In my memory from living in Portland in the late-'80s, early '90s, this place was a bastion of average American fare and kind of a big pick-up joint, but my memory might be a little hazy. This review, though, is for the excellent Sunday brunch. So ... the Sunday brunch is EXCELLENT. Fresh, cinnamon-and-sugar-brushed doughnut holes with blueberry and chocolate dipping sauce and fried clams Benedict -- yeah, you read that right -- were the brunch highlights. Other accolades for the bright, sunny dining room right on the salt marsh, a friendly waitress and rather reasonable prices for the sumptuous portions. Will definitely return.
(5)
Stephan C.
Last night in Freeport. It's Prime Rib night at the Rudder. Waitress was Bethany. Very nice. We both asked Bethany for two, small cuts, medium to medium well. The steaks came to our table perfectly. One of the better Prime Ribs I've had. The meal came with mashed potatoes and broccolini. All very good. This was a great evening ending with a nice snifter of cognac. Perfect!
(5)
Danielle N.
The service is very slow and for the quality of the food it is over priced. The only star factor is the view.
(2)
Elaine H.
Great upscale place for any meal. We had the calamari to start. It was fab. Coated with a sweet Thai chili sauce that was very tasty. The seared scallops with gnocchi was very good as well the spinach gnocchi primavera with chicken. Cocktails were fab too. Atmosphere was beautiful with live piano music. Service was spot on. I will be back. Oh one more thing...rolls were hot and the sweet butter was a surprise /treat! And I will see you again Dec 26!
(4)
Jenna M.
Arrived on a Saturday afternoon, 2ish, well after any lunch rush. Simple order: 2 french onion soup 1 Chicken Caesar Salad I will start with the good: Server was very nice. The french onion soup was delicious. At least one of the two soups was delicious. The ugly: The wait for 2 soups and a salad with grilled chicken was inordinately long. 2 French onions soup crocks arrived. One looked great, nice gooey melted cheese. However, the other was burnt on top. No wonder it took so long, they had to bunt the top on the other soup. Caesar salad w/ chicken was not made with romaine lettuce. In fact, it couldn't be considered a Caesar Salad. It was made with wilted field greens. Last time I checked romaine is the lettuce to be used for Caesar salad. Who am I to argue, maybe things are that different in Maine. Alerted server to issue with burnt cheese. she offered to take it back, I told her that is fine just as long as I do not need to wait another 25 minutes for a new soup. Server came to ask if we were done, only grilled chicken was eaten off salad. Server did not even ask if the food was to our liking. So I guess in the end if she were a great server she would have asked was everything OK, especially when it looked untouched. That is the sign of a good server, someone that cares about the dining visit and who knows you always wants the guest to walk away with a good experience.
(2)
Cheryl H.
We shared the seafood casserole, which was very good. However was filled mostly with haddock, 1 piece of lobster, 2 shrimp. The French onion soup and clam chowder were very good....French onion..prob the best I had. Good place to go for a drink.
(3)
Lyndsay B.
We chose the Muddy Rudder because we wanted to try a dinner place outside of downtown Portland. Don't let the outside appearance aid in your judgement - the inside is beautiful! We also had someone in our dinner party with a severe shellfish allergy and they had lots of options for them - the kitchen even cooked their appetizer in a separate pan just to be extra safe!! The food was tasty, the drinks were cold, the service was good and we had a nice time! We would recommend it to other travelers, but would probably want to try out another place on a future vacation! Overall, very good!
(4)
David P.
Visiting on vacation and had dinner. Food was prepared well and the sangria was delicious. However, the service left so very much to be desired. Ordered food around 7:45 and it took over 40 minutes to get with no check-in on status of our meals, if more water, or "I checked in with kitchen... See other reviews recently that are 3 stars or less And, final coup de grace. Server gave us incorrect check-restaurant lucky that price difference was $.27... Manager came out and admitted mistake- but c'mon... Too bad, as ambiance is nice.
(2)
Yelena S.
We had a living social coupon for the restaurant, I was pumped especially since I'd never been before. The view was pretty, I wanted to sit outside near the river but the host said it might get buggy so we stayed indoors. We ordered drinks, I got the martini flight which was super yummy, but our waiter didn't come back for what felt like 15 minutes. He had several other tables around us and served them water and bread but didn't stop back to see if we were ready to order dinner while we were waiting on our drinks *insert frustrated face here* Once we did eventually get our bread, we were pleasantly surprised by the sweet butter it was paired with. Our fried calamari was good, but nothing amazing. I ordered the sea scallops which looked delicious, but there was sooo much salt on top. I had to ask for waters because our waiter never brought us any and I was so thirsty after a few bites. My bf ordered the steak tips, which were marinated and very juicy. The plates were pretty plain, mine came with just scallops, some risotto and 3 pieces of asparagus. The steak tips were just that with some simple mashed potatoes on the side. Overall it was a good experience, I'd go back but will probably try something else next time. One of the martinis in the flight was so good I might have to ask if they can make me a full size version *nom nom nom*
(4)
Kit G.
Dinner for 2 on a snowy thursday night. Restaurant was busy, a good sign. Very nice and comfortable room. Excellent service. Excellent room. Good food, not wow but good. Shared a salad and crab cakes. Very good. Wife had crab crusted haddock cooked perfectly. I had seared sea scallops with spinach gnocchi. Very buttery, maybe a little heavy. Both very good. No room for desert but we will be back. We really liked the room that was not too noisy to have a conversation like many of the portland restaurants.
(4)
Carol V.
We arrived early for our 7:00 reservation. Enjoyed the piano by the bar, nice to see the pianist's tip jar overflowing. We were seated by a window. Upscale restaurant but the place settings were more 'lobster-in-the-ruff' style. Comfortable. The waitress was attentive, personable and really seemed happy to have us there. Each dish was like a meal by itself. I tried to pace myself wanting to save room for the more food that was coming. Everything was excellent. My husband offered me only "half a scallop". I was surprised with the quantity of pan seared scallops on his plate. He said they were the best he's ever had. Warm rolls with sweetened butter, Caesar salad, steak tips, spinach gnocchi, haddock sandwich with a great remoulade sauce, broccolini, mac and cheese that was fresh and had a wonderful flavor. We ordered turtle cheesecake with 2 spoons. Decadent! The art work on the walls was beautiful. The Sea Salt Scrub in the rest room was a nice touch!
(5)
Ben H.
Unfortunately I reviewed the Muddy Rudder a day too soon. The manager/owner in fact honored his word and sent the gift card for our most recent visit experience. We will be happy to give the Muddy Rudder another try. The atmosphere is relaxing. I hope this time around the entire staff and kitchen is on point.
I really like this place; many items can be prepared gluten free. The seafood scampi was perfect! We had a nice Portuguese green wine with our dinner. The waitress was helpful and attentive. For dessert, I chose the creme brulee, creamy and crackly as it should be.
(4)
Angela W.
I got the baked fish. The fish was ok but the lobster sherri sauce, mixed with the bread crumbs, ended up to be a weird soggy bread thing. Not great at all. The carrots and rice had no flavor at all. My husband had the beef tips, and they were flavorful but got too rich after a few bites. My 8 year old son got the kids burger It was huge! But it was so greasy he could not finish it. The service was ok. The place needs a little cleaning. Don't think we will be inclined to return.
(2)
Don T.
We were greeted by a very friendly staff member who led us to a nice table with a view of the Cousins River. We were near the door, but it was somewhat cool outside, so there was almost no traffic of people going in and out. The view was quite nice. For an "upscale" place, the menu was quite reasonable. We didn't see onion rings on the appetizer menu but we did notice that several dinner options included onion rings. We asked the waitress about it and she indicated that yes, they'd be happy to do an order of onion rings for us. The onion rings were excellent. They came in a cute little basket with other rings overflowing onto the plate. Very nice presentation and they tasted great -- not greasy and they had an excellent breading to onion ratio. They really should have their onion rings on their appetizer menu. When you are there, be sure to ask for them -- they are worth it. We weren't there for a big dinner, rather just a late lunch so we ordered sandwiches. My wife had the chicken sandwich. It consisted of chicken with "apple, cranberry and walnut chutney, brie, and mixed greens served on a telera roll." Neither of us knew what a telera roll was, but it sounded artisan and good. She also ordered the coleslaw as her side. Her sandwich was really good. The chicken was cooked nicely and still moist. She loved the chutney. The telera roll, which is kind of like a baguette that is made roundish rather than long, was delicious. The coleslaw was savory and not sweet which is the way we like it. Excellent! I don't get fish much at home so I ordered the fish sandwich, "lightly breaded haddock, coleslaw, lettuce, tomato and onion-- served with remoulade sauce." With it, I ordered the sweet potato fries. Again, presentation means a lot and the sandwich was presented nicely. The fish was cooked perfectly - moist, slightly separating itself from the breading -- really good. The fries came with a dipping sauce that was very tasty. It made an excellent meal and had nice portions. I was impressed. Our server was excellent. She was friendly, helpful when we ordered, brought things in a timely manner, and paced the meal nicely. Not only did she freshen our "waters with lemon" when the water was getting low, she also brought additional lemon for our use. Nice touch I wish more places did. We will definitely be back and I'm looking for reasons to be in Yarmouth at lunchtime.
(5)
S And E H.
The Raw Oysters and Popcorn Shrimp, so yummy. The Bloody Mary wasn't great and the half lobster tail garnish was overcooked. The 1 1/4 cooked lobster and the corn on the cob was good, however the side of potatoes that came with it were dried and chewy. The Baked Haddock consisted of seasoned cracker crumbs(Burnt dark brown with black, who does that?) and lobster sherry cream was served with wild rice and asparagus(pale and mushy). So much for a Birthday Meal.
(2)
ken i.
Very average clam chowder- great baked haddock. Average service. Quite average! The calamari was strange with a soy type sauce. Fried clams were average.
(3)
Jill M.
Tonight's dinner at Muddy Rudder was a keen DISAPPOINTMENT. The nice exterior and view are the only highlights. The place lacks ambiance. While the rolls and mixed greens salad were fair, the meal went downhill from there. The lobster bisque was SALTY and inedible. We asked the server to bring us lobster stew instead, but it was tasteless. My party was eager to leave...and won't be back.
(1)
George T.
For over 20 years we have annually traveled to Sugarloaf for a week of skiing and have nearly always stopped at the Muddy Rudder for Saturday night dinner. We have always enjoyed the casual, but pleasant atmosphere. For most in our party of four to six diners, one of the main reasons has been for the deliciously, creamy Clam Chowder. For the most part it has been a pleasant experience but it seems that the last couple of years the quality of the food has suffered; but there was always the chowder to make the stop worthwhile. This year even the chowder seemed to be not as tasty, not as creamy and was served, at best, just warm. It just wasn't the clam chowder that I had always anxiously anticipated as we would near Freeport. To me a server can add or detract greatly to a dining experience. Tonight ours gave us our menus, advised us of the specials and brought us our drinks. Fifteen to twenty minutes later she had not returned to our table we had to actually flag her down to advise her that we were ready to order. I must note that we have always enjoyed the piano music playing in the background and the host and hostesses this evening were delightful. That said, I think that to another year we will be looking for a NEW favorite spot.
(2)
Mayur K.
Dinner was very disappointing. The old lady waitress took our orders and did not know who ordered what. Portions are small compared to the prices they charge. Fisherman's platter is the only dish worth having. Bread they served us was frozen and then reheated. Avoid this place if you are looking for decent portion size. I will never eat here again.
(1)
Sara A.
We were quite disappointed this visit. The last time we were here 2 years ago they had just changed owners and even that visit my husband sent the lobster back for being overcooked and understanding they were new. Two years later no excuse .. The stuffed mushrooms came out as an overcooked bake where I found small shiitake mushrooms and not even stuffing mushrooms and we sent that back without a replacement. My (2) 4 oz filet Mignon looked like 2 ounces each, and were way overdone, and the lobster tail was way over done dry and tough. My husbands seafood scampi - the pasta was overcooked. The presentation on all the dishes was sloppy. Needless to say we didn't stay for dessert and left a meager tip. Ever since ownership change 2 years ago the quality just has not been there. We came before the change over and the food use to be top notch - again very disappointed.
(1)
Penny B.
Our server Ellen was impeccable with a great sense of humor. Our friends went crazy over the Lobster Bloody Mary's. Everyone was more than satisfied with our breakfast selections. I would highly recommend, and can not wait to come back
(5)
jack h.
If you regularly use Yelp, then look no further. Ruddy Mudder, man. Previous comments about blue hairs, overcooked entrees, and overpriced items applies here. Just not worth the cash unless you need an elegant location and don't care about authenticity, food quality, server efficiency, or price....
(2)
Elizabeth T.
Brunch this morning was good, I had the Benedict - served on lovely biscuits with a delicious hollandaise sauce. The home fries, however, were a disappointment. Shredded potatoes, very mushy, not what I had hoped for in the least. Home fries aside, overall a pleasant experience. Atmosphere is lovely, overlooking the water, the restaurant has been recently updated and looks fresh and inviting. I'd go back - but I'll skip the home fries!
(3)
Andrew D.
Stick to the smaller, mom and pop seafood places in the area and avoid this place like the plague. It looks nice on the outside but they failed to spend any money on quality chefs/food. Speaking of money, they'll ask you to pay more than you should for food that is luke warm and overly SALTY! **make that zero stars**
(1)
Bryan D.
My wife and I went here for dinner mid week. The place was dead, other than a small christmas party going on in the back. We were sat down, good view, atmosphere was very good, nice, quiet and relaxing. My wife ordered corn chowder to start, which turned out to be a white chowder base with some corn in it. Not flavorful at all and barely tasted of corn. I started with calamari with asian garlic sauce. The calamari was swimming in the sauce. The taste of the sauce was good, but I had to pick through and find the crispy pieces. I ended up leaving half of it because the full bodies tentacles were intertwined and completely soggy to the point that they stretched like motzarella when I tried to pull them apart. I ordered seared scallops for my main. The scallops were barely browned on one side, white on the other and pinkish (under cooked) in the middle, they also had a bad fishy taste. They came with a gnocchi that was premade/store bought crap to put it nicely. My wife got a sirloin special with mashed and carrots. When it came out, it was the worst cut of sirloin I have ever seen. There were a GIANT fat cap on one side taking up a couple ounces. When she cut into it, it was raw. The waitress sent it back to the kitchen and when it came back (within a couple minutes), it was still raw. She tried to cut around the edge but it was all connective tissue and fat and it was very bland, I don't think they even salt or peppered it. The mashed were instant that were the consistency of paste with a close flavor resemblance and the carrots were just salted, boiled carrots. She gave up and sent it back. They gave us a free dessert and we ordered the apple pie. It came out swimming in caramel sauce and was too sweet for my wife to take more than a bite. The ice cream it came with was great. I scraped off the sauce and ate a good portion of it. It was warm in spots and ice cold in others from coming out of the fridge and going into the mircowave. At the end of the meal we left and had to get food somewhere else. I will never bother going back here again. For the price this place charges, there are a few other places in the area that are well worth the money and always consistent.
(1)
Karen B.
Great service, and good. We had popcorn shrimp and potstickers for appetizer, both were really good. The bread rolls were warm and fresh. Everything was perfect, thank you Muddy Rudder!
(5)
Steve T.
Stopped here on our way back from Freeport and had a great brunch and lunch. Awesome views, good food, good service. I'm glad we came here and didn't waste money downtown in Freeport. If you want a good burger or salad, check this place out.
(5)
Larry R.
We are near ll Bean for dinner. We had local brewed beer and local red and wire wine bee started out with yummy clam chowder and then haddock with a topping of popcorn shrimp and white sauce. The haddock was so sweet and so soft I never dreamer that this could taste so good. For dessert we had strawberry shortcake and dark coffee. If I never come back, I will always remember this night at Muddy Rudder. So good!
(4)
Lisa M.
It's a nice place, nice views and little upscale. The food and service are good.
(3)
Linda M.
My husband & I recently went to Muddy Rudder & were quite disappointed. My husband ordered clam chowder, a salad, & seafood scampi. His chowder NEVER came even though he reminded 2 servers about it, the salad was good, and the scampi was not hot & contained tasteless chewy shrimp, good scallops, but not much seafood at all. He also said it was overly salty. I ordered barbecued shrimp which were also tasteless & chewy & the barbecue sauce tasted like a store-bought jar of barbecue sauce - & not one of the better store-bought sauces. View was nice, but we will not return. It was not worth the expense at all.
(2)
Stephanie C.
This restaurant has been up and down but failed during a recent visit. An overly ambitious menu and poor execution. Two the four of us ordered the special crab stuffed halibut with a buerre blanc which was uninspiring. Served with green beans that were merely blanched and hard crunchy. The pilaf was a mushy mix of brown grains with white and completely tasteless. Another in our party had regular menu item of seared scallops and risotto. The scallops (6) were browned nicely but one was so salty as to be inedible. The risotto was a complete failure with hard uncooked rice grains. When her companion tried it, surprise! a hair! The fried clams were a portion that was disguised by dumping them on top of a mess of fries. The waitress was very professional and when informed of the risotto hair experience alerted the kitchen. They admitted the risotto was undercooked and she deducted that meal. I think a lot of people with dead taste buds must frequent the place. Beautiful location but a kitchen that can't execute.
(1)
Sparky T.
Nice place with decent and varied selection. Seafood and comfort food items available. Had the linguine and clams - decent portion size and reasonable, but not huge amount of clams included. Seems like a decent place to return and try some of their other items.
(4)
Gayle H.
My family went for the Thanksgiving Buffet, a party of 22. They had a nice selection of non-traditional choices, smoked salmon with capers and red onions, 3 kinds of salads, cornbread dressing, pesto pasta, mac and cheese, roast pork as well as the all the usual fare. A nice assortment of desserts as well as a soup and a chowder. Although the turkey was a little salty the food was pretty good. The servers were attentive, but they did have an awkward set up of three tables for all of us. My only true beef is with the way the server or manager handled the bill. I specifically had a conversation with the front end desk greeter who I assumed was the manager that the bill needed to be split a certain way. That it was important and I wanted to take care of it early as I did NOT want a specific person in the family to pay the whole bill. They had me meet with the server, I explained who would be paying for what and gave him my credit card to charge so it would be taken care of asap. I also explained that I did not want a certain family member to pay for it all. I arranged this while the others were being seated and we had not even started the meal . The end of the meal came and I discovered management or the server did NOT honor my request for payment. They took the family members payment for the whole bill that I specifically asked them not to. I am disgusted with the Muddy Rudder. That was disrespectful and I do not appreciate being treated that way. The manager or the server should have said something to me, instead of having to find out this information from another family member as I put my coat on to leave. Unprofessional. I WILL NOT RETURN.
(1)
Betsy D.
I was not impressed with this place. The wait staff seemed annoyed with my party's menu questions. The lobster bisque was so salty I could barely take a second bite. It was served lukewarm. The spoon on the side of my soup bowl was disgustingly dirty with green residue. Probably one of the worst meals I've ever had in my life.
(1)
Andrea K.
I had high hopes for the Muddy Rudder. My family - mom, dad, brother, and I - headed there on April 14th for my mom's birthday dinner. It was our first visit, and unfortunately will be our last. My brother ordered a salmon dish, my mother steak, my father linguine, and I ravioli. All of our main dishes were wonderful and I had no issue with them. However, my father and I split an order of mussels for our appetizer. Following dinner, both he and I were terribly sick. I have had food poisoning before, but have never gotten as violently ill as I did after our visit to the Muddy Rudder. I was sick for two days following the meal. It's been eight days since our visit and my father is just now recovering. He was violently ill for days before he ultimately had to go to the hospital. We have contacted the restaurant and informed them of the situation. They kindly offered us a gift certificate, but we declined. We won't ever be dining there again. I hate to be harsh, and have tried to be understanding about the situation, but have never, ever been more sick from food in my life. I advise caution when ordering if you choose to dine at the Muddy Rudder.
(1)
Richard F.
We stopped here for lunch and were pleasantly surprised. I ordered the sea food scampi which was delicious. Shrimp, lobster and scallops served on linguini with a cream sauce, $13.95. My wife ordered the fish and chips, $11.95. The haddock fish was lightly breaded and delicious. The server was very good and the view out the window of the tide coming in was neat to see. We hope to go back soon.
(5)
Mark M.
Good food, classy atmosphere. A bit pricy compared to local diners, etc. but for a nice sit down restaurant with nice ambiance and a great view of the Royal River it is not bad. Food and service are great.
(4)
Eric K.
The Muddy Rudder seems to have been on a downward spiral for many years. I used to eat at the one in Brewer, which continued to suck worse and worse. Now after coming back to Maine after moving away I see that location has closed. I'm beginning to wonder how long until the flagship Yarmouth location closes. After a stop a few weeks ago to enjoy some fresh food, we were served cold food by an inattentive waiter. He also argued with me that it was acceptable to serve me a Jameson whiskey "aperitif" (if you will!) in a snifter glass after I asked for a rocks glass instead. We were essentially ignored, even after it obviously taking 45 minutes from the time we ordered to the time we received our meals. Three of our seven guests reported that their meals were cold and one reported that their meal (though I can't remember what it was as this was a few weeks ago) was entirely unsatisfactory.
(2)
Scott L.
A gorgeous restaurant on the coast offering the best seafood you will find as well as dishes for those with other tastes. I had the Chicken Bruschetta last night and it was spectacular. My wife enjoyed the Pasta Chicken and a 6'6" friend ordered the Fishermans Platter. Both had zero complaints and our friend could not finish his platter there was such a generous serving. After dinner we shared a fried whoopee pie dessert. OMG! We will go back even if just for dessert and coffee! From the moment we walked through the door the service was exceptional. I'm not sure what happened with some of these negative reviews but our evening was delightful all the way around.
(5)
Rox F.
While getting ready to write this review I just asked my husband "how would you describe how your crab cakes tasted?" he replied: "Like suicide." I think that statement stands for itself but to give a little more info; we went here because I got a groupon for $9 that was worth about $70 at the Muddy Rudder so what the hell right? It was not even worth the $9. I would have, however, paid $9 to have the experience erased from my memory. I had the seafood casserole, which seemed like watery chowder in a casserole dish. The scallops were way undercooked. My husband had the crab cake entree. The crab cakes seemed like they had no crab in them, not even fake crab. They tasted like chemicals (and suicide). they also felt like they came out of a mold, like McDonald's fries. Both entrees had the same sides, mushy, tasteless babyfood-esque "seasonal squash" and "wild rice" which was akin to Uncle Ben's. We also had a pitcher of sangria which was the only reasonably priced alcohol on the menu. The bill came to $80 with a generous tip (since the service was attentive), without the groupon. I would have felt beyond robbed had I not had that damn thing. There is no reason to go here. ever.
(1)
Bill A.
Popped in for lunch because we saw the sign from the highway and what a wonderful surprise: we did not expect to find Great View, Great Food and Great Service just 2 minutes from the highway. We split a fish and chips and a house salad. The fish was wonderful, better than in the 5 star restaurants in Rockland and the house salad was all fresh, crisp vegetables (and no iceberg, lol). We even got a super bonus: my wife left her Iphone there and they overnighted it for free! I notice some very poor ratings in the review and I wonder how long this place has been under "new" management...
(5)
Tom L.
This place has a cozy atmosphere, friendly staff and great food. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I don't give those out unless you blow my doors.
(4)
Neal E.
If I could give the Muddy Rudder zero stars - I would. I visited the Muddy Rudder last Fall. Ordered the Lobster Bisque and the Lobster Dinner. The Lobster Bisque was of course brought out first. It was like getting a cup of hot, watery broth with milk poured into it - with no real flavor. It was not even worth eating. I flagged down my server and had her take it away. The Lobster was then brought out. Watery, rubbery, way overcooked. Again, not really worth eating. A huge disappointment. There must be better places to find Lobster.
(1)
D P.
Food's ok, but overpriced. This is typically where the older folks come for dinner. Lobster, mussels, and other dinners are just ok - nothing fabulous to support the price, or get you to keep coming back.
(3)
N I.
After reading some of the other comments about this place, I"m wondering how they make any money...oh wait, the drinks were expensive as were the rest of the prices on the menu...I thought it was just my meal that was below standard but even the wife agreed(after tasting mine) that hers was not much better. I noticed that the table next to us was also having a problem with their meal, sending it back and not requesting anything else...The food was overcooked and had a taste that made me think it had been previously cooked and then sat in the fridge for a couple days uncovered and then warmed up and served to me ( I had ordered the roasted half chicken dinner) My wife had the crab cakes which were extremely overcooked almost to the point of being burned, a potato side dish with shrimp was not much better. I did send my food back, unable to eat it, mgr came and apologized, offering free desert...hmm..I turned that down and requested an adjustment to our bill. Mgr agreed with out and was very sorry for our experience.
(1)
Anthony R.
It's not anywhere close to being the best place in Maine. It's not even the best place in this area. You can definitely do better at a small local joint by the water. So why the 4 stars? Two words - lobster bisque. It is absolutely incredible, this stuff. Totally blows your mind, with large chunks of lobster swimming around in the bowl. The lobster bisque makes it worth dealing with the not-so-nice scenery and the family-style restaurant environment. Trust me, go just for this.
(4)
Mark T.
This is my second time to Muddy Rudder - previously I went a couple of years ago for dinner and the place was packed. Nice atmosphere with a dude playing the piano. Loved it - this time I went mid-week, lunch time. Very nice seat overlooking the lake/pond/river. The restaurant was not crowded and the service was good. I really wanted some good Maine seafood, but to be honest, the menu either wasn't exciting or the interesting dishes were outside of my zone of indifference. All of the lobster was fairly expensive, including a $19 lobster roll. For the size of a regular hot dog bun, I decided to pass. My friend went with the crab cake sandwich and I went with the fried haddock sandwich with sweet potato fries ($2 extra). Add a cup of clam chowder for $4. For dessert the blue berry pie ($5), peanut butter pie ($6) or bread pudding ($5) are good options. This place is a trade off - I liked the view in the day time, but was unimpressed with the food and thought it was expensive. When I came in the evening, saw some folks dressed up and a piano player, the food, atmosphere and price were good (but couldn't see the view because it was dark).
(3)
Rosemary B.
Nice setting and view out the back windows. Went for brunch and the bloody mary was excellent but the service and food only so-so. Really want to like this place more but they need better service and not to overcook food. Plus better customer service overall - when complaints were made about overcooking no apologies were offered.
(2)
melissa z.
I have dined at the Muddy Rudder a few times in the last couple of years. My most recent dining experience there left little to be desired. The clam chowder while tasty was not hot. The most expensive entree, seafood casserole contained over cooked pieces of mostly fish, 2 shrimp, 2 scallops and 1 bite of lobster submerged in a pool of cream sauce with a stale piece of puff pastry on top. The pan seared trout was over-cooked with soggy skin, accompanied by a tasteless cream sauce over a cold pile of mashed potatoes. Our waitress mentioned the owner had recently purchased a restaurant in NH about 100 miles away. It shows.
(2)
Tamara D.
Had a quick dinner at the bar. Salad was light & perfect and the grilled shrimp was delicious. Great menu & they have GF pasta. Service was exceptional and piano bar made for great ambiance. More of an adult place. Delicious!
(4)
George R.
The last time was a little disappointing Have had better service and food in previous visits. This just must have been a bad night . My wife & I have been here several times so willl try it again
(2)
Southie G.
Yay! We just came here with a groupon and didn't realize they had spruced up the restaurant. It looks great! Our waiter was wonderful (not always the case if you have a groupon!) The food was terrific too. It was a great night all around- we would certainly come back! The only thing that would have made our night perfect is if they had speakers in the back dining room so that you could hear the live piano music. j Great place!
(5)
John M.
Best described as the place that you think locals would go to. It has a local look and feel, but step inside and after awhile you hear someone at every other table ask for directions on how to eat a lobster... Seriously, people of Freeport, when I ask you where do YOU go, Im sure you dont really mean this place. The restaurant is nice.. tasteful but not stuffy. The attitude, casual and not stuffy. My goal when coming to Maine on vacation is to have baked haddock, and this was my first dinner. The haddock is prepared a few different ways and I opted for the stuffed (with crab). Eh... it was good... not great, but good. The stuffing was good and fairly plentiful, but serving temperature could have been better with this as well as the vegetables and baked potato. Portions were good, flavor a bit lacking, but not bland. Dessert was the peanut butter pie which was good, but didnt seem to be homemade as described by our server.
(3)
Drew F.
The muddy ruddy is a fantastic restaurant! I've been here twice and can't wait to go back. The first time was for lunch! The clam chowder is the best I've ever had and the fried clams were superb. My new wife and I (!!!) had our reception dinner there with 40 guests. We could not have asked for more. They worked with us on the menu on several occasions. The the venue and the food was amazing. The lobsters and steamers were fresh and tasty, and the rest of the menu including chicken, salad and dessert were top notch as we. The wait staff was attentive and dedicated. Our wedding guests are talking about eh Muddy Rudder more than the food at our wedding. Additionally, at the end of the long night, I inadvertently doubled the tip! The owner came to me and asked if that is really what I meant to do, and corrected it. (The service was great, but I didn't intend on a 40% tip.) I can't recommend this restaurant enough, for a quick lunch or a large group!
(5)
Krista L.
Throughout the Holiday season it seems that me and my significant others family have become groupon happy! We received two to this establishment and I will say I was a bit hesitant to make a reservation and go. The reviews didn't seem to amaze me and the distance from where we live was a bit of a drive. We took a chance this past Saturday and ventured north for a hopefully enjoyable dining experience. As we walked into the restaurant we were greeted by smiling faces and the wonderful sound of a piano. I, sadly, am a person who is always early for a reservation, so we ended up showing up 15 minutes before we were supposed to be there. The host said he apologized but the table they had for us was not ready yet. He was very friendly and very professional. This night seemed to be looking up!! While we waited I used a check in discount from foursquare to get us some "happy hour" priced drinks while we sat at the bar. The bar had a few large TVs and they were playing the NFL playoffs. We enjoyed the sweet and elegant atmosphere with the laid back bar and amazing staff. The bartender was very nice and automatically came up to us and helped us with our selections! I would alone go back for the enjoyable, upscale bar and friendly bar tender! We were sat a little bit later and were greeted by rolls and butter. My significant other and I agreed that the light hint of sweetness in the butter made these rolls addictive. When our waitress arrived we each ordered a drink and I explained that I had received a groupon and just wanted to make sure that we could meet the guidelines that were not outlined in the groupon. After she explained it we ordered the artichoke dip for an appetizer and waited for our drinks.When she came back with drinks I ordered the seafood scampi and my significant other ordered the fillet Mignon. A short time later the artichoke dip showed up. Out came a plate with a warm white dip and homemade chips. The dip was smooth and warm and lined your stomach with a "smile". The chips that accompanied it were light and flavorful. They didn't fill you up, but instead were just a nice light crunch to the tasty dip. I would order this again in a heartbeat! When we had almost finished the dip the food showed up. They put a bowl of seafood scampi that definitely would wow anyone. The linguine was cooked perfectly but was hidden but the amount of shrimp, scallops and lobster that was mixed into it. The light taste of butter and garlic kept it light and not heavy. I didn't feel as if it was greasy and overall I was amazed with it. It was one of the best one I have experienced in Maine so far! (My only complaint is that I wasn't offered parmesan cheese with the pasta) The fillet Mignon was amazing looking! It was accompanied with mashed potatoes, asparagus and a very nice, flavorful gravy. When my significant other cut into one of the two fillets it almost feel apart. He took a bite and he breathed out the word "wow". He explained this is the best cooked steak he has eaten in a restaurant in a long time. Although I am usually not able to digest steak I was able to eat a bit and it was amazing. The taste was perfect! I would like to point out that the waitress had yet to return after we ordered our drinks (someone else had delivered our food). I understand that having people come in with a groupon can put a damper on your service, but when we watch your float around to ever other table around us, asking them if everything is okay, and if they would like another drink, while we sit with empty drinks, it makes me not want to return just due to how we were treated. We had to flag her down to just get a glass of water. It then took 5 minutes to get it. This is the only reason I would not return to the restaurant. The food was amazing, the atmosphere was perfect for a date night, but to be treated with disrespect of that nature appalled me. Every time we have used a dining out deal, or gift card we have always over tip, but sadly this time it didn't seem worth it. Although we made sure the bill was taken care of and did tip on the full bill, I was a bit discouraged when the waitress only brought back large bills. So in short: The food was outstanding, the atmosphere was perfect, but our waitress ignoring us for most of the night due to us mentioning we were using a groupon was discouraging. She, sadly, is the reason I did not give this place a 5 star rating. I would lean more towards 4.5 if I had the option! So please, if you are in the area stop by and enjoy a great hidden secret!
(4)
Changoblin G.
lobster is soooooo good. Sandwich is big
(4)
Bob M.
I don't know how this could b rated low. The place has atmosphere service romance food. Bisque was outrageously good. Service was great. Bar has great sports TV. I'd highly recommend this one!!
(5)
Deb L.
I used to love to go to The Muddy Rudder. No more. Today I met a friend there for lunch. The waitress was very nice and attentive, but the food - blech. I had a cobb salad with grilled chicken. The bacon on top tasted like Bac-os... I doubt it was real bacon. The hard boiled egg was fine. The chicken had probably been grilled, then frozen. No flavor, cut up into tiny, hard, inedible, unchewable pieces. Definitely not worth $17! Too bad, because there is a nice ambiance and it's in a convenient location. Oh well. There are so many other, better restaurants in the area, that I won't feel the loss.
(1)
Janet M.
We stopped at the Muddy Rudder on our way back to Portland from Freeport for lunch. The restaurant only had one customer and the guy at the front desk said that he really was not working and we needed to wait for someone else to seat us. Even though it was not a nice day we had stopped there because we had good meals there in the past and enjoyed sitting near their large windows and being able to actually see out. When the waitress went to seat us, she was going to seat us at a table where the view was blocked by the only large expanse of wall by the windows. We asked for another table and she with much encouragement gave us an appropriately placed table that was all set with napkins and dinnerware. We sat down (but not for long) and I almost immediately discovered that the surface of the table was dirty. It had dried food all over it. I got up and walked to the upper level and was going to ask for someone to come and clean the table but I could not get anyone to come and find out why I was standing there looking around and glaring at the guy who had met us at the front desk and a waitress who was merely conversing with him. No one came, so we left only to be (at that late point in time) followed out of the restaurant by a man (who I had not seen before) asking what was wrong. We never tasted the food but the poor service, indifferent attitude, and the DIRTY TABLE are enough to keep us away for good!!!
(1)
Terri H.
Food was expensive and not fantastic. Service was slow.
(2)
Sue S.
Celebrated a friend's birthday there last Sat pm - party of 10. Had the steak tips - they were very good, tender and super tasty - everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals and the service was excellent too. My only negative comment, is that while sitting in the lounge, the piano was so loud, we couldn't hear ourselves chatting.
(4)
Hungry G.
The Muddy Rudder has new owners and it is obvious! The menu had been on the decline over recent years but, being a family favorite, we could not give up without one more try when we heard of the change in ownership. We are VERY glad we did. The food is now much fresher and doesn't have that mass-manufactured taste. My wife is still raving about the Cobb Salad and I can't wait to return for another go at the seafood. Lobster? I'm thinking yes. Also, the staff seems to have a new attitude of professionalism. From the very welcoming and accommodating young man who was hosting to the wait staff, the past attitude of slapping food on the table is gone. The Muddy Rudder is once again THE RESTAURANT you have to visit. I predict the returning tourists will be stunned by just how good the Muddy Rudder is again. The live piano player adds to the ambience.
(4)
Charles L.
Don't let the name fool you; this is a very nice, upscale restaurant complete with linen table cloths and napkins. Their seafood and their beef is excellent. Be sure and leave room for a fried Wicked Whoopie Pie a la mode.
(4)
Takako F.
Scampy with lobster, scarap, and shrimp was so good, but I wish not to have the dried tomato in it... Scampi with lobster, scallop, and shrimp was so good, but I wish not to have the dried tomato in it...
(3)
Gilbert Z.
I think the Muddy Rudder pays a price for its traditional and "non-Maine" look. Passing it on highway 1 in Yarmouth, just north of Freeport, you would think it is just another chain family restaurant. Well while it is part of a small chain (they have another location in Brewer, ME) and it probably would qualify as a family restaurant, it hides some of best seafood around. The clam chowder is thick and creamy and loaded with potatoes and clams. The lobster is sweet and fresh (and it's pretty hard to screw up a lobster ... think of the recipe: a lobster, water and a pot) and the fried clams are the best we have found ... crisp and tender whole clams served with a mound of french fries and a scoop of cole slaw. This is not an authentic "Maine" experience ... just good food.
(3)
Michelle B.
A casual yet classy atmosphere, the Muddy Rudder offers pretty views, pleasant decor and very good food. They have a lot of the favorites you'd expect at most surf n turf restaurants, plus some interesting and creative alternatives. I had the Ahi Tuna dinner, which comes with wasabi mashed potatoes (yum), pickled cucumber salad (eh) and tempura asparagus (tasty). My companions tried (among other things) the Ravioli Florentine, Fisherman's Platter, Filet Mignon and Haddock Sandwich. The key lime pie was also pretty darn tasty. Staff was attentive, timely and professional. I would recommend it.
(4)
Zoe Z.
Good seafood-especially the sweet, fried Maine shrimp and the haddock with wine and breadcrumb topping.
(4)
Jon A.
I rarely write reviews but I told my wife I had to write because of how GREAT a dinner we had at the Muddy Rudder! We were staying in Portland and went to LLBean in Freeport and our concierge at our hotel suggested the Muddy Rudder on our way back, so we stopped and I'm glad we did. A tall young man greeted us, very friendly (wish I had gotten his name, since we spoke with him several times throughout the evening) and our server was Ellen, who was awesome! We split a Caesar salad, which was plenty for two, my wife had the baked haddock, I had the seafood stuffed haddock, ,which was excellent, the rolls were hot and the butter with the brown sugar was great as well. Of course we had to have dessert, so my wife had the deep fried whoopie pie and I had the Wild Maine Blueberry Crumble pie and it was the best piece of pie I have eaten in a very long time, if not EVER. We topped the evening off with coffee and had to say it was our best meal in Maine. We will definitely be back there again. Can't wait!
(5)
Rosie and Tigg K.
Good menu choices. Mushrooms w lobster really good. Salad wedge yummy. Not overly creative cooking, a bit pricey, but meal was good.
(3)
Joyce G.
I was served a salad that should have been thrown in the garbage. You could tell the lettuce and veg. had been frozen, it was limp and soggy. I will never eat in ths restaurant again.
(1)
Andy G.
I have passed by the Muddy Rudder on the border of Freeport and Yarmouth Maine a million times on my way to and from Portland, but have never stopped as I never really figured id like it do to being known as a seafood lovers place. However ,I had a Portland Dine Around Club coupon so I figured id give it a try for brunch on a cold Sunday morning in April when I couldnt find anyplace in Portland that didn't have an hours wait. Simone and I arrived at around 11:00am and the place was strangely empty. This is always a concern for me, but I have been driving by many a time in the summer when the parking lot is full so I figure it is more of a reflection of the time of year then the food quality. Upon arrviving the (very cute) hostess sat us at a table with a nice view of the marshy waterfront and then the (very cute) waitress brought us some waters, coffee and menus. Simone tried the Creme Brule French Toast with a side of Bacon and I was convinced by our (very cute) waitress to try the days special Monte Cristo Sandwich. I hesitated a bit on my choice as I do not usually like Monte Cristos that much. I usually get ones with Deli Turkey, Deli Ham and thin somewhat soggy bread. This one however exceed all my expectations. This was real moist and tender Roasted Turkey, sliced about 1/4th of an inch thick , piled high with crispy bacon and a generous amount of Swiss. The bread was nice large thick cut french toast bread that was dipped in a cinnamon egg batter and grilled crispy on the outside and moist but not soggy on the inside. The sandwich was huge and delicious, the best Monte Cristo I can remember having. It came with hash brown casserole that was not as good as the sandwich. The hash browns were overpowered in the dish by the onions and it lacked some salt and pepper. I ate them but they could have been better. Simone's Creme Brule French Toast also exceeded our expectations. Thick Cut French Toast Egg battered thick slices of french bread were grilled, then topped with Sugar and carmelized until golden brown. They looked prettier then the (very cute) waitress that served them and tasted sinfully sweet. Simone also ordered a side of bacon which could have been a bit crispier. In what can only be described as genius, she took some Bacon and wedged it between the french toast slices dipped it in syrup and made mini salty and sweet breakfast sliders. YUM. With the amounts of food we were able to bring some french toast home for another meal. However, we were not able to bring the (very cute) waitress home therefor we will be back for more trips in the future. The Muddy Rudder was an unexpected find. Four stars
(4)
Nicole S.
I've been coming here for a LONG time. The menu used to be huge and varied but it's much smaller now. Clam chowder is still the best, great views and friendly service. Always an A+ in my book!
(4)
Allan G.
We had a pretty long wait for a table. We ordered the crab cake app, seafood scampi, and seafood fra-diablo. The crab cake was really good. The scampi was typical with a good amount of seafood. The fra-diablo was awful. It tasted like crappy jar sauce with 10 pepper flakes in it. Yes, it was not even spicy... There was a good amount of seafood in it, but surprisingly, the sea scallops was the best part about it even over the lobster & shrimp. The scallops were cooked perfectly. Overall, the crab cake and the scampi would be 4 stars, but with the slow service, high prices, and bad diablo sauce, 3 is all I can give.
(3)
Ali I.
I went here on a Sunday summer Night at 6:30. My family was very hungry and even though the few reviews about this place were not very good, we decided to try it out anyways. Well, it looked nice, and that was about it. We were met with slow, bad attitude service. Our waitress was lazy and unattentive. About 45 minutes later we were served our entrees. On this matter, our group was divided. My Caesar salad with fried calamari was nothing to wrote home about, yet edible. My grandfather had fried wholebelly clams, which were decent. My mother, on the other hand, ordered a steak which was overpriced and tastless. It was meat that should have been slow roasted but because it wasn't it was tough and undesireable. And the worst was my poor grandmother's dish. She had some sort of seafood medley which ended up being a pathetic miniature noahs ark of sea creatures. Too bad the ark Couldn't keep out the flood of butter the 8 peices of meat were drenched in. I tried it myself, and it tasted like I was eating vomit and butter. Nothing was worth it at the muddy rudder. Fellow yelpers, If you know what's good for you you'll stay far far away from this place!
(1)
John O.
I really wanted to like this place, the outside looks nice, the interior is decent and has a good view of the water. The server was prompt and they had several local beers on tap. This is a good start, so I ordered the seafood medley and let me say NEVER AGAIN! It was supposed to be broiled seafood w/ a breacrumb topping...When it came out it was floating in butter, and what wasn't floating was charred. Have you ever had crunchy lobster?!?! The shrimp was so tough I thought it might be actually shrimp jerky...Once you got past the seafood on top you had overcooked seafood covered in a soggy, buttery mess...The veggie and potatoes on the side were decent, but nothing special. I will never eat here again and will not recommend to anyone except my worst enemy! Fellow yelpers, STAY AWAY!
(2)
j v.
I was surprised at how good this place was. Great service, beautiful location and very cheap. I had the steak tips. My wife had the scampi (loaded with libster). Everything was perfect. I've only been once so this is not an expert review but I'll be back.
(5)
Eric W.
Stopped by for our anniversary dinner. My wife had the filet mignon, which was extremely tender and cooked to her liking. I on the other had went the seafood route, with the seafood fra diavolo. Extremely disappointing. The linguine was overcooked and clumped together, the "spicy" saucy was just a hair spicier than marinara sauce, and the seafood was meh. I had hoped with such a large selection of seafood that they would serve a good seafood meal. Nope. The scallops and mussels were small and nothing special, and one of the shrimp was tough and a bit cold.
(2)
Paul O.
I have not had a perfect meal like I did at the Rudder in several years. The calamari and shrimp cocktail where perfect. Wonderful warm, crusty bread and than fantastically flavorful haddock. The meal was so filling, that when we saw the desserts delivered to a nearby table, but us and the table next us moaned because we knew there was no way we could stuff those treats into us after such a great meal. Truly from start to finish a great meal with friendly service that was the perfect touch of there when you needed them, but not overbearing.
(4)
Megan W.
Good, but not the best lobster I ever had. Nice atmosphere. Staff was very friendly. I really could not believe how fast this place filled up.
(3)
T.H. J.
Drive past there any morning and you will see the Sysco Sytems food truck unloading their standard dreck for the evening's meal. You can do so much better than this.
(2)
Christiaan H.
Chowder was too creamy. 12/07
(3)
Paul H.
Good place for some local fresh seafood but more than a bit on the pricey side. The food is delicious, the service great the atmosphere is outstanding. Be ready to spend some money and enjoy.
(4)
Matt L.
Oh the joys of an Easter Brunch! Well visiting family in this area we were partaking in this supposedly local hotspot. It was quite crowded but probably because it was Easter and probably because there isn't much else in this area. The staff here is a confused jumbled mess of people running around trying to fill in holes. Know one knew what the other was doing. The buffet on hand was out of plates most of the time, waitstaff was running back and forth and the waiting area by the door was too small to accomodate the large crowd. The interior of this place is pretty nice and sits on a cove of the ocean with windows facing the inlet. The menu from what I gathered is motly seafood and nothing really creative looking. The buffet was a sloppy disgusting array of soupy meats, creamy bland tasting pasta dishes and drowned salads that was just awfull. It was presented nasty like some bad wedding or buffet in Vegas and the omelet station was in the middle of the place with the so called executive chef carving half cooked ham to a line of guests taking up the whole area. The food was terrible, and the pork tasted like it came out of the cooks armpit. The pasta dishes were horrible as well and the whole thing was nasty. Even the omelet I got custom made was sickening. I thought maybe try a dessert, you can't screw that up, but I was wrong. Nasty tasting Tiramisu and some gross custard cups and an oreo crumb cake invention which was a nightmare. Add in the steep prices of this place and you have an Easter gone wrong. Do yourself, so your family, do everyone a favor and skip this rip off. I am still trying to get the bad taste out of my mouth which may last for days!!
(2)
Neil S.
I am being generous with the stars as our eventual waitress was very nice. That's the only highlight of an otherwise unfortunate experience. I dined with my parents last Thursday evening and were greeted by a friendly hostess. The hostess as well as my dining party were all confused by a waitress who very vocally made it known that she did not want another table. I was annoyed to have to hear this convo and it served to set the pace for our meal. Thankfully the waitress that didn't want us didn't get us (or our 21% tip) and the waitress we did get was very nice-though very slow. It took two hours for us to have a salad course and entrees at 5 on a Thursday. Not acceptable! The highlight was the hair in my club sandwich. I couldn't pretend it wasn't there as it was wrapped inside the folded lettuce. The waitress took it off the bill, but nobody else acknowledged the problem. I would expect that a manager would have taken the time to say "I'm sorry". I've been to the Muddy Rudder a few times in the past and never loved it. At this point I'm quite sure I'll never return.
(1)
Paul M.
We went there for lunch, had outstanding lobster/crab cakes and the steamed clams off the appetizer menu. Pleasant place with large windows overlooking a beautiful salt marsh with tidal waters. Friendly, efficient service. Full bar. We'll go there again.
(4)
Rico M.
Very good restaurant. Supposedly the view is quite nice, but I couldn't tell because I was there at night and I don't know the area. But dinner was awesome, the calamari was good as was my seafood saute. The service seemed very quick and efficient, even if at the cost of a few minor aspects. A quality place to go.
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 Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Io S.
In my memory from living in Portland in the late-'80s, early '90s, this place was a bastion of average American fare and kind of a big pick-up joint, but my memory might be a little hazy. This review, though, is for the excellent Sunday brunch. So ... the Sunday brunch is EXCELLENT. Fresh, cinnamon-and-sugar-brushed doughnut holes with blueberry and chocolate dipping sauce and fried clams Benedict -- yeah, you read that right -- were the brunch highlights. Other accolades for the bright, sunny dining room right on the salt marsh, a friendly waitress and rather reasonable prices for the sumptuous portions. Will definitely return.
(5)Stephan C.
Last night in Freeport. It's Prime Rib night at the Rudder. Waitress was Bethany. Very nice. We both asked Bethany for two, small cuts, medium to medium well. The steaks came to our table perfectly. One of the better Prime Ribs I've had. The meal came with mashed potatoes and broccolini. All very good. This was a great evening ending with a nice snifter of cognac. Perfect!
(5)Danielle N.
The service is very slow and for the quality of the food it is over priced. The only star factor is the view.
(2)Elaine H.
Great upscale place for any meal. We had the calamari to start. It was fab. Coated with a sweet Thai chili sauce that was very tasty. The seared scallops with gnocchi was very good as well the spinach gnocchi primavera with chicken. Cocktails were fab too. Atmosphere was beautiful with live piano music. Service was spot on. I will be back. Oh one more thing...rolls were hot and the sweet butter was a surprise /treat! And I will see you again Dec 26!
(4)Jenna M.
Arrived on a Saturday afternoon, 2ish, well after any lunch rush. Simple order: 2 french onion soup 1 Chicken Caesar Salad I will start with the good: Server was very nice. The french onion soup was delicious. At least one of the two soups was delicious. The ugly: The wait for 2 soups and a salad with grilled chicken was inordinately long. 2 French onions soup crocks arrived. One looked great, nice gooey melted cheese. However, the other was burnt on top. No wonder it took so long, they had to bunt the top on the other soup. Caesar salad w/ chicken was not made with romaine lettuce. In fact, it couldn't be considered a Caesar Salad. It was made with wilted field greens. Last time I checked romaine is the lettuce to be used for Caesar salad. Who am I to argue, maybe things are that different in Maine. Alerted server to issue with burnt cheese. she offered to take it back, I told her that is fine just as long as I do not need to wait another 25 minutes for a new soup. Server came to ask if we were done, only grilled chicken was eaten off salad. Server did not even ask if the food was to our liking. So I guess in the end if she were a great server she would have asked was everything OK, especially when it looked untouched. That is the sign of a good server, someone that cares about the dining visit and who knows you always wants the guest to walk away with a good experience.
(2)Cheryl H.
We shared the seafood casserole, which was very good. However was filled mostly with haddock, 1 piece of lobster, 2 shrimp. The French onion soup and clam chowder were very good....French onion..prob the best I had. Good place to go for a drink.
(3)Lyndsay B.
We chose the Muddy Rudder because we wanted to try a dinner place outside of downtown Portland. Don't let the outside appearance aid in your judgement - the inside is beautiful! We also had someone in our dinner party with a severe shellfish allergy and they had lots of options for them - the kitchen even cooked their appetizer in a separate pan just to be extra safe!! The food was tasty, the drinks were cold, the service was good and we had a nice time! We would recommend it to other travelers, but would probably want to try out another place on a future vacation! Overall, very good!
(4)David P.
Visiting on vacation and had dinner. Food was prepared well and the sangria was delicious. However, the service left so very much to be desired. Ordered food around 7:45 and it took over 40 minutes to get with no check-in on status of our meals, if more water, or "I checked in with kitchen... See other reviews recently that are 3 stars or less And, final coup de grace. Server gave us incorrect check-restaurant lucky that price difference was $.27... Manager came out and admitted mistake- but c'mon... Too bad, as ambiance is nice.
(2)Yelena S.
We had a living social coupon for the restaurant, I was pumped especially since I'd never been before. The view was pretty, I wanted to sit outside near the river but the host said it might get buggy so we stayed indoors. We ordered drinks, I got the martini flight which was super yummy, but our waiter didn't come back for what felt like 15 minutes. He had several other tables around us and served them water and bread but didn't stop back to see if we were ready to order dinner while we were waiting on our drinks *insert frustrated face here* Once we did eventually get our bread, we were pleasantly surprised by the sweet butter it was paired with. Our fried calamari was good, but nothing amazing. I ordered the sea scallops which looked delicious, but there was sooo much salt on top. I had to ask for waters because our waiter never brought us any and I was so thirsty after a few bites. My bf ordered the steak tips, which were marinated and very juicy. The plates were pretty plain, mine came with just scallops, some risotto and 3 pieces of asparagus. The steak tips were just that with some simple mashed potatoes on the side. Overall it was a good experience, I'd go back but will probably try something else next time. One of the martinis in the flight was so good I might have to ask if they can make me a full size version *nom nom nom*
(4)Kit G.
Dinner for 2 on a snowy thursday night. Restaurant was busy, a good sign. Very nice and comfortable room. Excellent service. Excellent room. Good food, not wow but good. Shared a salad and crab cakes. Very good. Wife had crab crusted haddock cooked perfectly. I had seared sea scallops with spinach gnocchi. Very buttery, maybe a little heavy. Both very good. No room for desert but we will be back. We really liked the room that was not too noisy to have a conversation like many of the portland restaurants.
(4)Carol V.
We arrived early for our 7:00 reservation. Enjoyed the piano by the bar, nice to see the pianist's tip jar overflowing. We were seated by a window. Upscale restaurant but the place settings were more 'lobster-in-the-ruff' style. Comfortable. The waitress was attentive, personable and really seemed happy to have us there. Each dish was like a meal by itself. I tried to pace myself wanting to save room for the more food that was coming. Everything was excellent. My husband offered me only "half a scallop". I was surprised with the quantity of pan seared scallops on his plate. He said they were the best he's ever had. Warm rolls with sweetened butter, Caesar salad, steak tips, spinach gnocchi, haddock sandwich with a great remoulade sauce, broccolini, mac and cheese that was fresh and had a wonderful flavor. We ordered turtle cheesecake with 2 spoons. Decadent! The art work on the walls was beautiful. The Sea Salt Scrub in the rest room was a nice touch!
(5)Ben H.
Unfortunately I reviewed the Muddy Rudder a day too soon. The manager/owner in fact honored his word and sent the gift card for our most recent visit experience. We will be happy to give the Muddy Rudder another try. The atmosphere is relaxing. I hope this time around the entire staff and kitchen is on point.
(4)Dane G.
Had dinner with my girlfriend here, mediocre at best. The waitress was all over the place and started the night out with dirty place settings. We had the mussels for an appetizer, they were great! One of few parts of the night that lived up to expectations. Our meals came out roughly 2 minutes after our appetizer, the meals were a complete 180 degree turn. The stuffed haddock was unrecognizable under a thick layer of masking sauce. My girlfriend had the seafood casserole, not great but bearable, the breading on top became mush shortly after the waitress delivered it to the table. (Which would not have been a big deal, had our first and second courses not come out at the same time). The part of our dining experience that kept this from a 1 star review were the deserts. Both the tempura whoopie pie and the creme brûlée were fantastic! Sadly we will not be returning, and will spread the word about the sub par experience at the muddy rudder.
(2)R B.
I really like this place; many items can be prepared gluten free. The seafood scampi was perfect! We had a nice Portuguese green wine with our dinner. The waitress was helpful and attentive. For dessert, I chose the creme brulee, creamy and crackly as it should be.
(4)Angela W.
I got the baked fish. The fish was ok but the lobster sherri sauce, mixed with the bread crumbs, ended up to be a weird soggy bread thing. Not great at all. The carrots and rice had no flavor at all. My husband had the beef tips, and they were flavorful but got too rich after a few bites. My 8 year old son got the kids burger It was huge! But it was so greasy he could not finish it. The service was ok. The place needs a little cleaning. Don't think we will be inclined to return.
(2)Don T.
We were greeted by a very friendly staff member who led us to a nice table with a view of the Cousins River. We were near the door, but it was somewhat cool outside, so there was almost no traffic of people going in and out. The view was quite nice. For an "upscale" place, the menu was quite reasonable. We didn't see onion rings on the appetizer menu but we did notice that several dinner options included onion rings. We asked the waitress about it and she indicated that yes, they'd be happy to do an order of onion rings for us. The onion rings were excellent. They came in a cute little basket with other rings overflowing onto the plate. Very nice presentation and they tasted great -- not greasy and they had an excellent breading to onion ratio. They really should have their onion rings on their appetizer menu. When you are there, be sure to ask for them -- they are worth it. We weren't there for a big dinner, rather just a late lunch so we ordered sandwiches. My wife had the chicken sandwich. It consisted of chicken with "apple, cranberry and walnut chutney, brie, and mixed greens served on a telera roll." Neither of us knew what a telera roll was, but it sounded artisan and good. She also ordered the coleslaw as her side. Her sandwich was really good. The chicken was cooked nicely and still moist. She loved the chutney. The telera roll, which is kind of like a baguette that is made roundish rather than long, was delicious. The coleslaw was savory and not sweet which is the way we like it. Excellent! I don't get fish much at home so I ordered the fish sandwich, "lightly breaded haddock, coleslaw, lettuce, tomato and onion-- served with remoulade sauce." With it, I ordered the sweet potato fries. Again, presentation means a lot and the sandwich was presented nicely. The fish was cooked perfectly - moist, slightly separating itself from the breading -- really good. The fries came with a dipping sauce that was very tasty. It made an excellent meal and had nice portions. I was impressed. Our server was excellent. She was friendly, helpful when we ordered, brought things in a timely manner, and paced the meal nicely. Not only did she freshen our "waters with lemon" when the water was getting low, she also brought additional lemon for our use. Nice touch I wish more places did. We will definitely be back and I'm looking for reasons to be in Yarmouth at lunchtime.
(5)S And E H.
The Raw Oysters and Popcorn Shrimp, so yummy. The Bloody Mary wasn't great and the half lobster tail garnish was overcooked. The 1 1/4 cooked lobster and the corn on the cob was good, however the side of potatoes that came with it were dried and chewy. The Baked Haddock consisted of seasoned cracker crumbs(Burnt dark brown with black, who does that?) and lobster sherry cream was served with wild rice and asparagus(pale and mushy). So much for a Birthday Meal.
(2)ken i.
Very average clam chowder- great baked haddock. Average service. Quite average! The calamari was strange with a soy type sauce. Fried clams were average.
(3)Jill M.
Tonight's dinner at Muddy Rudder was a keen DISAPPOINTMENT. The nice exterior and view are the only highlights. The place lacks ambiance. While the rolls and mixed greens salad were fair, the meal went downhill from there. The lobster bisque was SALTY and inedible. We asked the server to bring us lobster stew instead, but it was tasteless. My party was eager to leave...and won't be back.
(1)George T.
For over 20 years we have annually traveled to Sugarloaf for a week of skiing and have nearly always stopped at the Muddy Rudder for Saturday night dinner. We have always enjoyed the casual, but pleasant atmosphere. For most in our party of four to six diners, one of the main reasons has been for the deliciously, creamy Clam Chowder. For the most part it has been a pleasant experience but it seems that the last couple of years the quality of the food has suffered; but there was always the chowder to make the stop worthwhile. This year even the chowder seemed to be not as tasty, not as creamy and was served, at best, just warm. It just wasn't the clam chowder that I had always anxiously anticipated as we would near Freeport. To me a server can add or detract greatly to a dining experience. Tonight ours gave us our menus, advised us of the specials and brought us our drinks. Fifteen to twenty minutes later she had not returned to our table we had to actually flag her down to advise her that we were ready to order. I must note that we have always enjoyed the piano music playing in the background and the host and hostesses this evening were delightful. That said, I think that to another year we will be looking for a NEW favorite spot.
(2)Mayur K.
Dinner was very disappointing. The old lady waitress took our orders and did not know who ordered what. Portions are small compared to the prices they charge. Fisherman's platter is the only dish worth having. Bread they served us was frozen and then reheated. Avoid this place if you are looking for decent portion size. I will never eat here again.
(1)Sara A.
We were quite disappointed this visit. The last time we were here 2 years ago they had just changed owners and even that visit my husband sent the lobster back for being overcooked and understanding they were new. Two years later no excuse .. The stuffed mushrooms came out as an overcooked bake where I found small shiitake mushrooms and not even stuffing mushrooms and we sent that back without a replacement. My (2) 4 oz filet Mignon looked like 2 ounces each, and were way overdone, and the lobster tail was way over done dry and tough. My husbands seafood scampi - the pasta was overcooked. The presentation on all the dishes was sloppy. Needless to say we didn't stay for dessert and left a meager tip. Ever since ownership change 2 years ago the quality just has not been there. We came before the change over and the food use to be top notch - again very disappointed.
(1)Penny B.
Our server Ellen was impeccable with a great sense of humor. Our friends went crazy over the Lobster Bloody Mary's. Everyone was more than satisfied with our breakfast selections. I would highly recommend, and can not wait to come back
(5)jack h.
If you regularly use Yelp, then look no further. Ruddy Mudder, man. Previous comments about blue hairs, overcooked entrees, and overpriced items applies here. Just not worth the cash unless you need an elegant location and don't care about authenticity, food quality, server efficiency, or price....
(2)Elizabeth T.
Brunch this morning was good, I had the Benedict - served on lovely biscuits with a delicious hollandaise sauce. The home fries, however, were a disappointment. Shredded potatoes, very mushy, not what I had hoped for in the least. Home fries aside, overall a pleasant experience. Atmosphere is lovely, overlooking the water, the restaurant has been recently updated and looks fresh and inviting. I'd go back - but I'll skip the home fries!
(3)Andrew D.
Stick to the smaller, mom and pop seafood places in the area and avoid this place like the plague. It looks nice on the outside but they failed to spend any money on quality chefs/food. Speaking of money, they'll ask you to pay more than you should for food that is luke warm and overly SALTY! **make that zero stars**
(1)Bryan D.
My wife and I went here for dinner mid week. The place was dead, other than a small christmas party going on in the back. We were sat down, good view, atmosphere was very good, nice, quiet and relaxing. My wife ordered corn chowder to start, which turned out to be a white chowder base with some corn in it. Not flavorful at all and barely tasted of corn. I started with calamari with asian garlic sauce. The calamari was swimming in the sauce. The taste of the sauce was good, but I had to pick through and find the crispy pieces. I ended up leaving half of it because the full bodies tentacles were intertwined and completely soggy to the point that they stretched like motzarella when I tried to pull them apart. I ordered seared scallops for my main. The scallops were barely browned on one side, white on the other and pinkish (under cooked) in the middle, they also had a bad fishy taste. They came with a gnocchi that was premade/store bought crap to put it nicely. My wife got a sirloin special with mashed and carrots. When it came out, it was the worst cut of sirloin I have ever seen. There were a GIANT fat cap on one side taking up a couple ounces. When she cut into it, it was raw. The waitress sent it back to the kitchen and when it came back (within a couple minutes), it was still raw. She tried to cut around the edge but it was all connective tissue and fat and it was very bland, I don't think they even salt or peppered it. The mashed were instant that were the consistency of paste with a close flavor resemblance and the carrots were just salted, boiled carrots. She gave up and sent it back. They gave us a free dessert and we ordered the apple pie. It came out swimming in caramel sauce and was too sweet for my wife to take more than a bite. The ice cream it came with was great. I scraped off the sauce and ate a good portion of it. It was warm in spots and ice cold in others from coming out of the fridge and going into the mircowave. At the end of the meal we left and had to get food somewhere else. I will never bother going back here again. For the price this place charges, there are a few other places in the area that are well worth the money and always consistent.
(1)Karen B.
Great service, and good. We had popcorn shrimp and potstickers for appetizer, both were really good. The bread rolls were warm and fresh. Everything was perfect, thank you Muddy Rudder!
(5)Steve T.
Stopped here on our way back from Freeport and had a great brunch and lunch. Awesome views, good food, good service. I'm glad we came here and didn't waste money downtown in Freeport. If you want a good burger or salad, check this place out.
(5)Larry R.
We are near ll Bean for dinner. We had local brewed beer and local red and wire wine bee started out with yummy clam chowder and then haddock with a topping of popcorn shrimp and white sauce. The haddock was so sweet and so soft I never dreamer that this could taste so good. For dessert we had strawberry shortcake and dark coffee. If I never come back, I will always remember this night at Muddy Rudder. So good!
(4)Lisa M.
It's a nice place, nice views and little upscale. The food and service are good.
(3)Linda M.
My husband & I recently went to Muddy Rudder & were quite disappointed. My husband ordered clam chowder, a salad, & seafood scampi. His chowder NEVER came even though he reminded 2 servers about it, the salad was good, and the scampi was not hot & contained tasteless chewy shrimp, good scallops, but not much seafood at all. He also said it was overly salty. I ordered barbecued shrimp which were also tasteless & chewy & the barbecue sauce tasted like a store-bought jar of barbecue sauce - & not one of the better store-bought sauces. View was nice, but we will not return. It was not worth the expense at all.
(2)Stephanie C.
This restaurant has been up and down but failed during a recent visit. An overly ambitious menu and poor execution. Two the four of us ordered the special crab stuffed halibut with a buerre blanc which was uninspiring. Served with green beans that were merely blanched and hard crunchy. The pilaf was a mushy mix of brown grains with white and completely tasteless. Another in our party had regular menu item of seared scallops and risotto. The scallops (6) were browned nicely but one was so salty as to be inedible. The risotto was a complete failure with hard uncooked rice grains. When her companion tried it, surprise! a hair! The fried clams were a portion that was disguised by dumping them on top of a mess of fries. The waitress was very professional and when informed of the risotto hair experience alerted the kitchen. They admitted the risotto was undercooked and she deducted that meal. I think a lot of people with dead taste buds must frequent the place. Beautiful location but a kitchen that can't execute.
(1)Sparky T.
Nice place with decent and varied selection. Seafood and comfort food items available. Had the linguine and clams - decent portion size and reasonable, but not huge amount of clams included. Seems like a decent place to return and try some of their other items.
(4)Gayle H.
My family went for the Thanksgiving Buffet, a party of 22. They had a nice selection of non-traditional choices, smoked salmon with capers and red onions, 3 kinds of salads, cornbread dressing, pesto pasta, mac and cheese, roast pork as well as the all the usual fare. A nice assortment of desserts as well as a soup and a chowder. Although the turkey was a little salty the food was pretty good. The servers were attentive, but they did have an awkward set up of three tables for all of us. My only true beef is with the way the server or manager handled the bill. I specifically had a conversation with the front end desk greeter who I assumed was the manager that the bill needed to be split a certain way. That it was important and I wanted to take care of it early as I did NOT want a specific person in the family to pay the whole bill. They had me meet with the server, I explained who would be paying for what and gave him my credit card to charge so it would be taken care of asap. I also explained that I did not want a certain family member to pay for it all. I arranged this while the others were being seated and we had not even started the meal . The end of the meal came and I discovered management or the server did NOT honor my request for payment. They took the family members payment for the whole bill that I specifically asked them not to. I am disgusted with the Muddy Rudder. That was disrespectful and I do not appreciate being treated that way. The manager or the server should have said something to me, instead of having to find out this information from another family member as I put my coat on to leave. Unprofessional. I WILL NOT RETURN.
(1)Betsy D.
I was not impressed with this place. The wait staff seemed annoyed with my party's menu questions. The lobster bisque was so salty I could barely take a second bite. It was served lukewarm. The spoon on the side of my soup bowl was disgustingly dirty with green residue. Probably one of the worst meals I've ever had in my life.
(1)Andrea K.
I had high hopes for the Muddy Rudder. My family - mom, dad, brother, and I - headed there on April 14th for my mom's birthday dinner. It was our first visit, and unfortunately will be our last. My brother ordered a salmon dish, my mother steak, my father linguine, and I ravioli. All of our main dishes were wonderful and I had no issue with them. However, my father and I split an order of mussels for our appetizer. Following dinner, both he and I were terribly sick. I have had food poisoning before, but have never gotten as violently ill as I did after our visit to the Muddy Rudder. I was sick for two days following the meal. It's been eight days since our visit and my father is just now recovering. He was violently ill for days before he ultimately had to go to the hospital. We have contacted the restaurant and informed them of the situation. They kindly offered us a gift certificate, but we declined. We won't ever be dining there again. I hate to be harsh, and have tried to be understanding about the situation, but have never, ever been more sick from food in my life. I advise caution when ordering if you choose to dine at the Muddy Rudder.
(1)Richard F.
We stopped here for lunch and were pleasantly surprised. I ordered the sea food scampi which was delicious. Shrimp, lobster and scallops served on linguini with a cream sauce, $13.95. My wife ordered the fish and chips, $11.95. The haddock fish was lightly breaded and delicious. The server was very good and the view out the window of the tide coming in was neat to see. We hope to go back soon.
(5)Mark M.
Good food, classy atmosphere. A bit pricy compared to local diners, etc. but for a nice sit down restaurant with nice ambiance and a great view of the Royal River it is not bad. Food and service are great.
(4)Eric K.
The Muddy Rudder seems to have been on a downward spiral for many years. I used to eat at the one in Brewer, which continued to suck worse and worse. Now after coming back to Maine after moving away I see that location has closed. I'm beginning to wonder how long until the flagship Yarmouth location closes. After a stop a few weeks ago to enjoy some fresh food, we were served cold food by an inattentive waiter. He also argued with me that it was acceptable to serve me a Jameson whiskey "aperitif" (if you will!) in a snifter glass after I asked for a rocks glass instead. We were essentially ignored, even after it obviously taking 45 minutes from the time we ordered to the time we received our meals. Three of our seven guests reported that their meals were cold and one reported that their meal (though I can't remember what it was as this was a few weeks ago) was entirely unsatisfactory.
(2)Scott L.
A gorgeous restaurant on the coast offering the best seafood you will find as well as dishes for those with other tastes. I had the Chicken Bruschetta last night and it was spectacular. My wife enjoyed the Pasta Chicken and a 6'6" friend ordered the Fishermans Platter. Both had zero complaints and our friend could not finish his platter there was such a generous serving. After dinner we shared a fried whoopee pie dessert. OMG! We will go back even if just for dessert and coffee! From the moment we walked through the door the service was exceptional. I'm not sure what happened with some of these negative reviews but our evening was delightful all the way around.
(5)Rox F.
While getting ready to write this review I just asked my husband "how would you describe how your crab cakes tasted?" he replied: "Like suicide." I think that statement stands for itself but to give a little more info; we went here because I got a groupon for $9 that was worth about $70 at the Muddy Rudder so what the hell right? It was not even worth the $9. I would have, however, paid $9 to have the experience erased from my memory. I had the seafood casserole, which seemed like watery chowder in a casserole dish. The scallops were way undercooked. My husband had the crab cake entree. The crab cakes seemed like they had no crab in them, not even fake crab. They tasted like chemicals (and suicide). they also felt like they came out of a mold, like McDonald's fries. Both entrees had the same sides, mushy, tasteless babyfood-esque "seasonal squash" and "wild rice" which was akin to Uncle Ben's. We also had a pitcher of sangria which was the only reasonably priced alcohol on the menu. The bill came to $80 with a generous tip (since the service was attentive), without the groupon. I would have felt beyond robbed had I not had that damn thing. There is no reason to go here. ever.
(1)Bill A.
Popped in for lunch because we saw the sign from the highway and what a wonderful surprise: we did not expect to find Great View, Great Food and Great Service just 2 minutes from the highway. We split a fish and chips and a house salad. The fish was wonderful, better than in the 5 star restaurants in Rockland and the house salad was all fresh, crisp vegetables (and no iceberg, lol). We even got a super bonus: my wife left her Iphone there and they overnighted it for free! I notice some very poor ratings in the review and I wonder how long this place has been under "new" management...
(5)Tom L.
This place has a cozy atmosphere, friendly staff and great food. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I don't give those out unless you blow my doors.
(4)Neal E.
If I could give the Muddy Rudder zero stars - I would. I visited the Muddy Rudder last Fall. Ordered the Lobster Bisque and the Lobster Dinner. The Lobster Bisque was of course brought out first. It was like getting a cup of hot, watery broth with milk poured into it - with no real flavor. It was not even worth eating. I flagged down my server and had her take it away. The Lobster was then brought out. Watery, rubbery, way overcooked. Again, not really worth eating. A huge disappointment. There must be better places to find Lobster.
(1)D P.
Food's ok, but overpriced. This is typically where the older folks come for dinner. Lobster, mussels, and other dinners are just ok - nothing fabulous to support the price, or get you to keep coming back.
(3)N I.
After reading some of the other comments about this place, I"m wondering how they make any money...oh wait, the drinks were expensive as were the rest of the prices on the menu...I thought it was just my meal that was below standard but even the wife agreed(after tasting mine) that hers was not much better. I noticed that the table next to us was also having a problem with their meal, sending it back and not requesting anything else...The food was overcooked and had a taste that made me think it had been previously cooked and then sat in the fridge for a couple days uncovered and then warmed up and served to me ( I had ordered the roasted half chicken dinner) My wife had the crab cakes which were extremely overcooked almost to the point of being burned, a potato side dish with shrimp was not much better. I did send my food back, unable to eat it, mgr came and apologized, offering free desert...hmm..I turned that down and requested an adjustment to our bill. Mgr agreed with out and was very sorry for our experience.
(1)Anthony R.
It's not anywhere close to being the best place in Maine. It's not even the best place in this area. You can definitely do better at a small local joint by the water. So why the 4 stars? Two words - lobster bisque. It is absolutely incredible, this stuff. Totally blows your mind, with large chunks of lobster swimming around in the bowl. The lobster bisque makes it worth dealing with the not-so-nice scenery and the family-style restaurant environment. Trust me, go just for this.
(4)Mark T.
This is my second time to Muddy Rudder - previously I went a couple of years ago for dinner and the place was packed. Nice atmosphere with a dude playing the piano. Loved it - this time I went mid-week, lunch time. Very nice seat overlooking the lake/pond/river. The restaurant was not crowded and the service was good. I really wanted some good Maine seafood, but to be honest, the menu either wasn't exciting or the interesting dishes were outside of my zone of indifference. All of the lobster was fairly expensive, including a $19 lobster roll. For the size of a regular hot dog bun, I decided to pass. My friend went with the crab cake sandwich and I went with the fried haddock sandwich with sweet potato fries ($2 extra). Add a cup of clam chowder for $4. For dessert the blue berry pie ($5), peanut butter pie ($6) or bread pudding ($5) are good options. This place is a trade off - I liked the view in the day time, but was unimpressed with the food and thought it was expensive. When I came in the evening, saw some folks dressed up and a piano player, the food, atmosphere and price were good (but couldn't see the view because it was dark).
(3)Rosemary B.
Nice setting and view out the back windows. Went for brunch and the bloody mary was excellent but the service and food only so-so. Really want to like this place more but they need better service and not to overcook food. Plus better customer service overall - when complaints were made about overcooking no apologies were offered.
(2)melissa z.
I have dined at the Muddy Rudder a few times in the last couple of years. My most recent dining experience there left little to be desired. The clam chowder while tasty was not hot. The most expensive entree, seafood casserole contained over cooked pieces of mostly fish, 2 shrimp, 2 scallops and 1 bite of lobster submerged in a pool of cream sauce with a stale piece of puff pastry on top. The pan seared trout was over-cooked with soggy skin, accompanied by a tasteless cream sauce over a cold pile of mashed potatoes. Our waitress mentioned the owner had recently purchased a restaurant in NH about 100 miles away. It shows.
(2)Tamara D.
Had a quick dinner at the bar. Salad was light & perfect and the grilled shrimp was delicious. Great menu & they have GF pasta. Service was exceptional and piano bar made for great ambiance. More of an adult place. Delicious!
(4)George R.
The last time was a little disappointing Have had better service and food in previous visits. This just must have been a bad night . My wife & I have been here several times so willl try it again
(2)Southie G.
Yay! We just came here with a groupon and didn't realize they had spruced up the restaurant. It looks great! Our waiter was wonderful (not always the case if you have a groupon!) The food was terrific too. It was a great night all around- we would certainly come back! The only thing that would have made our night perfect is if they had speakers in the back dining room so that you could hear the live piano music. j Great place!
(5)John M.
Best described as the place that you think locals would go to. It has a local look and feel, but step inside and after awhile you hear someone at every other table ask for directions on how to eat a lobster... Seriously, people of Freeport, when I ask you where do YOU go, Im sure you dont really mean this place. The restaurant is nice.. tasteful but not stuffy. The attitude, casual and not stuffy. My goal when coming to Maine on vacation is to have baked haddock, and this was my first dinner. The haddock is prepared a few different ways and I opted for the stuffed (with crab). Eh... it was good... not great, but good. The stuffing was good and fairly plentiful, but serving temperature could have been better with this as well as the vegetables and baked potato. Portions were good, flavor a bit lacking, but not bland. Dessert was the peanut butter pie which was good, but didnt seem to be homemade as described by our server.
(3)Drew F.
The muddy ruddy is a fantastic restaurant! I've been here twice and can't wait to go back. The first time was for lunch! The clam chowder is the best I've ever had and the fried clams were superb. My new wife and I (!!!) had our reception dinner there with 40 guests. We could not have asked for more. They worked with us on the menu on several occasions. The the venue and the food was amazing. The lobsters and steamers were fresh and tasty, and the rest of the menu including chicken, salad and dessert were top notch as we. The wait staff was attentive and dedicated. Our wedding guests are talking about eh Muddy Rudder more than the food at our wedding. Additionally, at the end of the long night, I inadvertently doubled the tip! The owner came to me and asked if that is really what I meant to do, and corrected it. (The service was great, but I didn't intend on a 40% tip.) I can't recommend this restaurant enough, for a quick lunch or a large group!
(5)Krista L.
Throughout the Holiday season it seems that me and my significant others family have become groupon happy! We received two to this establishment and I will say I was a bit hesitant to make a reservation and go. The reviews didn't seem to amaze me and the distance from where we live was a bit of a drive. We took a chance this past Saturday and ventured north for a hopefully enjoyable dining experience. As we walked into the restaurant we were greeted by smiling faces and the wonderful sound of a piano. I, sadly, am a person who is always early for a reservation, so we ended up showing up 15 minutes before we were supposed to be there. The host said he apologized but the table they had for us was not ready yet. He was very friendly and very professional. This night seemed to be looking up!! While we waited I used a check in discount from foursquare to get us some "happy hour" priced drinks while we sat at the bar. The bar had a few large TVs and they were playing the NFL playoffs. We enjoyed the sweet and elegant atmosphere with the laid back bar and amazing staff. The bartender was very nice and automatically came up to us and helped us with our selections! I would alone go back for the enjoyable, upscale bar and friendly bar tender! We were sat a little bit later and were greeted by rolls and butter. My significant other and I agreed that the light hint of sweetness in the butter made these rolls addictive. When our waitress arrived we each ordered a drink and I explained that I had received a groupon and just wanted to make sure that we could meet the guidelines that were not outlined in the groupon. After she explained it we ordered the artichoke dip for an appetizer and waited for our drinks.When she came back with drinks I ordered the seafood scampi and my significant other ordered the fillet Mignon. A short time later the artichoke dip showed up. Out came a plate with a warm white dip and homemade chips. The dip was smooth and warm and lined your stomach with a "smile". The chips that accompanied it were light and flavorful. They didn't fill you up, but instead were just a nice light crunch to the tasty dip. I would order this again in a heartbeat! When we had almost finished the dip the food showed up. They put a bowl of seafood scampi that definitely would wow anyone. The linguine was cooked perfectly but was hidden but the amount of shrimp, scallops and lobster that was mixed into it. The light taste of butter and garlic kept it light and not heavy. I didn't feel as if it was greasy and overall I was amazed with it. It was one of the best one I have experienced in Maine so far! (My only complaint is that I wasn't offered parmesan cheese with the pasta) The fillet Mignon was amazing looking! It was accompanied with mashed potatoes, asparagus and a very nice, flavorful gravy. When my significant other cut into one of the two fillets it almost feel apart. He took a bite and he breathed out the word "wow". He explained this is the best cooked steak he has eaten in a restaurant in a long time. Although I am usually not able to digest steak I was able to eat a bit and it was amazing. The taste was perfect! I would like to point out that the waitress had yet to return after we ordered our drinks (someone else had delivered our food). I understand that having people come in with a groupon can put a damper on your service, but when we watch your float around to ever other table around us, asking them if everything is okay, and if they would like another drink, while we sit with empty drinks, it makes me not want to return just due to how we were treated. We had to flag her down to just get a glass of water. It then took 5 minutes to get it. This is the only reason I would not return to the restaurant. The food was amazing, the atmosphere was perfect for a date night, but to be treated with disrespect of that nature appalled me. Every time we have used a dining out deal, or gift card we have always over tip, but sadly this time it didn't seem worth it. Although we made sure the bill was taken care of and did tip on the full bill, I was a bit discouraged when the waitress only brought back large bills. So in short: The food was outstanding, the atmosphere was perfect, but our waitress ignoring us for most of the night due to us mentioning we were using a groupon was discouraging. She, sadly, is the reason I did not give this place a 5 star rating. I would lean more towards 4.5 if I had the option! So please, if you are in the area stop by and enjoy a great hidden secret!
(4)Changoblin G.
lobster is soooooo good. Sandwich is big
(4)Bob M.
I don't know how this could b rated low. The place has atmosphere service romance food. Bisque was outrageously good. Service was great. Bar has great sports TV. I'd highly recommend this one!!
(5)Deb L.
I used to love to go to The Muddy Rudder. No more. Today I met a friend there for lunch. The waitress was very nice and attentive, but the food - blech. I had a cobb salad with grilled chicken. The bacon on top tasted like Bac-os... I doubt it was real bacon. The hard boiled egg was fine. The chicken had probably been grilled, then frozen. No flavor, cut up into tiny, hard, inedible, unchewable pieces. Definitely not worth $17! Too bad, because there is a nice ambiance and it's in a convenient location. Oh well. There are so many other, better restaurants in the area, that I won't feel the loss.
(1)Janet M.
We stopped at the Muddy Rudder on our way back to Portland from Freeport for lunch. The restaurant only had one customer and the guy at the front desk said that he really was not working and we needed to wait for someone else to seat us. Even though it was not a nice day we had stopped there because we had good meals there in the past and enjoyed sitting near their large windows and being able to actually see out. When the waitress went to seat us, she was going to seat us at a table where the view was blocked by the only large expanse of wall by the windows. We asked for another table and she with much encouragement gave us an appropriately placed table that was all set with napkins and dinnerware. We sat down (but not for long) and I almost immediately discovered that the surface of the table was dirty. It had dried food all over it. I got up and walked to the upper level and was going to ask for someone to come and clean the table but I could not get anyone to come and find out why I was standing there looking around and glaring at the guy who had met us at the front desk and a waitress who was merely conversing with him. No one came, so we left only to be (at that late point in time) followed out of the restaurant by a man (who I had not seen before) asking what was wrong. We never tasted the food but the poor service, indifferent attitude, and the DIRTY TABLE are enough to keep us away for good!!!
(1)Terri H.
Food was expensive and not fantastic. Service was slow.
(2)Sue S.
Celebrated a friend's birthday there last Sat pm - party of 10. Had the steak tips - they were very good, tender and super tasty - everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals and the service was excellent too. My only negative comment, is that while sitting in the lounge, the piano was so loud, we couldn't hear ourselves chatting.
(4)Hungry G.
The Muddy Rudder has new owners and it is obvious! The menu had been on the decline over recent years but, being a family favorite, we could not give up without one more try when we heard of the change in ownership. We are VERY glad we did. The food is now much fresher and doesn't have that mass-manufactured taste. My wife is still raving about the Cobb Salad and I can't wait to return for another go at the seafood. Lobster? I'm thinking yes. Also, the staff seems to have a new attitude of professionalism. From the very welcoming and accommodating young man who was hosting to the wait staff, the past attitude of slapping food on the table is gone. The Muddy Rudder is once again THE RESTAURANT you have to visit. I predict the returning tourists will be stunned by just how good the Muddy Rudder is again. The live piano player adds to the ambience.
(4)Charles L.
Don't let the name fool you; this is a very nice, upscale restaurant complete with linen table cloths and napkins. Their seafood and their beef is excellent. Be sure and leave room for a fried Wicked Whoopie Pie a la mode.
(4)Takako F.
Scampy with lobster, scarap, and shrimp was so good, but I wish not to have the dried tomato in it... Scampi with lobster, scallop, and shrimp was so good, but I wish not to have the dried tomato in it...
(3)Gilbert Z.
I think the Muddy Rudder pays a price for its traditional and "non-Maine" look. Passing it on highway 1 in Yarmouth, just north of Freeport, you would think it is just another chain family restaurant. Well while it is part of a small chain (they have another location in Brewer, ME) and it probably would qualify as a family restaurant, it hides some of best seafood around. The clam chowder is thick and creamy and loaded with potatoes and clams. The lobster is sweet and fresh (and it's pretty hard to screw up a lobster ... think of the recipe: a lobster, water and a pot) and the fried clams are the best we have found ... crisp and tender whole clams served with a mound of french fries and a scoop of cole slaw. This is not an authentic "Maine" experience ... just good food.
(3)Michelle B.
A casual yet classy atmosphere, the Muddy Rudder offers pretty views, pleasant decor and very good food. They have a lot of the favorites you'd expect at most surf n turf restaurants, plus some interesting and creative alternatives. I had the Ahi Tuna dinner, which comes with wasabi mashed potatoes (yum), pickled cucumber salad (eh) and tempura asparagus (tasty). My companions tried (among other things) the Ravioli Florentine, Fisherman's Platter, Filet Mignon and Haddock Sandwich. The key lime pie was also pretty darn tasty. Staff was attentive, timely and professional. I would recommend it.
(4)Zoe Z.
Good seafood-especially the sweet, fried Maine shrimp and the haddock with wine and breadcrumb topping.
(4)Jon A.
I rarely write reviews but I told my wife I had to write because of how GREAT a dinner we had at the Muddy Rudder! We were staying in Portland and went to LLBean in Freeport and our concierge at our hotel suggested the Muddy Rudder on our way back, so we stopped and I'm glad we did. A tall young man greeted us, very friendly (wish I had gotten his name, since we spoke with him several times throughout the evening) and our server was Ellen, who was awesome! We split a Caesar salad, which was plenty for two, my wife had the baked haddock, I had the seafood stuffed haddock, ,which was excellent, the rolls were hot and the butter with the brown sugar was great as well. Of course we had to have dessert, so my wife had the deep fried whoopie pie and I had the Wild Maine Blueberry Crumble pie and it was the best piece of pie I have eaten in a very long time, if not EVER. We topped the evening off with coffee and had to say it was our best meal in Maine. We will definitely be back there again. Can't wait!
(5)Rosie and Tigg K.
Good menu choices. Mushrooms w lobster really good. Salad wedge yummy. Not overly creative cooking, a bit pricey, but meal was good.
(3)Joyce G.
I was served a salad that should have been thrown in the garbage. You could tell the lettuce and veg. had been frozen, it was limp and soggy. I will never eat in ths restaurant again.
(1)Andy G.
I have passed by the Muddy Rudder on the border of Freeport and Yarmouth Maine a million times on my way to and from Portland, but have never stopped as I never really figured id like it do to being known as a seafood lovers place. However ,I had a Portland Dine Around Club coupon so I figured id give it a try for brunch on a cold Sunday morning in April when I couldnt find anyplace in Portland that didn't have an hours wait. Simone and I arrived at around 11:00am and the place was strangely empty. This is always a concern for me, but I have been driving by many a time in the summer when the parking lot is full so I figure it is more of a reflection of the time of year then the food quality. Upon arrviving the (very cute) hostess sat us at a table with a nice view of the marshy waterfront and then the (very cute) waitress brought us some waters, coffee and menus. Simone tried the Creme Brule French Toast with a side of Bacon and I was convinced by our (very cute) waitress to try the days special Monte Cristo Sandwich. I hesitated a bit on my choice as I do not usually like Monte Cristos that much. I usually get ones with Deli Turkey, Deli Ham and thin somewhat soggy bread. This one however exceed all my expectations. This was real moist and tender Roasted Turkey, sliced about 1/4th of an inch thick , piled high with crispy bacon and a generous amount of Swiss. The bread was nice large thick cut french toast bread that was dipped in a cinnamon egg batter and grilled crispy on the outside and moist but not soggy on the inside. The sandwich was huge and delicious, the best Monte Cristo I can remember having. It came with hash brown casserole that was not as good as the sandwich. The hash browns were overpowered in the dish by the onions and it lacked some salt and pepper. I ate them but they could have been better. Simone's Creme Brule French Toast also exceeded our expectations. Thick Cut French Toast Egg battered thick slices of french bread were grilled, then topped with Sugar and carmelized until golden brown. They looked prettier then the (very cute) waitress that served them and tasted sinfully sweet. Simone also ordered a side of bacon which could have been a bit crispier. In what can only be described as genius, she took some Bacon and wedged it between the french toast slices dipped it in syrup and made mini salty and sweet breakfast sliders. YUM. With the amounts of food we were able to bring some french toast home for another meal. However, we were not able to bring the (very cute) waitress home therefor we will be back for more trips in the future. The Muddy Rudder was an unexpected find. Four stars
(4)Nicole S.
I've been coming here for a LONG time. The menu used to be huge and varied but it's much smaller now. Clam chowder is still the best, great views and friendly service. Always an A+ in my book!
(4)Allan G.
We had a pretty long wait for a table. We ordered the crab cake app, seafood scampi, and seafood fra-diablo. The crab cake was really good. The scampi was typical with a good amount of seafood. The fra-diablo was awful. It tasted like crappy jar sauce with 10 pepper flakes in it. Yes, it was not even spicy... There was a good amount of seafood in it, but surprisingly, the sea scallops was the best part about it even over the lobster & shrimp. The scallops were cooked perfectly. Overall, the crab cake and the scampi would be 4 stars, but with the slow service, high prices, and bad diablo sauce, 3 is all I can give.
(3)Ali I.
I went here on a Sunday summer Night at 6:30. My family was very hungry and even though the few reviews about this place were not very good, we decided to try it out anyways. Well, it looked nice, and that was about it. We were met with slow, bad attitude service. Our waitress was lazy and unattentive. About 45 minutes later we were served our entrees. On this matter, our group was divided. My Caesar salad with fried calamari was nothing to wrote home about, yet edible. My grandfather had fried wholebelly clams, which were decent. My mother, on the other hand, ordered a steak which was overpriced and tastless. It was meat that should have been slow roasted but because it wasn't it was tough and undesireable. And the worst was my poor grandmother's dish. She had some sort of seafood medley which ended up being a pathetic miniature noahs ark of sea creatures. Too bad the ark Couldn't keep out the flood of butter the 8 peices of meat were drenched in. I tried it myself, and it tasted like I was eating vomit and butter. Nothing was worth it at the muddy rudder. Fellow yelpers, If you know what's good for you you'll stay far far away from this place!
(1)John O.
I really wanted to like this place, the outside looks nice, the interior is decent and has a good view of the water. The server was prompt and they had several local beers on tap. This is a good start, so I ordered the seafood medley and let me say NEVER AGAIN! It was supposed to be broiled seafood w/ a breacrumb topping...When it came out it was floating in butter, and what wasn't floating was charred. Have you ever had crunchy lobster?!?! The shrimp was so tough I thought it might be actually shrimp jerky...Once you got past the seafood on top you had overcooked seafood covered in a soggy, buttery mess...The veggie and potatoes on the side were decent, but nothing special. I will never eat here again and will not recommend to anyone except my worst enemy! Fellow yelpers, STAY AWAY!
(2)j v.
I was surprised at how good this place was. Great service, beautiful location and very cheap. I had the steak tips. My wife had the scampi (loaded with libster). Everything was perfect. I've only been once so this is not an expert review but I'll be back.
(5)Eric W.
Stopped by for our anniversary dinner. My wife had the filet mignon, which was extremely tender and cooked to her liking. I on the other had went the seafood route, with the seafood fra diavolo. Extremely disappointing. The linguine was overcooked and clumped together, the "spicy" saucy was just a hair spicier than marinara sauce, and the seafood was meh. I had hoped with such a large selection of seafood that they would serve a good seafood meal. Nope. The scallops and mussels were small and nothing special, and one of the shrimp was tough and a bit cold.
(2)Paul O.
I have not had a perfect meal like I did at the Rudder in several years. The calamari and shrimp cocktail where perfect. Wonderful warm, crusty bread and than fantastically flavorful haddock. The meal was so filling, that when we saw the desserts delivered to a nearby table, but us and the table next us moaned because we knew there was no way we could stuff those treats into us after such a great meal. Truly from start to finish a great meal with friendly service that was the perfect touch of there when you needed them, but not overbearing.
(4)Megan W.
Good, but not the best lobster I ever had. Nice atmosphere. Staff was very friendly. I really could not believe how fast this place filled up.
(3)T.H. J.
Drive past there any morning and you will see the Sysco Sytems food truck unloading their standard dreck for the evening's meal. You can do so much better than this.
(2)Christiaan H.
Chowder was too creamy. 12/07
(3)Paul H.
Good place for some local fresh seafood but more than a bit on the pricey side. The food is delicious, the service great the atmosphere is outstanding. Be ready to spend some money and enjoy.
(4)Matt L.
Oh the joys of an Easter Brunch! Well visiting family in this area we were partaking in this supposedly local hotspot. It was quite crowded but probably because it was Easter and probably because there isn't much else in this area. The staff here is a confused jumbled mess of people running around trying to fill in holes. Know one knew what the other was doing. The buffet on hand was out of plates most of the time, waitstaff was running back and forth and the waiting area by the door was too small to accomodate the large crowd. The interior of this place is pretty nice and sits on a cove of the ocean with windows facing the inlet. The menu from what I gathered is motly seafood and nothing really creative looking. The buffet was a sloppy disgusting array of soupy meats, creamy bland tasting pasta dishes and drowned salads that was just awfull. It was presented nasty like some bad wedding or buffet in Vegas and the omelet station was in the middle of the place with the so called executive chef carving half cooked ham to a line of guests taking up the whole area. The food was terrible, and the pork tasted like it came out of the cooks armpit. The pasta dishes were horrible as well and the whole thing was nasty. Even the omelet I got custom made was sickening. I thought maybe try a dessert, you can't screw that up, but I was wrong. Nasty tasting Tiramisu and some gross custard cups and an oreo crumb cake invention which was a nightmare. Add in the steep prices of this place and you have an Easter gone wrong. Do yourself, so your family, do everyone a favor and skip this rip off. I am still trying to get the bad taste out of my mouth which may last for days!!
(2)Neil S.
I am being generous with the stars as our eventual waitress was very nice. That's the only highlight of an otherwise unfortunate experience. I dined with my parents last Thursday evening and were greeted by a friendly hostess. The hostess as well as my dining party were all confused by a waitress who very vocally made it known that she did not want another table. I was annoyed to have to hear this convo and it served to set the pace for our meal. Thankfully the waitress that didn't want us didn't get us (or our 21% tip) and the waitress we did get was very nice-though very slow. It took two hours for us to have a salad course and entrees at 5 on a Thursday. Not acceptable! The highlight was the hair in my club sandwich. I couldn't pretend it wasn't there as it was wrapped inside the folded lettuce. The waitress took it off the bill, but nobody else acknowledged the problem. I would expect that a manager would have taken the time to say "I'm sorry". I've been to the Muddy Rudder a few times in the past and never loved it. At this point I'm quite sure I'll never return.
(1)Paul M.
We went there for lunch, had outstanding lobster/crab cakes and the steamed clams off the appetizer menu. Pleasant place with large windows overlooking a beautiful salt marsh with tidal waters. Friendly, efficient service. Full bar. We'll go there again.
(4)Rico M.
Very good restaurant. Supposedly the view is quite nice, but I couldn't tell because I was there at night and I don't know the area. But dinner was awesome, the calamari was good as was my seafood saute. The service seemed very quick and efficient, even if at the cost of a few minor aspects. A quality place to go.
(4)