bland personality of our server. The restaurant and menu were also a little dated and some might say "old school." Small details with the menu as well as the service that make a dining experience stellar, were missing and the care and consideration of a "fine-dining experience" just weren't there. Forgetting my wine early in the night along with having to request an additional roll, and then butter, certainly set up a precedence for us to find more things wrong about our experience which is unfortunate. If you are looking for an elegant and special fine dining experience, I urge you to look elsewhere as Clay Hill Farm is mediocre at best. read more

The ambiance was lovely, clean, table clothes, quiet, wonderful pianist. The food was less than good. Ordered the special of the day, which was baked haddock, completely tasteless. Tasted like it was pre prepared or cooked in a microwave. It was only lukewarm. The string beans that came with it were ok, and the potato fingerlings, only 3 small ones) had not taste either. Certainly not worth $25.00. The waitress was matter of fact. No questions like, how is your dinner. Just put the plates down and never saw her until it was time to clear the plates...no customer service skills. We never had a chance to tell her that our dinner. I have been there in the past and was extremely disappointed in the meal and service, Overrated! read more

We had a wonderful dinner last night. Great food and spectacular service. Enjoyed the duo of live music. read more

Our NYE dinner was spent at Clay Hill this year with our family of 7 (4 kids, 3 adults) while staying at the Cliffhouse Hotel. For starters, I do highly recommend considering this as an option for NYE as opposed to the lobster dinner at Cliffhouse which is overpriced and not very fun for the kids. Unfortunately as lovely as the Cliffhouse is overall, there are not many dining options in the hotel nor in downtown Ogunquit. Trust me I spent a ton of time looking for alternative options. Now back to Clay Hill, I would start by saying while the reviews about the dated decor are not wrong, I also would say it's overall very clean and nothing looks dingy/needs replacing. We actually quite liked the inside as it was cozy and inviting. You have little rooms and seating areas all over and live music throughout. The outside also had a lot of lights and decor. In terms of the service I knocked one star off because it was a bit slow and a few things at our table were forgotten. We were seated for a full 50 minutes before bread came out which was a bit brutal with the kids. The food for a prix fixe menu was very good. Although it was limited most of the items we ordered were delicious - mushroom crostini (had a hint of Marsala), the lobster bisque, and beef tenderloin. The kids options were limited to chicken fingers and pasta with butter but I didn't expect them to have much in that department anyway. Overall I highly recommend a visit to Clay Hill if you are staying in the area. It has a warm Maine rustic vibe and the food was great! read more

A store owner in downtown Ogunquit suggested this place to us while we visited her store. It was located a few miles outside of downtown and away from the drama. The property was very pretty and you must use their free valet service to park your vehicle. My wife and I made reservations and visited on a Sunday evening. Upon arrival, you walk through the bar area which had live entertainment and several tables to enjoy a drink. It's a multi-level dining room that was decorated very nicely. Lots of charm and appeal. We were seated in a nice quiet corner. There was also a dining area in a private room located at the the rear of the restaurant. We began our meal with the arugula salad and the fried broccoli. I must admit, I never had fried broccoli before and it was very tasty. It was seasoned nicely and the portion was generous and temperature hot. My wife enjoyed her arugula salad. Our entrees included the Salmon with lemon drizzled yogurt which came with green beans and the BBQ porkchop which came with two potato latkes and green beans. My wife enjoyed her salmon but mentioned there was to much yogurt. It was more than a drizzle. I was disappointed in my porkchop. The size was very similar to what you would buy from a supermarket. Small. For the price of the entrée, I thought it would be a thick center cut pork chop. The sauce was a bit watery but tasty. The latkes were a nice change from French fries. The green beans were fresh and not canned. The service was very good and friendly. Prices were very competitive for the area. Overall, a very nice experience. No problems parking or retrieving our vehicle from the valet who was a gentleman and very polite. read more

Absolutely wonderful dinner and experience here. We were a group of 5 with dinner reservations. The hostess and our waitstaff were the nicest people I think I have ever met. They made great menu recommendations and made great light conversation with us. I have celiac and need to eat gluten free and they were great with letting me know what I could have. I got the seasonal salad to start, the duck entree, and the chocolate oblivion for dessert. This was a great dinner for friends but would also be great for a date as well. There was live piano playing during our meal and valet parking as well. read more

Clay Hill Farm - Seasonal Salad - New American Near Me - Cape Neddick, Maine

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I love this place. Valet parking only. Its a bit old style, very comfortable and great service. We had a large gathering of 8 and got reservations easily. They are good for groups and for a nice special dinner for two. Beautiful grounds in summer and winters. We had great apps and something different for dinner. They have a wonderful kids menu. Its pricey but worth every penny. Well made and presented. read more

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The space and gardens are beautiful! Service was always friendly and professional, and live piano was lovely. The food was very fresh and good options, but a little "basic" and felt it could be more inventive. All in all very good, just not the most unique for food in the area but worth it for the space read more

The food is good, although the menu is very limited. I had the prime rib, which was tasty, and my wife had the lobster with corn sauce, which was just ok. Overall, however, this restaurant suffers from unwarranted pretentiousness. read more

The ambience was really nice. Had a very quaint vibe. I have some dietary needs, and unfortunately there were not many options for me. For example the only vegetable they had was green beans. When I asked for a sub they did not have anything. Additionally I got the special that was off the menu. When they told me about it they left out several ingredients which meant I could not eat the dish. All that being said - the prime rib was spectacular. Perfectly cooked and great flavor. read more

An excellent experience. Again. We both had the strawberry pecan salad. My husband had the duck breast, which he said was great. I had salmon with mango salsa, coconut rice and asparagus. For probably the first time in 20 years, we didn't share - each dish had something the other person doesn't care for. My salmon was delicious and cooked to perfection. I was expecting the coconut rice to be sweet and not to my taste, but that wasn't the case. The whole dish was delicious. They just so happened to have coffee ice cream, so we shared a sundae and a strawberry rhubarb shortcake. My plan had been to have the lemon crême brulée. Service is by a team, and every person we interacted with was so very pleasant, from the valet, the hostess, and all members of the service team. . Our main server tonight happened to be the person who took the photo on their web site, of the little girl amazed by her sundae. Check it out! We go to Ogunquit most years. This is our third time here. It won't be our last! read more

We enjoyed the Clay Hill Farm for lunch with Ben Franklin. The dining rooms are comfortable and pretty, with an upscale atmosphere that is getting a little old. The food was interesting and creative, without anything being spectacular. The spicing was there, but it was modest. Service was very good, and the Ben Franklin presentation was enjoyable. read more

We had a wonderful experience here the other night. Beautiful location, convenient valet, excellent service, and delicious food. It really is a very classic setting and relatively affordable for an upscale meal and experience. We will definitely be back and will happily recommend to others. Also a wonderful setting for special occasions. While we didn't eat in one of the igloos, they are gorgeous!!! read more

Prime rib and Spinach salad are very good ! The service is excellent , I had Kristin and her sister and nephew all very pleasant .

Service was passive-aggressive and the food was terrible. My wife and I could only eat a couple of bites of our meal. Her steak was full of gristle and fat and my steak tips looked and tasted boiled. I would not recommend eating here. read more

Just horrible all around. Haddock is served smashed and dry .Duck is served like kabobs . Undercooked . 4 green beans were the side vegetable . Espresso martinis were not made with espresso . Horrible wasted 3 of those . Service rushed . Used to dine there often. Last time . Horrible food . read more

We had dinner there for NYE. The service was terrible. The food came out cold and without the sauce and the waitress was nowhere to be found. We managed to flag down the hostess and her less than accommodating response was to bring us some sauce on the side. The wine pour was less than a third of the glass and there was supposed to be an intermezzo of sorbet and that was never appearing. When the waitress finally appeared, and we told her our food was cold, her response was "ok. I will let the kitchen know". So unhelpful and not customer friendly. We both felt nauseous afterwards. The only good things were the appetizers, although very skimpy portions, the assistant waiter and the valet. We will not go back. read more

Worst experience of our trip. Made a reservation well in advance and over a week beforehand emailed the restaurant about the menu, in particular a dish we were coming for. We arrived a little early to our 7pm reservation and were sat right away-- the restaurant was not busy at all. We ordered drinks but after we received them, had to wait a while to put in our order. We even closed the menus and had them hanging over the side of the table as a signal. Eventually, our waitress, who was very nice and pleasant, asked for our order. We put it in but were told the dish we made the reservation for was no longer available. We were then told this was only the second time this has ever happened. Not sure how it could happen at 7:00 on a slow night, but sure enough... Anyway, we decided to go elsewhere. Given how far out of the way this place is from everything else, it was truly a waste of time. So disappointing given that we emailed ahead and asked if the dish runs out and if so what time it typically happens, and even noted what day we were coming. If they gave a time, we would have adjusted the reservation but instead we were just told that they don't aim to run out. Wish we didn't waste money on drinks that we barely sipped. Would not recommend. read more