High Tide

High Tide is an American restaurant in Rockland that draws locals and travelers alike, especially those grateful to find the kitchen still running past 8pm. The owner cooks most nights, which shows in the care that lands on your plate. It's the kind of place where staff will move you to a warmer table without fuss, and where a burger or bowl of scallops feels like it's been made just for you.

• Open until 11pm when everywhere else closes early.
• Owner-chef in the kitchen most nights.
• House-made sauces and seafood done right.
• Staff moves you to better tables without being asked.

The mac and cheese is worth the trip alone if you're a fan of the dish. Get the calamari with its sweet chili aioli, and consider ordering the bacon-wrapped scallops if they're available (guests keep campaigning for them to be permanent). The burger has a reputation. Try the High Tide Seafood Delight if you want the kitchen's take on the sea, and don't skip the coconut lavender lemonade if it's on the cocktail list.

Relaxed and low-key, with a mix of travelers and locals settling in. There's chatter at the bar but it doesn't drown out conversation at your table.

The menu tilts toward seafood and house-made touches. Calamari comes with a sweet chili aioli that's good enough to steal for other dishes. Scallops wrapped in bacon keep turning up in guest conversations. The pasta specials flex, and the cooks will build something off-menu if you ask nicely. It's a place where people stay longer than they planned.

Guests rave about the care in every dish and staff who go out of their way to make diners comfortable. One recent visitor called it "one of the best meals of our trip." Word spreads fast when a place cooks this well and stays open this late.