Good food, good variety of dishes on the menu, right in the middle of the Freeport shopping district, friendly service, casual dining room
Sleepingtree K.
People "from away": there are better places to experience "Maine" food. This place is fine, I guess - but its primary draw for me is that it's not crazy expensive and is one of a handful of restaurants in Freeport's downtown. I also enjoy the gas fire pits outside and the second level deck is fun when LL Bean has concerts. I have also never forgiven Linda Bean for underwriting the anti-marriage equality campaign, though I hear conversely she's done some nice things for the arts in the state.
Sarah C.
As regular visitors to Freeport (and LLBean fanatics) we have visited Linda Bean's kitchen on multiple occasions but this will be the last. I ordered the Lobster Stew, my husband ordered Fish & Chips. The F&C were OK. Definitely not in my top 20, but OK. The Lobster Stew on the other hand ... My bowl of Lobster Stew arrived and it was, I will admit, large. A bowl of cream with a floating layer of oil. I was disappointed, but was looking forward to chunky, juicy lobster. As I fished around in the cream there was no lobster, I tried again - maybe it was smaller pieces? Nothing - my Lobster Stew was certainly not a stew - and there was no Lobster! I asked the hostess to find my server who took it back to the kitchen and returned with another bowl of oily cream. She told me the kitchen didn't want to replace it " but I told them there was no way you could have eaten the lobster in the five seconds you had the dish ". So now, not only did my $27 bowl of oily cream contain no lobster, I was being accused of " stealing " the lobster before returning the bowl to the kitchen! In fairness, the second bowl did contain a few pieces of lobster which were very nice. However: - Clearly the lobster meat was not " stewed " in the liquid. - A soup has more liquid than content. A stew has more content than liquid. - This was a bowl of poorly seasoned cream and oil with a few pieces of lobster thrown in at the end (if they remembered to do so - which they did not) - Accusing your customers of stealing the lobster before returning a bowl to the kitchen for a swap out??? Hmmm.
Thomasa F.
Being a Maine Girl, I know lobster and when it is fresh. The lobster here is not fresh. The dish I had was not clean and the service was slow and sloppy. It's a tourist trap. Don't bother. Go to Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster in South Freeport. This is where you will get fresh seafood, happy people to serve you and it's not far from LLBeans.
Linda R.
Yes, many would say this is a tourist trap but I have to say I think the lobster rolls here are very, very good. When in Freeport, Linda Beans is very convenient, the staff welcome is genuine and the food is fresh. Food has always been well prepared and prices are in line with other restaurants. It was a January weekday day and we stopped in for a quick lunch. We were seated with a view of the LLBean flagship store. Our order was taken promptly and delivered pretty quickly. The only knock on service is that the food was delivered and the server disappeared before we could ask for ketchup. My husband had to go looking for ketchup as no one checked back in after the food delivery. My lobster roll was very good. Perfectly cooked, sweet and a bit of mayo at the bottom of the roll. Salt and Vinegar potato chips- I liked them but others might want to be aware and ask for regular chips. Loved the coleslaw, too! Excellent iced tea with lemon. The seating could use a bit of a refresh, it is showing the popularity of the restaurant. Good clean restroom.
Kristen L.
In true Maine fashion, when we had out-of-town guests visiting, we couldn't let them leave before visiting Freeport. My SIL from California dined with us and loved her meal, full of lobster, including lobster Rangoon dip as an appetizer, lobster bisque, and of course a lobster roll. The sizes were generous and the Rangoon dip was original and delicious. The Caesar salad was fresh however a bit over dressed with dressing for my liking but my husband found his to be underdressed so perhaps just preference at that point. Shockingly, the show stopper of our meal was the kids mac and cheese! It was cavatappi pasta with a homemade three-cheese sauce. We added lobster for the kids and my husband and I both agree that it was the best mac and cheese we have had at a restaurant. I do find the prices to be a bit steep as a local but since it's a tourist town, not surprising. Our waitress was great and helped us surprise my SIL with a delicious slice of peanut butter pie for her birthday. This is one of the main restaurants in the downtown Freeport area so don't be surprised if you have a small wait for a table. All in all, it checks all the boxes for an enjoyable meal.
Toni M.
Food: My husband and I have eaten at Linda Beans 3 times over this holiday season. Each meal was excellent. my husband: lobster stew-tasty with chunks of lobster (including a claw), clam chowder- creamy, flavorful and had clams!, fish and chips-nice chunks of haddock and not greasy. A good portion of left overs going home. Me: Blueberry wings- amazing! a good amount of heat and sweet and the blueberry glaze was awesome. I ordered these again to make sure it was not a fluke! Not! And lastly the Rueben. Yum-not greasy-plenty of shaved meat...just very good and hand cut fries were crispy and well seasoned Service was good- we sat at the bar With no lag time. Atmosphere was very good. Not too crowded and not loud. We will be back!! We are fairly local and this is becoming our go to!!
Pat B.
Totally underwhelmed with the service, food and price. Staff from start to finish were just going through the motions. They crowded groups of 6 into spots meant for 4 and that also causes our spot for 2 to shrink. It wasn't the fault of the customers. Our chicken panini sandwich was full of flavor but the piece of chicken was paper thin. Sorry but one trip here was one too many for us.
Kerry L.
Very expensive and food is not that good. Linda is a sucky person for freeport and does not represent L.L.Bean or Maine well at all. Service is alright, lots of kids working there and very busy usually. Outdated inside.
Kristin K.
I got food poisoning here and will never return. Clam chowder got me. Everything else was mediocre. Service was slow too
Oh.My.God!!! This place, just across the street from LLBean, when we stopped in for lunch before starting our annual Northern Lights shopping trip! It happened to be walking distance. However I am so glad we came in. This was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. We started with Maine blueberry bbq wings, lobster stew, and a house salad with ranch. The ranch dressing alone gets 5 stars. Then I had the steak, with mashed and rainbow carrots. We had hand cut fries, which are always a win!! We then had lemon crème cake for dessert! So damn good. Happy food dance. My sister had the thanksgiving on an open piece of well grilled to perfection bread. The waitresses was fabulous, attentive, and quick. She checked on us just enough, but not too much. You know what I'm talking about. The inside of the restaurant was done up in true Maine decor! With pictures of lobster men and Maine islands lining the walls. They also had some Christmas decorations up, that of course added to the enchantment. It was a wonderful experience. I'm so glad we popped in, for an easy meal, I didn't eat again that night, as I left fat and full!! Check them out !!
Mike S.
Don't believe their hours. We tried to get in at 7:35pm and the doors were locked. Seriously?
Alexandra F.
Linda Bean's is an easy go-to for tourists in downtown Freeport. The trouble is that it is exactly what you'd expect -- a tourist trap with food that mediocre at best and overpriced. I ordered the lobster stew, which had a rubbery taste to it (it tasted like the lobster had been previously frozen), and a Caesar salad that certainly came from a bag, with wilted lettuce, stale croutons, and an overly sweet, sticky dressing. I truly would expect better food from a college dining hall. My husband was satisfied with the special butternut squash ravioli that he ordered, and the friend we were dining with was underwhelmed by her sandwich. I expected better from a place that is so pricey and has such prime real estate in downtown Freeport! Additionally, I did not find the indoor dining area comfortable at all. We were seated at a high top table with rickety chairs and although the restaurant was hardly busy, another party was seated at the table right behind us, meaning I had to ask them to pull their chairs in so I could get up to use the restroom. All this being said, I found the wait staff to be friendly and attentive, so that was the one positive aspect of our visit!
Landon G.
This place is ok but let me start from the beginning So we went here for some drinks and apps before heading to where we were actually eating so here is my review Quickly got sat down and immediately see the ketchup situation yeah... After 5 minutes a nice waiter comes over which is nice since this place has rude waiter issues from other reviews we order our drinks and wait another 5 minutes Drinks come out and the sodas felt very watered down and then once again another five minutes! Then we order our apps and wait 10 minutes. It also smells like burnt tire in this place which is questionable Food comes and and smells pretty good We then get plates and silverware and it was dirty with stains Crab cake was smelling not great so we didn't eat it and the Chicken was great! Bathroom had no towels in the dispenser and was held together with scotch tape. Bathroom was pretty clean other than that We payed and immediately left this place Spent 80 dollars on mid-food Honestly this place is good if you want dirtiness and mid-food. I will now take my business to were we will actually eat
John W.
LBs Maine kitchen was just ok. Service was slow, and they somehow messed up chicken tenders. I probably wouldn't go back here again. We had a party of 7, and they quoted us a 30 min wait. That's fine, except we ended up waiting about 45 min. It would've been nice to get an update. I ordered the chicken tenders and they were dry inside and a bit chewy. They probably just got overcooked, but I've never had chicken tenders that tough. It was a major letdown. Our waiter was really nice though. He was great and made the experience better.
Good food, good variety of dishes on the menu, right in the middle of the Freeport shopping district, friendly service, casual dining room
People "from away": there are better places to experience "Maine" food. This place is fine, I guess - but its primary draw for me is that it's not crazy expensive and is one of a handful of restaurants in Freeport's downtown. I also enjoy the gas fire pits outside and the second level deck is fun when LL Bean has concerts. I have also never forgiven Linda Bean for underwriting the anti-marriage equality campaign, though I hear conversely she's done some nice things for the arts in the state.
As regular visitors to Freeport (and LLBean fanatics) we have visited Linda Bean's kitchen on multiple occasions but this will be the last. I ordered the Lobster Stew, my husband ordered Fish & Chips. The F&C were OK. Definitely not in my top 20, but OK. The Lobster Stew on the other hand ... My bowl of Lobster Stew arrived and it was, I will admit, large. A bowl of cream with a floating layer of oil. I was disappointed, but was looking forward to chunky, juicy lobster. As I fished around in the cream there was no lobster, I tried again - maybe it was smaller pieces? Nothing - my Lobster Stew was certainly not a stew - and there was no Lobster! I asked the hostess to find my server who took it back to the kitchen and returned with another bowl of oily cream. She told me the kitchen didn't want to replace it " but I told them there was no way you could have eaten the lobster in the five seconds you had the dish ". So now, not only did my $27 bowl of oily cream contain no lobster, I was being accused of " stealing " the lobster before returning the bowl to the kitchen! In fairness, the second bowl did contain a few pieces of lobster which were very nice. However: - Clearly the lobster meat was not " stewed " in the liquid. - A soup has more liquid than content. A stew has more content than liquid. - This was a bowl of poorly seasoned cream and oil with a few pieces of lobster thrown in at the end (if they remembered to do so - which they did not) - Accusing your customers of stealing the lobster before returning a bowl to the kitchen for a swap out??? Hmmm.
Being a Maine Girl, I know lobster and when it is fresh. The lobster here is not fresh. The dish I had was not clean and the service was slow and sloppy. It's a tourist trap. Don't bother. Go to Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster in South Freeport. This is where you will get fresh seafood, happy people to serve you and it's not far from LLBeans.
Yes, many would say this is a tourist trap but I have to say I think the lobster rolls here are very, very good. When in Freeport, Linda Beans is very convenient, the staff welcome is genuine and the food is fresh. Food has always been well prepared and prices are in line with other restaurants. It was a January weekday day and we stopped in for a quick lunch. We were seated with a view of the LLBean flagship store. Our order was taken promptly and delivered pretty quickly. The only knock on service is that the food was delivered and the server disappeared before we could ask for ketchup. My husband had to go looking for ketchup as no one checked back in after the food delivery. My lobster roll was very good. Perfectly cooked, sweet and a bit of mayo at the bottom of the roll. Salt and Vinegar potato chips- I liked them but others might want to be aware and ask for regular chips. Loved the coleslaw, too! Excellent iced tea with lemon. The seating could use a bit of a refresh, it is showing the popularity of the restaurant. Good clean restroom.
In true Maine fashion, when we had out-of-town guests visiting, we couldn't let them leave before visiting Freeport. My SIL from California dined with us and loved her meal, full of lobster, including lobster Rangoon dip as an appetizer, lobster bisque, and of course a lobster roll. The sizes were generous and the Rangoon dip was original and delicious. The Caesar salad was fresh however a bit over dressed with dressing for my liking but my husband found his to be underdressed so perhaps just preference at that point. Shockingly, the show stopper of our meal was the kids mac and cheese! It was cavatappi pasta with a homemade three-cheese sauce. We added lobster for the kids and my husband and I both agree that it was the best mac and cheese we have had at a restaurant. I do find the prices to be a bit steep as a local but since it's a tourist town, not surprising. Our waitress was great and helped us surprise my SIL with a delicious slice of peanut butter pie for her birthday. This is one of the main restaurants in the downtown Freeport area so don't be surprised if you have a small wait for a table. All in all, it checks all the boxes for an enjoyable meal.
Food: My husband and I have eaten at Linda Beans 3 times over this holiday season. Each meal was excellent. my husband: lobster stew-tasty with chunks of lobster (including a claw), clam chowder- creamy, flavorful and had clams!, fish and chips-nice chunks of haddock and not greasy. A good portion of left overs going home. Me: Blueberry wings- amazing! a good amount of heat and sweet and the blueberry glaze was awesome. I ordered these again to make sure it was not a fluke! Not! And lastly the Rueben. Yum-not greasy-plenty of shaved meat...just very good and hand cut fries were crispy and well seasoned Service was good- we sat at the bar With no lag time. Atmosphere was very good. Not too crowded and not loud. We will be back!! We are fairly local and this is becoming our go to!!
Totally underwhelmed with the service, food and price. Staff from start to finish were just going through the motions. They crowded groups of 6 into spots meant for 4 and that also causes our spot for 2 to shrink. It wasn't the fault of the customers. Our chicken panini sandwich was full of flavor but the piece of chicken was paper thin. Sorry but one trip here was one too many for us.
Very expensive and food is not that good. Linda is a sucky person for freeport and does not represent L.L.Bean or Maine well at all. Service is alright, lots of kids working there and very busy usually. Outdated inside.
I got food poisoning here and will never return. Clam chowder got me. Everything else was mediocre. Service was slow too
Restaurantji Recommends
Oh.My.God!!! This place, just across the street from LLBean, when we stopped in for lunch before starting our annual Northern Lights shopping trip! It happened to be walking distance. However I am so glad we came in. This was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. We started with Maine blueberry bbq wings, lobster stew, and a house salad with ranch. The ranch dressing alone gets 5 stars. Then I had the steak, with mashed and rainbow carrots. We had hand cut fries, which are always a win!! We then had lemon crème cake for dessert! So damn good. Happy food dance. My sister had the thanksgiving on an open piece of well grilled to perfection bread. The waitresses was fabulous, attentive, and quick. She checked on us just enough, but not too much. You know what I'm talking about. The inside of the restaurant was done up in true Maine decor! With pictures of lobster men and Maine islands lining the walls. They also had some Christmas decorations up, that of course added to the enchantment. It was a wonderful experience. I'm so glad we popped in, for an easy meal, I didn't eat again that night, as I left fat and full!! Check them out !!
Don't believe their hours. We tried to get in at 7:35pm and the doors were locked. Seriously?
Linda Bean's is an easy go-to for tourists in downtown Freeport. The trouble is that it is exactly what you'd expect -- a tourist trap with food that mediocre at best and overpriced. I ordered the lobster stew, which had a rubbery taste to it (it tasted like the lobster had been previously frozen), and a Caesar salad that certainly came from a bag, with wilted lettuce, stale croutons, and an overly sweet, sticky dressing. I truly would expect better food from a college dining hall. My husband was satisfied with the special butternut squash ravioli that he ordered, and the friend we were dining with was underwhelmed by her sandwich. I expected better from a place that is so pricey and has such prime real estate in downtown Freeport! Additionally, I did not find the indoor dining area comfortable at all. We were seated at a high top table with rickety chairs and although the restaurant was hardly busy, another party was seated at the table right behind us, meaning I had to ask them to pull their chairs in so I could get up to use the restroom. All this being said, I found the wait staff to be friendly and attentive, so that was the one positive aspect of our visit!
This place is ok but let me start from the beginning So we went here for some drinks and apps before heading to where we were actually eating so here is my review Quickly got sat down and immediately see the ketchup situation yeah... After 5 minutes a nice waiter comes over which is nice since this place has rude waiter issues from other reviews we order our drinks and wait another 5 minutes Drinks come out and the sodas felt very watered down and then once again another five minutes! Then we order our apps and wait 10 minutes. It also smells like burnt tire in this place which is questionable Food comes and and smells pretty good We then get plates and silverware and it was dirty with stains Crab cake was smelling not great so we didn't eat it and the Chicken was great! Bathroom had no towels in the dispenser and was held together with scotch tape. Bathroom was pretty clean other than that We payed and immediately left this place Spent 80 dollars on mid-food Honestly this place is good if you want dirtiness and mid-food. I will now take my business to were we will actually eat
LBs Maine kitchen was just ok. Service was slow, and they somehow messed up chicken tenders. I probably wouldn't go back here again. We had a party of 7, and they quoted us a 30 min wait. That's fine, except we ended up waiting about 45 min. It would've been nice to get an update. I ordered the chicken tenders and they were dry inside and a bit chewy. They probably just got overcooked, but I've never had chicken tenders that tough. It was a major letdown. Our waiter was really nice though. He was great and made the experience better.