10 Best American Restaurants in Rockland

“Can't say enough good things about this restaurant. It's very obvious that the food is prepared with care and a lot of testing. Wine list was great and the service was top notch. I wish I lived closer... I'd be here once a month!“

“Wings are still good, burgers and fish and chips only so so. Our server was clearly a pro, no complaints. The hostess also was great. Probably only go back if all I'm wanting is wings and beer, I seem to remember the food being better in the past, not sure what's changed. Blue cheese dressing tasted like it came in big bottle from Sisco. Bathrooms were clean at early lunchtime

Dietary restrictions: Nothing gluten free, unless it comes that way naturally, salad or meat it is.“

“After looking for a place to have a surprise birthday celebration, I decided on Mulligans. It is central to most everything that is in Rockland and Camden and allowed our guests from out of town to enjoy everything in between.The food was spectacular, (I don't use that word lightly). I had a catered lobster bake and the Owner, Chef and Staff, went above and beyond to accommodate any and all requests. Local craft brewed beer on tap, local wines and local craft distillates were all available to showcase MidCoast Maine. If you are looking for a special place for that special occasion, this is it!“

“Our group of 4 had a mixed experience at Sammy's. Perhaps we're to blame for our expectations, but it might be helpful to be better prepared to make sure this place matches your preferences.

First, some attributes that are not for everyone. The vibe is what I'll call funky-disheveled. Plastic table covers, empty wine bottles on the window ledge (deliberate, I hope), yard-sale lighting, and a ceiling fan/light combo from the bottom shelf of a big box store. This might be a curated aesthetic, but I couldn't really tell. It was an interesting vibe, but one which we older folks were not quite expecting. A real eclectic mix of patrons (in a positive way).

The music may have been a playlist or vinyl. We found the music (1960s jazz) to be distinctive and at just the right volume to not be distracting and allow conversation without having to raise a voice.

We were annoyed by the QR code menus. I hadn't seen that in quite a while. A table next to us had to have a large chalkboard brought over where they were struggling with cell phone flash lights to read what was written on the board. Oh well....

We might have gotten unlucky with the server who, while maintaining a pleasant demeanor, was confoundingly unhelpful. It seemed like we were speaking completely different languages. Perhaps we were partly to blame, but after each encounter, we all looked at each other with "what just happened?" expressions.

Despite (I think) telling us how to order so that our plates would be properly sequenced, they were not. I wish we had just been told that plates come out when prepared regardless of what you ordered, so don't wait for everyone else in your party to get their plates before you begin eating. Or don't expect the bread to come out until after you finish your first small plate. Or don't expect your oysters to come out until after you finish your mussels....

Our group of 4 all got the Mezcal Margaritas, which were very disappointing. Coarse salt on the rim, sour-dominated flavor profile, and no smokiness to the alcohol. Either too little mezcal, or we got a splash of tequila instead of mezcal. Since we all got the same drink, perhaps we were unlucky to have ordered the one disappointing cocktail.

OK, now let's get to the food. I thought it was excellent. The mussels were like a ceviche in a citrus, onion and cucumber marinade. I loved it. After a long confusing conversation, we got the brown bread and sourdough. Our server could not communicate the portion sizes when we ordered, but the bread order would properly satisfy two patrons.

The brown bread is excellent, slightly crispy/crunchy in texture (corn meal?), raisins, molasses.. wonderful. I would have eaten every bite put in front of me. Lightly sweet without being cloying. The sourdough was not what we were expecting. Thick slices of tight-crumb moist bread didn't have much hint of fermentation. It is from Brazen Baking in Rockport, and looked nothing like the photo on the online menu.

Get the melon and eel bisque, which was also really good... creative and a delight. The Little Gem salad was also praised. The dozen oysters were not as well chilled as I prefer, but were good.

The eggplant cutlet with trumpet mushrooms was reported to be excellent by my party, although at $32, seems priced high for this entree. My Sammy's Cheeseburger was everything it was described to be, and was very satisfying at an appropriate price point. The swordfish dish ($34) was reported to be very good. The busiati (pasta) dish was very disappointing, lacking flavor. The $27 price is wildly too high for what it is.

So our experience was mixed and could have been better. We wanted to like Sammy's much more than we actually did. But your experience may be vastly different than ours was if you get a different s“

“Went over for dinner because it was close to our hotel then went back three nights in a row! Fantastic food, and even nicer servers! Rachel took care of us despite being busy as heck and the bartender makes the best Cosmo I’ve had in years. Just an overall terrific place and will be back the next time I’m in the area“

“Good people, Awesome food, My Favorite place!“

“Great food will definitely go again highly recommended if you want something to hit the spot great and quick service“

“Fantastic food, service & drinks! My personal favorites are the Beet Napoleon salad & Eggplant Parmigiano!! Best in town & love the generous portion sizes for a very reasonably price. Their house marinra/red sauce is INCREDIBLE! Thank you Rustica for serving up such great food to us l locals!“

“Never open even though sign and Facebook says it is! Update your page so people don’t waste a trip!“

“First time here and the atmosphere and bartender/waitress was phenomenal! The food was a pleasent surprise with a great variety to make even our pickiest of eaters happy. Would definitely recommend and intend to come back when we're in the area.“