Excellent! We enjoyed a DELICIOUS dinner on the patio here, tonight. We were a party of three, seated promptly for our reservation. The Inn/restaurant has new owners from SF. They have brought a remarkable vision to an otherwise pretty ordinary dining experience at this historic 1793 inn in charming Deer Isle (we know bc we dined here last year, too). For this their first year their executive chef Courtney Burns has done something really innovative: she's brought in a summer of guest chefs, each who serves for a month or so, during which they prepare a menu reflecting their unique vision, drawing from the bounty of local and regional Maine small batch artisanal ingredients. This is brilliant: a rotation of innovative chefs each with their own vision. So long as the quality remains high, then one can return to dine at the same place but with a different menu several times over any given season. We were lucky to have meals designed by chef Andre Garza, from Houston. I had the short ribs. They were delicious, cooked for 72 hours, very tender, served on a bed of slightly sweet carrot puree, and then topped with spray of arugula and a swirl of some very delicately infused oil, infused with just the faintest scent of a smoky pepper - not sure if it was chipotle or exactly what. I was a little concerned that the pepper influence might overwhelm the short ribs, but I was impressed with what was delivered. It was perfect. Whatever the specific pepper and technique he used was, he used it delicately and in such a way as to marry the umami experience of the short ribs against the sweet carrot puree and the slightly bitter arugula. It was actually very, very, VERY good and a lesser chef might have turned it into some tex mex experience, which I was not interested in on this occasion. The kitchen hit a home run with this. Others in the party had the baked halibut, served atop creamy grits, with a smoked fish sauce; and another had the the lobster toast and scallops in some citrus broth (two appetizers, as an entree). Everyone was very happy with their meals. Remarkable. I'd put this meal up against any great contemporary restaurant here or anywhere. We shared 2 desserts: a blueberry "crumble", more like a blueberry applesauce consistency, with thyme flower crumble on it (nice touch); and a very soft cheese with a dollop of dolce de leche next to it.. Both were really great, and together they were sublime. We're thrilled that the new team has taken the reins and will look forward for trying out the other guest chefs' creations over the course of the summer. read more

The Ark - Short ribs (as described in the review) - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Deer Isle, Maine

We had a great meal here. The new owners bring a beautiful aesthetic and sophistication to Deer Isle. We dined in the restaurant and the chef from Savannah brought a creative flair using local ingredients in a unique way. We enjoyed the lamb and fresh hand cut pasta and finished the meal With to die for desserts. read more

We had a lovely experience at the TAVERN at Pilgrims Inn tonight. The dining areas are gorgeously set and so welcoming. The servers were all well versed on the menu and provided lovely hospitality. The food was delicious (the summer soup was dreamy and the eel was notably different and delicious: something new to us). Please note the restaurant uses what's in season, so these specific options may not be on the menu when you go but there will surely be many wonderful dishes to choose between. The atmosphere was just what we needed after a long week. Can't wait to come back. read more

The Ark - Summer Soup - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Deer Isle, Maine

Everything has been made fresh and details upgraded--maintence is perfect for a country inn. I have been coming here for 40 years, and it has never been better. Restaurant and tavern delicious! already booked a week for 2026. read more

Hosts Lindsey and Al provide a warm welcome to this beautiful Deer Isle spot. Deserving of its very high spot in heritage B&Bs, the food is excellent and the service attentive. The room was immaculate and charming. We loved our stay. read more

An expectation exists that when in Maine do as wishes of you. Which is to say, come visit and basque in the climate of having to do nothing but relax. Pilgrims Inn can be part of a strategy to visit this beautiful region of Maine and...do nothing. Relax, enjoy kayaking, catch up on your reading, enjoy long walks, start or finish your writings and feel the warm generosity of the local people. This quaint Inn is a best bet to enjoy a quiet, restful time away from it all. Free parking, WiFi - that is for you Californians - and comfortable beds are but a few benefits to enjoy while a guest here with his friendly staff. A light breakfast in included and the paroles and common areas are cozy. read more

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What a gorgeous escape in Deer Isle--this historic inn (like we're talking from the 1700s!) is perfectly situated right on the water... we could NOT believe the views! We could honestly sit on their back garden area for hours. My partner and I went with two of our friends on a Monday--which first of all, it's so hard to find a place in Maine that's open on Monday, so we were thrilled right off the bat! We didn't stay at the inn itself, but we went for their fresh new restaurant and it didn't disappoint! Admittedly, we had many martinis (bc they were SO good), but the food was legit! We had some delicious snacks, and now we HAVE to go back to try the full menu. Also, just need to say Lindsay, one of the owners, is GORGEOUS... but girl was hustling! I guess it's good to be busy :) read more

Mid-June is not quite peak season yet in Maine & we stayed on a Sunday & Monday night so things were pretty quiet during our stay. We immediately loved the building & the location (water on both sides). Our room (Room 3) was cozy, comfortable & spotlessly clean. The room felt quite private because it's the corner room on its own at the end of the hallway off the game room on the first floor. The windows looked out to the road in the direction of the harbor but if you want a good view of the ocean, I think you'd have to be on the second floor. Sube was very friendly & gracious as she checked us in & showed us around. Because the Whale's Rib Tavern was closed that first night, I asked Sube for suggestions of places to eat & she recommended The Factory Tavern in Stonington. Highly recommended! (see my review here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-factory-tavern-stonington#hrid:AzTYQgTr4NgZ4IhvOOGHBA) Our second night, we had reservations for dinner at Whale's Rib Tavern. See my review here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/whales-rib-tavern-deer-isle#hrid:XyPXq46af_dMnzkdVF5LOw The inn has a great library & lots of games plus tea, coffee & homemade cookies available all day so we knew we wouldn't feel cooped up even if the weather was rainy during our visit. As it turned out, we had gorgeous weather so we'll have to curl up with books another time. We did take full advantage of the cookies & tea though! Breakfast is included in the room rate and it's great. The first morning the entree was french toast & bacon - so good! The second morning the entree was an omelet with tomatoes & cheese - yum. Plus they have a buffet with a selection of muffins, homemade granola, cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs, fresh grapefruit juice & fresh orange juice. And of course coffee or tea. The dining room has great views of the deck, lawn & mill pond. I wish we'd had more time to spend just roaming around the grounds. WiFi worked great, parking is easy in their lot & they are right next to the post office & the town library. I would love to come back again some time! read more

The Ark - Pilgrim's Inn - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Deer Isle, Maine

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We had such high hopes for the Whales Rib Tavern for a high quality dinner. The Inn is situated on an absolutely beautiful bluff overlooking Mill Pond and Northwest Harbor where there are beautiful sunsets and benches and picnic tables nestled in cozy nooks along the water's edge. The restaurant is another matter. Our waitress was friendly but inattentive. She forgot to inform us that they were not making pizza this evening after we tried to order one. We had to ask another waitress for glasses of water. The Malbec wine was great but at $10/glass, ouch. The mussels appetizer was lovely but rather than a stack of French fries with it we would have preferred the option of more than one piece of crusty bread to soak up the great broth. The Halibut dinner over risotto with lobster sauce was delicious and done perfectly but the portion was about 3-4 oz: far too small for the expectedly high price. The other entree: a pulled pork sandwich, was dry and there was no bbq sauce offered. The waitress never checked with us to see if we were enjoying our food. Although we were interested in having dessert our waitress never swung by to inform us about the options. I actually had to flag her down to ask for the bill. My take on this establishment is that this is a gorgeous place - rustic and elegant - but that it is unable to live up to its appearance. I am confident that the restaurant is short-staffed and suffering from an industry-wide lack of experienced cooks and wait staff. We would love to return but plan to avoid the Whales Rib Tavern in the future. I think it's plight mirrors a labor crisis across multiple industries in the country which makes me feel bad for them. read more

The food was good, however the portion was quite small for the $40 lobster "pot pie" and it was definitely not served hot...or even warm. It was room temperature at best. The rest of the family enjoyed their meat entrees and mussels, respectively, but the service was very slow--friendly, but slow. The mussels appetizer came out after a bit of a wait and the entrees came after even longer. The server finally brought our food, but never came back to check on us and took quite a while to clean away our dishes after we finished, offer dessert and bring the check. With gratuity, the bill came to $200 for 2 adults and 2 children--not sure if they even offer a kids' menu btw. The only reason I say this is the child at the next table had a cheeseburger that was not on the main menu. Overall, I would expect better service for a meal this pricy. While it was Friday night, it was not too busy. My wife was never even offered a second glass of wine either. read more

Restored 1792-era inn on a small, funky Main Street in sleepy Deer Isle. Rooms are updated without removing the original features of the historic home. Floors are sloped and creek when you walk on them. The stairs are steep. Breakfast is served int the Tavern, which was tasty and offered fruit. In the Tavern, there is offerings of local brews, as well as a full restaurant menu. The grounds are worth the 6+ hour drive from RI. Vistas are beautiful and peaceful. Adirondack chairs both in the shade and isn the sun. A small garden, whose raspberries we enjoyed at breakfast. Not sure I will be back in Deer Isle in the future, but enjoyed a nice stay. read more

After six long hours in the car, this place was a heaven sent oasis. The grounds are beautiful. Resting in the hammock by the water totally relaxing and all those miles driven seemed to fall away. We totally lucked out that there was one room available-Room 2. Amazing king size bed was like sleeping on a cloud. The staff were friendly and accommodating. The food, let me say, the food was worth the drive out to Deer Isle alone. The Ginny's Gin is a must have. read more

Simply can not say enough positive things about the Pilgrim's Inn in Deer Isle. My lady and I went there in October for our anniversary right before they closed for the season. Even though things were clearly shutting down, rarely have I experienced such a vital and vibrant establishment such as this. Outside the leaves were turning and it was unseasonably cool but inside it was warm, friendly, and inviting, with tea and cookies awaiting you after a brisk hike and a superb dinners offered in the authentic 1700s-era tavern on the first floor. The proprietors and everyone who worked there was as friendly as can be...helpful but not obtrusive and fun to hang out with in the bar late at night. The rooms were very historically accurate and comfortable if not "luxurious," but that really ain't my scene anyway. Will definitely return to Deer Isle and hopefully stay here again. read more

Charming, well-maintained Maine inn. Staff was very helpful, especially Amy, who was exceedingly hospitable and knowledgable. She recommended a great hike in the area, for example. A great place to stay if you are in the area. read more

This is a very charming and welcoming inn and restaurant on Deer Isle. The staff is very hospitable, and the food at the Whale's Rib tavern was very well done during our four meals there. Very nicely situated on the shore of a tidal pond. It exceeded expectation, and we would certainly return. read more

We were very pleased with The Pilgrim's Inn. Not only do they have rooms in the inn, but also they have three cottages. There is a small parking lot, and you can arrive at the inn anytime between 9:00 AM and 11:00 PM. The atmosphere was very homey and quiet. There was a mill pond by the Penobscot Bay, on which we found an orange fox. The innkeepers suggested places where we could eat out, like the Stonecutter's Kitchen in Stonington, and hiking places near Deer Isle, like Acadia National Park. They both cooked delicious Maine cuisine. Scott, an innkeeper, cooked asparagus omelets and blueberry pancakes, and he and his wife Nicky did a spectacular job of presenting the meals. The Deer Isle setting was wonderful and breathtaking. We were impressed with the local history and assorted books in the library. There are art galleries, trails, the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, the Cockatoo Portuguese restaurant (The food was delicious and the cockatoo birds chirped happily), and lobstermen nearby. We would stay at The Pilgrim's Inn again. read more

This is an extremely charming inn with friendly, helpful staff. This was a first visit to Maine for both my boyfriend and me and we were not disappointed. First of all, the staff are extremely warm and welcoming and they made terrific suggestions to help these first-timers plan a really well-balanced week of vacation! We loved the pond in the back of the property, which was a wonderful place to relax and watch the sun set. We also thought it was a nice touch to have a fresh pot of coffee placed quietly in the hallway (just outside our door, in our case) at 7am, although a larger pot of coffee/hot water is there 24/7 downstairs along with a canister of freshly baked cookies! (Snickerdoodles, chocolate chip, orange chocolate chip were the cookies that made the rotation while we were there.) We stayed in room 6, a front (roadside) room with a queen sized bed and a small bathroom with shower. We were both a bit surprised to have read complaints about "street noise" from others in these reviews, because this so-called noise amounted to the gentle swish of the occasional car passing by (no motors, no excessive pedestrian traffic). Now, we are both from Manhattan, so our opinion may be skewed, but in no world was that disruptive at all! For those who are more sensitive, there is a sound machine in the room, but I can't imagine needing it. The mattress was a tad too soft for my taste, but, otherwise, we both slept well, and found an ideal sleeping temperature by cracking the windows open each night. The inn is rustic, and exactly as advertised. We looked through the website as we selected our room and so we were pleased to get exactly what was promised and we were delighted at how clean and well-maintained the property is. Breakfast was decent, and provided a light fare of yogurt, fruit, toast, and hard boiled eggs for those who didn't want a hot breakfast (this was right up our alley). The homemade granola was a BIG favorite of ours -- crunchy, not too sweet, and packed with cinnamon-spiced yumminess. We did sample the blueberry pancakes one day and the omelette another day, which were both tasty. We took the advice of fellow travelers and booked a dinner ahead of time, and we were very very pleased. We had delicious fresh oysters and the best-cooked halibut ever. The salmon was also exquisite (boyfriend says it's the best salmon he's ever tasted), and accompanied by a light mint pesto...and the home made liver pate with chutney (from Nervous Nellie's) was likewise delicious. And the raspberry-blueberry crisp --- I am still dreaming about it! By the way, the bar (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) is small, but serves the full menu, so it's possible to sample the food even if you don't have a dinner reservation. Another nice touch: Tina (one of the innkeepers) helped my boyfriend to order a lovely bouquet of local flowers and sneak them into the room as a surprise for me on my birthday. read more