The Porthole Restaurant & Pub in Portland, Maine

The Porthole sits right on the pier in Portland, slinging raw oysters, fried seafood platters, and lobster meals that taste like they came off the boat an hour ago. It's a tourist magnet, sure, but the staff treats you like a regular even on your first visit. The vintage diner interior and wharfside deck give it that easygoing Maine waterfront charm without pretension.

• Lobster hauled in fresh, sweet flavor, cooked to the right temperature.
• Fried seafood platter with tartare sauce, coleslaw, fries all solid.
• Open early for breakfast, lobster available all day long.
• Waterfront location and staff that actually care about your time.

Start with fresh oysters if they're in. The twin lobster meal (two 1.25-pound lobsters for $45) is the signature move. If you want fried stuff, the fried seafood platter comes loaded with a mix of fish and shellfish, coleslaw, fries, and tartare sauce. Don't sleep on the lobster roll either, though some folks prefer the lobster meals straight up. One guest raved about the salad, so if you're looking for vegetables, that's your ticket.

Vintage diner interior with vinyl seats and a working bar, or grab the big open deck overlooking the water. It fills up with tourists and cruise passengers during the day, so mornings are quieter.

They open early for breakfast and keep lobster on the menu all day, which means you can beat the cruise ship crowds if you show up before 10 a.m. The kitchen keeps things simple and honest. Fresh seafood cooked without fuss. You'll see tourists and locals both, and the kitchen doesn't treat one group better than the other.

Guests rave about how fresh the lobster is, some swearing it came off the pier out back. One recent visitor called the waterfront location magical, saying it makes the food taste better. Staff gets consistent praise for being genuinely nice and attentive, even during the chaos of peak season.