The Maine Catch in Ogunquit, Maine

The Maine Catch serves locally sourced seafood, steaks, and pasta in a rustic dining room that feels both tucked into the woods and open to the outdoors. You'll find tourists and locals alike, often with dogs on the patio on nice days. The kitchen handles both straightforward preparations (grilled scallops, baked haddock) and richer dishes (lobster linguini, seafood Newburg), and the staff, Drew included, knows the menu inside out and handles allergies without fuss.

• Oysters and shrimp cocktail from the raw bar.
• Lobster risotto and seafood Newburg stand out.
• Brown butter halibut and fried clams rival coastal competitors.
• Attentive service and allergy-friendly approach.

Start with the shrimp cocktail or oysters from the seafood bar. For entrees, the lobster risotto and seafood Newburg get raves, but don't skip the brown butter halibut or fried clams. Baked haddock with broccoli substituted for rice is solid. Finish with blueberry pie or the chocolate cake.

Rustic wood interior with a patio spilling into flower beds. Gets loud and crowded by dinner, especially weekends, but the pace feels festive rather than rushed.

The kitchen leans on freshness and proper technique. Portions are generous. You can order off the seafood bar (oysters, shrimp cocktail) or pick from entrees; substitutions happen without resistance. Cocktails are solid. Desserts (blueberry pie, chocolate cake with peanut butter ganache) arrive homemade-tasting.

Guests rave about the freshness of the seafood and the size of portions. One recent visitor called the shrimp cocktail the best they'd ever had, and the lobster risotto earns special mention for its flavor. Service gets consistent praise, including for handling dietary requests without pushback.