The Tides Beach Club Restaurant — Restaurant in Kennebunkport

One of the worst dining experiences of my life and a total waste of $220 and an hour and a half (plus 45 mins there and back). We had a reservation here thinking that the food and ambiance looked nice and worth the drive down from Portland. We were dressy - obviously ready for a special dinner. Hostess sat my fiancé and I at a high top table right next to the bar. We are not normally the type of people to complain about anything at a restaurant, but in this case, asked if there was another table available that’s not by the bar…she gave us the only other table in the bar area, but at least it was bigger and not a high top so we took it. We waited another 20 minutes to get water or even put in a drink order. Over the next hour, while waiting way too long for both starters and mains to arrive, we watched a literal birthday party set up and gather right on top of us. The bar area completely filled up with the birthday party all around and on top of our table while we were eating dinner. We couldn’t even hear each other speak over the crowd and the weird, loud music that did not fit the restaurant in any way. In shock that they would sit us for dinner without warning us about the crowded and loud birthday party we’d be sitting in, we finally couldn’t stand it and asked our server for the manager. After watching the hostess chatting with guests for another 10 minutes, we had to ask a second person for the manager - and it turned out to be the hostess. She came over and didn’t even try to rectify or make the situation right. When I asked why she didn’t warn us, she just said she had no other tables when we arrived. I left behind half my meal so we could just get out of there. It’s never been made more clear to me that people do not care about their workplace or jobs as much as the apathetic staff in...

We have dined at the Tides many times in the last few years with mixed results. The food is mostly marginal (especially for the price), but being able to walk to dinner is a huge draw for us. However, this past Saturday was the last straw and we won't be back. Arrived at 6pm for our reservation, had to shout to be heard by the host as there was a large party in the front room by the bar (seemed to be along the lines of a rehearsal dinner). The other half of the restaurant was empty save for 2 women half way through their meal so I assumed that was where we would be sat. Wrong. The host (who I suspect was the manager) leads us to a 2 top table in the bar area shoved up against the wall of the room the large party was in, with openings to that room on either side of the table, and people spilling out and filling up the bar area and surrounding said table. I was actually so shocked that all I could say was "you're kidding me" to which he replied something like unfortunately there is no where else, all the other 2 tops are being used by the party. Ummm, what? How does that even make sense? There are 2 women dining in the otherwise EMPTY room on the other side. I mean I could have picked up that table and found anywhere to put it, even outside! Seeing as how I would rather eat cold pizza at home where at least I could have some type of dinner conversation, we left. The host didn't even pretend to care, just said a snarky "so, no?" when we turned...

First time back at TBC restaurant since 2019 and it was extremely disappointing. We have been going to the Tides at Goose Rocks Beach for at least 40 years and continued to enjoy it after change of ownership up until now. Excluding the bartender Ben (who is amazing and the only bartender for the entire restaurant by the way - don’t know how he does it) the experience was terrible. While I understand staffing shortages post pandemic (although doesn’t seem to be as much of an issue at other restaurants in Kennebunkport) this was just unacceptable. I truly felt for the one waiter serving an entire restaurant who was clearly overwhelmed, and rightfully so. We were sat and it took almost 45 minutes to take our drink order or to be spoken to. Appetizers and mains came out very far apart for different members of our party, drinks never refilled and when we approached the hostess to ask what was going on, she rolled her eyes said “this is the best we can do”and walked away. While I do believe that, how about trying to be courteous to your guests prior to being rude. Food has declined in quality since 2019, 45$ lobster roll with barely any lobster and cheap fries. To me this doesn’t reflect on the staff but rather the larger management group that own TBC, if other restaurants can staff appropriately in the area, what is management not offering at TBC to attract employees and give them competitive wage or benefits. I had another reservation for Friday but will be...