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Seriously so good! Go here! This is the perfect lunch spot. There's a small indoor dining space and a really cute outdoor dining area. Ezra was our server and he literally could not have been more pleasant or helpful. Thanks Ezra!! The duckfat fries with the flight of sauces .... So, so fabulous!! I may dream about these later! Also, don't skip the donut holes with the caramel sauce no matter how full you are - I promise they are so worth it!!!! The sandwiches are flavorful too. Everything here is worth it! Note - I didn't love the surcharge noted for the kitchen staff. Seems odd to call it out like that. Why not just charge more?
We stopped here on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm. It was very busy but we only had to wait ~5 minutes for a table. They have seating both inside and outside and we ended up outside. We both ordered a shake; chocolate and apple pie (seasonal). Both were delicious and creamy. For our meal, we ordered the poutine with the flight of sauces and a grilled cheese. The poutine was delicious but the flight of sauces really added amazing flavor. Each sauce was very different and we enjoyed every one of them! The grilled cheese was also nice and crisp and we dipped that in the sauces too. Great place to stop and get a bite to eat.
Real popular local eatery. Delicious creamy tomato fennel soup with duck fat fried croutons. Poutine is also great. As everything is made in duck fat I was disappointed the dressing was canola oil based. But still good
guys this place was SO GOOD. we walked in around 3pm starving. its a super small establishment only a few seats, with a shared bar table. even though it was 3pm on a Thursday there was still a 20 min wait. we got seated at the community bar and ordered the small poutine, grilled cheese, cup of tomato soup, and the cubano. they had all house-made sodas no coke or pepsi products which i thought was super cool. the poutine came out first and wow it was so good. even the small was a pretty decent size, great fries covered in gravy with cheese curds and chives it was divine. the entrees came out next, the grilled cheese was perfect and buttery and hot dipped in the tomato soup was everything i could've asked for. the tomato soup was really unique it had a spice to it with little grilled cheese crotons it was insane. my husband loved his cubano he added on ham and asked for garlic mayo on the side. the sandwich itself could've used some more mustard but 9/10. would highly recomend stopping by for lunch if you're in the area!
is it a wait? yes. should you send someone in to put your name in and walk around portland? ABSOLUTELY!!! duckfat is one of those places that i had tried to go to but i end up going to their other location of the fry shack just to get my fix. i need everyone to have that oreo milkshake. the oreo milkshake is like no other oreo milkshake i've ever had. i'm not sure why adding duck fat into a milk shake makes it more decadent and adds a nice complexity. we were encouraged to get the apple donut bites and those were literally heaven. of course we got fries! the fries are great but i would say get the milkshake, get the donut holes, and throw away any healthy eating habits you have for the moment. it's worth it.
With how much attention and praise Duckfat has gotten, I was eager to get in and try it when we found ourselves in the area. There were three of us who stopped in before heading to a concert in town. It was my boyfriend's friend who had suggested Duckfat, saying that he's been before and really likes it. It was about 6pm on a Monday night and the place was just about to capacity. We ended up waiting a few minutes and got sat at a communal table. The space looks nice, but it's definitely a bit cramped. I ordered the salted caramel milkshake and the poutine topped with a duck egg. The shake was absolutely delicious, very rich and creamy and I loved the taste of the caramel. I was very excited to try the poutine since it's the dish they're known for. The fries themselves were definitely good and I enjoyed the gravy. I wished the cheese curds were more melted and the egg yolk a little bit more runny. But the biggest thing for me is that the dish was way too salty. The people seemed friendly enough and everything came out relatively quick, but the experience felt very rushed. They very hastily dropped the check at the table before we could ask for an order of the doughnuts for dessert. That might've been for the best though, because upon looking at the check I realized how expensive it was. Duckfat wasn't by any means a bad experience. But I also didn't find it to be a particularly memorable one. With how much people hype it up, it pains me to say that I might've gotten my hopes up a little too high only to fall slightly short of the mark.
Incredible! The flight of dipping sauces for frites are fantastic. Sourdough bread for sandwiches in on point. Plus- they make their own mayo! Very small with only 4 seats at the bar and five indoor tables with five outdoor. Fast service and highly recommend. Cocktails were great too!
Very nice servers. Extremely uncomfortable seats- only seating option is stools with no backs on them. #Bruhhh Mimosa was fire but is very small and not sure if it's worth the $13. Fries are mid af and will prob make your stomach hurt. McDonalds has way better fries LOLOL. Soup was delish, donut holes were also mid and pretty dry tbh. #overrated #uncomfy #goodsoup
Stop two of eating and shopping our way through Portland: we came for the fries and milkshakes!! We shared a large order of Belgian Frites with garlic mayo and Thai chili mayo. Very generous portion, two of us couldn't finish the fries. We went back and forth between which of the mayos was better, based on how much we ate out of the little cups, it was the garlic mayo, but only barely! I had the Wild Maine Blueberry & Kate's Buttermilk shake. It was very creamy and delicious, fabulous blueberry flavor, and they give you the extra that doesn't fit in the chilled glass, so another generous portion!! The atmosphere and service were great, there's a magnet board with words along the wall by the bar, so we were entertained as we worked on our fries and milkshakes!!
When I researched food in Portland and I saw this spot, I knew I definitely had to come to get the fries and a milkshake. It did not disappoint. The best french fries I've ever eaten. The milkshake was also good but the fries were the star. Very friendly service again on the small side, but definitely worth trying the fries. I took mine to go.
Duckfat was an absolute treat for my tastebuds! This is my second visit and it did not disappoint! First time around I had the duck Cesar and fries. Had to come back for more fries though! So, round 2 I got the brisket sandwich, green goddess salad, fries (of course!) and the donuts. The star of the show was the donuts with caramel sauce that had a hint of orange. Delicious! Don't sleep on the brisket sandwich, equally yummy.
I was told that no trip to Portland is complete without trying the fries from Duckfat. We stopped by the original location on a late Friday afternoon and got lucky that were several open seats available inside around 4:30 pm. Their inside dining room is small - we sat at the communal long table on the right side of the room. The tables outside are better for bigger parties. We each ordered one of their draft beers and a small order of the Duckfat poutine. The small was plenty for 3 people to share. The poutine was really good. That being said, this place feels overhyped. I didn't try the regular fries, but I don't think there was anything that unique about their poutine. I wouldn't wait a long time just to try their fries.
Came in around 5:15pm on a Sunday. We expected to wait for a table but we got right in. Ordered the duck fat fried shishitos, large fries with the sauce flight and a wild cherry soda, lemon thyme soda and an original milk shake. The shishitos-Perfection with the curry and the Korean chili spice. French fries-wonderful flavor but mostly little small French fry bits. All the accompanying sauces were fantastic!! Cute rustic little place with stools and tables. When it gets busy, they will take your phone number and you wait till a table is available.
18 days ago
Amazing place for duck overall. We got the duck poutine that was delicious. The fries were well cooked and crispy, the cheese curds were good and hot and not too big, the gravy was great and not overworking and the duck confit on it was soft tender and flavorful. We also got the duck Caesar salad and that was amazing. The smoked duck delicious and soft and tasted similar to pastrami. The duck yolk was also a good complement to the Caesar. The cream of tomato fennel soup was also excellent and the doughnut holes were a nice sweet treat. The staff was very nice and attentive and friendly. They were very informative of the dishes and menu. The atmosphere was lively with some dark but good visibility for both outside and inside seating. This place can get real busy with up to an hour wait potentially. read more
7 days ago
9 days ago
Seriously so good! Go here! This is the perfect lunch spot. There's a small indoor dining space and a really cute outdoor dining area. Ezra was our server and he literally could not have been more pleasant or helpful. Thanks Ezra!! The duckfat fries with the flight of sauces .... So, so fabulous!! I may dream about these later! Also, don't skip the donut holes with the caramel sauce no matter how full you are - I promise they are so worth it!!!! The sandwiches are flavorful too. Everything here is worth it! Note - I didn't love the surcharge noted for the kitchen staff. Seems odd to call it out like that. Why not just charge more? read more
We stopped here on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm. It was very busy but we only had to wait ~5 minutes for a table. They have seating both inside and outside and we ended up outside. We both ordered a shake; chocolate and apple pie (seasonal). Both were delicious and creamy. For our meal, we ordered the poutine with the flight of sauces and a grilled cheese. The poutine was delicious but the flight of sauces really added amazing flavor. Each sauce was very different and we enjoyed every one of them! The grilled cheese was also nice and crisp and we dipped that in the sauces too. Great place to stop and get a bite to eat. read more
Real popular local eatery. Delicious creamy tomato fennel soup with duck fat fried croutons. Poutine is also great. As everything is made in duck fat I was disappointed the dressing was canola oil based. But still good read more
guys this place was SO GOOD. we walked in around 3pm starving. its a super small establishment only a few seats, with a shared bar table. even though it was 3pm on a Thursday there was still a 20 min wait. we got seated at the community bar and ordered the small poutine, grilled cheese, cup of tomato soup, and the cubano. they had all house-made sodas no coke or pepsi products which i thought was super cool. the poutine came out first and wow it was so good. even the small was a pretty decent size, great fries covered in gravy with cheese curds and chives it was divine. the entrees came out next, the grilled cheese was perfect and buttery and hot dipped in the tomato soup was everything i could've asked for. the tomato soup was really unique it had a spice to it with little grilled cheese crotons it was insane. my husband loved his cubano he added on ham and asked for garlic mayo on the side. the sandwich itself could've used some more mustard but 9/10. would highly recomend stopping by for lunch if you're in the area! read more
is it a wait? yes. should you send someone in to put your name in and walk around portland? ABSOLUTELY!!! duckfat is one of those places that i had tried to go to but i end up going to their other location of the fry shack just to get my fix. i need everyone to have that oreo milkshake. the oreo milkshake is like no other oreo milkshake i've ever had. i'm not sure why adding duck fat into a milk shake makes it more decadent and adds a nice complexity. we were encouraged to get the apple donut bites and those were literally heaven. of course we got fries! the fries are great but i would say get the milkshake, get the donut holes, and throw away any healthy eating habits you have for the moment. it's worth it. read more
With how much attention and praise Duckfat has gotten, I was eager to get in and try it when we found ourselves in the area. There were three of us who stopped in before heading to a concert in town. It was my boyfriend's friend who had suggested Duckfat, saying that he's been before and really likes it. It was about 6pm on a Monday night and the place was just about to capacity. We ended up waiting a few minutes and got sat at a communal table. The space looks nice, but it's definitely a bit cramped. I ordered the salted caramel milkshake and the poutine topped with a duck egg. The shake was absolutely delicious, very rich and creamy and I loved the taste of the caramel. I was very excited to try the poutine since it's the dish they're known for. The fries themselves were definitely good and I enjoyed the gravy. I wished the cheese curds were more melted and the egg yolk a little bit more runny. But the biggest thing for me is that the dish was way too salty. The people seemed friendly enough and everything came out relatively quick, but the experience felt very rushed. They very hastily dropped the check at the table before we could ask for an order of the doughnuts for dessert. That might've been for the best though, because upon looking at the check I realized how expensive it was. Duckfat wasn't by any means a bad experience. But I also didn't find it to be a particularly memorable one. With how much people hype it up, it pains me to say that I might've gotten my hopes up a little too high only to fall slightly short of the mark. read more
12 days ago
Incredible! The flight of dipping sauces for frites are fantastic. Sourdough bread for sandwiches in on point. Plus- they make their own mayo! Very small with only 4 seats at the bar and five indoor tables with five outdoor. Fast service and highly recommend. Cocktails were great too! read more
3 hours ago
Very nice servers. Extremely uncomfortable seats- only seating option is stools with no backs on them. #Bruhhh Mimosa was fire but is very small and not sure if it's worth the $13. Fries are mid af and will prob make your stomach hurt. McDonalds has way better fries LOLOL. Soup was delish, donut holes were also mid and pretty dry tbh. #overrated #uncomfy #goodsoup read more
5 months ago
Stop two of eating and shopping our way through Portland: we came for the fries and milkshakes!! We shared a large order of Belgian Frites with garlic mayo and Thai chili mayo. Very generous portion, two of us couldn't finish the fries. We went back and forth between which of the mayos was better, based on how much we ate out of the little cups, it was the garlic mayo, but only barely! I had the Wild Maine Blueberry & Kate's Buttermilk shake. It was very creamy and delicious, fabulous blueberry flavor, and they give you the extra that doesn't fit in the chilled glass, so another generous portion!! The atmosphere and service were great, there's a magnet board with words along the wall by the bar, so we were entertained as we worked on our fries and milkshakes!! read more
21 days ago
When I researched food in Portland and I saw this spot, I knew I definitely had to come to get the fries and a milkshake. It did not disappoint. The best french fries I've ever eaten. The milkshake was also good but the fries were the star. Very friendly service again on the small side, but definitely worth trying the fries. I took mine to go. read more
3 months ago
Duckfat was an absolute treat for my tastebuds! This is my second visit and it did not disappoint! First time around I had the duck Cesar and fries. Had to come back for more fries though! So, round 2 I got the brisket sandwich, green goddess salad, fries (of course!) and the donuts. The star of the show was the donuts with caramel sauce that had a hint of orange. Delicious! Don't sleep on the brisket sandwich, equally yummy. read more
3 months ago
I was told that no trip to Portland is complete without trying the fries from Duckfat. We stopped by the original location on a late Friday afternoon and got lucky that were several open seats available inside around 4:30 pm. Their inside dining room is small - we sat at the communal long table on the right side of the room. The tables outside are better for bigger parties. We each ordered one of their draft beers and a small order of the Duckfat poutine. The small was plenty for 3 people to share. The poutine was really good. That being said, this place feels overhyped. I didn't try the regular fries, but I don't think there was anything that unique about their poutine. I wouldn't wait a long time just to try their fries. read more
Came in around 5:15pm on a Sunday. We expected to wait for a table but we got right in. Ordered the duck fat fried shishitos, large fries with the sauce flight and a wild cherry soda, lemon thyme soda and an original milk shake. The shishitos-Perfection with the curry and the Korean chili spice. French fries-wonderful flavor but mostly little small French fry bits. All the accompanying sauces were fantastic!! Cute rustic little place with stools and tables. When it gets busy, they will take your phone number and you wait till a table is available. read more
The poutine was honestly a bit disappointing, I felt like it was overhyped. The fries weren't bad but the gravy was bland and cheese curds were too sour. Good service and great milkshake though! The vanilla flavor was strong. read more
3 months ago
Y'all we had fries and cocktails. Best freaking meal ever. You say why go for fries to this tiny little bustling spot- you can't know until you try. There just aren't words. The staff were so busy and still took time to chat and explain, youd have no idea it was a line out the door rush if you didn't want through it. The cocktails were different and fresh and so yummy. Must go! read more
We had to stop here as everyone kept mentioning it. Cute place off path. Outdoor seating as well as inside. Ordered the Caesar salad. The salad was nothing special. I wouldn't go out of my way to order it again. The poutine fries were what we came for and they were just okay. I think they would be better if the cheese came melted. They were a little cold but the flavor was there. Service was quick and served with a smile. Beer was wonderful. We ordered the Lunch India Pale Ale and it was enough to share. read more
A must do if in the area. This is a super small place with bar seating throughout. Greeted immediately by a hostess who helps manage seating. Super nice server who was attentive. We came in for the fries only and they did not disappoint. Got the truffle ketchup and the Thai sauce for dipping. These are not ordinary fries. Delicious. We didn't order food but what we saw others have looked amazing. Party next to us had milkshakes that looked pretty spectacular. Again, we just zoomed in for fries. Well worth the stop! read more
29 days ago
5 days ago
Sat outside on a nice, warm fall evening. Had the poutine with a pulled pork Cuban, and washed it down with a blue berry milkshake. Yummy. read more
I was in Montreal a few days before coming to Maine, I went on a "poutine crawl" of sorts and tried poutine at about 5 of the so called best poutine restaurants in the city. Duckfat's poutine was better than them all and the duck confit and egg were so delicious that I wouldn't want to have poutine again without it. 5/5 stars. 3.5 stars on their clam chowder, it was almost like they adapted a chicken noodle soup recipe into a clam chowder recipe and it was no bueno. Clam chowder shouldn't taste like chicken noodle soup. There was a 45 min wait when we arrived and it seemed like the type of place that has a wait like that pretty often during the tourist season, plan accordingly. read more
9 months ago
I have been told about this place for months for a good comforting bite! Today was the day, it was cold and snowy and I was craving rib sticking comfort food. This place did not disappoint. Poutine to start and always add the duck! Omg, this is one of the bast poutines I have had. (I'm French, family from Quebec and I'm a snot about Poutine, especially being a chef ) Fries were crispy, curds were on point the gravy, oh my!! The duck confit literally melted in my mouth. I did the prime rib French dip, this was good, unfortunately not close to the poutine standards, it seemed to be more of a cheese sandwich with a hint of beef. Not knocking it, as it hit what I needed. It was really tasty so not knocking it. Just not what I was expecting, was looking for more meat and this was more cheese. I could only finish half as it was ridiculously rich. The rest will be eaten at 2am when I wake up wanting a snack!! read more
Duckfat is a great spot for lunch in Portland. The service is friendly, the atmosphere is welcoming-- but best of all, the food is consistently good. You can't skip the fries and poutine, but their paninis are great too. I still think about a lobster and sweet corn panini I had back in 2020. read more
I met my college roommate in Portland and we stopped at duck fat for our second lunch. We got some of the Belgian hand, cut fries along with the donut holes. Both are fried in duck fat... thus the name. The large fries came with 2 dipping sauce, we selected the rotating sauce which was made of a lot of spices, including curry, our second sauce was garlic mayo. Next time I would consider the sauce flight. It is a very small restaurant and there was a wait for the table. We were able to get a table outside on the sidewalk quicker. Although the day we were there was quite chilly, our table was sheltered with an awning and plastic. Service was very pleasant and we got our order quickly. read more
2 months ago
Went out on on a whim and decided to try this place as it was walking distance from our hotel. Expect a wait time for a table, regardless of what day it is. We dined outdoors and it was lovely. The milkshakes and poutine are STAPLES at this restaurant. Amazing food! Great service! 10/10. read more
4 months ago
This place is where dreams are made of, everything cooked in duck fat? I really enjoyed the poutine, it was truly decadent! Fries cooked in duck fat, then covered in 48 hour duck fat gravy, and cheese curds. And I topped it off with a fried duck egg. It definitely made me move my cheat meal to a Monday! Friendly service too! read more
3 months ago
6 months ago
We came here on Friday afternoon and waited for 45 minutes to get seated. We really don't mind since we came so far and just visiting Portland for days. It is a small place but all staffs are friendly and very welcoming. We ordered green goddess salad with additional avocado, brisket sandwich, frites with truffle ketchup and garlic mayo, and brisket chili. We love all of them but the main dishes for me is the brisket chili read more
A cozy space near the water. Had to wait a little bit to get a seat but it was well worth. The server was super friendly and helpful. The frites were the star and the sandwiches had the best bread. Will visit again if back in Portland. read more
Amazing food with great service yet again. The poutine was the best ever, as always. The confit and egg were wonderful additions that made this rich dish even richer. The sandwiches were also very nice and well balanced, the braised chicken was very tender. Sat outside with the dog and the service was friendly and prompt, and they brought a dog bowl out for my little guy which was appreciated. The outdoor seating was very cozy, clean and still aesthetically pleasing. read more
BEERS AND DUCK -- Combo for the ages. A Beer Named Duck is my recommendation. PLEASE IM BEGGING get the Poutine and add the Duck Confit. Had the Caesar Salad with Duck on top and was pretty good as well. Duck Fat Salted Caramel and Blueberry Milkshakes were also a HIT for dessert. Vibe is ultra chill laid back and wish we could've spent longer here (we got in about an hour to close, but they were still super accommodating and great!) Staff was kind and helped us navigate to our AirBnb afterwards- they told us that Portland is safe to walk at night and they were right! I love this city read more
Friends of ours have been talking this place up for years...honestly questioning our friend's taste in food now. The fries are good- I'll give them that. The panini lacked flavor and was literally dripping water all over my plate. For the tiny amount of meat, I'm not sure why it was so watery. I couldn't put my sandwich down once I started eating bc it would have turned to mush sitting in the water. The poutine also wasn't anything special. This place was packed tight with people, it's a rushed experience and uncomfortable. OH! They also add on 3.5% to the check to help pay for the kitchen staff. The prices on the menu are already inflated, so how are they not able to pay for the kitchen staff themselves? On top of all this- it's very uncomfortable if you don't identify as a democrat. Unfortunate. Don't recommend it, there are plenty of better places to eat in Portland. read more
The fries at duckfat are delicious! I judge most places off of their fries, so on fries and the sauce alone, I give 5 stars. We got a small and wish we got a large. The horseradish sauce was my favorite of the 5 we tried. After the fries the rest of the food was just ok: My husband got the lobster roll and he thought it was just ok. It had a decent amount of lobster but the combination of the flavors was odd and took away from the lobster. The corn did give it a nice crunch though. I had the caprese salad and it was good. The boiled chicken on top looked nasty but was decent. The dressing on my salad was very good though I liked that a lot. The pistachios added a nice crunch since the tomatoes were cooked. The place is very tiny and packed so if you don't like sharing space with strangers, this isn't for you. It doesn't bother us, so we were fine sitting with other people at our table. It is a very long wait even on weekdays so be prepared for that. read more
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More info about Duckfat
43 Middle St
Portland, ME 04101
East Bayside
Directions
(207) 774-8080
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http://www.duckfat.com/
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Ask the Community - Duckfat
Is the fryer STILL gluten cross-contaminated with the donuts? In 2023?
Nothing I can find indicates differently so safe to say yes still cross-contaminated.
Can you get carry out?
Yes! I was there a few weeks ago and the bar tender was taking orders over the phone.
Does this restaurant offer contact tracing for covid infections, if you choose indoor seating?
When I was there I asked about the vacant seats inside the restaurant and was told it wasn’t an option?
Is it only outdoor seating?
It was only outdoor seating when I went there, and it was pretty cold. Don't know what it's like nowadays, since I haven't been back.
Do they mix vegetable oil with the duck fat? I can't eat vegi oil?
I can't seem to find out either, but the fat is on the heavy/stale side, so I assume it's mostly animal fat
Do they take reservations? If not is it generally a long wait?
they do not. you have to go up and reserve a table at this time. but for us, we just ordered our shakes at the check in and waited
Are the fries gluten free (and is there cross contamination with the doughy fried items)?
The oil they fry them in is cross contamination by the doughnuts also fried in the same oil. Hope this helps, I called to find out for a friend😁
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