A review of Saunders at Rye Harbor: birdwatching at lunch

Saunders at Rye Harbor is right on the harbor and is a great spot for birdwatchers.

Even the most avid birdwatchers need to take a break every now and then to eat. If you choose to eat at Saunders at Rye Harbor, you can continue birdwatching from the outdoor deck while you eat. I recently stopped at Saunders at Rye Harbor for lunch before an afternoon whale and pelagic bird watch cruise aboard the Atlantic Queen II right next door.

We first stopped at Rye Harbor to buy tickets for the afternoon whale watch and, since we had enough time before boarding, we decided to head over to Saunders at Rye Harbor for lunch. If you have parked your car at the Rye Harbor lot, you can easily walk to Saunders at Rye Harbor without even venturing out into the street.

• Directions to Rye Harbor

The restaurant has an indoor seating area for those days when the weather isn’t suitable for outdoor dining or for those who prefer to dine in air conditioned comfort during the hottest days of summer. As birdwatchers, though, we are used to braving the elements and we decided to eat outside despite the sunshine and the temperature in the low seventies. Each table on the deck is either under an awning or has an umbrella to shade diners from the heat of the sun.

As we sipped our cold sodas and watched the harbor birds, we saw the Atlantic Queen II pull up to the dock from its morning trip. The deck of Saunders at Rye Harbor provides an excellent view of the harbor. As one might expect, we saw:

• Herring Gulls
• Great Black-backed Gulls
• Double-crested Cormorants
• Common Eiders
• Common Terns

That was a good start to the day, considering that our attention was divided between watching the birds and eating our lunch. As you might expect of a New England, harborside restaurant, the menu at Saunders at Rye Harbor is heavily weighted toward seafood dishes. I had the lobster roll which, while a bit smaller than I expected, was quite good nevertheless. My companions found their meals to be quite delicious as well.

Although we were there just after noon, a dinner visit would likely have shown us a broader variety of birds. Whatever time it may be when you find yourself in the vicinity of Rye Harbor, stop by Saunders at Rye Harbor for a good meal and a truly great view of the harbor. Bring your appetite, your birdwatching binoculars, and your camera.