If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, you’ve come to the right place. I grew up just a few towns away from Old Orchard Beach, and I still make it back most summers for at least a week. Even after all these years, certain things never change: a box of Pier French Fries on the first day, dinner at Joseph’s by the Sea, and at least one long afternoon at the beach that turns into drinks and live music after sunset.
This is my personal guide to eating and drinking in Old Orchard Beach, built on years of actually spending time here rather than researching it from afar. The town offers everything from one of the best date-night restaurants on the southern Maine coast to lobster shacks, beach bars, and breakfast spots that might have you ordering a Bloody Mary before 9am. Whether you’re looking for a lobster roll, fresh seafood, a waterfront dinner, or a quick breakfast before heading to the beach, there’s something here for every part of the day.
Table of Contents
Our Top Picks in Old Orchard Beach
Before diving into the full list, here are my personal highlights. Whether you only have one day or you’re planning a full week, these are the stops I’d build any OOB trip around.
BEST OVERALL
Joseph's By the Sea
Most romantic dining in Old Orchard Beach, with oceanfront patio seating, fresh local seafood, and a menu that stands well above anything else in town.
BEST BAR & LIVE MUSIC
The Brunswick
The largest oceanfront patio bar in OOB and the place everyone ends up after a day at the beach. Live music, ocean views, and a reliably good time.
BEST DAYTIME BEACH BAR
Pirate's Patio
A beachfront bar built into an actual boat hull, with live music starting in the afternoon and the best pizza in Old Orchard Beach. The perfect mid-beach-day stop.
MOST ICONIC FOOD
Pier Fries
A local institution since 1932 and the one food Old Orchard Beach is truly known for. Fresh cut, loaded with salt and white vinegar, eaten on the sidewalk. Non-negotiable.
Best Restaurants in Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Old Orchard Beach runs the full spectrum from upscale oceanfront dining to beach shacks serving lobster rolls out of a window. Here’s where to eat and drink during your visit, organized by what you’re looking for.
BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT
Joseph's By the Sea
Joseph’s by the Sea is my favorite restaurant in Old Orchard Beach and one of my favorite restaurants anywhere along the Maine coast. The combination of food, service, and atmosphere keeps me coming back every time I visit.
The ground-floor patio is my favorite spot, especially as the sun starts setting over the dune grass toward Saco Bay. If you can’t get a patio table, try to sit near the open doors to catch the ocean breeze and evening light. The rooftop level offers some of the best views in town and is especially worth it on a clear summer evening.
The menu focuses on fresh seafood, including lobster delivered daily by a local lobsterman. Standout dishes include the Lobster Potato Pancake, Pepper Crusted Filet, and Pasta Maison. If you’re looking for something more casual, the Beach Burger topped with bacon jam and goat cheese is excellent, and the Maine lobster roll is one of the better versions you’ll find in the area. The same menu is available on all three levels, so you’re not sacrificing food options for the view.
Reservations are recommended, particularly during the summer season.
UPSCALE | ROMANTIC | OUTDOOR DINING | ROOFTOP | OCEAN VIEWS
LOCAL FAVORITE
Big Daddy's Bar and Grill
In a beach town filled with casual seafood shacks and boardwalk fare, Big Daddy’s Bar and Grill stands out for its creative, well-executed food. The kitchen turns out dishes you might expect from a much larger city restaurant while still keeping the atmosphere relaxed and approachable.
The dining room is intimate and unpretentious, with live jazz on weekends adding to the experience. It’s popular with both locals and visitors, so waits are common during the summer months.
The menu leans into New American cooking with a Maine influence, featuring dishes like dry fried ribs with local honey and sesame, Braised Short Rib, Seafood Risotto, and Scallop Carbonara. If you’re looking for something more casual, the burgers are also worth ordering.
Big Daddy’s does not take reservations and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
NEW AMERICAN | LIVE MUSIC | LOCAL INGREDIENTS | DATE NIGHT
OUTDOOR LIVE MUSIC
The Brunswick
After a long day at the beach, The Brunswick is where much of Old Orchard Beach seems to end up. Locally known as “The Swick,” it has the largest oceanfront patio bar in town, and the tables fill up quickly as the sun starts setting. If you’re looking for the classic Old Orchard Beach summer atmosphere, this is one of the best places to find it.
The menu is casual, with fried seafood baskets, burgers, lobster rolls, and the famous Voodoo bucket drinks. Don’t come expecting an upscale dinner, but the bacon-wrapped scallops consistently earn strong reviews, and the clam chowder is worth ordering. The real attraction is the outdoor patio and live music, with bands performing regularly throughout the summer season.
Inside, the lounge doubles as a sports bar if you’re looking for something a little more laid back. Unlike many seasonal businesses in Old Orchard Beach, The Brunswick remains open year-round for lunch and dinner.
BEACH BAR | LIVE MUSIC | OCEANFRONT PATIO | OPEN YEAR-ROUND
DAYTIME BEACH BAR & LIVE MUSIC
Pirate's Patio
While The Brunswick is my favorite place to be in the evening, Pirate’s Patio is my favorite beach bar during the day. Set up on the beach out front and you’re just steps away from cold drinks, live music, and the ocean all afternoon.
The bar and restaurant are built around part of an actual boat hull, giving the entire place the look and feel of a ship. Tables sit directly in the sand with dune grass and the beach stretching out in front of you. It’s tucked a little off the main strip on Walnut Street, which gives it a more local feel than some of the busier spots near the pier.
The food is straightforward beach-bar fare, but the pizza stands out. In my opinion, it’s the best pizza in Old Orchard Beach and noticeably better than the quick slice shops near the pier. The Godfather, topped with pepperoni, sausage, and hot peppers, is my go-to order. Owner Anthony Giudice, better known around OOB as “Juice,” has been running the restaurant for nearly two decades.
DAYTIME BEACH BAR | LIVE MUSIC | BEACHFRONT | PIZZA
FAMOUS FRENCH FRIES
Pier French Fries
I grew up eating these fries, and they are still my favorite French fries anywhere. I make a point to stop here at least once every time I’m in Old Orchard Beach. If it’s your first visit to OOB, Pier French Fries should be near the top of your food list.
Pier French Fries has been a family-owned Old Orchard Beach institution since 1932. The original stand was located directly on the pier until a fire destroyed it in 1969. After rebuilding, the business remained on the pier for another nine years before the Blizzard of 1978 finally forced a move inland. They’ve been operating near the entrance to the pier on Old Orchard Street ever since.
The fries are fresh-cut and crinkle-cut, with a soft interior and just enough crust on the outside. They are not especially crispy, so if that’s what you’re looking for, these may not be your style. What they are is a massive serving of hot, fresh potatoes that somehow disappears faster than you expect. Sizes come in a cup, pint, or box. Get the box.
The correct condiment is vinegar. Add plenty of salt and white vinegar, eat through the top layer, and then add another round before continuing. Ketchup is acceptable if that’s your thing, but I stand by vinegar. For the French Canadian visitors who make up a significant part of the Old Orchard Beach crowd, the poutine topped with real cheddar cheese curds and hot beef gravy is also worth ordering.
OOB INSTITUTION | CASH ONLY | SINCE 1932 | MUST TRY
BREAKFAST & BLOODY MARYS
JJ's Eatery
If you’re visiting Old Orchard Beach and looking for a great breakfast, JJ’s is my go-to spot. Grab a Bloody Mary or a mimosa, settle in, and ease into the morning before heading to the beach. It’s been a local institution for more than 40 years and remains one of the most popular breakfast restaurants in town.
The food is hearty, homemade, and a step above typical beach-town breakfast fare. The Lobster Benedict is the dish many people rave about, featuring fresh lobster alongside house-made sausage and perfectly poached eggs. The blueberry bread pudding French toast occasionally appears as a special and is worth ordering whenever it’s available. Pancakes, classic egg combinations, and rotating daily specials round out a menu that gives you plenty of reasons to return during your stay.
The Bloody Marys are genuinely good, spicy and well balanced, and the full bar is open if you’d rather start with a mimosa or a draft beer. After breakfast, JJ’s transitions into more of a neighborhood bar, with live entertainment and a Saturday prime rib dinner that has become a local tradition.
JJ’s is open year-round, making it one of the few dependable dining options in Old Orchard Beach during the off-season.
BREAKFAST | BLOODY MARYS | OPEN YEAR-ROUND | LOBSTER BENEDICT
BREAKFAST & BAGELS
Beach Bagels
Beach Bagels is one of the most popular breakfast spots in Old Orchard Beach, especially if you’re traveling with a group. Located a few blocks up Old Orchard Street from the beach, it has been run by the same owner for more than 25 years and opens at 7am daily, making it one of the earliest places in town to grab breakfast before heading to the sand.
The bagels are fresh, and the breakfast sandwiches are the main attraction. Egg and cheese, bacon, sausage, and plenty of combinations in between are all served on proper bagels rather than the standard rolls you’ll find at many breakfast counters. The menu also includes smoothies, pastries, fresh fruit, and even lobster and crab rolls later in the day, making it more versatile than your typical bagel shop.
The ordering system runs like an assembly line: order, pay, and move down to the pickup counter. It sounds chaotic, but the line moves surprisingly fast, even on busy summer mornings when customers are out the door. This is very much a grab-and-go breakfast spot rather than a sit-down restaurant, which is part of the appeal when everyone is trying to get to the beach before the crowds arrive.
Beach Bagels is open daily from 7am to 3pm.
BREAKFAST | BAGELS | EARLY OPEN | QUICK SERVICE
LATIN INSPIRED BREAKFAST & LUNCH
Paloma's Restaurant
Paloma’s is one of the more unique breakfast and lunch spots in Old Orchard Beach, and it’s easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there. The restaurant focuses on Latin-inspired dishes made with fresh, local ingredients, offering a welcome alternative to the standard eggs, toast, and pancakes found at many beach-town breakfast spots.
You order at the counter and the food is brought to your table, which keeps things moving without feeling rushed. The breakfast menu mixes familiar favorites with Latin influences, including tres leches French toast, chilaquiles, breakfast burrito bowls, sweet plantains, empanadas, and fresh-squeezed orange and mandarin juice. If you’re visiting from outside New England, this may actually be the only place in town where you’ll find chilaquiles on the menu.
Lunch is equally worth a visit. The Cuban sandwich is a popular choice, while the Lomita, a grilled steak sandwich topped with chimichurri and sweet plantains on ciabatta bread, is one of the more distinctive lunch options in Old Orchard Beach.
Owner Nancy has built a reputation for being genuinely warm and welcoming, often stopping by tables to check on guests herself. The atmosphere is colorful and relaxed rather than upscale, which fits the beach-town setting perfectly. They also serve margaritas, including a Squeezed Lime Guava Margarita if you’re ready to start vacation mode early in the day.
BREAKFAST & LUNCH | LATIN INSPIRED | COUNTER SERVICE | FRESH INGREDIENTS
LOBSTER ROLLS
The Shack
If you’re visiting Maine, a lobster roll should be on the itinerary, and The Shack is one of the best places to get one in Old Orchard Beach. Housed in a two-story cottage overlooking the water, it offers a much better setting than the typical roadside lobster shack, with deck seating and views of the beach just steps away.
The lobster roll is the main attraction, but the menu extends well beyond that. Fried clam platters, fried scallops, haddock sandwiches, clam chowder, fish tacos, and a full bar make it an easy choice for groups where not everyone is looking for the same thing. The fried seafood receives plenty of praise, and portions tend to be generous across the board.
The traditional Maine-style lobster roll is served chilled with mayonnaise, though I generally prefer the hot version with melted butter when it’s available. Either way, if you’re looking for a lobster roll in Old Orchard Beach, this is a good place to start.
LOBSTER ROLLS | SEAFOOD | FULL BAR | DECK SEATING
If you’re primarily looking for a lobster roll, there are a few other spots worth considering. Tami Lynn’s Place (126 W Grand Ave) is a casual diner-style restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and its warm buttered lobster roll may be the best lobster roll in Old Orchard Beach. Shipwreck Foods is another good option near the pier, specializing in lobster rolls and other quick seafood offerings. Johnny Shucks Maine Lobster (16 Old Orchard St) is also worth a look if you’re looking for a simple grab-and-go lobster roll within walking distance of the beach.
A Look Around Old Orchard Beach
Old Orchard Beach has a way of pulling you back every summer, and for me it always has. The pier fries, a sunset beer at The Brunswick, dinner at Joseph’s, and a morning at the beach with a box of bagels and nowhere to be. It’s that kind of place.
If you’d like to see more about these best restaurants in Old Orchard Beach, Maine along with the beach, pier, and a few other spots around town, check out the video below.
And if you have time to explore, check out my guide ot the best breweries in Portland and also my guide to must try spots in Portland.
FAQ About Old Orchard beach
What are the best restaurants in Old Orchard Beach, Maine?
Joseph’s by the Sea is my favorite overall restaurant in Old Orchard Beach, while Big Daddy’s Bar and Grill is another standout for creative New American cuisine.
Where can I get a lobster roll in Old Orchard Beach?
The Shack is my featured recommendation and also has a larger menu. But I highly recommend Tami Lynn’s Place for a top lobster roll as well. Johnny Shucks and Shipwreck Foods are also worth considering if you’re specifically looking for a great lobster roll.
What is the best breakfast restaurant in Old Orchard Beach?
JJ’s Eatery is a local favorite for breakfast while Paloma’s Restaurant has a very good Latin inspired breakfast. Beach Bagels is the most popular spot for a quick grab and go, especially if you’re bringing things back for a larger group.
Are there waterfront restaurants in Old Orchard Beach?
The Patio Pub at the end of the pier is the closest thing to a true waterfront restaurant in Old Orchard Beach, with outdoor rail seating directly over the water. The rooftop at Joseph’s by the Sea has ocean views, though is set back a bit.
