New American Restaurants near South Portland, ME

“Sure, Mabel! Here’s a polished, friendly review letter you can use: --- Restaurant Review I recently visited this restaurant for the very first time, and I was truly impressed from start to finish. The food was so delicious that I actually found myself wishing I could get the recipes to make the dishes at home later. I ordered the chicken sandwich, and it was one of the most unique and flavorful sandwiches I’ve ever had. Every bite was incredible. My friend ordered the steak and cheese, and it must have been amazing because she ate every last bite of it without hesitation! The staff deserves special recognition as well. They were excellent, kind, and especially patient with my service dog in training, who is only five months old. Their understanding and welcoming attitude made the whole experience even better. Overall, this was a wonderful first visit, and I will definitely be returning. Highly recommended!“

“Where else Can you go to get a great cigar sold by knowledgeable people, have a nice beer and a great meal? You can’t. This is the only place. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience.“

“This meal was a 10/10 early on just from the bread (from Standard Baking Co.) and Wood oven roasted mussels alone. The way we’d bottle the sauce they were cooked in if we could. Both the hangar steak and pork chop were seasoned and cooked to perfection. Mashed potatoes are the best we ever had. Rhubarb creme brûlée was perfect and light. Ambiance is lovely. Service was amazing. Left so happy and satisfied. Would come back over and over.“

“We had such a delicious meal at Scales! Everything was presented beautifully and tasted excellent. Service was on-point and the atmosphere is super chic. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone in the Portland area!“

“Impossibly wonderful food and vibe! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Big Daddy’s has the best food, staff and atmosphere. I could go on and on….but there’s no need to. Simply the BEST! Never had a bad meal, drink or bad experience.“

“Can’t wait to come back. We sat at chef counter and found the staff and chefs all very pleasant and informative. Food was fabulous and once again Andrew treated us like royalty. The whole experience was worth every penny!“

“Last month our flight to Portland was delayed a considerable amount of time due to weather issues and it looked as though we would not be able to make our 5p.m. reservation. My daughter called from the tarmac in Boston where we were rerouted and refueled and explained the situation. The hostess, Susie, was very understanding and compassionate And said that even though our table was booked for another party a 7, we should come in and she would see what she could do. We got there late but Susie greeted us warmly and told us not to worry about being rushed that she had arranged things so no one would be inconvenienced. The atmosphere was warm and cozy; the food so very delicious and our waitperson, Anika, was the best. Atmosphere, impeccable service, food and warmth all rate 5 stars and another visit next time we are in Portland.“

“Service, food, beer .. all five stars. A must visit if you’re in Maine!“

“Fresh and delicious! Have a margarita! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“If you want fantastic service, amazing food and a really cool and comfy atmosphere, this is your place. My boyfriend and I drive twice a year to visit our favorite hotel and restaurant :) we truly cannot express how amazing this team is. We LOVE the lattes and Greek yogurt with homemade granola (it is our absolute favorite breakfast/brunch ever). It was so good that we asked to have the house granola sent to us and the Salt Yard team sent it immediately!

We also recommend the charcuterie board (excellent cheeses) & any of their drinks! They also have trivia on occasion!

If ever you’re in Portland, we highly encourage you to check out this spot. Whether you’re picking something up or staying for a bit, it’s truly a gem.“

“Wonderful service and excellent food!“

“If you have not eaten here it is a must. Make sure to ask for Sarah as she is a phenomenal waitress.“

“Our Garden Suite was awesome! Super comfortable and well appointed, awesome soaking tub, the nicest robes, great views and quick walk to the beach. Loved how dog friendly it is. Dog bowls, dog blanket, dog towel, ball, poopie bags and a giant biscuit greeted our pup. Dogs are even allowed in the tavern. Hot chocolate and cookies in the lobby at night. Chocolates in the room. Free use of the steam room and experience shower in the spa for guests. Staff is great! That’s just to name a few things that makes the Inn by the Sea great! We can’t wait to go back!“

“My husband, MIL, and myself were visiting Maine all the way from NC and came here TWICE during our visit. First was brunch, then dinner. Both meals were exceptional. Our waitress(I wish I could remember her name, but she has long, red hair), gave the best service I have ever experienced in my life! This will definitely be a spot we must visit everytime we come up ❤️“

“Every dish was fantastic!“

“This place is the definition of real food done right. Everything on the plate is fresh, intentional, and full of flavor-no filler, no fluff. You can actually taste the quality. It’s beautiful, flavorful food that hits differently. The kind of place that makes you want to slow down and enjoy each and every bite.“

“We dined with dear friends as a group of four and Mr Dimillo was so gracious to help us reserve a perfect table for some of Portland Maine's best consistant cuisine. With Frankie as our food and drink guide we were taken care of with all the perfect timing and grace that could be expected in any top restaurant. We appreciate him and his whole DiMillo's Team..scallops, salmon, and other yum yums were all on point! Thank you Dimillos...another superb experience!!“

“karaoke Wednesday and Thursday nights. Very chill people to hang around with, my favorite place in town to have some beers!“

“Super staff! Great food! Great ambience!“

“Amazing from start to finish ~ love the decor and everything we tried was delicious 🦩“

“We stopped here after my husband a job in Scarborough, and wow… what an incredible surprise. The whole place has that true Maine vibe — cozy, welcoming, and super friendly. Our server Eric was awesome from start to finish. My husband ordered the pork schnitzel and absolutely loved it. I had the butternut squash linguine with prosciutto, roasted squash, arugula, and their homemade crostini bread… incredible. I even saved half so I could enjoy it again another day. Hubby tried two of their 5oz beers (Space Ghost and Santa’s Reinbeer) and enjoyed both. But the show-stealer? The apple crisp cheesecake. 🍎 Hubby took one bite and said, “This is so good it should be outlawed.” And honestly, he wasn’t wrong. It was ridiculous in the best way. We left talking about how we’re glad we live two hours away, because we’d be here every day if we didn’t. Highly recommend checking this place out if you’re in the area. Amazing food, great vibe, great service.“

“I am blown away by the food I ate last night at the Armory! I've come here for years for the fancy cocktails and one time I had an impressive charcuterie board but never came for dinner. I saw the Maine restaurant week menu and knew I had to visit. The bartender informed my husband and I that they have a new chef from Boston and let me tell you, he knows what he is doing! I had the seafood cakes to start and my husband had the arancini. Both were on point! For my main course I had the parsnip risotto. OMG! The risotto was cooked perfectly. It was creamy with a sweet sauce, some crunch, fresh spinach, salty Parmesan, just the right balance! My husband had the pappardelle bolognese which he loved. For dessert I had the raspberry cheesecake. It was rich and smooth with the perfect amount of sauce and fresh raspberries. My husband had the flourless chocolate torte and he devoured it. Our server recommended a bottle of Malbec which was delightful. A fantastic experience!“

“Rivalries has always been one of my favorite spots, especially in the summertime. Whether I’m hanging out on the deck, stopping by for lunch, or watching a Boston sports game with friends, it’s always a great time. The food may be classic pub style, but it’s pub style on steroids—I’ve never had a bad meal here.

Lance, the owner, is often around and genuinely takes time to check in on guests, which is a great touch. But the real star of the staff is Jen, the head manager. She’s absolutely phenomenal to work with, especially when it comes to planning a function. Whether it’s a small family gathering or a larger group event, Jen’s professionalism, experience, and friendly approach make the whole process easy—and even fun.

They truly do a great job all around, and I always look forward to coming back.“

“We dined with dear friends as a group of four and Mr Dimillo was so gracious to help us reserve a perfect table for some of Portland Maine's best consistant cuisine. With Frankie as our food and drink guide we were taken care of with all the perfect timing and grace that could be expected in any top restaurant. We appreciate him and his whole DiMillo's Team..scallops, salmon, and other yum yums were all on point! Thank you Dimillos...another superb experience!!“

“I LOVE that DTL is requiring proof of vaccines to enter!! Keep up the great work!! I prefer to not drink/dine in the company of antivaxxers :)“

“We had our wedding at Grace, and I’m still speechless when I think about it. The venue itself is so unique and absolutely stunning — it truly speaks for itself. But what made the experience even more special was the incredible team behind it. Kate and her staff went above and beyond to accommodate our large wedding and made the entire day smoother and even more beautiful than we could have ever imagined. Every detail was handled with care, and their professionalism and kindness did not go unnoticed — they made us feel supported from start to finish. I honestly wish we could do it all over again. If you're looking for a breathtaking venue with an exceptional team, Grace is the one. Cannot recommend enough!“

“What a great find! Booked a table after reading the reviews. The meal was perfect, the new to us cocktail was potent and delicious, the servers were amazing, the owner was gracious. Thank you Barb, Dot and Dawn. We will be returning next year at the same time to celebrate my 70th!! Seems it will only allow 1 picture.“

“Nice place, good beer choices and the smash burger was great. Little bit of rain didn’t stop the server from coming outside to serve us with our dog. Thanks again for enduring the rain!“

“Sebago Brewing Company in Scarborough, ME for a couple pints & a taster of that Maine deliciousness. Having had a decent amount of Sebago Brewing beer over the years, when I realized they were opened on a Monday & just over a hour away, I made the plan immediately. My 201st brewery I have hit so far, but just one of Sebago Brewing's many locations in Maine that include two spots in Gorham & a spot in Kennebunk as well. I was lucky enough to do a five year vertical at a friend's house earlier this year of Sebago's yearly BARLEYWINE series. It included a SINGLE BATCH SERIES - BARLEYWINE - BOURBON BARREL AGED (2020) & the BARLEYWINE (2021-2024) which were all excellent. While here I also scooped a couple 12oz singles to go of the BARLEYWINE (2025) so I can check out this years as well. Enough about barleywine though, let's get into the three beers I had from the tit at the taproom. 🍻🍻🔥☘

I started off with a full pour of the BONFIRE Rye Beer, it was super tasty & drinkable at 5.7%ABV. I then grabbed a pint of the DOUBLE DRIBBLE DIPA, a good solid New England hazy that brought everything the style is expected of. My last pour was a taster of the STRATISFIED IPA, a really good above average American IPA that was filled with grapefruit. 🍻🍻🔥🎅🏆

Like I said before this is one of four Sebago Brewing spots & it had a ton of seating including tables, hightops, booths & plenty of bar seats. There was plenty of beer to go with a few pounder options of their IPA's & the barleywine singles as well. Sebago Brewing has it's roots that go back to the late 90's & was started by three friends who just wanted to have fun drinking good beer. All the water used in brewing their beer comes from the namesake & is pulled from Sebago Lake directly next to the brewery. Definitely looking forward to eventually seeing the other locations in the future when they cross my path, cheers! 🍻☘🔥✌♥️🍺

BEERGASM RATING - 82/100 🍻🍻🍻🍆🍆🍆💦💦💦🔥🔥🔥☘☘☘✌♥️🍺

#craftbeer #supportlocal #beer #newengland“

“Best of everything in Portland! Best food, great staff, and the music is best in Town!!“

“I had breakfast at this restaurant with my wife and we had a great time. The breakfast was excellent.I had the hashing eggs , and she had an omelet, and we both enjoyed it. It was great to be near the waterfront and actually get a feel of the old town while enjoying a great meal with great people.“

“I come specifically to Old Orchard Beach every year just to eat at The Bell Buoy. They serve the best seafood and are very closely located to the pier and beach. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but the lobster is a huge selling point. Friendly staff, great food, good service, and a mere walking distance from many of the other attractions. I cannot recommend this place enough, and hope it remains open forever.“

“Awesome place, such a cool vibe in the building.“

“I am sure Councilman Dion and Mrs Dion were just having an off night - my wife and Granddaughter and I had dinner on Friday night and my veal parmigiana was awesome and my wife’s asparagus and Gorgonzola ravioli was as great ! Jim our waiter must have lit the table candle 50 times for my granddaughter to keep blowing it out ! Brunos rocks !“

“We really love this place. Stumbled on it by accident and now its one of our regular haunts when we are in Maine. The food is always delicious, we love trying new things they add. We love this restaurant and can't wait to be back.“

“This is one of our go to restaurants. We went last night because they were donating a percentage of sales to charitable organizations who support New Mainers. Our meals have always been very good. We were in the bar area and it was busy, so the noise level was high.“

“One of our favorite places, nice laid back atmosphere with couches & bookcases, reasonably priced beers, and located at the entrance to Portland’s wonderful West End. They serve a great Beyond burger, as well as a black bean burger. They also have a number of other nice options including vegan cheese pizzas, chili, and chili cheese fries! Updated from previous review on 2024-06-25“

“Small menu but very good options of interesting and delicious plates. The avocado crudo, charred cabbage salad and the cod were fantastic. The desserts... Charred corn ice cream and the Peruvian dark chocolate cake - WOW! Nice list of tequilas and interesting cocktails.“

“Great food! We mapped out a scenic route from OOB to Freeport and we were so glad we found this place! Beautiful view. Clam chowder and crab cakes were delicious. Relaxing atmosphere and service was attentive and well done. Highly recommend definitely worth the stop!“

“Best homemade clam cakes around!“

“If I see Florentine Benedict on the menu, I'm ordering it immediately. This was excellent, perfectly poached egg, really flavorful and bright hollandaise, fresh spinach and tomato. Yum! Comes with home fries. Added a mimosa because that's what you do on a Sunday!

Our waitress was incredibly kind and attentive.

I'd love to come back and sit outside in the patio area on a sunny day.“

“Decent place for dinner. Nice, fun patio and love music. The ahi tuna App was good but would have been perfect if it wasn’t drenched in so much sauce. I got the Cajun fish tacos and they were way too seasoned and salty I could not finish them. Also they were kinda made upside down which made them hard to eat. There was slaw on the bottom, then fish then salsa. I switched to put the fish on the bottom. Easier to eat. My husband got the steak tips they were great and the mashed potatoes without the sauce. We don’t like sauce on our steak. Service was good too.“

“My girlfriend and I popped into OOB for a long weekend off season and GFB was the place to be. Live open mic blues night rocked our socks off with some serious talent including the likes of renowned guitarist Mike Hayward. Megs behind the bar remembered our drinks immediately and treated us with the best service around. The owners sat at the bar and we chatted music and fun stories of our pasts. We even stumbled in the following night for karaoke! Definitely the best dive in OOB!“

“Was there for the first time last night. Loved it. Great food. Great service and amazing atmosphere. Would recommend to everyone 👍 👌 😀“