My wife and I come here on special occasions like birthdays, Valentine's Day, etc. Our recent visit on my wife's birthday was no exception. We started the evening with cocktails which were very much to our liking, followed by a delicious appetizer of lobster risotto that we shared. We both ordered the short ribs which were mouthwatering and cooked to perfection that the meat fell off the bone. The servings were enough where we took the bones and whatever meat was left to make a delicious beef soup. Neither one of us were up for dessert but decided to get two to go, which we downed once we got home. And they were both delicious. In closing, I'd be remiss without saying a good word about our server Keila. She was warm, friendly, funny, and very attentive to our table. She made our night to enjoyable! Thanks you Keila ! We look forward to our next visit to The Village Inn soon. read more

It's been a dozen years since we last dined here. We've changed a tad during that period, and so have they. We'll spare you the personal stuff and focus on the Taven. Here's what doesn't seem to have changed: it's an attractive, slightly out-of-the-way dining spot that has a very nice bar, comfy seating on a patio and inside, good servers (thank you Heather!), and a menu with a lot of tasty choices. We continue to recommend it, although hesitantly. There have been some changes, in our opinion, that left us just a little disappointed, hence four stars not five. Blackened salmon: pretty good but not much blackened and just a little bit dry. Seafood poblano with clams and scallops: excellent, well seasoned. Calamari: Crunchy but much too chewy. Yummy spinach, a crab cake that tasted bland. Sourdough bread wasn't warm and left us wanting. Fine bar choices with local beers. The romaine salad was, well, unusual, with a blueberry vinaigrette that was awfully sweet for our taste and, frankly, kind of hard to cut. Final verdict? Not quite up to what we hoped for after our experience a dozen years ago. Maybe that's us; memory can be tricky. But we came away not quite as happy as the last time for sure and a little more cautious in recommending the restaurant. If you're curious, entree prices generally in the $30s, appetizers $12-20, cocktails around 12-15. We're giving the Tavern four stars, but 3.5 would be closer to our preference. read more

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We were very disappointed with our experience at this restaurant. We waited almost 2 hours for our food! Not sure if this was due to some in our party ordering appetizers, but even so our appetizers were eaten and still had to wait a considerable amount of time. I had the crab cakes and the crab was not the freshest! When we received our meals we were further disappointed to see the filet didn't even seem like filet, but more like a regular steak! One person in out party got the short ribs and you would get two, but now it's only one Our bill was almost $50 more, from the past when we have eaten there. The potatoes seemed like instant potatoes (thin & watery). The quality has definitely gone down, which is sad to see because you could get a decent, quality meal for a decent price. Yes, costs have gone up, but there is definitely a quality difference from the previous owners. We also noticed it since there were no lines at the door. Our waitress, Dawn, was fantastic as usual when we have had her in the past. read more

My family went in for brunch and it was good food! The service was great and the atmosphere inside was really lovely. Definitely a nice restaurant. We got the crab cakes for appetizers and they were really delicious. I did bite down on a bone inside. For my entree, I got the Atlantic salmon with garlic and ginger mashed potatoes. It was delicious! The rest of my family got the cheddar burger, linguini with seafood and poblano cream sauce, and the spaghetti with meatballs. My mom got the Mark's mule and it was delicious! I think the presentation could be heightened a little in comparison to how nice the restaurant is. There also were no vegetarian options outside of the appetizer-sized salads. Overall, we had a good time! read more

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we have been here many times in the past and we were always very satisfied with the quality, quantity and price. It's been two years since we've been here and I have to say we were very disappointed. quantity is significantly smaller and the price is significantly higher. For an appetizer I risotto. It seriously was more like rice soup. Not at all like it used to be. My husband ordered salmon on top of a salad and the salmon was very overcooked even though he ordered it rare. I am so sorry to give this kind of a rating, but they really need to step up their game. read more

We tried the blackened salmon with puréed sweet potato and asparagus, plus the haddock with vegetables and potato pancakes. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the haddock was also very good but not as good as the pecan encrusted haddock which used to be a reliable menu choice. As always, the service is great and very friendly. read more

We are local residents and dined at the Village Tavern recently, and noticed a difference in quality. This was once on our list of favorite restaurants, but now we are not in a hurry to rush back. The food was okay but not great. In the past the customer was able to choose a side, but now two sides are paired with each entree, which was good but the choice is what made the restaurant different. The food was served warm, but not hot. It was a Thursday night and the restaurant was far from busy so there was no excuse for the food not being hot. We are disappointed and as I stated will not rush to come back. read more

I have always given a 5 star. That being said the menu and prices have yet changed again going higher with two sides added of the new owners choice. I was told you could choice your sides. The spaghetti and meatballs have been taken off the menu. That is a bad decision for the Village Tavern has the best in all of Kennebunk/kennebunkport. Does the owner just want his fancy cuisine layout. I'm noticing myself at times bread does not seem fresh. Rich and Tina had built a great restaurant and everyone working there was happy and meals were always delicious. I have been coming usually twice a week and many of my friends are going elsewhere. Where is all the staff that are no longer there. Something is happening and changes seen are negative. Dianne read more

We've been to the Village Tavern several times and it's always been great.... Except a few days ago. I ordered braised short ribs. I've had this a couple times before. I hardly ever eat beef so I figured I'd try it again. It has always been excellent. Not this time. There was so much fat it was ridiculous. If you didn't see it before putting it in your mouth you'd have little balls of fat in your mouth. Snd couldn't really spit it out. $42.00 and IT WAS Gross!!. Mashed potatoes were cold but were replaced with lukewarm ones.I'll NEVER order this again if I go back. Other parties really liked the burgers and said they would go back. Giving a rating of 3 out of 5 - maybe it was just a bad piece of beef. read more

Village Tavern - Fatty beef at Village Tavern. - New American Near Me - Kennebunk, Maine

Great service. You are greeted as you walk in the door. We were seated quickly at a small table. Wife would have like to see some seat cushions on the wooden chairs. I order steak and it was cooked perfectly. My wife order short ribs and it was a little dry. Love the black table cloth table. Parking can be hard to find. read more

Village Tavern - Short rins - New American Near Me - Kennebunk, Maine

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Great food and ambience. Prices are reasonable. Staff is always pleasant and personable

2nd trip to the Village Inn...Thurs night got there around 4:30PM...by 5:30PM there was almost a wait...The Good: everything...Mark's Mule, Wine, Short Ribs, Haddock Fingers , herb potato pancakes, Bread, and the Server: Mark C. - ALL OUTSTANDING.....Can't wait to go back to the Village Inn. Thank you read more

Amazing tasty good. Great price and portion. Staff is very friendly and attentive. Parking is convenient. Atmosphere is welcoming. I will definitely return! read more

Don't know where to begin. This place used to be so special. My mistake for not taking the time to review it back when it was great. Because it's gone so far downhill. I understand that some time ago the old owners sold the place. Richie was such an amazing chef and the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. The new owner (Calvin?) doesn't seem to have what it takes. I know sometimes when a place changes hands, there will be some bumps in the road. And I had hoped things would return to normal. No such luck. Let's start with the people. Everybody there used to look happy. They were all so friendly and eager. When we would go, the same people were always working and it was like they were your family. All the long time staff has now vanished. Even Frankie, who was literally a ray of sunshine, has left. And while the current wait staff does their job well, the spark of joy that was once so present in the dining room is just gone. The drinks. Wow. I've never seen a smaller "pour" on a glass of wine. My Mai-Tai tasted like fruit punch with a dash of Rum. When I looked at the bar i noticed that the gentleman that was always there was also missing. I asked our server and they confirmed he was also not longer working for the tavern. Sigh. As for the food, it's been VERY hit or miss the last few times. I know this is a small detail, but what happened to the butter you serve with the bread? It's just different now...and not good. Some of the seafood as of late has also been rough. Man in an upscale beach community, if nothing else, your seafood should be top notch. I do miss the meatballs too btw. As sad as it makes me to say this, I think we are done going here. I wish the new owner luck. I hope he can turn this around and bring back the quality that made this place famous. read more

Great place. High end atmosphere with wonderful service. Food is spectacular! But.. get there real early bc there is a line down the street if your late! read more

I was so looking forward to the short ribs on a cold winter night - they have always been tender and delicious. Alas, not tonight! Three of us were dining and two of the meals, short ribs and lamb shank, had to be sent back as both meals were cold. When the meals reappeared the mashed potatoes were still lukewarm and one of the ribs was mostly fat! Also had different vegetables. Very disappointing meal - so sad as we always enjoyed dining here. Won't be back soon. read more

We were at the Tavern the first night it opened a have been patrons for all these years. It has always been our go to place for dinner. Over the past several months we've seen a few minor changes most of which we can understand. Portions have gotten a bit smaller which is similar to other restaurants. We've seen many new faces working there as I'm sure hiring is difficult. However Several visits back the asparagus was barely cooked. Recently my salmon was dry and unenjoyable and the Asian slaw tasted different. We've always loved the "23 year starter sourdough bread and Kate's butter." The last several visits that bread was not served and it was a poor substitution, affecting the salad croutons as well. Kindly update the website pricing to reflect the in person menus. I believe all prices should be the same until all coincide correctly. read more

My husband and I used to love to go to the Village Tavern. It was one of the " few" restaurants in the area that was consistently good! The food always A+, the Service and friendliness of the staff was superb! You could always find a friend or two there because it was such a great place. The Bar had great drinks and good Beer and competent Bartenders! The fresh homemade Bread was wonderful and a rare and welcome treat to start off your meal. The Menu had so many great options it was hard to decide. The Menu didn't change daily or weekly so you could always enjoy your favorite food. But Now... New owners...Changed everything! New Menu...All the favorites gone! Prices up... All have increased & quality decreased! Most of the food we used to order is no longer on the menu. They may sometimes serve it as a Special but how disappointing! Prices went up and the food, service and quality went down. I'm just so sad! I can't imagine how Ritchie, the former Chef and Owner must feel to see such a rapid decline. His heart must be broken! I wonder if he can even dine there at all anymore? I do know that my husband & I cannot! It is just not the same!!! Sadly, everything has changed! To have had such a gem in our little town of West K was remarkable and I am so sorry to see it destroyed in less than a year...what a shame. read more

The short rib is excellent! Everything else I've had here is nothing special. Service can often be slow as well.

Needed to eat fast on way to airport. Amazing fast service, and the food was terrific.

Look no further, this is the place where you want to eat tonight. Consistent, fresh, home style vibe. Service is friendly, local and knowledgeable. They make you feel like you're having a fancy meal at a friend's house. Also...this space used to be an old convenience store - the conversion is top notch, but the nostalgia for us makes the meal even more cozy feeling every time. Frankie, Ryan and all of the staff make it happen day in and day out. They are truly part of the experience. read more

I have been going to Village Tavern Since it was opened and have never been disappointed in service or food. Theres no comparing the quality and taste of the food at the Village Tavern . The warm home made bread is the start of a gourmet meal. Hope that never changes. They have done wonders with the ceiling acoustics and the soft lighting adds to the ambiance read more

The food was excellent and the waiters and other staff were very nice. the restaurant is decorated beautifully! I would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

A perfect evening spent with family and friends. We had a great table on the patio. Mark was a knowledge and great server! We enjoyed Halibut cheeks, braised beef ribs and seafood pasta for dinner followed by crème brûlée and chocolate Guinness cake for dessert! Definitely left full and happy! We highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Great service, food and drinks! Wonderful experience from the minute we walked in until we checked out! This place reminds me of a Wisconsin Supper Club with the soft lighting. (Except, the food tastes much better here.) read more

Great food and lots of it. Roasted beets were great. Short rib is super hearty. I had it with Brussels sprouts. Nice combo.

We made a reservation and it appeared it was needed because the restaurant was packed on our arrival at 6:30PM on Saturday evening. My wife and I started with an appetizer of cultivated mussels prepared with crispy capicolla (sic), herbs and Pernod cream. We often have mussels at home and frequently ordered them out, be it east coast or west and every where in between, but only once before have we enjoyed such plumb ones. The one vying for plumpest was on a trip to Prince Edward Island. The remainder of the meal was very good as well. My wife's choice for an entree was pecan crusted native haddock over baby spinach with lemon basil aioli while linguine with pan roasted shrimp, scallops and clams in a roasted poblano cream was delivered to the opposite side of the table. Entrees included one side with my wife's choice of mashed potatoes coming as a surprise to no one while my crispy fried Brussels sprouts with lemon honey aioli was similarly expected and enjoyed. read more

Excellent restaurant! When you go there, you know you're gonna get the best every time you go there. The food is so good all of it.

Have always loved this place, atmosphere is very nice. Attentive wait staff, immaculate throughout. Food always brought us back. Something was wrong Saturday 10/18. This well seasoned restaurant was off. Food, service were not working this evening. We then found out it's been sold. Sorry to hear that. Will be back someday, will need to let the new people come up to speed. I hope they can. We will watch the reviews. read more

During our visit to Kennebunk, this site and many other reviews gave great reviews on this restaurant so we thought we give it a try. Well, we can say we were impressed. At first look, the restaurant had great ambiance, the restaurant had a 30 minute waitlist and the customers looked like they were really enoughing themselves. For us, food and drinks are the most important and is the part that didn't measure up. The seafood pasta was simple, that was nothing special about it, the calamari had pickled peppers and raw red onion which I didn't think went well together, the fried brussel sprouts were also completely burnt, and our drinks were lacking flavor. Sorry and sad to say, we were not dazzled. read more

I've been here many times. It was our favorite place in the area. Sadly, we had a disappointing meal with disappointing service. The bread that was served was very difficult to bite and chew. The broiled haddock was cooked well, the potato pancakes were good, the chicken statle wasn't flavorful, the mashed potatoes wasn't. Additionally the portions were slight. The atmosphere was also different. It was difficult to hear my significant other's comments because of the loud laughter of the servers and the people who were seated far too close to us for comfort. The service pales to how it has always been in the past. Our server was too often hanging by the side of the bar. Our waters needed refilling but she was too busy conversing with her friends. Her timing was way off as well. Definitely not the standard that we had become accustomed to at this restaurant. We will have to find a new place. read more

The world's worst server. Got my order wrong right off the bat. Then said she would send it back to have them cook it better. Then delivered the second time with blue cheese. Took 3 trys then sassed my wife for asking for a refill for the 3rd time. Fortunately, the owner came out before i got up and walked out. Just because someone does not order alcohol does not mean they will not tip you well. Good service is rewarded regardless of the tab total. read more

The food and rinks were amazing. We got the fried goat beet salad as an appetizer. Served new we were sharing so they made two separate plates. Food was plentiful and tasted so good. Service was attentive and nice. Brussel sprouts were crispy. read more

Village Tavern - New American Near Me - Kennebunk, Maine

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Amazing food and ambiance -- got the haddock filet, burger, and lamb, along with a million appetizers -- the mussels, cauliflower, braised beef stew. All SO delicious, would definitely come here again. Such a gem, and great service! read more

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I went here for my first time on Thursday with a friend and sat at the bar and enjoyed an amazing dinner. We started with the crab cakes which were perfectly cooked and delicious. For my entree I enjoyed the petit filet duo with potato pancakes and every bite was amazing. Ended our meal with creme brûlée and you can never go wrong with that. Loved it all so much I came back with my husband few days later. Be prepared to wait but it is well worth it. read more

This place is crazy popular (especially on the weekends). I would recommend calling in early (a week early?) to make reservations OR you can roll the dice and go the evening of and hope for bar seating which we were able to snag. Items we ordered (as of 4/2021) - Panko Crusted Crab Cakes - $15.50 - Just get this. The crab cakes (you get two of them) were plump and packed full of delicious crab. The sweet chili remoulade was the PERFECT accompaniment to the crab cake. Totally worth the price). - Linguini with Shrimp, Scallops and Clams (w/ Fra Diavolo sauce) - $26 - Portion is sized well for one person. The pan searing really brings out the quality of the seafood you get which was plentiful. The Fra Diavolo sauce was well seasoned and had a nice spicy kick to it. Great for anyone who likes seafood. - Braised Lamb Shank - $27.50 - Lamb was extremely tender and easily shredded with a fork. Lamb was meaty and did not have a gamey taste to it. Loved the combination with the Feta and gravy. Definitely a gem in this area. We'll definitely want to come back in the future to try their other offerings (unfortunately we missed out on their duck special which they sold out of). read more

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Loved our visit to the Village tavern. Our waitress Dawn was so nice and very attentive! we were a party of 9 and she took great care of us. The food was amazing had the mussels, calamari, buffalo cauliflower, salmon, lamb shank, braised short ribs, and seafood pasta and it was all delicious! Large portions very reasonable priced! We asked to split dessert and she brought it out already split and on two plats it was great! Can't wait to return! Would 100% recommend. read more

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My husband, three year old son and I stumbled upon a lovely little dinner here. We arrived at 6:30 on a Saturday night in August without a reservation and the host did not bat an eye. We were quickly seated outside in their beautiful covered patio. There were passing showers throughout our meal and the sound of the rain on the thin roof added to the already cozy ambience of string lights and table candles and good music. Our server was Dawn and she was fantastic - warm, casual and always anticipating our every need. My husband enjoyed a delicious raspberry mule followed by the short ribs, complimented by a class of the house Cab. I had the surf & turf special - filet mignon with butter-drenched lobster over a bed of spinach with crispy potato pancakes - to die for. Our toddler and I split the profiteroles for dessert. They came with salted caramel ice cream, homemade raspberry sauce and a rich chocolate ganache shell. I devoured every last bite of everything I ordered. It was the most enjoyable meal I've had in quite some time. read more

Village Tavern - Profiterole - New American Near Me - Kennebunk, Maine

Meh... The vibe that once was, is no longer. For the record, I love and preach change daily as a profession. However, this one seems to need more work and a refocus. The food seems to have really fallen short of even a mediocre grade of sorts. My thoughts are the chef is trying way too hard to fill his own culinary void. For me this particular restaurant was once a staple of good food done VERY well. Now it's nothing more than food done, blah. I always looked forward to the overly exciting banter and the pep in everyone's step. The manager that used to be the true dinner party host has departed. This has ended the true feeling of hospitality in the restaurant.The food... my $25+ burger for instance was a bland way overcooked mess. With a pinch of blue cheese and ZERO hint of truffles. Dry and chewy with a bun that was looking for the 1980's "where's the beef" commercial. It would have fitting for brunoise cut red peppers on the Brussel sprouts. If you're going to pull down a $25+ burger... Do it better than anyone ever could or will. Spin again, reset and remember that you're in the hospitality industry. This is an industry of serving people and creating an event every single night, so fun and exciting that you're so busy patrons either can't get in or they just never want to leave. Your staff is a direct reflection of you. If you let them all go, what message do you intend to send to the folks that have been visiting for years. Especially the ones in their 40's, 50's, and 60's. These folks still have a lot of dining out to do. Lastly our server, who's been working here for some time, was AWESOME! She made the entire table feel like they mattered. read more

Food is always fabulous! Clean, cozy and friendly atmosphere! Staff and peers are wonderful! Drinks are made fresh and delicious! read more