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Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn, Bar Harbor, ME

Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn

4.7
4.7
1999 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
  • Good for special occasions
  • Romantic
  • Great for scenic views
The Reading Room offers guests of the Bar Harbor Inn, visitors to Bar Harbor, and our dearly loved regulars a distinguished fine dining experience overlooking Frenchman Bay.

Serving breakfast and dinner daily, the Reading Room is a one of a kind dining experience. Delectable local Maine cuisine and attentive service are surpassed only by the magnificent panoramic ocean views.

Start your evening with locally farmed oysters while deciding between our signature Beef Short Ribs or Filet and Lobster Tail fresh from the boats on the Harbor. Linger over a slice of Maine Blueberry Pie while you enjoy a crafted cocktail and soft piano music.

Smart casual attire is preferred, but not required. We do not accept parties exceeding 6 people. Please note that we are not able to guarantee tables by the window.

We look forward to seeing you!


Additional information

  • Dining style
    Elegant Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:30 am Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (207) 288-3351
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Zachary Dallessandro
  • Neighborhood
    Bar Harbor
  • Parking details
    valet parking available
  • Entertainment
    Live piano nightly from 6-10 p.m.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,999 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Maine

    Great for fine wines

  • Maine

    Romantic

  • Maine

    Great for scenic views

  • Maine

    Good for special occasions

  • Maine

    Contemporary American

  • Northern Coast

    Best Overall

  • Northern Coast

    Best Food

  • Northern Coast

    Best Service

  • Northern Coast

    Best Ambiance

  • Northern Coast

    Best Value

  • Northern Coast

    Great for fine wines

  • Northern Coast

    Romantic

  • Northern Coast

    Good for special occasions

  • Northern Coast

    Lively

  • Northern Coast

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn offers an enchanting dining experience with "wonderful views" and "great service." Guests frequently praise the "delicious food," complemented by the elegance of live piano music. Perfect for special occasions, the atmosphere is enriched by a stunning harbor setting, ensuring memorable moments.

1,999 Reviews
  1. Rebecca

    Coastal Georgia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First class experience and excellent service. We had the lobster and steak, followed by special blueberry desserts. Great meal!

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  2. Jon

    Maine

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Reading Room is classic white linen high class dining at its best!! Menu, food, service & ambience all first rate! Our server was very professional (can’t recall her name) & very menu knowledgeable - only issue was that the noise level made it difficult to have a good conversation! We’ve been there many times over the years & it is always the highlight of our visits to Bar Harbor!!

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  3. Marie

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service and delicious offerings wonderful desserts

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  4. John

    VIP

    Cincinnati

    20 reviews

    3.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on November 2, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful experience with pre dinner drink at the bar, but disappointed with the food. Both my wife and I had the ceasar salads, which were bland. Bread with the blue berry butter was outstanding. I had surf and turf, while my wife had lobster. The lobster was pretty good, but filet with the mashed potatoes reminded me of a mass produced banquet dinner. Bartender was very friendly, but maitre d wasn't very friendly or welcoming. Go to Bar Harbor annually, but first time at Reading Room. Will probably not return.

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  5. Kevin

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 2, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was prepared nicely, great flavors. Waitress was experienced and pleasant. Scotch pour was a little light but overall great experience.

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  6. Don

    Nashville

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 31, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent. Dinner was wonderful. Food and service was perfect. Nice to have live piano in the background.

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  7. John

    Greater Boston

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on October 31, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Reading Room is a big part of why we continue to book the bar harbor inn every year. The food is fabulous. Tried the rib eye this year and must say the best I have ever had! Server's are always a pleasure. Look forward to our next visit.

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  8. Suzette

    Las Vegas

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    An excellent dining experience at the Reading Room. Any item on the menu would not disappoint. From the wait staff to the executive chef, you are treated well. Staff is prepared to offer tasty selections from delicious crafted cocktails, appetizers to yummy desserts. We started with the crab cakes, very delicious. Then we enjoyed two wonderful entrees. One was called the Lazy lobster, and it was superb; the other was the seared sea scallops. Both are highly recommended. Save room for the blueberry pie. Our overall experience was exceptional. Loved the ambiance, attentive staff and the food.

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  9. Martin

    Rhode Island

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 28, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Tyler was our server , He was very attentive and very good . I had the ribeye steak , i feel for the money , it was too thin . I thought the meat would have been an inch to an inch and a half . Its difficult to get a medium rare cook on thinner piece , which it was. the reduction was very salty, almost too salty . Mt wife had the Short Rib , She liked it , but, I thought it was too thick and quite stringy , I didn't care for the Cheddar Cheese Crumble , could quite figure that out. Dessert was wonderful , the Creme Brûlée we enjoyed .

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  10. Karen

    Ottawa

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 26, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service and outstanding food as always!

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FAQs

Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn is rated 4.7 stars by 1999 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Google Map for Reading Room Restaurant at The Bar Harbor Inn

1 Newport Dr., Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Bar Harbor
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:30 am Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American
  • Dining style
    Elegant Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    valet parking available
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Zachary Dallessandro
  • Entertainment
    Live piano nightly from 6-10 p.m.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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