Fore Street

Name: Fore Street
Address: 288 Fore Street, Portland, ME, United States, 04101
Telephone: (207) 775-2717
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.9

4.9 (4275)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

288 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 4, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 67 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Great for fine wines
Charming

Located in Portland's Old Port District, Fore Street opened in June, 1996. The interior surrounds a unique brick and soapstone hearth with a wood-burning oven, grill and turnspit; visible from most tables. We believe that good food travels the shortest possible distance between the farm and the table. Our menu changes every day and is founded upon the very best raw materials from a community of Maine farmers, fisherman, foragers and cheese makers. Most of the Maine foods are organically grown or harvested wild, each brought to us at the peak of its season. In 2002 and again in 2007, Fore Street was named by Gourmet Magazine as one of the Top Fifty Restaurants in the United States. In 2004, Chef-Partner Sam Hayward was named Best Chef: Northeast by the James Beard Foundation.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Organic, Seafood
Hours of operation
Daily 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(207) 775-2717
Website
http://www.forestreet.biz/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Sam Hayward

Location
288 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101
Neighborhood
Portland
Cross street
Franklin and Pearl
Parking details
Fore Street has free parking from 5pm to 12am in the parking lot behind the building, depending on availability. Street parking is available as well as customer paid parking in 2 parking garages within 1 block.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Mixed Organic Salad Greens
Barrel Aged Cider Vinaigrette
Chilled and Smoked Seafood Platter
Ever-evolving selections prepped daily from the sea
Wood Oven Roasted Maine Mussels
Garlic Almond Butter
Charcuterie
House made smoked sausages, confits, rillettes, brawns, terrines and pates. Hand Crafted Daily
Wood Grilled Natural Hanger Steak
Cipollini Onions and Greens, with a tomato and horseradish vinaigrette
Turnspit Roasted and Dry Rubbed Pork Loin
Natural Quebec Pork. Morse's sauerkraut with pickling spices
Turnspit Roasted Organic Maine Half Chicken
From Whitefield Maine. Charred cornbread rusk with toasted black cumin sweet butter
Wood Oven Roasted Whole Fish
Served tail on bone in, varying species

What 4,275 people are saying

Fore Street reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9

4.9 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.7Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Maine
Best Overall
Maine
Best Food
Maine
Best Value
Maine
Innovative
Maine
Hot spot
Maine
Contemporary American
Maine
Most Booked
Greater Portland
Best Overall
Greater Portland
Best Food
Greater Portland
Best Service
Greater Portland
Best Ambiance
Greater Portland
Best Value
Greater Portland
Innovative
Greater Portland
Hot spot
Greater Portland
Great for fine wines
Greater Portland
Romantic
Greater Portland
Good for special occasions
Greater Portland
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Fore Street offers a remarkable dining experience with "phenomenal" food and "incredible service" in a "rustic/relaxed atmosphere." Guests rave about the "open kitchen," "fresh, local offerings," and "outstanding" menu. Highly recommended for special occasions or a delightful evening out, Fore Street remains a "must visit" in Portland.

4,275 Reviews

k
keith
Minneapolis - St. Paul1 review
4.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
The host is your first impression of how the night will go. The host was strange. After arriving at the table we were greeted by our server and she was wearing a mask. Which is fine but hard to hear. She was not great with the interaction that needs to happen at this kinda restaurant in Portland. I have been many times. She was short with us. Never asked how the main meal was tasting or anything like that. She said to my partner " I only have two hands and will get that for you when I can".
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J
Jeffrey
Baltimore / Maryland1 review
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food, ambiance and service. Great place to celebrate our anniversary! We will definitely be back!
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L
Lynne
South Carolina1 review
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Everything was great except there are two areas to dine. We were seated in an annex area with much poorer ambience than the rest of the restaurant. If it matters to you, you request main dining area when making the reservation.
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J
Jill
Greater Boston1 review
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food and service in Portland, Maine! Highly recommended.
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R
Rich VIP
Greater Boston82 reviews
4.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
As always the food and service at Fore street were very good. We were a party of six and everyone’s meal…salmon, lamb shoulder, hanger steak, was delicious as were the appetizers… mussels, clams, roasted squid. I will say that Fore Street is a fun and lively restaurant as opposed to a quiet romantic restaurant… but that’s fine as long as you know what to expect.
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S
Sara
Coastal Georgia2 reviews
3.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 5
Fore Street, Portland, ME (3.5/5) The food was outstanding…fresh, flavorful, and beautifully cooked in the open wood-fired kitchen. The ambience was warm and engaging, especially watching the chefs at work. Unfortunately, the service fell short. Our server was stretched thin with large parties, and we were overlooked. Other staff stepped in, but we still lacked basic attention. When we mentioned it to the manager, he dismissed it with, “I’ll give the chefs your compliments.” Great food, but not ideal for a couple or smaller group.
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J
Jessie VIP
Charlotte3 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely amazing. Exceeded my expectations - highly recommend especially for special occasions
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M
Mary Ellen
Greater Boston12 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A perfect gathering of six around a incomparable array of food choices (and some great wine) made us wonder why we hadn't come back to Fore Street sooner.
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M
Maureen
Greater Boston4 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fore Street never fails to provide a fantastic evening out!! Service is always top notch; friendly and professional! Cocktails are always delicious! We started with the bread and butter - just so good! Our appetizers were the grilled squid and steamed mussels - outstanding! For dinner, we had scallops, hanger steak, roasted chicken, snap peas, and garlic mashed potatoes- all phenomenal!! We were too full for dessert, but they looked yummy. Great wine selection, specialty cocktails, and beer selection. There is a reason we come every year - it’s just that delightful!
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C
Charles
Greater Boston3 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 25, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our server offered valuable insight on the menu & premier service all evening. I had not dined at Fore Street in several years, & last night's experience showed why it is still the reigning champ of Portland restaurants. Fore Street offers an unparalleled combination of sophisticated fine dining, rustic/relaxed atmosphere, incredible service, & best in show farm to table ingredients. After all these years, Fore Street is still numero uno!
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FAQs

Fore Street is rated 4.9 stars by 4275 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 4, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 67 times today

288 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101

Additional information

Cross street
Franklin and Pearl
Neighborhood
Portland
Hours of operation
Daily 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Organic, Seafood
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Fore Street has free parking from 5pm to 12am in the parking lot behind the building, depending on availability. Street parking is available as well as customer paid parking in 2 parking garages within 1 block.
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Sam Hayward
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.forestreet.biz/
Phone number
(207) 775-2717

Fore Street

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Appetizers

Garden (Salads and Homemade Soups)

Raw and Chilled Seafood

Wood Oven Roasted and Grilled Seafood

Grilled, Pan Seared and Oven Roasted Meats

Chilled Meats and Offal (Charcuterie)

Entrees

Pan Seared Seafood

Wood Oven Roasted Seafood

Wood Grilled Meats

Turnspit Roasted Meats

Plants

Vegetables to Share

Desserts

Artisan Cheeses

Bite Size and Hand Crafted Cakes, Ice Cream & Pastries

Hand Made Chocolates

Signature Items

Mixed Organic Salad Greens

Chilled and Smoked Seafood Platter

Wood Oven Roasted Maine Mussels

Charcuterie

Wood Grilled Natural Hanger Steak

Turnspit Roasted and Dry Rubbed Pork Loin

Turnspit Roasted Organic Maine Half Chicken

Wood Oven Roasted Whole Fish

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Fore Street restaurant rated?

Is Fore Street currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information