Fantastic gourmet shop to grab key things you need for entertaining: wine, cheese, salami, &…read morehousemade dips for your charcuterie, the tastiest crispy chips. Don't miss the frozen case featuring Afterglow ice cream sandwiches made in Maine. People will fight over the Classic sweet cream between brown butter chocolate chip cookies. The restaurant no longer has regular hours. But their Wiener Wednesdays featuring inventive hot dogs, along w/ curated pop-ups are not to be missed. They're really community-minded, so great local stop.

If only I lived closer... I'd be at Vessel & Vine ALL. THE. TIME…read more I've been a huge fan of this wine store for years. It's got so much character, and the people running it are some of the nicest humans ever. I don't think I've ever left without a smile on my face, or without a bottle (or two) of something new and interesting. Their selection is incredible; not just wine, but also vermouths, Campari, and even pasta and bread?! Like, what don't they do? And the vibes??! Perfection. In the winter, it gives a mix of Scandinavia and Spain, and I'm so here for it. Oh, and they have a full wine bar with pours and bites. Just go... you'll thank me later.

Beautiful space, historic solid building with high ceilings, stately almost Euro feel. Kind of a…read moreclassy-hip vibe. One of the relatively rare spaces which combines coffee/morning feel with nighttime cocktail refuge in one big room. You could chill and read or work on laptop and yet it also can be a more low key nightlifey hang at night. Excellent menu of select food items and fantastic drinks. The breakfast sandwich I got on Portuguese roll was well prepared and one of the best deals I think in Greater Portland area (please don't raise the prices cause I wrote that!). Their lattes and what not are superb. They have live jazz on Sundays during brunch time. It feels like a little slice of Portland or Cambridge MA or (name your much larger cool city) in the middle of Brunswick. I'm a fan!

We came here during my bachelorette weekend and, at first, had a wonderful experience. Our server…read morewas friendly, attentive, and even surprised us with a complimentary glass of bubbly when we paid our tab after two drinks. It was such a thoughtful gesture, and we left with a great impression. We decided to check out the bar across the street, but it wasn't our vibe, so we called it a night and walked back to The Abbey. Their patio was empty and well lit so we decided to sit there while we waited for our Uber. Our server immediately came out and told us they were closed and that we couldn't sit on the patio, promptly closing the door and shutting the light out on us. While disappointing, we understood. The part that left such a bad taste in our mouths happened next. As a group of young women, we were standing outside when a group of loud, rowdy men across the street started making us uncomfortable. We genuinely felt unsafe. We went back inside and politely asked if we could wait indoors for our Uber, explaining that we didn't feel safe outside. Instead of showing any concern, the bartender looked at us and said, "Oh, that bachelorette party? No." The bar was still full of customers, and we weren't asking to order more drinks or stay all night. We simply wanted a safe place to wait a few minutes for our ride. After how warm and welcoming they had been earlier, the complete lack of compassion in that moment was shocking. Customer service isn't just about being friendly when you're serving drinks. It's also about treating people with basic human decency when they tell you they feel unsafe. Unfortunately, our final memory of The Abbey wasn't the complimentary champagne or the great service at the beginning of the night. It was realizing that, when it actually mattered, our safety wasn't important to them.

We LOVED our dinner last night! The oysters were so fresh and perfectly briney. The lobster on both…read morethe lobster slider and the lobster salad was perfectly cooked. It wasn't rubbery at all and the flavor was perfect. They didn't overwhelm the lobster with mayo either. We loved the sitting outside by a fire pit too. It was just so relaxing and delicious! We may have to go there again tonight!

Ok this place has so many good reviews so we were so excited to come here and grab some seafood on…read morethe water before the cover on the park we were headed to. The host and server were super nice and we got a good spot overlooking the water and the oncoming boats. But that is where the good parts stopped. Take a look at the photo that I show you. I paid $35 for that crab roll that has NO flavor and the bun was stale and hard and the lobster "slider" was also something to be desired ... we later found out I could have gotten a full fledged lobster roll down the road with a buttered bun with a TON of lobster in it for $19. This was also served with a bag of chips. My wife's salad was also a basic salad because it was all she could eat on the menu (VG) We had to go back into the bar area to have them refill our water as the server really didn't ever come back to us. You had to go back into the restaurant to order the food so it had a takeout seafood shack feel to it while trying to high class it. If I go to an "on the water" restaurant and spend $50 bucks on a plate, it might be a better pick. I didn't the oysters on the half shell at the other tables and those looked great for local sourced oysters. Oh we also had a smoked pollack dip with some ritz crackers that was pretty good but over priced. I don't think we will be back here next time near bath ... will walk up the road to an ice cream shoppe with lobster rolls.

Went here for brunch today with a few friends and must say that I was very impressed. The staff…read morewas friendly and the space was quaint as one would hope for in an historic inn. I ordered the breakfast sandwich which was atypically served on slices of bread as opposed to an English muffin, but it was fantastic! The eggs were fluffy and delicious, and were complemented by a buttery lemon sauce that made the whole dish. Highly recommend.

High prices, low quality, poor service. The decor and ambience are coupled with prices that lead…read moreone to believe this is a high end establishment. Breakfast this weekend proved otherwise. Go to impress parents or similar if you are a college student. For quality and price, based on our experience, would not do again. Overcooked eggs, grudging portions, mix and match plateware that just confounds (bacon and eggs in a bowl - really? but only for one person in the party?). The menu is also misleading. The fabled "hash of the day" turned out to be just a pile of ordinary unremarkable overcooked and unseasoned home fries. The same side everyone else had for free, but costing some part of the wallet-stretching $21 in the context of the all-in "165" breakfast - two overcooked over-easy eggs (no seasoning), a slice of thin sourdough bread cut in two, a pile of indifferent home fries and two of the smallest pieces of bacon you can imagine. $8-12 in any self-respecting diner in the country, and typically made with far more care and flavor. When asked how plain ordinary home fries were a "hash of the day" when they were also unmentioned sides for other dishes, the waitress shrugged and said "it's a KIND of hash. We call that hash here." Touche. Should have asked more questions. And the toast is a single piece of seemingly storebought sourdough bread cut in half (no evidence here, just disappointment being expressed). No substitution, no extras. Pretty much no butter, either. Another member of the party had the blueberry pancakes, Thick and heavy, and unremarkable, once again. Any diner does it better - for half the price. Timing was a serious issue too. The dining room was somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 full. 3-4 tables in other words. Still took well over 45 minutes to get food. Watched 2 pairs of other diners come, order, eat, pay and leave as we waited, Food came cool with no explanation or apology for the long wait. Small complaints perhaps, but at this price, they are making bold claims and utterly failing to match up. Breakfast should be a lay-up for places like this. The ingredients cost almost nothing and the work involved is strictly short-order, simple, fast-turn work in a relatively uncrowded dining room. No reason to go light on ingredients or on flavors. Breakfast is an easy meal to wow in aplace like this, and New England has traditions to uphold - and yet the establishment clearly did not see the point in putting in the effort to match their prices, decor, or location. The capper was watching the tables cleared by a surly teenager in stained board shorts and stained tshirt and sneakers with unwashed hair in a beautiful dining room. The young man clomped in and would withdraw 1-2 plates at a time before stomping out, taking over ten minutes to clear a single table. Overpriced and under-quality. It's for tourists. Beautiful building, though.

The service was spectacular. We were meeting friends and both had our dogs with us. Although they…read moredid not have outdoor service, the manager set up a table outside for us and the waitress was so accommodating. Fantastic time, loved their ability to be flexible with a smile and the food was great. Will be back again

My wife Michele and I eat at WSK at least once a week. One our favorite things to get is 1 order of…read moreCajun Shrimp which has 3 large shrimp in a delicious but fairly spicy oil, butter and garlic sauce. We also get one order of Shrimp Scampi with pasta AND an extra plate. We mix both plates together at the table and have two meals that is delicious and more than enough for two. And if it's not, there is always a choice of deserts made off site by Daphne!

I was born and raised in Maine and come back a couple times a year to see my mom here in Brunswick…read more I hadn't been yet to the Ram and Bull which took over a previous restaurant spot, and decided to give it a try based on the fact that one of their weekly specials was lobster stew. Let me be clear, I am typically disappointed over and over by the lobster stew I have in Maine. In my mind, it should be classic, with milk, butter, Sherry, and lobster meat. I've been searching for this version from my childhood for the past 30+ years and I finally found it here. Have they added a tiny garnish of rosemary to the top? Yes. Does it make me angry or detract from the sweet perfect flavors of the stew? No. And the lobster meat in the stew was tender, as it should be, rather than having simmered way too long and being tough and chewy. Their crabcakes also were nice and generous, although I don't love the spicy remoulade (I feel it's too strong for delicate crab flavor) and the texture was a bit soft for me. I'm looking forward to being back during my stay and trying more items from the menu! Oh, and don't sleep on the service here, it was excellent. From several people asking me how my meal was or just saying hello, to the amazing Travis behind the bar with his big fabulous personality. Yay!

First time in this place even tho it's very close to where I work. Met a friend there recently for…read morea girl date to catch up on life. The interior is beautiful. The brick work, and art work on the walls is quite lovely. The hostess was amazing. I never got her name but she was so friendly and informative. Said we came at a good time before "after work rush" Here's where I felt things didn't go so well. We placed our order for a couple of entrees and tossed in an appetizer. The place was NOT busy and everything came out at the same time. Huge faux pas. After that, our server must've visited us a dozen times asking if we needed thing. I jokingly said "we're good just leave us alone" It's a huge turnoff to be hounded and not have your orders timed appropriately. ‍sorry not sorry. You wanna be semi-fancy, your service needs to reflect that Now food. I ordered the Porchetta Bahn Mi, friend had a wild rice beet salad? The app was fried pickles. Bahn Mi was ok. Every "handheld" is served on brioche so that was a bit of a turn off for a Bahn Mi. Half the part of them being delicious, is the bread itself. I didn't taste the friends salad but looked inviting. The pickles didn't seem cooked enough? Not very crispy. Maybe that's why everything came out all at once. I might give this place another chance

We are not from around here otherwise this would be my new favorite restaurant!…read moreBut...we were just driving through and looking for a place for a meal....we saw the outside thought it was cute, we looked up reviews and decided to try it! Our experience was a 11/10! We were treated so well from the moment we stepped in....from the owner Wayne, to our server John. Our wine was good, I had the grilled chicken sandwich and my husband had the fish and chips and we were both pleased with our choice! We dined outside on the patio and the ambiance was fabulous. Unfortunately I'm not sure we'll be back as we were just driving through, but I highly recommend the Montsweag!! Definitely try it!

Easy parking, menu with variety. Had the chicken fried chicken which was yummy and large. Their…read morecream gravy a little different than biscuits and gravy kind...so good. The flatbreads looked great and I'm not usually a flat bread person. Both tables around us had us a dip type appetzer with bread sliced that also looked great. Bar area was hopping.

We had been planning our rehearsal dinner at Back River Bistro for months, and it was truly a…read morefabulous evening from start to finish! We had a very large group of 31 guests, and the restaurant did an incredible job accommodating our celebration. With Corinna's help we planned a seasonal menu with oysters, appetizers, main courses and dessert. We started with oysters; a small table was set up near the bar where local oysters were shucked in front of us, presented on the shell with house-made mignonette and cocktail sauces. Very delicious and a great pairing with wine and beer. The bar area was cleared, so that mingling was easy and spacious. After that we were seated at three decorated tables. Then the food started rolling out of the kitchen; house focaccia with maple butter, Bistro Caesar salad, mushroom toast and additional appetizers, all delicious. The focaccia with maple butter and mushroom toast were group favorites. For entrées, the kitchen was killing it with sweet corn risotto, monkfish, and short ribs. We had never had monk fish, so we decided to try it, and boy are we glad we did - outstanding, with lentils, lightly seasoned to let the fish shine through, cooked perfectly. The sweet corn risotto is a plate I will be back for, the gruyere a nice backdrop for the corn. Following up with a simple but elegant dessert of sticky toffee pudding with brown butter-bay leaf ice cream and blueberry ice cream, sweet toffee with a cool, creamy finish; a great combination. Really, really an exceptional meal, our guests are still talking about it a week later. Service was excellent; friendly, efficient and always present, with a smile. The food and the portions were top notch. We can't say enough about it, the atmosphere was laid back but refined, the restaurant was neat and clean and Corinna was flexible, accommodating several last-minute requests. Most importantly, Back River Bistro provided the perfect setting for such a special family celebration. We are so grateful to the entire team for helping make our rehearsal dinner such a memorable evening. I would absolutely recommend Back River Bistro for a special occasion and especially for the incredible food! 5+ stars. We highly recommend!

Great service, very good food. The ambience is a little weird, very loud too. I'd go back but…read moreprobably won't be rushing.

Had an absolutely excellent dinner. Drinks and champagne were great. The Damariscotta Oysters were…read moreperfect. Steak and Frites was excellent. The wagu beef was so tender and perfectly cooked. The lobster bisque was smooth and delicious. The green salad was delish. The staff was attentive and efficient. We will go again!

Before I get into the issues we experienced, I will say that we had a great night. Our server was…read morefantastic, the space is beautiful, and some of the food was tasty. The issues were glaring though. We arrived early for a group reservation of 10 and started at the bar. The service was very slow and we got the sense that the bartender was frustrated that we showed up early with the idea to have a cocktail before our reservation. Bar service continued to be painstakingly slow throughout the night. The restaurant was somehow out of several of their menu options (despite the restaurant not being busy on a weekend day). Not the end of the world, but it left us asking some questions. The major issues really arose when our entree courses were served. They had somehow ran out of french fries, and you could see that in the portion size of the frites in our steak frites (the picture included in our review was our plate -- we had BY FAR the most fries out of those at the table who ordered steak frites). And they ran out of steak - one of the people at our party who ordered steak frites was served a hamburger (which isn't even on the menu). Overall, I thought that we overpaid for the food and if it wasn't for the good company at our dinner - I would have been very frustrated.

My wife and I have eaten here a few times and we've always enjoyed it. The menu is pretty…read moreextensive (for a pub) and everything we've tried has been good. Last night we ordered fried cheese curds with their hot/sweet dipping sauce and a Reuben. The curds were perfectly done and the Reuben was excellent. The atmosphere is friendly and not too loud (even on a Friday night). Service is friendly and fast. Highly recommend!

Update: Returned last weekend (7/12/2025) and was not disappointed. All the usual favorites, and…read moretried a few new items: The Shepherds Pie, and the Bailey's Cheesecake. The Shepherds Pie was great- a nice portion, perfectly seasoned, not too salty. Surprised by the peas and carrots in there with the corn, but it was delicious. The cheesecake nearly brought a tear to my eye, as it reminded me of my Babci's old fashioned cheesecake- made with farmers cheese and baked a golden brown- not the typical jello mix and cream cheese abomination... Still my favorite Irish Pub in the world!