Little Fern — Restaurant in Southwest Harbor

Great food, but…. The service seemed off on our most recent visit, to the point that It compromised what would have otherwise been an excellent meal. We started cocktails that were well crafted and delicious. The wait time for drinks seemed a bit long, but there were quite a few large parties seated when we arrived and that seemed a bit overwhelming for the staff. Next, we enjoyed appetizers that were excellent. We had the beef tartare, lobster bisque and scallops with prosciutto. The beef was flavorful and prepared perfectly. The bisque was creamy and rich with the right balance of sherry. And the scallops, while limited to only two, nicely prepared with a fig sauce drizzle to bring it all together. For our entrees we enjoyed the surf and turf and line-caught halibut. All were daily specials. Our waiter seemed a bit unfamiliar with the wines as he suggested a hearty red with the fish and suggest the same wine for the surf and turf. The suggestion, had we taken it, would’ve been disastrous for our meal. As fort true entrees - the halibut was served with a coconut-vanilla-orange sauce topped with a hint of cilantro. The combination of flavors perfection. The surf and turf included a sesame-ginger marinated hanger steak and a lobster tail, all served on a bed of whipped potatoes and with a side of spiced greens. Once again, the culinary expertise of blending various flavors in just the right way made for an excellent dish. But for all that greatness, the waiter overlooked the wine we ordered and trying to find someone to help proved frustrating. Even when we had pointed this out to the waiter, he continued to service other tables before finally arriving with our wine. We are foodies who carefully paid wines with our meal, so we didn’t start to eat until the wine had arrived and by then, the food was barely warm. We could’ve asked it be rewarmed, but given the delicate nature of our selections would’ve been worse. I also should add that we had asked for bread service several times, but it never came. Lastly, fort desert we tried an assortment: crème brûlée, NY cheesecake and a blueberry lemon tart. All were good, but not as special as the rest of the meal has been. So in the end, we were left with food that is well prepared and delicious — the chef clearly has mastered the art of blending many different flavors into creative dishes that are memorable, but not enjoyed to its fullest due to wait staff that was less than attentive. That disconnect left us feeling a bit short-changed on our experience. We’ve eaten here before and it’s one of our special places, but would hope the service improves for...

A fine dining experience was recommended to us at the Claremont Hotel. We showed up for our reservation and the host sat us at a two-person table between two other two-person tables. This is a very nicely decorated restaurant, and I was glad we dressed for the occasion. I was surprised that one of the people sitting next to us was in a hoodie, but you never know where they were coming from before getting dinner. It's a national park, after all. It was immediately obvious that the menu was different from what was online. The strongest selling factor was the whole lobster that was on the sample menu. We ordered a couple of drinks and a delicious shrimp appetizer, which we raved at how good it was. We decided on different main courses. I ordered steak and my partner ordered a seafood medley. When they arrived, the seafood medley had pasta, which my partner missed in the description, and couldn't eat. He told the waiter this, and the manager quickly came over and offered to get him a different dish. So he ordered salmon. I started eating my meal since it was getting cold. His meal didn't come out until after I was finished (I guess this was to be expected). I did tell the waiter that it's less than ideal that we're eating separately. It just wasn't our expectation. That all said, both meals were delicious! We ordered a second round of drinks and asked for the check. The bill was over $200, so my partner asked if they had charged for the first dish or given any sort of discount. I told him that they didn't charge us for the first dish, but there also wasn't any sort of discount. That's when things really took a turn. The man in the hoodie next to us turned to my partner and told him that he "had enough". This was "his restaurant" and he didn't want us to say anything bad about it. I told him he was rude for engaging in our conversation and asked if he was really the owner. He said he was and told us to leave. He wouldn't even let me pay the check, though I fully intended to pay. I've never been treated so poorly. This man made me feel like a criminal. If he really was the manager and felt the need to listen to our conversations, he should have stepped in and helped with the situation instead of making it our worst experience ever.

The food was an A+. The service was a solid B. The...

NOT TO BE MISSED! The food is top-notch, service is kind, courteous, and attentive without being overbearing, and it is an experience in itself just to take in the masterful environment in the Claremont since it has been so beautifully remade. The hotel parlors are comfortable and elegant, and the restaurant has been spared no detail. The menu is carefully thought out and creative, featuring local and fresh ingredients. The cocktails are not to be missed. I took my parents here during a vacation; we tried the potato bisque and a wonderful winter squash and apple soup, the latter with a delicious potato and cheese crisp. Both were delicious and comforting without being overly filling. We ordered the seafood with miso and bok choy, the roasted organic chicken with parsnips, and pappardelle with Bolognese ragú (a nightly special recommended by our wonderful server, Gabbie, whose service, kindness, and expertise helped make the evening all the more outstanding). All were expertly prepared; the seafood was plentiful and cooked just right, and the Bolognese was served with crispy slices of toast with garlic confit to be spread along it as a take on garlic bread; simply delicious! We shared locally made maple walnut ice cream for dessert, which was also spot-on. If you are staying on MDI or in the area, get yourself a reservation here; this...