Reading Room Restaurant — Restaurant in Bar Harbor

My wife and I were out for our 25th anniversary and ate breakfast and dinner one time each during out stay. I do recommend doing the breakfast there at least once during your stay. It can be pricey but the view is worth it.

I ordered the blueberry and my wife ordered the lobster benedict. Outstanding!! Alisha was our server and she was amazing. She made our morning special and even though it was her first day working there, she owned her job like she had been there 10 years.

The one downside: The coffee. I am a coffee snob. I travel 100k+ miles per year and bring my coffee with me to do my own pourovers in the room typically. So that gives you some context. But for a place that is striving to operate at a high level, this coffee was some of the most offensive coffee I've had in a hotel in a long long time. Im sure a lot of people find it to be serviceable and do the job, but for me it was not drinkable. And I usually DO avail myself to hotel coffee at least once for the sake of time or as an added cup during the day when needed. This would be the one area that they need to take a look and decide if the benefit is worth the cost to serve a coffee that at least is non-offensive. Having said that, this is not a deal breaker for me. I would 100% come back to Bar Harbor Inn and would 100% have breakfast in the Reading Room again. And I will still 100% make my own coffee.

Moving on. Dinner was an equally amazing experience. My wife had the lamb and I had scallops. Both were very very good. The cocktails are well crafted. And there were consistent special touches at breakfast and dinner that made our anniversary week a little more special. The live piano added to the ambiance. The views are exceptional. The staff is exceedingly attentive. In spite of my coffee disappointment, I can't recommend The Reading...

I almost NEVER write negative reviews. When I have a negative experience, I will keep it to myself. However, when I dine at a restaurant with the reputation of the Reading Room, at an establishment like the Bar Harbor Inn, I was expecting so much more.

First, the positive. Althea, the hostess, was amazing, as she helped with the reservation and arrange things for my wife and I's one year wedding anniversary. Vinet, our busser, was also amazing, and she went out of her way to say congratulations and make us feel special.

However, Joe, another host, and our waiter, who I will not name, seemed to not care at all. When I called, talking to Joe was like talking to a brick wall. When I told him I had already talked to Althea, and that it was our wife and I's one year wedding anniversary, I was met with complete silence. Our waiter, who must have been aware of the occasion, made no effort to mention it once, show any enthusiasm, often looked away when taking our order, and when taking our dishes away at one point and when we said thank you he responded "yup." I do believe some of the staff need some training in etiquette.

To add, the food was very good, but the portion of lobster I got for the price was very small. I got more in lobster rolls I got at roadside mom and pop shacks. I do wish I got the short rib or the scallops, those looked amazing and the portions looked more acceptable. Again, it was not that the food was bad, just not properly portioned for the price. My wife (a vegetarian) did love her meal as well.

Again, I can't thank Vinet and Althea enough, they turned what would have been an absolutely horrible experience into a...

This is a "DON'T MISS" restaurant. The STAFF was attentive and was not on top of you to eat quickly. They gave great suggestions for the meal when we asked. The piano player was so wonderful. I had told our waitress that we were celebrating my boyfriend's birthday and when she brought the dessert I heard the piano player from the other room play "happy birthday", I thought she was so sweet to ask him to do that. The VIEW is amazing to say the least. We made reservations weeks before and I asked for a window seat and was seated at a perfect window seat for the most spectacular sunset. I'm not sure why I read a review that you had to stay in the hotel for a window seat, they never asked where I was staying, so that is not true that you need to stay on property. The MEAL was amazing, I had a lobster bisque because I wanted the scallops for my meal. The scallops were the best I ever had, fresh and seared perfectly. My boyfriend had the steak, medium rare and it was cooked to perfection, I'm saying that because I read reviews that the steak was well done after they asked for it medium rare. We definitely got it medium rare and it was delicious. So much food and not overly priced. Definitely a restaurant you don't want to miss. From the time you walk, seeing the beautiful lobby with the fireplace, to the gorgeous to restaurant, great piano player, and wonderful waitress and staff. Atmosphere is casual/elegant, romantic and just wonderful. I can't say enough good things. Definitely make a reservation and don't...