Maine coast restaurant with stupendous ocean view?

December 18, 2007 9:38 AM

I am looking for a Maine coast restaurant with a really awesome ocean view. It needs to open be year round as I am looking to go around New Years. Preferably it's not more than an hour north of Portland and south of it is even better. Oh and good food too! :)
posted by fx3000 to Food & Drink (9 answers total)

http://www.cliffhousemaine.com/
posted by MiaWallace at 10:28 AM on December 18, 2007

Are you looking for a fancy restaurant with a nice view, or is the view more important that the restaurant? Here are a few off the top of my head (all south of Portland)

MC Perkins Cove in Ogunquit
The Wellington Room in Portsmouth, NH (about an hour and a half south of Portland)
Mimmo's in York
The Oarweed in Oqunquit
posted by DuckGirl at 10:29 AM on December 18, 2007

What about the York Harbor Inn?

I think the Wellington Room faces the river, IIRC.
posted by bcwinters at 10:31 AM on December 18, 2007

in order of meal quality:

The great view is harder to find than it should be. Give yourself a treat and try Joseph's By the Sea in, of all places, Old Orchard Beach. They are on the water, but not elevated, so the view is only okay, but the food is excellent. Not sure of their winter hours this year.

Joe's Boathouse Restaurant is a good restaurant, at South Port Marine. We had calamari there that was excellent.

Falmouth Sea Grill is at Handy Boat Marina in Falmouth, and the food has been pretty good when I've been there.
posted by theora55 at 10:34 AM on December 18, 2007

The Wellington Room does face the river.

Also thought of the Stage Neck Inn in York Harbor... can't vouch for the food, but the view is certainly fantastic.
posted by MiaWallace at 10:38 AM on December 18, 2007

There's the restaurant at the Cape Arundel Inn in Kennebunkport.
posted by SteveInMaine at 12:30 PM on December 18, 2007

inne on the blues will certainly have a good thing going on new years, no doubt. i myself have spent new years eve at the Stock Pot in Portsmouth -- view is unbeatable, but the food is nothing to write home about (not at all bad, but nothing special either). POco Bow Street Cantina also in Portsmouth would do quite well as well. You do know you won't be seeing...all that much in the dark at most places...so i imagine you'd want to be on the river where there are lights and boats passing and bridges and something to look at, right?
posted by Soulbee at 1:31 PM on December 18, 2007

Cook's Lobster House on Bailey Island - best lobster I've ever had. (If you're not after the lobster I think the rest of the menu was pretty generic seafood shack, though. But who can remember... the lobster was so good...)

Just about an hour north of Portland, I think.
posted by yarrow at 2:34 PM on December 18, 2007

I was going to suggest Cook's (I'm from the Mid Coast). It's about 45 minutes north of Portland.

-95 North to Brunswick/Rt. 1 exit.
-Rt. 1 North to Cook's Corner, get on 123 at the first intersection and stay on it.
posted by Mayor Curley at 2:55 PM on December 18, 2007