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.

This place is so fun!…read more Went for a little solo dinner by myself and it was great! The drink (Roses are falling) was one of the best drinks I've ever had!!! The shrimp and grits and hummus plate were lovely as well. Such a hidden gem in Brunswick, and I want to go back to try their coffee!

Looking for a European-feeling cafe in Brunswick? Looking for a place you can spend hours at…read morecomfortably solo with a book and a coffee? Looking to have a nibble and a mocktail or cocktail with friends? The Abbey has it (and more). The vibe: relaxed, warm, mid-modern meets minimalism, gorgeous stained glass windows, lots of natural light pouring in, the most comfortable seats you've ever sat in at a high top, lots of wood and greenery, a playlist that makes you stop and lean in. It's a cozy place that makes you want to stay a while. The drinks: I tried an iced cardamom latte with oat milk and it was fantastic (if you've ever had the vanilla cardamom cold brew coffee from Trader Joe's, it was an elevated version of that). I've also had a couple cocktails - since they make their syrups in house when they run out, they run out and your drink might be unavailable... BUT the staff is exceptional at making alternate recommendations and even making totally off menu drinks entirely! The food: Several (clearly labeled) vegan options! We tried the muhammara (a housemade dip topped with spiced walnuts, chickpeas, and three half slices of toasted sourdough) and the hummus plate (housemade and topped with marinated chickpeas and a drizzle of olive oil, accompanied by six naan wedges). LOVE the quantity of both dips, but wish there was some other dipping vessel outside of (the sometimes stodgy) bread. A little heap of rainbow veggies would be amazing! While the muhammara was a bit more liquidy than I've had elsewhere, the hummus was thicker than I was expecting. Solid shareable options regardless! (Grab a seat, order at the counter, and they'll call your name when your drinks are ready so you can go grab them; if you've ordered food, they'll bring that to your table. It was confusing what the clean-up situation was, several of us just sort of walking back to the bar with our plates and cups.) Excited to return again!

I can't believe I just tried OystHers for the first time. It is the absolutely most perfect oyster…read morebar. It has all the credentials for perfection...outdoor seating overlooking a body of water...in this case the beautiful Kennebec River, including a spectacular view of the big bridge over it. Watching boats go by, and people walking in the walking path to get to the park right next door...perfect for people and dog watching. Plus, OysHers allows well behaved dogs at the outdoor seating area. The menu includes MANY varieties of sparking wines, including a mimosa flight, and all local oysters, all sourced from women-owned oyster farmers, plus they have their own oyster farm as well. The menu does include a few non-seafood items, such as the classic Maine red hot dog. The menu also includes some caviar in case there is a need for a special occasion caviar celebration. There are a variety of seating options outside and inside. There are firepit tables with Adirondack chairs, regular tables and chairs, picnic tables, and high top tables. There is a beautiful display of the days oyster selection inside on ice. The ordering process is simple...order what you want at the register, tell them where you're seated (we were are fire pit #2) and they bring your order to you. You can start a tab or pay as you go. Each table has a little sign that says what the table name/number is. We went on a Wednesday afternoon so we did not try the fire pit. It is a great reason to go back. We tried the mimosa flight (orange, grapefruit, cranberry, and lemon) and a flight of oysters (4 different varieties). I couldn't tell you which one was best...they were all perfect. I especially loved how expertly they were shucked and cut loose. Every oyster slid out of its shell without any resistance and each oyster had all of its liquor. They were perfectly clean and chilled and served with lemon, a cocktail sauce and a delicious mignonette. My friend also tried a local canned cocktail, Dasch seltzer, that was excellent...not too sweet, lots of blueberry flavor. I can't wait to go back!

I have been here twice in the past week and will continue to visit as often as I can. The oysters…read moreare so good. So fresh, very clean, delicious. The Crabster sliders were excellent and the chicken salad (ordered on a roll instead of sliders) was plentiful and very tasty. Great cocktail, mocktail, and wine selection. We got to sit on the back patio and enjoy the river view. Well behaved dogs are welcome on the patio. Orders go in at the bar and servers deliver to the table. Polite, smiling, friendly service. Not a ton of parking immediately in front but it's super easy to walk from the many municipal parking areas downtown. Highly recommend for anyone in the area looking for a comfortable and delicious spot for a bite and a beverage.

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.

Absolutely love the service and the ambiance. My meal was okay, but my husband's was excellent…read more Looking forward to trying their spring menu when the season changes! The ambiance is like nowhere else in Brunswick and you are encouraged to linger and enjoy! Excellent cocktails too!

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!

Just had dinner here. Took friends from California. The haddock was so over cooked that we couldn't…read morecut it with a knife. My guest were polite and tried to eat. I told the waitress that the fish was so overcooked that I couldn't eat it. She said she was so sorry. All 3 haddock were like dry shoe leather. Another guest had mussels and it didn't come with bread. As we were leaving, every one eating at the bar was served bread and butter. So disappointed and embarrassed. I live in the village and Water Street was my recommendation. Never again.

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!

STEPH JUDGEMENT: Fun eatery with some unexpected vegetarian options…read more The hubby and I stopped in for a weekday lunch with a friend who'd been there before. It had that classic old timey tavern look, with lots of dark polished wood, and their menu, featuring comfort/pub fare, was in keeping with the ambiance. I had their crab cakes, which weren't too bready or greasy and came with a tasty spicy creamy sauce. I also had a cup of their tomato soup, which had tiny grilled cheese sandwich bites on a skewer perched on the bowl--such a fun idea! Accompanied by a glass of crisp chenin blanc, it was an awesome lunch. The hubby enjoyed his beet Reuben, which isn't something you see on a lot of menus. Our friend had the chicken pot pie, which he thought was just so-so. He liked the puff pastry crust but the filling didn't quite do it for him. Our server was friendly and funny and we had a great time overall.

We dropped in at 5 on our way to Gardens Aglow not thinking we needed reservations, but they were…read morefull. We got two seats at the bar and had amazing food and drinks. Crock of onion soup is made with Beal broth and was super delicious. My wife had the Waldorf salad and she loved it - she said the dressing needed something, probably salt. I had the fried chicken dinner with garlic mashed and roasted carrots. They fry a whole breast from a small chicken, delish!, black pepper gravy on the side and the mashed potatoes were scrumptious. We stop here a few times a year and it never disappoints Garyd

We were visiting Gardens AGlow in Booth Bay. We saw Montsweag on the way into Booth Bay and…read morenoticed that it was packed at lunchtime. After visiting the gardens, we weren't sure we wanted to drive 30 minutes the other way for dinner, but we did and we were very happy about it! Everything was outstanding from the drinks and appetizers to dinner and dessert. They say their clam chowder is award-winning. Two in our party had the clam chowder and agreed that it was the best chowder they've ever had. These two order chowder wherever they go. They also had the calamari which they said was excellent as well. The scallops appetizer was GF and was unbelievable. I have a gluten allergy so I had the haddock without breadcrumbs. It was very, very good. I did not get sick, so they get five stars for that. The service was excellent. The vibe was relaxed and friendly. We enjoyed our visit immensely.

Went here for the first dinner of our trip and we were so glad we did. The food was so fresh and…read moredelicious. The service was attentive to our every need. The restaurant had a very nice interior and perfect for a date night. I highly recommend this place.

Fantastic atmosphere, service, food, so why haven't we been before?! (Oh, right, avoiding Reds…read moreEats traffic.) This place is outstanding and the review is for their special oyster tastings. There have been several so far but not sure they'll do it all summer. In addition to their seriously delicious menu, they have guest farm presentations with $1.50 oysters and 1/2 price drinks & bottles! We went there for the oysters and were blown away with their regular menu, too. Mushroom toast, octopus, beets, Cesar salad, all stood out as spectacular. Be there!

This was our second visit, and we will be returning. David and Natalie were both amazing hosts, and…read moreour waiter was incredibly charismatic. True artists work in that kitchen.

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.

TLDR: Linden + Front does neighborhood new American better than anyone else in the midcoast…read more L + F is easily the best restaurant in city and they consistently knock it out of the park on all fronts. The staff are some of the kindest, most accommodating people in the business--the bartenders in particular are always willing to work with you to find exactly the cocktail you're in the mood for. The food is fresh and local. In particular the partnership with Bath's local butcher shines through in their meats, but there are plenty of options for vegetarians as well. They're also one of the only restaurants around where I feel confident I can bring my partner who has celiac. He's eaten here multiple times and the staff have always been understanding and able to accommodate him. The atmosphere strikes a lovely balance that feels sophisticated enough for an event or special occasion, but just as welcoming if you want to sit at the bar after work and have a French onion burger and drink.

Racism! I was just refused entry at this restaurant. Supposedly, I had made racist comments about…read moresomeone last time I was there. He obviously had spoken with an accent and was brown. I've traveled a lot, have visited 69 countries and lived in 8, know languages, and I am always curious about people. He said he was Puerto Rican. I had said, "what brought you to Maine thats not an obvious first choice from the tropics?" He had said something like he got an opportunity from Puerto Rico worked at their waterfront restaurant. And I said something like yeah I know you didn't just swim here. Thought we had a good chat etc. Two months later I am supposedly racist and banned from there. And the chef that barred entry said he had heard me say something about "swimming here," me sitting at a table while he was in the kitchen. Preposterous! Wowie prickly weird, I won't be going to any of their family restaurants and am telling everyone too.