Fresh Restaurant
1 Bay View Landing, Camden, ME, 04843
Fresh Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Camden for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Camden for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1 Bay View Landing
Camden, ME, 04843 - Phone (207) 236-7005
- Website https://www.freshcamden.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
- Mon : 11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Thereasa F.
I was so hopeful for this place. We sat down, had a good meal, and 6 hours later my mother was awake puking her guts out after eating the cioppino. We should have known better than to order it on a Sunday night... I called the next day to ask about it/tell them that the needed to check on their fish, and was told that food poisoning sets in within 30 minutes, not 6 hours and that the flu had been going around. Lovely way to treat or respond to a claim of safety to your patrons. Thumbs down!
(1)MA H.
Risotto? Not! Dinner at Fresh on 10/24/12 was disappointing at best. Risotto should not be on the menu if in reality it is brown rice plopped on top of some cooked spinach with some broth added on top and then garnished with slabs of Grana Padano. I make better Risotto than this weak attempt. The Chicken Pot Pie was equally disappointing for my dinner guest. Mostly filled with white potato and little chicken it was bland and tasteless. This hasn't been the only less than stellar meal from this establishment. In May of 2012 we dined there mid week and sat at our table for 45 minutes waiting for our server to bring us the bottle of wine we had ordered. Mind you we hadn't even ordered dinner yet. Our server was busy checking in with other patrons, setting tables, refilling water glasses around the restaurant, replenishing dishes at the serving station. You name it -she kept at it - basically ignoring us and the fact that we might like to eat something. You'll feel Wilted after your experience here.
(1)Sallie J.
My husband and I are visiting Camden for the first time and after a day of exploring were excited to try Fresh for dinner. Overall the experience was disappointing. While the wait staff was attentive and professional, the food was lacking in taste and quality. We ordered Lobster Risotto and a Gorgonzola Crusted Sirloin. The lobster dish was overly watery and moist and resembled more of a lobster stew without much taste except for the whole peppercorns littered throughout the dish. The lobster was chewy and tasteless. Ugh! The sirloin was not a great cut of meat and had gristle throughout. The steak also lacked in flavor; however, the cheese topping the steak was tasty. In addition to the poor taste and quality, the meal was extremely expressive at nearly $30 a piece. Any where else a meal of that quality would have been under $20.00.
(1)Sarah A.
Really excellent food, but the service here was sub-par and detracted a bit from our experience. I'll start with the positives, the food! The name of this place really says it all, everything was remarkable fresh. My family and I started with salads and we were all very pleased with these. I had a delicious special salad with breaded goat cheese slices, lots of blueberries and raspberries and a nice frisee. The berries were all very fresh and the goat cheese was delightfully still warm when my salad reached the table. My Dad enjoyed his wedge salad, which consisted of four small wedges that could have been fused together into one small head of lettuce. We also enjoyed some bread and olive oil. For the entree I had the salmon, which was lightly breaded and served with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. This was definitely a nice presentation and again, very fresh. My Dad had the lobster ravioli, which was superb and a huge portion. The ravioli was perhaps the largest I've ever seen! And, the bits of lobster were quite large and delicious. The sauce is both sweet and a little spicy. The dish is a bit messy (perhaps the could serve it on a larger plate) and some lobster sauce spilled on to the table. I passed on the dessert, but sampled a bit of my Dad's chocolate cake, which was okay, but nothing to rave about. The only thing that bothered us here is that after we finished our entrees, the service really deteriorated. Our waitress never cleaned up the sauce that spilled after clearing the plates, and instead, sat the dessert plate right on top of it! I'd definitely go back here, but I'd advise going at a non-peak time. I think the restaurant got really busy around 7 pm, which is when the service started to tank. Very happy, however, with the food.
(4)Jeff H.
The service was great, very family friendly. The food was delicious although the tried a bit too hard at times. Taking an overly fancy spin on local fare -- but yummy none the less. The desserts were good -- but the blueberry pie was AMAZING. The staff was very friendly and ultra helpful.
(4)Whitney C.
Hands down one of my favorite restaurants in the Camden area and my choice for birthday dinner. I love the Mediterranean twist on a lot of their dishes and their focus to serving healthy, fresh, and tasty food. My favorite dishes are the Diver Scallops and Salmon from the summer menu, though their counterparts on the winter menu look delicious as well. I've had the falafel as an appetizer (because none of the calories you eat on your birthday count and it's perfectly fine to have two meals in one), and I haven't had the same experience as some of the other reviewers. The falafel I had were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They were a little on the dry side, but nothing some hummus can't fix. They also had a kick to them that I wasn't expecting, which was enjoyable. I definitely recommend this place, especially if you're a fan of fresh, local food.
(4)Grace W.
Not exactly sure why there are so many bad reviews here. This place closes at 9pm and we were hungry when we got into Camden from MA. We stepped in at 8:50pm and the staff was helpful and eager to serve us. I ordered half-dozen raw oysters and a cup of soup. My partner ordered a bowl of the lobster soup. All of the food was delectable and we ended up staying until 9:30pm. Since there was bread from the day, we also got to take home some of the special rosemary bread. It could be that the food we ordered was well prepared ahead of time so there was time to get it just right. Overall, we were very satisfied and felt that this restaurant in Camden was a wonderful gem so we plan on going back.
(5)Meg S.
I was a little skeptical with all the negative reviews, but we had a lovely lunch at the Fresh bakery! The staff was charismatic and very attentive. The sandwiches were delicious (we got a Turkey-Cheddar Avocado and a Turkey-Bacon-Spinach-Swiss). The soup of the day (french onion) wasn't fab- a little cheese would have fixed that! The selection of root beers was quite impressive. Not a lot of sitting room, but it was nice and cozy. I'm sure it's gorgeous in the summer.
(4)Jeffrey K.
Lived in Maine my whole life and this is by far the WORST seafood I have ever eaten. $25 for three scollops, give me a break! The lobster stew was watery and the rest of the meal was very salty. I should have known we were in for a rough meal when the waitress couldn't remember a three item order. Save you money and eat at McLaughlins next to the ferry terminal.
(1)Bryce W.
Camden has some great places in the downtown area and this place is one of them. It is nice inside, but like everywhere else in Camden everyone is a tourist so do not worry about a dress code. I went with a group straight from an intense bowling competition and the elder of the group was wearing the classic high white socks and too large t-shirt outfit, and fit right in. No one in the group ordered an entree, but if you check in on yelp you get a buy two get one 1/2 off coupon. I had the Tuscan Burger. The "Curtis Meats" burger is topped with fresh heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and pesto with a side of fresh cut fries. I would recommend any of the burgers as my group had all of them and they were all excellent. Do not go on Wednesday night if you want to drink. They get their delivery on Thursday and were out of several wines and beers including PBR, which the elder was not happy about. He gave the server a scolding though on the value of stocking an all-American beer like PBR, so they may have corrected this issue by time you go here.
(3)Jason D.
My family and I ate here on two seperate occasions, for dinner and again for lunch. Excellent fish! Great service and very friendly.
(5)Daniel H.
The banana and chocolate chip muffin was tremendous. The bacon and cheddar scone was so good my southern girlfriend compared it to the best biscuits she's ever had. The free bread sample was worth fresh out of the oven and delicious. Didn't try the restaurant thought.
(4)Rick A.
It's a very nice little place and unfortunately I listened to the very friendly waitress who suggested the best meal I will ever eat would be the special poached halibut in a garden risotto . The fish was totally bland and the risotto was ok, lobster ravioli was just fried wonton noodles with a very small split lobster tail and very spicy. Would give it another try but be apprehensive about it!
(2)A P.
Stopped in for dinner Sunday evening. Wonderful experience - delicious food, excellent service, and relaxing atmosphere. We enjoyed the crab cakes and lobster ravioli. Will definitely return to Fresh on our next visit to Camden.
(5)Michael K.
We stayed for one night in Camden on our way up the coast of Maine. Having only one night to find a good meal can often be a hit or miss experience, particularly when you are in a summer season town filled with choices. My fiancé was looking for "something different", and after rejecting the fare choices at "Atlantica", we saw "Fresh", she suggested we check it out. What a great choice! Five stars you wonder? Well - without any flaws in our meal, and good, friendly service, why not? We skipped the appetizer, and opted for the house salad and the pan seared chicken with local vegetables. Salad was wonderful with a balsamic dressing that was tasty, not overpowering, the chicken was superb! A nice blend of herbs, which lent a great flavor to the entire dish. The bread and oil served with the table was also very tasteful. We liked the fact that the restaurant serves up what they can of the local produce, and does it very well. If we are eating in Camden again, I think this will be our destination!
(5)Angelica T.
I love places that have such great customer service as it is one of the first things I remember about it. It was a pretty busy night and we had to wait about 15-20 minutes. The hostess was very considerate, checking in on us and updating us on the time-frame. We appreciated that very much. The decor was cool and comfortable. I got the sloppy joe and my boyfriend got the burger. Both came with potatoes on the side, and both were very good. Our server was attentive and checked in on us enough. I especially liked that he gave us refills on drinks right away without being asked. Overall a good experience.
(5)Elaine W.
We came to Camden later in the evening and decided to try this restaurants as the others were very busy. The fact that Fresh was not busy was an initial concern - but that concern evaporated as soon as we entered the restaurant. The staff could not have been more welcoming - from the hostess, to the person who seated us, and finally the waitress. For an appetizer we shared the tomato and mozzarella Napoleon Salad. The tomatoes were incredibly flavorful - clearly direct from a farm. The fresh greens, pesto, mozzarella and drizzle of balsamic vinegar were also amazing. For our entrees we ordered the Organic Siracha Glazed Salmon & Lentil burger. Though not as spicy as anticipated, the salmon was perfectly cooked and excellent. The fish was well complimented by the creamy sweet potatoes and roasted asparagus. Though a bit leery of the Lentil Burger (a more unusual dish), the flavors were just great. Again, the fresh arugula salad and heirloom tomatoes were a wonderful compliment to the overall meal. The burger was moist, with a great spicy Moroccan flavor. Just perfect. The meal was topped off with 2 locally brewed draught beer - both recommendations from the friendly and attentive waitress. Should we every be passing this way again, we certainly will stop and and eat at Fresh again.
(5)Michael O.
A fairly new new restaurant at the Camden Harbor. Clean and appealing with a nice outdoor eating area. I ate indoors on Memorial Day weekend because the evenings are still a bit cool and indoor reward was a very good musician/singer. It definitely made the meal enjoyable. My entre was one of the less expensive on the menu. The chicken pot pie which came with a small side salad, listed as a Fresh classic was delicious but left room for dessert. I left feeling it was good and fresh but a little pricey.
(4)Julie W.
Back in June I stumbled upon Fresh while on a trip up to mid-coast Maine, where I have a cottage. There is no shortage of great seafood in Maine, but Fresh is a step above - I had the best crab bisque I've ever eaten in my life! The service is lovely, the presentation fabulous, and the locally sourced olive oil was a really nice touch. If you are in Camden to see the sights and shop at the galleries, skip the tourist traps and eat at Fresh, I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
(5)Inna B.
Maybe it was fresh yesterday... The fries were limp and greasy, fried clams were overwhelmed by the batter (or maybe it was all batter), the fish in fish taco was cooked to the hardness (and flavor) of cardboard. My steamers were great.
(2)Bruce B.
My wife and I ate at here for dinner and we had the best soup of the day we ever had consisting of sweet potato, curry, coconut milk and lentils. She had a chicken pot pie and I had cod and mussels. Great food and service but a little over priced.
(4)Jim M.
Once in awhile, you just want to sit down and relax with a good glass of wine and some appetizers - I seem to always have a wonderful experience at Fresh. I don't mind paying for good food. Fresh is just that. Good staff and they're always attentive.
(5)Hilary W.
We went to an early dinner and the place was pretty much empty at 5 when we walked in but the staff was friedly and eager to serve. Our server was very sweet and the food came out quickly. The mussels were amazing and served with the most amazing broth and bread. The lobster rissotto was enough for us to share and was worth the price. They had a good variety of wines and the beers were really inexpensive. I would visit again if we were in Camden.
(4)Turbo Smurf X.
Fresh could be so much more if just the owner and head chef new how to interact with their customers. The swordfish we had was out of this world and we told the waiter as much and asked him to tell the chef. The chef could have come out and said thanks, but no such luck. On the way out we asked if the owner or gm was there and wanted to say the same thing. Sorry he was busy eating his dinner. The swordfish was good, and the other dishes were good but not great. I'm just no feeling the luv.
(2)Rob M.
Stopped in for a light dinner. Great service. Bright, engaged and enthusiastic staff. The lobster bisque was insanely good. Complex flavors and a creative take on it. We will be back.
(4)Jennifer P.
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday - wow, everything was really good from the apps and entrees to the service. We had the calamari and both thought it was outstanding. I had the lobster stew - it had tons of lobster but it was a little rich so it might be better suited for a smaller portion, it only came as a bowl serving and I didn't see the option for a cup size. I couldn't finish it so my husband had the rest, not necessarily a bad thing, just something to consider. I also had one of the salads that was a special of the day - arugula, fresh mozzarella, figs and cranberry walnut croutons with a balsamic dressing. It was probably one of the best salads I've had. My husband had the haddock and mussels and thought it was great - the vegetables were perfectly cooked which is sometimes hard to achieve. All the food came out fast - no significant wait whatsoever. We had the Oreo cheesecake for dessert - excellent! All the food was exactly what the restaurant name promises- fresh. Will definitely be coming back.
(5)Alex G.
Solid, fresh, healthy lunch with pleasant service. My wife's chicken gyro - a large, pita style flat bread with chunks of white meat, spiced chicken, peppers, with a side of tabouli and tzatziki - was a nice size portion and extremely tasty. My wife absolutely loved it. My teen son's crab cakes were extremely fresh and delicious, but he found a number of pieces of crab shell in it, which was somewhat disconcerting. Still, he said it was among the best crab cakes he had ever eaten. My fish lettuce wraps consisted of lightly seasoned, sautéed fish pieces (haddock?), served with large lettuce "wraps," tabouli salad, white bean hummus, and tzatziki. My only complaint was that the lettuce was the dark green, somewhat wilted airplane lettuce that wasn't right for the "wrap.". They need to use either iceberg, Boston, or Bibb lettuce - no one likes the dark, thin wimpy lettuce. Still, the fish was tasty and I ate all the sides. They obviously made each dish fresh to order, and certainly care about their patrons. Solid three star lunch destination, and I'd return on my next trip to Camden.
(3)Sam G.
My wife and I had a terrible experience eating at Fresh on a recent visit to Camden. First, the staff seemed very disorganized, almost as if there were no one in charge. Second, the food was very badly cooked. My wife ordered salmon, and made a point of asking them to leave it on the rare side. I ordered flat-iron steak, which I requested medium rare to medium. Both dishes arrived very well done -- my wife's salmon was completely overcooked and my steak was brown/gray all the way through without even a hint of pink. We reluctantly sent both dishes back -- something I rarely ever do. The new dishes came back about 15-20 minutes later, and unbelievably, both were completely overcooked again. My wife's salmon appeared to be a particularly nasty cut of fish and was inedible. We sent both dishes back, paid for our drinks and appetizers and left. I've never done anything like that before, but it was just so bad. The first mistake I chalked up to incompetence, but the second one seemed like spite!
(1)Mike M.
My family and I had lunch at Fresh on 7/3 and dinner on 7/4. Both experiences were fantastic. We have a seven year old and one year old so dining out presents its challenges. From jump street the whole staff was beyond friendly and accommodating to our needs. The bread was fresh and the olive oil that accompanied it was delicious and I believe proprietary. My wife had the haddock sandwich, I had the hangar steak, and our seven year old had lobster. All of us agreed that it was the best meal we'd had in quite some time. The recipes are simple enough where the chef doesn't get in the way of the local ingredients, which are the star. It was so nice to be 700 miles away from home and be so welcomed and treated to such a fantastic meal.
(5)Nick P.
fantastic! went here for my anniversary with my girlfriend. fantastic food (lobster ravioli and curried lentils) that was beautifully presented, a live performer who was fantastic, and an extremely friendly waitress. very homely atmosphere. would definitely come back.
(5)Naeem M.
Stopped here for lunch on the way to Bat Harbor along US 1...we tried to find a place with a Harbor view but everything was packed...Fresh was tucked away on a side street and was not crowded and with a relaxing atmosphere. A town parking lot is located a block away. We had the lobster roll special, which came with duck fat fries and an arugula salad for ($23) as well as the fried oyster po boy on mufaletta (for $10). Service was quick and friendly and portion sizes were sizable...the lobster roll was very filling but not as good as the po boy, which was also a great value. Overall, a great place to get lunch if you need a break from traffic on US 1!
(4)Peg K.
Ate at the Fresh with friends and we all thought the food was very under seasoned. My burger was fair but the truffle fries were very disappointing I could barely taste any truffle flavor at all. My friends that ordered the chowder said there was plenty of seafood but no flavor, like warm milk. Chicken pie was passable. The service was pleasant, knowledgeable and good,the bread was great.
(2)Westie W.
We made advance reservations but based on the number of tables occupied and the location where we were seated I would conclude none was necessary or made a difference. My wife ordered lamb moussaka - crusted eggplant, San Marzano ragu, nigella bechamel and shaved feta. The skewered lamb was small in terms of both quality and quantity while the moussaka proved to be too rich for her. I fared better with moqueca - a Brazilian stew of haddock, salmon, mussels, clams, coconut milk, palm oil, lime, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and rice.
(3)Lecia S.
Excellent food, great service. It's small so you should put in a reservation. A must eat in Camden
(5)Pavlin M.
If you are looking for great food and fantastic place near the water, alongside with very good service, this is the place to be. The menu has a great Mediterranean twist to your otherwise typical Maine classic food. If i am ever back in Camden, Maine, will definitely be back there to visit this jewel. The owner of the place was so very welcoming and made us feel right at home.
(5)Danielle R.
This is now our go-to restaurant in Camden! Such a cute and quaint spot, great atmosphere. Walked in on Sunday night and the place was packed! We had a 20 minute wait for a table and there was room at the bar, so we posted up. The Bartender was attentive and extremely knowledgable about local brews. They had a good selection of liquors, wines and local beers to choose from. Less than 20 minutes later we were being seated. Our waitress Dana was awesome! We ordered a bottle of wine and she made sure to always keep our glasses (both water and wine) full at all times. For appetizer we chose the 12 raw oysters (which we great) and the BlueFIn Tuna Tataki (also great). My hubs ordered one of the specials, crab encrusted halibut over a house made fettuccine. He loved it, the fish was cooked beautifully and the flavors were on point. It had a dill taste to it, so complimentary to everything on the plate. I ordered the lobster ravioli. I was warned when I ordered it that it is not traditional lobster ravs, that it's more of an oriental style...which I love so, I went for it. It came with about 3 or 4 huge "raviolis," served with little tomatoes, snap pea pods, scallions and spinach, all topped with half of a lobster tail! The ravs were more like a lobster rangoon (think crab rangoon but with lobster) but more lobster than any other "filling". The sauce made the dish, sweet with a little kick and garlic. It was so amazing! I will be back for this for sure! The portions were huge, I actually ended up sharing it with my husband. Needless to say, even thought we both received huge plates of delicious food, both our plates were cleaned. So glad to have found this spot!!
(5)Susan V.
My family (3 people) and I have been coming to Camden for years and always stop by Fresh for a meal. We tried to go this year but were told we needed a reservation. It was 5pm and the restaurant was empty. We were told they could fit us in at 6:30. The hostess was snotty and rude - and took a call while we were waiting to catch her attention. We walked 500 yards to Atlantica, were seated promptly and had a view of the Bay. I suggest the staff at Fresh take a lesson in customer service. There are many restaurants in Camden that people can chose from - no one likes to be treated poorly.
(1)Lawrence C.
Very nice food, bad service. After our group of 3 was seated for our 7:30 dinner reservations we were ignored for 25 minutes - finally went up to the bar to order drinks when passing servers said we were not their table and the hostess had disappeared. Finally the guy behind the bar found us a server. The Moqueca brazilian stew was quite good, but for the total experience there are better choices in Camden.
(3)Christina S.
Good appetizer and drinks, very poor service. We asked to order the crispy green bean app on the menu placed outside because it wasn't on the menu at the table. (That was why we came in. ) She acted confused and said she would check. She came back and said it was fine, we ordered drinks and another app. She had no idea what liquors were available and didn't offer to go ask when I asked what rums/vodkas were available. We got our 2nd app, no green beans. She asked if we wanted to order and we told her just apps for now. Hubby went without a beer for 20 minutes. When she finally came back, we ask where the green beans were and she said she'd check. She came back and said "we can do that". We were confused as we'd ordered them when we first sat down. So we said we were all set, we'd just take a check. Then she was very irritated with us. She never came back. She came out 3 times, spoke to other tables and ignored us. Finally she came and cleared our plates and asked us if we were all set. We'd been sitting there for 20 minutes work no drinks or food. At one point my husband saw her come out, glare at us, shake her head, and walk back inside. Her name was Ev. Hopefully she was busy having a bad night. Would have liked to try more based on the reviews but our server was horrible. :-(
(2)Mark P.
Salmon with Jerusalem couscous and sauteed green beans was incredibly satisfying. Service was excellent, and the restaurant was cosy. All in all, I'd recommend a visit. Note they are open until 8:30, not 7pm as the review says.
(4)Andy G.
When visiting a Harbor town I usually find it rather difficult to find a place that does not feature Fried, boiled, broiled or steamed fish as the main option on the menu. So I was very excited to read about Fresh in Camden on Yelp. It has a unique Mediterranean themed menu with the focus being on local ingredients. It has both outside and inside dining, the only drawback is its lack of a view of the harbor that most other restaurants in Camden feature. I visited with my wife Simone on a Monday night right after opening and beat the dinner crowd. We started of with a great tasting ( but pricey) Blueberry and Fig Sangria that was on the special board. While waiting for our food we were treated to a very good crunchy baguette with Roasted Red Pepper infused oil. For starters we split an order of forest mushroom wontons served on a bed of sweet pea puree. The wontons were crispy but not overcooked and were well seasoned with an earthy rich mushroom flavor. The richness was cut by the mildly sweet pea puree. Although the portion was somewhat small the flavor was huge and these hit the spot. For the other starter we enjoyed the Panzanella Salad. This was the first time we have tried a bread salad and it did not disappoint. A diced up crusty baguette was tossed with Olives, Capers, Plum Tomato, Roasted Peppers, Basil, scallions, sharp Sheep's cheese and Sweet Balsamic Vinegar and oil. It was a delicious combination of sweet and salty and amazingly the bread retained its crunch throughout the time it took us to eat it. For the main course Simone choose a healthy sounding Moroccan Spiced Lentil Burger served alongside Yogurt Tzatziki ,Olives, Tomatoes, Pea Shoots, Fried Kale Chip and Grilled Pita Bread. The Burger was mildly spiced with a nice crust on the outside but tender lentils on the inside. The other items on the plate were also tasty with the exception of the kale chips, although lite fried, they were very salty and basically inedible due to over seasoning. For my dish I choose the Grass-fed Skillet Burger with Sweet Onion Relish, Garlic Aioli and Fontina, on a Toasted Ciabatta Roll. It was served with homemade crunchy shoestring fries that were devoured quickly by Simone and I. The Burger tasted freshly ground and was cooked to perfect medium as I requested. It reminded me of French Onion soup in burger form. It was topped with a beefy gravy with caramelized onions and a very generous portion of creamy melted Fontina cheese. The bun was slathered in a sweet roasted garlic mayo that did not overpower the burger in flavor. The Onion relish was served on the side but I added it to my burger. It was also sweet and had an almost apple like flavor that just added another layer of flavor. This was definitely decadent top notch burger and I had all I could do to finish it ( but of course I did). The dessert menu was the perfect way to end a very good meal. For the final course we ordered Crème Brulee and Also Chocoalte Cheesecake. Both were very good. The Crème Brulee light and airy with a perfect caramel crunchy crust. The cheesecake was dense and rich and we actually couldn't finish it but enjoyed it the next day. Overall an excellent meal (minus the kale chips) but we did have a bit of sticker shock at the bill. The Sangrias put us over the 100 dollar range, so perhaps four of those drinks were not needed, still we had a very good four star experience and I would highly suggest you try Fresh. Just bring some extra cash.
(4)Scott G.
Excellent seafood (I feel one should always bias towards the specials when visiting Fresh), resonably priced, well poured drinks. Service was done with a smile but a bit slow. Ambience was OK, pricing was OK, however, the place always delivers on it's main course (which is the real goal - right) :-)
(4)Alli S.
I don't understand how this place only has three and a half stars. I've been there many times and the food is always good. The wait staff is very friendly, and the atmosphere is very cozy. Everything on the menu is interesting, but the daily specials are always consistently delicious; for dessert, try the tiramisu!
(5)Cheryl B.
Went to Fresh for lunch based on reviews on yelp plus a coworker. Had the crab cakes with grilled romaine. Was awesome. Loved the grilled romaine and the crab cakes were lightly crispy. Lobster roll was as good as any we've had this week and the duck fat fries were super yummy. The salad with the lobster roll was ok and the pickled veggies were just too sweet. Service was so so. Would recommend going here. Cute restaurant and nice outdoor dining but not on the water.
(4)matt d.
tourist trap that coasts by. I started with the Lobster Flatbread: not great, I began having reservations at this point. for my main I had the Lobster Raviloi: complete train wreck of disappointment. 5 giant pillows in a brown sauce...the ravioli were scorched on the bottom and unpleasant. the brown sauce was a mystery and not at all a creamy Italian delight. lastly they were filled with 90% cream cheese. the dish was uninspired, heavy-handed, and a waste of lobster. I've had better ravioli in China. when the waitress asked how I liked it, trying to be positive I said it's huge. she said, "Yeah, we gave you one extra because we're out of the claws it's normally served with." uhh, thanks. why even tell me?! avoid. not at all the earnest, fresh-to-table restaurant its billed as. looking at the other pics I see they're like mine -- heavy-handed messes on a plate. the mixed-up decor styles should have tipped me off (rustic wood + granite table sheik). place doesn't know what it's trying to be.
(1)Jason D.
My family and I ate here on two seperate occasions, for dinner and again for lunch. Excellent fish! Great service and very friendly.
(5)Daniel H.
The banana and chocolate chip muffin was tremendous. The bacon and cheddar scone was so good my southern girlfriend compared it to the best biscuits she's ever had. The free bread sample was worth fresh out of the oven and delicious. Didn't try the restaurant thought.
(4)Rick A.
It's a very nice little place and unfortunately I listened to the very friendly waitress who suggested the best meal I will ever eat would be the special poached halibut in a garden risotto . The fish was totally bland and the risotto was ok, lobster ravioli was just fried wonton noodles with a very small split lobster tail and very spicy. Would give it another try but be apprehensive about it!
(2)Larry S.
The wide range of reviews was a concern for us when we had reservations made by the concierge at the hotel. We start off by walking in, its raining, we are early and the receptionist greets us warmly and has no issue when we asked if we could sit at a table in the bar area. We like to sit together and the hostess and waitress both "jumped" to help move the table so we could both share the bench. We really felt welcome. We enjoyed a very nice conversation with the waitress, who it turned out took our reservation and was exited to meet "us". This is a vacation area and lots of tourists stop in - and she took the time to ask about our trip and plans. Even the bill had a nice note "enjoy your vacation". Now the food was good. We enjoyed our fish meals. My wife had the haddock special and enjoyed milk sauce and corn cooked with the fish! This is small little bar, cute little place and all of the staff is friendly. Interesting note: the following evening we were in town for an outdoor play. There was a rain delay so we stopped in for a pre-show cocktail. We were treated like old friends returning. Yeah, we would go back if back in Camden. it is vacation land - chill and enjoy Fresh. PS - the bread was outstanding - baked, well , fresh!
(4)Jessica D.
After suffering another local restaurant that needs A LOT of work- Fresh has revitalized me! The service was impeccable! The food was OMG- the feta walnut appetizer is so simple and just so perfect. I had the pork loin which was prepared very quickly- moist and light flavoring to partner the sweet potato mash. There was also a bed of greens with a light cream dressing that made it all come together. We decided to wrap up with desserts and our group could not stop taking bites of each other's selections. Everything was delicious- the tiramisu was presented beautifully and the taste was even better- the best I've had in a long time. The toasted coconut ice cream had a great crunch and the saltiness of the caramel made it heavenly. If I could make that meal last forever I would. Fresh is the best restaurant!
(5)Michael M.
Great place and great service. Try the oysters they are excellent! in addition they have wonderful roasted roasted red pepper appetizer!.
(5)Sallie J.
My husband and I are visiting Camden for the first time and after a day of exploring were excited to try Fresh for dinner. Overall the experience was disappointing. While the wait staff was attentive and professional, the food was lacking in taste and quality. We ordered Lobster Risotto and a Gorgonzola Crusted Sirloin. The lobster dish was overly watery and moist and resembled more of a lobster stew without much taste except for the whole peppercorns littered throughout the dish. The lobster was chewy and tasteless. Ugh! The sirloin was not a great cut of meat and had gristle throughout. The steak also lacked in flavor; however, the cheese topping the steak was tasty. In addition to the poor taste and quality, the meal was extremely expressive at nearly $30 a piece. Any where else a meal of that quality would have been under $20.00.
(1)Sarah A.
Really excellent food, but the service here was sub-par and detracted a bit from our experience. I'll start with the positives, the food! The name of this place really says it all, everything was remarkable fresh. My family and I started with salads and we were all very pleased with these. I had a delicious special salad with breaded goat cheese slices, lots of blueberries and raspberries and a nice frisee. The berries were all very fresh and the goat cheese was delightfully still warm when my salad reached the table. My Dad enjoyed his wedge salad, which consisted of four small wedges that could have been fused together into one small head of lettuce. We also enjoyed some bread and olive oil. For the entree I had the salmon, which was lightly breaded and served with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. This was definitely a nice presentation and again, very fresh. My Dad had the lobster ravioli, which was superb and a huge portion. The ravioli was perhaps the largest I've ever seen! And, the bits of lobster were quite large and delicious. The sauce is both sweet and a little spicy. The dish is a bit messy (perhaps the could serve it on a larger plate) and some lobster sauce spilled on to the table. I passed on the dessert, but sampled a bit of my Dad's chocolate cake, which was okay, but nothing to rave about. The only thing that bothered us here is that after we finished our entrees, the service really deteriorated. Our waitress never cleaned up the sauce that spilled after clearing the plates, and instead, sat the dessert plate right on top of it! I'd definitely go back here, but I'd advise going at a non-peak time. I think the restaurant got really busy around 7 pm, which is when the service started to tank. Very happy, however, with the food.
(4)Jeff H.
The service was great, very family friendly. The food was delicious although the tried a bit too hard at times. Taking an overly fancy spin on local fare -- but yummy none the less. The desserts were good -- but the blueberry pie was AMAZING. The staff was very friendly and ultra helpful.
(4)Geoff And Jenni G.
We had lunch here and to say we were disappointed is an understatement; this is overpriced tourist food. This is supposed to be a mostly organic and fresh/locally sourced restaurant; typically these kinds of restaurants are a cut above... Not so "Fresh"... It's your average restaurant on the harbor unfortunately (i.e. not very good). Quite frankly we are stunned by the good reviews and wonder what sort of people think this is good quality, fresh food! We had a lobster roll and decided to try the Haddock special too... The lobster roll came with soft, cold, fries that hadn't seen fresh ever... You know the deep fried frozen kind you get in cheap restaurants... Along with the fries came ketchup in a plastic tub (a-la fast food places)... The lobster roll was bland and not worth $17... It also had lettuce in the roll... Why would anyone put lettuce in a lobster roll... Let the lobster speak for itself... Not even a fraction as good as Sprague's in Wiscasset (which is fabulous by the way).... The haddock came with a soggy batter and the piece of haddock was about 5" x 3"... I have to say the fish itself was very nice, but completely ruined by the soggy batter and meager portion. The haddock was served with lettuce that had been blacked on a grill that was obviously not clean... It tasted burned and of charcoal... On top of all that we were overcharged for the lobster roll and overcharged for a bottle of water; the server couldn't have been nicer and apologized and removed the overcharging... Overall, this is not the fresh food we were expecting from the way the restaurant represents itself and we would not recommend, nor return here...
(1)Jeff M.
We stopped in Camden for the night on our way to Bar Harbor. There were fourteen bicyclists in our tour group. We all ordered different meals and I do not think there was one plate that was not licked clean (well, not really, but...) The food was by far the best we ate on the tour, and the service was likewise. I am pretty sure our waitress was a goddess in disguise.
(5)Clayton E.
Don't believe the bad reviews. We came here on a very cold February Saturday night and it was the only place in town that was full to capacity. Our server was great and we loved the pecan encrusted scallops. We also enjoyed a warm kale salad and fabulous desert from their bakery. One weird thing was they don't put salt and pepper shakers on the table. Also many of the tables are close together but we lucked out and got a booth.
(4)Robert M.
My wife and I ate at Fresh a few nights ago. She got the lobster ravioli and I got the Brazilian seafood stew. Both dishes were excellent. I have eaten at a lot of high-end restaurants all over the world, and I would say that this meal was right up there with the best of the best. The atmosphere was nice, and our waitress (Eve) was very attentive. We talked to several people we met while staying in Camden about their restaurant experiences, and everyone who had been to Fresh had the same experience that we did.
(5)Whitney C.
Hands down one of my favorite restaurants in the Camden area and my choice for birthday dinner. I love the Mediterranean twist on a lot of their dishes and their focus to serving healthy, fresh, and tasty food. My favorite dishes are the Diver Scallops and Salmon from the summer menu, though their counterparts on the winter menu look delicious as well. I've had the falafel as an appetizer (because none of the calories you eat on your birthday count and it's perfectly fine to have two meals in one), and I haven't had the same experience as some of the other reviewers. The falafel I had were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They were a little on the dry side, but nothing some hummus can't fix. They also had a kick to them that I wasn't expecting, which was enjoyable. I definitely recommend this place, especially if you're a fan of fresh, local food.
(4)Grace W.
Not exactly sure why there are so many bad reviews here. This place closes at 9pm and we were hungry when we got into Camden from MA. We stepped in at 8:50pm and the staff was helpful and eager to serve us. I ordered half-dozen raw oysters and a cup of soup. My partner ordered a bowl of the lobster soup. All of the food was delectable and we ended up staying until 9:30pm. Since there was bread from the day, we also got to take home some of the special rosemary bread. It could be that the food we ordered was well prepared ahead of time so there was time to get it just right. Overall, we were very satisfied and felt that this restaurant in Camden was a wonderful gem so we plan on going back.
(5)Meg S.
I was a little skeptical with all the negative reviews, but we had a lovely lunch at the Fresh bakery! The staff was charismatic and very attentive. The sandwiches were delicious (we got a Turkey-Cheddar Avocado and a Turkey-Bacon-Spinach-Swiss). The soup of the day (french onion) wasn't fab- a little cheese would have fixed that! The selection of root beers was quite impressive. Not a lot of sitting room, but it was nice and cozy. I'm sure it's gorgeous in the summer.
(4)Jeffrey K.
Lived in Maine my whole life and this is by far the WORST seafood I have ever eaten. $25 for three scollops, give me a break! The lobster stew was watery and the rest of the meal was very salty. I should have known we were in for a rough meal when the waitress couldn't remember a three item order. Save you money and eat at McLaughlins next to the ferry terminal.
(1)Bryce W.
Camden has some great places in the downtown area and this place is one of them. It is nice inside, but like everywhere else in Camden everyone is a tourist so do not worry about a dress code. I went with a group straight from an intense bowling competition and the elder of the group was wearing the classic high white socks and too large t-shirt outfit, and fit right in. No one in the group ordered an entree, but if you check in on yelp you get a buy two get one 1/2 off coupon. I had the Tuscan Burger. The "Curtis Meats" burger is topped with fresh heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and pesto with a side of fresh cut fries. I would recommend any of the burgers as my group had all of them and they were all excellent. Do not go on Wednesday night if you want to drink. They get their delivery on Thursday and were out of several wines and beers including PBR, which the elder was not happy about. He gave the server a scolding though on the value of stocking an all-American beer like PBR, so they may have corrected this issue by time you go here.
(3)A P.
Stopped in for dinner Sunday evening. Wonderful experience - delicious food, excellent service, and relaxing atmosphere. We enjoyed the crab cakes and lobster ravioli. Will definitely return to Fresh on our next visit to Camden.
(5)Michael K.
We stayed for one night in Camden on our way up the coast of Maine. Having only one night to find a good meal can often be a hit or miss experience, particularly when you are in a summer season town filled with choices. My fiancé was looking for "something different", and after rejecting the fare choices at "Atlantica", we saw "Fresh", she suggested we check it out. What a great choice! Five stars you wonder? Well - without any flaws in our meal, and good, friendly service, why not? We skipped the appetizer, and opted for the house salad and the pan seared chicken with local vegetables. Salad was wonderful with a balsamic dressing that was tasty, not overpowering, the chicken was superb! A nice blend of herbs, which lent a great flavor to the entire dish. The bread and oil served with the table was also very tasteful. We liked the fact that the restaurant serves up what they can of the local produce, and does it very well. If we are eating in Camden again, I think this will be our destination!
(5)Alise K.
We arrived in Camden around 7:30pm and decided to walk downtown to find a bite to eat. Fresh looked warm and inviting. We sat at the bar. We ordered the panzanella salad and truffled mushroom wontons. Both excellent. I had the lobster stew as my meal, it wasn't great.... Thin , milky and I had to add lots of salt and pepper. On the other hand, the vegetable risotto was wonderful. Fresh, with lots of veggies. Service was good and everyone was very friendly.
(4)Angela J.
Lovely place to have lunch in the harbor! Only a few outside tables however. The food was great, we all enjoyed our meals . The risotto with local mushrooms and crispy kale had great flavor--though lacked the true texture of risotto--- as it is famously hard to nail down perfectly ( it was a bit runny).
(3)David R.
Great food. Great service. The loud guy singing and playing guitar kept it from five stars. Too loud for such a small place.
(4)Lorelei P.
Deliciously presented, flavorful and yummy! French-American, a little Italian fusion, using locally sourced ingredients. Pommes frites cooked in duck fat - ooooo.... Black garlic aioli... Mmm! Three Allagash beers on tap! Portions are just the right size, which I'm grateful for in restaurant practices. The waitstaff were courteous and attentive. Food came quickly. This is a great restaurant, and we'll be back!
(5)Derek M.
Wish I could do 3.5 stars but I can't give it 3 that's too low. Went there after the Atlantica flopped (don't go there). Ended up salvaging our evening with a solid Tapas style meal, we hit most of app' & all were really good; not a fan of their cab's but service was very attentive & would definitely go back.
(4)Barbara W.
Yelp helped us find a place for dinner on a busy summer evening in Camden,Maine. We were seated quickly,met out server and dined on delicious meals:salad for me and lobster flat bread for my daughter. A gem off the main street with great harbor views.
(5)Maggie C.
After hearing mixed but overall positive reviews, my boyfriend and I decided to try Fresh Restaurant on one of our last nights in Camden. The servers were friendly but a little pushy about ordering alcohol / ordering quickly. Ultimately, we decided to order the Panzanella salad, he got the Grass-Fed Burger and I got the Lentil Burger. Our Panzanella never came and after we ordered, our waitress basically disappeared. Then, a different server delivered our entrees and we didn't see our waitress for another ten minutes. The food was really good -- his fries were fresh, warm and crispy. My lentil burger came with pea shoots and tzatziki. Yum. Still, the service was pretty awful... Another server came by and took our water karaf away but didn't bring us another. We were really bummed that they forgot our food and didn't think that the dessert was worth the calories or the money. We were rushed in and out of the restaurant in forty-five minutes!! I'm sure this restaurant would have been a good experience if we had enjoyed better service.
(2)Danielle R.
This is now our go-to restaurant in Camden! Such a cute and quaint spot, great atmosphere. Walked in on Sunday night and the place was packed! We had a 20 minute wait for a table and there was room at the bar, so we posted up. The Bartender was attentive and extremely knowledgable about local brews. They had a good selection of liquors, wines and local beers to choose from. Less than 20 minutes later we were being seated. Our waitress Dana was awesome! We ordered a bottle of wine and she made sure to always keep our glasses (both water and wine) full at all times. For appetizer we chose the 12 raw oysters (which we great) and the BlueFIn Tuna Tataki (also great). My hubs ordered one of the specials, crab encrusted halibut over a house made fettuccine. He loved it, the fish was cooked beautifully and the flavors were on point. It had a dill taste to it, so complimentary to everything on the plate. I ordered the lobster ravioli. I was warned when I ordered it that it is not traditional lobster ravs, that it's more of an oriental style...which I love so, I went for it. It came with about 3 or 4 huge "raviolis," served with little tomatoes, snap pea pods, scallions and spinach, all topped with half of a lobster tail! The ravs were more like a lobster rangoon (think crab rangoon but with lobster) but more lobster than any other "filling". The sauce made the dish, sweet with a little kick and garlic. It was so amazing! I will be back for this for sure! The portions were huge, I actually ended up sharing it with my husband. Needless to say, even thought we both received huge plates of delicious food, both our plates were cleaned. So glad to have found this spot!!
(5)Susan V.
My family (3 people) and I have been coming to Camden for years and always stop by Fresh for a meal. We tried to go this year but were told we needed a reservation. It was 5pm and the restaurant was empty. We were told they could fit us in at 6:30. The hostess was snotty and rude - and took a call while we were waiting to catch her attention. We walked 500 yards to Atlantica, were seated promptly and had a view of the Bay. I suggest the staff at Fresh take a lesson in customer service. There are many restaurants in Camden that people can chose from - no one likes to be treated poorly.
(1)Lawrence C.
Very nice food, bad service. After our group of 3 was seated for our 7:30 dinner reservations we were ignored for 25 minutes - finally went up to the bar to order drinks when passing servers said we were not their table and the hostess had disappeared. Finally the guy behind the bar found us a server. The Moqueca brazilian stew was quite good, but for the total experience there are better choices in Camden.
(3)K Y.
Fresh is my current favorite on midcoast Maine, every app and entree I've tried has been exceptional. The drinks are great including the wine list. Try the white blend from Turkey and don't miss the tuna appetizer, good job guys!
(5)Norma H.
Had a wonderful dinner! My husband had the salmon and I had the Mediterranean Sloppy Joe. Delicious! Delightful environment and pleasant staff. Will definitely return again if we are in the area.
(5)Rick S.
Overall the restaurant was very good. Nicely decorated and a good atmosphere. I had the burger which was nicely done and my wife had a crab cake with salad which was a good portion. The one thing they need to fix is that the waiters keep their cleaning rags and sprays in the front entrance next to the greeting stand. They even hang the cleaning bottle on the chair. The couple next to us mentioned this to two of the servers and the guy simply says he does not make the rules and the girl (with accent) did not take her request seriously and seems to laugh. A classy restaurant like this should pay attention to detail as this is normally what you see at a fast food restaurant.
(3)Michael B.
Fresh is exactly as its name implies. A delicious slice of homemade goodness. They may suffer from not being right on the water like other restaurants. But their lobster roll and their chicken kebab sandwiches and their burgers are as delicious as can be. They should be sure to put a screen doors so that flies do not come in to try to sample their food.
(5)Grammy L.
Fresh is a relatively new addition to the Camden dining scene . We had originally chosen it because we had invited our son & daughter-in-law to join us as the restaurant is vegan-friendly. Sadly, they had to cancel on short notice because of a sick pet. We went alone because we are leaving the area tomorrow. We started with an amazing Mediterranean appetizer of hummus,baba ganoush, an Eastern European roasted red pepper puree, and a cucumber-yogurt mix similar to Greek tatziki. Fried,salted pita quarters served as savory dippers. Next came briny local oysters with both mignonette and zippy cocktail sauce,nicely spiced. My entree was Alaskan King salmon,char grilled, with a tangy glaze that tasted like mango,steamed asparagus,snow peas,and micro greens, fried green tomatoes and a yummy corn-cheddar biscuit. My husband had Alaskan halibut with hollandaise sauce and the same fresh green vegetables Dessert was fresh strawberries with raw sugar creme anglais and espresso. The wine list is very good--we had a very nice pino grigio from an are in Italy unfamiliar to us. We will definitely return on our next trip.
(5)Peggy K.
Excellent food served by an attentive friendly wait staff. Cool, hip vibe, yet maintaining the warmth of "Downeast" We enjoyed the lobster ravioli & the Andalusian spiced pork. Beautiful presentation.
(4)Karen S.
Enjoyed dinner here at the bar Saturday night. Though one of the larger restaurants we saw (seats 215) it was booked up early. Both the vegetarian meze platter and the lobster risotto were nicely portioned and flavorful. The stainless martini glasses are a different look from what you get most everywhere else. You can make reservations for indoor seating but not for the limited outdoor tables.
(4)Paul P.
Great beer selection and an excellent, inventive, light menu with fantastic salads and a tasty seafood selection. A no brainer stop. Had haddock chowder and lobster ravioli. Super good. Server was super fun.
(5)Angelica T.
I love places that have such great customer service as it is one of the first things I remember about it. It was a pretty busy night and we had to wait about 15-20 minutes. The hostess was very considerate, checking in on us and updating us on the time-frame. We appreciated that very much. The decor was cool and comfortable. I got the sloppy joe and my boyfriend got the burger. Both came with potatoes on the side, and both were very good. Our server was attentive and checked in on us enough. I especially liked that he gave us refills on drinks right away without being asked. Overall a good experience.
(5)Naeem M.
Stopped here for lunch on the way to Bat Harbor along US 1...we tried to find a place with a Harbor view but everything was packed...Fresh was tucked away on a side street and was not crowded and with a relaxing atmosphere. A town parking lot is located a block away. We had the lobster roll special, which came with duck fat fries and an arugula salad for ($23) as well as the fried oyster po boy on mufaletta (for $10). Service was quick and friendly and portion sizes were sizable...the lobster roll was very filling but not as good as the po boy, which was also a great value. Overall, a great place to get lunch if you need a break from traffic on US 1!
(4)Peg K.
Ate at the Fresh with friends and we all thought the food was very under seasoned. My burger was fair but the truffle fries were very disappointing I could barely taste any truffle flavor at all. My friends that ordered the chowder said there was plenty of seafood but no flavor, like warm milk. Chicken pie was passable. The service was pleasant, knowledgeable and good,the bread was great.
(2)Westie W.
We made advance reservations but based on the number of tables occupied and the location where we were seated I would conclude none was necessary or made a difference. My wife ordered lamb moussaka - crusted eggplant, San Marzano ragu, nigella bechamel and shaved feta. The skewered lamb was small in terms of both quality and quantity while the moussaka proved to be too rich for her. I fared better with moqueca - a Brazilian stew of haddock, salmon, mussels, clams, coconut milk, palm oil, lime, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and rice.
(3)Lecia S.
Excellent food, great service. It's small so you should put in a reservation. A must eat in Camden
(5)Pavlin M.
If you are looking for great food and fantastic place near the water, alongside with very good service, this is the place to be. The menu has a great Mediterranean twist to your otherwise typical Maine classic food. If i am ever back in Camden, Maine, will definitely be back there to visit this jewel. The owner of the place was so very welcoming and made us feel right at home.
(5)Christina S.
Good appetizer and drinks, very poor service. We asked to order the crispy green bean app on the menu placed outside because it wasn't on the menu at the table. (That was why we came in. ) She acted confused and said she would check. She came back and said it was fine, we ordered drinks and another app. She had no idea what liquors were available and didn't offer to go ask when I asked what rums/vodkas were available. We got our 2nd app, no green beans. She asked if we wanted to order and we told her just apps for now. Hubby went without a beer for 20 minutes. When she finally came back, we ask where the green beans were and she said she'd check. She came back and said "we can do that". We were confused as we'd ordered them when we first sat down. So we said we were all set, we'd just take a check. Then she was very irritated with us. She never came back. She came out 3 times, spoke to other tables and ignored us. Finally she came and cleared our plates and asked us if we were all set. We'd been sitting there for 20 minutes work no drinks or food. At one point my husband saw her come out, glare at us, shake her head, and walk back inside. Her name was Ev. Hopefully she was busy having a bad night. Would have liked to try more based on the reviews but our server was horrible. :-(
(2)Mark P.
Salmon with Jerusalem couscous and sauteed green beans was incredibly satisfying. Service was excellent, and the restaurant was cosy. All in all, I'd recommend a visit. Note they are open until 8:30, not 7pm as the review says.
(4)Susan H.
The restaurant is named Fresh and that is a perfect description . The decor is clean and simple. The tables had fresh yellow roses on them. This was not your cookie cutter Maine restaurant. I had a lobster stuffed halibut special which was generous in portion and so delicious. My husband had lamb moussaka. He raved about it. Our waitress, Evelyn was excellent. You could watch the chef prepare the meals from our table, which was interesting. They also had live music . The experience couldn't have been better!
(5)Audrey S.
Wow. what a great meal for lunch. Crab cake BLT and dinner chicken was fantastic. So glad I stumbled upon this place and would definitely come again when in town. Wait staff was very attentive.
(4)Paige K.
Fresh Restaurant was quite good and a nice difference from the other food in the area, serving mostly Mediterranean fare in a seafood area. My mom got Lamb Moussaka, I got the Pork Chop and my dad had the salmon. My mom absolutely loved the Lamb Moussaka and claimed it was very authentic. My dad found the salmon to be okay, but was not overly impressed and I thought the Pork Chop was a little overseasoned on the crust. Everyone said mine looked the best, but the most impressive part was the succotash hands down. We also got "around the world" dip and pita and it was quite good. I did find the food to be overall good, but it did not blow my mind as I hoped it would. The wine was also just alright based on the recommendation of the server. Overall, what I found to be an average meal. We also had the green tea cheesecake with Maine blueberries. Again, not incredible, not bad. I would recommend going here if you need a change of pace in your eating, but wouldn't base your whole trip on it!
(3)Ross B.
A wonderful surprise on the public landing in Camden. It's been there for a while but we just tried it out and enjoyed it from one end of the dinner to the other and then came back and doubled down on this neat eatery. My son-in-law and I shared a plate of six Weskeag River oysters and wished we had each had a full portion--an error we corrected on our subsequent visit. Atlantic salmon is usually no big deal but when poached in avocado oil and cooked to a turn, it became a memorable dish. With three little ones, we were concerned that adult delights might have no appeal to kids. How wrong we were: great kid food like burgers and chicken fingers are made here with the same care as the adult grub. Highly recommended
(4)Ashley P.
Great restaurant recommended by our inn owners while visiting Camden. The food was excellent. We started with a roasted goat feta and pecan starter followed with the fried lobster ravioli and the Mediterranean mezze entrées. Hands down the best ravioli. 2 large overstuffed lobster ravioli bursting with lobster and topped with a small lobster. The ambiance was cute and would definitely return when in the area or recommend for someone visiting.
(5)David A.
Excelent food and service (well above the norm - top shelf) at a fair price. Small and personal. Nice location with on street parking surrounded by interesting shops. My 10 year old twins found food that they loved - that's a big bonus.
(5)Don W.
Could anything have gone better at Fresh? We had dinner there a few nights ago and the answer was no, nothing could have gone better. Well, maybe it would have been a good idea for us to show up hungry enough for appetizers, but I can't hold Fresh responsible for that. We had the Lobster Risotto and the Seafood Stew, and they were amazing. We had walked around Camden looking at menus and of all the restaurants that were open on a Sunday night, Fresh was by far the most interesting. We weren't disappointed. The food was amazing, our server got everything right, and the restaurant was really clean. I'd go back any time.
(5)Alex G.
Solid, fresh, healthy lunch with pleasant service. My wife's chicken gyro - a large, pita style flat bread with chunks of white meat, spiced chicken, peppers, with a side of tabouli and tzatziki - was a nice size portion and extremely tasty. My wife absolutely loved it. My teen son's crab cakes were extremely fresh and delicious, but he found a number of pieces of crab shell in it, which was somewhat disconcerting. Still, he said it was among the best crab cakes he had ever eaten. My fish lettuce wraps consisted of lightly seasoned, sautéed fish pieces (haddock?), served with large lettuce "wraps," tabouli salad, white bean hummus, and tzatziki. My only complaint was that the lettuce was the dark green, somewhat wilted airplane lettuce that wasn't right for the "wrap.". They need to use either iceberg, Boston, or Bibb lettuce - no one likes the dark, thin wimpy lettuce. Still, the fish was tasty and I ate all the sides. They obviously made each dish fresh to order, and certainly care about their patrons. Solid three star lunch destination, and I'd return on my next trip to Camden.
(3)Sam G.
My wife and I had a terrible experience eating at Fresh on a recent visit to Camden. First, the staff seemed very disorganized, almost as if there were no one in charge. Second, the food was very badly cooked. My wife ordered salmon, and made a point of asking them to leave it on the rare side. I ordered flat-iron steak, which I requested medium rare to medium. Both dishes arrived very well done -- my wife's salmon was completely overcooked and my steak was brown/gray all the way through without even a hint of pink. We reluctantly sent both dishes back -- something I rarely ever do. The new dishes came back about 15-20 minutes later, and unbelievably, both were completely overcooked again. My wife's salmon appeared to be a particularly nasty cut of fish and was inedible. We sent both dishes back, paid for our drinks and appetizers and left. I've never done anything like that before, but it was just so bad. The first mistake I chalked up to incompetence, but the second one seemed like spite!
(1)Mike M.
My family and I had lunch at Fresh on 7/3 and dinner on 7/4. Both experiences were fantastic. We have a seven year old and one year old so dining out presents its challenges. From jump street the whole staff was beyond friendly and accommodating to our needs. The bread was fresh and the olive oil that accompanied it was delicious and I believe proprietary. My wife had the haddock sandwich, I had the hangar steak, and our seven year old had lobster. All of us agreed that it was the best meal we'd had in quite some time. The recipes are simple enough where the chef doesn't get in the way of the local ingredients, which are the star. It was so nice to be 700 miles away from home and be so welcomed and treated to such a fantastic meal.
(5)Nick P.
fantastic! went here for my anniversary with my girlfriend. fantastic food (lobster ravioli and curried lentils) that was beautifully presented, a live performer who was fantastic, and an extremely friendly waitress. very homely atmosphere. would definitely come back.
(5)Elaine W.
We came to Camden later in the evening and decided to try this restaurants as the others were very busy. The fact that Fresh was not busy was an initial concern - but that concern evaporated as soon as we entered the restaurant. The staff could not have been more welcoming - from the hostess, to the person who seated us, and finally the waitress. For an appetizer we shared the tomato and mozzarella Napoleon Salad. The tomatoes were incredibly flavorful - clearly direct from a farm. The fresh greens, pesto, mozzarella and drizzle of balsamic vinegar were also amazing. For our entrees we ordered the Organic Siracha Glazed Salmon & Lentil burger. Though not as spicy as anticipated, the salmon was perfectly cooked and excellent. The fish was well complimented by the creamy sweet potatoes and roasted asparagus. Though a bit leery of the Lentil Burger (a more unusual dish), the flavors were just great. Again, the fresh arugula salad and heirloom tomatoes were a wonderful compliment to the overall meal. The burger was moist, with a great spicy Moroccan flavor. Just perfect. The meal was topped off with 2 locally brewed draught beer - both recommendations from the friendly and attentive waitress. Should we every be passing this way again, we certainly will stop and and eat at Fresh again.
(5)Michael O.
A fairly new new restaurant at the Camden Harbor. Clean and appealing with a nice outdoor eating area. I ate indoors on Memorial Day weekend because the evenings are still a bit cool and indoor reward was a very good musician/singer. It definitely made the meal enjoyable. My entre was one of the less expensive on the menu. The chicken pot pie which came with a small side salad, listed as a Fresh classic was delicious but left room for dessert. I left feeling it was good and fresh but a little pricey.
(4)Julie W.
Back in June I stumbled upon Fresh while on a trip up to mid-coast Maine, where I have a cottage. There is no shortage of great seafood in Maine, but Fresh is a step above - I had the best crab bisque I've ever eaten in my life! The service is lovely, the presentation fabulous, and the locally sourced olive oil was a really nice touch. If you are in Camden to see the sights and shop at the galleries, skip the tourist traps and eat at Fresh, I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
(5)Thereasa F.
I was so hopeful for this place. We sat down, had a good meal, and 6 hours later my mother was awake puking her guts out after eating the cioppino. We should have known better than to order it on a Sunday night... I called the next day to ask about it/tell them that the needed to check on their fish, and was told that food poisoning sets in within 30 minutes, not 6 hours and that the flu had been going around. Lovely way to treat or respond to a claim of safety to your patrons. Thumbs down!
(1)Susan H.
The restaurant is named Fresh and that is a perfect description . The decor is clean and simple. The tables had fresh yellow roses on them. This was not your cookie cutter Maine restaurant. I had a lobster stuffed halibut special which was generous in portion and so delicious. My husband had lamb moussaka. He raved about it. Our waitress, Evelyn was excellent. You could watch the chef prepare the meals from our table, which was interesting. They also had live music . The experience couldn't have been better!
(5)Audrey S.
Wow. what a great meal for lunch. Crab cake BLT and dinner chicken was fantastic. So glad I stumbled upon this place and would definitely come again when in town. Wait staff was very attentive.
(4)Paige K.
Fresh Restaurant was quite good and a nice difference from the other food in the area, serving mostly Mediterranean fare in a seafood area. My mom got Lamb Moussaka, I got the Pork Chop and my dad had the salmon. My mom absolutely loved the Lamb Moussaka and claimed it was very authentic. My dad found the salmon to be okay, but was not overly impressed and I thought the Pork Chop was a little overseasoned on the crust. Everyone said mine looked the best, but the most impressive part was the succotash hands down. We also got "around the world" dip and pita and it was quite good. I did find the food to be overall good, but it did not blow my mind as I hoped it would. The wine was also just alright based on the recommendation of the server. Overall, what I found to be an average meal. We also had the green tea cheesecake with Maine blueberries. Again, not incredible, not bad. I would recommend going here if you need a change of pace in your eating, but wouldn't base your whole trip on it!
(3)K Y.
Fresh is my current favorite on midcoast Maine, every app and entree I've tried has been exceptional. The drinks are great including the wine list. Try the white blend from Turkey and don't miss the tuna appetizer, good job guys!
(5)Ross B.
A wonderful surprise on the public landing in Camden. It's been there for a while but we just tried it out and enjoyed it from one end of the dinner to the other and then came back and doubled down on this neat eatery. My son-in-law and I shared a plate of six Weskeag River oysters and wished we had each had a full portion--an error we corrected on our subsequent visit. Atlantic salmon is usually no big deal but when poached in avocado oil and cooked to a turn, it became a memorable dish. With three little ones, we were concerned that adult delights might have no appeal to kids. How wrong we were: great kid food like burgers and chicken fingers are made here with the same care as the adult grub. Highly recommended
(4)Ashley P.
Great restaurant recommended by our inn owners while visiting Camden. The food was excellent. We started with a roasted goat feta and pecan starter followed with the fried lobster ravioli and the Mediterranean mezze entrées. Hands down the best ravioli. 2 large overstuffed lobster ravioli bursting with lobster and topped with a small lobster. The ambiance was cute and would definitely return when in the area or recommend for someone visiting.
(5)David A.
Excelent food and service (well above the norm - top shelf) at a fair price. Small and personal. Nice location with on street parking surrounded by interesting shops. My 10 year old twins found food that they loved - that's a big bonus.
(5)Don W.
Could anything have gone better at Fresh? We had dinner there a few nights ago and the answer was no, nothing could have gone better. Well, maybe it would have been a good idea for us to show up hungry enough for appetizers, but I can't hold Fresh responsible for that. We had the Lobster Risotto and the Seafood Stew, and they were amazing. We had walked around Camden looking at menus and of all the restaurants that were open on a Sunday night, Fresh was by far the most interesting. We weren't disappointed. The food was amazing, our server got everything right, and the restaurant was really clean. I'd go back any time.
(5)Norma H.
Had a wonderful dinner! My husband had the salmon and I had the Mediterranean Sloppy Joe. Delicious! Delightful environment and pleasant staff. Will definitely return again if we are in the area.
(5)Two Wise R.
The value here is good. We got hummus and pita, lobster risotto, and the haddock special. We also got a few glasses of wine. The risotto was nowhere near what a risotto should be but it was still delicious. It was way too cheesy for a risotto but you can't go wrong with melted cheese and we really liked it. The haddock had really good flavors and the fingerling potatoes went really well with the lemony flavor of the dish. The service was definitely a bit slow but we weren't in a rush so we didn't mind. We enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Great place!
(4)Kelly R.
My family vacationed in Camden in June 2015 and had lunch here one day. The Fresh Burger was delicious and I recommend getting the Duck Fat Flat Fries with it. I'm not a fan of the pickled green tomatoes that come with the entrees. Everyone loved their meals, with a special shout out to the Rocket Salad. The blueberry cocktails were also very good.
(4)Two Wise R.
The value here is good. We got hummus and pita, lobster risotto, and the haddock special. We also got a few glasses of wine. The risotto was nowhere near what a risotto should be but it was still delicious. It was way too cheesy for a risotto but you can't go wrong with melted cheese and we really liked it. The haddock had really good flavors and the fingerling potatoes went really well with the lemony flavor of the dish. The service was definitely a bit slow but we weren't in a rush so we didn't mind. We enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Great place!
(4)Kelly R.
My family vacationed in Camden in June 2015 and had lunch here one day. The Fresh Burger was delicious and I recommend getting the Duck Fat Flat Fries with it. I'm not a fan of the pickled green tomatoes that come with the entrees. Everyone loved their meals, with a special shout out to the Rocket Salad. The blueberry cocktails were also very good.
(4)Russell W.
I just had the most incredible lobster ravioli. I almost did not order it because of its description. It certainly is not your main stream lobster ravioli, and I love lobster and therefore lobster ravioli. Our waiter, Cole, described how it was prepared and assured me that it was good. Well he was not entirely accurate because it was better than good, it was AWESOME.
(5)Rob M.
Stopped in for a light dinner. Great service. Bright, engaged and enthusiastic staff. The lobster bisque was insanely good. Complex flavors and a creative take on it. We will be back.
(4)Jennifer P.
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday - wow, everything was really good from the apps and entrees to the service. We had the calamari and both thought it was outstanding. I had the lobster stew - it had tons of lobster but it was a little rich so it might be better suited for a smaller portion, it only came as a bowl serving and I didn't see the option for a cup size. I couldn't finish it so my husband had the rest, not necessarily a bad thing, just something to consider. I also had one of the salads that was a special of the day - arugula, fresh mozzarella, figs and cranberry walnut croutons with a balsamic dressing. It was probably one of the best salads I've had. My husband had the haddock and mussels and thought it was great - the vegetables were perfectly cooked which is sometimes hard to achieve. All the food came out fast - no significant wait whatsoever. We had the Oreo cheesecake for dessert - excellent! All the food was exactly what the restaurant name promises- fresh. Will definitely be coming back.
(5)MA H.
Risotto? Not! Dinner at Fresh on 10/24/12 was disappointing at best. Risotto should not be on the menu if in reality it is brown rice plopped on top of some cooked spinach with some broth added on top and then garnished with slabs of Grana Padano. I make better Risotto than this weak attempt. The Chicken Pot Pie was equally disappointing for my dinner guest. Mostly filled with white potato and little chicken it was bland and tasteless. This hasn't been the only less than stellar meal from this establishment. In May of 2012 we dined there mid week and sat at our table for 45 minutes waiting for our server to bring us the bottle of wine we had ordered. Mind you we hadn't even ordered dinner yet. Our server was busy checking in with other patrons, setting tables, refilling water glasses around the restaurant, replenishing dishes at the serving station. You name it -she kept at it - basically ignoring us and the fact that we might like to eat something. You'll feel Wilted after your experience here.
(1)Inna B.
Maybe it was fresh yesterday... The fries were limp and greasy, fried clams were overwhelmed by the batter (or maybe it was all batter), the fish in fish taco was cooked to the hardness (and flavor) of cardboard. My steamers were great.
(2)Bruce B.
My wife and I ate at here for dinner and we had the best soup of the day we ever had consisting of sweet potato, curry, coconut milk and lentils. She had a chicken pot pie and I had cod and mussels. Great food and service but a little over priced.
(4)Jim M.
Once in awhile, you just want to sit down and relax with a good glass of wine and some appetizers - I seem to always have a wonderful experience at Fresh. I don't mind paying for good food. Fresh is just that. Good staff and they're always attentive.
(5)Hilary W.
We went to an early dinner and the place was pretty much empty at 5 when we walked in but the staff was friedly and eager to serve. Our server was very sweet and the food came out quickly. The mussels were amazing and served with the most amazing broth and bread. The lobster rissotto was enough for us to share and was worth the price. They had a good variety of wines and the beers were really inexpensive. I would visit again if we were in Camden.
(4)Turbo Smurf X.
Fresh could be so much more if just the owner and head chef new how to interact with their customers. The swordfish we had was out of this world and we told the waiter as much and asked him to tell the chef. The chef could have come out and said thanks, but no such luck. On the way out we asked if the owner or gm was there and wanted to say the same thing. Sorry he was busy eating his dinner. The swordfish was good, and the other dishes were good but not great. I'm just no feeling the luv.
(2)Lorelei P.
Deliciously presented, flavorful and yummy! French-American, a little Italian fusion, using locally sourced ingredients. Pommes frites cooked in duck fat - ooooo.... Black garlic aioli... Mmm! Three Allagash beers on tap! Portions are just the right size, which I'm grateful for in restaurant practices. The waitstaff were courteous and attentive. Food came quickly. This is a great restaurant, and we'll be back!
(5)Derek M.
Wish I could do 3.5 stars but I can't give it 3 that's too low. Went there after the Atlantica flopped (don't go there). Ended up salvaging our evening with a solid Tapas style meal, we hit most of app' & all were really good; not a fan of their cab's but service was very attentive & would definitely go back.
(4)Barbara W.
Yelp helped us find a place for dinner on a busy summer evening in Camden,Maine. We were seated quickly,met out server and dined on delicious meals:salad for me and lobster flat bread for my daughter. A gem off the main street with great harbor views.
(5)Maggie C.
After hearing mixed but overall positive reviews, my boyfriend and I decided to try Fresh Restaurant on one of our last nights in Camden. The servers were friendly but a little pushy about ordering alcohol / ordering quickly. Ultimately, we decided to order the Panzanella salad, he got the Grass-Fed Burger and I got the Lentil Burger. Our Panzanella never came and after we ordered, our waitress basically disappeared. Then, a different server delivered our entrees and we didn't see our waitress for another ten minutes. The food was really good -- his fries were fresh, warm and crispy. My lentil burger came with pea shoots and tzatziki. Yum. Still, the service was pretty awful... Another server came by and took our water karaf away but didn't bring us another. We were really bummed that they forgot our food and didn't think that the dessert was worth the calories or the money. We were rushed in and out of the restaurant in forty-five minutes!! I'm sure this restaurant would have been a good experience if we had enjoyed better service.
(2)Larry S.
The wide range of reviews was a concern for us when we had reservations made by the concierge at the hotel. We start off by walking in, its raining, we are early and the receptionist greets us warmly and has no issue when we asked if we could sit at a table in the bar area. We like to sit together and the hostess and waitress both "jumped" to help move the table so we could both share the bench. We really felt welcome. We enjoyed a very nice conversation with the waitress, who it turned out took our reservation and was exited to meet "us". This is a vacation area and lots of tourists stop in - and she took the time to ask about our trip and plans. Even the bill had a nice note "enjoy your vacation". Now the food was good. We enjoyed our fish meals. My wife had the haddock special and enjoyed milk sauce and corn cooked with the fish! This is small little bar, cute little place and all of the staff is friendly. Interesting note: the following evening we were in town for an outdoor play. There was a rain delay so we stopped in for a pre-show cocktail. We were treated like old friends returning. Yeah, we would go back if back in Camden. it is vacation land - chill and enjoy Fresh. PS - the bread was outstanding - baked, well , fresh!
(4)Jessica D.
After suffering another local restaurant that needs A LOT of work- Fresh has revitalized me! The service was impeccable! The food was OMG- the feta walnut appetizer is so simple and just so perfect. I had the pork loin which was prepared very quickly- moist and light flavoring to partner the sweet potato mash. There was also a bed of greens with a light cream dressing that made it all come together. We decided to wrap up with desserts and our group could not stop taking bites of each other's selections. Everything was delicious- the tiramisu was presented beautifully and the taste was even better- the best I've had in a long time. The toasted coconut ice cream had a great crunch and the saltiness of the caramel made it heavenly. If I could make that meal last forever I would. Fresh is the best restaurant!
(5)Michael M.
Great place and great service. Try the oysters they are excellent! in addition they have wonderful roasted roasted red pepper appetizer!.
(5)Robert M.
My wife and I ate at Fresh a few nights ago. She got the lobster ravioli and I got the Brazilian seafood stew. Both dishes were excellent. I have eaten at a lot of high-end restaurants all over the world, and I would say that this meal was right up there with the best of the best. The atmosphere was nice, and our waitress (Eve) was very attentive. We talked to several people we met while staying in Camden about their restaurant experiences, and everyone who had been to Fresh had the same experience that we did.
(5)Russell W.
I just had the most incredible lobster ravioli. I almost did not order it because of its description. It certainly is not your main stream lobster ravioli, and I love lobster and therefore lobster ravioli. Our waiter, Cole, described how it was prepared and assured me that it was good. Well he was not entirely accurate because it was better than good, it was AWESOME.
(5)Alise K.
We arrived in Camden around 7:30pm and decided to walk downtown to find a bite to eat. Fresh looked warm and inviting. We sat at the bar. We ordered the panzanella salad and truffled mushroom wontons. Both excellent. I had the lobster stew as my meal, it wasn't great.... Thin , milky and I had to add lots of salt and pepper. On the other hand, the vegetable risotto was wonderful. Fresh, with lots of veggies. Service was good and everyone was very friendly.
(4)Angela J.
Lovely place to have lunch in the harbor! Only a few outside tables however. The food was great, we all enjoyed our meals . The risotto with local mushrooms and crispy kale had great flavor--though lacked the true texture of risotto--- as it is famously hard to nail down perfectly ( it was a bit runny).
(3)David R.
Great food. Great service. The loud guy singing and playing guitar kept it from five stars. Too loud for such a small place.
(4)Rick S.
Overall the restaurant was very good. Nicely decorated and a good atmosphere. I had the burger which was nicely done and my wife had a crab cake with salad which was a good portion. The one thing they need to fix is that the waiters keep their cleaning rags and sprays in the front entrance next to the greeting stand. They even hang the cleaning bottle on the chair. The couple next to us mentioned this to two of the servers and the guy simply says he does not make the rules and the girl (with accent) did not take her request seriously and seems to laugh. A classy restaurant like this should pay attention to detail as this is normally what you see at a fast food restaurant.
(3)Michael B.
Fresh is exactly as its name implies. A delicious slice of homemade goodness. They may suffer from not being right on the water like other restaurants. But their lobster roll and their chicken kebab sandwiches and their burgers are as delicious as can be. They should be sure to put a screen doors so that flies do not come in to try to sample their food.
(5)Grammy L.
Fresh is a relatively new addition to the Camden dining scene . We had originally chosen it because we had invited our son & daughter-in-law to join us as the restaurant is vegan-friendly. Sadly, they had to cancel on short notice because of a sick pet. We went alone because we are leaving the area tomorrow. We started with an amazing Mediterranean appetizer of hummus,baba ganoush, an Eastern European roasted red pepper puree, and a cucumber-yogurt mix similar to Greek tatziki. Fried,salted pita quarters served as savory dippers. Next came briny local oysters with both mignonette and zippy cocktail sauce,nicely spiced. My entree was Alaskan King salmon,char grilled, with a tangy glaze that tasted like mango,steamed asparagus,snow peas,and micro greens, fried green tomatoes and a yummy corn-cheddar biscuit. My husband had Alaskan halibut with hollandaise sauce and the same fresh green vegetables Dessert was fresh strawberries with raw sugar creme anglais and espresso. The wine list is very good--we had a very nice pino grigio from an are in Italy unfamiliar to us. We will definitely return on our next trip.
(5)Peggy K.
Excellent food served by an attentive friendly wait staff. Cool, hip vibe, yet maintaining the warmth of "Downeast" We enjoyed the lobster ravioli & the Andalusian spiced pork. Beautiful presentation.
(4)Karen S.
Enjoyed dinner here at the bar Saturday night. Though one of the larger restaurants we saw (seats 215) it was booked up early. Both the vegetarian meze platter and the lobster risotto were nicely portioned and flavorful. The stainless martini glasses are a different look from what you get most everywhere else. You can make reservations for indoor seating but not for the limited outdoor tables.
(4)Paul P.
Great beer selection and an excellent, inventive, light menu with fantastic salads and a tasty seafood selection. A no brainer stop. Had haddock chowder and lobster ravioli. Super good. Server was super fun.
(5)Andy G.
When visiting a Harbor town I usually find it rather difficult to find a place that does not feature Fried, boiled, broiled or steamed fish as the main option on the menu. So I was very excited to read about Fresh in Camden on Yelp. It has a unique Mediterranean themed menu with the focus being on local ingredients. It has both outside and inside dining, the only drawback is its lack of a view of the harbor that most other restaurants in Camden feature. I visited with my wife Simone on a Monday night right after opening and beat the dinner crowd. We started of with a great tasting ( but pricey) Blueberry and Fig Sangria that was on the special board. While waiting for our food we were treated to a very good crunchy baguette with Roasted Red Pepper infused oil. For starters we split an order of forest mushroom wontons served on a bed of sweet pea puree. The wontons were crispy but not overcooked and were well seasoned with an earthy rich mushroom flavor. The richness was cut by the mildly sweet pea puree. Although the portion was somewhat small the flavor was huge and these hit the spot. For the other starter we enjoyed the Panzanella Salad. This was the first time we have tried a bread salad and it did not disappoint. A diced up crusty baguette was tossed with Olives, Capers, Plum Tomato, Roasted Peppers, Basil, scallions, sharp Sheep's cheese and Sweet Balsamic Vinegar and oil. It was a delicious combination of sweet and salty and amazingly the bread retained its crunch throughout the time it took us to eat it. For the main course Simone choose a healthy sounding Moroccan Spiced Lentil Burger served alongside Yogurt Tzatziki ,Olives, Tomatoes, Pea Shoots, Fried Kale Chip and Grilled Pita Bread. The Burger was mildly spiced with a nice crust on the outside but tender lentils on the inside. The other items on the plate were also tasty with the exception of the kale chips, although lite fried, they were very salty and basically inedible due to over seasoning. For my dish I choose the Grass-fed Skillet Burger with Sweet Onion Relish, Garlic Aioli and Fontina, on a Toasted Ciabatta Roll. It was served with homemade crunchy shoestring fries that were devoured quickly by Simone and I. The Burger tasted freshly ground and was cooked to perfect medium as I requested. It reminded me of French Onion soup in burger form. It was topped with a beefy gravy with caramelized onions and a very generous portion of creamy melted Fontina cheese. The bun was slathered in a sweet roasted garlic mayo that did not overpower the burger in flavor. The Onion relish was served on the side but I added it to my burger. It was also sweet and had an almost apple like flavor that just added another layer of flavor. This was definitely decadent top notch burger and I had all I could do to finish it ( but of course I did). The dessert menu was the perfect way to end a very good meal. For the final course we ordered Crème Brulee and Also Chocoalte Cheesecake. Both were very good. The Crème Brulee light and airy with a perfect caramel crunchy crust. The cheesecake was dense and rich and we actually couldn't finish it but enjoyed it the next day. Overall an excellent meal (minus the kale chips) but we did have a bit of sticker shock at the bill. The Sangrias put us over the 100 dollar range, so perhaps four of those drinks were not needed, still we had a very good four star experience and I would highly suggest you try Fresh. Just bring some extra cash.
(4)Scott G.
Excellent seafood (I feel one should always bias towards the specials when visiting Fresh), resonably priced, well poured drinks. Service was done with a smile but a bit slow. Ambience was OK, pricing was OK, however, the place always delivers on it's main course (which is the real goal - right) :-)
(4)Alli S.
I don't understand how this place only has three and a half stars. I've been there many times and the food is always good. The wait staff is very friendly, and the atmosphere is very cozy. Everything on the menu is interesting, but the daily specials are always consistently delicious; for dessert, try the tiramisu!
(5)Cheryl B.
Went to Fresh for lunch based on reviews on yelp plus a coworker. Had the crab cakes with grilled romaine. Was awesome. Loved the grilled romaine and the crab cakes were lightly crispy. Lobster roll was as good as any we've had this week and the duck fat fries were super yummy. The salad with the lobster roll was ok and the pickled veggies were just too sweet. Service was so so. Would recommend going here. Cute restaurant and nice outdoor dining but not on the water.
(4)matt d.
tourist trap that coasts by. I started with the Lobster Flatbread: not great, I began having reservations at this point. for my main I had the Lobster Raviloi: complete train wreck of disappointment. 5 giant pillows in a brown sauce...the ravioli were scorched on the bottom and unpleasant. the brown sauce was a mystery and not at all a creamy Italian delight. lastly they were filled with 90% cream cheese. the dish was uninspired, heavy-handed, and a waste of lobster. I've had better ravioli in China. when the waitress asked how I liked it, trying to be positive I said it's huge. she said, "Yeah, we gave you one extra because we're out of the claws it's normally served with." uhh, thanks. why even tell me?! avoid. not at all the earnest, fresh-to-table restaurant its billed as. looking at the other pics I see they're like mine -- heavy-handed messes on a plate. the mixed-up decor styles should have tipped me off (rustic wood + granite table sheik). place doesn't know what it's trying to be.
(1)Geoff And Jenni G.
We had lunch here and to say we were disappointed is an understatement; this is overpriced tourist food. This is supposed to be a mostly organic and fresh/locally sourced restaurant; typically these kinds of restaurants are a cut above... Not so "Fresh"... It's your average restaurant on the harbor unfortunately (i.e. not very good). Quite frankly we are stunned by the good reviews and wonder what sort of people think this is good quality, fresh food! We had a lobster roll and decided to try the Haddock special too... The lobster roll came with soft, cold, fries that hadn't seen fresh ever... You know the deep fried frozen kind you get in cheap restaurants... Along with the fries came ketchup in a plastic tub (a-la fast food places)... The lobster roll was bland and not worth $17... It also had lettuce in the roll... Why would anyone put lettuce in a lobster roll... Let the lobster speak for itself... Not even a fraction as good as Sprague's in Wiscasset (which is fabulous by the way).... The haddock came with a soggy batter and the piece of haddock was about 5" x 3"... I have to say the fish itself was very nice, but completely ruined by the soggy batter and meager portion. The haddock was served with lettuce that had been blacked on a grill that was obviously not clean... It tasted burned and of charcoal... On top of all that we were overcharged for the lobster roll and overcharged for a bottle of water; the server couldn't have been nicer and apologized and removed the overcharging... Overall, this is not the fresh food we were expecting from the way the restaurant represents itself and we would not recommend, nor return here...
(1)Jeff M.
We stopped in Camden for the night on our way to Bar Harbor. There were fourteen bicyclists in our tour group. We all ordered different meals and I do not think there was one plate that was not licked clean (well, not really, but...) The food was by far the best we ate on the tour, and the service was likewise. I am pretty sure our waitress was a goddess in disguise.
(5)Clayton E.
Don't believe the bad reviews. We came here on a very cold February Saturday night and it was the only place in town that was full to capacity. Our server was great and we loved the pecan encrusted scallops. We also enjoyed a warm kale salad and fabulous desert from their bakery. One weird thing was they don't put salt and pepper shakers on the table. Also many of the tables are close together but we lucked out and got a booth.
(4)Cheryl B.
Went to Fresh for lunch based on reviews on yelp plus a coworker. Had the crab cakes with grilled romaine. Was awesome. Loved the grilled romaine and the crab cakes were lightly crispy. Lobster roll was as good as any we've had this week and the duck fat fries were super yummy. The salad with the lobster roll was ok and the pickled veggies were just too sweet. Service was so so. Would recommend going here. Cute restaurant and nice outdoor dining but not on the water.
(4)Alli S.
I don't understand how this place only has three and a half stars. I've been there many times and the food is always good. The wait staff is very friendly, and the atmosphere is very cozy. Everything on the menu is interesting, but the daily specials are always consistently delicious; for dessert, try the tiramisu!
(5)matt d.
tourist trap that coasts by. I started with the Lobster Flatbread: not great, I began having reservations at this point. for my main I had the Lobster Raviloi: complete train wreck of disappointment. 5 giant pillows in a brown sauce...the ravioli were scorched on the bottom and unpleasant. the brown sauce was a mystery and not at all a creamy Italian delight. lastly they were filled with 90% cream cheese. the dish was uninspired, heavy-handed, and a waste of lobster. I've had better ravioli in China. when the waitress asked how I liked it, trying to be positive I said it's huge. she said, "Yeah, we gave you one extra because we're out of the claws it's normally served with." uhh, thanks. why even tell me?! avoid. not at all the earnest, fresh-to-table restaurant its billed as. looking at the other pics I see they're like mine -- heavy-handed messes on a plate. the mixed-up decor styles should have tipped me off (rustic wood + granite table sheik). place doesn't know what it's trying to be.
(1)Geoff And Jenni G.
We had lunch here and to say we were disappointed is an understatement; this is overpriced tourist food. This is supposed to be a mostly organic and fresh/locally sourced restaurant; typically these kinds of restaurants are a cut above... Not so "Fresh"... It's your average restaurant on the harbor unfortunately (i.e. not very good). Quite frankly we are stunned by the good reviews and wonder what sort of people think this is good quality, fresh food! We had a lobster roll and decided to try the Haddock special too... The lobster roll came with soft, cold, fries that hadn't seen fresh ever... You know the deep fried frozen kind you get in cheap restaurants... Along with the fries came ketchup in a plastic tub (a-la fast food places)... The lobster roll was bland and not worth $17... It also had lettuce in the roll... Why would anyone put lettuce in a lobster roll... Let the lobster speak for itself... Not even a fraction as good as Sprague's in Wiscasset (which is fabulous by the way).... The haddock came with a soggy batter and the piece of haddock was about 5" x 3"... I have to say the fish itself was very nice, but completely ruined by the soggy batter and meager portion. The haddock was served with lettuce that had been blacked on a grill that was obviously not clean... It tasted burned and of charcoal... On top of all that we were overcharged for the lobster roll and overcharged for a bottle of water; the server couldn't have been nicer and apologized and removed the overcharging... Overall, this is not the fresh food we were expecting from the way the restaurant represents itself and we would not recommend, nor return here...
(1)Jeff M.
We stopped in Camden for the night on our way to Bar Harbor. There were fourteen bicyclists in our tour group. We all ordered different meals and I do not think there was one plate that was not licked clean (well, not really, but...) The food was by far the best we ate on the tour, and the service was likewise. I am pretty sure our waitress was a goddess in disguise.
(5)Clayton E.
Don't believe the bad reviews. We came here on a very cold February Saturday night and it was the only place in town that was full to capacity. Our server was great and we loved the pecan encrusted scallops. We also enjoyed a warm kale salad and fabulous desert from their bakery. One weird thing was they don't put salt and pepper shakers on the table. Also many of the tables are close together but we lucked out and got a booth.
(4)Robert M.
My wife and I ate at Fresh a few nights ago. She got the lobster ravioli and I got the Brazilian seafood stew. Both dishes were excellent. I have eaten at a lot of high-end restaurants all over the world, and I would say that this meal was right up there with the best of the best. The atmosphere was nice, and our waitress (Eve) was very attentive. We talked to several people we met while staying in Camden about their restaurant experiences, and everyone who had been to Fresh had the same experience that we did.
(5)Sallie J.
My husband and I are visiting Camden for the first time and after a day of exploring were excited to try Fresh for dinner. Overall the experience was disappointing. While the wait staff was attentive and professional, the food was lacking in taste and quality. We ordered Lobster Risotto and a Gorgonzola Crusted Sirloin. The lobster dish was overly watery and moist and resembled more of a lobster stew without much taste except for the whole peppercorns littered throughout the dish. The lobster was chewy and tasteless. Ugh! The sirloin was not a great cut of meat and had gristle throughout. The steak also lacked in flavor; however, the cheese topping the steak was tasty. In addition to the poor taste and quality, the meal was extremely expressive at nearly $30 a piece. Any where else a meal of that quality would have been under $20.00.
(1)Sarah A.
Really excellent food, but the service here was sub-par and detracted a bit from our experience. I'll start with the positives, the food! The name of this place really says it all, everything was remarkable fresh. My family and I started with salads and we were all very pleased with these. I had a delicious special salad with breaded goat cheese slices, lots of blueberries and raspberries and a nice frisee. The berries were all very fresh and the goat cheese was delightfully still warm when my salad reached the table. My Dad enjoyed his wedge salad, which consisted of four small wedges that could have been fused together into one small head of lettuce. We also enjoyed some bread and olive oil. For the entree I had the salmon, which was lightly breaded and served with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. This was definitely a nice presentation and again, very fresh. My Dad had the lobster ravioli, which was superb and a huge portion. The ravioli was perhaps the largest I've ever seen! And, the bits of lobster were quite large and delicious. The sauce is both sweet and a little spicy. The dish is a bit messy (perhaps the could serve it on a larger plate) and some lobster sauce spilled on to the table. I passed on the dessert, but sampled a bit of my Dad's chocolate cake, which was okay, but nothing to rave about. The only thing that bothered us here is that after we finished our entrees, the service really deteriorated. Our waitress never cleaned up the sauce that spilled after clearing the plates, and instead, sat the dessert plate right on top of it! I'd definitely go back here, but I'd advise going at a non-peak time. I think the restaurant got really busy around 7 pm, which is when the service started to tank. Very happy, however, with the food.
(4)Jeff H.
The service was great, very family friendly. The food was delicious although the tried a bit too hard at times. Taking an overly fancy spin on local fare -- but yummy none the less. The desserts were good -- but the blueberry pie was AMAZING. The staff was very friendly and ultra helpful.
(4)Whitney C.
Hands down one of my favorite restaurants in the Camden area and my choice for birthday dinner. I love the Mediterranean twist on a lot of their dishes and their focus to serving healthy, fresh, and tasty food. My favorite dishes are the Diver Scallops and Salmon from the summer menu, though their counterparts on the winter menu look delicious as well. I've had the falafel as an appetizer (because none of the calories you eat on your birthday count and it's perfectly fine to have two meals in one), and I haven't had the same experience as some of the other reviewers. The falafel I had were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They were a little on the dry side, but nothing some hummus can't fix. They also had a kick to them that I wasn't expecting, which was enjoyable. I definitely recommend this place, especially if you're a fan of fresh, local food.
(4)Grace W.
Not exactly sure why there are so many bad reviews here. This place closes at 9pm and we were hungry when we got into Camden from MA. We stepped in at 8:50pm and the staff was helpful and eager to serve us. I ordered half-dozen raw oysters and a cup of soup. My partner ordered a bowl of the lobster soup. All of the food was delectable and we ended up staying until 9:30pm. Since there was bread from the day, we also got to take home some of the special rosemary bread. It could be that the food we ordered was well prepared ahead of time so there was time to get it just right. Overall, we were very satisfied and felt that this restaurant in Camden was a wonderful gem so we plan on going back.
(5)Meg S.
I was a little skeptical with all the negative reviews, but we had a lovely lunch at the Fresh bakery! The staff was charismatic and very attentive. The sandwiches were delicious (we got a Turkey-Cheddar Avocado and a Turkey-Bacon-Spinach-Swiss). The soup of the day (french onion) wasn't fab- a little cheese would have fixed that! The selection of root beers was quite impressive. Not a lot of sitting room, but it was nice and cozy. I'm sure it's gorgeous in the summer.
(4)Jeffrey K.
Lived in Maine my whole life and this is by far the WORST seafood I have ever eaten. $25 for three scollops, give me a break! The lobster stew was watery and the rest of the meal was very salty. I should have known we were in for a rough meal when the waitress couldn't remember a three item order. Save you money and eat at McLaughlins next to the ferry terminal.
(1)Bryce W.
Camden has some great places in the downtown area and this place is one of them. It is nice inside, but like everywhere else in Camden everyone is a tourist so do not worry about a dress code. I went with a group straight from an intense bowling competition and the elder of the group was wearing the classic high white socks and too large t-shirt outfit, and fit right in. No one in the group ordered an entree, but if you check in on yelp you get a buy two get one 1/2 off coupon. I had the Tuscan Burger. The "Curtis Meats" burger is topped with fresh heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and pesto with a side of fresh cut fries. I would recommend any of the burgers as my group had all of them and they were all excellent. Do not go on Wednesday night if you want to drink. They get their delivery on Thursday and were out of several wines and beers including PBR, which the elder was not happy about. He gave the server a scolding though on the value of stocking an all-American beer like PBR, so they may have corrected this issue by time you go here.
(3)Jason D.
My family and I ate here on two seperate occasions, for dinner and again for lunch. Excellent fish! Great service and very friendly.
(5)Daniel H.
The banana and chocolate chip muffin was tremendous. The bacon and cheddar scone was so good my southern girlfriend compared it to the best biscuits she's ever had. The free bread sample was worth fresh out of the oven and delicious. Didn't try the restaurant thought.
(4)Rick A.
It's a very nice little place and unfortunately I listened to the very friendly waitress who suggested the best meal I will ever eat would be the special poached halibut in a garden risotto . The fish was totally bland and the risotto was ok, lobster ravioli was just fried wonton noodles with a very small split lobster tail and very spicy. Would give it another try but be apprehensive about it!
(2)A P.
Stopped in for dinner Sunday evening. Wonderful experience - delicious food, excellent service, and relaxing atmosphere. We enjoyed the crab cakes and lobster ravioli. Will definitely return to Fresh on our next visit to Camden.
(5)Michael K.
We stayed for one night in Camden on our way up the coast of Maine. Having only one night to find a good meal can often be a hit or miss experience, particularly when you are in a summer season town filled with choices. My fiancé was looking for "something different", and after rejecting the fare choices at "Atlantica", we saw "Fresh", she suggested we check it out. What a great choice! Five stars you wonder? Well - without any flaws in our meal, and good, friendly service, why not? We skipped the appetizer, and opted for the house salad and the pan seared chicken with local vegetables. Salad was wonderful with a balsamic dressing that was tasty, not overpowering, the chicken was superb! A nice blend of herbs, which lent a great flavor to the entire dish. The bread and oil served with the table was also very tasteful. We liked the fact that the restaurant serves up what they can of the local produce, and does it very well. If we are eating in Camden again, I think this will be our destination!
(5)Elaine W.
We came to Camden later in the evening and decided to try this restaurants as the others were very busy. The fact that Fresh was not busy was an initial concern - but that concern evaporated as soon as we entered the restaurant. The staff could not have been more welcoming - from the hostess, to the person who seated us, and finally the waitress. For an appetizer we shared the tomato and mozzarella Napoleon Salad. The tomatoes were incredibly flavorful - clearly direct from a farm. The fresh greens, pesto, mozzarella and drizzle of balsamic vinegar were also amazing. For our entrees we ordered the Organic Siracha Glazed Salmon & Lentil burger. Though not as spicy as anticipated, the salmon was perfectly cooked and excellent. The fish was well complimented by the creamy sweet potatoes and roasted asparagus. Though a bit leery of the Lentil Burger (a more unusual dish), the flavors were just great. Again, the fresh arugula salad and heirloom tomatoes were a wonderful compliment to the overall meal. The burger was moist, with a great spicy Moroccan flavor. Just perfect. The meal was topped off with 2 locally brewed draught beer - both recommendations from the friendly and attentive waitress. Should we every be passing this way again, we certainly will stop and and eat at Fresh again.
(5)Michael O.
A fairly new new restaurant at the Camden Harbor. Clean and appealing with a nice outdoor eating area. I ate indoors on Memorial Day weekend because the evenings are still a bit cool and indoor reward was a very good musician/singer. It definitely made the meal enjoyable. My entre was one of the less expensive on the menu. The chicken pot pie which came with a small side salad, listed as a Fresh classic was delicious but left room for dessert. I left feeling it was good and fresh but a little pricey.
(4)Julie W.
Back in June I stumbled upon Fresh while on a trip up to mid-coast Maine, where I have a cottage. There is no shortage of great seafood in Maine, but Fresh is a step above - I had the best crab bisque I've ever eaten in my life! The service is lovely, the presentation fabulous, and the locally sourced olive oil was a really nice touch. If you are in Camden to see the sights and shop at the galleries, skip the tourist traps and eat at Fresh, I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
(5)Thereasa F.
I was so hopeful for this place. We sat down, had a good meal, and 6 hours later my mother was awake puking her guts out after eating the cioppino. We should have known better than to order it on a Sunday night... I called the next day to ask about it/tell them that the needed to check on their fish, and was told that food poisoning sets in within 30 minutes, not 6 hours and that the flu had been going around. Lovely way to treat or respond to a claim of safety to your patrons. Thumbs down!
(1)MA H.
Risotto? Not! Dinner at Fresh on 10/24/12 was disappointing at best. Risotto should not be on the menu if in reality it is brown rice plopped on top of some cooked spinach with some broth added on top and then garnished with slabs of Grana Padano. I make better Risotto than this weak attempt. The Chicken Pot Pie was equally disappointing for my dinner guest. Mostly filled with white potato and little chicken it was bland and tasteless. This hasn't been the only less than stellar meal from this establishment. In May of 2012 we dined there mid week and sat at our table for 45 minutes waiting for our server to bring us the bottle of wine we had ordered. Mind you we hadn't even ordered dinner yet. Our server was busy checking in with other patrons, setting tables, refilling water glasses around the restaurant, replenishing dishes at the serving station. You name it -she kept at it - basically ignoring us and the fact that we might like to eat something. You'll feel Wilted after your experience here.
(1)Inna B.
Maybe it was fresh yesterday... The fries were limp and greasy, fried clams were overwhelmed by the batter (or maybe it was all batter), the fish in fish taco was cooked to the hardness (and flavor) of cardboard. My steamers were great.
(2)Bruce B.
My wife and I ate at here for dinner and we had the best soup of the day we ever had consisting of sweet potato, curry, coconut milk and lentils. She had a chicken pot pie and I had cod and mussels. Great food and service but a little over priced.
(4)Jim M.
Once in awhile, you just want to sit down and relax with a good glass of wine and some appetizers - I seem to always have a wonderful experience at Fresh. I don't mind paying for good food. Fresh is just that. Good staff and they're always attentive.
(5)Hilary W.
We went to an early dinner and the place was pretty much empty at 5 when we walked in but the staff was friedly and eager to serve. Our server was very sweet and the food came out quickly. The mussels were amazing and served with the most amazing broth and bread. The lobster rissotto was enough for us to share and was worth the price. They had a good variety of wines and the beers were really inexpensive. I would visit again if we were in Camden.
(4)Turbo Smurf X.
Fresh could be so much more if just the owner and head chef new how to interact with their customers. The swordfish we had was out of this world and we told the waiter as much and asked him to tell the chef. The chef could have come out and said thanks, but no such luck. On the way out we asked if the owner or gm was there and wanted to say the same thing. Sorry he was busy eating his dinner. The swordfish was good, and the other dishes were good but not great. I'm just no feeling the luv.
(2)Rob M.
Stopped in for a light dinner. Great service. Bright, engaged and enthusiastic staff. The lobster bisque was insanely good. Complex flavors and a creative take on it. We will be back.
(4)Jennifer P.
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday - wow, everything was really good from the apps and entrees to the service. We had the calamari and both thought it was outstanding. I had the lobster stew - it had tons of lobster but it was a little rich so it might be better suited for a smaller portion, it only came as a bowl serving and I didn't see the option for a cup size. I couldn't finish it so my husband had the rest, not necessarily a bad thing, just something to consider. I also had one of the salads that was a special of the day - arugula, fresh mozzarella, figs and cranberry walnut croutons with a balsamic dressing. It was probably one of the best salads I've had. My husband had the haddock and mussels and thought it was great - the vegetables were perfectly cooked which is sometimes hard to achieve. All the food came out fast - no significant wait whatsoever. We had the Oreo cheesecake for dessert - excellent! All the food was exactly what the restaurant name promises- fresh. Will definitely be coming back.
(5)Alex G.
Solid, fresh, healthy lunch with pleasant service. My wife's chicken gyro - a large, pita style flat bread with chunks of white meat, spiced chicken, peppers, with a side of tabouli and tzatziki - was a nice size portion and extremely tasty. My wife absolutely loved it. My teen son's crab cakes were extremely fresh and delicious, but he found a number of pieces of crab shell in it, which was somewhat disconcerting. Still, he said it was among the best crab cakes he had ever eaten. My fish lettuce wraps consisted of lightly seasoned, sautéed fish pieces (haddock?), served with large lettuce "wraps," tabouli salad, white bean hummus, and tzatziki. My only complaint was that the lettuce was the dark green, somewhat wilted airplane lettuce that wasn't right for the "wrap.". They need to use either iceberg, Boston, or Bibb lettuce - no one likes the dark, thin wimpy lettuce. Still, the fish was tasty and I ate all the sides. They obviously made each dish fresh to order, and certainly care about their patrons. Solid three star lunch destination, and I'd return on my next trip to Camden.
(3)Sam G.
My wife and I had a terrible experience eating at Fresh on a recent visit to Camden. First, the staff seemed very disorganized, almost as if there were no one in charge. Second, the food was very badly cooked. My wife ordered salmon, and made a point of asking them to leave it on the rare side. I ordered flat-iron steak, which I requested medium rare to medium. Both dishes arrived very well done -- my wife's salmon was completely overcooked and my steak was brown/gray all the way through without even a hint of pink. We reluctantly sent both dishes back -- something I rarely ever do. The new dishes came back about 15-20 minutes later, and unbelievably, both were completely overcooked again. My wife's salmon appeared to be a particularly nasty cut of fish and was inedible. We sent both dishes back, paid for our drinks and appetizers and left. I've never done anything like that before, but it was just so bad. The first mistake I chalked up to incompetence, but the second one seemed like spite!
(1)Larry S.
The wide range of reviews was a concern for us when we had reservations made by the concierge at the hotel. We start off by walking in, its raining, we are early and the receptionist greets us warmly and has no issue when we asked if we could sit at a table in the bar area. We like to sit together and the hostess and waitress both "jumped" to help move the table so we could both share the bench. We really felt welcome. We enjoyed a very nice conversation with the waitress, who it turned out took our reservation and was exited to meet "us". This is a vacation area and lots of tourists stop in - and she took the time to ask about our trip and plans. Even the bill had a nice note "enjoy your vacation". Now the food was good. We enjoyed our fish meals. My wife had the haddock special and enjoyed milk sauce and corn cooked with the fish! This is small little bar, cute little place and all of the staff is friendly. Interesting note: the following evening we were in town for an outdoor play. There was a rain delay so we stopped in for a pre-show cocktail. We were treated like old friends returning. Yeah, we would go back if back in Camden. it is vacation land - chill and enjoy Fresh. PS - the bread was outstanding - baked, well , fresh!
(4)Jessica D.
After suffering another local restaurant that needs A LOT of work- Fresh has revitalized me! The service was impeccable! The food was OMG- the feta walnut appetizer is so simple and just so perfect. I had the pork loin which was prepared very quickly- moist and light flavoring to partner the sweet potato mash. There was also a bed of greens with a light cream dressing that made it all come together. We decided to wrap up with desserts and our group could not stop taking bites of each other's selections. Everything was delicious- the tiramisu was presented beautifully and the taste was even better- the best I've had in a long time. The toasted coconut ice cream had a great crunch and the saltiness of the caramel made it heavenly. If I could make that meal last forever I would. Fresh is the best restaurant!
(5)Michael M.
Great place and great service. Try the oysters they are excellent! in addition they have wonderful roasted roasted red pepper appetizer!.
(5)Rick S.
Overall the restaurant was very good. Nicely decorated and a good atmosphere. I had the burger which was nicely done and my wife had a crab cake with salad which was a good portion. The one thing they need to fix is that the waiters keep their cleaning rags and sprays in the front entrance next to the greeting stand. They even hang the cleaning bottle on the chair. The couple next to us mentioned this to two of the servers and the guy simply says he does not make the rules and the girl (with accent) did not take her request seriously and seems to laugh. A classy restaurant like this should pay attention to detail as this is normally what you see at a fast food restaurant.
(3)Michael B.
Fresh is exactly as its name implies. A delicious slice of homemade goodness. They may suffer from not being right on the water like other restaurants. But their lobster roll and their chicken kebab sandwiches and their burgers are as delicious as can be. They should be sure to put a screen doors so that flies do not come in to try to sample their food.
(5)Angelica T.
I love places that have such great customer service as it is one of the first things I remember about it. It was a pretty busy night and we had to wait about 15-20 minutes. The hostess was very considerate, checking in on us and updating us on the time-frame. We appreciated that very much. The decor was cool and comfortable. I got the sloppy joe and my boyfriend got the burger. Both came with potatoes on the side, and both were very good. Our server was attentive and checked in on us enough. I especially liked that he gave us refills on drinks right away without being asked. Overall a good experience.
(5)Mike M.
My family and I had lunch at Fresh on 7/3 and dinner on 7/4. Both experiences were fantastic. We have a seven year old and one year old so dining out presents its challenges. From jump street the whole staff was beyond friendly and accommodating to our needs. The bread was fresh and the olive oil that accompanied it was delicious and I believe proprietary. My wife had the haddock sandwich, I had the hangar steak, and our seven year old had lobster. All of us agreed that it was the best meal we'd had in quite some time. The recipes are simple enough where the chef doesn't get in the way of the local ingredients, which are the star. It was so nice to be 700 miles away from home and be so welcomed and treated to such a fantastic meal.
(5)Nick P.
fantastic! went here for my anniversary with my girlfriend. fantastic food (lobster ravioli and curried lentils) that was beautifully presented, a live performer who was fantastic, and an extremely friendly waitress. very homely atmosphere. would definitely come back.
(5)Andy G.
When visiting a Harbor town I usually find it rather difficult to find a place that does not feature Fried, boiled, broiled or steamed fish as the main option on the menu. So I was very excited to read about Fresh in Camden on Yelp. It has a unique Mediterranean themed menu with the focus being on local ingredients. It has both outside and inside dining, the only drawback is its lack of a view of the harbor that most other restaurants in Camden feature. I visited with my wife Simone on a Monday night right after opening and beat the dinner crowd. We started of with a great tasting ( but pricey) Blueberry and Fig Sangria that was on the special board. While waiting for our food we were treated to a very good crunchy baguette with Roasted Red Pepper infused oil. For starters we split an order of forest mushroom wontons served on a bed of sweet pea puree. The wontons were crispy but not overcooked and were well seasoned with an earthy rich mushroom flavor. The richness was cut by the mildly sweet pea puree. Although the portion was somewhat small the flavor was huge and these hit the spot. For the other starter we enjoyed the Panzanella Salad. This was the first time we have tried a bread salad and it did not disappoint. A diced up crusty baguette was tossed with Olives, Capers, Plum Tomato, Roasted Peppers, Basil, scallions, sharp Sheep's cheese and Sweet Balsamic Vinegar and oil. It was a delicious combination of sweet and salty and amazingly the bread retained its crunch throughout the time it took us to eat it. For the main course Simone choose a healthy sounding Moroccan Spiced Lentil Burger served alongside Yogurt Tzatziki ,Olives, Tomatoes, Pea Shoots, Fried Kale Chip and Grilled Pita Bread. The Burger was mildly spiced with a nice crust on the outside but tender lentils on the inside. The other items on the plate were also tasty with the exception of the kale chips, although lite fried, they were very salty and basically inedible due to over seasoning. For my dish I choose the Grass-fed Skillet Burger with Sweet Onion Relish, Garlic Aioli and Fontina, on a Toasted Ciabatta Roll. It was served with homemade crunchy shoestring fries that were devoured quickly by Simone and I. The Burger tasted freshly ground and was cooked to perfect medium as I requested. It reminded me of French Onion soup in burger form. It was topped with a beefy gravy with caramelized onions and a very generous portion of creamy melted Fontina cheese. The bun was slathered in a sweet roasted garlic mayo that did not overpower the burger in flavor. The Onion relish was served on the side but I added it to my burger. It was also sweet and had an almost apple like flavor that just added another layer of flavor. This was definitely decadent top notch burger and I had all I could do to finish it ( but of course I did). The dessert menu was the perfect way to end a very good meal. For the final course we ordered Crème Brulee and Also Chocoalte Cheesecake. Both were very good. The Crème Brulee light and airy with a perfect caramel crunchy crust. The cheesecake was dense and rich and we actually couldn't finish it but enjoyed it the next day. Overall an excellent meal (minus the kale chips) but we did have a bit of sticker shock at the bill. The Sangrias put us over the 100 dollar range, so perhaps four of those drinks were not needed, still we had a very good four star experience and I would highly suggest you try Fresh. Just bring some extra cash.
(4)Scott G.
Excellent seafood (I feel one should always bias towards the specials when visiting Fresh), resonably priced, well poured drinks. Service was done with a smile but a bit slow. Ambience was OK, pricing was OK, however, the place always delivers on it's main course (which is the real goal - right) :-)
(4)Naeem M.
Stopped here for lunch on the way to Bat Harbor along US 1...we tried to find a place with a Harbor view but everything was packed...Fresh was tucked away on a side street and was not crowded and with a relaxing atmosphere. A town parking lot is located a block away. We had the lobster roll special, which came with duck fat fries and an arugula salad for ($23) as well as the fried oyster po boy on mufaletta (for $10). Service was quick and friendly and portion sizes were sizable...the lobster roll was very filling but not as good as the po boy, which was also a great value. Overall, a great place to get lunch if you need a break from traffic on US 1!
(4)Peg K.
Ate at the Fresh with friends and we all thought the food was very under seasoned. My burger was fair but the truffle fries were very disappointing I could barely taste any truffle flavor at all. My friends that ordered the chowder said there was plenty of seafood but no flavor, like warm milk. Chicken pie was passable. The service was pleasant, knowledgeable and good,the bread was great.
(2)Westie W.
We made advance reservations but based on the number of tables occupied and the location where we were seated I would conclude none was necessary or made a difference. My wife ordered lamb moussaka - crusted eggplant, San Marzano ragu, nigella bechamel and shaved feta. The skewered lamb was small in terms of both quality and quantity while the moussaka proved to be too rich for her. I fared better with moqueca - a Brazilian stew of haddock, salmon, mussels, clams, coconut milk, palm oil, lime, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and rice.
(3)Lecia S.
Excellent food, great service. It's small so you should put in a reservation. A must eat in Camden
(5)Pavlin M.
If you are looking for great food and fantastic place near the water, alongside with very good service, this is the place to be. The menu has a great Mediterranean twist to your otherwise typical Maine classic food. If i am ever back in Camden, Maine, will definitely be back there to visit this jewel. The owner of the place was so very welcoming and made us feel right at home.
(5)Danielle R.
This is now our go-to restaurant in Camden! Such a cute and quaint spot, great atmosphere. Walked in on Sunday night and the place was packed! We had a 20 minute wait for a table and there was room at the bar, so we posted up. The Bartender was attentive and extremely knowledgable about local brews. They had a good selection of liquors, wines and local beers to choose from. Less than 20 minutes later we were being seated. Our waitress Dana was awesome! We ordered a bottle of wine and she made sure to always keep our glasses (both water and wine) full at all times. For appetizer we chose the 12 raw oysters (which we great) and the BlueFIn Tuna Tataki (also great). My hubs ordered one of the specials, crab encrusted halibut over a house made fettuccine. He loved it, the fish was cooked beautifully and the flavors were on point. It had a dill taste to it, so complimentary to everything on the plate. I ordered the lobster ravioli. I was warned when I ordered it that it is not traditional lobster ravs, that it's more of an oriental style...which I love so, I went for it. It came with about 3 or 4 huge "raviolis," served with little tomatoes, snap pea pods, scallions and spinach, all topped with half of a lobster tail! The ravs were more like a lobster rangoon (think crab rangoon but with lobster) but more lobster than any other "filling". The sauce made the dish, sweet with a little kick and garlic. It was so amazing! I will be back for this for sure! The portions were huge, I actually ended up sharing it with my husband. Needless to say, even thought we both received huge plates of delicious food, both our plates were cleaned. So glad to have found this spot!!
(5)Susan V.
My family (3 people) and I have been coming to Camden for years and always stop by Fresh for a meal. We tried to go this year but were told we needed a reservation. It was 5pm and the restaurant was empty. We were told they could fit us in at 6:30. The hostess was snotty and rude - and took a call while we were waiting to catch her attention. We walked 500 yards to Atlantica, were seated promptly and had a view of the Bay. I suggest the staff at Fresh take a lesson in customer service. There are many restaurants in Camden that people can chose from - no one likes to be treated poorly.
(1)Lawrence C.
Very nice food, bad service. After our group of 3 was seated for our 7:30 dinner reservations we were ignored for 25 minutes - finally went up to the bar to order drinks when passing servers said we were not their table and the hostess had disappeared. Finally the guy behind the bar found us a server. The Moqueca brazilian stew was quite good, but for the total experience there are better choices in Camden.
(3)Christina S.
Good appetizer and drinks, very poor service. We asked to order the crispy green bean app on the menu placed outside because it wasn't on the menu at the table. (That was why we came in. ) She acted confused and said she would check. She came back and said it was fine, we ordered drinks and another app. She had no idea what liquors were available and didn't offer to go ask when I asked what rums/vodkas were available. We got our 2nd app, no green beans. She asked if we wanted to order and we told her just apps for now. Hubby went without a beer for 20 minutes. When she finally came back, we ask where the green beans were and she said she'd check. She came back and said "we can do that". We were confused as we'd ordered them when we first sat down. So we said we were all set, we'd just take a check. Then she was very irritated with us. She never came back. She came out 3 times, spoke to other tables and ignored us. Finally she came and cleared our plates and asked us if we were all set. We'd been sitting there for 20 minutes work no drinks or food. At one point my husband saw her come out, glare at us, shake her head, and walk back inside. Her name was Ev. Hopefully she was busy having a bad night. Would have liked to try more based on the reviews but our server was horrible. :-(
(2)Mark P.
Salmon with Jerusalem couscous and sauteed green beans was incredibly satisfying. Service was excellent, and the restaurant was cosy. All in all, I'd recommend a visit. Note they are open until 8:30, not 7pm as the review says.
(4)Susan H.
The restaurant is named Fresh and that is a perfect description . The decor is clean and simple. The tables had fresh yellow roses on them. This was not your cookie cutter Maine restaurant. I had a lobster stuffed halibut special which was generous in portion and so delicious. My husband had lamb moussaka. He raved about it. Our waitress, Evelyn was excellent. You could watch the chef prepare the meals from our table, which was interesting. They also had live music . The experience couldn't have been better!
(5)Audrey S.
Wow. what a great meal for lunch. Crab cake BLT and dinner chicken was fantastic. So glad I stumbled upon this place and would definitely come again when in town. Wait staff was very attentive.
(4)Paige K.
Fresh Restaurant was quite good and a nice difference from the other food in the area, serving mostly Mediterranean fare in a seafood area. My mom got Lamb Moussaka, I got the Pork Chop and my dad had the salmon. My mom absolutely loved the Lamb Moussaka and claimed it was very authentic. My dad found the salmon to be okay, but was not overly impressed and I thought the Pork Chop was a little overseasoned on the crust. Everyone said mine looked the best, but the most impressive part was the succotash hands down. We also got "around the world" dip and pita and it was quite good. I did find the food to be overall good, but it did not blow my mind as I hoped it would. The wine was also just alright based on the recommendation of the server. Overall, what I found to be an average meal. We also had the green tea cheesecake with Maine blueberries. Again, not incredible, not bad. I would recommend going here if you need a change of pace in your eating, but wouldn't base your whole trip on it!
(3)K Y.
Fresh is my current favorite on midcoast Maine, every app and entree I've tried has been exceptional. The drinks are great including the wine list. Try the white blend from Turkey and don't miss the tuna appetizer, good job guys!
(5)Ross B.
A wonderful surprise on the public landing in Camden. It's been there for a while but we just tried it out and enjoyed it from one end of the dinner to the other and then came back and doubled down on this neat eatery. My son-in-law and I shared a plate of six Weskeag River oysters and wished we had each had a full portion--an error we corrected on our subsequent visit. Atlantic salmon is usually no big deal but when poached in avocado oil and cooked to a turn, it became a memorable dish. With three little ones, we were concerned that adult delights might have no appeal to kids. How wrong we were: great kid food like burgers and chicken fingers are made here with the same care as the adult grub. Highly recommended
(4)Ashley P.
Great restaurant recommended by our inn owners while visiting Camden. The food was excellent. We started with a roasted goat feta and pecan starter followed with the fried lobster ravioli and the Mediterranean mezze entrées. Hands down the best ravioli. 2 large overstuffed lobster ravioli bursting with lobster and topped with a small lobster. The ambiance was cute and would definitely return when in the area or recommend for someone visiting.
(5)David A.
Excelent food and service (well above the norm - top shelf) at a fair price. Small and personal. Nice location with on street parking surrounded by interesting shops. My 10 year old twins found food that they loved - that's a big bonus.
(5)Don W.
Could anything have gone better at Fresh? We had dinner there a few nights ago and the answer was no, nothing could have gone better. Well, maybe it would have been a good idea for us to show up hungry enough for appetizers, but I can't hold Fresh responsible for that. We had the Lobster Risotto and the Seafood Stew, and they were amazing. We had walked around Camden looking at menus and of all the restaurants that were open on a Sunday night, Fresh was by far the most interesting. We weren't disappointed. The food was amazing, our server got everything right, and the restaurant was really clean. I'd go back any time.
(5)Norma H.
Had a wonderful dinner! My husband had the salmon and I had the Mediterranean Sloppy Joe. Delicious! Delightful environment and pleasant staff. Will definitely return again if we are in the area.
(5)Two Wise R.
The value here is good. We got hummus and pita, lobster risotto, and the haddock special. We also got a few glasses of wine. The risotto was nowhere near what a risotto should be but it was still delicious. It was way too cheesy for a risotto but you can't go wrong with melted cheese and we really liked it. The haddock had really good flavors and the fingerling potatoes went really well with the lemony flavor of the dish. The service was definitely a bit slow but we weren't in a rush so we didn't mind. We enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Great place!
(4)Kelly R.
My family vacationed in Camden in June 2015 and had lunch here one day. The Fresh Burger was delicious and I recommend getting the Duck Fat Flat Fries with it. I'm not a fan of the pickled green tomatoes that come with the entrees. Everyone loved their meals, with a special shout out to the Rocket Salad. The blueberry cocktails were also very good.
(4)Russell W.
I just had the most incredible lobster ravioli. I almost did not order it because of its description. It certainly is not your main stream lobster ravioli, and I love lobster and therefore lobster ravioli. Our waiter, Cole, described how it was prepared and assured me that it was good. Well he was not entirely accurate because it was better than good, it was AWESOME.
(5)Alise K.
We arrived in Camden around 7:30pm and decided to walk downtown to find a bite to eat. Fresh looked warm and inviting. We sat at the bar. We ordered the panzanella salad and truffled mushroom wontons. Both excellent. I had the lobster stew as my meal, it wasn't great.... Thin , milky and I had to add lots of salt and pepper. On the other hand, the vegetable risotto was wonderful. Fresh, with lots of veggies. Service was good and everyone was very friendly.
(4)Angela J.
Lovely place to have lunch in the harbor! Only a few outside tables however. The food was great, we all enjoyed our meals . The risotto with local mushrooms and crispy kale had great flavor--though lacked the true texture of risotto--- as it is famously hard to nail down perfectly ( it was a bit runny).
(3)David R.
Great food. Great service. The loud guy singing and playing guitar kept it from five stars. Too loud for such a small place.
(4)Lorelei P.
Deliciously presented, flavorful and yummy! French-American, a little Italian fusion, using locally sourced ingredients. Pommes frites cooked in duck fat - ooooo.... Black garlic aioli... Mmm! Three Allagash beers on tap! Portions are just the right size, which I'm grateful for in restaurant practices. The waitstaff were courteous and attentive. Food came quickly. This is a great restaurant, and we'll be back!
(5)Derek M.
Wish I could do 3.5 stars but I can't give it 3 that's too low. Went there after the Atlantica flopped (don't go there). Ended up salvaging our evening with a solid Tapas style meal, we hit most of app' & all were really good; not a fan of their cab's but service was very attentive & would definitely go back.
(4)Barbara W.
Yelp helped us find a place for dinner on a busy summer evening in Camden,Maine. We were seated quickly,met out server and dined on delicious meals:salad for me and lobster flat bread for my daughter. A gem off the main street with great harbor views.
(5)Maggie C.
After hearing mixed but overall positive reviews, my boyfriend and I decided to try Fresh Restaurant on one of our last nights in Camden. The servers were friendly but a little pushy about ordering alcohol / ordering quickly. Ultimately, we decided to order the Panzanella salad, he got the Grass-Fed Burger and I got the Lentil Burger. Our Panzanella never came and after we ordered, our waitress basically disappeared. Then, a different server delivered our entrees and we didn't see our waitress for another ten minutes. The food was really good -- his fries were fresh, warm and crispy. My lentil burger came with pea shoots and tzatziki. Yum. Still, the service was pretty awful... Another server came by and took our water karaf away but didn't bring us another. We were really bummed that they forgot our food and didn't think that the dessert was worth the calories or the money. We were rushed in and out of the restaurant in forty-five minutes!! I'm sure this restaurant would have been a good experience if we had enjoyed better service.
(2)Grammy L.
Fresh is a relatively new addition to the Camden dining scene . We had originally chosen it because we had invited our son & daughter-in-law to join us as the restaurant is vegan-friendly. Sadly, they had to cancel on short notice because of a sick pet. We went alone because we are leaving the area tomorrow. We started with an amazing Mediterranean appetizer of hummus,baba ganoush, an Eastern European roasted red pepper puree, and a cucumber-yogurt mix similar to Greek tatziki. Fried,salted pita quarters served as savory dippers. Next came briny local oysters with both mignonette and zippy cocktail sauce,nicely spiced. My entree was Alaskan King salmon,char grilled, with a tangy glaze that tasted like mango,steamed asparagus,snow peas,and micro greens, fried green tomatoes and a yummy corn-cheddar biscuit. My husband had Alaskan halibut with hollandaise sauce and the same fresh green vegetables Dessert was fresh strawberries with raw sugar creme anglais and espresso. The wine list is very good--we had a very nice pino grigio from an are in Italy unfamiliar to us. We will definitely return on our next trip.
(5)Peggy K.
Excellent food served by an attentive friendly wait staff. Cool, hip vibe, yet maintaining the warmth of "Downeast" We enjoyed the lobster ravioli & the Andalusian spiced pork. Beautiful presentation.
(4)Karen S.
Enjoyed dinner here at the bar Saturday night. Though one of the larger restaurants we saw (seats 215) it was booked up early. Both the vegetarian meze platter and the lobster risotto were nicely portioned and flavorful. The stainless martini glasses are a different look from what you get most everywhere else. You can make reservations for indoor seating but not for the limited outdoor tables.
(4)Paul P.
Great beer selection and an excellent, inventive, light menu with fantastic salads and a tasty seafood selection. A no brainer stop. Had haddock chowder and lobster ravioli. Super good. Server was super fun.
(5)