Maine is known for its lobster rolls and chowder houses — but tucked inside a breathtaking historic mill in Lewiston is a restaurant that takes New England’s best ingredients and turns them into something genuinely extraordinary. 🦞
Fish Bones Grill on Lincoln Street is the kind of locally-owned seafood restaurant in Maine that makes you feel like you’ve discovered something the rest of the world hasn’t found yet — and the locals who fill its dining room every week would very much like to keep it that way.
Set in the iconic Bates Mill alongside a rushing canal, this casual-upscale gem has been earning hearts and turning heads in the Lewiston-Auburn community since 2005. 🏭
How Fish Bones Grill Won Locals’ Hearts
Owner Paul Landry grew up in Lewiston, the son of a large French-Canadian family, and he never stopped asking himself one question: “What can I add to Lewiston to make it a better place to live?”
The answer, it turned out, was a casual-upscale restaurant rooted in fresh fish, choice cuts, and a genuine respect for the community it serves — and in 2005, Fish Bones Grill opened its doors inside the magnificently renovated Bates Mill.
The setting alone was transformative — exposed brick walls, heavy wooden ceiling beams, and wide windows overlooking the canal that once powered Lewiston’s great textile mills, all combining to create a space that felt simultaneously historic and warmly alive. 🪵
But Paul Landry understood something crucial from the very beginning: you can have the most beautiful room in the city, and it won’t matter if the food doesn’t deliver.
He brought on Lewiston-native Executive Chef Heidi Parent — a graduate of SMCC’s highly regarded culinary arts program who grew up just miles from the restaurant — and together they developed a philosophy that keeps locals comfortable while quietly challenging them to try something new.
The menu became a seamless blend of New England comfort and elevated creativity — classic New England clam chowder served alongside seared scallops carbonara with pancetta and pecorino, and root beer-braised short ribs plated next to sesame-seared ahi tuna with house rice and garlic teriyaki vegetables. 🌟
For the best seafood dining in Lewiston, Fish Bones has ranked #1 among all Lewiston restaurants — a remarkable achievement for a city with a vibrant and growing food scene that only keeps expanding.
The restaurant gives back generously to the community that built it, with active support for Special Olympics Maine, the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce, and annual scholarship programs for hospitality students — a sign that Fish Bones sees itself not just as a restaurant, but as a cornerstone of Lewiston’s future.
The addition of a seasonal canal-side patio with happy hour service from Tuesday through Friday has only added to the restaurant’s appeal, turning what was already a beloved dinner destination into an all-season gathering place where friends linger over craft cocktails and local brews as the canal rushes quietly past. 🍹
Food Highlights
The dinner menu at Fish Bones Grill is a masterful blend of New England seafood tradition and creative modern cooking — here are the standout dishes locals keep coming back for:
- Lobster Rangoons: Tender lobster dumplings served with seaweed salad and Thai chili sauce — a playful, uniquely Maine twist on a classic. 🦞
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Ahi Tuna Crisps: Marinated tuna served over crispy wontons with honey-ginger and wasabi — beautifully balancing sweet heat and fresh oceanic flavor.
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New England Clam Chowder: A classic New England chowder built on chopped clams, bacon, and potato in a rich, creamy broth.
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Oysters: Fresh-shucked oysters on the half shell served with classic mignonette and cocktail sauce. 🦪
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Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna: Sesame-crusted tuna served rare with house rice, garlic teriyaki stir-fried vegetables, wasabi, and crispy wontons. 🌊
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Scallops Carbonara: Seared sea scallops over fettuccine with pancetta, garlic, pecorino romano, cream liaison, and fresh herbs.
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Shrimp Scampi: Tender shrimp sautéed in white wine, garlic, and butter, tossed with linguine and fresh herbs. 🍤
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Pan Seared Halibut: Seared halibut over butternut squash risotto with crispy carrots and a parmesan crisp. 🐟
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Seared True North Salmon: Pan-seared salmon over a roasted butternut squash mascarpone purée with shaved Brussels sprouts and bourbon bacon jam.
- Crispy Chicken Sandwich: A golden, crispy-fried chicken breast piled high on a toasted brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, and house sauce.
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Short Ribs: Beef short ribs braised slowly in root beer, served over mashed potatoes and topped with shaved and fried parsnips. 🥩
Atmosphere
Fish Bones Grill is casual-upscale in the truest sense — a stunning interior of exposed brick, wooden beams, and canal-side windows that feels simultaneously historic and effortlessly welcoming.
The Bates Mill setting lends a warmth and character that no purpose-built restaurant could replicate — industrial bones softened by candlelight, a carefully curated wine list, and a bar pouring local craft beers and handcrafted cocktails. 🍷
In warmer months, the canal-side patio transforms the experience entirely — alfresco dining beside rushing water, with happy hour running Tuesday through Friday from 3–5 PM.
Bottom Line
Fish Bones Grill is Lewiston’s most spectacular dining experience.
A breathtaking mill-side setting, a creative menu rooted in fresh New England seafood, an owner who genuinely loves his city, a community-first philosophy, and plates that are as beautiful as they are delicious — this hidden gem is absolutely worth finding. 🌟
Address:
70 Lincoln St (Inside Bates Mill No. 6), Lewiston, ME 04240
📞 (207) 333-3663
🕔 Open Tue–Thu 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Fri–Sat 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM (closed Sun–Mon)