I traveled all the way from Boston on Sunday to have dinner here with my mother and a friend. The restaurant seemed promising—it looked nice, and it was busy, which usually signals a good spot.
However, things immediately went downhill. Within five minutes of being seated, we called the waiter over to tell him we were absolutely freezing. We asked if a window was open or if anything could be done, and he apologized, saying he was cold too, couldn't move us, and the landlord controls the heat. It wasn't just cold; there was a literal draft/vent blowing freezing air right onto our table.
Despite being uncomfortable, we decided to order: a pizza, wine, onion soup, and a steak.
The final straw was the food. The pizza arrived completely burnt and black. At this point, I was frozen and extremely unhappy, especially after traveling so far for such a poor experience. I politely asked the waiter to take the pizza back.
I then asked the host for the bill, stating we no longer wanted the rest of the meal (we had already eaten the soup because everything arrived at different times). This is when the manager stepped in.
The manager is the reason I am writing this review; just thinking about it makes my blood boil.
She looked at me as if I were being unreasonable, with a genuinely condescending and performatively kind attitude. It was falsely friendly and overly acted, which is easy to spot. It was clear she had zero interest in actual customer service and, with the restaurant being full, she likely didn't care about one party having a bad experience. She just offered a vague 'sorry' but made no attempt to fix anything, like offering to replace the pizza (which I wouldn't have accepted anyway, as I didn't want to wait any longer).
The worst part was her subsequent behavior. She walked by our table twice more with that forced, fake smile and acted concern. I just wanted to be left alone to finish the damn steak, which arrived at that moment. We ate it and paid for it out of sheer embarrassment, even though we had already asked for the check.
We paid $90 for the soup, the steak, and a glass of wine. The prices are high, but I'm happy to pay for good service. I left the restaurant hungry, furious, and absolutely freezing, only to face a two-hour drive home stewing over the horrible experience.
The manager has no people skills and doesn't know how to handle situations. Every customer deserves a good experience, and if they couldn't move us or provide edible food, they should have at least offered to comp the entire meal. I felt more shame eating that steak than she showed in her lack of care for us as paying customers.
Terrible experience. (The young waiter was very kind, though, and this is not his fault.)
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Sab
We stopped into The Grill Room & Bar on a chilly Portland evening, and while the dining room itself was a bit cold for comfort, everything else about the experience was outstanding. I want to specifically mention our waiter Colby by name, he was excellent. So professional, knowledgeable, and attentive without ever being overbearing. You can tell he genuinely knows the menu inside and out, and he guided us through it perfectly.
The menu itself is perfectly chef curated with creative dishes, but also has à la carte options that let you build your own meal if you prefer. Everything we tried was phenomenal. The Caesar salad tasted authentic and fresh, topped with crisp parmesan chips for a perfect crunch. The wood oven cooked salmon was beautifully charred on the outside and tender inside, just fantastic. The steak was cooked to perfection, juicy and flavorful, and the chimichurri sauce paired with it elevated every bite. Even the mashed potatoes were silky, buttery, and comforting. We also loved the kimchi, unbelievably good and such a unique, flavorful touch that we weren’t expecting but absolutely loved.
This place delivers a well rounded dining experience; thoughtful service, expertly prepared food, and an atmosphere that feels elevated yet relaxed. We’ll definitely be coming back the next time we’re in Portland.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jeanette Wolfarth
It had a lot of charm. The food was excellent. I really loved the calamari, beets, and a salad (i don't know which one). We had a large party and everything except the entrees were family style, so I got to taste a lot of the menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jordan Reid
First time here. Went for my girlfriend’s birthday dinner. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. The atmosphere was very dim and relaxing. The service was top notch. Water constantly topped off, and knew the menu/specials from memory. Had recommendations on sauce/meat combinations. The food was amazing. Everything farm to table and cooked over open fire. You could tell it in the taste and was phenomenal. We started with the white wine mussels and then split the ribeye, duck, horseradish mashed potatoes, beets, and broccolini. It’s definitely pricey, but you get what you pay for. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kyli Day
This restaurant was high on our list of places to go as locals, and I am so disappointed that it did not live up to our expectations. The lobster risotto was so undercooked that the rice was crunchy, the sauce we ordered for our steaks was brought out after we were done eating, and the ribeye was extremely tough. The service was mediocre. Save your money and go elsewhere if you have high steakhouse standards!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Chase Waldron
The Grill Room in Portland, Maine is a solid spot that delivers on atmosphere, service, and flavor, especially when it comes to seafood done right. The mussels from Bang Island are the standout, easily some of the best and most plump you’ll find anywhere in town. They’re fresh, perfectly cooked, and bursting with that clean ocean flavor that makes you want to soak up every drop of broth. The service is top-notch, attentive without hovering, and the beer selection is surprisingly strong, offering a good mix of local and regional options to pair with your meal. The only real miss for me was the lobster roll, which felt pretty average compared to what you can get elsewhere in Portland. If that’s what you’re after, I’d suggest heading somewhere more lobster-focused. But for mussels, drinks, and a warm, lively atmosphere, The Grill Room is absolutely worth the visit.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Nikki Gruner
Pros: Excellent food, we were very happy with the filet mignon, ribeye, mashed potatoes, carrots, and asparagus. Not so happy with the chocolate cake, which to me was dry. Very nice selection of wine. Service was fast and friendly.
Cons: I made a reservation here for our anniversary a few weeks ahead of time. Unfortunately, the put us in the back corner right next to the door leading outside, which they opened about every 2 minutes and every time I got a cold blast of wind on my back, enough to whip my hair around while I was trying to eat. I had also pictured a nice, quiet steakhouse for a romantic dinner and was very wrong. It is so loud I could barely hear my husband talk. The chairs were SO uncomfortable. Sitting on hard wood chairs for a 2 hour dinner had my back aching so badly I had to take ibuprofen afterwards. They also initially brought me a warm, flat glass of prosecco, but they did quickly replace it with a different wine and didn't charge us for the prosecco.
Overall, good food and service, and as long as you aren't looking for a quiet, romantic place would be an okay option.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 5
Jeff Slaton
Great place for dinner and drinks. Awesome dinner...updated June 2025. The fish 🐟 and chips are a good option.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Atkins
We stumbled into this looking for a light dinner. Each couple shared one main entrée which was enough for 2. Fantastic scallops and lobster risotto, roast chicken and beet salad. Good selection of beer and wine by the glass, nice ambience, not too loud.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael
Too loud, we did ask to sit outside and were shown an awesome table. Food was ok, my wife had asparagus and said it was cooked to perfection but extremely salty. Tone down the salt on all items!
We ate at the bar and the bartender known as King Karl, did an amazing job. The food was amazing and the atmosphere great. Very much recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Icomefromthetrees
10/10 amazing food and Julio the waiter was amazing ask for him by name best service you could ask for
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rocco Montana
Way overpriced !way overrated ! What a scam !
Victoria D
Everything was fresh and delicious! Every cut of beef was *chefs kiss*
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fred Buchanan
Food and service was A-1. Very expensive but great experience. Our server was Colby. He did an excellent job and I'd be proud of him if I were his employer. Great Evening Out
I traveled all the way from Boston on Sunday to have dinner here with my mother and a friend. The restaurant seemed promising—it looked nice, and it was busy, which usually signals a good spot.
However, things immediately went downhill. Within five minutes of being seated, we called the waiter over to tell him we were absolutely freezing. We asked if a window was open or if anything could be done, and he apologized, saying he was cold too, couldn't move us, and the landlord controls the heat. It wasn't just cold; there was a literal draft/vent blowing freezing air right onto our table.
Despite being uncomfortable, we decided to order: a pizza, wine, onion soup, and a steak.
The final straw was the food. The pizza arrived completely burnt and black. At this point, I was frozen and extremely unhappy, especially after traveling so far for such a poor experience. I politely asked the waiter to take the pizza back.
I then asked the host for the bill, stating we no longer wanted the rest of the meal (we had already eaten the soup because everything arrived at different times). This is when the manager stepped in.
The manager is the reason I am writing this review; just thinking about it makes my blood boil.
She looked at me as if I were being unreasonable, with a genuinely condescending and performatively kind attitude. It was falsely friendly and overly acted, which is easy to spot. It was clear she had zero interest in actual customer service and, with the restaurant being full, she likely didn't care about one party having a bad experience. She just offered a vague 'sorry' but made no attempt to fix anything, like offering to replace the pizza (which I wouldn't have accepted anyway, as I didn't want to wait any longer).
The worst part was her subsequent behavior. She walked by our table twice more with that forced, fake smile and acted concern. I just wanted to be left alone to finish the damn steak, which arrived at that moment. We ate it and paid for it out of sheer embarrassment, even though we had already asked for the check.
We paid $90 for the soup, the steak, and a glass of wine. The prices are high, but I'm happy to pay for good service. I left the restaurant hungry, furious, and absolutely freezing, only to face a two-hour drive home stewing over the horrible experience.
The manager has no people skills and doesn't know how to handle situations. Every customer deserves a good experience, and if they couldn't move us or provide edible food, they should have at least offered to comp the entire meal. I felt more shame eating that steak than she showed in her lack of care for us as paying customers.
Terrible experience. (The young waiter was very kind, though, and this is not his fault.)
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
We stopped into The Grill Room & Bar on a chilly Portland evening, and while the dining room itself was a bit cold for comfort, everything else about the experience was outstanding. I want to specifically mention our waiter Colby by name, he was excellent. So professional, knowledgeable, and attentive without ever being overbearing. You can tell he genuinely knows the menu inside and out, and he guided us through it perfectly.
The menu itself is perfectly chef curated with creative dishes, but also has à la carte options that let you build your own meal if you prefer. Everything we tried was phenomenal. The Caesar salad tasted authentic and fresh, topped with crisp parmesan chips for a perfect crunch. The wood oven cooked salmon was beautifully charred on the outside and tender inside, just fantastic. The steak was cooked to perfection, juicy and flavorful, and the chimichurri sauce paired with it elevated every bite. Even the mashed potatoes were silky, buttery, and comforting. We also loved the kimchi, unbelievably good and such a unique, flavorful touch that we weren’t expecting but absolutely loved.
This place delivers a well rounded dining experience; thoughtful service, expertly prepared food, and an atmosphere that feels elevated yet relaxed. We’ll definitely be coming back the next time we’re in Portland.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It had a lot of charm. The food was excellent. I really loved the calamari, beets, and a salad (i don't know which one). We had a large party and everything except the entrees were family style, so I got to taste a lot of the menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First time here. Went for my girlfriend’s birthday dinner. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. The atmosphere was very dim and relaxing. The service was top notch. Water constantly topped off, and knew the menu/specials from memory. Had recommendations on sauce/meat combinations. The food was amazing. Everything farm to table and cooked over open fire. You could tell it in the taste and was phenomenal. We started with the white wine mussels and then split the ribeye, duck, horseradish mashed potatoes, beets, and broccolini. It’s definitely pricey, but you get what you pay for. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This restaurant was high on our list of places to go as locals, and I am so disappointed that it did not live up to our expectations. The lobster risotto was so undercooked that the rice was crunchy, the sauce we ordered for our steaks was brought out after we were done eating, and the ribeye was extremely tough. The service was mediocre. Save your money and go elsewhere if you have high steakhouse standards!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
The Grill Room in Portland, Maine is a solid spot that delivers on atmosphere, service, and flavor, especially when it comes to seafood done right. The mussels from Bang Island are the standout, easily some of the best and most plump you’ll find anywhere in town. They’re fresh, perfectly cooked, and bursting with that clean ocean flavor that makes you want to soak up every drop of broth. The service is top-notch, attentive without hovering, and the beer selection is surprisingly strong, offering a good mix of local and regional options to pair with your meal. The only real miss for me was the lobster roll, which felt pretty average compared to what you can get elsewhere in Portland. If that’s what you’re after, I’d suggest heading somewhere more lobster-focused. But for mussels, drinks, and a warm, lively atmosphere, The Grill Room is absolutely worth the visit.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Pros: Excellent food, we were very happy with the filet mignon, ribeye, mashed potatoes, carrots, and asparagus. Not so happy with the chocolate cake, which to me was dry. Very nice selection of wine. Service was fast and friendly.
Cons: I made a reservation here for our anniversary a few weeks ahead of time. Unfortunately, the put us in the back corner right next to the door leading outside, which they opened about every 2 minutes and every time I got a cold blast of wind on my back, enough to whip my hair around while I was trying to eat. I had also pictured a nice, quiet steakhouse for a romantic dinner and was very wrong. It is so loud I could barely hear my husband talk. The chairs were SO uncomfortable. Sitting on hard wood chairs for a 2 hour dinner had my back aching so badly I had to take ibuprofen afterwards. They also initially brought me a warm, flat glass of prosecco, but they did quickly replace it with a different wine and didn't charge us for the prosecco.
Overall, good food and service, and as long as you aren't looking for a quiet, romantic place would be an okay option.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 5
Great place for dinner and drinks. Awesome dinner...updated June 2025. The fish 🐟 and chips are a good option.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We stumbled into this looking for a light dinner. Each couple shared one main entrée which was enough for 2. Fantastic scallops and lobster risotto, roast chicken and beet salad. Good selection of beer and wine by the glass, nice ambience, not too loud.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Too loud, we did ask to sit outside and were shown an awesome table. Food was ok, my wife had asparagus and said it was cooked to perfection but extremely salty. Tone down the salt on all items!
Restaurantji Recommends
We ate at the bar and the bartender known as King Karl, did an amazing job. The food was amazing and the atmosphere great. Very much recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
10/10 amazing food and Julio the waiter was amazing ask for him by name best service you could ask for
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Way overpriced !way overrated ! What a scam !
Everything was fresh and delicious! Every cut of beef was *chefs kiss*
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food and service was A-1. Very expensive but great experience. Our server was Colby. He did an excellent job and I'd be proud of him if I were his employer. Great Evening Out
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
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