McKay's Public House definitely exceeded are expectations. The reviews were great - so we were expecting a wonderful meal. But the restaurant - from the servers to the atmosphere to the food were just outstanding. We sat outside in the courtyard - which was beautiful - the temperature was perfect for a Fall evening. The Brie chase appetizer (special) was delicious, and the lobster was just amazing (1.5 pounds). And the dessert - we went with the blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream- was wonderful. Overall - I would highly recommend McKay's to anyone visiting Bar Harbor
I’m not sure why this place gets dinged in reviews, we thought it was quite good. Wonderful outdoor dining space. The service is very good.
We ordered crab cakes 4/5, Caesar salad 4.5/5, Gulf of Maine Salmon 4/5, Truffled Seafood Risotto 4/5, and sticky toffee pudding 5/5.
Good adult beverage options
We accidentally stumbled on to McKay's when my wife and I were in from Nebraska, and this was one of our gems of the trip. Delicious seafood, we had the mussels, the seafood risotto, and the lobster bisque - all of it superb. We sat outside at night in their cute patio/front yard area and checked out the rest of the beautiful old home it's located in. 11/10 would recommend.
Absolutely the best evening meal we have had in Bar Harbor.
Service was professional and courteous. Setting was comfortable. Food was exceptional. 1st rate .
The outdoor seating area is charming, and we had a wonderful meal at McKay's. All the food and desserts were excellent. Service was a little slow though.
What a fantastic spot. The food was great. Really appreciated the portion sizes and flavors. Lots of different profiles. The pork belly was cooked well. The mussels were super flavorful. Oysters fresh. Great halibut. And the sticky toffee pudding was fantastic.
Came here for first Arcadia Maine trip and was super nice. More of a friendly Neighborhood restaurant with outdoor garden seating. The staff was very nice and helpful. Wish there were a little more veggie options but overall quite great fir date night. We got the brûlées oysters and raw oysters and both very good. The raw oysters in Maine are quite sweet and yummy, We also received the seafood to risotto and that was good. Would come back
This might be my favorite meal I have ever eaten. The Jamaican jerk chicken with curried veggies and rice was insane delish and gluten free. Perfect meal after hiking in Acadia all day.
We came here for our engagement dinner and it was fantastic. The food was all absolutely delicious- my truffle seafood risotto was exquisite. The drinks were good as well. And the ambiance and staff were wonderful. We would have gone back again during our trip if it wasn’t closed on Sunday :)
Great atmosphere and wine list
Filet mignon was tasty but under cooked ordered med rare got ultra rare. No char but very tender
Waitress although very nice was absent a lot and took a while to get our wine.
Caesar salad was more white chunk ends than leafy green romaine.
Blueberry 🫐 pie was messy and too much blueberry filling
Great place for a full or light dinner, the Gazpacho was delicious! Only weird thing was we got one dessert to go and the kitchen staff put ice cream over it. If we hadn't checked it would have been a soupy mess. Seems like something you would either mention or ask the customer if they want when getting it to go.
Chrisoula Kiriazis, MD
+4
Casual historic local. Definitely worth a stop. Skip the risotto which is more like congee. Thumbs up to the green salad and cioppino.
Nice open-air setting plus an indoor dining area. We went two times. The Haddock fish and chips I had the first time were the best ever. Only lightly breaded and seasoned. Not greasy at all. Our waiter was helpful in explaining the different menu choices. Our second visit was just as wonderful, although they were sadly out of the fish and chips. Seating was inside on the second floor. Food again was very satisfying. Our waitress was very good also. She was prompt, responsive, and smiling.
This place is possibly the best little hidden gem in Bar Harbor. Outside of town and standard fare, a real treat awaits you. We've dined here twice during our stay and both times were outstanding.
The seafood risotto is unbelievable - you will quite literally savor every single bite. Finish off with the sticky toffee pudding and you have what I figure is one of the best meals in town!
The seafood risotto was one of my favorite seafood meals ever. It was ultra rich with excellent flavor and texture. The lobster, scallops, shrimp were delicious!
My partner savored his meatloaf dinner. Our two friends enjoyed their bean burgers on a top notch pretzel bun and their salads too. The kitchen was accommodating for dietary requirements. Sabine, our server, was so helpful and solicitous. We ate outdoors on a perfect night. If only every dining experience were this good.
Staff were very friendly, and the decor on the patio was lovely.
Dishes were all delicious, but I do wish things had been brought a bit slower. We were still working on appetizers and cocktails when the main dish was brought.
Price wise, it is not cheap, but given the location and the quality I wouldn’t expect much less.
Slightly too salty, but that’s my personal taste.
We are in Bar Harbor during the off season and this was one of the few places that remained open. I'm truly happy that it was, because my meal was unforgettable! I had the short ribs and they were so unbelievably melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the mushroom demi-glaze was savory and delicious. I will definitely be coming back here when we return for future hikes! Loved the cozy, romantic atmosphere too!
Ordered poutine, truffled seafood risotto, beef short ribs. The seafood risotto was one of the best risotto I've ever had. Beef short ribs were full of flavor and very tender. We ate so much we didn't have room for dessert. 🙁
Appetizers took off here! The pretzel was delicious, and the BRIE!! They gave so much brie and it was full of flavor with the apples and bread. Main courses were ok, and we got a brownie for dessert that was ok too. Atmosphere was outstanding!
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