Several more visits since my last review. Some things haven't changed: -- The beers are still great. Swish, Here's to Feeling Good All the Time, Nothing Gold, and Reciprocal are a formidable foursome. At any given time, you can usually get at least two, more often three, sometimes all four. -- You'd be hard pressed (pun intended) to find a better smashburger in Portland, but I'd also put it up against any regularly-offered burger I've had in Portland--smashed or otherwise. I love everything about it, from the high caliber of the beef to the fresh pillowy milk bun to the exhilaratingly strong cure of the bacon to the razor-thin cutting of the vegetables to the execution that gets even a smashburger burger juicy. -- I'm still not crazy about the wings. They have a frozen dinner feel to them. A few things, though, have changed: -- Full service now instead of having to order everything at the bar. That's a plus. -- The place is much more crowded-- including screaming tykes-- on the weekends. Not a plus, but can't fault a place for its own popularity. -- The fries are now the industrial strength coated kind. A big minus and a sad drop off from prior greatness, but better that than from an item off the main cast. -- You can now order beer cans to go from the table rather than having to get in line. A nice convenience. A few things to know: -- It's a surprisingly good option for vegetarians and pescatarians. The veggie burger and the grilled fish sandwich are both much more than solid. -- There's outdoor seating in front of the building and also to the right. -- The bar room to the right of the entrance is adults only, so if those screaming tykes get on your nerves, this is the place to be. -- You can still order beer at the bar if that's your preference over table service. Still a favorite, and the combo of beer, food, and space is tough to beat (Mast Landing and Maine Beer in Freeport are also somewhere in that echelon). read more

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Bissell Brothers still is deserving of the high acclaim and5 star review. One of their most popular Double IPAs, called Swish had a new special Triple IPA version brewed called Super Swish. This beer release brought my wife and I for our visit today. As an IPA fan I enjoyed this new version very much for its hop saturated citrusy forward taste that drank quite smooth for the 9.5%. At this point now Bissell is broken into two separate parts. The first will be the space welcoming to families and is more of their restaurant style area. Appeared to be a popular area and does offer reservations. My preferred area is the Bissell Garden as they call it. Those entering need to be of drinking age and have more lounge vibes where you order at the bar. It still offers full kitchen menu so is perfect. Particularly my favorite is snagging bar stools to grab some beers and food. I had to try out the Super Swish while my wife grabbed their red ale named Turnpike. Then food wise we split their kitchen special Classic Poutine. Some of the best classic kept simple poutine I have had. The perfect comfort food for yet another cold weather day in Maine. Have been impressed by all the food from Bissell. Truly the only negative still stands being the fact it's on Thompson's Point and required paid parking (not Bissell Brothers call but still). One of the most popular Maine breweries for a reason especially in the IPA game. Give all their other style of beers a try too though, top notch brewery! read more

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Perfectly good bar food! Great ambiance. The space feels very open and there's lots of greenery. Very inviting. My friend and I split a few appetizers - the mezze plate (falafel, hummus, veggies, pita bread), the honey barbecue chicken wings, and fries. The portions were very generous and everything was tasty. Not exceptional but definitely good quality and quantity for what you pay for. My vodka seltzer was also very good - I got the strawberry lemonade flavor and it was light and refreshing. On the side of the restaurant we sat on, you order your food at the bar but it gets brought out to your table. Service was prompt and friendly. All in all a good experience! read more

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Was the perfect place to get a beer and some food and casually hang out to watch a football game or get together with a large group. It was very spacious three large areas, one of them, dedicated to smaller groups of 2 to 4 and another area for larger parties. Was very family friendly with lots of families with kids. A lot of food selection not just bar food, but good salads. They also had a very large drink selection, including non-alcoholic and traditional beers and wine and liquor, cocktails, and THC seltzers. The staff was super friendly. Would let you try a beer and give you good recommendations. Very casual ordering too. You could order at the bar and create multiple tabs per table if needed. They did not do flights but they did half pours. My favorite by far was fr he swish. It won Maine IPA of the year both 2024 and 2025. read more

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Like most established New England breweries, I've been going to BBB for quite some time and still remember waiting in line for hours when they would do their first swish drop of the season. As good beer has become so ubiquitous now, I don't get up to BBB as often and was excited to try their new to me restaurant. The food was decent and complimented the beer. I had the Reuben and it had good flavor. The ratio of pastrami to sauerkraut was a little off and could have used either less kraut or more meat. The fries were crispy and delicious and my kids enjoyed their burgers. The beers were great, especially the stouts; something they aren't particularly known for. My only complaint is that some of the cans I took home were oxidized and few were even undrinkable. They were canned within the last couple of months so it doesn't really make sense to me. Either way, sink pouring $30 worth of cans was disappointing. I'm glad not all of them were bad but I don't think any of them should have been given their age. read more

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The boys were stoked to stop at this bar/restaurant before heading back to Boston! We opted for the bar area which has a very modern vibe and lots of plants and greenery - pleasing to the eyes. The bartenders were super charismatic which I loved and they were also kind to find me a replacement when the meal I ordered was unavailable. We landed on pretzels, burgers, and hot chicken sandwiches. The burger was SO flavourful - I'm not much of a burger orderer at restaurants but this is just what I needed after a day of paddling on the water. Beers were phenomenal-- IPAs all around. It's what Bissell does best read more

Bissell Brothers - Bar (part was closed off for a private event) - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I made my way back up to Portland after a few years and stopped into Bissell Brothers for some beers and a bite to eat. The Swish was delicious as were the other beers I had that I can't recall the names of. They make a good hazy ipa. I had the fish tacos and they had a real kick to them, a bit too much for me personally but that's no fault of theirs, they were still tasty, I just prefer a flour tortilla over corn. Overall, a large, clean space with outdoor seating. Outside we placed our order via QR and staff brought things out, but you have to clean up after yourself and go back in for anything else, like water. Worth a stop if you're in the area. read more

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Awesome brewery to take off my bucket list. Wished they offered flights so I could try more of their beers. Place was entirely full with only two seats available at the ass end of the bar. Got some Swish to go ! Parking was free I believe. read more

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I was visiting Portland and stopped by for a beer and a late lunch. The space was open and clean, had a cool vibe. There was a strong funky hop smell but I feel like that's normal for somewhere that a lot of beer is brewed lol. The staff was very friendly, they made some recommendations and let me taste a few beers to help me decide. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich with hot honey. The chicken was crispy, the slaw was good, and I enjoyed the pickles! I truly couldn't believe I had to pay to park in a huge empty industrial park at 2:30 pm on a Wednesday, minus one star for that. read more

Bissell Brothers - 12oz pour of Lux at the bar high top - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

Bissell Brothers Brewing Company is a craft brewery that opened in Portland, Maine in December 2013. It was founded by brothers Noah and Peter Bissell. The brothers both grew up in Milo in Central Maine. Noah had an obsessive love for homebrewing while Peter had burgeoning experience in entrepreneurship and marketing. In November 2011, they conceived the idea of their own brewery which they dubbed "Bissell Brothers". Although they had no experience of any kind in commercial brewing or manufacturing, hey saw a hole in the market, both in types of beer, and ways to sell it. They would spend the next two years on a crash course of personal and professional development. They set up shop at 1 Industrial Way in Portland. The brewery was officially incepted in December 2013 when they sold their first kegs of beer, "The Substance Ale", to The Thirsty Pig. By April 2014, the brothers opened a public taproom at the brewery. Before long, the brewery had taken off and they outgrew their location. The brothers found a new waterfront location that had originally been home to the Maine Central Railroad. A new larger brewery and taproom opened here in June 2016. Today, Bissell Brothers has a reputation for being not just one of the best breweries in Maine, but in the entire eastern United States. I visited Bissell Brothers for the first time this past summer while I was vacationing in Maine. After cycling the Eastern Trail that morning, I set course for the brewery. I arrived for lunch, not long after they opened for the day. Bissell Brothers had been on my bucket list for a long time, so I was very excited. The place was immaculate and had so many seating options inside and outside. I headed for the smaller taproom (which had a more intimate setting) and grabbed a seat at the bar. I started off first with a short pour of their flagship IPA: "The Substance". It tasted amazing, especially after a long bike ride on a hot day! For food, I had the "Nashville Fried Chicken Sandwich" (buttermilk-brined chicken thigh, house-made pickles, hot chili oil, local honey, creamy slaw, griddled bun) and "Fries". They were absolutely fantastic and paired well with the beer! Other beers I tried during my visit were "Double Substance Ale" (Double New England IPA), "Swish" (Double New England IPA), and "Night Harvest (w/ Raspberries)" (Imperial Stout). Every beer I tried was fantastic, but the latter was truly exceptional! I highly enjoyed my experience at Bissell Brothers and I must name them as a premiere Portland craft beer destination! read more

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Was thoroughly impressed with this whole experience. We had excellent service. I'm not the biggest beer person anymore so it was great to see a full bar and was pleasantly surprised that the Coconut Margarita was so good! The food was delicious and the space is so cool and vibey! Loved this! We are locals so we will be back! read more

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Our first time here at this establishment. Heard great things about this place. Food + drinks were great! Loved the ambiance and space. Will definitely come back again. read more

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Absolute gem on Thompson Point. Love that they have a 21+ section separated from the children! Shoutout to Heart of Pine. Fried chicken sandwich and the burger were unbelievable. Loved how it was a smash burger with the special sauce that was everything I wanted in a burger. Fish tacos were fresh but a little spicy so be warned! Definitely get the fries with the honey mustard fan. As an avid fan of breweries with phenomenal food, so far this is my leading #1 in Portland. read more

Bissell Brothers - Fish Taco, chicken sandwich, burger - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

We made a stop at Bissell Brother ls after a visit to the Cryptozoology Museum next door (that's a whole 'nother story). But we were pressed for time before putting folks on a flight home and this was a convenient spot. Bissell Brothers is the North Star for beer lovers for sure. But less known are their tasty bar foods. We enjoyed the Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich and fries as well as a really tasty pretzel. The staff at Bissell is friendly and knowledgeable and got us our food quickly, which is just what we needed! The brewery is exactly what you'd expect: large, airy, and appropriately decorated. There's even a spot to buy beer to take home. It's a great spot st Thompson's Point! read more

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While we just stopped for a brew my wife and enjoyed everything about this place. A bustling Saturday afternoon complete with a full house that seemed to be running like a well oiled machine. Our neighbors at the outdoor bar enjoyed multiple appetizers and raved about the flavors and the portions. We went back inside to grab a few bottles to enjoy at home since we loved our beers. read more

Bissell Brothers - We bought these... Betwixt & Between, and Presence of Another World. We tried Sigil XIII and Angels with Dirty Souls. - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Always great to find a cool brewery around but even better with food that you remember. Got the garlic parm wings and after trying many wings all over RI these are definitely a treat for the people of Portland. Crispy, fried to perfection and a garlic parm sauce that you will remember. The fries were your average frozen fries but even some places today mess up that. Had a great selection of ciders and beer and the one pictured was a sweeter one which I liked. The server and host were friendly lot to look at in the inside and was very clean which is always great to see read more

Bissell Brothers - Cider - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Okay the maple soft serve icecream with lemon and sea salt is amazzzzzing. Wasn't drinking but all my friends loved their beers. Cool vibe and cool that there's a 21+ up side and family side. Loved it here read more

Bissell Brothers - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Friendly staff, great atmosphere. The veggie burger was amazing. I normally am disappointed by veggie burgers but this one was packed with flavor and was phenomenal. read more

Stopped here for a quickie brunch and really excited to return. What a beautiful tap room with bright lights, beautiful plants and a welcoming vibe. Brunch was delicious, the beer selection incredibly diverse and everyone was friendly. We tried the pickle plate, sampled several of the deeper flavored beers but I chose the lager to accompany my meal. Excited to return! read more

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Great food, great drinks, great service! I don't love that you have to pay for parking, but that's not on the restaurant. They actually do their best to make sure people do pay and don't end up with tickets. We stopped here for a quick dinner with friends and it was perfect. We were in and out in under 2 hours and were a decent-sized group. I would definitely stop here again! read more

Foods average but way too overpriced. Have to by any sides seperately. Beer selection is just ok. Also have to pay just to park here or else they walk around and ticket everyone without a parking pass. Won't be coming back. Not worth it. read more

Steve and I recently had Bissell Brothers from Portland, Maine. I have dove into this city a couple of different times with their brewery community and have usually pretty good experiences. Bissell Rrothers was no exception. We had the Lux Pale Ale which we liked pretty well Flavor features with this pale ale are about what you get with typical pale ales which are hopy, tropical and with this one a bit spicy. The beer itself is light bodied and smooth which was nice to see. read more

Bissell Brothers - Lux Pale Ale from Bissell Brothers! - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

Not even close to what it used to be. French fries are now the cheap Sysco frozen fries. Most of them were still frozen together in a clump when served. Pathetic and no effort put forth. Salad was sad - no more legendary Kale salad available. Table service a bad idea. Waitress mucho attitude. Paying to park is ridiculous. Very lame - needs to return to greatness. read more

The experience was exceptional. Food fabulous. Great service. I did experience something that I have never had done in a restaurant. I asked for a side of mustard and mayo to go with my burger. They brought two little containers which was fine. But they charged $1.00 each for the mustard and mayo. Really now. Has any other restaurant ever done this. For this item, I rate them a big zero. What a penny pinching insult. read more

Bissell Brothers was highly recommended and it more than lived up to the hype. It was busy on a Saturday afternoon and despite the crowd, staff was super friendly, helpful, and attentive. They had a good amount of seating inside, a patio outside, a side room for private events, and a mezzanine that also looked it could be rented. This was also a great spot to watch a game - they were projecting one of the big college football games - with one projector, I would make share to check in advance to make sure they are playing the game that you want. The beers were good with a decent selection of IPAs, stouts, and lagers. They had a good food menu as well. One little tip is that parking costs a few dollars an hour and they do check the meters frequently on weekends so make sure to pay when you park. read more

The beers were unreal good, I've been wanting to come to this place for a long time. I was excited to see a wider portfolio than just IPAs and hazy IPAs. They had an old barley wine on tap that was amazing, hard to find some of the darker styles lately. I came in 30 minutes before closing time, was able to get a taster and a couple of small pours along with some stuff to go. Staff was very accommodating and thankful for my business. read more

Bissell Brothers - Beer - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

First off, my buddy was told by the bartender he could only order 1 beer at a time (and I quote "can't let ya do that bud"). He was part of a party of 4+ people and we had ordered food and beers previously. Down the bar from us at a different bartender, a single patron walked away with 3 beers and a glass of wine. Immediately soured our experience. My buddy was stone cold sober as he had only one 4% beer before going back to order. The food is mediocre for the price. Burger wasn't anything special. Sandwiches don't come with chips or fries. I feel like Bissell has become more of a tourist place over the past year or so, much to their detriment. Maybe it's my rose colored nostalgia glasses, but I think it used to be better. The beer is decent, which is probably the only draw. Only reason I went this time is proximity to Thompson's Point. I probably won't return. read more

This place is the new Chucky Cheese. Almost every table has 2+ very young children. Music very loud. Food and beer are very good. read more

Bissell Brothers - Taps - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

This place had a great selection of stouts, as well as other types of beer. We tried a bunch and I can't say I had one bad one. The gentleman at the bar was very helpful and personable. There was plenty of seating and a second level with additional seats. The food looked delicious but I cannot speak on the quality, as we only stopped in for drinks. Definitely will return here wherever I'm in Portland. read more

Bissell Brothers - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great beer, friendly staff, they even have a run club! My personal favorite was the Swish Lite, they do also serve food although we didn't have any. Stop in and try them out! read more

Bissell Brothers - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

The food was fine but not great-- very bland/boring/one-note. We didn't get alcohol, which is what this place is really known for. We tried the burger, KBBQ sandwich, fries, and French onion soup, and the only thing we'd get again were the fries. The fries were stellar and absolutely perfect-- everything a fry should be. read more

I love this place! Great beer and food. Very family friendly. The staff seems to love their job and that makes such a difference in the service. I come to Portland Maine 5-6 times per year and I stop here every single time read more

Bissell Brothers - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

Bissell Brothers is conveniently located right next to the children's museum!!! After the kids played, the parents got to have their own fun! The building and area is very nice, having to pay for parking in that area, did seem a bit tacky. The beers not only are very good, but they have a lot of high abv options, which is not always easy to find! The food is also AMAZING! My smash burger was perfect, the combat sauce on it reminded me of a spicy French dressing, my husband loved his Nashville hot chicken sandwich and the fries were on point! My daughter tried garlic parm wings and the guava and mango swirl ice cream. The wings had great flavor and the perfect outer crisp. The ice cream was super yummy, with the little lime zest and sea salt on top, made for an extra unique flavor! I knocked off a star because I feel for the size of the brewery and the amount of staff, it would be more of a sit down and have waitstaff, type of restaurant. Getting up to order, then getting back up to retrieve my meal and again if we wanted more beer, made the vibe a little off for me. Also, the employees didn't seem extra friendly by any means, except the man in the kitchen, he had a great personality! read more

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One of my coworkers recommended this place, me and my husband are not big beer drinkers, I had the wildflower beer under "wild and funky" which was really good, and we were so blown away by the food, especially the Nashville hot chicken sandwich, so flavorful juicy and crispy! We both agree that it's the best hot chicken sandwich we have ever had so far! The wings and fries were also delicious. It's such a cool place, lots of parking space, services are great, short wait time! Will def stop by again! read more

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It's exactly what you'd expect from a lively brewery! Right next to the children's museum, family friendly. We had the substance IPA, some Prosecco, the raspberry baby genius. There's a merch section, upper level seating but can access via wheelchair. The staff are super friendly and catered to our large group of 9 people. Bathrooms were a little dirty but nothing unexpected from a busy brewery at 3pm. We had a blast and will definitely be back. read more

Bissell Brothers - Menu - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

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It's hard to believe that Bissell was originally crowdfunded to even exist. I strongly regret not investing! Because now Bissell is the single best brewery experience in Maine. It's also the most "bar-like" brewery, especially with their new addition. They took over the old Cellardoor/Rosemont space and knocked the wall down, while keeping the enormous, room-spanning granite bar. I can't envision myself ever sitting in the original space again, so I can't comment, though I've heard the switch to table service hasn't been popular. In addition to Bissell having the biggest indoor brewery space in the city, it's also easily the best food. While bar food staples populate the surprisingly extensive menu (burgers, wings, chicken and fish sandwiches), everything is elevated. I'm actually doing Bissell a disservice by comparing the food to other breweries. It might be one of the best in the city for bar food, period. It's better than Dewey's, for instance. The wings are my current favorite, of anywhere. And the chef is allowed to experiment with fun and unexpected daily specials. Think forays into sashimi, Indian and even Mexican food. The gluten free and vegetarian options are also strong. As an avid meat eater, even I order the beet or eggplant sandwich as a healthier option, and both are delicious. I'm a fan of Bissell beer and love the brand, but Apres hard seltzer, Artifact hard cider and canned wine is also available. By the time you read this they will have a full cocktail menu, including espresso martinis and Palomas. They encourage you to start a tab when you order, and annoyingly keep your credit card, which seems unnecessary in 2024. This is also a very popular brewery, so service can vary, but is usually good. The paid parking situation is awful, but not Bissell's fault, and I'll save my rant about the greedy owners of Thompson's Point for a different day. The competition for best brewery experience is a two way race between Bissell and Allagash (who is opening a new tasting room later this year), but Bissell is the easy victor, for now. read more

Stopped her to see the new expansion. They now have a whole area where cellar door used to be that is 21+ and gives you the full bar experience with TVs and a huge bar. We sat at a table in the other area and the service was quick and friendly. I got wings and fries, and my friend got the chicken sandwhich. The food was good but a little on the pricey side. (15$ for a chicken sandwhich with no side). I'm not a huge beer drinker but people love their beer and they have lots of choices. They also have wine and seltzer options. Overall a great brewery with good food! read more

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DO NOT EAT HERE WITH CHILDREN - you will be ignored! Dined with my 7 year old and was told at reception that it could be a 15,20, 25 minute wait for a table inside, "it's hard to know." Was told about outside area with picnic tables and QR codes to order. Was waiting already 30 minutes when party sat down and within 10 minutes had food delivered. I asked where food was. It came out 1015 minutes later COLD. Was told by server hey if I wanted a refill on a ginger ale to order from qr code or stand at bar. This after waiting then well over an hour for completely cold food. Other parties with children were also shown this outside seating and promptly left. It's sad as it's one of the only options in the area for people visiting the children's museum. read more

What a great spot ! Bissell brothers makes some amazing beers. ! If you are an ipa lover you will enjoy their brews. They make some tasty ones ! It's a large space so room for everyone. They also have delicious food there so you can grab a nosh and keep drinking. If you park in the lot please be sure to pay at the meter so you don't get a ticket or towed. Bissel brothers is a great spot and a must stop for all craft beer lovers ! read more

Bissell Brothers - My new hubby and I ! - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine

Very uniquely decorated brewery with lots of space inside. They have a great food menu, we loved the hummus appetizer and the table next to us got an amazing looking hot chicken sandwich. The beer is unreal, especially if you really like hazy IPAs. The only weird part was that we took our dog and they don't technically allow dogs, even on the patio. They did allow us to stay but said that if it got busy on the patio we may have to leave. Overall amazing brewery and beer I'd just recommend leaving the dig at home to avoid a slightly awkward situation. read more

Bissell Brothers - Breweries Near Me - Portland, Maine