The Balance Rock Inn Veranda Bar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Historic Inn, Thirty Years of Oceanfront Dining

The Veranda sits within the Balance Rock Inn, a shingle-style mansion built in 1903 for Scottish railroad tycoon Alexander Maitland. Designed by the Boston architectural firm Andrews, Jacques, and Rantouil — favored by Bar Harbor's wealthiest summer residents — the property was later acquired by the Miles family in the mid-1980s and carefully restored as a boutique hotel. Coffered ceilings, leaded stained glass windows, hand-crafted woodwork, and original brick fireplaces were all preserved, giving the restaurant a setting that carries genuine history rather than manufactured charm.

For over thirty years, The Veranda has been one of Bar Harbor's few truly oceanfront dining locations. Tables look out over Frenchman Bay, and the deck draws guests for both dinner and cocktails against that backdrop.

The Food and Drink

The kitchen's stated commitment is to ingredients endemic to New England and the North Atlantic region — the rare, beautiful, and locally specific foods of the area. That focus on regional provenance shapes the dinner menu, and for those who want a closer look, a chef's table experience is available by booking from July through September.

The bar program matches the kitchen's ambition. A seasonal cocktail menu runs alongside an extensive spirits selection, local beers, and special glass pours available via Coravin. The wine list earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, reflecting what the team describes as a passion for the classic wine regions of the world — with both young and mature bottles represented across a range of styles.

Piano Lounge and Live Music

Beyond dinner, The Veranda functions as a genuine gathering place. The piano lounge hosts live music on a weekly basis, with artists performing through the summer season. Guests can settle in with a handcrafted cocktail by the outdoor fireplace or inside the lounge — the two spaces offer different moods within the same historic envelope.

The property has held AAA Four Diamond status for eight consecutive years, a mark of consistent service and quality that reinforces what the setting already suggests: this is Bar Harbor dining taken seriously, in a place that has earned its reputation over decades.