Great food and service, we came two nights in a row. Fish and chips was a very good value! read more

Thirsty Whale - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Came in for a cup of chowder, and some fish and chips. Read tons of rave reviews about the fish and chips. Highly recommended the blackened fish and chips, as it has a lot more flavor and spices. I got the plain fish and chips with coleslaw. Along with a cup of chowder, that was plenty for me. A little bit of a wait, but it's worth it. If I had to do it again, I would probably do a bowl of chowder, it was that good! read more

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It's a bit dark on entering and has a true bar feel to it. Maybe tavern is a better description. Our waitress was prompt to the table to take drink orders and help with menu selections. We ordered the mozzarella sticks to start. Didn't like them. Heavily bread, most likely frozen. I would avoid them. I ordered the blackened haddock sandwich and a bowl of clam chowder. My wife had the Reuben and a garden salad. The fish sandwich was very good but the chowder was excellent. My wife liked her Reuben with the salad being just ok. The chowder is worth a return. read more

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Honestly, just ok. Maybe we ordered the wrong things, but I just wasn't blown away. The littles were tired of seafood, so chicken tenders it was. Pretty basic kids menu stuff. The southwest burger was decent. They cooked it to the correct temp. The big kids are on a clam chowder kick, and they both enjoyed their soup. The Freuben was just... disappointing. I don't know how else to describe it. I ate half and I was ok with not eating the other half. The "Greek" pasta salad tastes like store bought Italian dressing, which is a shame because the ingredients themselves would've been good with a better dressing. Overall, it was around $70 for the above. Not terrible for Bar Harbor, but we probably could've had a more enjoyable meal elsewhere. read more

We were between a handful of restaurants for dinner and do NOT regret picking the Thirsty Whale. Their back patio is super cute and our waitress was efficient. The clam chowder was great, the burger was great, the pasta salad was fantastic in a creamy Italian. I mainly came for the unique freuben and wasn't disappointed! We would definitely return read more

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Unfortunately, spent $70 to eat mozzarella sticks and a side of pasta salad. Both my friend clams and my friend's fried shrimp entrees were wet and flavorless. The mozzarella sticks were fine and service was just okay. We didn't get a refill on drinks or anyone to come check on us. No wait at dinner time in the thick of tourism season should have been a sign. Wouldn't recommend with so many other delicious places we've had in the area! read more

A nice casual tavern with a long bar and good amount of tables/seating. The waiter advised to get the seafood options here and it didn't disappoint. The Clam chowder was delicious as expected in New England and the lobster roll was excellent. A lot of lobster meat with a perfect amount of mayo. This place has a little bit of everything so even if you do not like seafood you will have a lot of other options but I can't vouch for those non-seafood options read more

Thirsty Whale - Clam Chowder Lobster Roll - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

After a long day of hiking in Acadia, we were looking for a place that was open late for dinner. We came across the Thirsty Whale and they were able to seat us after about 10 minutes. We were sat on the back patio which was a super cute and cozy atmosphere. They were pretty busy so service was a little slow, but our waitress was great. To start, we got some beers and the hummus appetizer which was pretty good. For dinner, we all got the fish and chips which were so delicious!! They were hot and seasoned well. Overall, solid dinner spot in Bar Harbor. read more

Thirsty Whale - Hummus - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Great food! Great clam chowder, Great people that work here. Very kind,gentle and nice . I'll come back here one day!

Amazing clam chowder!! Enjoyed all of my food and the experience overall, but especially the chowder :) Quick service for how busy it was read more

Thirsty Whale - Lobster roll, garlic bread, clam chowder - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Looked good. But it's not dog friendly as yelp suggested. But it's in a good location. Just disappointing only service dogs

Stopped in for a couple beers and sat at the bar. Ended up ordering lobster bisque and clam chowder and both were incredible and served quickly. Would recommend! read more

Thirsty Whale - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

The food was so good. The vibes were awesome and the staff were so fun and entertaining! Highly recommend! read more

Thirsty Whale - Caesar salad with lobster - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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A nice sports bar with friendly service. While we weren't fans of the cocktails we ordered, the lobster roll was tasty and served on a toasted garlicky bun. Also notable, was the side of garlic bread that could be ordered with stew/bisque. The lobster bisque on the other hand, was more creamy than lobstery and seemed to be puréed rather than include larger chunks of lobster. read more

Thirsty Whale - Lobster Roll and Bisque - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

This was our favorite local spot when my friend and I were visiting Bar Harbor. The prices are fairly reasonable in comparison to a lot of the places serving lobster dishes in town. My friend got the clam chowder, which was good, but not the best. My Caesar salad was also good, but not great. The service was a little slow and the table felt a little sticky when we sat down. I had a good experience here but it could have been better. read more

Thirsty Whale - Menu - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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My husband and I stopped in for dinner. There was a 5 minute wait, which was fine. We both wanted burgers. This was a great choice. First bite to last, burger was juicy and I loved the fries. It was little loud with the music and several loud kids. Overall I was very pleased. read more

Pretty good restaurant. The backyard patio has such a relaxing vibe. Food is good too. read more

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Delicious food. Friendly staff. Cozy atmosphere. Would recommend for a great place to grab dinner! I tried the Beef Short Rib Sandwich with Brie cheese and caramelized onions on a ciabatta roll and it was amazing. Would recommend the fries over the pasta salad. read more

Thirsty Whale - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

It was raining and the person in the front told us that we could eat in the back open space and not to worry because it was covered. Since it was crowded and we didn't want to wait, we agreed. The waiter seemed to have this space to herself, even had her own playlist (which I loved) playing. Made the ambiance inviting! I had the lobster roll and clam chowder. During my time in Maine I think I probably had the same dish every night at each place we went too and this one was it!!!! It was just perfect! The bread was soft and fresh. The lobster was plenty and delicious and the clam chowder actually had claims!!!!! Unfortunately, the reason for my 4 stars instead of 5 was my partner's dish. He had pesto chicken sandwich which he said had no flavor at all. He was super disappointed because my dish was awesome and his a complete fail. read more

Thirsty Whale - Lobster Roll and clam chowder - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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What went well? Food. Service AND ambiance. We are from OH. First night in we dropped by super busy. We were on wait list went by super fast for how busy it was about 20-30 minutes for INSIDE seating in OCT. Service? Quick & friendly. We ordered the seafood sampler from the starters as a meal and the 6oz lobster roll. Lobster bisque & clam chowder. All of it was great. I could've been happy with just the soup. So confused on certain people saying the chowder had no flavor? Huuuuhhh.... We also ordered the blueberry lemonade cocktail.... It's their most popular as told by my waitress. Sooo goood, easy to drink.... FAST! My husband had a local beer. Was great as well. read more

Warm, inviting atmosphere! One of the only places open late in Bar Harbor on an off-season week night (we were there in mid-April). We got their fried seafood platter and it was the perfect late night snack. Solid portion size, fried well, delicious! read more

Thirsty Whale - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Massive portion sizes here, and lovely food as well! Everyone enjoyed. Southwest Burger; Good amount of bacon, perfectly cooked patty, and just a great burger overall. Chipotle Mayo on the side was delicious Beef Short Rib Sandwich - Lovely! Really large chunks of the beef(and 2 slabs!) and they were cooked perfectly. My dad's usually picky about food, and he definitely appreciated this sandwich. Ciabatta was fresh too and large! Needed a bit of spice, and that was fixed easily with hot honey. Blackened Chicken Sandwich - Even this had 2 chicken breast pieces! Really good portion size. Well cooked chicken and good char on it too. Sweet potato fried were very subpar; Not crispy and quite thin. Regular fries were delicious! Thick and crisp and perfect. Coleslaw was just okay. It was missing that little kick; Probably some salt and pepper? It felt too plain but I ate it to avoid wasting food. read more

Thirsty Whale - Beef Short Rib Sandwich - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Great place for a late night stop in Bar Harbor! We came here after seeing the sunset at Bass Head and were very glad to have a place to get to for dinner! They have a back patio for outdoor dining which was nice in the weather. We all ordered the same thing, 3 of the blueberry ale, 3 fish and chips, and hummus and pita to share. They also have really fun t shirts which I took home with me as a souvenir! read more

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Last time we were here, the TW was closed for improvements. Planning on not missing it this time, we made sure to stop in for lunch in the second day in BH. The service was exceptional and plates were bussed as soon as we finished with the dish. Our server came several times to check on us during the meal and provided us with all the extras we required. Lobster bisque, broiled haddock sandwiches, cheese sticks, garden salad and shrimp cocktail paired with a Pinot Grigio rounded out our table's lunch. Price was spot on with what we ordered. Glad we got to check this staple off our BH bucket list. read more

Thirsty Whale - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

If you like fried seafood and clam chowder this is a solid choice for food in Bar Harbor. Prices are good and the food is delicious. My partner & I split the fisherman's platter ($28), which comes with fried haddock, scallops, whole clams, and local shrimp as well as fries. It was too much for us to finish. The clam chowder ($7) was really good. Fresh, soft clams and a lot of flavor. Recommended! read more

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Delicious food. Ambiance pub like Service... they work very hard Would definitely recommend read more

No frills bar sharing up hearty sandwiches and entrees. A good choice as they serve food later than most places in town. The short rib grilled cheese and Freuben were interesting options but execution came up short... We fixed this ourselves with some Dijon mustard or vinegar. The blackened fish sandwich came with a hearty portion of fish and is what you would expect. read more

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After several Acadia hikes - my husband and I were looking for some lunch before hitting more trails in the afternoon. Thankfully, Thirsty Whale was open (we were there slightly before the normal season) and serving! Both my husband and I got a cider and tried their lobster roll with clam chowder. YUM. I don't know if it was because of all the physical activity or what - but I think this was one of my favorite meals in Bar Harbor. read more

Thirsty Whale - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Patio was wonderful, nice drinks, delicious food, amazing wait staff. Wish we had made it back once more before flying home.

My wife and I ate dinner while in town for the weekend and primarily came because of the reviews on their clam chowder. Unfortunately we weren't impress by the food, the atmosphere, or staff. Food - As stated, we came for the chowder, which had good creaminess, but lacked big flavor and could have used more clam. We also go the haddock fish and chips and haddock dinner (Unfortunately we got both blackened, which neither of us loved, but was on us, not the Thirsty Whale). Haddock itself was fine and the fries were okay, but they put my haddock (hot fish) on top of the Caesar salad I got as my side. This left the salad hot and soggy. Additionally, there was a bit to much dressing. Atmosphere - We came at a busy time but generally the inside wasn't the most appealing space so we ate on the back patio thinking we'd enjoy the nice weather. However, the patio was cramped, poorly lit, and boxed in. Staff - When we checked in we asked for the patio but when we got the text saying our table was ready, however, it was for a table at the bar so we had to wait another 10 minutes. Our waitress was attentive enough, but took quite a bit of time to get to our table once we were seated. Additionally, she seemed a little socially uncomfortable. read more

Food was nice and filling after a long day of hiking at Acadia. I'd recommend the blackened fish! It's flavorful and not too spicy, so added a nice touch. The lobster roll comes out cold and lightly tossed in mayo. The servers were very friendly and the overall ambiance was casual. read more

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Great fresh food! Ordered the lobster roll and the fish and chips. Very fresh! The lemon on the side is perfect! read more

Thirsty Whale - Fish and chips! Amazing taste and the lemon on the side! Perfect! - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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Stopped by this place for a quick dinner during our Fall trip to New England. This place is popular and had an hour long wait. We put in out names and hung out at a brewery near by. It took us around 40 mins to get our table and we wasted no time and ordered their famous clam chowder & blackened haddock sandwich. I am not a chowder person but I did really like their chowder. Their blackened haddock sandwich was delicious too. The fish was perfectly charred and seasoned imparting amazing flavors to the sandwich. Service was quick in spite of the restaurant being busy. Parking can be a pain though during busy fall season but we managed to find a spot near by. Overall be prepared for a long wait (during busy season) but the food is really good. read more

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The lobster rolls at Thirsty Whale were exceptional. Very simple, very tasty, and the proportions were very generous.

Busy at lunchtime but worth the wait! They have seafood heavy menu with lunch specials as expected, but even as a non-lobster eater their blackened chicken sandwich was 10/10. Worth the visit for a bar harbor classic tavern read more

I have been looking forward to this trip for a long time. Every place in Maine steams their lobsters and just chucks them on a plate or bread. Here in the South, we put seasoning on our seafood. The lobster bisque was equally bland and had nary a piece of meat in it. Good service with a competentstaff. read more

Clam chowder is the best, creamy and full of clams. You can stand a spoon up in it. The service is great, very nice and fast. Typical restaurant with a bar. Tables and chairs are comfortable. read more

We always saw a huge line outside of this place so we were curious what made this place so special. Eating around Bar Harbor can be quite pricey especially because most places specialize in seafood. However Thirsty Whale has some great non-seafood options and the portions are gigantic! We got the fried clams as an appetizer, which was definitely interesting. Worth trying but probably wouldn't get it again because it just tasted like I was eating fried batter after a certain point. I got the beef short rib sandwich and was surprised by how much short rib was actually in the sandwich! Don't let the crowd outside deter you. You can put your name on the waitlist and leave your number, and they'll text/call you when your table is ready so you can use that time to explore Bar Harbor and some of the neighboring stores. read more

Thirsty Whale - Fried clams - American Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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Sat outside in a great little court yard with its own tiny bar. Staff were great. I had the Fish Taco Wrap which was great and absolutely GIANT! Stuffed with fried fish. I loved it. read more

I think this is a restaurant that doesn't get enough attention, considering I had no idea it existed and the experience was exceptional. We were visiting Acadia and needed some food, we stumbled upon this bar just down the street from the marina. We ordered the lobster roll, pasta salad, clam chowder and seafood sampler. My fiancé got an IPA and I had a blueberry cider. We were blown away by the quality of the food, drinks and service. The bar was warm, energetic and just big enough for the cozy beach town feel. Everything was so damn delicious and the food came out quicker than we could even plan for! We went to the bathroom to wash our hands and the waitress nearly beat us back to the table! Can't recommend enough! read more

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