Went on a road trip to Maine and our last stop was Bar Harbor. After a full day at the Acadia Mountains, we came to the Thirsty Whale Tavern and were not disappointment.
-The lobster roll was stuffed and tasted very fresh.
-The fries were nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
- Coleslaw 7/10
- Pasta salad was on the sour side due to too much vinegar.
The service was very great. I asked for hot drink options and the server brought me lemon tea and gave me honey as well and made good suggestions for my partner too. She was very attentive and kept checking in on us, made suggestions for good and takeout options.
The atmosphere was nice, it was busy and everyone seemed to be having a great time. All the locals in the area were very welcoming.
Definitely a great place to stop by if you’re in town! They may stay open late but their kitchen does close couple hours earlier so do make sure to call and check that.
The food was so good, my fiancé and I ended up dining here twice. The lobster rolls were stuffed with lobster, the cocktails were delightful, the beer was good, and so were the burgers. This place does get busy because it's so good, so come early or get on the waiting list. The staff were friendly and they took good care of us. Definitely visit this place if you're in Bar Harbor.
Lobster rolls were really good, clam chowder soup was very tasty and creamy. It was a busy day but I got seated at the bar right away. Great atmosphere, good food and good customer service. Definitely a must go place to try Lobster rolls after a hike at Acadia national park.
This was our favorite local spot when my friend and I were visiting Bar Harbor. The prices are fairly reasonable in comparison to a lot of the places serving lobster dishes in town.
My friend got the clam chowder, which was good, but not the best. My Caesar salad was also good, but not great.
The service was a little slow and the table felt a little sticky when we sat down. I had a good experience here but it could have been better.
There was about a 1 hour wait on a Tuesday but it's expected in this popular vacation spot. The seafood Platter and clam chowder was very good and my friends said the same about the Ruben, lobster roll, and fish sandwich. The waitress was very friendly and the food came out pretty fast.
Visited the Thirsty Whale for lunch during peak summer tourist season in August. Great experience, got a 4-top table up front. A couple of us got the lobster special for $30 which was a lobster roll & lobster bisque. We're from New England, and I've never seen so much fresh whole claw meat in a lobster roll, it was amazing and the bisque was also on point. I was happy with my blood orange margarita, but the real star of the show was the Super Nova (shown hiding in the middle of the drinks), we would travel back to Bar Harbor for that alone. Great job by the staff and crew, we will be happy to visit in the future!
Awesome atmosphere. Great menu. Loved the fish and chips. Also the shrimp!
Mott sticks were tasty! Service was great. Busy night. Sat outside.
The most bang for your buck in bar harbor. The blackened fish sandwich was delicious and the whale salad was surprisingly fresh for a tavern. My husband got the fish and chips and enjoyed it. If you are looking for a sandwich, definitely come here it's much cheaper than other restaurants in the area and the food is good.
Thirsty Whale is one of my favorite restaurants in Bar Harbor. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. I ordered lobster bisque that was amazing as well as a haddock taco wrap. Our server was friendly and very helpful despite the restaurant being busy. We were very impressed. The atmosphere was cozy and clean.
Ended up here after trying to grab lunch at a few spots that ended up being closed for the season. They quickly accommodated us along with our one year old. The staff were phenomenal from our server to the food runner/bus boys. We had lobster rolls, lobster bisque, clam chowder, & the smoked trout dip. Everything was 10 out of 10 - delicious. We can’t wait to stop back in.
Thirsty Whale offered a cozy snug on a rainy night. Clam chowder was fantastic! The blackened fish and chips were good, but the fried whole belly clams were perfect—crispy and flavorful. The front desk check-in staffer was curt, but the friendly waitress made up for it. Overall, a delightful seafood experience in a cozy setting.
The food here is pretty good. It’s not the best lobster roll in town but it gets the job done. I tried the salmon sandwich which was more like a piece of grilled salmon on a bun. It was good not great. The lobster bisque was highly enjoyed at our table.
Great place. Small and very crowded. That is a good sign. Get there early! The bartender was working hard. Very friendly and attentive. Food was just average for me. This place is going nowhere. Give it a shot. Clam chowder was good. I ordered the blackened fish sandwich. Not as advertised. Still good, not great.
A vibrant local gastropub with lots of seafoods menu! The atmosphere and service were great! Enjoyed lobster rolls and smoked trout dip the most!
Great laid back, friendly, fun atmosphere in this lively local drinking and eating establishment. We were in town to hike Acadia National Park for 4 days and made it to The Thirsty Whale twice! It is good food and libations, right off the Main Street which makes it a little like a fun hideout. My wife, daughter, and I had the clam chowder (ok but not great), grilled salmon on garden salad, Caesar salad with salmon. Plus a few delicious beers. That was one visit. We also had lobster bisque, lobster rolls, and other fish entrees the second time. Very good. The servers are very pleasant and attentive. We recommend it!
Pictures: smoked trout dip and clam chowder, traditional haddock sandwich.
Clam chowder and trout dip were awesome. Haddock sandwich was very straight up but could benefit from a different kind of roll (ask for extra tartar sauce, it's awesome). Venue is cute and subdued. Service is friendly and casual.
Important notes:
- digital waitlist available when you speak with the hostess (alerts via text) very convenient. You will have to wait during peak times.
- ok beer selection
Ven the hostess out front went above and beyond for us! What an asset she is to your establishment! Thank you so much for your kindness! The lobster roll and the clam chowder was amazing! Thank you so much to our server Lisa for great service!
Massive portion sizes here, and lovely food as well! Everyone enjoyed.
Southwest Burger; Good amount of bacon, perfectly cooked patty, and just a great burger overall. Chipotle Mayo on the side was delicious
Beef Short Rib Sandwich - Lovely! Really large chunks of the beef(and 2 slabs!) and they were cooked perfectly. My dad's usually picky about food, and he definitely appreciated this sandwich. Ciabatta was fresh too and large!
Needed a bit of spice, and that was fixed easily with hot honey.
Blackened Chicken Sandwich - Even this had 2 chicken breast pieces! Really good portion size. Well cooked chicken and good char on it too.
Sweet potato fried were very subpar; Not crispy and quite thin. Regular fries were delicious! Thick and crisp and perfect.
Coleslaw was just okay. It was missing that little kick; Probably some salt and pepper? It felt too plain but I ate it to avoid wasting food.
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