The Front Room

Good food, but overpriced. I paid $ 13 for a small burger with no side. It was also really noisy and difficult to have a conversation.

I always enjoy coming here for brunch and breakfast. I ordered veggie gnocchi and last time I had three egg omelet. Their food is always on point. Their service is really nice and I really like the inteior atomsphere & design. giving it a 5 star rate ! :)

Consistently underwhelming, I think the location drives whatever positive experience someone might have. After two disappointing visits, I decided to give brunch another try this weekend. The server never mentioned specials (the third time in a row, don’t sit at the bar. In fact he never told anyone else the specials either so people are craning their neck in hopes of hearing then mentioned from across the room. Not sure why this dude has a job) The omelette for $ 8.50 does not come with toast. Or homefries. Not sure if I’ve ever seen this before.
The food itself is passable but do yourself a favor and hit the Blue Spoon next door.

It’s just okay. The food is average, atmosphere is average. It’s not bad but it’s not great either. Long waits at times.

The photos of this place don’t do it justice. Perched right on top of the highest hill in the city, you can get a great view before we come inside. Also, the interior is adorably pub-​like, though a bit brighter and cleaner than your average pub.
While it took us a fair amount of time to be seated (even though we were the only ones waiting), it looked like there were only 2 servers for the whole restaurant. Since we’re talking about weekend brunch time, they were pretty busy, so my husband and I were patient.
Once we were seated, our server was very friendly and attentive anytime we needed anything. Our food came out even quicker than we expected, given how busy they were … and here’s where there’s get fantastic.
This was … the best omlette … I’ve EVER had. I know, I wasn’t expecting it either. After eating in Austia, Italy, New York, San Francosco, Chicago … I never imagined that the best omlette of my 31 years would be in Portland, Maine. I have no idea what made this omlette so special — maybe it was just the right amount of spice or salt in the eggs or the freshness of the veggies inside. I’m not sure, but I do know that I’m still talking about it to this day. Also, I had their homemade biscuit on the side, which were also quite delicious.
Bonus: the chef was cute.

Breakfast was gross. dont go there for that.

Our favorite place in Portland for brunch and dinner. I cannot tell you how many times we have gone to the Front Room over the past 5 years and it has never disappointed us. Not once. From as mundane as tomato soup to special entrees, everything is elevated and delicious.
The half-​bird is my favorite meal in Portland.
I will also add that we enjoy their brunch and the hollandaise sauce is unreal. I pretty much could put it on anything.
Also all the bartenders are personable and friendly. Best spot in town.

On a trip with my mom visiting all of the New England states for her birthday, so we found ourselves in Portland for a day. Of course I turned to my trusty Unilocal app to give me a great recommendation, and I settled on Front Room.
We arrived for dinner and after driving around a bit, finally found parking. Luckily it wasn’t too far away, since there was a nice steady drizzle. We were seated within a few minutes of arriving. Within 10 minutes we were already having a conversation with the nice couple that were seated next to us, just finishing their dinner. They seemed impressed to see that my mother and I travel together for a long time and can stand one another! haha. They mentioned that they were locals, and assured us that we made a good decision. This happened before we placed our meal orders, so let me tell you now I was super confident that I selected the right place!
Within 15 minutes, I had a glass of merlot in my hands, and my mother was telling me that I don’t need to drink a lot, so that should be my only drink for the night. haha. At that moment, I realized just how much I love my mother… no really.
We started with the Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread– my mother is a southerner so cornbread is her favorite. So she is picky about eating other people’s cornbread haha. But let me tell you this cornbread was just how she likes it! Plenty of edges, just a bit crispy and buttery… a little sweet. It was perfect… compliments to the chef. I want the recipe! *wink* haha
I ordered the Braised Beef Short Ribs that is served with mashed potatoes (regular for me, versus the horseradish style), roasted red cabbage, and braising jus. The short ribs were melt in your mouth, fall off the bone delicious! Nice rich flavors! The flavors of this dish really complemented the merlot I selected. No question, it hit the spot. BANGING! I was in food heaven, sitting with my mom, and quite frankly nothing else mattered at that moment. Front Room… y’all made me really happy! This meal absolutely made my trip and gave me life! But wait… there’s more. Girl, you had dessert too?! YAASSS. Lol! Key Lime Pie. That is one of my absolute favorite desserts… laaaaawwwddd y’all did it to me! And it was made in house with a lovely presentation!!! OMG– Did I say I was really happy?! FOODGASM!
My mother ordered the fresh fish of the day, I believe it was swordfish, served with soft potenta, spinach and a olive vinaigrette. She added the roasted brussel sprouts appetizer also– which I so happily indulged in. Very good!
Service was excellent. Its a loud place, but I loved the kitchen and the entire feel of this place. Oh Front Room… how I love thee. Your food gave me life and happiness. How my mother who is such a picky eater loved thy food too! We are grateful. I will visit again should our paths cross again. And I definitely recommend this restaurant! *in my terminator voice* «I’LL BE BACK!!»

Another win for Unilocal!
Great atmosphere, perfect location away from the touristy spots, excellent service, and the food was delicious.
Parking can be a bit of a challenge on a Friday evening as it’s all street parking but a few loops around the block and you’ll be fine.
Can’t wait to go back.

I loved the atmosphere of this place, like a neighborhood spot I could see myself frequenting, but my meal there was just average. I got the seafood chowder (a special) to start which had great components, including lots of seafood, potatoes, and bacon, but the soup was under-​seasoned. For my entrée I got the BLT, which I feel like they tried to make «nicer» by using roasted tomatoes and grilled French bread, but it just didn’t do it for me. The bread was a bit too hard and I missed the freshness that comes with a nice slice of raw tomato. The pickled veggies on the side were awesome though and definitely added to the flavor of the plate.

I came here with the family for a weekend brunch. It’s a nice walk from Eastern Promenade on the water, but it is all up hill, which is great for building an appetite.
The place blends right in with the houses and is one of a few restaurants in the area. They’ve got a few seats outside, but I’m not sure if they serve outside. The inside is cozy and has a small bar.
I don’t remember what the family had, but I had the gnocchi and it was very delicious. They put a nice pan sear on it so it had that great crispy texture on the outside and a smooth, creamy gnocchi taste on the inside. I don’t remember anyone else in my party having a great meal so maybe it was just me, but I liked the place.
I’ll probably be back at some point, but there are a lot of great breakfast places in Portland so this might be a backup for one of the busier places for me.

Awesome and personable service. Should have gotten our servers name, she was so sweet and attentive! Wish the service in LA was more like this!
The food came out quick and was super delicious. I ordered the special, which was short rib hash. SO GOOD! Everything was good! I will definitely remember this cute brunch spot for next time I visit Portland.

Brunch Review. The menu is very pedestrian. Very little creativity (other than the gnocci, which you don’t see a lot). Classic Benedict, huevos rancheros, corned beef hash, biscuits and gravy, etc, etc. I love all those things but crave creativity nowadays. at least put a spin on it.
Bloody marys are ok. They are thin and expensive with one green olive as the only garnish. Flavor was good though.
Homemade corned beef hash — The poached eggs were over done, one of them the yolk was cooked all the way through and the other wasn’t far off. They also tasted strongly of vinegar. The corned beef hash was pretty skimpy on the corned beef and was very mushy. WAY better hash can be had at bintliffs or hot suppah.
Everything was kind of bland, good thing there was a salt and pepper grinder on the table because I needed a lot of it.
Will not be going back if I can help it. Way better brunch to be had in this town.

We recently had dinner at the Front Room on a Tuesday night. There were a few other couples there with us, but it wasn’t crowded. The restaurant has a cozy feeling and we really enjoyed watching the chef and his staff prepare all the meals in the open kitchen.
The food was AMAZING. I’m a huge fan of carbonara, and this was better than any carbonara I’ve ever had! My husband had the boneless short ribs, which he enjoyed immensely. They were so tender he could cut them with his fork. And my sister had chicken. That was amazing as well. This was our third time dining st the Front Room, and we will definitely be back!

The Front Room is a cozy homey feeling restaurant in the trendy Marjan Hill neighborhood, a bit of a walk from downtown. The brunch is very solid, and also popular, so be prepared to wait. The outside is very nice though you are essentially on the street, and is dog friendly. The coffee was excellent. The croque madam was very filling and tasty with a good amount of bread, egg, and sauce. Service was very attentive and friendly as well with no issues. The Front Room is a great place to go for a solid brunch with little pretension.

I don’t know how things are on weekends, but a Friday morning brunch at The Front Room was calm and kid-​full, as most of the handful plus parties dining in at the same time as us had a child among them.
We scored a parking spot right by the patio they had set up along the sidewalk of their corner real estate. Inside there are 16 tables — two of which are booths, 3 4-​tops, the remainder being 2 seaters, along with 10 stools at the bar.
For our three appetites, we were pretty well satisfied with two entrees and a side.
POTATO GNOCCHI* || 10 spinach, bacon, two poached eggs, and hollandaise
This was terrific with nice soft gnocci and flavorful spinach and bacon.
GRILLED DUCK & GOAT CHEESE with sweet onion jam on house-​made brioche || 13
We had them cut this in 3 for us instead of the normal halves, which was not very evenly done, but we made do. The sandwich was well filled and tasty.
CORNED BEEF HASH || 12
The portion seemed small for its double digit price tag, but it was the chunky sort, which I prefer, and quite good with its crispy edges.
With full and happy tummies, we were good to go!

I’m a big fan of brunch here. Parking can be a bit challenging, but it will be worth it. Nice bar… which I normally really enjoy eating brunch at. Always brunch related cocktails, Mary’s, mimosas, etc. I start with Makers and OJ…
Today’s items… the hash with over easy eggs was excellent, quality corned beef, perfectly seasoned with a nice sear from a flat press with perfectly cooked eggs… a nice option. The eggs with sausage gravy and biscuits was excellent… scratch biscuits with a great gravy… not heavy or thick. it was an excellent choice with poached eggs on top. The eggs Benedict was well portioned… I tried a small slice of the Canadian bacon that accompanies it… it was very flavorful… the star today was the gnocchi with spinach and over easy eggs… this dish gets five stars from me… as I kept asking my mother if I could sample more… the gnocchi were perfectly cooked… blanched…ice bath… then pan fried with olive oil… they were delicious… covered with spinach, two eggs, and a scratch pan gravy…
Staff was friendly and prompt… the kitchen staff was interactive… I asked about the gnocchi prep… they spent time with me discussing it… pricing is very reasonable for the high quality of food. I will be back again… as the salmon pastrami Reuben caught my eye.
Highly recommend…4 ½ stars

In my opinion, The Front Room is the only Room that is consistent with their food and service. My boyfriend and I decided to head over Saturday evening around 6:45, knowing we’d have to wait. Only 30 minutes and we grabbed a drink at the bar. Our waiter, Jeremiah, was awesome. Super friendly and helpful. We started with the hailbut tartare which was a special, over ground green chickpeas — it was out of this world, they should definitely put this on the menu full time. Next I had the beet and goat cheese salad which was huge — could definitely split with someone. My boyfriend had the French Onion soup which he loves. For our entrees I had the meatloaf which was heavy after all we ate but still delicious. My boyfriend had (another) halibut special and enjoyed every bite.
Our experience here made up for our terrible experience at Corner Room and the last few lackluster times at Grill Room.

Recently, I spent the weekend in Portland, ME. First time there, and only there for a couple days, but that’ll never stop me from taking in some great food spots. So, to kick off the trip, I was off to brunch at The Front Room.
This neighborhood spot serves American comfort food in a relaxed, homey environment. And yes, complete with my favorite thing ever, an open kitchen. But, this one felt like you were really right in someone’s dining room, and they were cooking right in their kitchen for you.
I started off with a Bloody Mary. They offer it in two sizes, a regular and a tall, which is basically a pint. I went for a regular, not to be too ambitious. But, I could have actually gone for the tall because their Bloody Mary was really good. Perfectly spicy and refreshing.
For my entrée, I ordered their Salmon Pastrami (house made brown bread, grain mustard, red onion, capers & sour cream with greens). Deep breath. Ok. This may have been one of the best things I’ve eaten in a while. Like, honestly, best. And, it was only $ 9. $ 9! The salmon is warm, tender, thickly chopped, and has an amazing smoked flavor. Then, to add a flavor explosion, you have this amazing deli style mustard and the capers for a touch of saltiness. All of this sits majestically atop this incredible brown bread, which is sturdy on the outside, soft on the inside, and has this delicious sweetness to it, a really great contrast to the savoriness above.

NOTE: This review is ONLY for brunch.
When you tell people where you’re going to get brunch and they all tell you the same thing, «get ready to smell,» you know something’s up. Even as I met my brekkie date, the very first thing he mentioned after greeting me was, «So the ventilation in this place…» I cut him off. I had heard. And after waiting for him for only five or so minutes, I could already tell food smell was seeping into my clothing and hair. I understand the older building wasn’t necessarily meant to house the restaurant, but… Open a window! Light some candles! Do something!
Now let’s talk ’bout the pertinents and such of this place at brunch.
Service
The server had an incredibly friendly disposition… when we saw her. She did the absolute minimum for service that she could — took our order (food and drinks at the same time), slid drinks onto our table without a word as she was passing by, dropped the food off without a word, dropped the check off and wished us a «very fabulous day». She never checked on us once, and it wasn’t even that busy. When our drinks had sat empty for twenty or so minutes, we finally caught her attention and asked for more water. When I look back on my first time here the word «parched» will be one of the first to come to mind.
Food
1. Veggie gnocchi
Ugh. I wanted this to be amazing, and it fell short. To begin with, the whole thing was wet (there was a noticeable amount of liquid swishing on my plate), the poached eggs were overdone (as in — they were lsoft-​boiled), and the gnocchi were positively enormous (the size of clementines, and they were both dense and a bit flavorless). I still enjoyed it… I just wouldn’t get it again. Or crave it. Or recommend it. Here’s hoping it was just an off day!
2. Special morning breakfast bread
I had no idea this was even a thing. My brekkie pal asked if I wanted some of the special morning bread (I don’t even think this is what it’s called, but we’re going with it for now as I can’t find it on the menu). Today’s option was chocolate strawberry. THIS was the highlight of my brunch. THIS is something I would go back for. Grilled and slathered in butter (I also specially requested a side of strawberry jam because it really brought the whole thing together), it was one of the chocolatiest things I have ever eaten EVER. And, y’know what?, that’s totally okay with me! It was just lovely with my perfectly brewed iced coffee. So, if you come here for bunch — get the special morning breakfast bread WHATEVER it may be… you will not be disappointed.
3. Homefries
While I wanted them, I didn’t have the home fries. My dining cohort suggested they were not the best in town and as such we didn’t order them. Segue…
4. The bowl of fruit
I didn’t want any fruit until I saw the table next to me get some. A heaping bowl full of beautiful, colorful melons, berries, and grapes. For only $ 4? THIS is a bargain!
I believe the outdoor seating, specialty mimosa (today’s was mango — SO wish I had gotten one), and breakfast bread is definitely where it’s at here. This is a quality brunch spot and I definitely recommend checking it out at least once. Just, maybe, don’t order the veggie gnocchi or wear your Sunday finest!