Big Daddy's Bar and Grill

Big Daddy's sits right in Old Orchard Beach serving straightforward American food, but the kitchen elevates it beyond what you'd expect from the laid-back vibe. You'll find locals and visitors both, often with a short wait at peak times. Seafood gets top billing here, though the burgers and steaks pull their weight too.

• Seafood and steaks cooked with care and precision.
• Servers know their stuff and actually listen.
• Fresh ingredients, proper technique, portions you'll finish.
• Short wait feels worth it once you taste it.

The NY strip steak arrives with garlic potatoes and asparagus cooked right. Get the mussels in garlic sauce if they're running them, and don't skip the calamari, which comes so fresh it justifies an order on its own. The seafood risotto handles a good portion without feeling heavy. Street corn is a solid side, and if you want something off the beaten path, the pork 2 ways shows the kitchen knows what it's doing.

Small dining room with a bar that draws regulars and travelers alike. It fills up at dinner, especially weekends, so noise level climbs but it's the good kind of busy, not chaos.

Don't come expecting fussy plating or a fancy room. Come for the mussels in garlic sauce, the NY strip cooked to temp, the calamari so fresh it could've swum in that morning. People order a lot here and eat a lot here. The beer list is solid and the wine selection rounds things out.

Guests describe it as the best meal they've had in Old Orchard Beach, year after year. One recent visitor called the calamari fresh enough to eat alone for dinner. Servers like Anna and Kenzie show up in multiple reviews by name, mentioned for being both friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and local area.