The front Room restaurant & Bar
New American Comfort Food | a neighborhood gathering spot
Harding Lee Smith, Chef, Restauranteur
17+ Years of Service
The Front Room is a quintessential neighborhood eatery – loud bustling crowds and simple food with rich flavors complemented by The Rooms signature look of an open kitchen and cozy bar. But unlike the other Rooms, The Front Room vetoed the idea of reservations for brunch, opting to be first come, first served (however we do take reservations for dinner!).
Classic, wooden Hancock chairs adorn each table in this quaint iteration of The Rooms restaurant family, now peppered around Portland, Maine. Serving what Chef Harding Lee Smith has coined New American Comfort Food, The Front Room attracts droves of Mainers with its affordable brunch and dinner menu.
“I wanted to make it a neighborhood gathering spot, to have the home feel like when you come into someone’s living room.” — Chef Harding
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Kate Wichtman
16:55 17 Nov 24
I have not had such a pleasant dining experience in a long time. The atmosphere as soon as you walked in was just cozy and happy. Everyone was smiling and laughing at their tables - and it smelled sooo good. The hostess was incredibly nice and welcoming and even got us mimosas for our wait - which was super short! The table turnover was really fast! Our meals were both delicious. The waiter (Jerry) was super nice. 5 out of 5 for sure. Loved it so much.
Edwin Giron
23:14 11 Nov 24
The food is delicious and the service friendly and efficient. The Lobster Benedict is worth the 1:45 hr drive! Just out of this world. A little loud when it's packed but totally worth it!
J C
05:00 31 Oct 24
Used to be our favorite restaurant but since returning from covid, the quality of the food has slipped a notch. The increase in price was to be expected, but why the decline? Service is still good and so are the drinks. It's a bit on the noisy side, with the bar so close.
Rediet Deneke
14:32 28 Oct 24
They were so kind and accommodating. Amazing service & food. Definitely recommend!
Thomas Story
16:23 26 Oct 24
The Front Room is an outstanding cozy place for brunch. We recently dined here and were delighted with our selections of French Toast, Omelet, and Eggs Benedict. The food quality was top notch, the serving sizes were more than generous. Shout out to our server Andrea who was very attentive and provided excellent recommendations and outstanding service. Make sure to ask for Andrea/Dre when you go!!
Richard Pavone
01:55 21 Oct 24
My wife and twin infants stopped in on a Sunday morning at around 8:45am and were able to be seated right away. We were greeted with smiles and two high chairs were set up for us at our table — that was very accommodating.It looked like the crowd was rolling in behind us for the morning.The coffee was delicious— the best cup I had during my stay in the Portland area.The staff was all very friendly, my boys enjoyed watching the gnocchi get rolled out and cut.We had huevos rancheros, biscuits and gravy, and silver dollar pancakes.Everything was spot-on. The amount of gravy on the biscuits was well portioned! The seasoning was great too.It was a cute neighborhood spot that made me wish I had some place like the Front Room back home.After we ate, we walked down a couple blocks to the park and enjoyed the rest of our morning.Thanks y’all!
Skyler Cook
14:56 13 Oct 24
Absolute hidden gem. Do not pass this place up!
Sandra Clarke
19:15 09 Oct 24
Great food, great drinks and great service
Amy Dreher
10:47 27 Sep 24
The simple eggs, home fries, and toast with sausage was amazing. Good strong coffee. It is also a cozy place to eat. Staff was cheerful and helpful.
Rory Brolly
17:09 21 Sep 24
Nice spot for brunch. Fun menu with all the classics. Looks like a fun place for a pint to watch the football as well.
scott herrick
00:38 19 Sep 24
The Mushroom Toast was Exrodinary 👍👍 The Duck breast & Salmon were cooked perfectly . Jake was an Awesome server!🥂
Daiane Lyons
22:34 12 Sep 24
Great food and excellent service!
Kajn Suga
18:47 08 Sep 24
The place filled up fast. The food was yummy. I really enjoyed the biscuit. The portions are plentiful. My only gripe is I would have liked some AC. It was a cool-ish day.
Yuliya M
22:41 02 Sep 24
Small cozy place with a pretty good menu selections. All of the staff was extremely attentive and accommodating. Full bar with lots of drink options. Blueberry Sangria was very tasty. The reason for a bit of a disappointment was that pretty much oversalted
Allison A
02:48 31 Aug 24
Brunch was so good!! One of the best brunches we've had in a long time!
Deighton
18:45 22 Aug 24
Best French toast in New England, if not the worldUpdate: the French toast is still good but not as great as it was. Several thin slices of French toast is much better than 2 big slices. What makes French toast so great is amplified when the toast is thin instead of thick. Please go back to the old way
Rick Wobbe
13:17 18 Aug 24
Second time eating brunch here and it did not disappoint. Bacon gnocchi was delicious, service was courteous and prompt, and the atmosphere was friendly and inviting. It’s remarkable what they have done with this small space. We’ll be back next time we’re in Portland!
Jenny Cooper
14:24 16 Aug 24
Amazing customer service by Elise and the food was exceptional. One of the best breakfast meals our family has ever eaten and we are foodies. Highly recommend the Eggs Benedict (one of the best Egg Benny’s ever), Pancakes (these pancakes were as great as our favourite pancakes in Hawaii) and the 2 egg breakfast (the sour dough bread was homemade and so delicious as were the potatoes and sausage). Thanks to The Front Room for such an exceptional breakfast experience. 😃
Steve Rottinger
15:15 13 Aug 24
Service was a little slow, but all the food was excellent
Sarah Flaherty
22:33 12 Aug 24
They were a bit short staffed, but they made it work and everyone clearly was working hard. Great brunch. Nice atmosphere. Neighborhood feel.
Heather N
20:32 12 Aug 24
French toast was amazing. Service is great
Sory Martinez
00:14 30 Jul 24
Best Pancakes everFrom Orlando (Winter Haven) Florida to enjoy a delicious breakfast 😋 here in Portland.Totally recommended 👌
stephanie holfus
19:53 15 Jul 24
Hostess and wait staff were very friendly, hostess even offered to get coffee before our waitress was able to approach the table. Coming from the South, not used to sausage being sweet and sweet sausage in the gravy was just not my thing. Food needed a little more seasoning. Everything plated well.
Matthew Conner
03:29 26 Jun 24
My wife and I had an awesome experience here. The food was delicious and Eva and the staff provided great service. Eva also took the time to tell us about other attractions that Portland had to offer. Looking forward to going to the "Rooms", (Grill and Corner.)
Austin Winchell
18:42 21 Jun 24
The food and the service was incredible, best breakfast I have ever had!
Pallavi Shrestha
03:35 19 Jun 24
I loved my Bacon gnocchi. We went on a beautiful Sunday. It was a bit busy but we got an outdoor table quickly.
Patricia Gonzalez
19:51 05 Jun 24
Nice cozy spot. Good Bloody Mary
Josh Friedlander
03:20 30 May 24
Exceptional oysters. Very good crab pasta. Good cocktails. Friendly service. I’m a fan.
erika frisbie
22:13 12 May 24
One of the best places in Portland..the food is amazing and the great service..we could eat here every day..tuna appetizer salmon and Reubens entries and creme brule..sooooo good
Hannah Ferguson
03:15 04 May 24
Our waiter was incredible! All the staff were great. We all tried each other's dishes, and bowls were spotless by the time we finished. Second time here was even more incredible than the first!
Angel L Pesante Velez
04:52 23 Apr 24
Cozy and beautiful place. The food extraordinary 💯 recommended
Alexis D
15:39 16 Apr 24
My partner and I really enjoyed our dining experience here. The tuna tartar and burger were excellent. House reds were quite good as well.Good food & good service. Will be back next time we visit.
Michael Murphy
23:16 09 Apr 24
We've been there multiple times now. They're all fantastic. The staff recognized us and are super personable. The food was delicious and I left nice and full. Cornbeef hash had a fantastic sear on it. Partner LOVED her French toast
Ryan
16:31 05 Apr 24
Great food, and clean oysters. I didn't normally eat raw oysters, but I felt safe eating them here. They tasted pristine. All the guys was excellent and service was great too.
Charles Y
23:13 03 Apr 24
We last minute decided to get breakfast at The Front Room before leaving our weekend getaway in Portland... and SO glad we did!!!Table for two with only a couple of minutes wait on Sunday. We shared a cinnamon bun (not to be missed!!), and I got the corned beef hash with poached eggs and my partner got the steak and eggs. Both were excellent, however the in-house made corned beef was over the top delicious!!! Add fresh squeezed orange juice, black coffee, and toast... and we were set for the day!!! (They were also serving their lunch menu which looked equally as yummy)Food, drinks, and service were all outstanding!! (And a special shout-out to our server Jerry who chased me down a block away to return my credit card that I had mistakenly left there!!!)Go to The Front Room, you won't be disappointed!!!
gary scott
16:43 30 Mar 24
Excellent breakfast,best hash ,best coffee in NE
Alexa
02:07 27 Mar 24
Wonderful experience. Quality of the food was great, our waiter provided quick, friendly service, and we will be back! Highly recommend the beef short rib, and the espresso martinis for dessert were the perfect way to wrap up the evening!
Maria Arcuri
22:25 24 Feb 24
Sat at the bar, and our server was very friendly. All the food was perfectly seasoned, and I have never had an omlette, so fluffy!!
Jonathan Quintanilla
19:35 20 Feb 24
This is a wonderful, off the beaten path, brunch spot. Friendly service, delicious drinks and great food. Bacon is perfectly crisp too. Highly recommend
Kevin Donoghue
23:18 27 Jan 24
Eggs Benedict is delicious as were the other dishes. Coffee poor.
Mike Barnes
17:43 21 Jan 24
Great food.Tight tables.Packed....no reservations but will text when your table is ready.
Mark Dartnell
17:41 18 Jan 24
Great dinner spot that's out of the way a bit. Just a great little spot with the Best food , prepared right there and so delicious! A must is the devil eggs for an appetizer!
terri hallenbeck
01:13 16 Jan 24
We go to Portland every few months and when we do The Rooms in Portland are a must for us.
Steve R.
13:24 23 Dec 23
Food , service , atmosphere are all top notch at the front room. Best brunch in Portland
H Reilly
17:33 17 Dec 23
Cute place, small, but service was fast for a Sunday morning! Staff is wicked nice and the have good brunch specials.
Philippe St-Aubin
03:35 12 Nov 23
Great experience. Sea food were amazing and the service... We were just waving randomly and the waitress just showed up whit an other wine bottle. Thank you for everything. For the prizes, if you compare with our best Canadian seafood restaurants, it's very cheap amd quality is top nutch.
Amber W. Chambers
13:57 03 Nov 23
The most quaint and beautiful breakfast/brunch spot! Excellent service and food! So glad we came here and we will be back when in Portland!
Stef Khairallah
13:43 26 Oct 23
10/10 super yummy biscuits and gravy
Tammy Spruill
02:18 25 Oct 23
Ventured off the cruise ship and found the best breakfast we’ve ever had!!! Our waitress was very pleasant and friendly and the cooks were very accommodating to our food allergies!!! Highly recommended!!!! Fantastic find!!!!
Michael Uhler
03:07 23 Oct 23
Exceptional brunch.Delicious food, great service, yummy beverages…this place screams go-to brunch spot.Cool bar area that seems like it is always sought after by regulars. Otherwise, the restaurant is bustling and you may have to wait a few minutes but it is worth it.The BYO omelette is killer. I didn’t see anything come out of the kitchen that didn’t look delicious.I suggest trying the front room and when you’re done, take a stroll down a few blocks to the water and enjoy the scenery.
Chelsea Tryder
14:09 22 Oct 23
One of our go-tos for a cozy brunch. The French toast is delicious!
Lucy Garber
15:00 20 Oct 23
Theeee most delicious French toast I’ve ever tasted!! Also got an omelette; it had actual big chunks of ham and sausage. So tasty. Everything tastes homemade and real, no fake ingredients. We also tried the corn beef hash, which was new and interesting for us
Jeremy Garber
14:58 20 Oct 23
Amazing French toast as well as omelettesand excellent service, definitely need to try out this place for an amazing breakfast
