Casual, cozy atmosphere for dinner and excellent food. None of us were really a fan of our Kennebunkport Brew co beers unfortunately (we're craft beer people). I got the Brussels sprout salad with blackened chicken and I was in heaven. We went in February so we didn't get to experience the good views on the water but I would definitely go back in the summer. read more

Stopped in for a a light snack and a couple glasses of wine. Nice rail seat overlooking the marina. The tabletop had not been wiped down and when the waitress finally came over(about a 20 minute wait) and we asked for it to be cleaned she went off in a huff and the host came over to ask if there was a problem. He promptly wiped the spot and apologized - the only positive comment that I have for the service here. We waited another 10 or 15 minutes for the waitress to return to take our order. Two glasses of wine and since the service was horrible, we added our appetizer at the same time. The calamari come up in about 3 minutes and was half gone when our wine finally made its way to the table. The waitress never followed up to see if we needed anything. When she saw we were about done with our wine she did ask if we would like another. Since I only had three(3) days left on my vacation I didn't think we had time. The check came in no time flat. Too bad the rest of the service wasn't that quick. To summarize - the calamari was outstanding, the wine was very nice both 4 or 5 stars. The service -4 thus the 1 Star overall rating. read more

Federal Jack's Brew Pub - A nice glass of wine with a great view - American Near Me - Kennebunk, Maine

Great food, great view. I have some dietary restrictions and they were more than accommodating. The food was hot and delicious. Great portion sizes. Staff very friendly. read more

4 stars for great atmosphere, good service. Food is more like 3 stars, just mediocre. Lots of outdoor space and we could see the water from our seats. read more

We ended up in Kennebunkport for the Women's Expo, and found ourselves needing some grub. Our group had a wide variety of needs...Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-free. Everyone was able to find something that they enjoyed here for our party of 5. I got the Mushroom and Ricotta pillow pasta and was more than satisfied. Had a good flavor. None of us had been there and did find the signing off, took us a minute to realize we needed to go up the stairs outside(there is an elevator for those in need) to get to their spot. Lucky for us it was off-season so parking was not an issue. read more

Great restaurant in kennebunkport!! Our waitress Lisa H was phenomenal. She took my family's food allergies very seriously and provided us the best service! She is so kind, funny, and speedy!! Because of her (and the delicious food!) we will be back!! Thank you, Lisa! read more

Brandon and Joey are AMAZING!!! Drinks were made perfectly and their service skills were phenomenal!

Everything was delicious. We stopped in for lunch and we're seated right away. I had the blueberry lemonade and a turkey sandwich. My husband had a local beer and a burger. My sandwich was made with real turkey-not deli meat! Our server was also outstanding. read more

Stopped here for dinner on a Tuesday in September and was seated immediately. There is a large beer menu and numerous food options. The Maine mussels were amazing and a HUGE portion. The burgers were large and flavorful. read more

Come here pretty often during my summer trips up to Maine. It's good for a beer in the midst of walking the shops. Food is average and pub like. Not somewhere I would recommend for a nice lunch or dinner out especially when there are soooo many great places in the area! All in all the brewery portion is the best part of the place along with its casual atmosphere! read more

Federal Jack's is a well oiled machine. A well oiled machine that distributes delicious food and beverage. Sit outside and overlook the harbor, or sit at the bar for some of the friendliest service you'll find anywhere. A few years back, parking used to be an issue here. Since they switched to free valet parking during the busy season, this is no longer a concern. They often open 2 bar areas (the 2nd is over near the covered outdoor seating area), so even at its busiest, you can always get a drink and find a place to hang out while you wait. I've tried nearly everything on the menu. My favorites are the Green Chile burger and the Blackened Fish Sandwich. The lobster bisque is really good. For a while they had a dessert that was a small blueberry cake with cinnamon ice cream. BRING IT BACK. You can get a free tour of the on-site brewing facilities and some free samples in the gift shop downstairs. I highly recommend both! You can also buy growlers of most KBC/Shipyard beers there. read more

A lovely setting on the water with indoor and outdoor seating. All the standard Shipyard beers can be found there ad well as a few Shipyard beers not available in beer stores. Food was good. Beers were good. Service was friendly but when i visit a brewpub I like to talk to the staff about their beer. My waiter did not seem inclined to do that even though he was friendly enough. Good Shipyard gift shop to browse as other surrounding shops. It may be better to go off season. Less tourist traffic. read more

Federal Jack's Brew Pub - They offer samplers up to 13 five ounce glasses. Here I tried 3 standard Shipyard brews and 2 brewpub- only beers. - American Near Me - Kennebunk, Maine

The food was disgusting, and I was sick as a dog during the night and all of the next day after I had dinner there. If you would like to take your family out for a good meal in a safe, sanitary environment, please GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! read more

Nothing beats coming home to Maine and bringing my out of state friends to Kennebunkport... and Federal Jack's. I've always had a good experience, and the food has always been wonderful. I love the beer selection and the service has always been right up there for me! The last time I went this past summer our waitress was awesome and made sure to secure us an umbrella for our outside table when a sprinkle was turning into a rain storm real quick. I highly suggest this place even when not in tourist season [maybe especially when it's not in tourist season :) just to avoid any lines!] read more

Have to give this 4 stars only because I didn't LOVE the beer. It was drinkable, but not my favorite. We had a sampler and tried them all. Meh... However...the view is amazing, our server Neal was great, the food was outstanding and the price wasn't too bad. I requested a special burger and the chef, Pat, did not disappoint. I had a burger, cooked perfectly med with a nice pink center, topped with avocado, pepper jack cheese and a fried egg. I can't tell you how many times I've ordered a burger in the past and been disappointed. This was perfect. From the burger itself being perfectly cooked, you'd think this was a no brained, but apparently it's not....to the special toppings I requested...it all came together to give me the end of the day meal I was eager for all day. Kids had grilled cheese and veggies (nice options instead of fries) and ate them all. Hubby had the turkey Cobb sandwich that looked (and he said) was delicious. A side of tots for the kids were yummy (hey, withheld the fries, had to give them something), and my side of Brussels sprouts hit the spot. Hubbys side of mac and cheese was just ok All in all, a spot worth coming to. And great to know the chef will accommodate unique requests. Well done! read more

Could have been better. I went here years ago and remember it being good. The service is dead slow which I can't blame them for with the lack of people wanting to actually work nowadays - just a warning if you are looking for something quick. We ordered a beer and a lemonade to start - the beer was warm/flat and the lemonade never showed up. We had to ask twice for waters. We started with the caprese salad which was basically just a pile of romaine with one tomato cut up on it with a few pieces of the cheap mozzarella you find in the shredded cheese aisle at the grocery store. We then went on to order the fried clams and the lobster roll. The roll was decent - but priced at $38 dollars! The price of lobster certainly has not gone up that much to justify that. The clams were the toughest/chewiest clams I've ever had in my life. These were $36 dollars! For 5 clams and a base layer of fries! Yuck! Our total came out to over $100 for a clam basket, lobster roll, salad, and one beer. Stay away if you want a cheap meal or even a good meal for that matter. read more

We loved our food. Wings were great. Fries were uniquely delicious. Lobster roll great!!! And the basil infused beer was awesome!!!!

The beer and food were great here. The lobster roll was piled high and delicious, and the haddock and chips was probably the best fried fish I've ever had--super delicate and a huge portion. I only wish the outdoor are were available for eating outside. read more

Never, ever have I spent $19 dollars for the most mediocre, overcooked and dry, 10, small chicken tenders in my life (I think It was made from one breast) Was embarrassed for my date as she recommended this place so we struggled through 5 and I fed the rest to my dog. The blueberry BBQ and the celery and carrots were good though!! Did I mention NINETEEN DOLLARS!!!! read more

We enjoyed our time at Federal Jack's. We sat at the bar and enjoyed appetizers, rum and coke and a beer. All were very good and servers were very nice. read more

Awesome good great atmosphere, Nicole our waitress was very sweet, attentive and helpful. Great selection of beers. Had a warm butter only lobster roll that was melt in your mouth delicious also the new England clam chowder had lots of clams... vey flavorful. Halibut fish n chips also amazing. A must stop while here!! Overlooking the marina read more

Federal Jack's Brew Pub - American Near Me - Kennebunk, Maine

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The Food was pretty darn good! The crab Rangoon dip was yummy! Nachos were good too! We sat in the enclosed outdoor eating area because the weather was damp and chilly, but one of the air ducts from the ventilation system kept dripping on me - lucky it wasn't dripping over the food, but I imagine this might be some kind of health code violation. Overall a must-try - but the dripping duct took my review down a star. read more

Had lunch on a rainy Mothers Day in Kennebunkport. My husband really enjoyed his Bloody Mary and the assorted condiment bar that you could choose from to spice it up. The food was good and the service was okay too, not the best or worse I've ever had but considering the place was packed on a very cool, windy, and rainy Mothers Day, we were happy that we were able to get a table without a reservation after only a 30 minute wait. read more

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Not good. Maybe 2 steps below an Applebee's. Food is not good, even the kids didn't like the basic kids meal food. I'd stay away.

This review is more a warning regarding service/policy than a food review. Since we were kids, my friends and I have made an annual summertime trip to Kennebunkport which is always accompanied by a trip to Federal Jack's. This year, we started the week with a trip there for cocktails and dinner. Everyone was in good spirits and we were ready for a fun night. While we were waiting for our table, we went over to the bar for some beers. The bartender asked for our ID's which we presented willingly. After being seated, we ordered a round of rum punch for everyone at the table. Our server asked again for our ID's. And this was when the fun began. We all showed her our Mass licenses, with the exception of one of our party members, let's call him C. C has his passport on him, because he lost his wallet. The server then tells us that for all out of state licenses, we need a BACKUP form of ID. So of course, C, which has only his passport, ask if his FEDERAL DOCUMENT will be good enough to get him drinks. She tells him, no, the policy is two forms of ID for anyone who looks under thirty. Uhh alright, he says, then why didnt the bartender ask beforehand, if that is company policy? The server leaves, and returns WITH THE BARTENDER, who then takes the original drink away from C. Naturally, C is upset and the ordeal has already caused a considerable amount of embarrassment, as our table is dead center in the dining room. A few minutes later, as C is sampling one of the beers at our table, the server comes rushing over, grabs the drink without a word, and takes it. The bartender comes over, loudly announces that he needs to speak with C outside, and then proceeds to actually ask C, who has been acting with the utmost politeness, to leave the restaurant. Now C has been ejected from the restaurant, and the rest of us finish our incredibly awkward meal. After the check has been dropped, and gratuity added automatically, we pay the bill. The manager walks to our table, opens the check, and actually counts the bills on the table to make sure that we hadnt tried to short them. Federal Jack's, you've just lost about 8 longtime customers because of this unnecessary conflict. A passport is a federal document. FEDERAL. The food is also sub par. read more

The service at the door is awful, the "door boys" cost that business about 70 patrons who are in town for a family wedding. They are condescending young boys who obviously have a chip on their shoulder about tourists. Unfortunately my family lives here and owns a small business in Kennebunk. I will never be back and neither will my family. Not like the food is any good anyway....only thing that is decent is the beer. read more

I've been visiting Kennebunkport for about 6 years now since I met my boyfriend Freshman year in college. His parents have a home in town. We have been to pretty much every restaurant you can possibly think of within the area. I use to like Federal Jack's a lot more BEFORE I experienced the truly better quality food at the surrounding eateries. I hate to push business away frrom anyone in Maine but I think it should be known that you can go to ALLISONS down the street and get a 150% better meal than at Feds. I finally came to write this review because yesterday I brought my little sister and her friend there for lunch. I left $60.00 poorer and 100% bummed about the fact that I spent $60.00 on really bad meals and didnt provide my sister and her friend with a wonderful meal in Maine which is one of the top reasons to visit the coast of Maine-FOR THE FOOD! We originally we're only going for the outdoor deck seating but due to a wait ended up eating inside. I wish we had thought 2 steps ahead and just gone somewhere else since we were eating inside anyway. We ordered very basic things such as nachos, fried cod sandwich, mashed potatoes, french fries, and a calamari salad. Things that you really shouldnt get wrong...one of my rules of thumb when rating a restaurant is that if they cant get the basics right then they probably wont get the more complex entrees right. Nachos were bland and lacked luster, cod sandwich was dry and over fried (dare I say not fresh?), mashed potatoes are definately microwaveable/frozen (my sister's friend found hard, frozen, mashed ball on the bottom of dish), and the ceasar salad with calamari was lacking in flavor and freshness as well (bf had to douse with salt for flavor). Trust me go to Allisons, Bandaloop, Salt & Honey, or even David's! Provisions has great, quick, and easy sandwiches and breakfast as well! Cape Porpoise has the best outdoor, deck, fried clam shack around too! Sorry Fed's but you gotta step up your game! read more

The food is terrible. They claim its all fresh and not frozen but you could fool me. Eat outside at the clam shack for the same price. The fried clams were super chewy. My blackened fish tacos literally had no flavor at all. The aioli was runny. The fries were good but you can tell they were bought frozen then fried. The beers are very poor, so if you're craft fan, don't come. On a positive side, all the servers were SUPER friendly. Decent view of the harbor. Under no circumstance would I be back, or recommend this expensive poorly executed tourist trap. read more

I really don't know why people rave this place ... But our first night here in Maine the people from our b&b highly recommended rhis place. Let me get to the point the service was slow and horrible , the place looked dirty and the food was disgusting. My bf ordered paella and it was wayyyyy to watery and the oysters in the paella still had sand. I order the stuffed haddock and I almost puked. The fish was barely recognizable masked with a heavy "lobster" sauce which tasted like it was just made a week ago. The food tasted like it had been pre prepared and they just heated it up when we got there. Never ever would go there again and never would recommend it either. read more

Federal Jack's Brew Pub - Not so good paella. And super watery. Paella should be mushy...not soup. - American Near Me - Kennebunk, Maine

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If you come to Federal Jack's there is only one thing to order...WALDORF SALAD! It's best I've ever had and I've been to the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC! Insider Tip: The women's bathrooms can be difficult to find. It's the only reason I can't give this place my five-star Nat Dogg approval If you bring a date here, make sure to case this joint prior so you can save the day and direct your date properly to the restrooms! Trust me, your lady will thank you later! read more

In a perfect world, there are reasons beyond the natural environmental aesthetic that play into the reasons why vacation areas are the hot spots they've become: perhaps there's a giant undercurrent of local brewing fans to accompany the lobster-forward public landscape, and to that end I wouldn't necessarily put that notion past this part of Maine. We passed at least three breweries on our way to our hotel, and my beer fan's liver leapt with joy. Unfortunately the real world often deals out truths in shades of grey, and that's what we found with our Federal Jack's experience. While the two beers I sampled were decent (the Summer Ale and the signature house brew - hoppier, yet incomplex), the bluefish plate I ordered was a mixed bag: the bluefish grilled and served over a fair risotto and what appeared to be, from what I could tell, out of the can, almost Tex-Mex salsa. That was a surprise. After a day of heavy travel, we had to eat something - but if I had it to plan again, I might pop back by for the beer. Dinner would have to wait. read more

Cool place to go if you are visiting the Kennebunkport area. The service and food was good! I tried the cheeseburger on the brunch menu. The cheeseburger was a little over cooked for my liking, but I will say this, their fries are to die for!!! read more

You don't have to drive far into Maine to get to Kennebunkport. But when you arrive at Federal Jack's, you'll know that you've made it to Maine. I was one of the few guys in the bar who wasn't wearing a flannel shirt, a beanie hat, and sporting a bushy beard. It was straight out of casting for "Maine Man" (see youtube). I loved it -- definitely was the city escape I was looking for. Even in January, the bar was bustling with people and the restaurant was filling up fast. I didn't try the food, so I can't speak to it. However, I did have the beer sampler and it was a great choice. Eleven beers for $11!!! What a deal. You get to try every beer on the menu -- a great option for first timers like myself. The beers were a mix. I loved some, and didn't care much for others. The Export is a classic ale that nearly any beer drinker would like. It is light and goes down easy. I'm usually a huge fan of the IPA, but I didn't really care for the Fuggles IPA. It was hoppy, but didn't seem to have enough body to support the hops. My favorite beer was a special called "Eleven." Check it out if they have it when you're there. If you're a stout fan, the Blue Fin Stout was excellent. Swing by Federal Jack's for a beer. And don't forget your flannel shirt (leave your peacoat at home). read more

This restaurant deserves more than the three stars it is currently listed with! The view of the harbor makes it worth a visit, but we were impressed with our food as well. We started our meal by sharing the first thing on the menu, the lobster cocktail. Nice presentation - another dinner wanted to know what it was, it looked so good! It was lovely, rimmed with smokey paprika, and the subtle tarragon flavor in the light mayo was unusual and just right. My husband ordered the "ale" mussels which were young and tender but only came with one piece if warm sourdough bread. We ended up asking for three more pieces of bread in order to soak up the delicious broth. I ordered the garden green salad topped with the bam bam shrimp. Wow! The greens tomatoes and cucumbers were fresh and lightly dressed with a vinaigrette and the bam bam shrimp were the perfect topper small and sweet, fried then coated in an amazing spicy sauce. One of the best salads I have ever had! There is an option to add a cup of chowder to any salad for an additional $4 and I'm glad I did. The clam chowder was thick rich and creamy and a lovely warm complement to the crunch greens and the spicy shrimp. A wonderful anniversary meal! read more

Federal Jack's Brew Pub - Lobster Cocktail - American Near Me - Kennebunk, Maine

On a really quick visit to Maine, the local informed us that Federal Jack's is an "institution" in Kennebunkport - sounds like where I need to be! I started with the Shrimp bruschetta, which was quite tasty - the shrimp were small but the overall effect was quite flavorful. Then on the server's recommendation I got the goat island mussels - included in the batch was no kidding the biggest plumpest mussel I've ever had (including in Belgium)! The liquid was really good as well, a beer based concoction that went really well with the really buttery bread that was provided. My companion ordered a "lobster roll without mayo", otherwise known as a huge pile of chunks of lobster on a toasted roll. Being from the south, I'm not quite sure I "get" the lobster roll thing, but I certainly get a big pile of massive chunks of lobster - yum! Mom said the clam chowder was good as well, though I didn't get to try it. Others have elaborated much more extensively on the beer, so I won't really try, but my cask conditioned IPA was pretty darn good. While this is the only place I ate in kennebunk, and thus I cannot compare to the other places in town, I certainly enjoyed the meal and the server was great. I would have preferred perhaps less of a generic atmosphere (if I didn't read the menu I could have been in any random chain restaurant in the country). The outside area did look really nice. read more

Its a rainy cold spring day in Maine...what to do?! Have a beer or two, of course! Is it touristy? Sure. Is it big and right on the waterfront? Yep. Is the food ok? Yep, it was actually very good. Beer selection ok? Yes, indeed! The beer selection was awesome. All in all this was a great place to come for dinner any night. I wished it were warmer and sunnier so I could sit on the deck outside, but the weather was just not cooperating. This place apparently is the birthplace of Shipyard Brewing... pretty cool to me! The game room in the back provided plenty of entertainment for the younger crowd. While in Kennebunkport, this is a must try! read more

Definitely a tourist spot in K-town, but not a bad place to be able to make everyone happy with their large menu and multiple areas to hang out. When our party of 6 came in during August we had to wait 45 minutes, but we got a few beers and went into their game room and watched some baseball. At that time it was taken over by pre-teens playing pool and big buck hunter. That was until one of them spilled their Dad's beer and playtime was over! Our waitress was definitely a local high school girl who hadn't been in this particular line of work long, but she dealt with us with a friendly attitude. The food here was hit or miss. Avoid the lobster rangoon. Who knows what's in them, but it wasn't very lobstery. What was lobstery was the $12 lobster bisque. Absolutely amazing. You're certainly getting what you paid for. I had the haddock soft taco which tasted great and had a nice crunch. Overall a pretty good meal for a touristy spot. I would come back if I had a large group to please. read more

I have been a repeat customer of Federal Jack's for over 2 years now. My fiancé and I LOVE to get a lobster roll and a flight and watch the boats or play pool. My fiancé loves the maple jalapeño bbq sauce. He puts that stuff on EVERYTHING. I've been here around Christmas time and even had a really nice Santa sit down and have a beer and talk to us before his band was playing that night. My service there has never been less than satisfactory and I'm never disappointed in the food. I think all these negative reviews are from out of state-ers who apparently think the Maine laid-back way of life is rude. I wouldn't give those reviews much consideration. DEFINITELY CHECK OUT JACK'S! And if you're there in the summer, grab a Sunfish Ale!!! It's my favorite!! read more

We never got to see if we even liked this place. It was a gorgeous night at 845 when we arrived. We wanted to sit outside but were told that the outside closes at 830. I really wanted to try this place so I was ok with being put inside. There were several tables available with a good view that I was looking at. We ended up waiting at the hostess stand for 10 minutes until we were then led around the bar area and seated at a booth in the corner with ZERO view...I was SO unhappy. I thought, no way we came all the way up to Maine for a vacation and are going to sit in the corner of a bar area. I can do that at home! We walked out and went to have an awesome dinner at Pilot House...the atmosphere at pilot house wasn't amazing but we got sat outside and the food ROCKED. read more

Home of the Shipyard brand. This place is located in very busty Kennebunk where people brings their wallets. Federal Jack's owns their building to themselves and the best prime real estate a business could ever need right at the harbor. Inside seats like a normal restaurant pub, while seating galore awaits outside for the busy summertime crowds. The rotation of beer they keep is delicious, IPAs, Ales, Porters. Most batches sold upstairs can be found to take home in their gift shop downstairs. Why I only return for the gift shop beer is because I don't want to spend Kennebunk money on sub par food. When your sides come out of a frozen bag, and potentially some of your main course food, I feel like I shouldn't have to throw twenty bucks for my plate of grocery story freezer isle crap. But it helps to be know as "Home of" in beautiful Kennebunk. read more