Thirsty Whale

LITERALLY THE BEST FISH TACOS IVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. They covered the entire surface area of every taste bud in my mouth. Super fresh, spicy, and blackened to perfection.
Service was good, place was empty for lunch.

Decent place– not bad but not amazing. Some good sustainable food options. Good selection of beers. Mid scale bar food with earth consciousness.

Manager left a comment to my review. However, what she said happened was not the truth. We already knew there were no kids menus because we researched the place online before going. We left simply because they were unable to handle a party of 11. And they had no problem letting us know a.k.a. rude servers.
Also I would like to point out that yes, the manager was right. There were more then 2 tables filled during lunch hour. They also had 2 people sitting at the bar. So yeah, I’ll give her that. Other wise the place was empty.

Mediocre. We had the shaved steak sandwich, which was bland and had very few peppers on it, and we had the fish and chips, which was good, standard fish n chips.

+Summary
Try it out! Great food, very reasonably priced, open seating, great service. We went right after a four hour bike ride and it hit the spot.
+Food
My wife and I both had one of specials, «Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon Sandwich» grilled with a garden salad and caesar salad respectively. The salads were both good. We both loved the sandwich, it was a good chunk of salmon with a nice squishy, not soggy, bun.
+Environment
Typical pub setting, good music and TVs.
+Service
Our waitress was nice and showed up at all the right times.

Good pub food! We snuck in here 20 minutes before the kitchen closed and ordered fast (it’s slim pickings for restaurants after dinner time). I wouldn’t consider it unusual wait staff to be rude about late comers, so I was glad that the wait staff were still friendly and polite.
We ordered a cup of clam chowder, plate of fried clams, and a lobster roll with a side whale salad. The fried clams were nice big chunks. The lobster roll hit the spot, and after bingeing on tourist fare (fried seafood, potatoes, pancakes, etc.) the whale salad was particularly refreshing and well made. Overall a very solid, delicious meal.

Let’s start with the place itself, great in a word. Not too small and just big enough to be able to still talk to someone and hear them.
Food… average. Lobster Bisque was nothing special. Flavor was very subtle, no wow factor.
Spicy fried pickles, not bad but again nothing exciting.
The saving grace was a pint of Cider… although I do wish it had been colder.

At 8 PM on a Monday, the place was hopping. But ultimately, I left the Thirsty Whale having paid for overpriced food and some mosquito bites.
Service was good as was the ambiance, a bar and restaurant combination that was very cozy in the face of the cold spring night. Unfortunately, mosquitos seem to like it too. But let’s move on to the food.
The chowder and lobster roll special costs about $ 14, but this roll is by far the smallest I have ever seen. We finished it off in about 5 bites. The soup had a canned flavor, which was also disappointing. The garden side salad wasn’t bad ($ 5.50) and my BF got the fisherman’s plate which was full of fried goodness. The crispness of the haddock in particular was fantastic.
In the end, I want to like the Thirsty Whale, but I just don’t know if I would ever go back.

We had great lobster rolls and local beer on the menu. We loved our food. If you’re looking for a lobster roll while in Maine, this is a great place. They don’t use too much mayo like a lot of places.
You can substitute their whale salad for fries as a side. The salad has red peppers, olives, onion, and feta with balsamic vinaigrette. There is butter on the lobster roll bun, but they don’t put too much mayonnaise with the lobster. It isn’t a health food, but a completely reasonable way to try a local specialty.
We weren’t so reasonable. :) We got lobster bisque and clam chowder, both of us having a preference for the clam chowder. But they were both excellent.
If you aren’t looking for a lobster roll, they have a good selection of burgers. There is other seafood but most of it is fried… I would not say the healthy options are as appetizing as the unhealthy ones. But like I said, if you are looking for a lobster roll like we were…

we were seated quickly and helped by a friendly waitress. we ordered a chowder, sandwich, drink and haddock.
i wouldn’t order the chowder again. it had no flavor at all. the sandwich and drink was good. and the blackened haddock was an amazing portion and excellent tasting.

Visited here on a Friday evening in late May. We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table, it is a pretty small place. The atmosphere was more of a bar vibe, but we had the table right by the window so that was somewhat quieter and nice. We ordered the fried clams and clam chowder for appetizers. The fried clams were quite good, clam chowder just average. We had the lobster roll and «famous» fried haddock sandwich. We liked the lobster roll, and the price was reasonable. We did wish the lobster roll had come with drawn butter though. The haddock was pretty good but not great. Fries were below average. Service just ok, but it was quite busy. Probably wouldn’t go back with other options in the area.

Arriving in Bar Harbor late after a long drive, we walked into the Thirsty Whale and were greeted with friendly service, fresh seafood, and *shocker* non-​touristy prices. The menu delivers a good value for the sizable portions and freshness, which any Unilocaler knows is tough to find in a touristy town. Combine this with its cozy old-​town atmosphere, Thirsty Whale should be your go-​to place for a casual meal when in Bar Harbor.
Seating was «seat yourself,» with menus already on the tables. We got a cozy table in the back, and were greeted by a friendly waitress who took our drink order promptly. We then ordered a bowl of the clam chowder (not that thick, but decent intro to New England clam chowder for the uninitiated). We also ordered the «spicy chicken wings» as an appetizer. While served with blue cheese dressing, these are not buffalo wings and are instead a dry rubbed spiciness (note they are indeed spicy). I also ordered the fish and chips which are freshly breaded in house, and the haddock was nice and crumbly. For $ 8.95 served with tartar sauce and fries, it was a great deal.
One note about the location. The Unilocal Pin seems to be off (despite a message requesting it to be moved). The Thirsty Whale is ACROSS THE STREET FROM CRITERION THEATER. Also, there is parking behind the building in a municipal lot.

The onion soup was way too salty. Clams cheddar was okay. Fried hodcock sandwich had no flavour though. Not a bad place the hang out if you were in the park.

One of the few locations open in Bar Harbor in April. I got the garden veggie burger with a cup of chowder ($ 3.50 upcharge) and my mom got the lobster roll. My veggie patty felt like it was one of those freezer-​aisle patties and it was relatively standard but the bakery roll that the burger was on was my fav part of the meal.
My mom enjoyed her lobster roll, she liked that it wasn’t too ‘dressed’ so you could really taste the quality and sweetness of the meat.
Chowder was good — thick and hearty. One of the better ones we’ve had so far on our trip around New England.

THE LOCATION
If you’re a fast walker, you just might breeze right by this compact pub of an eatery located along Cottage Street near Roddick Street in the heart of Bar Harbor town. A notable landmark to look for is the vintage marquee of the restored Criterion Theatre positioned across the street from Thirsty Whale.
THE PARKING
Street parking or paid lot parking about a half a block away along Roddick Street.
THE ATMOSPHERE
It’s basically a low key, New England style pub /​bar /​tavern. The food made up for the ambiance.
THE FOOD
—Whole Belly Fried Clams with Whale Salad $ 16.50—
When the reviewers rave about the fried clams, they aren’t kidding. The fried clams here are phenomenal. The batter is light and crispy and clean tasting while the clams are plump and tender and full of fresh clam flavor. I opted for the Whale Salad rather than French fries or cole slaw to accompany my whole belly morsels of deep fried goodness.
—Cup of Clam Chowder $ 4.50—
Rich, creamy and packed with chopped clams just the way my husband likes it. This is the slightly thicker, higher in fat content type of clam chowder for those who enjoy this version.
—Grilled Chicken Sandwich $ 7.50 + $ 2 for extras—
Served with extra crispy French fries, the sizable portion of breast meat was moist and nicely seasoned. For an additional charge, my husband requested for lettuce $ 0.25, tomato $ 0.25, Swiss cheese $ 0.50 and a GLUTEN FREE BUN $ 1.
THE SERVICE
It was acceptable, but with a tremendous amount of room for improvement. When we arrived, they appeared to be more than fully staffed. However, for such a small establishment, we were not only not acknowledged, we also received very little service throughout and after our meal.

Hands down favorite spot in Bar Harbor! I’ll admit when I first walked in I was a bit skeptical, I can’t say why, maybe it’s because I’m always little doubtful off bars on the main drags… However, there isn’t much of an off the main drag to be had, now that I’m familiar with Bar Harbor.
Anyways, the staff was very attentive from the second we walked in and were seated to the moment we called for the check. I was pretty impressed considering it looked like they were operating on off-​peak season staff levels.
ENOUGH, on to the food already! We started with the Fried Maine Clams, which were crispy but moist in the center and best enjoyed with a squeeze of lemon and dipped in butter. Next we ordered the lobster corn chowder (may have been a special) that was oh so creamy and chock full of meaty lobster and of course fresh sweat corn. Then of course we tried the lobster roll, which like most in Maine, I think is better than most found in the south because of the clean fresh taste of the roll. Finally, our favorite item we tried was the Famous Fried Haddock Sandwich. I half expected, hoping not, that the fish was going to be dry but it was the antithesis of that. Fluffy, moist, buttery, flavorful are all adjectives I would say best describe this rightfully named Famous sandwich.

Cool spot in Bar Harbor for drinks and seafood inspired bar food. Food looked decent but honestly just had fried pickles as a snack to go with my bloody mary and a few beers. Pickles were good and bloody mary was pretty good as well. Good beer selection and a fair amount of TV’s for sporting events.

I lunge out at you through Unilocal review:
Try the fried clams! Great fried clams here!
We were actually sent to Thirsty Wale on a chowder mission. We got some unsolicited chowder advice and we listened.
Smart of us! I mean, it doesn’t come up so often in our lives that strangers will call out to us, «Try the clam chowder!» But then, maybe it does happen just all the damn time in places such as picturesque New Englandy seaside towns. Seems right. Anyway.
In any event, checking in, the woman at the front desk of our hotel handed us our key cards and asked urgently, «Have you eaten?» adding before we even answered her, «Go to The Thirsty Whale, they’re still open. Best chowder. The best.»
The Thirsty Whale, eh? Sounds like our kinda place… I said that with, «Heh-​heh, get it?» elbow and was roundly ignored, which made me cackle, and cackle more when my travelin’ pal dead-​pan stated, «Some of us don’t care for self-​deprecating humor.
I was like, «Yes dude. Let’s do this.» I’m taking this tip. As we headed toward the elevators, her voice trailed off behind us, «Try the chowderrrrr…»
It was a good tip. The Thirsty Whale makes a damn good clam chowder. Fulla clams, creaminess and not-​mushy potatoes. Tasty, tasty. Goodness. Just exactly hit the chowder spot.
The blackened haddock sandwich and the lobster roll really satisfying too– simply prepared and well executed.
What I’m saying is, husband enjoyed his lobster roll plenty; which, by the way, I leered creepily while watching him devour, all the while remembering what lobster meat tasted like before this accursed shrimp and lobster allergy struck me late in life. I know what I’m missing and it’s a sin and a shame. I lament constantly. Especially in Maine.
Come on.
All that woe is me, but realize: the blackened fish in my sandwich was perfectly cooked. Expert fish cooking, Thirsty Whale. I appreciate expertise and the respect for the fish. I guess of course it should be expected, coming from such sea-​faring environs.
Yes, yes to all these things: fish sandwiches, lobster rolls, and chowder– eat em up. Stay for all that, but no matter what, also, you need to order the fried clams. Come for the clams. That’s why lunged at you, recall.
Also hearken back to my pontificating about fishy expertise. That’s again what I’m repeating. But again about clams.
Damn though. I was impressed my the fried clams served up in this cozy, woody, rustic, just-the-kinda-pub-you’d-want-it-to-be kinda place.
Yeah, so epitome of a Bar Harbor harbor bar makes the epitome of an excellent fried clam. They were light and super crispy, and the clam inside just barely cooked through. Perfect. Hot and crunchy and filled with brine juicy clams.
Burn ya mouf.
That was my top favorite part of the meal– that basket of fried clams, washed down with some of Atlantic’s Bar Harbor Real Ale on tap… and a samplin’ of a few other locally brewed pints, as well. We thirsty whales live up to our reputations.

So, I’m thinking 3.5 stars but that’s not an option. Cool little place in Bar Harbor. Great people, employees are great, good drinks, pretty good food. Chowder is great, not the best I’ve had in the area but when you’re in New England, not the best doesn’t mean bad by any means!
Again, I am pretty awful at taking photos before eating them because well, let’s face it, I’m a glutton. Food was good, but there are so many friend things which after a couple plates can be tough. Wish there were more, in-​fried options.
We ordered a bunch and shared. Chowder as started good. Fisherman’s plate, good, but all fried. That’s not to say that the scallops and clams weren’t amazing, but fired can be tough on the belly, ya know. Haddock sandwich, fried but good. Fish taco roll up, fried, pretty good, underwhelming though. Lobster roll, not fried, yayy! Really good, traditional New England style.
Great beer selection, local beers on tap. Drinks are nice and strong as well.
Great atmosphere. Good food. Good drinks. Just don’t want so much fried food.

Food was great. Their «Famous Fried Haddock Sandwich» was delicious. The bun, haddock, tomato, lettuce and onion was great. Tartar sauce was excellent as well. Sweet and tangy. I had their sweet potato fries, I think they cut them and fried them fresh… that good!!!
We also had the clam chowder which was tasty and excellent.
The only reason they are getting 4 instead of 5 is the service is slow. Staff was friendly… just slow.
Would be back!!!

The Fried Haddock Sandwich with a cup of Clam Chowder (or Lobster Corn Chowder) was delicious. This was the 2^nd best meal we had in Bar Harbor, only behind Fathom.
The haddock was fried perfectly with a thin batter, so you didn’t end up with a thick under-​cooked layer of batter. Clearly fried with fresh oil. The bun was definitely not mass produced — their website indicates that they are locally made. The sandwich was falling apart as I ate it, but I did everything to not lose a single bite.
The clam chowder was also delicious, creamy and flavorful. I wanted to come back again, but with a short visit, we felt like we had to try as many places as possible. So, if you need a place, come here… have the Fried Haddock Sandwich for me! :-)

Aw yeah. Very nice. After a super long hike, this place was great. I brought a gigantic appetite and they met my needs.
The lobster roll is great, but the clam chowder is even better. If I came back, I would probably just get that.
Great beer selection. Great atmosphere. I’m guessing there may be a wait to get in, but I would say it would be worth it if you had the time.

Went here as a group of 4 at about 7:00 pm on a Saturday evening. This place was busy! There was a wait time of approx. 10 minutes. We decided to sit at the bar, where seats were available. First off, they have some really nice beers on tap. Allagash White was our choice. we had a few pints, while waiting for our order. We ordered Spicy Chicken Wings (5 stars, absolutely delicious and flavorful and has a nice kick to it), Blackened Haddock dinner size with sweet potato fries (absolutely amazing, has a very nice seasoning and doesn’t feel oily at all) and lobster chowder and clam chowder soups (both amazing).
Notice the common thing in my review? The food was just really flavorful and tasty! Undeniably, one of the best chicken wings I’ve had so far! Had to drive 500+ miles from NYC to find the best one!
Staff is friendly too; no unpleasant experiences there. Overall, a very good experience!

Maine is famous for their lobster rolls.
So when K and I were reunited with a long college friend in Blue Hill, we wanted to enjoy a great lobster roll.
We were hiking all day, missed lunch and my stomach was gurgling like shaken liter of soda.
My friend was dubious of the quality of Thirsty whales lobster roll.
They were right. A palm sized roll arrived in a non toasted hot dog bun. A lobster roll ($ 14) had Small pieces of lobster tail in a sad looking bun accompanied with a salad or fries.
The lobster tail were lightly tossed in mayo and flavorful. I just wanted more.
Not satiated, we ordered blackened fish ($ 8). Fried cod with old spice and tartar sauce. That was crispy, flavorful and so satisfying.
I would definitely recommend the blacked fish if you find yourself here.

This was unfortunately my one and only lobster roll in Bar Harbor. I wish the hot dog cradle was a bit bigger and more toasted, with maybe some more lobster meat piled on top, but otherwise no complaints at all. Younger Joy would have been horrified at Older Joy’s decision to order salad on the side instead of French fries, but I rolled out of Thirsty Whale feeling in desperate need of a wheelbarrow to get around, so the whale salad was a good idea.
(No whales harmed in the making of the whale salad.)
I didn’t love the fried clams, as they were off-​puttingly chewy to me. But it could just be my deep aversion to really chewy, gelatinous critters of the sea — these were otherwise deep-​fried goodness.
The place came highly recommended to us from another guest at our bed and breakfast for excellent clam chowder and fried fish sandwiches, so maybe I’ll start there next time.

Overall this establishment had the best lobster rolls and clam chowder on the trip. The chowder was a perfect consistency and the potatoes were well cooked. The fish and chips had fresh haddock with a generous portion.
Parking was tough, we circled in the public lot behind the restaurant for a while to find a spot.

Had a quick lunch here after spending the morning hiking at Acadia. Wasn’t looking for anything heavy so I just ordered a salad. Hubs ordered the spicy fried pickles and the BLT club fish sandwich (obviously sampled both).
The whale salad is basically a Greek salad because it comes with olives and feta. I had it topped with blackened salmon. The salad was good. I ordered the small and it was a decent size and for the extra cost of the salmon the portion of the fish was also very generous. For the price and for it being a salad I ordered at the bar, it was actually very good and I enjoyed it.
Spicy fried pickles were good. Batter was kind of thick but others may prefer that. And then you dip it in ranch so obvi they are going to be good.
The BLT fish club was good. It’s BLT on their fried haddock sandwich. The bottom bread got soggy but other than that it was decent. The fish was a little bland but good fish.
Fries are blah but with some salt and dipped in ketchup or ranch you can’t complain too much.
We didn’t get any drinks and our total was about 30 $ so not bad! I would come back.

Lobster roll: Good. Fresh and juicy lobster meat!
Seafood platter: definitely a no! Seafood was not properly cooked, and therefore it came with strange taste (sandy?!)
Blackened haddock: definitely yes! Goes well with beer and white wine
Service: not that great but tolerable! Definitely not for people who really care about service

Really good, regular food and suds here, with folksy, local servers. It’s touristy, but without the –sty. This was our first meal in Bar Harbor, and we were just looking for something that was open late (most joints stop serving food around 9 – 9:30 pm around here). The ktichen doesn’t stay open all night, I don’t think, but if you get in around 9, you can order your food and linger with drinks before driving back to your lodgings.
I had a lobster soup, which was outstanding, and a blackened fish sandwich (similar to the fish ‘n’ chips minus the chips). Gf had a grilled cheese sandwich, also good. I bet you can’t go too wrong with anything, really. They had local brews from Bar Harbor/​Atlantic Brewery, Allagash, etc.

We were in Bar Harbor the weekend before Memorial Day and stopped in for a drink during a bar crawl on the town’s Food/​Wine/​Beer festival. I immediately noticed that the bar staff (and manager present, whose personality seemed a tad abrasive) wasn’t happy about participating and more concerned with getting people «in and out.» Almost understandable from a service point of view, but don’t participate if it is a hassle and don’t let customers notice your displeasure.
With that said, my girl noticed a plate of food and wanted to try it for lunch the next day. The food was kind of «eh» honestly. Maybe our knowledge of Northeast seafood was lacking, but my girl ordered the Fried Shrimp basket… and received popcorn shrimp. That was a big letdown and I think should be noted on the menu. I ordered fish and chips; the fish were filleted into something like rectangular strips. That kind of kills the natural presentation for me. Also, the fries seemed to be straight from a freezer and nothing spectacular. Overall, it felt like we ate two kids meals from a quality and presentation perspective.
I’d rate this as 2.5* honestly, but gave the nudge to 3 because the plates of other guests looked appetizing. That’s a first for me.

My boyfriend and I arrived in Bar Harbor around 8:00 on Friday night and wanted a quick bite to eat, we decided to try the Thirsty Whale after the good reviews on Unilocal,but Unilocal,you led us astray.
We stood for about 10 minutes before we were acknowledge, then were told only a 5 – 10 minute wait, we saw two bar seats and snagged those. Ordered drinks and dinner, service was meh, while I understand our waitress was the bartender and had to tend bar, too, it just took a long while and the waitresses would all congregate around the bar and complain.
Food was so-​so, the spicy fried pickle spears and corn + lobster chowder were fab, the fish wrap + caesar salad I had was nothing to write home about, nor was my boyfriend’s meal. All in all, you can skip this establishment on your trip to Bar Harbor.

We stopped by this place for lunch and a drink on our trip to Maine. The location is cute in downtown Bar Harbor. The food we ordered was overall good, not insanely great, but definitely decent. I did really enjoy my sweet potato fries! The price was less than $ 9 for most options (besides the lobster roll, obviously) which was great! Our service was very good. I would recommend this place if you are looking for a cheap but hearty lunch in the area!

Once upon a time I went to Acadia and I got so hungry I could eat a whale.
My prey of the night? Lobster roll, clam chowder and seafood platter.
The place is a chill tavern that has live performances late in the evening. With that said, I would say they serve pub food.
The lobster roll had too much mayo for my tasting, the clam chowder was okay it tasted pretty standard, the seafood platter was an assortment of fried shrimp, scallops, clam, and haddock. It came with 2 sauces, definitely preferred the white tartar.
Service was a bit slow, our server hardly came by and my water was never refilled.
Prices are fair for what you get but I feel like I could get a better tasting lobster roll for less. This place is a hit or miss.

First comment the bf made: this place sounds like a bar. And yup, he was right. We stopped by Thirsty Whale briefly during our time in Bar Harbor because we wanted to grab some fresh food to bring onto Cadillac Mountain with us. It’s definitely a total locals bar – we were there on derby day and it was great just seeing everyone interact. Everyone was a regular, everyone knew each other, just seemed like a really cool place to be.
We got the clam chowder and fried clams to go. Price was pretty reasonable, the food came out extremely quickly, and I thought the fried clams were marvelous. Some were a little on the soggier side, but all in all, simply delicious.
tldr; random bar off of the main downtown area in Bar Harbor that serves up some pretty good eats

Between the two of us — my boyfriend and I had around 20 lobster rolls between the two of us on our Maine trip.
This was by far, the best roll we had our entire trip.
Just a touch of mayonnaise, the bread was buttered and toasted perfectly, the price was right… the service was good.
Love it and miss it…
I need another