We really wanted to enjoy our special holiday experience at this restaurant, as it has so much potential! Unfortunately, the food fell short of expectations, and the service didn’t quite match the ambiance. The menu had a limited seafood selection, and entrées certainly didn’t impress. For instance, the lobster bisque, which we were all excited for lacked any the fresh lobster flavor and instead tasted more like heavy cream with some chunks of lobster. Additionally, the baked stuffed haddock was topped with capers and served over puréed beets it certainly looked like Christmas but didn't quite come together and interrupted the seafood you would expect traveling to Maine. Others would also recommend steering clear of the butcher cut specials; the hanger steak they received was rather chewy. It seems like the restaurant, once known for its farm-to-table approach, could benefit from incorporating fresher vegetables and higher-quality ingredients. It’s possible that the kitchen is absent of experience needed, and perhaps the front-of-house staff might have been overwhelmed with larger parties and hesitant to address our concerns. Out of the seven dishes we ordered, five were barely touched, and while we appreciated the staff’s willingness to check in, we were met with just a simple “I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy that.” On a positive note, the live piano music added a lovely touch to the evening, and valet parking was a nice convenience. Given the wealth of fine dining options in Southern Maine Clay Hill needs elevate the dining experience to match their beautiful setting!experience!
Catherine
The last time I was there it was in April 2023 and I had been there several times before that and I had always ordered the lobster bisque and prime rib because it was always out of this world so yesterday I friend and I decided to go up there you know it was raining out and it was an hour and a half up. We were extremely disappointed with the lobster bisque because it was too spicy. The temperature of it was barely warm. The prime rib was way too salty. I had asked for mineral water and I got sparkling springwater instead, I had the crème brûlée for dessert and it just wasn't as good as I've had before so overall it was a disappointment. I did complain to the waitress and she took the lobster bisque off the bill. The table seemed to be closer together than I remember in the past so that really affected the atmosphere I thought as well. I did email the restaurant. I told them that I was so disappointed that I would probably not return there. 
Virginia
Our first time eating out for Thanksgiving Dinner. We were so impressed with the food, staff and how they managed to sit several seatings and make everyone happy! Very good experience. Thank you
Marvin
This is a wonderful restaurant. Terrific cuisine generally, with some spectacular dishes. Don't miss the fried brussell sprouts. Having said that, with a massive number of people ordering traditional turkey dinner, it's hard to stand out from the pack. The meal was good, not exceptional. Gravy and stuffing were standard. Turkey was dry and cranberry sauce had the texture of something that came out of a can. We've had other Thanksgiving turkey dinners in special restaurants. So this was no surprise. What was special was the quality of the service, the holiday ambience which allowed us to not feel crammed in. I would still recommend Clay Hill Farm, as we have done over the years, but I might recommend that people not get their hopes up high for Thanksgiving dinner.
Steve
Great Thanksgiving meal on all counts! Hats off to the crew who can pull off a holiday meal and still make it feel like a special dining occasion! Looking forward to returning for Christmas!
Jeff and Donna
Exceptional in every aspect imaginable when dining out in in a quintessential, old New England woodland setting. From driving up to the front door and being greeted by the estate's premier valet, to being warmly welcomed into the interior of the dining area by the evening's host, the stage was immediately set for what was a very enjoyable evening. For dinners, I had the Turkey Croquettes with Cranberry aloli and rich gravy as did my husband. He followed his appetizer with a robust portion of Beets and Buratta salad that included mixed greens, spiced pecans and topped with a traditional New England Maple balsamic vinaigrette. For our entrees I chose the Stuffed Acorn Squash served with an ample portion of Almond-Cranberry rice. of note: I declined the the Curried apple chutney that was offered with this dish.) My husband swooned over his choice of an entree, the Grilled Statler Chicken Breast. He reported it being Grilled tonPerfection. It came with a Herbed veloute sauce, Sour Cream and Chive Mashed potatoes and his favorite snipped green beans. He savored every morsel. For drinks I enjoyed my traditional New England Prosecco and Cranberry Cocktail garnished with frozen Ocean Spray cranberries and a McCormick cinnamon stick while my husband sipped on his usual Aviation Cocktail. The pianist offered holiday selections very appropriate for the holiday season. The entire staff was professional, knowledgeable about their menu offerings and cocktail and wine listings. They were also very friendly and engaging. Reservations are a must especially during the holidays, but also on Weekends, Friday Saturday, and Sunday all year through as it is an extremely popular restaurant destination for Maine and New Hampshire residents.
christine
Clay Hill is our favorite special family dinner spot. One member of our family is hearing impaired. The hostess was fantastic at seating us in a quiet corner so he could be part of the conversation. The dinner selections are always great. Our serving team was fantastic. Always there filling our water glass checking in to see if we needed more drinks. Making sure our dishes were tasty.
outandabout704
The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The food is delicious and creative. We have loved every meal we’ve had. Highly recommend this dining experience.
tektektek
My wife and I went here for a pre-show meal, and it was fabulous. The setting is really nice, and we had a view overlooking the garden outside. We were quickly seated upon arrival- oh, and there is valet parking provided. For appetizers, we each chose a Caesar Salad, and then our entrees- Filet of Beef and Pork Medallions. Everything was terrific. And, there was room for dessert- Creme Brulee for my wife, Chocolate Oblivion for me. Service was excellent, and there was live music as well that was at the right volume- you could hear it, but you could still carry on a conversation. Add a soft drink, a mixed drink, and a cappuccino, and the cost before tax and tip was $163. Yes, this is a lot. Was it worth it? For a fine dining experience like this, while it was on the high side, it wasn't completely over the top. If you want to splurge on a meal, this would not be a bad choice.
Julia Duffney
Evening with Poe, dramatic, excellent acting, Be ready to be part of the act.
My mom and I had a wonderful dinner experience here after seeing a matinee at Ogunquit Playhouse. Everything from the service to the ambiance to the food was top notch.
IvanM
Highly recommend Clay Hill Farm for a really great culinary experience. The food was fresh and well prepared and the staff were attentive but un-obtrusive. Each dish was prepared exquisitely. The noise level was moderate.
Robert
Birthday dinner with my wife. Excellent night all the way around. Price can be high, as we picked expensive items but taste was fantastic. Special occasion
Priscilla
Best caesar salad in a long time. Complete with anchovies! Prime Rib was an excellent cut of beef. Duck was delicious. Deserts were delish. Valet parking was a nice touch. Very nice atmosphere with piano player.
We really wanted to enjoy our special holiday experience at this restaurant, as it has so much potential! Unfortunately, the food fell short of expectations, and the service didn’t quite match the ambiance. The menu had a limited seafood selection, and entrées certainly didn’t impress. For instance, the lobster bisque, which we were all excited for lacked any the fresh lobster flavor and instead tasted more like heavy cream with some chunks of lobster. Additionally, the baked stuffed haddock was topped with capers and served over puréed beets it certainly looked like Christmas but didn't quite come together and interrupted the seafood you would expect traveling to Maine. Others would also recommend steering clear of the butcher cut specials; the hanger steak they received was rather chewy. It seems like the restaurant, once known for its farm-to-table approach, could benefit from incorporating fresher vegetables and higher-quality ingredients. It’s possible that the kitchen is absent of experience needed, and perhaps the front-of-house staff might have been overwhelmed with larger parties and hesitant to address our concerns. Out of the seven dishes we ordered, five were barely touched, and while we appreciated the staff’s willingness to check in, we were met with just a simple “I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy that.” On a positive note, the live piano music added a lovely touch to the evening, and valet parking was a nice convenience. Given the wealth of fine dining options in Southern Maine Clay Hill needs elevate the dining experience to match their beautiful setting!experience!
The last time I was there it was in April 2023 and I had been there several times before that and I had always ordered the lobster bisque and prime rib because it was always out of this world so yesterday I friend and I decided to go up there you know it was raining out and it was an hour and a half up. We were extremely disappointed with the lobster bisque because it was too spicy. The temperature of it was barely warm. The prime rib was way too salty. I had asked for mineral water and I got sparkling springwater instead, I had the crème brûlée for dessert and it just wasn't as good as I've had before so overall it was a disappointment. I did complain to the waitress and she took the lobster bisque off the bill. The table seemed to be closer together than I remember in the past so that really affected the atmosphere I thought as well. I did email the restaurant. I told them that I was so disappointed that I would probably not return there. 
Our first time eating out for Thanksgiving Dinner. We were so impressed with the food, staff and how they managed to sit several seatings and make everyone happy! Very good experience. Thank you
This is a wonderful restaurant. Terrific cuisine generally, with some spectacular dishes. Don't miss the fried brussell sprouts. Having said that, with a massive number of people ordering traditional turkey dinner, it's hard to stand out from the pack. The meal was good, not exceptional. Gravy and stuffing were standard. Turkey was dry and cranberry sauce had the texture of something that came out of a can. We've had other Thanksgiving turkey dinners in special restaurants. So this was no surprise. What was special was the quality of the service, the holiday ambience which allowed us to not feel crammed in. I would still recommend Clay Hill Farm, as we have done over the years, but I might recommend that people not get their hopes up high for Thanksgiving dinner.
Great Thanksgiving meal on all counts! Hats off to the crew who can pull off a holiday meal and still make it feel like a special dining occasion! Looking forward to returning for Christmas!
Exceptional in every aspect imaginable when dining out in in a quintessential, old New England woodland setting. From driving up to the front door and being greeted by the estate's premier valet, to being warmly welcomed into the interior of the dining area by the evening's host, the stage was immediately set for what was a very enjoyable evening. For dinners, I had the Turkey Croquettes with Cranberry aloli and rich gravy as did my husband. He followed his appetizer with a robust portion of Beets and Buratta salad that included mixed greens, spiced pecans and topped with a traditional New England Maple balsamic vinaigrette. For our entrees I chose the Stuffed Acorn Squash served with an ample portion of Almond-Cranberry rice. of note: I declined the the Curried apple chutney that was offered with this dish.) My husband swooned over his choice of an entree, the Grilled Statler Chicken Breast. He reported it being Grilled tonPerfection. It came with a Herbed veloute sauce, Sour Cream and Chive Mashed potatoes and his favorite snipped green beans. He savored every morsel. For drinks I enjoyed my traditional New England Prosecco and Cranberry Cocktail garnished with frozen Ocean Spray cranberries and a McCormick cinnamon stick while my husband sipped on his usual Aviation Cocktail. The pianist offered holiday selections very appropriate for the holiday season. The entire staff was professional, knowledgeable about their menu offerings and cocktail and wine listings. They were also very friendly and engaging. Reservations are a must especially during the holidays, but also on Weekends, Friday Saturday, and Sunday all year through as it is an extremely popular restaurant destination for Maine and New Hampshire residents.
Clay Hill is our favorite special family dinner spot. One member of our family is hearing impaired. The hostess was fantastic at seating us in a quiet corner so he could be part of the conversation. The dinner selections are always great. Our serving team was fantastic. Always there filling our water glass checking in to see if we needed more drinks. Making sure our dishes were tasty.
The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The food is delicious and creative. We have loved every meal we’ve had. Highly recommend this dining experience.
My wife and I went here for a pre-show meal, and it was fabulous. The setting is really nice, and we had a view overlooking the garden outside. We were quickly seated upon arrival- oh, and there is valet parking provided. For appetizers, we each chose a Caesar Salad, and then our entrees- Filet of Beef and Pork Medallions. Everything was terrific. And, there was room for dessert- Creme Brulee for my wife, Chocolate Oblivion for me. Service was excellent, and there was live music as well that was at the right volume- you could hear it, but you could still carry on a conversation. Add a soft drink, a mixed drink, and a cappuccino, and the cost before tax and tip was $163. Yes, this is a lot. Was it worth it? For a fine dining experience like this, while it was on the high side, it wasn't completely over the top. If you want to splurge on a meal, this would not be a bad choice.
Evening with Poe, dramatic, excellent acting,
Be ready to be part of the act.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Very nice place
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My mom and I had a wonderful dinner experience here after seeing a matinee at Ogunquit Playhouse. Everything from the service to the ambiance to the food was top notch.
Highly recommend Clay Hill Farm for a really great culinary experience. The food was fresh and well prepared and the staff were attentive but un-obtrusive. Each dish was prepared exquisitely. The noise level was moderate.
Birthday dinner with my wife. Excellent night all the way around. Price can be high, as we picked expensive items but taste was fantastic. Special occasion
Best caesar salad in a long time. Complete with anchovies! Prime Rib was an excellent cut of beef. Duck was delicious. Deserts were delish. Valet parking was a nice touch. Very nice atmosphere with piano player.
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