The Crooked Pine — Restaurant in Ogunquit

If you’re looking for a phenomenal dinner spot in Ogunquit, you have to check out The Crooked Pine.

The menu is on the smaller side. However, the quality is unmatched. They incorporate local and in-season ingredients in their dishes. It’s what I would consider farm-to-table.

They have a solid selection of appetizers. You’ll see dishes like Blue Fin Tuna Poke, Crab Cakes, Cola-Brined Chicken Wings, Prosciutto with Burrata, Chilled Shrimp Cocktail, Roasted Carrots and Parsnips, and French Fries with gravy.

If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, they do offer a small selection of soup and salad. You’ll find Leek+Parsnip Soup, Seafood Chowder, Caesar Salad, Garden Salad, and a unique Grapefruit + Avocado Salad.

If you’re looking for a solid handheld/sandwich, they have a small selection. You’ll find Maine lobster rolls, short rib grilled cheese, Fried Cod Rachel, Italian Sloppy Joe, and Croque Monsieur.

Handhelds are served with coleslaw, sea salt chips, dressed greens, or broccoli salad. If you’re in the mood for a burger, they do have three unique options. Classic, Mushroom and Swiss, and Crooked. The burgers are 8-ounces and are served with your choice of side.

The entree section of the menu is phenomenal. They offer dishes like short rib bourguignons, cod+chips, creamy mushroom rigatoni, gnocchi di carne, seafood-stuffed shrimp, seafood-stuffed cod, and buttermilk fried chicken.

We decided to enjoy the cool fall night and ate on the patio. Our server was incredibly attentive and always on top of things.

I ordered the Cola-Brined Chicken Wings. They’re tossed with sesame gochujang, scallion, and cilantro. The wings were perfectly cooked and juicy. The sauce the wings were tossed in is incredibly flavorful. It does have a bit of heat to it, so I wouldn’t suggest it for those adverse to spicy food.

My guest ordered the Crab Cakes. They were cooked perfectly, not overcooked and not overly greasy like most places. The crab cakes are made with lump crab, dressed greens, and a beet remoulade.

If you’re a fan of fine wine and craft beer, they have one of the largest drink menus I have ever encountered. The drink menu online is over 120 pages long!

I would highly suggest the Crooked Pine to anyone visiting the Ogunquit, Maine area. The food was top-notch and I loved the incorporation of local and artisan ingredients. Service was phenomenal as well.

I look forward to...

We had a great dinner experience at The Crooked Pine, but we expected it to be better based on other reviews. We went on a Saturday evening in July—peak tourist season—and thank God we had a reservation because both Ogunquit and the restaurant were packed to the max. Also, they do not have parking, so I recommend you give yourself 10-15 minutes to find parking, especially during the summer.

Let's start with the good stuff: the service was excellent. The staff, both the hosts and wait staff, were excellent; friendly and prompt throughout the night. The restaurant itself is beautiful. They have a patio area (prime stuff for people watching, which we unfortunately did not get), indoor space, and a separate bar area. The indoor space felt like a cozy home (although they do pack quite a few tables in the space!). The drinks were also delicious. They had an extensive cocktail menu and plenty of spirits. The 14 Sheets cocktail was terrific, and the Paddington was also excellent. Both drinks were strong and well-balanced.

The food ended up being more of a meh experience for us. We started with the Mac & Cheese ($14, from their appetizers list), and it was okay, but we definitely have had better. It could've used more cheese and spices to elevate the flavors. My husband ordered a burger, and I ordered the halibut piccata, and both were subpar. The burger's consistency didn't match the medium-rare temp we asked for, and my husband's theory is that it was a previously frozen patty. He opted for a side of tortellini salad (they offer a few fun sides for burgers), and honestly, that was the best part of the meal. My halibut piccata was disappointing for multiple reasons. First, the food-to-price ratio: they gave me so little pasta that I had to slow down to not finish everything in 5 minutes. Then, the halibut was incredibly dry. All in all, it was not worth the $30+. I recently had chicken piccata at another restaurant; sadly, this was laughable compared to my other experience.

All in all, it was an okay experience. Maybe it was just a hectic night that led to a...

Absolutely incredible dinner experience.

The staff was incredible and very accommodating. Specifically, the bartender was very helpful, and assisted my wife in selecting a non-alcoholic beverage that would still be exciting (she's nine months pregnant as of the time of this review). The maitre de was flexible, able, and willing to seat us early.

Oftentimes, nicer restaurants won't give a second thought to their beer offerings. Not the case here at all! Solid choices from Maine Beer Co. and Bissell Brothers were available- just to name a couple.

Starting with appetizers/salads: The cast iron cornbread was just… scrumptious. It was paired with a hot jelly and a butter that we couldn't get enough of. My wife's salad with miso dressing was also a huge, huge hit. Expertly dressed, and everything in the salad made perfect sense.

For main courses: I went with the special- scallops and bacon over a bed of creamy polenta. The polenta was just the right consistency. After I finished up the scallops and bacon, I ran pieces of the aforementioned cornbread through the polenta. The scallops were just right, and had a seasoning on them that was creative and tasty. The bacon was delicious and crispy, though admittedly I prefer a more moist bacon, if it's going to be thick cut.

Wife's bucatini caprese was perfect, as well. Just the right consistency on the pasta.

Dessert was two scoops of tiramisu ice cream that we made...