Fore Street

This restaurant is highly overrated as far as I am concerned. I have been there 3 times in the past three years and each time I end up shouting across the table to my husband because it is just so darn noisy. It is actually better in the little room off the back, but in there you are so close to the other tables you might as well be sitting with them. You sure as heck don't want to be talking about anything you don't want other people to know about in that room either as it is so close. I ordered haddock last year, and was told after I ordered that it was bone in (wow! it sure was! I couldn't finish it. It was awful). Other things I have had are just okay...not what people in Portland would like to believe when they throw out that they are going to Fore Street, like it's gourmet heaven or something. It isn't. For a better, intimate, and less pretentious dining experience, try David's at Monument Square. Their wait staff is actually more knowledgeable as well. We go there about 3 times a year. Pros: food is okay, not great Cons: Acoustics are terrible more

this place is just ok, never understood big deal. yes, you will get a good meal, not a mindblowing, great meal. but just good all around and priced like you are gonna get a life changing meal i think. just ok, good place to go if you're a yuppie and wanna feel like a big shot and dont get out of portland much. Pros: good steak, nice atmosphere Cons: way overpriced more

Six of us ate dinner there on a very busy night. The atmosphere was loud but comfortable. The steak was good and rare, the onions with it were over-spiced, maybe too much salt. The meal does not come with any side dishes. No salad either. Twenty-five dollars for one steak on a plate? Come on! I've eaten in numerous high end restaurants and this was not the caliber of high end that doesn't include sides. We ordered two side orders of mashed potatoes, costing five dollars each. My husband ordered a salad, ten dollars extra. One of my sons ordered chicken. The chicken looked raw. The meat was very pink, and holding onto the bone. The waitress said, I can cook it a little longer but the chicken is brined so it always looks pink. It looked raw despite what she said. It was a half a chicken with the skin-on just placed on a plate. He didn't eat his meal. The bread was grainy, and good. This meal was the only disappointing meal on our vacation. Pros: Good steak, good duck. Cons: Mostly overspiced and overpriced, small portions. more

This is not the type of atmosphere in which I expect to dine on fois gras. The sound of people chattering is like that of a busy cafeteria, and the food itself is uninteresting in light of the prices they ask. Pros: free parking Cons: the food, the atmosphere more

Great food but expensive different menus daily limited vege choices more

This was a great experience. Everything that we had was wonderful. The atmosphere was as good as the food and service. A find more

We're from NYC and have been to Portland twice in the last month. We've eaten at Fore Street both times, and will definitely go back again. Although not everything has been perfect (sent my fish back once because it wasn't cooked well enough, and sent a side dish back because it wasn't hot enough), it is still one of my favorite dining experiences. The wait staff is very knowledgeable, the wine is great, and all the seafood dishes we've had have all been awesome. The ambiance is wonderful too. In fact, we've said both times that Fore Street is as good as any restaurant in Manhattan. more

I've been to fore street many times, and I have to say that every time has been very enjoyable. Recently I went to four street with my family, while driving up to maine from phily. Fore street is always our favorite restaurant in maine, because of its amazing ambiance and great service, not to mention reasonable prices. When we got there the waiting staff sat us immideatly and we sat down near the window, which had a great view of Downtown Portland. The waiters quickly brought us bread, with oil and butter. The bread is the best bread I have ever tasted, and can be found next door at Standard Baking Company. For appitizers I reccomend the Mussells with nuts in them, and the winter Salad. For Entree's you can never go wrong with some of their cheaper options, my personal favorite, the hanger steak/butler steak with onion marmalade. Each steak tastes amazing. They have very little fat, and nice sized portions. Surprisingly my favorite part of the meal was the amazing tasting mashed potatoes, unlike any other. If you want to spend more money ($33) you can enjoy the duck breast, which looks fantastic, although i've never tried it. Fore street has amazing deserts, like chocolate sufflets, upside down cakes, homemade chocolates, and my favorite; the cheese platter. The cheese platter allows you to pick 3 cheeses all from around maine. Each cheese is either firm, semi firm, or not firm. Pros: Amazing food, great ambience. great steak Cons: Unfortunately prices will continue to rise. more

if you have the means to spring for it, there is nowhere else i'd recommend more. every dish is beautifully... more

if you have the means to spring for it, there is nowhere else i'd recommend more. every dish is beautifully prepared and the flavors are absolutely... more

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I went to Fore Street this past weekend and it was good but certainly not great. I've been to Portland numerous times and Fore Street has always been recommended as a top place to eat. I made a reservation a few days before and they called me in the morning to confirm (which was quite nice actually especially given the poor weather). Our waiter was pleasant and helpful. In deciding on a wine, he insisted on bringing a sample so that I would be pleased with the choice. Apparently, the menu changes every night. My girlfriend and I split a fettucine with mushrooms. I got the pork loin for an appetizer and my girlfriend got the duck. Later for dessert (we saved our appetites knowing that Fore Street's reputation), I tried a banana chocolate tart while my girlfriend tried a chocolate peanut butter souffle. For every course, I can say the same thing. The food was good but not exceptional. Perhaps my expectations were higher given the numerous reviews I've seen on tv and in the print media but the food was just good. It is very heavily concentrated om meat, chicken and fish and less on vegetarian/pasta meals. Also, the meat/fish are served separately from side dishes so the combination can be a bit disjointed. The parsnips were good but I'm unsure if they really went with the duck and the pork loin (this particular side is big enough for 2-4 people). I think I was also hoping for something more savory and perhaps some sauces as opposed to a well cooked meat. I'm sure that many will like this place, especially if you a meat and potatoes type but I certainly won't hurry to go back. I would try Fore Street again but I think I would try a few other places first. Pros: Atmospehere and service Cons: Food is ""just"" good more

Made dinner reservations (reluctantly) for New Years Eve not expecting too much other than the standard New Years Eve fare. We were wonderfully surprised! The choices were varied. Ordered a duck and a scallop dish that were out of this world! The portions were generous and the food was just...well it was outstanding! The service was impeccable and we didn't feel the least bit rushed, even though it was New Years Eve and there were people waiting. We sat at the bar which is set up very well for dining...very wide with lots of elbow room. Even though they were super busy the bartenders were very attentive and took the time to explain the menu. If you want a top notch dinner in Portland and you don' t have sticker shock you must eat here. more

I love an amazing dining experience.... Pros: The copper tables and the brick walls were interesting to look at while trying to ignore the awful service Cons: Haha everything more

Fore Street is overrated in my opinion. The service is strictly mediocre and the food average. They probably were good at one time and their reputation has created a following. But they've gone downhill and I won't return. Fore Street is expensive and the quality doesn't deserve the price. Additionally, they should spend some of their profits and invest in better fans (if they actually HAVE fans) in the kitchen to rid the dining rooms of smoke created while grilling. Kind of like being in a bar. I would not recommend Fore Street to anyone. Pros: Location and reputation (which is no longer deserved) Cons: Mediocre food, smoky atmosphere, below average service more

Over Labor Day weekend, we had friends in from out of town, and wanted a special dining experience to share with them. Fore Street delivered. We got there at 4:30 to ensure that we we would get one of the non-reserved tables, which are allocated at 5:00 p.m. The wait was worth it. From 5:00 - 5:30, we had cocktails in the bar, which has a lovely atmosphere, comfortable seats and couches, and a pleasant staff. We were seated promptly at 5:30, when they start serving dinner. Dinner, across the board, was delicious! Our appetizers ranged from the goat cheese and tomato tart in puff paste, to arugula and tomato salad (with amazingly fresh tomatoes) to a lobster role appetizer that was to die for. Dinner entrees at the table included an amazing venison dish, duck breast with vegetable polenta, and the signature pork loin. All portions were more than sufficient. While vegetables are all seperate, one portion is sufficient for two individuals, and you have the benefit of ordering the vegetable that you really want. For desert we had warm chocolate cake, house made chocolates, a fruit cobbler, and a caramel mousse. No one was dissappointed. The entire dinner experience lasted a liesurely two hours, and we neither felt rushed or hurried to leave, despite a substantial number of people waiting for tables in the bar. All of the food was delicious - fresh, interesting, and original, with generous portions all around. The service was friendly and attentive, with the only small blip coming when our appetizers arrived before our bottle of wine. That, however, was quickly resolved and we ended up having a delightful dinner experience, and our guests from Boston loved the meal. While Fore Street requires a certain amount of planning - either in a reservation made well in advance or a 5:00 p.m. arrival to guarantee a table - it was well worth it, and while expensive, we all felt that we received true value for our meal, and will definitely go back in the future. Pros: fresh, quality meats, fish Cons: requires planning ahead - either via reservation or arrival at 5:00 p.m. for a table. more

Excellent food, wine selection, service, atmosphere....it really came together here for me and my girl. Pros: Awesome food, great service, interesting interior Cons: Wait time, it's in Portland more

If you live in Portland, you hear about Fore Street. People rave about it. I went on my birthday with no reservations and felt lucky to get one of the tables they reserve for walk-ins. I enjoyed the food, but I didn't think it was any better than, say, Blue Spoon. Prices are high, and if the food was a notch lower, I'd be upset. In other words, they charge a lot, so I expect the food to be good. I still recommend it because it's very good food. Everyone who can should try it; some people do think it's amazing-- maybe you will too. Pros: Nice server, Good food Cons: Food overrated more

The food was EXTREMELY salty. We waited 1 hour 40 minutes for a table since local diners recommended this restaurant. Appetizers and service in the bar was good. Food in the main dining room was so salty that I still have a burn on my tongue this morning. When I made that comment to the waiter, it was explained to me that it was just the cheese that made the pizza too salty. Another diner with me - who cannot seem to ever get enough salt! - was unable to eat the food becasue of salt content as well. There was nothing done to correct the situation. For the price the food was well below average - especially considering the wait time for a table. Highly overrated and expensive for what you get. Cons: crowded, poor service, salty food more

overcooked monk fish and raw pork not my idea of good cooking. Time to go back to basics and learn how to cook. Way overpriced for the poor quality of the cusine. Pros: ambiance, service Cons: , price more