Been going to Kennebec for over 10 years and it's been slowly going downhill over that time. Food wait time has always been an issue, but last visit we (2 people) waited well over an hour for our food. No refills on water or bread and only one visit from our server. Owner walked by our table several times and never even checked in. Really sad because it's a great space in a unique setting but they need to get it together. UPDATE: I've been back several times since my bad experience and they seemed to have tightened things up. Given the price increases and lack of staffing in downtown Durango post plandemic, the Kennebec has managed to find a great balance in their business. New menu items, some new staff and an overall improvement in the dining experience. Wine Wednesday is a great deal, half price of any bottle over $50, there are some great deals on there if you know your wine. Definitely worth checking out Kennebec if you're looking for something different. FOOD TIP: Steer clear of the flatbread appetizer, I find it dry and uninteresting. Try the clams and mussels Instead. The short ribs and duck are the best entrees. read more

Fantastic food, willfully neglectful service. This was our first venture at Kennebec Cafe. The ambiance was unexpectedly upscale and sophisticated for semi-rural Colorado. The menu was diverse and offered a number of seafood dishes which was a surprise for the meat centric Western area. We ordered a Mediterranean messa charcuterie board to start which was among the best we've had, even including our trips to the Middle East. The Caesar salad was abundant with fresh anchovies and freshly sliced cheese. We had the Ono fish special with broccolini. The presentation and flavor was delicious. Now, the bad news. Our waiter 'Ben' started off well taking our order promptly but soon lost interest. The plates were delivered by enthusiastic back kitchen staff but he never showed up again to check on us. Eventually the entire dining room finished and we were left cooling our heels in an empty room. Our waiter walked through several times but pointedly ignored us. Finally we went to the checkin desk and had to ask for our bill, although it would have been easy to walk straight out. The great effort from the kitchen needed to be acknowledged so we paid and left. Sadly a potentially superb dining experience was ruined by neglect by Ben. We would go back in a heartbeat but decline him as a server. read more

We had our 40th anniversary celebration there. We made reservations ahead of time. There were six of us in the party. They sat us in a corner next to the kitchen. It was noisy there in the corner.There were not many people their . We were very hopeful the meal would be good. We waited three hours. People were coming and going and we had no food. When the food came it was cold and awful. No apologies, we did not even get are you ok? We arrived at 5:00 and left at closing near 9:00. 280.00 dollars for a very upset time. They did not even care. The owner just walked by not even a how are things. So sad and a terrible anniversary. Bad service, food and experience. We will never be back.we are locals that love to support local businesses. So sad . Our anniversary was last August I just had the courage to write this review. I am not normally a complainer, but I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else. I would strongly not recommend this restaurant. Zero stars! read more

We have been to the Kennebec many times over the past 10 years with mixed results. We recently went to the Kennebec to celebrate our 40th anniversary and had made reservations long in advance of this night. Unfortunately, we were seated in a pretty bad location and asked for something different/better - the restaurant was about 50% empty, but the kids that seem to run the restaurant could not accommodate. We ordered wine, which took about 30 minutes... ...not to go into additional disappointing details, but the service was extremely slow and not good at all which seems to now be a hallmark of the Kennebec... This was our 40th and I think that the Kennebec kind of ruined it for us. Although the food is great, if you want to celebrate a special occasion or something important, I would suggest looking elsewhere. The crummy service really kills it. read more

This place was fantastic! Food was amazing! Service was outstanding! My only critique is that there is a very rude and off-putting sign about masks as soon as you enter. It doesn't promote the positive and amazing customer service you get when you actually get seated, so I hope they will change it. If you are easily offended by that kind of thing, you might want to go elsewhere. read more

Great people and fantastic food! We love this place and love to celebrate our loved ones here

We enjoyed our dining experience tonight at the cafe. We were seated quickly but had a bit of a wait for our waiter, Ben to arrive. He let us know all wine bottles over $50 were half off so we selected a bottle of the Marques de Murrieta. Our party of three started with the grilled halloumi with warm olives and the bread basket. Diner number one had the pappardelle pomodoro with an added salad. He enjoyed his pasta dish and felt the salad was fresh and the blue cheese dressing had a nice zing. Diner two had the rib eye with spinach and roasted potatoes, she reports the steak was cooked to her liking and was a generous portion. Diner three is a vegetarian and there was no veg option listed under entrees so she opted for two of the vegetable offerings the Brussels sprouts and the Japanese sweet potatoes, there was a generous amount in the serving and both were very tasty. Since we enjoyed our mains we decided to splurge and get desserts. We selected the blackberry ganache tort and the lemon tiramisu. Delicious! There is a notice board upon entering that dinner service will take around 2 hours and we were there close to three. Ben was helpful in making our selections and the support staff kept our water well filled. One draw back was a back patio door was kept open and we were fighting off mosquitos through the evening. There also seemed to be a shortage of wine menus so we shared ours with the table next to us. Overall a lovely dining experience and just over $200 for a party of three with wine & desserts. read more

This restaurant is fairly remote and we weren't sure what to expect, but we had an excellent meal here! We started off with a couple of well made Manhattans at the bar while we waited for our table. Dinner consisted of a Caesar Salad, which was one of the best we've had in a long time. A perfectly balanced homemade dressing, with good quality Parmesan and croutons. One salad was more than enough to share. Entrees were duck two ways, and chicken pot pie. Both were excellent and large portions. Oh, and we don't usually order bread, but the warm Challah loaf is not to be missed! Too full for dessert, so can't comment on that. Service was excellent. Their menu is varied with something for everything, plus evening specials. Hope to get back there some day! read more

Our food was delicious, server Benjamin was slow and inattentive. Two hours is too long to wait for dinner. Martini, $13, was served half empty. The atmosphere is great. But, we'll think twice about returning. read more

It was just ok. A little pricey. Atmosphere ok. Service decent. Food was not what we expected for Mediterranean. Wish we had looked up the menu before going. It just came highly recommended by our lodging host. The fried Haloumi cheese is one of my favorite dishes usually. This was basically two very tiny literally friend cheese triangles for $10! With five people, we all got one bite. Wasn't even good. read more

On Tuesdays, Kennebec Cafe and Bakery offers a Mexican menu in addition to their normal dishes. Maybe I'm easy to please because I live in an area where the Mexican food ain't pretty, but I thought the chicken enchiladas were amazing. Only the physical capacity of my stomach stopped me from finishing my whole plate. I also loved the mussels and clams, which were prepared in a beer broth. Maybe I could have eaten more enchilada if I hadn't soaked up about a cup of that fantastic broth with the complimentary bread. The atmosphere at Kennebec Cafe and Bakery is more upscale than I would expect given the menu and the prices, but I am ok with housing delicious Mexican grub in an elegant dining room. read more

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Amazing food and great service! I especially love the house salad and Thai Curry Salmon. My husband loves the Top Sirloin. The deserts are All delicious. If you are able to dine outside on the front or back patio the views of La Plata Mountains are the way to go with natures beautiful ambiance. Take your time and enjoy it all! read more

The Kennebec is the best restaurant in the Four Corners. Barbara, the owner, is one of the best and most talented restaurateurs in the business. Her staff is outstanding. The best wine pairings and recommendations. The Duck Confit will change your world, there is something for everyone and, after trying a majority of the menu I can attest, you will never be disappointed. The Carrot Cake and Lemon Mousse Cake are a culinary delicacy, all desserts are homemade. Also, Barbara's Foccacia is brilliant. Beautiful location down in the La Plata Canyon! If you want a dining experience that is second to none, get yourself a table at the Kennebec. read more

Durango has a plethora of wonderful restaurants and nearly all of them cater beautifully to special diets- and humans in general. This is NOT one of them. We went for an early Valentine's dinner, the restaurant had many empty tables aka it wasn't busy. Waiter comes and takes our drink order, a few minutes later a waitress showed up and asked for our order. When we told her someone had already taken it, she appeared irritated and looked at us strangely. TWENTY MINUTES later waiter comes back to ask for our dinner order, I ask about gluten free options and receive several "No, that's not gluten free" but no suggestions, suddenly he says "oh wait you're not my table" and walks away. ??????? What is even happening here????? Are we being punked? Waitress comes back eventually to ask for our order and tells me basically I can have a steak or cornish hen (ew) with no sauces and plain mashed potatoes or veggies. So all of the wonderful looking options on the menu- not for you. (It has been my experience over many years that high end restaurants do not rely on using flour to thicken all of their sauces!) Very few options. Ugh. I ask for a salad. It looks great on the menu- but not if you're gluten free! The waitress (who has an attitude with us from the beginning) comes back to tell me she like totally used to be gluten free tooo omg, and oh by the way you can't have the fried goat cheese so it will be raw. I ask for a side of mashed potatoes to go with it. Our appetizer arrives after another 20 minutes- a single tiny grilled artichoke for $10. It's fine, but this is not the type of establishment that I expect those serving sizes for that price! We are rapidly losing hope here. 45 minutes later we FINALLY receive our dinner, I get a cold salad with a tiny bit of olive oil, roasted beets, COLD prosciutto and raw goat cheese. Mealy mashed potatoes from boxed Sysco flakes. It took FORTY FIVE MINUTES- Could they perhaps have pan fried the proscuitto or SOMETHING?????? Literally any effort would have been appreciated. It's 2020 folks, you don't have to punish your customers that have celiac disease, my bad for expecting decent food. Oh, and four tables that arrived AFTER us have already received their dinners in a lot less time. This was by far is the most disappointing restaurant meal I have had in Durango in the last 20 years. Terrible Service. Crappy food. A total waste of time and money. read more

One of the best meals I've ever had. Foodies must not miss this gem. The beet salad was amazing, I'm still thinking of it days later. Our server was very friendly and helpful. The owner seated us in a quiet location when she realized my father was hard of hearing. Everything from the martini to the dessert was impeccably prepared. read more

It was Mexican night, so I tried the Carnitas! It was ok, not much flavor and full of fat! Half of my meat was fat and for the price I was disappointed! Shared the tiramisu! It's was amazing! read more

Kennebec Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Hesperus, Colorado

We dine here frequently as it is right over the hill from us. Good for a romantic dinner or just a place to go that's outside of town and has very good food and service. read more

Superb EVERYTHING! One not to miss in your travels! Be certain to ask for Liz as your Server!!! Ambiance, impeccable service and the dishes surpass most! Extraordinary selection! Everything tasted hot and delectable with every single bite! Huge wine list! Specials! Come to dine with your special friends and possibly meet new friends, too read more

We have heard a lot of good things about this place and were camping in the area and had to come in and try. We ate lunch here 7/15/17. The restaurant is beautiful inside. It had a nice Tuscan look. I would have expected to see a large pasta selection on the menu by the look of the business but that wasn't the case. The staff were very nice and attentive. We had hamburgers. Two "Southwest" and a "Classic" which came with skinny or shoe string fries or a salad. The burgers were premade. They reminded me of the type you get frozen in a bag at Walmart and cook yourself. They were lacking in favor and hard and chewy. The green chile was chopped and tasteless. The fries were the tastiest part of the meal. If the burgers had been homemade & the green chile had been made from fresh Hatch & both with some garlic added the meal would of been perfect. For 3 premade burgers & 3 ice teas it was somewhat pricey at $47 prior to the tip being added. read more

This is THE best restaurant in LaPlata county and probably the entire state of Colorado! The food is top quality, rivaling what one would find in Napa, New York, San Francisco...The wine list is also superb, as is the service from the entire staff, owner Barbara; the chef even came out to greet us! The ambiance is that of a five star restaurant, with elegant fixtures, linens, quiet music and beautiful decor. I ordered the duck; my husband had lamb and our starter was the "can't-miss" beet salad. Everything was so delicious, like a waltz on our palette! Also the flourless chocolate torte was something I'm still dreaming of! We will be back every time we visit our vacation home in Durango! It's worth the short drive and better than any other local restaurant! Thank you for the best dining experience we have ever had in the last ten years of coming to this area! read more

This place has a wonderful atmosphere, excellent service, and the food/wine is excellent. The owner and her husband are so welcoming and helpful. Our daughter (6) has Celiac and really wanted Mac & cheese the night we had plans to take my mom out for a special dinner. I took a chance and brought her gluten-free pasta and asked if they'd make her a side of MNC. They made the most delicious MNC I've ever had. I told them they've got to put it on the menu. Anyway, we were sure to still order the chicken dinners for the kids (which were also excellent btw), but it was really kind of them to honor this request because she's often not able to eat most of what's available when we go out. Definitely a stand-out in the service department. Love the scallops btw! We'll be going back more often. A gem! read more

What a great restaurant! It's a shame that it's so far out of Durango but it is worth the drive. Food has been consistent for years and that seems to be something that restaurants have a hard time with here in town. The owner is very charming woman who always checks in on all of her customers. If you haven't been out there in the winter, you should! It is a beautiful building in the ambience is so gorgeous especially when it is snowing. They have great specials and they are very reasonably priced. They have a great local appreciation week night with awesome prices that they offer. Great food! read more

What a surprising find. Think French Cafe rather than ubiquitous American hamburger cafe. Wonderful menu, ambience and food. Made us happy. Quiet. Spaced seating during Covid. Made accommodations for us with my husband in a wheelchair. Relaxing. Thank you! read more

Kennebec Cafe - Main bar Kennebec Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Hesperus, Colorado

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Went for Sunday brunch. The food was fabulous! Had an omelette and my daughter ordered the breakfast burrito that was huge! I loved my omelette. They didn't get my order right. I received hash browns when I asked for the American fries. Oh well. They were good. The burrito was big enough for two people to share! The drive out to this restaurant is beautiful. It is only about 10 minutes west of Durango with breathtaking views on the way! read more

Our server, Ben, was attentive and fun. We grazed our way through this amazing Tuscan menu, accompanied by wine recommended by the house. Great value and carefully handmade! Oh, did I mention the lemon mousse cake-wow~ read more

I was so excited to bring my out of town company to Kennebec. There were four of us. We arrived at 6 and when we arrived the owner was working on seating people and seemed irritated and seated someone ahead of us who didn't have reservation. She said be patient, I'll be right with you. Ok. We ordered a bottle of wine and small plates to start our evening. If the small plates were indication of the evening ahead we were set. After we finished our small plates and the wine our dinner came out 1 1/2 hours later. Everyone around us was seated later than us and they had their checks and were headed out. The owner came by and asked how we were and we told her we have not received our dinner. The food was out soon. The waiter proceeded to tell us that they were very busy and everyone was having to wait. We said on the patio everyone was served well before us and that did not seem to be correct. They offered free desserts, but we did not want to dessert. Eventually they comped two of the entrees. There was not an apology by the owner. I was so disappointed and embarrassed. I am not sure if our order was ever turned in or if being on the patio we were ignored. Our experience was very disappointing and expensive. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g33470-d583150-r700084954-The_Kennebec-Hesperus_Colorado.html# read more

First time to try, recommended by local but we will not go back. It took 1-1/2 hours for our food, most of which was overcooked. Service was poor, prices were high. The atmosphere was not very friendly. read more

For a town with so few options, this place is ok. +I've had decent lunch experiences twice, with salads and sandwiches. But stopped in for dinner last weekend and was completely underwhelmed! Should have driven the extra 15 minutes to Durango for dinner... - Very few vegetarian options, basically "you can just leave the meat off any plate you'd like" was what we were told. My boyfriend did that and got shrimp pasta linguine minus the shrimp. The sauce was filled with tomatoes and capers, but completely watered down and looked like it was pasta water soup. I ordered scallops which came out completely overcooked and greasy, with a butter sauce that was over the top salty. Like make you gag salty. I asked to replace that order with their stuffed pasta, which took almost 15 minutes to make and get out to me. We finished my boyfriends pasta dish before mine came out. It was ok, long stringy pieces of spinach inside what may have been fresh pasta (it was delicate), jarred pasta sauce, all in all ok for $14. +Server was receptive to food critique and was very nice. Restaurant is beautiful and has a nice elegant feel, but their food needs some serious updating to make their prices worth while. $75 for two glasses of wine, two $14 pasta dishes, and two coffees after dinner. Disappointing, and probably won't return to this restaurant. read more

We were a group of 9 and Carlos did such a great job with all of us! The food of course was fantastic and the deserts to die for! We love this place and will always come back read more

Kennebec Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Hesperus, Colorado

Mediocre food, small portions, slow service and expensive. They act like you should thank them for allowing you to have a table there.

A warm, cozy atmosphere off the beaten path. When visiting our daughter/son-in-law we always want to go to the Kennebec Cafe. Taco Tuesday should NOT be missed! (If they still offer it) Unique, delicious menu options and you won't be disappointed. Their steaks and fish selections are done to perfection and the service is always top notch! Nice wine selection as well. read more

Kennebec is a true delight. I have eaten there four times now over the last few years. Now that I am local, I hope to be back more. Today I was so impressed with their crab cake bennies. It is two medium-size crab cakes (some of the best crab cakes I have had and I came from the DC area where they supposed to be the best ever) topped with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. I can't say enough about the taste, portion-size and value of this dish. The hashbrowns were so crispy as well. I will get this again for sure. Today I tried the bloody mary and it was the best I had tasted as well. The only reason I gave Kennebec 4 and not 5 stars is how long it takes to experience the meal. Food is by far 5 stars and service is closer to 3. The staff are nice, but there is a lack of cohesion that seems to make the experience take so much longer. read more

You know how sometimes when you love a restaurant and can't wait to take your guests there, then that's the one night you can expect to be disappointed? This was that night. My aunt could not wait for us to eat there. She and her husband eat at Kennebec's every time they go to Durango...and they go often. So the night she shares this fabulous find is the one night it's really not so fabulous. The evening started off odd when the server listed the specials, but told us there was only one left of the fish, and we better decide soon if one of the four of us wanted it. My aunt ordered it, but he had her order a back up meal as well, and then never told her what she would actually be served. My husband and my uncle both ordered chicken pot pie. Quite a while after the appetizers were served, the server came back and told them there was a "problem" with the chicken and they had to choose another dish. They both acted like children at that point and declined an entree entirely. Fine. My aunt and I are eating without you two then. Our appetizer was the seasonal flatbread with fig, honey, goat cheese, etc. Nothing exceptionally unique, but very good nonetheless. Their appetizer was the mediterranean mix for two. With chicken souvlaki, hummus, dolmas, and tabbouleh, it would actually have been enough for a light meal. For my entree, I had the semolina crusted trout with spinach and pancetta. It would have been a nice dish had it not been for the pancetta. I like pancetta, but this made the entire dish so beyond salty, I could hardly eat it. But I'm tough so I managed. Above-mentioned boys were also on the verge of a tantrum when it was discovered the famous Kennebec carrot cake was not a featured dessert that evening. We went with a lemon cake of sorts which was tasty, but seriously lacking the tartness, and flavor, of lemon. While I would normally have given this meal two stars, it's a lovely restaurant, and it really does seem our evening was not typical. I would definitely give it another shot. read more

This is your table! Take it or leave it! We made reservations here for a Saturday night for our 44th wedding anniversary at the recommendation of a local resident in Durango, CO. When we arrived a few minutes before scheduled, we were given a small table, near the bar and in the middle of customer/waiter traffic; hardly a spot to celebrate our anniversary. We asked for a different table and we were told that this is it. We spotted empty tables in another room and outside. They said we should have made a reservation??? We said we had and the "host" had crossed our name off just when we arrived. They could have at least asked us to wait (outside; etc.) until another table cleared. We left and went to a good place in Durango; not as romantic but much more respectful staff. read more

Im writing this on behalf of my wife. I'm sad to write this review since this is one of my parents' favorite places in Durango and they were kind enough take me and my wife here for her birthday dinner. To be fair, the food was good, but the service was subpar. My parents are friends with the owner and informed them of my wife's birthday. While not expecting anything, it was pretty disheartening when they brought a cake (with candle) and champagne to the table next to us for someone else's birthday and didn't bring anything to us (or acknowledge my wife's birthday). This is a fine dining restaurant and I would expect better service/attention. Needless to say, we will not be returning. read more

First off, the food was wonderful, especially the flatbread of the day. You can tell the chef takes great pride in what he does. However, the service leaves a lot to be desired and for that, we aren't going back. The owner tends bar, and not only seemed to ignore customers, but we actually felt slighted and a nuisance to her. For the price of the food, again, wonderful and nicely presented, this place should treat customers better, make them feel valued. (Dinner for 2 with moderate wine, no dessert, runs $120) I agree with M.E.F.'s review on Yelp, and with so many other nice places around Durango, we won't be giving them 5 attempts to get service right. read more

Good atmosphere, awesome food, completely ruined by the service. Absolutely terrible. Slow to get drinks, slow to get our order in, slow to get the food, and we had to cancel our second drink order because we were already done eating by the time our server came to tell us the second round would still be a while. Honestly felt completely forgotten about the entire time. read more

We had reservations for a Tuesday night. Almost two hours after ordering, our food finally came out. I understand COVID has caused a lot of problems for restaurants, but if the kitchen was that short staffed the number of reservations should have been capped (it was full) to reflect that. The food was great, but we would not have stopped here if we knew it was going to take so long. read more

I love the Kennebec! We had my rehearsal brunch here on 10/9/16 with 45 friends and family members and everything was outstanding! The food was delicious and unique, ambience was lovely, and the service was exceptional! Thank you for making it such a wonderful experience- a time to gather and relax the day before the wedding! read more

Kennebec Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Hesperus, Colorado

In the past year I've eaten at Kennebec 5 times. Different occasions & different times of day. Brunch, lunch, dinner & New Year's Day 2015 PJ Brunch (my first occasion). Each and every time either the service was slow to non-existent, the orders were "misplaced", the wait staff was discourteous & billing requests went ignored. I went back each time thinking that it was just an anomaly. After all, many of the locals I talked to raved about the food, service & ambiance. Wish I could do the same. Last night (my 5th visit) was the last time my party & I will ever dine at this "restaurant". The best part of my dining experience? The outdoor garden! Review the food ... who cares! read more