Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Northern Coast

OpenTable

Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for the best overall restaurants in Northern Coast? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Barncastle Hotel and Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (46)

$31 to $50

German

Blue Hill

About the restaurant

The Barncastle Hotel and Restaurant serves Alsatian-inspired cuisine using local and seasonal ingredients. Chef Owen Royce-Nagel and his wife, both Sommelier- and Cicerone-certified, Lizzie Szczepaniak, have been crafting their concept and menu over the last two decades all across the world. Dishes are intended to be shared and bread (from Tinder Hearth!) is meant to be broken in their cozy dining room and pub. The beverage program features a natural and biodynamic wine list, classic cocktails, and craft Maine beer. Located in the heart of the Blue Hill Peninsula, in between Camden and Acadia National Park, it is the perfect place to gather with friends and family.

Top review

Shannon

Dined on Dec 26, 2024

Castle Chowder warms the winter away with some inventive flavor notes; Hash Browns as a crunchy, smothered side dish; Together, they are the best kind of comfort food: for the eye as well as the tastebuds.

Frannys Bistro

4.8

4.8 (1615)

$50 and over

American

Camden

About the restaurant

Franny will be taking a Fall Break From October 20-November 19th.
We will not be open for Thanksgiving Day.
Our Hours will be Wednesday-Saturday Opening @ 5 pm
We look forward to seeing you soon.

Top review

TammyVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Consistently great food, service & ambience! Love Frannys!

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Islesford Dock Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (306)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Bar Harbor

About the restaurant

The Islesford Dock Restaurant & Gallery is just that - a restaurant and gallery on a dock on Islesford, Little Cranberry Island, Maine. We have a large greenhouse right out back that produces a good amount of our produce, source our lobsters from the fisherman's co-op just next door, and use Gulf of Maine seafood almost exclusively. The menu is rounded out with naturally raised meats and chicken and the service is casual but professional, warm and inviting. Make sure you get out to Islesford Dock while you're here in the area by taking the Beal & Bunker mail boat that makes multiple trips back and forth every day or take one of the several other tour boats out.

We are closed Mondays throughout the Summer. Starting in September we will be open for dinner service only, and we are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Season ends October 1st.

Top review

Karen

Dined on Sep 26, 2024

Great last night of the season! Fabulous band and staff!

Havana

4.8

4.8 (2945)

$31 to $50

Latin American

Bar Harbor

About the restaurant

Havana has been committed to serving local and organic meats, produce and seafood since it opened 25 years ago. All of our meats are “naturally raised” meaning no steroids, antibiotics or hormones and “humanely raised” meaning room to roam, proper shelter and gentle handling. We make every effort to buy only sustainably harvested seafood, primarily from the Gulf of Maine. We have consistently searched out New England farmers and fisherfolk to purchase product that is not only great tasting but great for the environment and local economy as well.

Top review

Dan

Dined on Jan 3, 2025

**Fantastic Food and Service!** We had dinner at Havana and were thoroughly impressed with our experience. My wife enjoyed the seafood paella, while I opted for the pork chop dish. Another guest had the shrimp appetizer and salad, and one ordered the duck. Each dish was beautifully prepared with fresh, local ingredients and packed with flavor. The seafood paella was among the best I've ever tasted, and the pork chop came with a delicious broth-based sauce, turnip greens, chickpeas, and local vegetables. The highlight of our evening was our server, Harley. His positive attitude and keen attention to detail made our dining experience exceptional. From the warm welcome upon arrival to the attentive service throughout our meal, we felt feeling appreciated and full! I highly recommend Havana! Enjoy your visit—you won't be disappointed!

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4.8

4.8 (345)

$50 and over

Mediterranean

Bar Harbor

About the restaurant

Copita is a small Mediterranean inspired restaurant seeking to bring the freshest local and imported ingredients from our kitchen to your table.

Top review

Denis

Dined on Oct 22, 2024

Great food served by an experienced and friendly service in a very nice restaurant. Would recommend the Aragosta dish which was very tasty.

Natalie's at Camden Harbour Inn

4.8

4.8 (1717)

$50 and over

Modern European

Camden

About the restaurant

A refined dining experience featuring Modern New England cuisine, influenced by international cuisines and inspired by the seasons.

Executive Chef Jose Ochoa create modern dishes with subtle and unexpected flavor combinations. Awarded best overall restaurant in New England, Natalie's uniquely blends a current sense of place and time with modern techniques and the bounty of Maine.

The restaurant offers outside dining in season, with breathtaking views over the harbor and hills. Natalie's is fully air conditioned and has a full bar and lounge for cocktails and lighter fare.
Natalie's s offers A La Carte and a 5-course Grand Cru Lobster Menu.

Member of Relais & Chateaux

Top review

John

Dined 3 days ago

My wife and I and another couple thoroughly enjoyed our leisurely evening at Natalie's. The food was uniformly delicious, especially the shared Contemporary Oysters and Coca Flatbread appetizers. Our guest particularly enjoyed her vegetarian entree of pumpkin and squash. We appreciated the guidance rendered selecting a wine that would pair with our varied entrees, and Bianca's service was pleasantly attentive and engaging throughout. I'm giving them five stars for value because while expensive, I've spent a lot more elsewhere for a similarly stellar fine dining experience.

Brasserie LeBrun

4.7

4.7 (309)

$31 to $50

French

Bar Harbor

About the restaurant

Brasserie Le Brun is all about pairing beloved French classics with locally sourced ingredients. Located in the heart of Bar Harbor, Maine, we are within walking distance of many great hotels and inns. Indulge in exquisite cuisine, including signature dishes like Steak Frites and Escargot, alongside vegetarian delights such as our Mushroom Bolognese. Whether you're savoring our culinary creations or enjoying a meticulously crafted cocktails at our extensive bar, your experience at Brasserie Le Brun promises to be nothing short of extraordinary.

Top review

MaineEaterVIP

Dined on Dec 29, 2024

An extraordinary meal from start to finish. Great cocktails, sublime salmon pate (think mousse), beautiful halibut over butternut squash pyre with roasted veggies and crispy kale, and lobster pot pie with what had to have been an entire lobster’s worth of meat under a a gorgeous puff pastry shell. Dessert was a butterscotch crème brûlée and beignets that levitated off the plate. Fantastic, reasonable wine list. We made a reservation for tomorrow night. Nuff said.

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Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn

4.7

4.7 (2000)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Bar Harbor

About the restaurant

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!

Top review

Jon

Dined on Nov 10, 2024

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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Whipped Blueberry Cheesecake

Taverna Khione

4.6

4.6 (316)

$30 and under

Greek

Brunswick

About the restaurant

A couple notes about the Taverna-

We stop taking day of reservations after 4pm. Please call the restaurant after 4pm.

We do not accept parties of 4 people or more. We are a small restaurant with only 22 seats and cannot accommodate larger parties.

Established in April of 2015, The Taverna serves authentic Greek fare while remaining true to our Greek roots. Our menu highlights what is available to us locally and seasonally. Our wine list is one of the largest all Greek wine lists in the United States which features natural, orange and organic wines. We offer a unique dining experience that can only be found in a few select locations in the country. We welcome you to our little Taverna in Brunswick!

Top review

Elizabeth

Dined 4 days ago

On a cold Tuesday night four of us gathered for an early dinner at the Taverna. The waitress was gracious and accommodating. The wine list is extensive and excitingly different. We selected a delicious red wine from Peloponnese, from Abelon Winery and sipped that with dips ( tzatziki, a feta and hot and sweet pepper, taramasalata) served with grilled and charred peasant bread brushed with oil. We sampled a baked filo pie filled with braised leeks, feta and dill was rich, with alLucious creaminess and flaky pastry, a Greek white bean soup with vegetables and herbs, a Pastitsio of pasta, béchamel, and classic cinnamon, tomato beef combination. The sides chosen were warm herb roasted beets which were beautifully sweet and savory, melt in your mouth roasted potatoes, infused with fresh lemon, and a platter of perfectly baked delicata squash rings. What a treat to explore so many unique flavors, colors and textures of what felt like super healthy options. The menu is al la carte and we could have also chosen halibut, lamb shanks, or chops, sea bass, and so much more. One diner enjoyed a dark NA Portland produced local beer. Desert was the classic baklava that was prepared with a top and bottom file crust filled with cinnamon scented walnut mixture, and a slice of yellow cake dotted with fruity cherries and topped with a cherry juice drizzle. The cherries used were just beautiful in flavor. Tiny vintage cups of Turkish coffee were strong and black and slightly sweetened with honey. The Taverna is a cozy cafe just off Main St in Brunswick, surprisingly simple and elegant at once. We were told by the server they sell their imported wines through a wine club and host wine pairing dinners. We plan to return often.

Noble Kitchen + Bar

4.5

4.5 (593)

$31 to $50

American

Brunswick

About the restaurant

Nestled in Downtown Brunswick, Maine, Noble Kitchen + Bar offers delicious local dishes with a creative twist. Our Chef, Ken Burkett, combines traditional & modern cooking methods to design unique menus that highlight top-notch ingredients. At the bar, you'll find a broad spirit selection & locally brewed beers, along with a carefully chosen yet unpretentious wine list. Drawing from her experience in a variety of cocktail bars, F+B Director Lauren Williamson crafts cocktails that blend whimsy & history with unexpected twists on classics, infusing each creation with a sense of adventure & fun. Join us for a meal that mixes a touch of elegance with a cozy atmosphere, complemented by the warm hospitality of your Midcoast neighbors. You'll find a delightful local flair in every dish, showcasing the best of our community's culinary talent.

Happy Hour from 4-6 every Tuesday - Saturday
Dinner from 5-9 Tuesday-Thursday
Dinner from 5-10 Friday-Saturday

You deserve a treat!

Top review

Shawn

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

Everything was wonderful. Our server was great, attentive and super friendly. The drinks and food were amazing.

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