Triple play in the food =above average Service = friendly timely and willing to help Ambiance= true dive bar retro! Loved it read more

This place looks like a dive but the grub is good. Hubby and family have dined here before and a few of them rave about the Mac & cheese. Perhaps I'll try that next time. It was bit late (around 8 pm) when hubby and I went. There was a line but they got it going pretty quickly. We were sat in about 10 minutes. Our server was accommodating and friendly. Hubby ordered one of the beers on tap while I requested for some cold water. I opted for fish and chips while hubby ordered their chicken sandwich. His came with the house chips while mine came with fries. His was supposed to have been swapped with fries. His was not quite right but he still thought it was good and didn't bother to get it replaced. As for my fish and chips, some of my fries were too overdone to my liking. I thought the food was decent but could have been better. The vibe was good, music reminded me of my former band's repertoire in the early 2000s. Their decor is Big Lebowski-inspired. They are popular with locals who just want to hang. Prices were reasonable for Portland standards. Will give them another try. read more

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I had a great experience at CBG bar and grill. My breakfast sandwich was one of the best I've ever had. And the vibe was nice too. I stopped by CBG bar and grill on a Sunday morning. When we got there around 11, there was no one inside! (They had just opened), so we had no wait at all for a table. The inside was nice, it wasn't the most spacious, but was decorated nicely had a homey vibe with a lot of wood paneling. The waitstaff was very nice too. I got the breakfast sandwich off the brunch menu. It was so delicious - the bacon was very crunchy, and the biscuit was delicious and not dry. It was a bit greasy, but I was ok with that. Also - my home fries were good, which is uncommon :) I loved the seasoning on them. You might have to streetpark/ pay for parking though. Overall, food was great & the vibe was nice. I'd recommend this place for brunch. read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Breakfast sandwich (brunch menu) - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Walking into the venue we didn't expect much as at first glance it is dark and not very clean. I'm so glad we stayed bc omg was the food good! At the advice of the server whose name I do not recall I ordered the Veggie burger without cheese and it was perfect! The fries were also excellent. The wings were great, the Smashburger was great, the Arancini was great. Absolutely no complaints at all! read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Veggie burger - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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A gem of a dive with amazing food. Gone a few times and the food has always been amazing, such good fries, hearty portions, the steak and cheese was amazing. I've had friends/family enjoy Mac and cheese, fish and chips, poutine, and the burger. It's such a solid neighborhood spot and I hope it never goes away! This will be my go to late night bite for the foreseeable future. Service is always good. Vibe is very much vintage dive and it does that well. It's not a quiet place to sit and talk but hey, that's fine with me. read more

Great drinks and a fun vibe around this place. Enjoyed sitting at the bar. Fast service!

After a day wandering Congress Street shops, my wife and I decided on CBG and we were thrilled with everything here. The 80's Dive bar vibe was straight out of my childhood but don't be mistaken, the food and cocktails were absolutely modern. Waitstaff were extremely friendly and we didn't wait long for anything. I had the pork schnitzel and couldn't have been happier- crisp but still tender. read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Pork Schnitzel with Potato Salad and Coleslaw. - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

They aren't joking when they say it is a dive bar. It is a total dive bar but the food is great. If you are fine with the dive bar atmosphere and want very good bar food this is a great place. read more

I got the fried chicken sandwich and the mold cider and both were absolutely amazing. The mold cider was incredible and warm, which was nice because it was cold. The fried chicken sandwich was also absolutely amazing as the chips I came with it. Everything was so fresh and delicious this place was half bar half place where you can eat which was kind of cool. The service was very nice. Everyone who worked here was really nice. read more

CBG Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Last minute decision because my friend wanted a burger. And it was a great burger. Made to order and with a cocktail of choice, my friend never ordered anything off the menu. Always has an alteration. Ha ha Great spot for groups and to just chill. Always have a fun movie playing over the bar which is nice to nerd out here and there. The music can be loud which makes you talk louder. But the vibe is definitely a place to chill and not care what is going on outside. Nice menu variety. I had a food event earlier at work so the garlic hummus was a nice choice. read more

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The food here is so good! The steak and cheese is a top menu item. Definitely a great spot in Portland. read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Cheeseburger and steak and cheese sandwich - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

I have been meaning to come here for a bit, and previously have skipped it a couple times because it looked too crowded. Today though, it was just about empty. I think I would rather have sat outside but instead was seated at a long table in the middle of the bar. I suppose I could have asked to sit outside, but being forward with things is not something I'm good at, that's a me problem. CBG has just about no atmosphere. Like there's a disco ball, for some reason, but that's about it. I suppose if you're there with people it wouldn't matter as much. That's another me problem. I think I have a few of those. The gnocchi was not a me problem. The gnocchi was absolutely delicious and perfect and amazing. This is a dish you MUST get. Yes. I also got the blue hawaii drink, which I had seen good reviews of on here, but I didn't think it was that special. It did make me feel delightful inside though. The service was kind of blasé, blah. I liked that they gave me the check in a small mug, that's was cute. The prices are on the high side, but I do think I will eventually be back as other dishes were very appealing - especially the pork and potatoes and the breakfast fried rice (note to future me who is not sure what to order). read more

CBG Bar & Grill - gnocchi - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great spot if you're going to The State Theater. It's not a huge place, so give yourself time or get lucky! We got this place up right after a comedy show and were seated right away at a shared bar high top. The service was understated and smooth. Ambiance: retro cool with vintage beer neons a giant photo poster of The Big Lebowski. Super polished dive bar vibes. The food menu was small but effective in American bar fare. Cheeseburgers with the Dude, but also a delicious Korean inspired breakfast rice bowl and other surprising offerings make up the menu that reads like the chef's favorite things. I'll go again and again! read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Bacon and Egg fried rice - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Short answer: Skip. Long answer: From the moment I walked in, this felt like a hipster attempting to recreate a dive bar atmosphere. It's dark. The music is rather loud. The TV screen is displaying... random movies from random online sources. It finished a Dungeons & Dragons based movie while we were there and switched to... Spongebob???? Anyway, our waitress was really not that good. Kept giving us more time to place an order, meaning several minutes of nothing after we had figured out what we wanted. Said I couldn't bring in anything outside, which I get, but made a much bigger deal out of it than needed. Fine, I won't drink my water in here, I'll drink your water, but if I don't have a pocket that fits a 24 ounce water bottle, is it that much to ask to just sit it there for a bit? I found the other waitstaff much better - cleared dishes quickly, refilled my beer promptly, very polite. So it was just her, but that was a problem. Beer: Felt like a small selection for a bar. Nothing I really liked, fortunately one of the beers there was palatable to my tastes. Food: Again, felt like a small menu. Nothing lobster related is unusual in downtown Portland. Fish and chips came out with my friend having 3 fish and me having 2 fish?? Even if it's the same amount of fish (I'm not convinced), if two people in the same table order the same dish, you should be trying to make it identical. Really not the right approach here. The fish felt a bit overbattered, the fries ran out of things to dip them in (fortunately I was brought more on request), the coleslaw was freshly cut so there's a positive point there. In the end, for the prices we paid, there really didn't feel like enough here to warrant a repeat visit. Provide more beer, or more food, or an actual table to sit instead of two chairs at a counter with 8 other people and calling that our table. Provide better service and get actual TV to watch, because people at a bar should be able to watch sports instead of cartoons. Sorry, I'm not a hipster, so my experience is just that this is not for someone looking for a bar. read more

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This place continues to baffle me on exactly what it is, or wants to be. It's clear they're going for an Amvets/dive bar aesthetic with elevated food, but the problem is they don't have even one particularly cheap tall boy, pitchers, or better yet, a shot and beer combo or two. Maybe that's just not possible in this location? It feels like it wants to be the Tomasos/Ruskis/Villa of the arts district, but all of those places have better deals, which in turn bring a certain clientele, which in turn makes them the lively, actual divey bars they are. The last time I visited, in lieu of the non-existent happy meal (beer/shot combo), I got an okay priced tall boy and they had full and half pours of whiskey (?). I thought maybe I had cracked the code and that since no one in their right mind would actually get 3/4 of an ounce of whiskey, that a full pour would be a bit stiff. Nope. Not sure if it was measured in a jigger, but it looked to be. I would call this being very unDude. I've never had any issues with the staff. The food is generally good and the vibe is at it's at it's best in the later hours of the evening. I'm happy it's here, it's kind of fun, and you could undoubtedly do worse elsewhere, but if I had only a day or two in Portland, I would hit all the aforementioned spots first. read more

The food and the service were both wonderful. I got the apple crisp French toast and a side of bacon. The bacon was cooked to perfection. The French toast was amazing. The only reason why I give 4 stars is because the restaurant looked like a taxidermist's office and the faux wood paneling gave me some 70's PTSD. All that aside, I'd come back. read more

Fantastic little spot for a drink and a great smash burger! Loved the vibe of the space being low key yet cozy and charming. Friendly service read more

Stay away from this restaurant the food is horrible and the atmosphere is horrible. Service sucks. Go spend your money on a burger at McDonald's. read more

A person at the coffee place "Novel," recommended this place. The guy I spoke with extolled CBG on a number of food fronts. I tried just a couple things, but I look forward to another visit to Portland to try more food. This was a pretty good place. It's a typical bar. Generally friendly people and a generally bar-type food. The deep fried cauliflower was extremely good. The Mac and cheese was ok, but it had a boxed Mac and cheese taste to it. The White Russian was strong, but not made with Kahlua. read more

Last night was my first time trying to come to this place. We had friends that were inside already at a table. There was one group waiting inside to be seated. As we started to walk inside, this extremely rude female waitress pushed her way through holding the door open and says "I'm letting my people out" as if we were an inconvenience. I then nicely said a group of our friends are in the back corner, basically trying to ask if it was possible to sit with them. Mind you we have never been there before so wasn't sure in the sitting arrangements. She rudely walks away saying "I already told them there's no room". The place was not overly busy either and it was 445pm. We did end up walking over to say hello to our friends. We were not in any ones way, did not cause a scene, were not rude to this woman. She then continued to be rude to our friends and took there drink away and said I just want you to pay and then you can leave. This female, the male bartender and another male worker were so rude and not helpful when asked what the issue was. They should all be fired as they showed zero customer service skills. We will never go back to this place because of these employees. read more

When I first moved to Portland this was one of our favorite spots to go. We loved the vibe and the food and always enjoyed our casual experiences here. Recently, everytime we go the staff is fairly rude/absent, but we have kept coming back because we like it. Last night, we went and had such a bad experience. I ordered a veggie burger, and it came out as a cheeseburger. I noticed before even taking a bite and asked the man who dropped off our food about it. He said it was rung in as a cheeseburger but he would have the kitchen fix it right away. Our server never came over to apologize for the mix up or to check on us or anything. In fact, we didn't see him again until it was time for the bill. When I received it, I noticed the bill had 2 cheeseburgers on it, and I asked him if he could correct one of them to be a veggie burger, seeing as there is a price difference. He proceeded to laugh in my face and say loudly "ok sure, but you DEFINITELY ordered a smash burger btw" I have been a vegetarian my entire life and am certain I did not. He then came back with our receipt and slammed it down so hard in front of me that all the glasses on the table shook. I work in the service industry in this town, and really love the community we have of industry workers, so I was really disappointed by this experience. I was not being a karen, I did not make any complaints when my food didn't arrive until the rest of my party was done eating. I didn't ask for a discount. I just wanted to pay for what I actually ordered and was met with an over the top display of aggression and entitlement. This place is a dive, I know you're not going to receive the best service, but the least you should be able to expect is to be treated decently. I will miss hanging out here, but I won't be returning. There are a lot of places in town to get a beer and some casual food, where the staff doesn't treat you like you are an annoyance to them by merely patronizing the establishment. Try Tomaso's instead read more

CBG has totally grown on me! This is probably the nicest bar staff in Portland. These guys are so friendly, they remember you and your drink order, they're just the absolute best. It really does feel like a neighborhood bar that cares about its locals. The food is pretty damn good too. Their French fries are INSANE. I haven't had anything here I didn't like. It's a Portland paradise and I'm grateful we have it. Pro tip: get the blue Hawaiian drink. It's like five drinks in one and it's AMAZING read more

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We were staying at a hotel on Commercial Street and was looking for a place that is open on Christmas Day. We unexpectedly came upon the CBG Bar because we ordered Chinese food across the street. Imagine a dive bar that also serves quality cocktails. I was really impressed by their cocktail menu. They also have a kitchen that serves basic bar food if you are hungry. I saw a lady ordered their smash burger and it's huge. Very reasonable prices and friendly service. An interesting place to drop by for a quality cocktail at an interesting venue before a night out. You be happy with the drink and you will also save some cash. Cheers. read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Outstanding Aviation. - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Its a super dive bar vibe, with wood paneled walls and retro furniture. When I first walked in I thought I had the wrong place, surely this was just a bar and not a place I could get lunch too? But then I was handed a menu and saw they had a really decent selection of both food and drink. I had the Fried Chicken Sandwich (topped with Virginia Ham, Swiss Cheese, LTO, honey mustard). Very good but incredibly messy to eat. My favorite was the Ham and Cheese fritters though, and I was sorry I only had one of those, because they were the star of the show. If you find yourself in downtown Portland and want a laid back, chill place with all the fried comfort foods you want, this is the place for you! read more

CBG Bar & Grill - interior - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Food was good fries were super yummy and the wings were great! Vibe was good a little loud but kind of fun if that's what you are looking for. Server was great and attentive. read more

When we first walked in it was very unassuming and looked like any other local bar. We were meeting family before a show at the theater. We ordered drinks which were very reasonably priced. Onto the food. I got the steak sandwich and it was amazing. It was hard to believe we were in a local bar. Server said beef was from local farm. My wife got the veggie burger which we were surprised was even on the menu. She said it was great! Advice...don't judge by appearance. Food, service were great and prices very reasonable! Servers were very attentive and food was great. read more

Great dive bar to grab a drink and quick bite. My recommendation is the Ribeye and tenderloin steak sandwich with fries. The other half really likes the creamy Mac n cheese with spinach. We stop when in town for an event or show. The staff is super friendly and provides excellent customer service. If I'm there are don't let the eclectic atmosphere turn you away, still in and support this great small business. read more

My sister and I hit CBG after doing an Escape Room which is just a block or two away. She had been here many times and had told me they had remodeled since she went last. I was surprised to walk in and see a "throw back" upgrade. It was like I was sitting in my living room late 80's/early 90s. Think "Stranger Things" vibe. The dish-ware and paneled walls made it feel familiar. The bartender was personable and friendly. We only tried the brussel sprout app and washed it down with a quick adult bevie, but based on our experience, I'd return for another go around. read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Maple bacon brussels with Parmesan - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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The decor and drink menu are so cool. But the menu needs a vegan option. Even the veggie burger has cheese. Humus is an overdone app for vegans, although I appreciate the effort I know that whoever thought up this place ca be more creative... How about some .tater tots or veganaise and ketchup with crudite....very late 70s early eighties snacks would be great. read more

Incredibly RUDE host. No one was at the front door. We walked in to ask the bar a question & she came from the BOH & SCREAMED at us "hey hey I need you ALL back here" we walked back & apologized. She than continued to say "you didn't see the BIG fucking sign here!?" ( Also grabbed the sign & gestured underlining it) I'm sorry but is this Dicks Last resort cause it seemed like it. I immediately told my boyfriend we have to go somewhere else (because of how loud and unprofessional she was acting). She starred at me and said "Good-See Yah!" So we ended up across the street at Lazzari. Lazzari welcomed us with open arms! I ask you, please improve your front of house. It's terrible practice for that woman to be the face of your industry. Shame on her for being so incredibly rude that we literally didn't even want to sit in your establishment. We might be back as long as she isn't working. read more

Perfect afternoon beverage location. Lots to look at! Good music, not too loud. Eclectic drink menu. Fantastic fish & chips. Delightful staff. We will return!! read more

very cool place. has ambiance of a local lowkey midwest bar in the 80's. i loved it. music was chill, service was friendly and attentive. food excellent. recommend especially the homemade potato chips - !! read more

This was a great meal. I ordered the breakfast fried rice, so yummy! Very rich and filling but not too heavy to (nearly) finish the whole bowl! The rice was topped with a perfectly runny sunny side up egg, and included peas, carrots and bacon. There was a great balance with some acidic component that cut right through the other fatty ingredients. 10/10 would recommend. My meal-mates both ordered breakfast plates which they gave a positive review. I helped myself to some of their potatoes, they looked and tasted great. Fun retro vibe with wood paneled walls, plus taxidermy animals, The Big Lebowski and other 80s-90s references was an unexpected twist on brunch. read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Interior of the restaurant - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I'll recap first and read more below for more details. 1 - Service super friendly but spotty - forgot our 2nd round 2 - Limited & strange menu with prices all over the place 3 - Food was solid, nothing spectacular 4 - Yes the decor is ... interesting ... ... CBG was plan B after DTL was full because we wanted CHICKEN WINGS. As suspected we found them at CBG for $22 for 12 wings. They better be good since DTL makes them flawless at $1 per wing during happy hour. These were 90% there: Hot, well sized & nicely coated with a thick tangy sauce over a smokey spicy rub, and they were cooked "well done" to the point of almost being dry. Of course I'd rather wings be well done than rubbery, fatty & undercooked - Yuck. We also ordered the DELUXE CHEESEBURGER with béarnaise sauce and it was OK. You would think béarnaise would make a burger rich and tasty but it miraculously lacked flavor. We also got a side of crispy vinegary FRENCH FRIES yet had to ask for ketchup (it came in one small paper condiment cup for both of us to share, ugh). The menu at CBG is limited, strange and just not in line with the vibe. We saw a group of young people sit then leave after scouring the menu. I've never seen that before IN A BAR (!) but I can see how the menu could cause anxiety. The menu is not "dive bar" enough -- I'm talking wings, awesome burgers, chili, hot dogs, nachos, Frito pies & tater tots. Then the prices hit you! Even pizza would go better with their bowling alley, Big Lebowski theme than Chicken Noodle Paitan or Tuna Sandwich (WTF?). I will say that two people around me seemed to enjoy their heaping pile of dark green lettuce caesar salads (=maybe next time). The service was friendly, welcoming but SPOTTY. After finishing our first round of beer we ordered another that never came. Boy, a nice cold beer would really wash down these spicy dry chicken wings -- oh well! So we ended up with only one round of drinks during our entire meal. At least the server was super apologetic once he realized the oversight but it was too late because we finished eating and were simply ready for the check. It was also strange because the dining room was not even busy! I'm not sure about CBG and whether these are growing pains or just a silly concept two restaurateurs conjured up one drunken night while playing darts in a friend's childhood basement while listening to STYX. (No offense to STYX or 70s paneled basements). And when I think about NOSH, I never liked it because their food gives me a strange stomachache, yet I love ROMA CAFE but find BRAMHALL uncomfortable mainly because of their stupid metal stools. And I had one stand out cocktail at RHUM TIKI BAR before it closed, so while I applaud these owners for trying to find a unique theme that sticks in Portland, perhaps they should read these reviews and course correct before it's too late. Guess we'll just wait and see! ;-) read more

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I was quickly and kindly served a cocktail and a snack right at 6PM on a friday - the staff was very efficient and hirsutely appealing. The cocktail was not the very best I've had of this type but was perfect for the occasion. The snack was fresh and delicious. The interior leans heavily on the ironic and retro. Go for it, it will likely be worth your while. read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Boulevardier - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

This place absolutely smashes what used to be in this space. The food options are awesome but the cocktails are the real stars here. Theres like 30+ cocktail options and we've tried at least 2/3 of them and let me tell you these guys make the best cocktails in Portland. The UFO is out of this world. Such an unexpected flavor combination that really kicks ass!! The aviation is great. The exiled king is tops. The paper plane is refreshing. And if you want something boozy that doesnt taste like booze check out the Bananarama. The staff is attentive and kind. The prices om drinks are reasonable. The wall sized picture of the Big Lebowski really ties the room together! I really hope this place becomes a portland institution. read more

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First visit certainly won't be the last. We stopped in for a drink after eating dinner and to duck out of the cold but it turned into drinks (plural) and a few plate shares (not hungry but the plates coming out looked tasty). Great classic cocktails and bar and comfort food staples. Incredibly friendly and attentive staff. Had two mudslides and we split a sloppy joe and some breakfast fried rice. Yums all around. Fun place and I will certainly return. read more

All of the one, two star reviews of this place are 100% correct, it all boils down to a rude staff. It really doesn't matter how good the bar food is, if you can't deliver an experience that exudes good vibes you didn't hit the mark. Please get rid of the Lebowski art, there's too many Karen's working at your bar to even be able to pay homage to the dude read more

This was our second visit to CBG and we could not love their whole vibe more. The food is delicious. Not pictured is their ribeye & tenderloin steak and cheese sub. It is incredible! The mushroom demi glaze adds a depth of flavor that elevates this sandwich. Order an extra side of the garlic aioli for your fries. The staff is super chill yet very attentive too. They also have an extensive craft cocktail list read more

CBG Bar & Grill - Fish & chips - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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This place was brand new from our last visit and one of the best places we visited the whole trip. The vibe inside reminds me of That 70s show in the best possible way. The food is great and we didn't have one thing that wasn't amazing in the multiple visits we made last time we were in Portland. I could not recommend CBG more to people in Portland. read more