Reviews for Little Fern in Southwest Harbor, ME

We loved staying at The Claremont but The Fern was overrated and overpriced. The food came out cold and was almost inedible... because of that. The appetizer was good but our entrees were meh. We ended up cancelling our reservation for the followingnight. Recommend drinks at Harry?s or a more causal lunch/dinner at Fishcamp but The Fern can be missed. Read more

Very nice restaurant with great atmosphere, gorgeous views and easy menu to find something tasty. Ample selection of seafood,... meat, veggies. Varying draft beer selection and decent wines by the glass. We drove here from Bar Harbor, didn?t stay at thehotel but would go back for sure. Read more

Great food, but?. The service seemed off on our most recent visit, to the point that It compromised what would have otherwise... been an excellent meal. We started cocktails that were well crafted and delicious. The wait time for drinks seemed a bit long,but there were quite a few large parties seated when we arrived and that seemed a bit overwhelming for the staff. Next, weenjoyed appetizers that were excellent. We had the beef tartare, lobster bisque and scallops with prosciutto. The beef wasflavorful and prepared perfectly. The bisque was creamy and rich with the right balance of sherry. And the scallops, whilelimited to only two, nicely prepared with a fig sauce drizzle to bring it all together. For our entrees we enjoyed the surf andturf and line-caught halibut. All were daily specials. Our waiter seemed a bit unfamiliar with the wines as he suggested ahearty red with the fish and suggest the same wine for the surf and turf. The suggestion, had we taken it, would?ve beendisastrous for our meal. As fort true entrees - the halibut was served with a coconut-vanilla-orange sauce topped with a hint ofcilantro. The combination of flavors perfection. The surf and turf included a sesame-ginger marinated hanger steak and a lobstertail, all served on a bed of whipped potatoes and with a side of spiced greens. Once again, the culinary expertise of blendingvarious flavors in just the right way made for an excellent dish. But for all that greatness, the waiter overlooked the wine weordered and trying to find someone to help proved frustrating. Even when we had pointed this out to the waiter, he continued toservice other tables before finally arriving with our wine. We are foodies who carefully paid wines with our meal, so we didn?tstart to eat until the wine had arrived and by then, the food was barely warm. We could?ve asked it be rewarmed, but given thedelicate nature of our selections would?ve been worse. I also should add that we had asked for bread service s Read more

Our server was really attentive and helpful. The food was really great and reasonably priced for the atmosphere and experience... you?re getting at the Claremont. The only thing was how long it took for our drinks to come out. There was only 1 bartenderthat we could see and there were probably only 7-8 tables when we ordered drinks. The cocktail came out after about 15 minutesand the wine took a few more minutes after that. We ordered the garlic shrimp and the scallops as appetizers, and for dinner mybf ordered the chicken and I got the seafood pappardelle. Both were great! If I could give a 4.5/5 I would! Read more

This really well appointed restaurant and hotel failed on all accounts. This has to be one of the worst meals we have had on our... trip, this includes getting lunch at the gas station on the way to Maine. Service was sooo slow it took 20 minutes to begreeted. Our drinks came out in glasses with dried food stuck to them. The bread "from a local bakery" was stale and inedible,the butter had so much garlic it made my eyes water. Apps were uninspired, and we were served a gissly ribeye with a bakedpotato that must have sat in a warmer overnight it was so shriveled, and served on a bed of brown romaine. The have a garden onsite but I guess it's just for show. We skipped dessert to say the least. Generally you could tell nobody seemed to care.Really too bad, looks like they spent a lot of money on the place. Just goes to show you can't get by on ambiance and a cutename. Read more

Very good service, food is excellent well portions for the price.

NOT TO BE MISSED! The food is top-notch, service is kind, courteous, and attentive without being overbearing, and it is an... experience in itself just to take in the masterful environment in the Claremont since it has been so beautifully remade. Thehotel parlors are comfortable and elegant, and the restaurant has been spared no detail. The menu is carefully thought out andcreative, featuring local and fresh ingredients. The cocktails are not to be missed. I took my parents here during a vacation;we tried the potato bisque and a wonderful winter squash and apple soup, the latter with a delicious potato and cheese crisp.Both were delicious and comforting without being overly filling. We ordered the seafood with miso and bok choy, the roastedorganic chicken with parsnips, and pappardelle with Bolognese ragú (a nightly special recommended by our wonderful server,Gabbie, whose service, kindness, and expertise helped make the evening all the more outstanding). All were expertly prepared;the seafood was plentiful and cooked just right, and the Bolognese was served with crispy slices of toast with garlic confit tobe spread along it as a take on garlic bread; simply delicious! We shared locally made maple walnut ice cream for dessert, whichwas also spot-on. If you are staying on MDI or in the area, get yourself a reservation here; this restaurant is a must. Read more

Entrees were the best part of our meal; the appetizers were over-priced for the quantity and quality. Our waiter obviously must... have been suffering from something as his pupils were the size of dimes, his face appeared clammy & he was pretentious, lackedknowledge about menu items, and was even dismissive Read more