The Stern Restaurant

99 King St, Scarborough
(207) 888-1066

Recent Reviews

T939FVpaulg

What a fantastic meal and time - very busy and didn’t have reservations but the friendly staff made room - wonderful menu and we had scallops that were delicious along with varied mixed drinks that were generous and tasty. Sadly it closes for the season today but can’t wait for spring opening ! A must visit for all .

BearHugVT

In general we found the food to be very good. The fried cauliflower appetizer was interesting with The roasted sundried tomatoes. Caught one of the last night's before they closed for the season. Our waitress was very nice, helpful and attentive. Have to acknowledge though, I did feel it was a little pricey. Swordfish, scallops, the cauliflower and one drink, 105 before tip.

Kent R.

The selection of seafood and the quality of service was GREAT! So good in fact we went back 2 days later and had an equally wonderful experience! Better yet we're the views of the sunsets. The only thing is their season closes October 9th until spring. I would eat there everyday if I could!

Sue M.

Off the beaten path, but definitely need a reservation. Casual yet not necessarily a beach bar or clam shack either. Full bar, quality meals, moderate pricing, ASTOUNDING views of the mouth of the marsh at Pine Point. Quick service even in a packed house. We can be choosy; my mother the lobster roll expert didn't think hers was "flavorful" enough. Also be sure to ask for your salad dressing on the side, there was a soaking that covered up any taste of the vegetables. Crab cakes snd mussels were exceptional, and though we didn't have dessert tonight, word on the street was the blueberry cake is outstanding.

Kim M.

Wanted to like this more as the setting is great with lovely views. The service was very slow and the food was expensive and just ok. The steamers were great but we found the calamari to be rubbery and did not like the weird cheese sauce. The crispy cauliflower wasn't crispy. Those of us that had lobsters did enjoy them and my husband had a lovely burrata salad but also ordered the fried clams and couldn't eat more than a bite; there was some kind of weird taste to them.

851charissag

I'm bummed to see negative reviews . We love it here. The views at sunset are amazing! It's a small place, I wish they would expand. Our food has always been fabulous! No complaints! Very friendly staff

Annie A.

Double lobster roll was great! Probably only needed a single but it was worth it. Mussels and Crispy Cauliflower were perfect.

Winter B.

Stern is a cute seafood restaurant in Maine. The menu is on the smaller side and has a lot of great options. There's something for everyone. Outside there is seating as well as a boardwalk overlooking a marsh and the ocean. I caught the sunset with some friends after eating dinner and it was so nice. The vibes are great. The bar is really cool too. Made out of the stern of an old ship. I would recommend ordering the oysters. They were delicious and super fresh. Loved the fries and lobster roll too. Cant go wrong!

Amy C.

Not a great meal here the other night. Yes the location is beautiful and the service terrific, just don't order anything fried. I had the clams and they were way over cooked and they had an odd taste like the oil needed to be replaced. I ate a few and was never asked how they were or why I didn't eat them. Will that stop me from returning? Probably not as it's a pretty spot.

Helene M.

Not so good. The corn was old an dry the lobster was full of water. Won't go back To expensive for what you get

kblan201

This is the first time I've been here since it was a local seafood shack that had great fish and chips. It was disappointing at best for the prices you'll pay. I gave it 2 stars for our waitress Abby who was helpful, but I'd avoid this place if you're looking for food that tastes good at an honest price. I ordered the steamers. They were some of the grittiest ones we have ever had. I ordered the shrimp Alfredo. The 4 shrimp were well cooked, but the pasta was bland and looked like it was sauce out of a jar. The bread they served with it was soggy. I asked them to replace it, which they did, but it was dry with no butter or garlic or anything. My husband ordered the scallops. The sizes were so different that the small ones were overdone. His pasta was stuck all together in a clump. AVOID this place if you want flavor or well cooked food at a REASONABLE price. $38 for 4 shrimp, bland pasta and dry bread is a bit much. Do yourself a favor and get fish down by the pier at OOB.

Andrea B.

Excellent. Polite and attentive staff. Cute atmosphere, great views. Delicious, local, fresh oysters.

Kathleen P

My husband and I went here for lunch this week. We had been there years ago and liked it. This time, however, we found the outdoor seating to be confined by a tented in structure. The food was extremely over priced…an appetizer of a few fried clams was $22. Entrees for lunch were well over $30. In addition to that, they nailed us with an alcohol and a food tax..we will not return.

James S.

Just paid over $100 for the worst restaurnt meal I've had in Maine, possibly anywhere. I would have given Stern an extra point because of service and atmosphere, but the food was so bad that I can't. Two of us each ordered the "ROASTED NORTH ATLANTIC HADDOCK spinach * lemon cream sauce * panko * veg du jour * linguini". It was priced at $34, way steep for the type of restaurant, but we decided to give it a try, based on prior experiences with the place. We live nearby and were coming home from the beach, and had been looking forward to eating there since springtime. For the money here is what we got. The "roasted" haddock was actually smothered in a gloppy sauce so thick it was hard to distinguish the fish (what little there was) from the sauce. This was covered with possibly panko bread crumbs, so soggy that it could have been any kind of bread crumbs, topped with squiggles of what I suspect was cheap mayonaise mixed with botthed lemon juice. The linguini was overcooked pasta in what can best be described as bad mac 'n cheese sauce. The vegetable du jour was actually not bad, roasted asparagus. All in all, with a soda and glass of cheap white wine, we paid ove a hundred dollars for a meal I wouldn' want to feed to a stray dog. That included a 20% tip, because, as said, excellent service by someone who bore no responsibility for the food quality. Several years ago this place was called "Rising Tide", and was a rough and ready little seafood shack associated with the local and attached fishermen's co-op. It served plain and fresh food, well prepared with no frills. I morphed into Stern, which started out as about two notches upscale, and which had delicious fried haddock sandwiches which were inexpensive and fresh. Last year the place was about the same, but with slightly smaller portions and higher prices. I don't know how to characterize what it has become this year, but I'm hoping that something emerges from this dumpster fire of an eatery that is wort going to again. BTW, I generally only leave review for places I enjoy, but this was a "special case".

jimsiler

I would have given Stern an extra point because of service and atmosphere, but the food was so bad that I can't. Two of us each ordered the "ROASTED NORTH ATLANTIC HADDOCK spinach • lemon cream sauce • panko • veg du jour • linguini". It was priced at $34, way steep for the type of restaurant, but we decided to give it a try, based on prior experiences with the place. We live nearby and were coming home from the beach, and had been looking forward to eating there since springtime. For the money here is what we got. The "roasted" haddock was actually smothered in a gloppy sauce so thick it was hard to distinguish the fish (what little there was) from the sauce. This was covered with possibly panko bread crumbs, so soggy that it could have been any kind of bread crumbs, topped with squiggles of what I suspect was cheap mayonaise mixed with botthed lemon juice. The linguini was overcooked pasta in what can best be described as bad mac 'n cheese sauce. The vegetable du jour was actually not bad, roasted asparagus. All in all, with a soda and glass of cheap white wine, we paid ove a hundred dollars for a meal I wouldn' want to feed to a stray dog. That included a 20% tip, because, as said, excellent service by someone who bore no responsibility for the food quality. Several years ago this place was called "Rising Tide", and was a rough and ready little seafood shack associated with the local and attached fishermen's co-op. It served plain and fresh food, well prepared with no frills. I morphed into Stern, which started out as about two notches upscale, and which had delicious fried haddock sandwiches which were inexpensive and fresh. Last year the place was about the same, but with slightly smaller portions and higher prices. I don't know how to characterize what it has become this year, but I'm hoping that something emerges from this dumpster fire of an eatery that is wort going to again. BTW, I generally only leave review for places I enjoy, but this was a "special case".

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