Natalie’s

Pretensions, Formulaic, and Inattentive Service
What a disappointment! I was so looking forward to dinner at Natalie’s. Here’s the mostly lowlights:
1: Bartender and Somalier/​Maitre D’ were standoffish and not really interested in helping. I’m a wine aficionado and was looking forward to this part of the dinner.
2. Food is more about the presentation and how it’s plated than the actually quality and taste. And of course when more effort goes into plating, it arrives warm at best, never hot.
3 Very little local sourcing — and with so many great farm to table restaurants in Maine, why not here?
I spent close to $ 300 for 2. Not a good experience sadly …
I’ve dined at several Relais Chateu establishments. They should loose their affiliation.

The menu said Lobster Tasting… Conveniently, that was at the top of my list on the trip to Maine… I have 3 words for you about Natalie’s.
Splurge without regret.
You deserve it!

Natalie’s is not about eating. This is a Dining Experience!
Went there on a Wednesday evening, the place was about ½ filled. We had a reservation but were about 30 minutes early, no problem, we were seated immediately. The service was impeccable. Although you are assigned a waiter, the hostess, sommelier, captain continually check on your progress and want to be sure everything is satisfactory
The menu changes daily but the format is 1). A 3 course a-​la-​carte
2). A 5 course lobster dinner
3). A 7 course chef’s selection
It can be intimidating but make a selection and sit back and let them do their thing!
Trust me the Chef’s know what they are doing. The appetizers, main course and desserts come out of the kitchen as works of art!
The wine list is extensive but many selections are available by the glass.
Be prepared for the check, however, dinner for 2 will easily set you back $ 175 to $ 350! Give it to yourself as a gift, You Deserve It!!!

We loved Natalie’s! After reading both positive and negative reviews, I was unsure of what to expect. The menu is well put together, and paired with high end wines. All three menu’s were amazing in their own ways, and we were treated to multiple tasting courses. The meal is long, but totally worth the wait. I would definitely overlook the bad reviews on this one, as Natalie’s is for sure a must see. Very expensive, but one of the best meals I have ever had!

A special 50^th anniversary celebration made even more special by Natalie’s Manager Bart, server Kristin and the delightful hostess!

Bart and his crew were the best — fit us (a group of 12 with no reservations!) on a great outdoor table, 4-​course lobster dinner was amazing, and service was fantastic!

Natalies has a lovely porch for outside dining with a perfect view of Camden hills. The wait staff is professional and the wine steward is knowledgeable and skilled hence the 2 stars. However, if we were purely judging on food our rating would be one star at best. we ordered the 7 course tasting menu with great expectations. While the food was beautifully presented and expertly described, the taste of each course was adequate at best, and several had major flaws (e.g., over salty broth, leaden gnocchi, ‘crystallized’ sherbert, no nuance in flavors, no richness in dessert) how/​why does this happen at this level… As avid international ‘foodies’ who have enjoyed the tasting menus of many world-​renowned restaurants and we have no problem paying top (and to some over the top) $$$ for meals that inspire. However, not one of our dishes matched what we have come to expect for a $ 500 for two meal. For this price point we want (and deserve) a WOW gustatory experience. this did not occur. The only saving grace were the wine pairings which were informed and excellent; the sommelier deserves chefs who match his skill and dedication. we will not return; other restaurants in the area (e.g., Primo) are far better.

This establishment is listed as a breakfast restaurant but it is only available for guest patrons only. We were looking forward to the lobster eggs Benedict but found another spot close by that was more accommodating.

Natalie’s is an incredible dining experience. We had been planning on going for a while, finally got there for my wife’s birthday. She had the multiple course menu, me the Menu Saisonnier. We were greeted as we went up the stairs by Bart, and our waiter Trueman was perfect, both friendly and attentive. We marveled as each course arrived, they were beautiful, unique, and delicious!
As you can see from the reviews, Natalie’s is one of the best pure food experiences in Maine, and right up there with tops in the country. Worth the visit for a special occasion!

Wonderful breakfast, lunch and dinner. We stayed at the Camden Harbour Inn for three nights and got to try many options out of Natalie’s kitchen. For breakfast: lobster Benedict, stuffed blueberry French toast, apple pecan pancakes, and the sausage-​potato frittata were all fantastic. We got a picnic lunch with a very simple and delicious lobster roll. And for dinner we had a five-​course chef’s tasting menu, which had shaved Brussels sprouts salad, lobster bisque, brown butter-​fried skate, pork two ways, and three-​layer chocolate dessert. It’s pricey but well worth it if you have the chance to eat there while in Camden. Try the signature Tequila Mockingbird as well!

Dining at Natalie’s was a culinary delight! The freshness of resourcing local food products translated deliciously onto our dinner plates. We ordered the tomato gazpacho & lobster appetizers. The gazpacho came out deconstructed, with side elements (basil, ricotta, cucumber cubes, sweet onion/​curry confit (?), and croutons) to add into the soup. The lobster was so fresh & clean as it sandwiched between thin jicama slides.
I ordered duck & my companion ordered lobster for our entrée selection. The duck breast came out cooked perfectly. The skin was nicely rendered & crisp. Of note, the brussel sprouts were served stuffed with a duck confit, creating a most «ducky» explosion of taste! My companion’s lobster entrée was delicious. The corn risotto was fantastic, so fresh!
We chose The corn ice cream for dessert. They did not disappoint! The essence of sweet corn translated well into a ice cream format!
Service staff was perfection! Attentive & nice.

Beautiful setting with fixe price menu. From $ 67 – 97 per person with wine pairing $ 50 – 80 per person depending on menu selected. See photos for Memorial Day 2014 menu that we selected. My wife had to try the 5-​course lobster dinner and it started with a complimentary lobster appetizer extra. Bread and butter was even an unusual experience, bread was fresh and hot but butter (unsalted) was salted to taste with variety of infused salts including: Porcini mushroom, white truffle, ghost pepper, and rosemary. Interesting experience that added to this «dining extravaganza» of textures, flavors and explanations of the wild varietals chosen by sommelier Micah. Micah made this experience a journey though the some obscure wine areas and obscure but magnificent wines. I normally only drink red but can now state one of my best wine experiences was here tonight drinking 6 or 7 whites, a rose and 2 red dessert wines! I thought I was a fairly knowledgeable vinophile; but Micah’s journey through Northern Italy, Portugal, Willamette Valley and rest of wine producing world not in Burgandy, Rhone, Bordeaux, Napa, or the piedmont show me what a rank amateur I am. The wine experience here with sommelier Micah was 5-​star plus and such a wonderful fulfillment of life’s journey to wine nirvana, at least it was for me last night. But maybe after 6 flights, everything would taste special. I remember one wine from Oregon (see photos) that was in Chardonnay shaped bottle near end of night before desserts that was a meritage of Riesling, Chardonnay and other varietals with an effervescent finish reminiscent of nothing I have ever had. I’m going to find this wine and see if I was drunk when tasting nectar of the gods.
Food courses were all marvelous except one overcooked lobster meat dish which was immediately exchanged for properly prepared portion and an extra cup of bisque which my wife and agree is maybe the best we have ever tried anywhere. Rabbit served like a «fried spring roll» was also succulent and over the top.
Trying to find something to complain about, candle and rose (see photos). Taking off 3 points… So instead of 5 stars only 4.9 stars…
Desert wine, birbet, pre-​dessert sponge cake with ice cream and macadamia crunch/​so good!
When dinner is fixe prix and $ 150 per person with wine pairings, you expect excellence and we got it here. Service, sommelier, food, could not have been better, even with a couple courses not liked, they were promptly substituted with fabulous corrections…
Rabbit was served like spring roll and succulent
My wife stated that the chocolate mousse roll was best dessert she had ever had and dessert wine pairing rated the same!
Breakfast at Natalie’s was complimentary with hotel stay and also over the top. Where else do you find «Lobster Eggs Benedict».
Camden Harbor Inn is wonderful and highly rated small hotel and Natalie’s that is part of it is makes this a great destination to relax and have the finest dining experience.

There are no words. Simply perfect. Go. Love it. Bring lots of cash. Worth every penny.

Natalie’s is on par with the finest restaurants in the United States and Europe. Expect flawless service, innovative cuisine and an atmosphere that is as comfortable as it is both sophisticated and stylish.
We enjoyed a Maine Restaurant Week package including a room, breakfasts, an afternoon mixology class and the five course menu. For a reasonable up charge cocktail pairings were added to the dinner menu. The a la carte breakfasts, included with the rooms, are excellent. They are table service and preceded by tasty smoothie shooters and a fruit amuse-​bouche. All of the breakfast items we ordered across two mornings were excellent, perfectly prepared and tasty. Selections included choices such as salmon, lobster eggs benedict, etc. The quality and value of these breakfasts, included with a stay, is not to be underestimated!
The full bar is well stocked and staffed by an award winning bartender. He has established a number of signature drinks in a hard bound drink menu. His signature drinks are innovative and impressive, combining various flavors in unique profiles. There is separate walk in bar seating inside the restaurant. All of the cocktails that accompanied the five course meal were perfectly paired with the dominant flavor of each serving, i.e. spicy, sweet and savory.
The food is what one would expect in a restaurant of this level, perfectly prepared and innovative, reflecting an attention to detail, preparation, creativity and ingredients that will stand up to national and international comparisons.
The service reflects the same attention to detail, for example dishes served from the right whenever possible. Each course is accompanied by a detailed description of both the preparation and the ingredients. Servers are pleasant and friendly, eager to answer questions and accommodate requests. For example, we asked to slow the pace of our meal slightly in the middle courses, so we could enjoy the accompanying cocktails before the next courses arrived. The resulting adjustment in timing was excellent and so smooth as to be almost undetectable.
The atmosphere reflects the same attention to detail that separates a restaurant from its peers, forward thinking design, very comfortable chairs, pressed linens, spotless glassware and high quality flatware. All of these excellent components, the food, service and atmosphere, combine to make for a memorable experience.

Terrible.
Awful service.
Tiny portions.
Not worth it.
Avoid going.
Many other great restaurants on Camden.
You could even go to the hartstone every night!
Will never go back.

We had a wonderful experience. We chose the 7 course chefs menu. The service was impeccable and so was the food. The sommelier was knowledgable and enthusiastic about his wine pairings for the courses. It was definently a special evening. One note, it’s not cheap so don’t be shocked when the bill arrives!

Two and a half hours and only received two courses. We must have visited on a night when the timing was off throughout the establishment. 10 – 15 minutes seated before we saw our waitress, 15 minutes more till the cocktails we’re served. The first and second courses-​which were excellent– arrived about 45 minutes apart. The sommelier was knowledgeable and charming and our server was pleasant and doing her best. After a couple of polite urgings on our part to deliver the third desert course, we gave up, paid our $ 200 bill and left without it explaining that we had somewhere else to be. This was the first time that we’ve walked out of any restaurant like that in many years.

Believe the hype. The lobster four course is exceptional. The staff is personable and attentive and the atmosphere is simultaneously modern and classic.

Truly one of my top 5 meals of all time. My date and I both had the lobster 4 course, which is a must have. I would come back to camden just to eat at natalies again.

Natalie’s was a disappointment.
While the dining room is beautiful and very comfortable, the food does not rise to the level of the ambiance or the prices.
We started with what turned out to be the best part, an amuse (shot –glass size) of calmatti olive oil, corn and lobster in a cold bisque-​like liquid. Totally delicious.
The rest of the meal was, unfortunately, downhill. Of the four entrees at our table, all were judged good (not, in my opinion, good enough for a $ 40 naked ala carte dish).
My halibut on Risotto suffered from a too heavy hand with the lemon, though the serving size was generous and the risotto perfect.
My wife had roast lamb with a (tiny) garlic soufflé and a single deconstructed Brussels Sprout. Even though she is a lamb lover, her description was good.
There was one steak which, while a large portion, was «OK» and one swordfish with eggplant and mushroom which was good.
In addition to the halibut, I had a squid & squid ink appetizer. I find it hard to judge since I’ve never had the ink before and therefore have no standard of comparison. The very fact that it was on the menu is worth ½ star.
Our bill for the four of us was $ 189.00 without tip.