Food was great and our Server was very friendly and helpful Ambiance the outside was a store front and inside was modern with break out rooms for small groups and business meetings the distillery had a large tasting room also but that was closed for the evening read more

Ambiance 10/10! It was fully decorated for Christmas with a fire going and lights strung up. The food menu was the holiday menu but all the dishes are huge. I got the bowl of clam chowder and was concerned it wouldn't be enough but that was definitely not the case. We ate at the bar and usually bartenders are very talkative and attentive but that was not the case. It had the perfect amount of clams to potatoes and not too thick. Unfortunately we were not checked in on even once and looking around, we weren't the only ones. For the menu prices, I would have liked to at least be asked how my meal was. They have a full parking lot out front but it's not the biggest to be prepared to parallel park on the road. read more

It was a nice atmosphere, dark and den-like with bar in the middle and tables spaced out around the room. The upstairs had little nooks and booths. The events room looked fun and was hosting a softball team. Food was fine not outstanding. read more

Solid spot! Great food, drinks and cool merch. Fun decor. It's hard to stand out in a place like Portland with so many amazing restaurants, but this place is solid and we'll be back. It's nice and roomy which is tough to find in that area. Plenty of seating and a huge bar. read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We stopped in on a snowy afternoon for lunch and were blown away. The Christmas decor was the cherry on top of already gorgeous hunter's cabin themed decor. We got the fish and chips, haddock tacos, and quinoa burger, plus the pretzel and the whoopie pie flight. Skip the whoopies, but everything else was delish. Especially that pretzel!! read more

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Food is amazing, beer is better Service was fantastic and sitting outside was great. read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Lobster Roll and Fries - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

After reading mixed reviews, my family decided to give Batson's a shot. I am very glad we took the chance. We went for dinner on a Saturday night and the restaurant was completely booked. I would definitely recommend making reservations, otherwise you will not get in. As we were standing and waiting for our reservation there were many people turned away. The amount of decorations and Christmas lights was unbelievable. The staff were very nice. I will say, the menu was on the smaller side. I definitely think they could add more options. Overall, it was a wonderful dinner. read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Bar area - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I have never been impressed by Batson River and this is now their third location I have visited. I will say out of the three locations this was the best so far but still not anything that would bring me back. I will give some praise by saying the aesthetics and overall vibe of this location were nice and felt more fancy than expected. Also the second praise was the server was friendly which was a plus. Drink wise despite being part brewery I have not enjoyed much of their beers. Compared to the vast choices for beers in Portland and Maine in general you have better options. We settled on cocktails for this visit and I got a single serving size of their seasonal Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini that is advertised as a huge to share drink. I was glad to be able to get a normal sized version and it was quite tasty. My wife got their fall inspired margarita and enjoyed that. So if you are a drinker I would suggest a cocktail. They did also offer a couple mocktails that were lower priced which was good as they sometimes are overpriced. Food wise my wife and I split their version tostada nachos for an app and they were solid. My wife then had their duck confit poutine and thought it was okay but would not rank it very high compared to better spots to grab poutine. I got their mac n cheese and added pulled pork which was an added $8. I did not find the pulled pork to have a great taste and didn't feel like I got the value I expected for the additional charge. Which actually brings me to one of the biggest negatives for me. The price we paid for it all did not make us feel as though we got enough value out of it. If I were to come back again it would be a spot for a cocktail and that's it. With the amazing density of food spots in the Portland area and value wise I can think of many other spots I would return to or try long before here. If you end up checking out Batson I hope you have a better experience and find it to be a better value. read more

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One of my favorite winter spots in Maine - feels as if we are in a cozy chalet, which is especially nice during cold January evenings - I'm glad that they left the Christmas lights for an extra month. The Icey Orange G&T was delicious - the orange makes it a bit softer and less acidic than a lime based drink. The Brussels sprouts were so good - loved the sweet chili sauce. We ordered sausage pizza - was tasty but we all agreed it would have been better with a tomato sauce base. The mushroom pesto pizza with goat cheese was tasty - but maybe they could put the arugula on and cook it for another minute - seemed a bit 'piled on.' The hot honey pepperoni pizza was everyone's favorite - the heat was perfect. The Acadian Skies schwarzbier perfectly matched the pizza - flavorful and smoky! I finished with the Dark Woods - a powerful Imperial stout that was a bit dense and heavy for my liking...maybe I was just too full. Definitely going to return soon! read more

I can really only speak to Batson River at the holidays. They are an absolute destination spot in December! But: MAKE A RESERVATION, because they book up fast, fast, fast. They're a great spot for drinks and nibbles with friends or an afternoon luncheon with your in-laws/family/kiddos. Their restaurant is so spacious that it doesn't really matter where you end up sitting, you'll be treated to some kind of immersive holiday decor! Some notes from our 2024 experience: 1. They were understaffed, so after being seated, no one visited our table for close to a half hour. Our server, while clearly overwhelmed, still went out of his way to double-check ingredients in certain drinks and dishes. Appreciate it! We had nowhere we needed to be, so the long wait times in between drinks and food worked out (though he did entirely forget our second round and came to bring us the bill before we pointed out the missing drinks). 2. The cocktails can be real hit or miss depending on your preferences/expectations, but the two I had this year were OUTSTANDING. The Icey Orange G&T (gin, Italicus, spiced orange syrup, and lime) was so refreshing. What a fun festive take on a classic drink! And the Charlie Brown?! Made with vodka, gingerbread syrup, and coconut cream it PERFECTLY captured those iconic Christmassy flavors without being cloyingly sweet. Pour me a pint glass of this next time, please. 3. An interesting note about the fries: our parents got a side order of fries, we got an order of truffle fries made vegan (meaning no parm, no aioli; just the flavored salt). There was a *noticeable* difference in quantity between the two plates. Moving forward, we'd just get an order of fries because the price per potato it's just not worth it (especially since the only difference between their fries and ours was some salt). See you at the end of the year, BR! read more

We found out about Batson River when making a list of places to visit in Maine while watching YouTube videos about Portland. This was one of our best experiences while visiting Maine! Our waiter was Michael and he was amazing! The vibes at Batson River are great and I just loved all of the decor! We ate at a table and then moved to the couch under the moose to hang out while having another drink. We weren't pressured to leave or pay our bill right away but were encouraged to hang out, play some games and have a good time. They also have a cute store where you can purchase merchandise and their own distillery onsite. This location does gin and vodka but different liquors such as bourbon and whiskey can be found at their other locations and even in local stores. The duck fat cornbread was great, double Batson burger and wings amazing! We ordered the Home Sweet Pineapple and Midnight Sun as drinks and both were delicious. If we're ever in Portland again (which we plan to be) we would definitely return to Batson River! read more

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Ambience in this place is 5/5. It's an upscale lodge with lounge style nuances. Game rooms, wall art, great fireplace, super cozy. My family member said it was the best mussels she's ever eaten. I believe the mushroom pesto is rival to most out there. The haddock tacos were delicious and the chicken wings appetizer was great. Wonderful kids menu, options for everyone. The service was nice and they even brought out a birthday dessert for my nephew for free. The whoopie pie flight wasn't the best but yummy and a wonderful surprise as a bday treat. read more

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This is the BEST place to go during Christmas. The decorations are amazing and everywhere you turn you see new Christmas decoration. They have two large bars and lots of seating. You need to make reservations as it fills up fast. Their drinks are decent. The food is also good but some things are better then others. I had the burger and it was good but not amazing. The corn bread was really great, and the wings were good too. Overall you need to at least come here to get a drink during the holidays!! read more

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Been to Portland a couple of times now, but finally got the chance to visit Batson Brewery! Coming from Connecticut, where we've got no shortage of great breweries, my expectations were high--and they didn't disappoint. I went with a flight to sample a few, so next time I'll know exactly what to get. Bonus points for the awesome bartender--super friendly and knew their stuff. Really happy with the visit! read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

Great aesthetic, atmosphere, and drinks. Not my go to spot for food. Average brewery food run of the mill. Great after a few drinks though! Service was slow but they were busy so mehhh ya know read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Batson Burger!! - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

Excellent experience overall. There are many selection of quality brews to choose from and they are delicious! The bartender did an excellent job demonstrating the various drafts. We also had the pretzel as an appetizer, it is a tasty and a good size to share. Awesome ambiance included a majestic fireplace, hunting them and an amazing Christmas decoration. Batson River is definitely one of the upscale breweries one can enjoy with family and friends. Highly recommended! We will definitely be back, SOON . read more

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The ambience there is fabulous. It's not too loud, and there's a great big fireplace on one wall, which is wonderful and places for groups to sit that are not right in the middle - tables with curtains around them actually. The service is fabulous. People who work there are very sweet and pretty good. For me, where Batson River Falls down is with the food. Craft cocktails are good, but the dinner food that I have had and tasted is mostly too rich. They seem to use a lot of butter and oil, and I would prefer much less of that. I like the seasonings they use. I had a pizza one day, which was so rich i could only eat one piece of it, and I had to throw the rest out. Then the next time I was there, I had a salmon dish, which seem to have a lot of potential. It was served with broccolini and mashed sweet potatoes. I think the problem was that it seemed to have been made using as much butter or oil as possible, and I found it difficult to eat. I put some lemon on the salmon and that was great. The broccolini was good and cooked properly, but it was also too bathed in oil for me. I will probably stick to salads in the future. And I will return because it's a lovely place and you can hear each other talk most of the time. read more

I was there on a rainy Thursday afternoon in summer and the place was quiet. I sat at the bar and ordered the duck confit poutine. It arrived quickly and was more than I could eat by myself. I thought it was a bit on the salty side but still delicious. I had 2 IPAs: Cryoscape and Easternmost, the Cryoscape I thought was better, but both were good. The service at the bar was friendly and attentive. The ambience is a Northwoods lodge vibe. read more

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I have been to Baton River many times before - every time has been stellar. I checked out their drag brunch which is the last Sunday of every month. It was such an awesome experience! The brunch food was delicious. I tried a mimosa and an apple pie margarita. I had the biscuits and sausage gravy with Cajun home fries. The Cajun seasoning on those home fries was just spectacular. I would highly recommend. The interior is always decorated nicely and they go all out for the holidays. My server was quick and friendly. Not to mention the wide variety of drag performances. Those queens killed it. I would 100% return. Definitely worth checking out their dinner menu and drinks as well! read more

Came here the other day with my family for a late lunch before jumping in the polar express in Portland. We walked in and immediately noticed all of the Christmas decorations. It looked absolutely amazing in here, and was very festive. The drink menu matched the vibe perfectly with fun Christmas themed drinks that were very tasty! The service was great the whole time we were there, and the food was good. I got a double cheese burger with Cajun fries. The burger was okay, it was a little plain with not much flavor but the fries on the other hand were amazing. They had so much flavor and were cooked perfectly. I will definitely be back to Batson river and I highly suggest coming during Christmas time to check out all the fun decorations! read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I went to Batson River with friends the other night for the first time. What a beautiful place! It was decorated for the holidays, which was stunning! I recommend reservations as there was a line most of the night to get in. The place is large with many nooks to sit, including in front of a roaring fire and upstairs on couches and chairs. Very cozy atmosphere, although it does get noisy. We didn't play, but there are several games like darts, scrabble, etc to play upstairs. I had a chai spiced mule that was delicious! Great twist on a classic, and perfect winter drink. For dinner, I opted for Cajun fries and the garlic chili wings off the apps menu. The fries were aggressively spiced and were served with ketchup and remoulade. They were crisp and yummy! The remoulade almost made them a bit saltier than I like, so I switched between ketchup and sauce with them. The wings were on the small side, but were really good. A friend got the pizza with pepperoni and hot honey. Very tasty with a good crust. The waitstaff were friendly and attentive. There is onsite parking which is awesome. I look forward to returning and maybe playing some games! read more

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Came here on a snowy February night. Place was PACKED! So nice to see this busy. The decor is warm and cozy, ambiance reminds me of an old ski lodge. Food was amazing, service was a bit slow, but our server was amazing, handling 8 tables at once. Love both locations, Biddeford and Portland read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Whoopie pies!! Yum - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

Visited for a quick beverage because the pictures look nice inside but boy this place is suffering from an identity crisis. First, there was no one at the host stand (this was about 5pm) so we walked in and looked curiously around the bar to see where there were seats. The woman behind the bar told us the backside of the bar was full so we had to sit near the door. We sat down and I already had bad vibes. In the 45 minutes we were having one, short poured drink, we heard Britney Spears, Spice Girls, practically a whole No Doubt album and other 90s pop. We were the youngest there by far. Everyone else appeared to people in their 40s and 50s who stopped in for after work happy hour. No one seemed into the music and it definitely doesn't fit the black interior, grand chandeliers and taxidermy on the walls. I got up to take photos of the space and realized they have another entire bar in the back which was way more sunlit and a better, lighter vibe. Oh and don't let me forget there are 2 TV screens near the bar that cycle through low resolution, stock images of what one thinks Oktoberfest might be like. It was embarrassing. Maybe this was a fluke experience and they generally have a cohesive vibe but I won't be back to find out. read more

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Poor service, expensive, the food was meh and they had very awkward bathrooms. Sinks in open view publicly for washing your hands? I've never seen this before. There was a large public sink located right across from the server station where servers were hanging around. Then a guy comes out of one of the bathrooms to wash his hands in front of me. There are 4 bathrooms with both male and female signs on them. I went in the one with a changing station thinking this would be the usual "ladies room" like other restaurants have but found a dirty toilet with the toilet seat left up. Ewe. The toilet paper dispenser was empty too. I won't be returning. read more

We've been to Batson River a bunch of times over the last few years. It's an impressive space- very high ceilings, brick, lots of black curtains and nooks to hang out with couches and tons of seating (but not too big), large built in bookshelf and fire place and cool decor and an overall vibe of like you're in a speakeasy or old time club. We love the shuffleboard, foosball and other games area with bar in the back (most games are free) and when they have live music. Beer wise they have a variety that don't tend to be high on the hoppy meter with their double IPA and others but I like their Irish stout, schwarzbier/dark lager and Pilsner and other dark beers. All are not particularly heavy and lighter bodied for the style compared to others I've had, but good and sessionable. The few cocktails we've had are smaller with lots of ice, but overall decently strong and good. Happy hour options are great with hot pretzels with dipping sauce , pizza and others that I hope they never change! If I don't go at happy hour the food is a bit expensive and a smaller menu of typical pub fare, not a lot of vegetarian options. Service has been pretty good most times, most are friendly, can be a little slower as their wait staff seem to have a lot of tables when it gets busy. Recommended overall- a lot to keep me coming back! read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Inside seating- couches, large bar, high tops, etc - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

Venue is amazing Parking is decent Food and drink are ok. A couple things were great and a couple things were lame and not very good. Definitely a foodie place- which I LOvE read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Winter decor - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Discovered this special, magical place at Christmas! The place was decorated for Christmas and was so magical! The cocktails were fabulous.. the food was fantastic, the staff was friendly and fun! I'll be back next time I'm in town at Christmas ! read more

I called ahead for pizza as my family was looking forward to takeout and were getting a bit hangry, so I knew my time was limited. I arrived masked, showed my vaccination card, which is required for entry (and which I love!) and was promptly seated at the bar well away from other patrons, which I appreciated. Nicole was the primary bartender for my service. She was in training but you wouldn't know it. She was just the right balance between attentive and giving space, nailed the cocktails, a pleasure to interact with, and a real asset to this establishment. The pizza was promptly brought out right after I was seated, which I so appreciated. I had food to consume while I looked at the drink menu :) For my first cocktail, I chose the vodka martini (dry with a twist) to try the Clock Farm vodka distilled at Batson River in a pure form. It was amazing - definitely craft distilled and so clean tasting. Note however that the vermouth is not distilled there - I think they use Dostin?. For my second, I tried the "Cold Shoulder" which was $10 during "Apres Hour" (M-F 4-6 PM). This cocktail was invented by one of the bartenders, Krystal Brewer, and it is the perfect balance of tastes, leveraging locally produced Owl & Whale Sea Smoke Bitters. A few critiques: Cold Shoulder, with a 2X2' ice cube in a rocks glass and filled about an inch below the rim at the regular price of $14 is ridiculous. Same with the martini in a mini martini glass filled not anywhere to the rim. The pizza was decent, but too saucy, not enough cheese. The wings were small and overpriced. Bottom line - come for the ambience and the service, and expect to pay a premium for cocktails that are delicious, but in small quantity, and enjoy adequate food. read more

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Stylish American bar and restaurant inside of a restored warehouse Have both bar and table seating, as well as a small area with games upstairs To start off I had their guava IPA and it was pretty solid. Oddly enough, this beer was about 1/2 of the price of the other beers on the menu ($4). I think this might have been an error on their part, but I'll gladly take advantage I had their smash burger with a side of fries. The fries were solid, the burger itself was very bland and unimpressive As mentioned previously the place has a few different games on their upper level (darts, foosball, shuffleboard, etc.), but the layout of the place made it confusing as to when it was appropriate to go up there. Are you supposed to go up there after you eat? After you order drinks and are waiting for your food? Can you go up there without ordering food? Who knows... Well, obviously someone knows, but it's not me... read more

Well we gave it an undeserved 3rd try but no more. The worst service, the place is run by people who have no concept of hospitality. The atmosphere is nice but that's where it ends. Food is mediocre, you have menus tossed at you by the bartender after waiting nearly ten minutes. No eye contact, no welcome, no waters offered. We really wanted to like this place but we are officially done. There are too many good places to eat in Portland to waste time here. read more

Must try the IPAs, they were the bomb! The rest of the list is pretty good too, do a flight and try them all...ha ha

We ate there on Saturday . We had the lobster bisque and the cornbread they were very good. I had the scallop scampi. It was the worst scampi I have ever had . Way too much garlic , overpowered the meal . The sauce was very oily . No taste of the butter or lemon juice. The scallops didn't even taste like scallops. Very pricey. very disappointing! read more

Love the ambiance and we got a little booth that felt like our own room which was so lovely! Waitstaff were awesome and super friendly. Vegetarian options and can accommodate vegan as well. Great spot! read more

What a great space. A first time find with my group and we can't wait to return. The space is huge and offers so many options for group seating to an intimate evening. The use of dark colors and curtains are great and accent the decor pieces. Just a fun space. The staff is great and excited to see us and work with us that night. The menu options were great both cocktails and food. The staff took time to explain the options and answer our questions. We felt a bit like royalty sitting in our corner area looking at the entire space. Everyone liked their food options. My pizza was great, but not sure about the amount of arugula. But we shared or options and all was good. What a fun space and we will be back soon. Thanks. read more

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This was my 3rd and final time dining at Batson River. Based on my experiences and other reviews, there is a common theme--all resources went toward making the place aesthetically pleasing but food and service need a massive overhaul. All 3 times I've visited, the service is painfully slow and food is disappointing. The menu is small to begin with, and yet they were out of multiple items. Mind you, we had a 6pm reservation. One would assume that having a small menu means they can thoughtfully execute on the items they have, but sadly, that is not the case. Skip the fried leeks on the clam chowder, they were horrible. Pros: good drinks, beautifully decorated space, kind server who tried his best despite a series of unfortunate events Cons: served cold, undercooked, bland food, painfully long wait time for food, angry & aggressive food runner (or maybe she was a bar back) who slammed things down on the table. Very few vegan options available despite the menu indicating that certain dishes could be made vegan. There are so many great dining options in Portland, but this isn't one of them. My recommendation would be to grab a drink here to enjoy the beautiful ambiance, especially at Christmas time, but dine elsewhere. read more

Came here for brunch and we were seated right away. This place is really cool and has a great selection of drinks. The shrimps were good as starters and everyone in my table got something different read more

Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Fried chicken sandwich and huevos rancheros - Brewpubs Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great food! The pizza was delicious and the crust was amazing. Vibes inside were also immaculate.

Decided to try Batson Brewing in Portland and what a mistake. Although the ambiance was nice (decorated like a swanky hunting lodge) the service was horrible and the beer and food was meh. We showed up at 4:30 for their supposed happy hour (4-5) and awkwardly stood by the maitre d station (which said please wait to be seated) for approx 5 minutes before someone asked if they could help us. We said we were going to be a party of 6. The person asked if we had a reservation (the place was empty) and I said, "No". He said it would be a few minutes. Another person came by a couple minutes later and said she was getting our table ready and that it would be a couple minutes. We were walked to our table through a mostly empty restaurant to a large booth/table ( I don't know what needed to get ready). Our waiter showed up and forewarned us that he was the only server and things may be slow. This was now 4:45 and happy hour was quickly closing. We ordered our drinks and waited until 5 before we received them and the rest of our party returned. We ordered our food and additional drinks and as promised our service was slow. One of our party was leaving early and asked why a 20% gratuity was automatically added to his bill. The server replied that 20% gratuity is automatically added for a "Large Party". I don't know how 6 people is considered a "large party". The beer and food was overpriced for the quality and there is no way we should've been charged an automatic 20% for the quality of service and food. 1st and last time for Batson.....total fail. This place will be closed within a year. read more

First time visit. Atmosphere and design of space was impressive...though I'm not sure what a private hunting club has to do with a former factory building in downtown Biddeford. I might have taken my design lead from the history of the building or area. My hazy ipa was very good. But...service was inattentive as I went through most of my meal with an empty glass and no staff to check on our party of 6. For appetizers...the dry rub wings were excellent...poutine very good, and the brussel sprouts were among best I have had. However, my scallop scampi entree was extremely poor at best. It was bad execution in every respect. Fettuccini was very overcooked, scallops were sliced in half (apparently to make it appear like there were more) and the white sauce was almost without seasoning, and tasted like dishwater. Almost inedible. IMHO ...very overpriced for the quality here. Sorry, but $9 per 16 oz. craft beer is too too much anywhere. Apparently quality, effort to brew, ingredients, or style of beer does not matter...every beer is $9. If you visit...stick to the beer and appetizers. read more

Bateson River is somewhere you come for ambiance but little else. I have now had the opportunity to partake in food and drink at Batson River and my last experience was a little disappointing. Ambiance: 5 stars on this. It's beautiful inside. It's dark, it's classy, very open, and there are beautiful plants everywhere. Service: 4.5 stars. The staff was great for us though it can vary depending on the night. I've been on a busy night and a very not busy night so definitely better on the less busy night. They were accommodating and were good about holding a cake in advance. Drinks: 4 stars. Their drinks are good. The beers are around $8 a pop and their cocktails are in the $10-$20 range. They are /expensive/, but they are /good/. They have very nice options and clearly take their selection seriously. Food: 2 stars. This is what brought it down for me. Not only is their food expensive, but it's not good. The chef knows only how to douse the food in grease. It was nauseating getting through my meal and I don't know if it would have mattered what I ate, pretty much most of the mains were grease pits. I got through it because it was so expensive but definitely regretted it later. It's too bad because I felt they had good ingredients, they just felt like they couldn't use enough oil. Some of their food is good, like the snacks, but they're pricy ($8 for fries??). At the end of the day though, I don't think I would recommend any of the food we had there. Nothing stood out and nothing really shined in any way. Overall the experience was enjoyable. Definitely a place for "go for drinks, nothing else". Eat beforehand if you're hungry, otherwise you can expect to be out $80 for crappy food. read more