My family (a couple of 30-something's with a 5 year old) meandered into Black Cow this afternoon while walking downtown Portland. For being in the middle of the day on a Saturday, I was actually surprised it wasn't busier; however, with a starving kid it was a blessing. Service was quick and kind, but not overly frilly. The staff were pleasant and incredibly accommodating with my son (offering coloring books if he needed to be kept busy, etc). I loved the location, and the ambiance was stellar. I would love to come back as a date night so I could actually take in the space and really enjoy look over the options, rather than a quick glance so that we could keep our afternoon rolling. I got a chicken sandwich and my husband and son both got cheeseburgers. We split a large fry which was plenty for the three of us. Portions were reasonably sized for the price, and the dirty sauce I got on the side was delicious! The house-made soda was also delightful and refreshing. So, a 3 star is great for the the fact that I didn't really take my time to truly take it all in. But I definitely look forward to coming back and really soaking it all in read more

The perfect walk in burger joint in downtown Portland. We went on a Sunday night at 8 pm and we were able to get seated right away. The ambiance is a classic burger joint: music, loud chatter, etc, but it's perfect for the vibe. Our waiter was attentive, though not overbearing. The food was delicious. I got the crispy chicken sandwich and my wife got the cowboy burger. The buns on both were the star of the show, for us. Clearly handmade in the back, soft and chewy, yet sturdy enough to handle a hefty burger and sandwich. We also got the loaded fries, which were alright. For the price, I don't know if I'd recommend them again, just go with the regular fries. The texture of the fries was perfect, but the pickled onion/ground beef combination was not my favorite. read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Menu - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Omg the burger here was delicious and the drinks were fun. I think this is a great place for a casual dinner. Our server was friendly and service was quick. I was told they make their bread and sauces in-house. There were a variety of milk shakes too and I was soooo tempted but I didn't try them. Maybe next time! read more

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Located in busy/trendy downtown Portland a few short blocks in from Commercial Street. Opened late until 10pm-12am daily. Great environment with lots of seating. We had a few burgers ($12-15) to go. All were really good...seemingly smash-burger style with fresh toppings. We also had some fries but they were pretty soggy...could have definitely stayed in the fryer for a bit longer. Great staff...very helpful and friendly. read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Service was quick an awesome. We went for lunch on a weekday and it wasn't super busy. The place has a cool retro theme and is super spacious. We ordered the cowboy burger, sour cream and onion potato fries and the orange cream soda. The burger was pretty solid, but wish it had more sauce. The fries were thin and crunchy if thats what you like, but the sour cream and onion flavor didnt shine through as much as I thought it would. Overall a solid place for lunch, but pricey for the quality of food. read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Cowboy burger, sour cream and onion fries - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Yet another place specializing in smash burgers in an era when you can't get a burger that's anything but. BUT... they do a good job (not great, but good) in most aspects, from meat to seasoning to crispness/tenderness achieved. Bin is white bread masquerading as brioche. Nothing really to distinguish themselves, but nothing failed. The delivery on a tray and the stiff and lengthy fries reminded me of old-school McDonald's, so there's a nostalgic element too. Seats are a little too close together in the front room, more spread out in back. Nice kids play area. It's much more family oriented than the exterior would have you believe. Closer to a 3-and-a-half, but gotta round up or down, so four it is. read more

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Exchange Street has lots of restaurants to choose from, but we were pleasantly surprised by our dinner at the Black Cow last night. We opted for a single, double smash burgers and a side of dirty fries. The dirty fries were EPIC! Topped with their sloppy Joe, cheese and pickled onions--one bite and I didn't want my burger anymore! Haha! The sloppy Joe is mixed with ground beef and brisket and is not tomato based- it was so delicious. The pickled onions complimented the dish! Smash burgers were good, we opted for no mustard. The side of pickles were good, too sour for me, but hubby enjoyed them. The drink pours were great too. Friendly bartenders made for a great overall night! Get the dirty fries or the slush burger- you won't be disappointed! read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Single, double smash burgers with a side of pickles and dirty fries. - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Updating review because I noticed lunch specials and late night specials on their menu when I was in there last! Good deals!! read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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My biggest issue with Black Cow has always been what it's not: Sonny's. Before the current era of Blyth/Papi/Via and Room/Cuties, there was Sonny's, by far the best cocktail bar in Portland. Spanish-inspired, with music blaring, it was THE bar everyone age 30+ went to after 10 pm, and its closing was a massive hit to the city. Then the same owners filled the gorgeous, 1800's era bank vault with a burger joint, and I just never understood the concept. I still don't. But, let's judge Black Cow for what it is. The Old Port is crazy expensive, and you can get a fantastic smash burger for $11. I would choose this burger over much fancier ones, and you can add house-made shoestring fries for $4 (they're unfortunately soggy). But this isn't a Five Guys clone, because they quietly have an excellent cocktail menu. I guess the concept is to serve affordable, simple food with far better drinks than you expect, in an attractive space. It may not be Sonny's, but it is a refreshing change from the many expensive small plate bars downtown. read more

We had a gift card and we had just finished watching the St. Patrick's day parade. We figured burgers and fries would be an easy sale to the kids. The food at black cow has really dropped. The burger was just the saddest food, sane with the fries. Everything felt so underwhelming for the price point to go out with the family. The service was strange, multiple times things were out but then they weren't. I'm glad we got to use our gift card since it was the last restaurant left (Salvage, local 188) but I probably won't be coming back to the Black Cow. read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Tiny burger. 6 dollars - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

I would've given this place a 4 but boy oh boy their music is so awful I had to ask my husband to plug my ears while I ate my burger with my two hands. The terrible music produced in 2010. I bet it's one worker that puts it on and everyone working hates it but is afraid to say something. SAY SOMETHING! I will be in next week to check and if they are still paying the same thing I will have to find another burger joint where my husband doesn't have to wait to eat his burger while I eat mine. read more

Came with my girlfriend and her mom the night of the tree lighting, was quickly seated and checked on. The burgers were some of the best smash burgers, the bun couldn't hold everything. The brussels sprouts were very memorable, the pickled onion was a nice touch! read more

Food was great, found this place on tik tok. We will definitely make the trip again. Worth the money for sure! read more

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The burgers were PHENOMENAL, and the sour cream and onion fries were so unique and delicious. They have some unique house sodas as well which were amazing. And they somehow got my playlist and were playing it on the speakers. Whoever was on aux playing MCR, The Used, Paramore, etc., I LOVE YOU and please send me your playlist. read more

Being just a short 5 minute walk away, my sisters and I made a reservation for dinner at Black Cow, before attending a show at Merrill Auditorium. There were a ton of people waiting to be helped by the hostess when we arrived. Once it was our turn, we let her know we had a reservation. After a few minutes of scrambling, she returned to let us know they had overbooked and don't have a table for us, but could offer bar seats. We weren't thrilled with the news, but made due. The bartender was super busy and made us feel a bit rushed when she asked us for our drink and food orders, but she was slammed so we understood. I started with a cosmo to drink and we split brussels and sloppy fries as our apps. The veggies were good but I'm not sure I'd do the fries again. I think they could have used a little less meat and a little more cheese. For our meals we got cheeseburgers and a fried chicken sandwich. No complaints on either of these. We all really enjoyed our main course. Unfortunately, we tried to order a banana split for dessert but they returned to tell us they were all out of bananas. So, no table when a reservation was made, no bananas, and fries that were just ok were cons. The burgers and sandwiches were redeeming. I'm averaging it out to an overall 4 but on any given night I feel like there are variables that could swing this review to anywhere from a 3 to a 5. read more

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Best burgers in Portland! A welcoming staff & amazing bar. Try the frenet too. I love the old bank vault and the giant windows that overlook the park. I recommend this place to all who are visiting. read more

Black cow is a lot larger space than I thought. Came in on a Saturday for some late lunch, where we were greeted by a few very young employees. Host sat us down but then our server very thoughtfully offered us a table by the window. Very cool space with old console systems and juke boxes around. I had a classic cheeseburger, and my friend and I shared the sour cream and onion fries. The fries weren't bad, and apparently are a popular choice, but I wouldn't get them again. The taste is there but the texture resembled a measly, wanna-be fry. Burger was pretty good, nothing crazy nor disappointing. I also had their Bard coffee shake which was nothing over the top. It satisfied my sweet tooth ;) read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

i've heard a lot about this place, so i was excited to finally try it. the building is beautiful - such a historic building with beautiful stained glass and great views of post office plaza. i think they could invest more into the decor/vibe, but that's just my personal opinion. i will say i was somewhat underwhelmed by the menu. for a place that specializes in burgers, i thought they would have more specialty burgers on the menu. i was also surprised that the burgers don't include sides. that said, i absolutely love smash burgers and ours were great. our server was very friendly. i'm glad we came! read more

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We had a great experience at Black Cow. Our server was patient and helpful with our questions. We ended up ordering a few burgers, brussels sprouts, and the table fries. Everything was delicious - but the veggie burger and Brussels sprouts got the best reviews amongst our table. The table fries are a fun way to share a nearly endless pile of fries, and comes with an array of sauces. Between the great service, nice environment, and delicious food, I would definitely visit again! read more

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There was very poor service here. While we were seated rapidly, it all went downhill after. The food, admittedly, was good (though the portions of french fries were small for the combo option). The lunch combos are reasonably priced. But the sodas? Straight ice. I'd like to point out that we were also the only party in the entirety of the establishment and yet, it took almost 20 minutes for the drinks to be brought out. Additionally, the food was served on large platters and it was all thrown around. The waitress literally just jostled them down and walked away for us to figure out whose burger was whose. I found myself eating the millennial style ranch that was definitely just truffle oil and black pepper. Side anecdote: My friend ordered a banana milkshake and when it was brought out they announced it was a vanilla milk shake. My friend asked, "Oh could it be banana?". In response, the waitress proceeded to grab the straw and sniff the milkshake. Insane reaction. The table was also not wiped down when we arrived which felt pretty dirty considering it was pretty slow in the restaurant. Overall? Not happy and still hungry. read more

We decided to make a quick dinner stop at Black Cow before a concert in town, which was a great choice! We were running late, but were really happy to quickly get a table on a Friday evening. The staff was super friendly and gave us some great ideas about the menu and the specials. The burgers and fries came out of the kitchen really quickly and were nice and hot. They were really delicious. The restaurant is built into a cool old space which includes mosaic tiles and stained glass windows with really nice woodwork. This is a great spot! read more

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We wanted a casual dinner and thought the Black Cow would be good. We were seated right away. I found it a little unusual that it was so easy to get a table at 7:00 on a Friday night, but it clearly worked in our favor! We waited longer than what I feel is normal for a server to come over. By then, we had decided what we wanted to order. A few minutes later, our server comes back and tells me they were no longer making the cocktail I ordered. They had given me an outdated menu - which also explained why I didn't have the same drinks menu as my husband. We each ordered a cheeseburger, a shake, and an order of fries to share. The burgers were okay. They were a little greasy, but other than that they were fine. The fries were so salty we couldn't really eat them. The cheese sauce we ordered to go with the fries was so runny it didn't stick to the fries. Our shakes tasted okay, but they were kind of thin - I prefer a thicker shake. Nobody came over while we were eating to see if we needed anything or if anything was wrong. When we finally sit our server to bring our check, he asked how everything was and we told him. His response was "awesome". He clearly didn't listen to us! The physical space is cool and we liked the vibe. I don't think we would ever go back. And I think I now know why we got a table so easily at 7:00 on a Friday night! read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - cheeseburgers, salty fries, and super runny cheese sauce - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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This place is like Portland's version of California's In and Out. I love how they serve the food. Milkshakes are so good! And they have other types of cream soda's that look super interesting. Great vibe and great service! read more

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Pete's the man. Burgers smack. We had some good laughs together. I tried ordering a coke and Pete suggested the orange cream. As a ginger I immediately connected and took him up on the recommendation. It was so creamy. Pete was quick on the draw with the beers and innovative with plating to make everything fit on our small table. A true artist. Pete's vision for the restaurant was outstanding. The napkin dispensers are the only thing holding this place back. A complete fucking disaster. Everything else. A+ Pete for presi Pitcher Pete read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Pete's angle - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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A cheeseburger, French fries, and a chocolate shake - a classic American lunch absolutely crushed by the Black Cow, and not in a good way. The tiny burger was lost in a bun that crumbled excessively to the touch. Stale bread crumbles. The burger had no flavor, and neither did the chocolate shake, which was more icy than creamy. The fries were the worst, all the size of those potato sticks you buy in a can. This is my second attempt at this location and I cannot understand why they remain open. The server looked less happy to be there than I was. read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Potato sticks from a can or French fries? - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Came back for more of the sausage egg and cheese goodness! Ordered: TWO sausage, egg and cheeses: unfortunately they didn't taste as unctuous as the last time, the egg appeared smaller or less fluffy than last time and left something to be desired pickles: not as sour as a typical deli style quarter, would have preferred more of their pickled onions as they are more flavorful chicken dip: the chicken is finely incorporated into the cheese so I didn't enjoy the texture as much but the chips were a perfect crunch and loved the fresh onions/chive/celery orange cream soda: not pictured but came out clear, even without the food coloring this tasted like orange cream and blew our minds read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - chicken dip - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Updated review for takeout only: I tried their Peanut Butter shake, Sour Cream & Onion Fries, and Mushroom Swiss (Veggie) Burger. I loved everything I tried-- the shake was perfectly creamy, and the veggie burger may be one of the best I've ever had. It's not trying to imitate a true beef patty, as it's a bean burger, and is incredibly flavorful and savory! Although I could've used a little more swiss cheese, the mushrooms were a great add. The sour cream and onion fries were 100% the standout of my meal. Tasted just like the classic potato chips, hefty (but not ridiculous) portion, great seasoning, thin but not crispy, and came with a delicious side sauce (gravy? poutine? unsure). The Black Cow is not your average burger joint! It's the perfect combination of casual and classy. Will be back! read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Black Cow offers a limited menu of tasty food at reasonable prices. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the prompt, but not pushy service. Dan went above and beyond his serving/bartending duties, chatting with us about the local area and helping to make our visit to Portland even more enjoyable. I had one of the specialty drinks and my partner enjoyed a cold beer. read more

The location is great for the downtowners who need an easy bite or drink after work. It's a bit out of the way for me, so I normally would have to come here with purpose and intention. The burgers are great. They remind me of my greasy-spoon days in Chicago where burgers were no-nonsense, done right, and inexpensive. No need for poncy crap like foie gras or truffles or three additional exotic animals stacked on top. Nice interior space. Walk-in seating still possible on weekends, with a fairly decent turn-around. read more

This is for take-out only. When visiting Portland, Maine, my friend and I wanted a quick meal. When looking through Yelp, Black Cow looked like a good option. The pictures made it appear as a brightly lit restaurant and we were tired from the day, so opted for take-out.. On arrival to pick up the order, I was surprised how dimly lit it was. I really liked the atmosphere. I would have loved to eat there! The food was ready by the time I arrived. We both got cheeseburgers, which I added bacon, sub cheddar, and no onions. I really liked the sauce on the burger. My only was it was super salty. I didn't know if it was the patty or the sauce. I saw they had cocktails on the menu and I definitely would have ordered one with it. Overall, really enjoyed it. Only hoping it's not always so salty. read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Cheeseburger with no onions, add bacon, sub cheddar - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Veggie burger is amazing. Tomato soup is great too. Fries (well done) are fantastic. Service is very good. read more

Black Cow Burgers & Fries - Veggie Burger - Burgers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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burgers and sour cream fries are awesome. the staff was really nice and helpful. the mood there was nice

Nice atmosphere., nice and fast. Had the Swiss burger with bacon and fries. Burger was good and bun was nice (I think brioche buns are boring as $&%-). Fries were maybe not quite fresh as they were a bit cool. Burger has to be cooked through -unfortunately- but at least they are up front about it and don't do the usual thing of overcooking your order. Portions were a good size - not too big but not small. read more

My friends and I stopped here on our way to Maine from Boston and we were not disappointed! The place has a decently upscale ambiance, but the food is served on trays with paper plates. In other words, it's a nice spot but nothing too fancy. Perfect for burgers, fries, and a drink. To start, the egg creams were delicious - the perfect mix of a drink and dessert in one. Apparently the Manhattan is vanilla flavored and the Brooklyn is chocolate. We split the foie gras fries, which were really rich but very tasty. The real star of the show was the burgers. They were flavorful and juicy, but didn't taste too fatty. Even better with some bacon on top! I wish this place existed in Boston. Overall, a big fan - I would highly recommend! Need to come back next time I'm in Portland. read more

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Worst cheeseburger ever had. Meat was overcooked. Grilled cheese is overcooked, bread is burned. And even Coca-Cola tasted weird.

Such an awesome quick dinner spot. The deck was amazing, service was excellent. Food was delicious as well as drinks.

Went for afternoon lunch after a show at the Merrill Auditorium. Our group had the mushroom-swiss-burger (burger itself was good, but served on an unappetizingly cold direct-from-refrigerator bun), the veggie-burger (a bunch of unappetizing chick-pea mash inside a bun), and the fish-sandwich (2" thick deep-fried generic-grease-fish inside a virtually naked bun), a big portion of onion-rings (more grease than onion), and a tiny portion of McDonald's style french-fries, and everything was served unplated on a cafeteria tray For $110 plus tip, was all-in-all pretty poor food and poor experience. Oh, fwiw, the windows are bloody drafty as well. Bring a blanket to cover up if you're seated near them. read more

burgers and dirty fries were delicious. The restaurant and bar service were so accommodating to us with a baby. overall great experience.

stopped in after an event at Merrill Auditorium with family. The burgers were really good and the fries were the best I have ever had. The service was attentive and thoughtful. We will definitely be back. read more

It was a cute ambiance and the drinks were good (wish they would have had the ingredients for the drink I had originally ordered). The sandwiches were good but the fries just tasted like straight oil. What really got us is everything got delivered on plastic trays, kinda felt like we were at McDonald's 2.0 after that. read more