Cancel

Open app

Search

The Bait Shed

4.1 (336 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

The Bait Shed Photos

THE BAIT SHED ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups
Outdoor seating

You might also consider

More like The Bait Shed

Recommended Reviews - The Bait Shed

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Steamers and crab roll
Sydney S.

Pricey but portions are good and view is stunning! Seafood was fresh but drinks small and expensive . Service was good!

Natalia M.

We always have a great experience every time we come here. Food is great and the service is good. It can get a little crowded so I recommend making reservations ahead of time.

Staff was great with showing and teaching about the lobsters in the tank! Took out a big one for us.
LisaMarie S.

Great portions and great food overall on the seafood and land food side! Great ambiance, just wish they were open more during the non peak season. We've been in Maine since April and while I get it, there are not a lot of fresh seafood options open every day near the beach.

Amaury J.

A summer in Maine is never complete with a visit (or several) to the Bait Shed. Going to the Bait Shed has become a tradition, and we look forward to it every year. We could sit on those picnic tables staring at the blue water and sipping Bloody Marys daily. The service is always excellent -- they make you feel like family from the minute you walk in -- and the vibe is unmatched. It's not loud (unlike some other places in Portland's Downtown), but it is lively and full of energy. We also love that they take reservations via Resy, as sometimes they get pretty packed, especially over the weekend. The drinks are great, and the food never disappoints. Bloody Marys are $10 if you get their house vodka, and they're always so good. We've tried their flatbreads and rolls, but most of the time, we opt for the eat-and-peel shrimp, which is easily splittable and hits the spot during those summer days by the water.

triple lobster roll (enough for two people)
James H.

I cannot give The Bait Shed more than three stars as a local Mainer. This is mostly due to the headache there is of parking nearby (I encourage giving their small parking lots a chance, as they do have them available) and the price of food. You'll likely be paying to park in the nearby public parking lot at Pine Point beach. And the price of lobster rolls / other seafood is SO much more than what you can produce the same thing (if you're willing to go to a fish market or a local lobsterman) cooking the lobsters on your own. On top of my two biggest quarrels with what the Bait Shed has to offer, I struggle with places that are inundated by an overwhelming amount of people during the summer. I think we hung around and waited nearly an hour for a table and this was in a relatively not-busy time. Having said that, I did enjoy sitting on the back deck at the Bait Shed. And when you ignore the bill at the end of your meal, you can enjoy the lobster roll because it is fresh meat and they keep the process simple and beautiful. If I'm ever back at the bait shed, I would skip other parts of the menu. Our mussels were bland and some of the items on other people's tables were underwhelming in their appearance. If you're making your way to the bait shed, stick to the lobster rolls or other signature dishes (fish & chips, crab cakes, crab rolls, twin lobsters, baked lobster or baked haddock).

Rodney M.

Beautiful day for a great lunch Can't beat the views and just perfect for a nice mother-son lunch. Staff is very friendly. Attentive to our relaxed schedule. Parking is available but can fill out fast. Street parking is very limited if any. But the crowd moves so you usually don't have to wait too long for a spot.

View from our table

See all

1 month ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

2 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of Alyssa C.
364
49
30

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Stef
0
2
1

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 3

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of H D.
0
3
0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Ann C.
0
43
1

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 2
Photo of A Matt P.
25
42
16

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of Fred H.
15
31
0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0
Photo of Ron M.
0
15
0

1 year ago

Great evening- food and service excellent. The manager cracked the lobster and couldn't be nicer.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 9

The Bait Shed Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - The Bait Shed

Only outside dining?

Yes, outside dining or take-out only.

View All 2 Questions

You might also consider

The Chart Room - Mussels and ff

The Chart Room

3.2(32 reviews)
1.2 mi
•$$$

The staff were friendly and the food was good, but pricy. We were seated in the lower section and…read moreit had a lot to be desired.

We arrived in Maine on Saturday and made reservations at the Chart Room for Sunday, Unfortunately,…read morethe only time available was 8:45 pm. We were fine with that as it was the birthday of a member of our group. The problem with that was we really felt rushed from the moment we walked in the door. I'm sure staff was ready to go home for the night but if reservations are that late, they should be prepared to allow people to eat without feeling rushed. As annoying as that can be, my BIG problem follows: we were thrilled to be able to bring our little dog and to see they had a dog menu. We ordered the chicken from the dog menu for her. I was hand feeding her pieces (thankfully didn't just let her eat it on her own, as she probably would have eaten all of it!). When she had eaten almost half of it, I tasted a little piece and was super surprised to taste the spices added. I would have thought that it would be pretty bland. We asked the waitress what was added and she accommodated us by bringing the can of spices the cooks had used. It included salt, onion and garlic... all things that can be toxic to dogs. I spent the next few days worried about whether our little girl would have a reaction which really put a damper on our vacation. The waitress tried to make things right but shame on the cooks!! If you're going to have a dog menu, you should know what's safe to feed them.

Photos
The Chart Room
The Chart Room - Blueberry  pie

Blueberry pie

The Chart Room - Sunset off the veranda at The Chart Room.

See all

Sunset off the veranda at The Chart Room.

Sunset Bar & Grill

Sunset Bar & Grill

3.8(28 reviews)
2.9 mi

Barely present staff. 90 minutes for food with no update. Parts of the order missing. Mediocre food…read morewhen we got it. This is a seat yourself place so good luck getting anyone's attention. When we finally did, it was almost 90 minutes before our food came. We got an appetizer but were never offered extra plates or a "how's it going" or refills until the food arrived. The waitress left as fast as she could. The drink order was messed up, and we were MINUTES AWAY from putting $20 on the table and leaving. When the food did arrive, part of the order was missing because "it went to someone else." WTF? Also, as an insult to injury, the menu has items listed as gluten free. We have a symptomatic celiac with us and when we mention one person needed to be gluten free the waitress kinda said "uh ok" which wasn't confidence inspiring. And clearly there is cross contact because our family member doesn't feel good after ordering simple nachos (marked GF). Look, restaurants are hard, I know. But maybe this place used to be good? Why was it so packed? The food that we did end up getting was mediocre, like it all came from US Foods or Sysco. Other than the lobster presumably. But everything was your basic "throw it in a fryer" type stuff you get anywhere else. I haven't left a zero percent tip in 20 years, but tonight, they earned it.

To much money. Lobster roll $46.00 higher than New York City prices!!…read more Poor service very got my wine!! Up change of $5.00 for salad was not told for a few pieces of lettuce and two cherry tomato. So little lobster it was a joke. Fish tacos were all vegetables. no water view. Paper plates. Must be making a lot of money for the worst place I ever ate in Maine

Photos
Sunset Bar & Grill
Sunset Bar & Grill - Lobster dinner

Lobster dinner

Sunset Bar & Grill

See all

Big Daddy's Bar & Grill

Big Daddy's Bar & Grill

4.4(183 reviews)
2.7 mi
•$$

My husband and I split an order of hush puppies and the risotto with lobster, scallops and shrimp!…read more Out of this world delicious! Very friendly staff!

Okayyyyy Big Daddy's!…read more I ordered the Peach Bacon Glaze Burger with lots of cheese and caramelized onions, cooked medium, and BABYYYY... ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! First of all, this burger was HUGE! I could only eat half and once I was FULL. The combination of the sweet peach bacon glaze, melty cheese, caramelized onions and that perfectly cooked burger was EVERYTHING. This was definitely the star of the meal. I also ordered the Jalapeño Hush Puppies. Now, those? Not really my thing. I didn't care too much for them, but thankfully the burger more than made up for it. I sat at the bar because it was pretty busy, and even with the crowd, customer service was AMAZING. Everybody was friendly and attentive. The ambience is cool. Definitely gives bar/pub vibes, and while the inside is on the smaller side, it still works for a casual date night, drinks and a good meal. Bathrooms were clean too, which is always a plus! And one thing I can say about Big Daddy's is that the food is consistently good. This isn't my first time having a great meal here, and it won't be my last. Would I go back? ABSOLUTELY! Would I order that burger again? BABY, I wouldn't even need to look at the menu! Overall: Great food, great service, cool atmosphere and consistent quality. Definitely worth a stop when you're in Old Orchard Beach!

Photos
Big Daddy's Bar & Grill - Second floor seating

Second floor seating

Big Daddy's Bar & Grill - Lobstah roll

Lobstah roll

Big Daddy's Bar & Grill - Our table

See all

Our table

The Brunswick - Picture of the hotel/restaurant building and how it's beachfront

The Brunswick

3.3(127 reviews)
2.9 mi
•$$

We stopped into the legendary Brunswick for something quick to eat before we headed onto the beach…read more The service was slow and left something to be desired, it got better. The Caprese appetizer was insanely good. The haddock fingers were excellent. The ambiance is what pushes it over the top. Although the band was not that great, the beachfront atmosphere and set up was perfect and everyone got up there and danced.

There's something telling about a place the moment you walk in, and here, it isn't subtle. You're…read moremet with the lingering scent of beer soaked into the floor from nights that were clearly busier than anyone could properly manage. Now, most people would interpret that as neglect. But that's not quite right. It's evidence. Evidence that this is a place that has been tested, repeatedly, and continues to operate under pressure. And strangely enough, that inspires a certain confidence. You know, almost immediately, the drinks are going to be done properly. I ordered something simple. chicken fingers with buffalo sauce and bleu cheese. Nothing remarkable, and that's precisely the point. They weren't trying to reinvent anything. They were just... competent. And competence, especially in an environment that borders on chaos, is not trivial. It's reliability. It's order, holding its ground. The service reflected that same tension. Reese, the bartender, was clearly under strain. busy to the point where most people would start to fracture, but she didn't. She held the line. And if you've spent enough time in this industry, you know that's not easy to do. There's something almost admirable about watching someone maintain composure when everything around them is loud, demanding, and slightly out of control. And that's really the essence of the place. It's loud... almost aggressively so. Packed. Borderline unruly. At one point, there was a couple engaged in what was clearly a volatile argument... infidelity, perhaps? but the noise swallowed the details. It didn't matter. The specifics were irrelevant. What you were witnessing was raw human behavior, unfiltered, playing out in real time. And oddly enough, it fit perfectly. This is not a place for quiet reflection or carefully structured conversation. It's a place where order and chaos collide and neither one fully wins. But if you're the kind of person who can tolerate that, or even enjoy it... there's something undeniably compelling about it. If you want quiet, look elsewhere. But if you're willing to step into something louder, messier, and far more alive, then this place offers exactly that. It's not refined. It's not restrained. It's something closer to a modern day bacchanal. And for better or worse, that's the point.

Photos
The Brunswick - Beers

Beers

The Brunswick
The Brunswick - One outside bar view

See all

One outside bar view

The Bait Shed - seafood - Updated November 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...