Scales

Name: Scales
Address: 68-72 Commercial St, Portland, ME, United States, 04101
Telephone: (207) 805-0444
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

4.8

4815 Reviews

$31 to $50

Seafood

Top Tags:

A traditional New England restaurant with modern touches, Scales is located on Maine Wharf next to the Casco Bay Ferry Terminal. Enjoy classic fried seafood as well as locally sourced land fare, while enjoying the view of a quintessential working Maine harbor.

Bar seating is available for dinner service by reservation only. Please check with the host to inquire about bar seating.

Our lounge is open for cocktails and raw bar every day beginning at 4:00pm.

We are only able to seat complete parties at this time. Please note: our patio reservations are weather dependent. If we need to make a change because of weather, we will call you on the day of your reservation to cancel or reschedule your booking.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 31, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 199 times today

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Seafood, American, Contemporary French
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(207) 805-0444
Website
http://scalesrestaurant.com/
Payment options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Frederic Eliot
Private party contact
Assistant Front of House Coordinator Kelly Scharf: (207) 805-0444

Location
68-72 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101
Neighborhood
Portland
Parking details
We have complimentary valet parking while you are dining with us.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Popular dishes

Maine Clam Chowder
- Cup$8.25
- Bowl$12.50
Tomato & Fennel Soup
confit mussels
- Cup$7.25
- Bowl$11.00
Green Salad$12.00
mixed lettuces, cucumber, red wine vinaigrette
Chopped Vegetables$13.50
iceberg, crisp lettuces, creamy buttermilk dressing
Endive & Stilton$14.50
crispy prosciutto, sourdough croutons, dijon vinaigrette
Asparagus$14.50
Spring herbs, shaved mushrooms, smoked almonds, goat gouda, lemon

Appetizers

Maine Steamer Clams$19.50
drawn butter, white wine broth
Bangs Island Mussels$18.50
hard cider, Raye's mustard, cream, dill
Salt Cod Croquettes$10.50
roasted pepper aioli
Smoked Bluefish Paté$13.50
olive & caper relish, toasted sourdough
Fried Cauliflower$13.50
cucumber yogurt sauce, herbs
Grilled Octopus$19.00
chorizo & hazelnut vinaigrette, crispy yuca
Crab Fritters$15.50
Jonah crab, tartar sauce, radishes
Fried Oysters
tartar sauce, smoked jalapeño aioli
- Side$21.00
- Plate$34.00
Fried Squid & Cherry Peppers
tartar sauce, smoked jalapeño aioli
- Side$18.00
- Plate$32.00
Fried Whole Belly Clams
tartar sauce, smoked jalapeño aioli; available in Side or Plate
- Market

Raw Bar

On the Half Shell

served with house cocktail sauce, seaweed mignonette & lemon

Oysters*
- 1/2 Dozen$18.00
- 1 Dozen$34.00
Littleneck Clams*
- 1/2 Dozen$11.50
- 1 Dozen$21.50

Fish & Shellfish

Kingfish Crudo*$19.00
Fresno chili, garlic, lime, tempura crisps
Halibut Ceviche*$16.00
roasted pineapple hot sauce, jalapeño, corn crisp
Tuna Crudo*$19.00
lemon aioli, fried shallot, fennel, Aleppo pepper
Tuna Tartare*$18.00
maitake confit, pumpkin seeds, black garlic

Sea

Pan Roasted Halibut$44.00
brown butter, hazelnuts, Maine fingerling potatoes, lemon
Seared Scallops*$42.00
asparagus, applewood bacon, oyster mushroom, spinach, morel cream
Pan Roasted King Salmon*$44.00
spring vegetable ragout, tarragon butter
Baked Haddock$39.00
morel mushrooms, salsify, cipollini onion, fumet cream
Grilled Swordfish$44.00
tarbais beans, kale, red pepper & pine nut vinaigrette
Broiled Cod$37.00
mushroom & leek ragout, hakurei turnips, mustard beurre blanc
Seafood Stew$38.00
clams, mussels, white fish, squid, pancetta, roasted fennel, soffrito
Fish & Chips$28.50
beer battered cod, tartar sauce, smoked jalapeño aioli
Grilled Whole Branzino$34.00
roasted almond butter, paprika, coriander, grilled lemon
Fried Whole Market Fish
citrus-chili slaw, sweet & sour vinaigrette
- Market
Steamed Maine Lobster
cornbread, coleslaw, drawn butter
- Market
Pan Roasted Lobster
fines herbes pan sauce, toasted pullman, butter lettuce
- Market

Land

Pineland Farm Bavette Steak*$38.00
Spring Brook Reading, potato gratin, maitake
Pan Roasted Duck Breast*$42.00
smoked duck & pistachio sausage, chard, confit potato
Short Rib Pot Roast$41.00
roasted root vegetables, red wine beef jus

Sandwiches

served with French fries, coleslaw & a dill pickle on house-made bread

Scales Warm Buttered Lobster Roll
griddled split top roll, house mayonnaise
- Market
Fried Fish Sandwich$18.50
iceberg lettuce, tartar sauce, sesame bun
Grass-Fed Cheeseburger*$18.50
Caldwell Farm beef, aged white cheddar, burger sauce

Vegetables & Sides

French Fries
- Side$5.50
- Plate$7.50
Loaded Hasselback Potato$12.50
Cauliflower Gratin with Bacon and Gruyère$8.25
Broccolini with Guanciale$8.50
Scales Coleslaw$4.50

What 4,815 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Boston / New England
Seafood
Maine
Best Food
Maine
Hot spot
Maine
Most Booked

Sort by

OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great first time, will definitely be back! Birthday card was a nice touch. Server was very kind and knowledgeable!
KS
KimberlyS
Caribbean
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
The food and service at Scales are wonderful!!! We particularly enjoyed the grilled octopus appetizer and the scallop main meal, but everything was well done and served by attentive friendly staff in a location on the harbor. We will be back!
EC
ElleCee
New England
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had an absolutely lovely time at Scales. We sat at the bar, and we had great service complete with wine tastings and menu recommendations. We ordered oysters and ceviche to start. Both were excellent. We both ordered the halibut for our entree. The fish was cooked to perfection and served in this melt-in-your-mouth brown butter sauce. We finished our meal with a blueberry crumble with a scoop of ice cream on top. This was the best meal I have had in a long time. We will certainly be back.
A
Amanda
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The bar at scales had a fantastic atmosphere- the food was delicious and the service was out of this world! Highly recommend celebrating an occasion here or just having a nice dinner out in Portland
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. Oysters were delicious; apps, entrees and desserts were also incredible. Service was wonderful too.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall3food3service5ambience5
The food was salty this time, besides that everything else was very good.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Amazing dinner. We would definitely return. Great vibe
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Love this place and always look forward to a great meal here whenever we are in Portland. Food is wonderful and service is impeccable. You can’t go wrong here.
AS
AliciaS
New York Area
13 reviews
vip
3.0
13 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall3food3service4ambience5
Our waitress recommended the pan roasted lobster and 3 out of 5 of us ordered it and were very disappointed with it. The sauce takes like a mexican ragu sauce and it was not good at all. The other two in our party ordered the Halibut and Duck and loved them both.
SM
SeanM
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Scales is a must stop for us in Portland! It never fails to deliver delicious food time after time and the service is amazing!!
K
Kati07
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Delicious food, wonderful service, and overall great experience. Would recommend to all those travelling to Portland!
PC
PCCDeeringHighlands
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall1food1service1ambience1
I have never written a review before. We are Portland residents who have been eating at Scales since it opened. This restaurant used to be pretty good but has turned into a crowded, cheesy, tourist mess. The food is subpar and overpriced and service is awful. Basically, it’s DiMillos. Yikes
C
Cindy
New England
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Scales is our favorite restaurant anywhere. We return often for the best food experience. The ramp rolls are not to be missed… buttery, soft and delicious. The scallop dish with mushrooms, asparagus and a creamy savory sauce is an outstanding dish and the whole grilled branzino is a favorite.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall3food3service4ambience5
Ordered the Swordfish and it was very dry. With the prices and the Al la cart sides… way too much $ for a substandard dinner. Atmosphere was great
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Not much to say, this place is legendary and they always deliver. We had an awesome time and felt lucky to be able to treat our visiting family to the Scales experience
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
24 reviews
vip
5.0
24 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Phenomenal as always, one of the best meals I've ever had. Swordfish is a must if it's available and the coffee semifreddo was an incredible desert. Great staff and beautiful location.
s
stephanie
Austin
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing experience at Scales! Our server, Charlotte, was extremely helpful in navigating the menu for a food allergy in our party. My dad is hard of hearing and she was very patient with us when we had to repeat things (aka everything haha) to him. We had actually had Charlotte the last time we ate at Scales and she was just as helpful and engaging that time as well. Thank you so much!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Hawaii
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food! Best food bite we experienced in Portland.
MJ
MargieJ
New England
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great vibe, views and food! I love how we can bar hop down Commercial Street and end up having a nice meal here. We enjoy both eating at a table and the bar! Margie
m
markc
Chicago
198 reviews
vip
5.0
198 reviews
Dined on May 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of the best meals we ever had. Octopus was very tender, mussels & halibut was amazing. Very wide selection of wine & beer. Duncan did a excellent job helping us with the menu.
B
Bird
New York Area
66 reviews
vip
5.0
66 reviews
Dined on May 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The best fresh seafood anywhere! The chowder is delicious, and we always enjoy the steamed lobster that comes with coleslaw and cornbread.
R
Ralemco
Jacksonville
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding food ! Oysters muscles scallops cod cocktails and service all excellent. Not fried just an explosion of flavors!
D
Debcarpy
Louisville
18 reviews
vip
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on May 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was delicious and the service was excellent. We ordered oysters and the fantastic server walked us through shucking them and was so nice to answer all of our questions. It was a great experience.
KS
KatrinaS
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food (best scallops!!!) and fun atmosphere and yummy drinks!
JG
JaniceG
New England
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and service! We come back every time we are in Portland.
LM
LisaM
New England
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
Incredible service! The food is very good. And a bustling happy feel. It would be nice to sit outside in the warmer weather. We’ll definitely return
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful night, great vibe, delicious food, attentive staff.
SS
ShawnaS
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Server was great! Love sitting at the bar. It’s where all the action is.
LM
LynnM
New England
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The most amazing restaurant, food, service in the area. I am from MA and will travel to Scales just to enjoy my favorite meal, short rib pot roast. There are so many other items that are delicious. Tonight we had Corey and his service was impeccable. Can’t wait to return.
M
Mary
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 17, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
The service was great . Our waiter was fantastic ! Very attentive and gave great explanations about how many of the dishes were prepared so we could make selection. All entrees were fantastic -delicious scallops and lobster , cornbread . cauliflower appetizer very salty but everything else was great .wonderful dining experience
JT
JimmyT223
New England
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on May 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We went to Scales to celebrate our anniversary. We had to wait about 5 minutes for our table to be cleared, by that time an attentive bartender made some suggestions, took our drink orders. By the time he delivered them, the table was ready. Our server Sandra was very attentive and wished us a happy anniversary. The food was spectacular, as was the dessert and after dinner drink. Scales is a terrific place to celebrate a special occasion!
A
Anonymous
New England
315 reviews
vip
5.0
315 reviews
Dined on May 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Consistently exceptional in every way. It’s one of our favorite restaurants. There are many menu items, and all are excellent. The staff are incredible kind and attentive.
FW
FoodieWhoCares
New England
83 reviews
vip
5.0
83 reviews
Dined on May 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent food as always. The background noise level was rather high.
M
Mich
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, presentation, ambience. I've ordered the scallops every time and they are amazing!
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely wonderful experience! Try the Smoked BlueFish Pâté! It was so delicious! Service was very friendly and our meal was well paced. The Lobster Roll was one of the best I’ve ever had: perfectly toasted bread, mayo drizzle and the freshest lobster meat.
AV
AnnemarieV
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, not fancy but very well cooked with top ingredients
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
10 reviews
vip
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on May 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always a great meal and great service. We will come here every time we at in Portland. Never disappoints.
RP
RejeanP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
From the moment you get in until the last good bye everything was perfect. Great local beer, amazing oysters (loved the champagne mignonette) the grilled octopus the endive salad and both the Branzino and the scallops were top! Best was the wine list which had our fav and Sandra our server from 🇨🇦 .
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We brought out-of-town guests who thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Valet parking is great — very easy and convenient. A real plus for dining out in Portland. We were greeted quickly and brought to our table by a window without delay. Our server was excellent as were all wait staff who served us. The food was excellent. Scales is one of the outstanding restaurants in Portland. We enjoy our experience each time we dine there.
F
Foodie
Columbus
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best restaurant in Portland. We love to sit at the bar!

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

Scales is rated 4.8 stars by 4815 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 31, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 199 times today

68-72 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
Portland
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
Cuisines
Seafood, American, Contemporary French
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
We have complimentary valet parking while you are dining with us.
Payment options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Frederic Eliot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://scalesrestaurant.com/
Phone number
(207) 805-0444
Private party contact
Assistant Front of House Coordinator Kelly Scharf: (207) 805-0444

Scales

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

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Seafood Stew

Seared Scallops

Fried Oysters

House-Made Breads

Ramp Rolls$5.25

Anadama Bread$4.25

New England Cornbread$4.25

Griddled Brown Bread$3.25

Soups & Salads

Maine Clam Chowder

Tomato & Fennel Soup

Green Salad$12.00

Chopped Vegetables$13.50

Endive & Stilton$14.50

Asparagus$14.50

Appetizers

Maine Steamer Clams$19.50

Bangs Island Mussels$18.50

Salt Cod Croquettes$10.50

Smoked Bluefish Paté$13.50

Fried Cauliflower$13.50

Grilled Octopus$19.00

Crab Fritters$15.50

Fried Oysters

Fried Squid & Cherry Peppers

Fried Whole Belly Clams

Raw Bar

On the Half Shell

Oysters*

Littleneck Clams*

Fish & Shellfish

Kingfish Crudo*$19.00

Halibut Ceviche*$16.00

Tuna Crudo*$19.00

Tuna Tartare*$18.00

Sea

Pan Roasted Halibut$44.00

Seared Scallops*$42.00

Pan Roasted King Salmon*$44.00

Baked Haddock$39.00

Grilled Swordfish$44.00

Broiled Cod$37.00

Seafood Stew$38.00

Fish & Chips$28.50

Grilled Whole Branzino$34.00

Fried Whole Market Fish

Steamed Maine Lobster

Pan Roasted Lobster

Land

Pineland Farm Bavette Steak*$38.00

Pan Roasted Duck Breast*$42.00

Short Rib Pot Roast$41.00

Sandwiches

Scales Warm Buttered Lobster Roll

Fried Fish Sandwich$18.50

Grass-Fed Cheeseburger*$18.50

Vegetables & Sides

French Fries

Loaded Hasselback Potato$12.50

Cauliflower Gratin with Bacon and Gruyère$8.25

Broccolini with Guanciale$8.50

Scales Coleslaw$4.50

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Sort by

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

How is Scales restaurant rated?

Is Scales currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information