Dining at Higgins Beach Inn in Scarborough, Maine

Higgins Beach Inn sits a short walk from the sand in Scarborough, with a restaurant and bar that anchor the property. Rooms are simple and compact, but the real draw is the location and the kitchen, where the chef Shade turns out fresh seafood daily. Staff tends to be warm and attentive. Book a ground-floor room if stairs are a concern, and know that soundproofing between rooms is thin.

• Lobster scampi and seafood chowder packed with fresh catch
• Ground-floor rooms available; three flights of stairs otherwise
• Walking distance to Higgins Beach and its boardwalk
• Breakfast vouchers and daily-changing menu with cocktails

Start with the kale Caesar salad or the seafood chowder, which regulars say arrives stuffed with lobster, fish, and potatoes. The lobster scampi is the signature dish and worth ordering. If peanut ice cream appears on the dessert menu, don't skip it. Cocktails and local beers are solid, and the menu rotates with fresh catches daily.

The restaurant has a deck that opens to the outdoors in warmer months. It's casual but put-together. Early mornings can bring noise from staff; evenings quiet down by the stated 10pm curfew.

Be prepared for early-morning noise from staff moving supplies and occasional sound from neighbors. One visitor noted hearing phone conversations and hallway chatter through the walls. That said, when things settle down, it's quiet. The location is the real star: you're close to Higgins Beach, a short drive to Portland, and far enough from city chaos to feel like an escape.

Guests rave about the beach location and the kitchen's attention to fresh ingredients. One recent visitor called the lobster scampi 'exceptional' and the overall vibe 'phenomenal.' The bar and restaurant manager Winnie earns particular praise for hospitality. A few visitors noted that rooms are snug and sound carries between walls.