On our way to Bar Harbor, we took the family to lunch at David's Restaurant in Portland and started with 12 delicious garlic knots! The garlicky and buttery flavor makes these a must-have when dining here. We ordered a variety of dishes, from the lobster rolls and haddock to Angus burgers with fries. The best dish was the Gulf of Maine Haddock, which was prepared with a delicious blueberry-lavender gastrique, spinach and a sweet corn risotto. The Angus bacon cheeseburgers were prepared perfectly and came with a glossy, buttery bun. The fries were cooked just right and served with a side of ketchup. The server was attentive to our needs, but a closer check on drinks would have been preferable. The restaurant was warm and inviting, with blue and white LED mood lighting on the side walls of the restaurant and awnings on the windows to provide that special dining touch of class. Restrooms were very clean and one could see they were well-maintained regularly. At the time we chose it, I did not know the restaurant was a James Beard-award-winning restaurant. The quality was obvious in the dishes we ordered and the display of food offerings on the menu. I highly recommend as a restaurant destination, whether staying in Portland, or just passing through town. read more

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Enjoyable dinner - great place if you want to switch it up from lobster and seafood. Get a reservation rather than just showing up. We started with garlic knots. They were tasty, little small, and cool (wish they were warmer). We then moved to the Brussel Sprouts, They were tasty and enjoyable vegetable. We ate this all up. I got the Mushroom Ravioli. It was very tasty. I would order this again. My husband got the meatloaf. He enjoyed it as well. read more

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My buddy was finishing a story (news producer) at the event venue across the street, and I rolled into meeting up for dinner. While he was able to score us a last minute two-top, a rez is probably in order, as David's was jammin' busy. Cheerful, prompt, and attentive service from Liz. We had oysters as a starter, along w a salad. For dinner entrees, my friend had Lobster Ravs, and I had a Halibut special. All prepared perfectly and tasty. We ended dinner w a handcrafted ice cream sandwich (ice cream between two cookies, with chocolate). David's hits the mark in my book. Buzzing w good energy, great service, and elevated yet casual dining. read more

David's Restaurant - Halibut topped w Mussels - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I came to visit from New York and have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this establishment. From the service to the ambiance it was very chic and had that coastal flair while still being sexy enough for a date night. I came with my close friend and we were not disappointed. We sat at the bar as the bartender was not too bad on the eyes and had great customer service, Daniel. He was very attentive and offered great suggestions and modifications when requested, he was also patient when we couldn't decide on which options to start with. We ordered our drinks to begin with and I got the Spicy song Lai due to it was stated as being award winning. The ingredients sounded somewhat sweet so I asked if Daniel could modify the recipe to my likeness in terms of sweetness as well as spice level, this man is a mixologist through and through. Next we finally decided on the half dozen oysters with pear & Prosecco mignonette, which were fairly large and came with a decent amount of the oyster liquor fresh and ready for consumption. Next we decided on the steamed mussels in chipotle and wine cream, these were lovely and not very creamy but a good balance that we were later informed also had white wine, (chefs kiss). For entrees I got the Crispy Skin Duck Breast and my friend got the Open Face lobster ravioli. My duck was pretty tough even though I order it medium and could not finish the plate. It also mentioned coming with a tart cherry gastrique, which was more like a jam and not a gastrique, which is a looser sauce, the corn risotto, however was a STAR. My friend's Lobster Ravioli, which I had to try was delicious and a good balance of sauce, I thought it could've had a bit more lobster in my opinion. Overall the service and the food here are definitely a must try and if I had a bigger stomach I would've ate more. I would recommend this place as a solo treat, date night, girls night out or even a group dining option. I give this place an 8/10. read more

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Everything was perfect! We sat at the counter and were able to watch them cook the food. It was fascinating! The entrees were varied and all had something different. Mushroom ravioli, pizza, wedge salad and someone else in our party had the meatloaf. It was cooked and served to perfection. read more

I didn't prepare for the don't be so good. The ambiance is great because it appears to be a mall place from the front half since there limited seating, but I opens up in the back as well. The food was delicious and we had no complaints at all. read more

David's Restaurant - Lobster Roll and Open Face Lobster Ravioli - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We visited David's while they were participating in Maine's restaurant week, so we opted for the $48 3-course menu. The appetizers, including squash bisque and mini corn cakes were good, but the entrees stole the show. Dave's meatloaf is flavorful and a hearty portion, and it's served with a rich, decadent mushroom jus that is simply scrumptious. The pork tenderloin appeared a tad overcooked, but it remained juicy and tender, and paired well with mashed sweet potatoes and garlicky spinach. We'd order both of these entrees again. The desserts were okay - always love tiny Maine blueberries, but the crisp was nothing spectacular, and the crème brûlée has an unusually thick sugar top, while the crème lacked (vanilla) seasoning. The Cinn-Ful Spirit and Spicy Ong Lai cocktails were both really enjoyable, and service was great. Many area restaurants are closed on Mondays, but David's drew a crowd and was lively even though downtown was eerily quiet. read more

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This place was adorable from the curtain lights in the window, beautiful bar area & the fish holding the pots & pans above the kitchen. It was warm & cozy inside. The serve greeted & sat us quickly away from the door (I freeze). I had the open faced lobster ravioli & it was delicious. The lobster was cooked perfectly & not chewy, The rest of the seafood was yummy a well. My husband had the finally famous meatloaf which he loved & the smash burger both hit the spot. We also had dessert which was delicious. It was a variety of items called Migardise yummmm. I highly recommend checking this place out. We were thoroughly impressed & will be back if ever we return to this area. read more

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OMG the crispy Duck was unbelievable. Everything about it, the sweet sauce, risotto with infused corn and the spinach. Everything was delicious, duck cooked perfect. Friendly staff Best meal I've had in a long time read more

Enjoyed Maine Restaurant Week at David's restaurant and it was a triumph! Each course brought deep flavors, familiar yet presented in a new way. The service was outstanding, the portions filling, and the overall quality outstanding! The Duck Andouille Meatballs had subtle flavor and a lovely cream sauce to pair with it. The Pork Tenderloin had a Bacon Jam topping that was an explosion of flavor in your mouth. The Pan Seared Hake had a subtle flavor that highlighted the fish flavor without it being overwhelming for the dish. And then the desserts were the perfect ending to this delightful meal. The Maine Blueberry Crisp was a perfect, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And then the desserts Chocolate & Strawberry Pavlova was a delight! A chocolate meringue with an orange curd and raspberry whip topped with sliced strawberries was a a culinary memory I will carry for quite a while! Go to David's and enjoy! It will be a regular on our Portland dining list of quality restaurants! read more

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For many years we have gone to David's when we wanted a high quality dinner in a nice atmosphere with excellent staff. It was our regular go-to for special dinners out. And I continue to recommend it because the wine list is excellent and a better value that most restaurants, and the menu has solid classic meals that are very well prepared. But I had to downgrade them to 4 stars after they served an exclusive menu for valentines day for $120/person. The food was not anything more special that usual, and they did not allow ordering off the regular menu. It was simply a money grab on a day when they know people want to go out. If I am going to spend $370 on dinner with wine, I will go to the White Barn. Sorry David's, but you lost our business for a while. read more

Admittedly, this was a mid afternoon meal, so probably not primetime. But the lobster roll was overrated and the ambience was average. Apparently, it's common to serve lobster rolls cold in Maine ...not a fan ‍ the homemade chips were good. read more

David's Restaurant - Lobster roll - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Excellent food and service, fair pricing for quality and portion size. We sat outside and it was nice atmosphere, as well as good people watching. Inside seemed nice as well. read more

Plan ahead and great reservations as early as possible as this is a very popular restaurant. Great location on Monument Square. Their online menu will give you a good idea of the possible choices and our dining group thoroughly enjoyed all of their selections. Wait staff was awesome as they check on every table and were one step ahead. There are a couple of counter seats facing the kitchen giving you a golden opportunity to see what the very friendly chefs are preparing. read more

Went for lunch on a Monday afternoon. One of the few places that takes reservations. It's a darling place. We sat outside. We ordered avocado, heirloom salad as a starter to share and then my friend got the lunch Tornado of beef. It came with steamed spinach and mash potatoes- yum. There was a blackened chicken salad and I got the lobster open face ravioli. It was to die for. Although I think it might've killed some people because it was so rich, but it was wonderful. I would highly recommend this place!! read more

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For our last night in town, we headed to David's for dinner. It was cold and rainy, but warm and cozy when we got there. Our server was good, but not over the top good. She was polite, smiled, and did her job. It was fairly crowded when we got there and then it slowed down a bit. A second wave of people came in shortly before we left. Our cocktails, salads, entrees, and dessert were all tasty! I couldn't eat all of my pizza and o my had three bites of our dessert, but I enjoyed it! read more

David's Restaurant - Lovely Greens - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We have a great experience here for the first time. We got a birthday lunch and were seated right away. Service was super friendly and the ambiance inside is relaxing and upscale. We started off with an aperol spritz and a paper plane. Drinks were good and well made. For food we started with garlic knots which were very oily but soooo good. For mains we got the steak and cheese and the open faced lobster ravioli. The steak and cheese was packed with steak and very delicious. The lobster ravioli was also very good and for the price it's a good deal. It was super rich and savory and full of cheese, cream and good flavors. We finished our lunch off with the crème brulee and the espresso special cake. Both were excellent and they were able to write happy birthday in chocolate on the plate which was nice. If you're looking for a solid, very nice, upscale, and delicious lunch/dinner look no further. We highly recommend this spot, you'll enjoy every second. read more

David's Restaurant - APEROL SPRITZER - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

One of my absolute highlights when visiting Portland. I loved the atmosphere in here, there's a kitchen where you can see and watch the head chef calling tickets and for service (truly really is fascinating to watch). You can tell the kitchen is a well oiled machine and that leads to quality food coming. The most disappointing thing is, this is a menu that has a lot of selections and so many of them look incredible. Our group spent so much time trying to decide on all the options. I went with the tournedos au poivre and omg, there's no other word than divine. The au poivre was peppery and the brandy flavored was infused into that creamy sauce. The meat was cooked to the perfect medium rare that every bite just took me to my happy place. I really almost shed a tear. Tried some of my friends dishes and the meatloaf was the best I've ever had in my life. The potato and bacon pizza was also a hit, we thought it'd be too heavy but it was just the right amount. Will be recommending this place to anyone and everyone. read more

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Wishing I could give 10 stars for tonight! We walked in at 5:45 without a reservation and were immediately seated. The staff was top notch and very attentive. The dishes were delectable. I had to take pictures as they were a piece of art!!! The calamari is a must have as a starter and the pepper crust sushi tuna is my absolute favorite. My husband chose the meatloaf dish and he said it put grandmas recipe to shame. Thanks for a lovely evening! read more

David's Restaurant - Pepper Crusted Sushi Rare Tuna*. N - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I've eaten here once. Got a lobster roll which was served warm on a grilled hamburger type brioche (I think) bun, which was a fun change from the usual hot dog roll. I opted for the truffle fries instead of chips - the truffle flavor was very mild but present, and the fries were fresh and well crisped batter type fries. My friend wanted to come here for the oysters which she was very satisfied by, and told me they were very fresh and very good. Service was fast and friendly. We came when it was pretty empty on a weekday early afternoon. Prices were on the high end. The restaurant vibe was sort of fancy. The food was good, though not particularly unique, and as such, I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to come back. What I ate was very good but not something I would necessarily write home about. I'd probably give it 4.3 stars. read more

David's Restaurant - lobster roll with truffle fries - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Okay. I've never written one of these. But two things. Open Table said place was wide open for 3 for dinner from 5-7. Literally every 15 spot was open. I called asked 5 or 5:15? She said "you'll have more time at 5!" WTH? I'm leaving at 6:08pm now, and there's a minimum of 7-8 tables open. We rushed in the snow to eat at 5 so "we'd have more time" to enjoy our meal. And it seems for no reason based on the tables available now. Second. The Sirloin we ordered "medium rare" def was medium rare for the two bites in the very middle. The rest was beef jerky. Straight beef jerky. The Ravioli was amazing, but I'm not sure it will make up for the awkwardness of feeling like we had to rush for no apparent reason, and for the 35 dollar beef jerky! David... read more

Such good food! Staff very helpful and the service was excellent. Drinks, well done, apps/salads serviced quickly and fresh! Steak grilled to perfection. Pound cake with sauces.. fantastic! Really consistently excellent and well worth every dollar spent! read more

I'm hard to please and had dinner here on 3/21/26. Table for two without a reservation. We were immediately seated. Ordered the clam chowder for an app and it was great. Ordered Tournedos Au Poivre, pepper crusted sustainable natural beef tenderloin medallions | brandy and green peppercorn cream | garlic mashed potato | fall vegetable medley The entre was out of this world. Absolutely the best meal I've had in a restaurant in a very long time. Kudos to David's in Monument Square. read more

Quiet evening meal in the patio served with a smile. Calamari was exotic! Clam chowder to die for! Burger tender with mound of fries! Great dining reasonably priced! read more

David's Restaurant - Meatloaf was OUTSTANDING! - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Our favorite lunch spot - every month, 'under the clock' - Greg and I. Coffee always a ten. Chowder always a ten. Service.... Eleven. Please, please don't move locations! read more

Had a wonderful dinner here. Started with an order of the beets, bacon and avocado salad, potstickers, had the open faced lobster ravioli with lobster, scallops, tiger, shrimp, ricotta, ravioli, and lobster cream, meatloaf, deciding between OMG and Margherita pizza, got the OMG, since it had sauce; order of the carpaccio. Got a bottle of the Spanish Albariño, . And then a couple martinis to start and passionfruit cosmo. All Excellent! read more

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Our Company just had its annual Board and Management dinner and cocktail hour in the private room at David's. It was perfect for our group of 16. We decided to split up into 4 table of 4 but it can be set up for any configuration, including one long table of 16 (or more). The brick setting is very charming, and you can watch the chef cooking in a private kitchen and bar area that is set up for the private room. The wait staff was extremely attentive yet not obtrusive. There was a great group dining menu and Charity who helps arrange private events was a perfect resource for picking out platters and passed hors oeuvres for cocktail hour (she made sure we did not over-order) and for picking out salads, entrees and desserts for pre-printed menus that were waiting at our place settings. The food was delicious, and we had several options to choose from that allowed us to offer meat, fish, poultry and vegetarian options. Honestly it was a perfect setting for a corporate private dining event and the food and waitstaff attention were perfect. It would also be a perfect setting for a family event, such as a rehearsal dinner or out-of-town guests. 5 Stars for David's / Opus 10. read more

Sitting in our own room with our own chef was a treat and I really enjoyed each dish presented to us. I almost did not get the shrimp because it was described as spicy but it was not spicy at all. Arugula seasoned well. Berry crisp very fresh read more

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Used to spend a lot of great lunches @ David's. We thought it would be perfect for after the theater, and it was! Martinis were great, and we had to have garlic knots. Our server was so fast and efficient, the space is so comfy,and the food was almost perfect! I had the meatloaf and it was sooo good. Jeff enjoyed the salmon, Carla had Grilled Portland Sirloin - perfectly cooked. Wayne had the duck - tasty but kinda tough. All of the side dishes were delish, and we had a lovely sparkling rose - the perfect wine for any food! read more

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Went to David's tonight for dinner absolutely delicious as usual and never fail Restaurant. This is a chef owned (David Turin) restaurant and tonight we Got to sit in the opus room, what a great space if it's on kitchen area and bar great for having small gathering or baby shower or rehearsal dinner. Start with great cocktails, lemon drop martini and a margarita and my husband had Coors light. Appetizers tonight we got work vegetable potstickers. with beef and garlic knots. They were delicious. For dinner, my husband and I got the Tournedos Au Poivre which came with garlic mashed and seasonal vegetables in a delicious wine sauce,, and my daughter had the Pepper crusted Sushi rare Tuna. Which she said was delicious. For dessert we had the cheesecake with apple and cinnamon spice, and angel food cake with chamboardberry and homemade whipped cream. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. It is one of our favorites if you are ever in the area get a reservation if you can and try it out. read more

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Not sure if it's the same owners as the previous David's that was in Newburyport, MA, but it's got the same cool vibe, outstanding food, delicious drinks and personable customer service. read more

We had a very, very mixed quality experience at David's on Valentine's Day. It was a price fixed menu. The good: the device was wonderful. Very attentive and friendly. The duck crostini and pear salad was amazing. The dressing was particularly good. As was the lavender cheesecake. And, the cosmos were yummy. Not a lot of syrup which is a welcome change. The bad: both entree meals came out barely warm. Filet was a bad cut and was two small prices pushed together. The fish entree was just about the worst constructed meal I've seen in a quality dining establishment. Oily, not flaky, totally overpowered by lemon. Essentially inedible. Not sure who conceived this entree but it was terrible. The ending: the sever quickly realized one issues and owned up to them. One meal was comped. Of course, we tipped on what would have been the whole meal. But I went home fairly hungry. read more

The best food and spirits, serves Shiraz by the glass! Excellent service, romantic ambiance, celebrated 25th anniversary.

My boyfriend and I had the opportunity to check out David's Restaurant during our vacation to Maine. We came here for lunch as we were checking out Portland. Ordered the Garlic Knots and I have to say, it was nothing special. It was pretty hard, maybe it was sitting in the window for too long? But entrées were absolutely amazing !! My boyfriend got the Baked Haddock & Crab, WOW! I loved that they added a part of Maine to the dish, the Maine blueberry and lavender gastrique was such a unique twist, I loved that we were able to try this dish. The Haddock and crab was paired perfectly with the risotto and the spinach. Absolute must try! I got the Open Face Lobster Ravioli. The sauce was so creamy and rich. I loved the different take of the open face ravioli. I was able to get such good amount of protein of the scallops, tiger shrimp, and lobster. I was in search for entrées that was unique to Maine during my trip and both of it for sure topped it. read more

David's Restaurant - Open Face Lobster Ravioli - Lobster/day boat scallops/white tiger shrimp/fresh herbed ricotta ravioli /sherried lobster cream - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We evidently picked all the right things here, because it would have been difficult for our dinner to have been any better. As I walked in, I was immediately greeted by all the aromas coming from the open kitchen area, and I was tempted to grab a seat at the kitchen counter area and just start inhaling all the meals. David's seems, to me, to be comfort food kicked up a notch with some interesting twists to some of the choices. That was most evident with my entree, the haddock and crab. Besides being served on a bed of spinach and risotto, it is accompanied by a blueberry and lavender gastrique. My thought was, "Is this going to work?" IT DOES! Equally intriguing were the sauces for the lobster ravioli and our mussels appetizer. The mussels were really tender too, by the way. And then there was dessert. Several of us went straight to chef's ice cream dessert offerig, billed as an adult ice cream because of the liquors in it. I was thinking it was actually scoops of 4 separate flavors, but it was a combination of the four: vanilla, chocolate Oreo, kahlua, and Bailey's. And for a price of $10, you get roughly 3 generous scoops. David's is also a couple of blocks away from the heart of Old Port. If you are having a difficult time getting a dinner reservation in that area, consider David's. read more

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Absolutely a must stop whenever in Portland. The food is awesome, great drinks (Kevin is awesome) and great prices!!! The service is faster than most in the area, even when busy. Very clean and in a great location. I loved it ! read more

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I've traveled to Portland so many times and have multiple go-to restaurants, but decided to try something different ... and I now have a favorite restaurant! The food is amazing and the staff is equally prompt and professional. If you've never been to David's, you're missing out. read more

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This place is great if you like your lobster rolls hamburger style. There's a reason lobster rolls come on hotdog style buns and not hamburger buns. It was so difficult to eat. In my opinion, it was just way too much bread, and it was too crusty paired with the lobster. Other than that, this place had a really nice ambiance and the staff was friendly and everybody seemed happy to be there. We had a reservation for a party of 8 and it took a really long time for us to be seated. read more

David's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

The manager heard about what happened and promptly called me to apologize. We went back and had a very good meal.

Short walk to this jewel from our hotel. I got the meatloaf, maybe the best ever. My husband loved his fish sandwich. The truffle fries hit the spot. Yummy. read more

David's Restaurant - Meatloaf - New American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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