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
Michael Turner
22:47 19 Mar 23
Perfect anniversary dinner. Service was excellent. Make reservations. Everything ordered was tasty and leftovers were just as good. Don't skimp, get desert. Highly recommend for special occasions.
Paddy McCarthy
13:09 09 Mar 23
Visited for a late breakfast. Didn't have to eat again until 8pm!
Omer Croteau
17:44 11 Feb 23
Very delicious 🎉
C.J. Harvey
22:29 09 Feb 23
Amazing place, Amazing staff and service, and better than amazing food. It doesn’t matter how long you have to wait this place is worth multiple hour wait for a table. If you go for brunch get a donut! They are served piping hot and like everything is homemade! Just wait to get a table and hand over your money it’s well worth it.
Bob Whirlow
14:01 17 Jan 23
Exceptional breakfast. Great place to eat. We will be back.
Kristen Abbondanza
18:06 15 Jan 23
The BEST Benedict! I ordered the steak Benedict special. It was amazing and it melted in my mouth.
Jenny McKee
22:38 29 Dec 22
Amazing food and amazing service! I ate at The Front Room for brunch and would go back tomorrow for brunch again if I could! The restaurant was super cozy with lots of 2- and 4-person tables, plus two booths. Upon seating, our waitress immediately offered us drinks and refilled our coffee frequently. Whatever time of day you go for brunch, definitely get the bacon gnocchi! It came with delicious thick-cut bacon, spinach, and two poached eggs smothered in hollandaise sauce. It was plenty of food, but I didn't feel overly stuffed afterwards. It was incredibly tasty! And fortunately they also offer a vegetarian gnocchi option! Service was great and I hope to visit again soon.
Alberto Landeros
11:46 29 Nov 22
Good food in general, good vibe, service is average
Anthony Pinto
21:17 15 Nov 22
A small and quaint restaurant. Wait staff was friendly and steak was cooked perfectly.
Christopher Black
08:59 02 Nov 22
Great idea to install sound panels on the ceiling so you don't have to shout across a small table.
Jessica Jamer
18:17 31 Oct 22
Amazing brunch! Their bloodys were perfect and the focaccia bread was amazing. Loved the view of the water outside
Jacie Grimsrud
17:18 22 Oct 22
Surprisingly, not too long of a wait for Saturday morning at 9:30. Our server was friendly and gave great service. Seriously though, the BEST eggs Benedict I’ve ever had. It was a special of the day with goat cheese and caramelized onions…it was great!!
Lewis Williams (Lewtiefroops)
22:11 16 Oct 22
Really good brunch, extremely friendly staff and good vibes
Shawna McCartney
01:19 12 Oct 22
Delicious and great menu selection!
Nancy Goldstein
22:44 03 Oct 22
AMAZING dinner from start to finish. Our waiter Jerry was a fabulous addition to our evening. We lucked out that Chef Harding Lee Smith was in the kitchen preparing the most delicious meals. The cornbread was a definite highlight and all of the entrees were exceptional. Would highly recommend this establishment.
Ana Lucia Otarola
19:09 01 Oct 22
Yummy breakfast and really good service. Brioche french toast is super good!!
Bryan Appel
03:43 25 Sep 22
Quiet, neighborhood restaurant. We enjoyed it, so will you
Matt Brown
15:31 17 Sep 22
This OG of Portland restaurant continues to crank out delicious food!
Paul Tilton
14:37 12 Sep 22
Phenomenal food. Always a great brunch spot
Koh Joo Ooi
00:03 07 Sep 22
Busy restaurant busy kitchen but worth waiting.
Kristine Harmon
11:00 29 Aug 22
We sat at the bar. Our bartender was amazing. Love the Frontroom!
Jeffrey Clapp
12:01 28 Aug 22
Our favorite restaurant. Consistently tasty food, great staff, excellent menu...what more can I say? Oh, the prices are great, too--just tone down the rock soundtrack. That's bar music, bad for the digestion!
Joshua Friedman
18:48 13 Aug 22
Best brunch in Portland
Sandy Estes
18:39 11 Aug 22
Stopped by for lunch today. Delicious brunch, especially the gnocchi dishes!
Sandy Bryant
03:04 07 Aug 22
Great place for a nice breakfast....friendly staff and delicious breakfast
Amir Sagiv
22:10 23 Jul 22
One of the loveliest breakfast stops in Maine. Great food and nice location.
David Finkelstein
23:21 18 Jul 22
Food was great, waiter was wonderful. Wish parking was a bit easier but they don't really have any control over that. This was a great find that was recommended by several other people. Would visit again if I was in the area. The outdoor dining area was a decent space and not too cramped
Wesley Dz
23:12 18 Jul 22
Would have been much better if I didn't have to watch the host and his girlfriend on the staff flirt throughout my meal.
Louis Blankenship
17:10 11 Jul 22
I went in with a party of five. We waited 15 minutes. We were seated and Jerry waited on us. The service was great, but the food was ridiculously good. It's hard to believe that's such a small kitchen produces that good of a meal. I highly recommend the eggs benedict special. I did something that I've never done in any restaurant I've ever been in ,I tipped the kitchen staff. I hope it made their day because their food made my day.
Kayla Shewmaker
20:30 30 Jun 22
Cute little hole in the wall type of place. Fresh ingredients but not very well seasoned. Overall was good, the Spaghetti Carbonara was fabulous 👌 The Meatloaf was very different not traditional at all, wasn't the best but wasn't horrible either. The chicken pot was such a disappointment though, unfortunately. I would go back to try something different though.
Janette Cortes-Duewel
02:24 26 Jun 22
We were in Portland and looking for some yummy food and boy did we find some! The food here is so tasty and the service was first class. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the meatballs-so good! Their soup of the day, carrot leek was creamy and delicious. We ended with the haddock special-fresh and cooked perfectly. Everything was so good!
Shelly Wood
00:51 16 Jun 22
We loved the outdoor seating, the food was delicious. Carrot Soup, I would have been happy if the meal had ended there! My husband had the win with Swordfish on Rissotto, the daily special. We topped it off with a Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. And all of this was served by delightful staff. Bridget was exceptional.
Erin Nadeau
10:13 24 May 22
We had a large group of folks who just graduated, making a last minute request for seating. These folks not only accommodated us, but were just super gracious, when they could have seated any other people to take over their space for a bit. Fantastic food, fantastic service, and a great experience.
Cam Peden
23:26 21 May 22
What a cool neighborhood joint. The food was absolutely wonderful and the service was first class. We brought our little with us and they were so friendly towards them. If you're looking for great food and an inviting space, this is your spot. 👏 👏 👏
Andrea
12:29 08 May 22
Corned beef hash is 👌🏼... Mimosas hit the spot too 🥂
Art Newpher
16:27 30 Apr 22
Group of 4, ordered 4 different breakfast meals - All were great! Definitely worth the 30 min wait! Megan our server was fun and good! The Corned beef was the Best! Never had better. The only negative - The breakfast potatoes were "okay".
Danielle Fontaine
11:15 27 Apr 22
Wish we lived closer so we could be regulars. Great brunch cocktails, AMAZING interesting food. Was not expecting such elevated options. Got the gnocchi benedict and it was the best most cloud like gnocchi I've ever had in my life. Will be back!
Darrell Dumont
00:57 31 Mar 22
Excellent food as always. The scallops were fresh and well prepared. The roasted brussel sprouts were cooked to perfection. Only regret was we were too full for dessert.
Eric Nittolo
01:37 24 Mar 22
Great little local spot, start with muffins and order the specials. Super delicious and great service.
Mary Benitez
23:42 22 Mar 22
This Place Is Now In My Top 3 Food Stops. Clean, Small, Great Staff, Amazing Food & Easy To Find. When Your Done, You Walk Out The Door And The Ocean Is Right In Front Of You
Ian Carlsen
16:29 16 Mar 22
Typically packed. Serving twists on classic American bistro cuisine that read really well on the menu, but occasionally fall flat when actually plated. Do I still come here for endless coffee and a 50/50 chance at a good eggs benedict? When convenience and nostalgia strikes, yes.
Lynda Berry
23:21 14 Mar 22
Walked in,was able to sit in the bar. Bartender was doing the job of 4 others. He was amazing. Food was excellent. Highly recommend it.
Jessica Leung
16:54 13 Mar 22
Went for breakfast/brunch and got the eggs Benedict which were absolutely delicious! The only thing I would say is that the coffee could’ve been better but otherwise great food and service!
Rik Berghorn
02:32 03 Mar 22
Ordered the spaghetti carbonara and mac and cheese. Spaghetti carbonara was very good you could taste the bacon lardon. The mac and cheese had a lot of flavor. Potatoes had a very simple but tasty flavor. The staff was very nice and accommodating
jcoakley
18:23 23 Feb 22
Quaint little restaurant on Munjoy Hill in the west end of Portland. Both myself and my date had an amazing meal, we started with the duck appetizer which was delicious. For dinner I had the short rib and she had the scallops both were great but I think the scallops were better. Service and drinks were good as well, definitely would go back.
Benjamin Boone
21:58 14 Feb 22
Great quiet restaurant, awesome staff. Definitely going to come back whenever I can
Joey C Johnson
11:37 08 Feb 22
We haven’t been here recently, but decided to stop in. You know when everyone at the table is quiet (not because they are fighting) the food is so good you can’t stop eating it… that was our experience here. When we finished we looked at each other and my husband said ‘nice choice’. Delicious!
Ronald Bourget
19:06 06 Feb 22
Let's just say that they go the extra biscuit !
Christian Melson
17:55 04 Feb 22
Went here for brunch. The eggs Benedict was worth the price but the French onion soup didn't have enough flavor. Drinks were great though!
Nicole Rogacz
19:04 31 Jan 22
This is a cute place with amazing food. The brioche vanilla custard French toast was to die for. Yummy omelette and the home hash mmmm!
Trista Iozzo
14:27 24 Jan 22
We went for my birthday brunch and the food and service was amazing. The potato gnocci was incredible. We will defenitly be back when we go to maine again. A must try
Andrea Liming
03:23 15 Jan 22
Best sandwich I’ve ever had. Crispy chicken sandwich is unbelievable. Brussel sprouts and bread were amazing. I ate half the sandwich and brought the other half home. Surprisingly even better the next day. Love love love.
Charles Miranda
15:16 04 Jan 22
Breakfast gnocchi is amazing. Great prices and service
Duncan Fowler
21:34 01 Jan 22
Great food, service, and atmosphere.
M L
00:45 01 Jan 22
Great food and great service!
Hey There
22:06 11 Dec 21
Great food....just leave your coat in the car as the open kitchen does smell up your clothes a bit.
Tanner Slift
18:03 03 Dec 21
One of the best brunches I’ve had in a long time.Flavored mimosas were a huge hit with my girlfriend and I loved my Irish coffee.Corned beef hash was delightful and I consider myself a connoisseur, girlfriend loved the eggs Benedict. If I could recommend one thing to anyone going it would be to sub toast for the blueberry muffin it was to die for.Atmosphere was really cool and they even had the soccer game on in the corner.
Andrea Ganino
22:05 23 Nov 21
Once we found this place, we went back 2 more times on our short trip to Portland. The food, the staff, the space, all so gosh diddly darn awesome. I begged them to open an annex down the street from me in MA! 😆
Kevin Soucy
19:20 15 Nov 21
I've been getting the same thing for about 10 years...maybe more. And its always great. Best corned beef hash in the city! Service is always friendly and prompt.
Terri McManemy
17:03 09 Nov 21
Small, cozy Cafe with a very upbeat vibe. Fantastic brunch!
