The upstairs room at Keeper's Table takes eight
The Keeper's Table sits just off Market Street in a brick building that used to house the harbor master's records office. Downstairs is the main dining room—twenty-two tables, good light, reliable menu. But the upstairs room is what people remember.
It seats exactly eight. Three porthole windows face the water. The table itself is wide planked pine, the kind that shows every knife mark from a hundred years of use. They don't take reservations for parties smaller than six, and they don't squeeze in a ninth chair.
When to book
April and May fill first. Locals know to call in February if they want a weekend evening. Weeknight availability opens up a bit more, especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but by mid-March even those slots start thinning out.
The restaurant holds the room for three hours. That includes your arrival, courses, and coffee. It's enough time if your group doesn't linger over appetizers for forty minutes. They'll bring bread and a carafe of water as soon as you sit down.
What they serve upstairs
The upstairs menu is shorter than what's offered downstairs—four starters, six mains, three desserts. Everything comes family-style, which works better at a big table. The pan-roasted haddock and the lamb shoulder are both consistent. If someone in your party doesn't eat fish, mention it when you book. They'll adjust.
Wine comes from the same list as downstairs. The bottle selection is small but honest—mostly French and a few northern Italian whites that pair well with the seafood. They don't do cocktails upstairs. It's too far from the bar, and the staircase is narrow.
How to make it work
Call directly. The online system doesn't show the upstairs room. When you reach someone, ask specifically for "the upstairs room that seats eight." They'll know what you mean. Have two or three dates ready because they book out quickly.
If your party is seven, they'll still seat you at the eight-top. If you're nine, they'll offer you a corner of the main dining room downstairs with good window light. It's not the same, but it's still a strong meal.
The deposit is fifty dollars, refundable if you cancel with five days' notice. They'll charge it to the card you provide when you book. Parties that no-show lose the deposit and go on a list that makes future reservations harder.
What else to know
The room gets warm when it's full. The portholes don't open—this is an old building, and the glass is fixed. In summer it can feel close, even with the ceiling fan running. Spring and fall are more comfortable.
Parking near Market Street is metered until six, then it's free. The restaurant doesn't validate because they don't control the lot. Plan to arrive ten minutes early so your whole party is upstairs by your reservation time. Once everyone is seated, the kitchen starts your first course.
If you've already booked a room at one of the harbor inns and want to plan a group dinner, this is worth considering. The Keeper's Table doesn't do late seatings—last reservation is seven-thirty—so it works well if your group wants to walk the docks afterward while there's still light.
Check availability now if you're looking at April or May. Tuesdays still had a few openings last I heard, but that was two weeks ago.