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    Side Street Cafe

    4.1 (2.7k reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Salad, Bars
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Side Street Cafe Photos

    SIDE STREET CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Side Street Cafe

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    Burger
    Heather M.

    We weren't anticipating going to Bar Harbor this trip so I was scrambling to choose a place for our anniversary dinner. I'm so glad we found this place. Everything was delicious! I loved the mocktail. We got there a little before 5 and were sat right away. Our server was great and our food came out fast and hot.

    Captains Catch with Sweet Potato Fries
    Elias G.

    Service was very friendly, and there was no wait to sit on the porch. Lots of cute dogs. Food was satisfying - I liked their clam chowder a lot. It had tons of clams and was not super thick. The mac and cheese was just OK. Good, but not as mind-blowing as they and their reviews suggest. The sauce was also a bit broken. The pie was delicious, as are most wild blueberry pies, although I think the filling was far better than the crust. I'd say it's pretty reliable, especially if you haven't made reservations elsewhere.

    BlackBerry Bourbon lemonade - really good
    Ric P.

    As the name suggests, the "Side Street Cafe" is one-block off Main Street in Bar Harbor, literally on a side-street. Surrounded by flowering plants upon entering you'll find d a low ceiling with rough hand hewn beams. The restaurant can be a bit loud but this is managed by open windows and outdoor seating. The hamburger is listed as a smash burger ... but it is not a true smash burger... but that doesn't diminish its taste. Very juicy and an overall great burger. The Lobster Roll was excellent. LOTS of Lobster! Buttery, fresh, and tender. My only wish is the roll could have been toasted more. Then there is the Blueberry pie. OMGOODNESS THIS WAS A HEAVENLY EXPERIENCE. I love pie and this blueberry pie was tasty with an excellent crust. Could not have been any better. When visiting Bar Harbor, forget the Main Street restaurants and go find the Side Street Cafe.

    Menu
    Marilyn B.

    Side Street Cafe is located very close to main street on Rodick Street. It is worth the stop for any meal. We did not have any wait when we arrived which was surprising as it looked packed. We were seated on their outside deck overlooking Rodick Street. We ordered drinks, an app, and entrees. My drink was a blueberry mint lemonade l. It had a punch of tartness and was very pretty. Our app was the Rodick Street Corn. It arrived at the table smothered in the Old Bay crema but you could also taste the lime and tajin. It was delicious! For my meal, I went with the firecracker burger with candied bacon, slaw and cheddar on a country roll. It typically comes with chips but I swapped those for sweet potato fries. First of all, candied bacon? Yes, please. The surprising part was the country roll. It was the perfect pairing with the burger. I ate every last bite. The sweet potato fries were some of the best I've had. They were perfectly cooked with the right amount of salt. Overall, I highly recommend eating a meal or 2 at Side Street Cafe when you're in Bar Harbor.

    Side street tacos with hallock
    Erin F.

    This place has over 2600 reviews #worthit. I anticipated having to wait but we got there at the perfect time, they were opening up another section of the restaurant for seating. So maybe 5 minutes. Everything we ordered was fabulous, the drinks, the food, the fish, the fries, even the black bean patty. I've literally been talking about the black bean patty for days. We also had a side of Mac and cheese, yum! They also offer some molding clay to help keep the kids entertained. My aunt and uncle have been coming to Maine for a decade and said this was their favorite place to eat. Tried and true. The entry is unique, like a secret tunnel. We sat on the ground floor, it has a huge bar and some covered seating on a deck. It looks like there is a second floor as well, maybe next time we will check that portion out. A note also this place is year round open, one of the few after tourist season.

    Christian E.

    It was very very cold inside. They did turn the fan off for us, but it's still very cold. The lobster stew is delicious. It has a good amount of lobster in it & the chopped green onions in it and the flavor; the bartender's choice cocktail was guava rum punch, and the charity was the food pantry ($2)That was nice. The blueberry margarita was very limey and tart, but strong The server was very nice and attentive. The lobster mac and cheese is always a favorite. We also got a slice of blueberry pie to go, and it was delicious.

    Michelle E.

    July 2025: My husband and I stopped at Side Street Cafe because we wanted to have our first Lobster Roll and Clam Chowder at a highly recommended place and this was it based on reviews. We dined outside for lunch on the patio where it was dog friendly, since we had our 10 lb dog with us. We only had to wait about 10-15 minutes for seating. The clam chowder was good and flavorful, the lobster roll was very simple and minimalist. The main focus was the fresh lobster and buttered toasted bread, not so much the condiments. I considered it a little bland for me but I love adding pepper and hot sauce to my food. lol Also, our waitress, Harmony, was very friendly and provided great service. Overall we enjoyed our lunch and would recommend stopping here for a bite to eat!

    Jason L.

    We went here to escape the main streets of Bar Harbor. That said, this side street was pretty popular. I've been to Bar Harbor over ten times and I don't remember this section of town but it was one of our favorites during this trip. Anyway, we stopped in for one reason -- blueberry pie. We also ate food and had a few beers but --- nothing really stood out as exceptional. This blueberry pie was a showstopper - I'd go so far as to say it's "G.O.A.T"ed.

    Mocktails
    Paige T.

    Enjoyed- the mocktails, especially the raspberry one. The lobster (of course). My husband enjoyed the mac and cheese. The blueberry pie (regrettably, no pics, but it's delicious). No wait time when we went for dinner on a weeknight. Didn't like- it was very loud, even though the space wasn't full- sound just carries. It was also our most expensive meal in Maine (and I get it, Bar Harbor), but the food was just ok in comparison to some of the other meals we had for half the price.

    The top one is CYO Mac and cheese with scallions, chipotle ranch, and queso.
    Kendal R.

    This place was amazing! We were there right when they opened and the staff were super attentive and friendly when we came in. The ambience of the restaurant was great and they had music, pretty views of Bar Harbor, and just a good vibe to the place. The food was of course the best part; we both tried the CYO Mac and cheese and it was AMAZING!! The street corn is so good on it. We also tried the cornbread and it was absolutely amazing. I definitely recommend eating here!

    Bellina C.

    Side Street Cafe is located in a quieter part of Bar Harbor, with a relaxed interior that was fully seated when we arrived for lunch. A friend had recommended this restaurant as having one of the best lobster rolls in Bar Harbor, so of course we had to check it out. Crab cakes ($18) - we ordered this as a starter for the table. It was solid but not the standout of the meal. Lobster roll ($45 which was market price at the time we dined) - expensive but honestly super delicious and one of the best we've had. The chunks of lobster meat are succulent and juicy. Perfectly seasoned. Generous amount of lobster given the amount of bread. If it wasn't so expensive, I could probably eat three of these in one sitting! Blueberry pie ($7.95) - the best blueberry pie we had in Bar Harbor. We got it served warm and it was heavenly. It has a sugar and lime zest crust which gave a lovely crunch. Surprisingly not too sweet, which I appreciated. I still miss this pie to this day. Service was fast and attentive. Despite the restaurant being packed and busy, we got everything we needed in a timely manner.

    Lobster roll feast
    Cori F.

    The restaurant was very loud but service was decent. The food came quickly. The blueberry lemonade was okay. The lobster roll had a nicely toasted bun but lacked flavor. The chowder was decent. The waffle fries were good. For the price I'd love it to be better flavored. If I could give half stars I'd give 3.5 but since I can't I'm going with 3. Wouldn't go again.

    Menu
    Hong Ha H.

    Definitely worth a stop after a day at Acadia! We came around 6:30 pm and were seated quickly. However, not long after, the line got really long, so come early if you can. Our server was great and super helpful about the market prices. The lobster roll was delicious, the chowder hit the spot, and the lobster mac and cheese was creamy with plenty of lobster chunks. Casual vibe but quality food. Would totally come back!

    Bbq chicken sandwich

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    23 hours ago

    Clam chowder was tasty. They have good local Maine beer. The bar hostess was friendly.

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    6 months ago

    Service was super slow and unattentive, and I couldn't believe how tiny the lobster serving with my entree was.

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    Side Street Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Side Street Cafe

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    My experiences have been top notch. I've ordered online, paid online, and then you go to the restaurant and pick up your order on the counter. It has you name written on the bag. Both times someone is there thanking me for my order and asking if it… Read more

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    Leary's Landing Irish Pub - Beauregard Margarita - Bar Harbor - Leary's Landing Irish Pub

    Leary's Landing Irish Pub

    4.2(367 reviews)
    0.1 mi
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    Reviewed the menu and decided this is where I wanted to come after a long day hiking in the park…read moreand starving after skipping lunch. This spot is cozy and quaint and full of friendly local staff members. It was Kentucky Derby day and a lot of folks we were watching it as we walked in, ambiance was jovial and loud. Greeted immediately by the hostess and bartender and waited a short while for a table to open up. I ordered the chicken sandwich and my husband ordered the Reuben. He is Jewish and loves Reubens, gets them all the time. He said this one was really, really good. Great texture to the meat. Now, my Chicken Sandwich - was the best I've ever had in my life. I told my husband, I will be holding any and all future chicken sandwiches up to this one as the benchmark. The breaded chicken breast was huge and delicious quality white meat. It was dipped in buffalo sauce, and had fresh slaw, pickles, tomato and blue cheese sauce. It was DECADENT and it really hit the spot for me after a long day. I could not stop eating it. YUMMMM. Oh, we also ordered the pub fries - loaded with aioli and cheese and greens. Fries were delish but a bit too much aioli for our taste. Still, wonderful! Huge portion. Overall, food was yummy, out quickly, service was great and we loved the vibes. Easily a fav for us on this trip and we'll be looking forward to coming back again some day!

    The food is outstanding, the service was great the atmosphere is fun. A VERY Irish pub. Great…read morevaried menu. Our waiter was outstanding and very pleasant. He pointed out "all the sauces are in house made."and the tartar sauce is the best I have tasted. He also, when taking our order, pointed out Ladies first, which I impressed with, not many restaurants make a point of that anymore. 5 stars, highly recommend

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    Project Social Kitchen & Bar - Craft Cocktails in Bar Garden with Jenga Game - Bar Harbor - Project Social Kitchen & Bar

    Project Social Kitchen & Bar

    4.4(447 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Had a nice time having dinner out in their garden. Gorgeous night and beautiful ambiance with…read moregreat lighting. I had the Mediterranean Mezzo for my meal and if you'd like it gluten free you can ask for extra cucumbers instead of the pita bread. The waiter was nice enough to bring me the cucumbers after he brought out the dish as there was an abundance of pitas in comparison to the rest of the items. They give you 3 dips which were all delicious. Tzatziki, olive dip and a Muhammara which is a red pepper dip. We then got the Oysters Rockafeller to split. Lots of tobiko. Heavy sausage flavor. I would probably skip those next time. I will say regarding drinks, they have a beautiful cocktail list but my stomach wasn't feeling great so instead of a normal spicy margarita or something similar, I asked for a dirty martini and it came out with a funky flavor. Most likely too much vermouth. The poor waiter took at least ten minutes before returning with a new martini without vermouth. He or the bartender clearly did not know how to make this. If I returned to the area I'd definitely return for a funky cocktail and something a little more adventurous on the menu.

    Totally forgot to write a review for this place, and now circling back to give a shout out! We came…read moretwo nights in a row while visiting the area. Both times, we had great experiences. Service, food, drinks, atmosphere are all top notch. You can join the waitlist from your phone, which is great. Seating inside and outside are both lovely. Both food and drink options are unique and delicious. We loooved the duck tacos and crab cakes. My mouth is watering thinking about them both. Well worth a visit!!

    Photos
    Project Social Kitchen & Bar
    Project Social Kitchen & Bar - Pokè Rolls

    Pokè Rolls

    Project Social Kitchen & Bar - Chocolate Pot De Creme

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    The Terrace Grille - Delicious beers and crab dip.

    The Terrace Grille

    4.0(204 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Saturday, July 2025: My husband and I traveled from Wisconsin to Maine and wanted an authentic…read morelobster experience on the water. We liked the outdoor dining setting at The Terrace Grille so opted to have lunch there outside. We went there at 1PM on a Saturday and were seated right away. We didn't get a table right next to the edge but we could see the water perfectly from our seats. Our waiter was very friendly but he, and most of the staff, were transplants. Our waiter told us he didn't know where lobsters came from until he recently moved here. lol For an appetizer, we shared the Crab & Appetizer Dip. It was delicious!!! Definitely not healthy but we didn't care, we ate most of it. Tip: eat it while it's hot! It's definitely not good cold. For lunch, I had the Bar Harbor Lobster Cobb salad and my husband had the Steamed Maine Lobster. My salad was amazing! The lobster was fresh, tender, and overall the flavors of the salad went well together with the honey citrus dressing. My husband wasn't crazy about his lobster, he said the meal was acceptable but the lobster was overcooked.

    We had a great experience here! They don't accept reservations, only walk ups, but we had no issues…read moregetting a table. The outdoor seating area is GORGEOUS with great water views of Frenchman Bay and Bar Harbor. We ordered a bowl of NE Clam Chowder, Lobster Bruschetta, Lobster Chef Salad, and the Haddock. Everything was superb! What the chowder lacked in salt it more than made up for in deep, rich clam flavor! The haddock was also divine! A great experience for sure!

    Photos
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    The Terrace Grille - Braised Short Rib

    Braised Short Rib

    The Terrace Grille - The fire pit on the hotel grounds

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    The fire pit on the hotel grounds

    Side Street Cafe - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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