Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn

4.7

1999 Reviews

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 26, 2024

11:30 PM

Booked 2 times today

Good for special occasions
Great for scenic views
Romantic

The Reading Room offers guests of the Bar Harbor Inn, visitors to Bar Harbor, and our dearly loved regulars a distinguished fine dining experience overlooking Frenchman Bay.

Serving breakfast and dinner daily, the Reading Room is a one of a kind dining experience. Delectable local Maine cuisine and attentive service are surpassed only by the magnificent panoramic ocean views.

Start your evening with locally farmed oysters while deciding between our signature Beef Short Ribs or Filet and Lobster Tail fresh from the boats on the Harbor. Linger over a slice of Maine Blueberry Pie while you enjoy a crafted cocktail and soft piano music.

Smart casual attire is preferred, but not required. We do not accept parties exceeding 6 people. Please note that we are not able to guarantee tables by the window.

We look forward to seeing you!

Additional information

Dining style
Elegant Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:30 am Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(207) 288-3351
Website
http://www.barharborinn.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Zachary Dallessandro

Location
1 Newport Dr., Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Neighborhood
Bar Harbor
Parking details
valet parking available
Entertainment
Live piano nightly from 6-10 p.m.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Beets N' Burrata$16.00
baby arugula, roasted beets, burrata, crispy lardons, apple maple-ginger vinaigrette
Petite Farmers Greens$15.00
baby greens wrapped in cucumber, goat cheese flakes, heirloom baby tomatoes, pickled fennel caramelized walnuts, white balsamic emulsion
Baby Gem Caesar$14.00
white anchovies, heirloom baby tomatoes, shaved pecorino, brioche croutons, roasted garlic aioli

Tasty Beginnings

Chilled Shrimp Cocktail$17.00
housemade cocktail sauce, marinated tomatoes, shaved red onion, shaved cucumbers, soft herbs
Locally Farmed Maine Oysters$18.00
½ dozen, housemade cocktail sauce
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake$24.00
jumbo lump crab, house whole grain mustard Rémoulade, arugula, lemon oil
Compressed Asian Pears$18.00
whipped goat cheese, crispy prosciutto, candied walnuts, watercress

Hearty Fillers

Grilled 8oz Filet of Beef$52.00
ginger-carrot mousseline, potato puree, truffle pesto, broccolini Suggested wine: Coppola Diamond Claret, Cabernet Sauvignon, California
Seared New Zealand Rack of Lamb$48.00
herb roasted baby vegetables, whipped potato, truffle pesto, broccolini Suggested wine: Argiano, NC "Baby Super Tuscan", Montalcino, Italy
Slow Braised Beef Short Rib$42.00
smoked fingerling potatoes, sautéed broccolini, cherry tomato confit, braising jus Suggested wine: St. Francis, Merlot, Sonoma, California
Land & Sea$65.00
filet of beef, Maine lobster tails, potato puree, charred baby carrots, red wine jus, clarified butter Suggested wine: King Estate "Inscription" Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
- 5oz$65.00
- 8oz$72.00
Downeast "Lazy" Lobster$58.00
separated lobster from shell, potato puree, charred baby carrots, clarified butter Suggested wine: August Kesseler 'R", Riesling, Rheingau, Germany
Herb Baked Atlantic Salmon$36.00
herb baked in Feuille de Brick, broccolini, Marcona Almond romesco sauce, micro salad Suggested wine: Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay, California
Seared Sea Scallops$42.00
lobster potato hash, olive oil roasted fennel, yuzu-soy butter Suggested wine: Whitehaven, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Soy Glazed Atlantic Cod$48.00
herb farro, ginger-carrot puree, crispy lobster canes Suggested wine: Chablis 'La Pierrelee, La Chablisienne
Organic Grain Strudel$28.00
quinoa, farro, roasted fennel, mushrooms, blistered tomatoes, caramelized carrot mousseline, pea tendril salad Suggested wine: Fleur de Mer, Rose, Cotes de Provence, France
Grilled 14oz Boneless Ribeye$58.00
olive oil whipped potatoes with pancetta cheddar cheese crumble, haricot verts, red wine reduction

What 1,999 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.6Service
4.8Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Maine
Romantic
Maine
Good for special occasions
Maine
Contemporary American
Northern Coast
Best Overall
Northern Coast
Best Food
Northern Coast
Best Ambiance
Northern Coast
Great for fine wines
Northern Coast
Romantic
Northern Coast
Good for special occasions
Northern Coast
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn offers a "wonderful dining experience" with stunning views of the harbor. Guests rave about the "excellent service," "delicious food," and "beautiful atmosphere." Live piano music adds to the charm, and it's a popular choice for special occasions. Highly recommended for an upscale dining experience.

1,999 Reviews

R
Rebecca
Coastal Georgia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
First class experience and excellent service. We had the lobster and steak, followed by special blueberry desserts. Great meal!
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J
Jon
Maine
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Reading Room is classic white linen high class dining at its best!! Menu, food, service & ambience all first rate! Our server was very professional (can’t recall her name) & very menu knowledgeable - only issue was that the noise level made it difficult to have a good conversation! We’ve been there many times over the years & it is always the highlight of our visits to Bar Harbor!!
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M
Marie
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent service and delicious offerings wonderful desserts
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J
John
Cincinnati
20 reviews
vip
3.0
20 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful experience with pre dinner drink at the bar, but disappointed with the food. Both my wife and I had the ceasar salads, which were bland. Bread with the blue berry butter was outstanding. I had surf and turf, while my wife had lobster. The lobster was pretty good, but filet with the mashed potatoes reminded me of a mass produced banquet dinner. Bartender was very friendly, but maitre d wasn't very friendly or welcoming. Go to Bar Harbor annually, but first time at Reading Room. Will probably not return.
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K
Kevin
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was prepared nicely, great flavors. Waitress was experienced and pleasant. Scotch pour was a little light but overall great experience.
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D
Don
Nashville
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent. Dinner was wonderful. Food and service was perfect. Nice to have live piano in the background.
Is this helpful?
J
John
Greater Boston
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on October 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Reading Room is a big part of why we continue to book the bar harbor inn every year. The food is fabulous. Tried the rib eye this year and must say the best I have ever had! Server's are always a pleasure. Look forward to our next visit.
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S
Suzette
Las Vegas
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on October 28, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
An excellent dining experience at the Reading Room. Any item on the menu would not disappoint. From the wait staff to the executive chef, you are treated well. Staff is prepared to offer tasty selections from delicious crafted cocktails, appetizers to yummy desserts. We started with the crab cakes, very delicious. Then we enjoyed two wonderful entrees. One was called the Lazy lobster, and it was superb; the other was the seared sea scallops. Both are highly recommended. Save room for the blueberry pie. Our overall experience was exceptional. Loved the ambiance, attentive staff and the food.
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M
Martin
Rhode Island
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on October 28, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Tyler was our server , He was very attentive and very good . I had the ribeye steak , i feel for the money , it was too thin . I thought the meat would have been an inch to an inch and a half . Its difficult to get a medium rare cook on thinner piece , which it was. the reduction was very salty, almost too salty . Mt wife had the Short Rib , She liked it , but, I thought it was too thick and quite stringy , I didn't care for the Cheddar Cheese Crumble , could quite figure that out. Dessert was wonderful , the Creme Brûlée we enjoyed .
Is this helpful?
K
Karen
Ottawa
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent service and outstanding food as always!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn is rated 4.7 stars by 1999 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 26, 2024

11:30 PM

Booked 2 times today

Google Map for Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn

1 Newport Dr., Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Additional information

Neighborhood
Bar Harbor
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:30 am Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary American
Dining style
Elegant Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
valet parking available
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Zachary Dallessandro
Entertainment
Live piano nightly from 6-10 p.m.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.barharborinn.com/
Phone number
(207) 288-3351

Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn

Make a reservation

Additional information

Popular dishes

Maine Blueberry Pie

Seared Sea Scallops

Whipped Blueberry Cheesecake

Menu

Soups

Lobster Bisque$10.00

New England Clam Chowder$10.00

Salads

Beets N' Burrata$16.00

Petite Farmers Greens$15.00

Baby Gem Caesar$14.00

Tasty Beginnings

Chilled Shrimp Cocktail$17.00

Locally Farmed Maine Oysters$18.00

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake$24.00

Compressed Asian Pears$18.00

Hearty Fillers

Grilled 8oz Filet of Beef$52.00

Seared New Zealand Rack of Lamb$48.00

Slow Braised Beef Short Rib$42.00

Land & Sea$65.00

Downeast "Lazy" Lobster$58.00

Herb Baked Atlantic Salmon$36.00

Seared Sea Scallops$42.00

Soy Glazed Atlantic Cod$48.00

Organic Grain Strudel$28.00

Grilled 14oz Boneless Ribeye$58.00

What 1,999 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn restaurant rated?

Is Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information