Was in the mood for just some basic food after being on the road 2 weeks and eating lots of rich foods. The roasted turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes fit the bill. Although I did send the green beans back- very tough, no flavor. Got a salad, which was ok but didn't go with my food. Super nice and helpful staff, clean restaurant and bathroom. Have a nice looking dessert selection but wasn't in the mood to try any. Decent place to eat. read more

Governor's Restaurant & Bakery - American Near Me - Ellsworth, Maine

From Texas! Wife and I split an omelette... tasted great! The pico de gallo was marinated in a white vinegar making it a hint tangy. Just a delightful and delicious combination with the omelette! Service was great! Atmosphere was pleasant! The train circled on the wall above was neat! $11 for an omelette big enough for 2 was perfect amount of food! Cinnamon toast tasted great as well ! Would return again. read more

I'm shocked at the good reviews for this place. We walked in and stood at the hostess stand for over ten minutes without the acknowledgement of any staff. Multiple staff walked by and said nothing to us- even looking directly at us so they definitely knew we were there. A family in front of us tapped on the shoulder of a staff member in order to get a seat. We ended up leaving because if they can't even acknowledge someone upon arrival, the the rest of the service probably is not great either. read more

Traveling up the southern coast of Maine. Ate seafood every meal in a variety of restaurants. Ordered a clam basket here and it was good. In fact it was good no matter where I ordered fried clams. The best thing about Governor's Restaurant is that it was open an hour later into the evenings than most of the other restaurants in town. So appreciated that! However, the service was kind of spotty. My table (of 4) was left waiting repeately - for the rest of dinner to arrive, for it to arrive with the correct items on the plates, for the drinks to be refilled, and for the bill to finally arrive. Admittedly it was the last hour they were open. But, they only had a few tables to cover. Assuming they might need a larger staff. I will say that the waitress was very friendly and tried to please - when you could find her. read more

Our waiter was fantastic and so great to talk to. The mozzarella sticks were a highlight of our week trip in Maine! The peanut butter pie was to die for but it's enough for two or three to share. The haddock sandwich and stew were very delicious!! The cute little train that circles the room was such a fun atmosphere addition. We almost went back for another meal on our Ellsworth trip but tried something new. read more

Governor's Restaurant & Bakery - Haddock chowder and sandwich - American Near Me - Ellsworth, Maine

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This place was great! We had the Turkey and dressing. Large portions, freshly made and everything tasted homemade. Servers were excellent and attentive. Highly recommend! read more

While staying in Ellsworth Maine we went here for dinner. It was pretty good. Very much like Perkins in Minnesota I was able to get breakfast for dinner. My husband got fried clams , fries and squash. He said the clams were good. He ordered the small portion which was still quite large. Was nice to go to a family place. Food was ok. Service was good. read more

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Wonderful place to go in town! They have affordable options regularly and additionally they have a very great special every night of the week!! Love their salad options as well as breakfast options (great eggs Benedict) Im not much for desserts but their milkshakes are absolutely delicious I've had 4 so far on my week long trip! Good service and plenty of seating! read more

Similar in feel to a Denny's except with lots of seafood options. We came hungry and left full, so the restaurant did its job there. The food, for the most part, was averge. The dinner rolls were brought out before the entrees but thankfully not too soon. I did have to pace myself to not eat the whole thing prematurely. What we got: Strawberry milkshake - 3* an average milkshake, nothing ground shaking in my opinion. It's not very thick so easy to drink through the straw. Maple glazed cheese curds - 3* they were decent but not my cupmof tea. The friends I shared them with, however, loved them. I really liked the maple glaze but that wasn't about it. The fries cheese curds weren't very flavorful on their own. Half and half basket (fried Maine clams & broiled haddock) - 3.5* I'm not a big shellfish fan but wanted to try the Maine clams. I was happy that they provided Tartar sauce and Cocktail sauce (individually packaged) because that came in handy for both items. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of the clams but my clam liking friends helped me eat them. I'm glad I got the haddock broiled, fried would've been too much for me. The fish is bland but squeezing the lemon onto it and dipping it in tartar sauce was good. Hot meatloaf mountain - 3* potatoes were fantastic but the meatloaf was fine. Sides: Homemade applesauce - 5* this was the best thing out of the whole meal. Sautéed beets with feta - 3* I've never had this before and it's a dish I probably won't make for myself but it was good enough. Red skin mashed potatoes - 4* they were delicious and the gravy was fantastic, they paired together well. read more

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Good variety. Getting seated was a bit slow but after that the service was very good. Decor was diner style with a large model train hanging near ceiling. read more

Service excellent, deserts spectacular. A great local place. Good place for large groups.

Food was good, had the eggs Benedict and the flavor was on-point. Waitress was funny friendly! Great value and experience for us!

Good old fashion comfort food. Menu is limited but selections are good and so is the service. Make sure to check out their dessert selection. read more

Waited more than 10 minutes for a table. After being seated waited another 15 minutes before leaving. Perhaps if your top speed is sloth running a restaurant isn't cut out for you. read more

Staff is friendly MOST OF THE TIME. Prices are OKAY on some items but outrageous on others. The food ranges... sometimes it is great and other times it is mediocre. The ambiance is quaint and family friendly. Great Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie!! read more

Governor's wasn't our first choice or even our second. In fact, it was about our fifth choice after finding NOTHING ELSE open Just after 8pm during the offseason in this part of Ellsworth. But wait, lights on and cars in the parking lot! Yay, they're open and we're having dinner. Governor's is like a Denny's or a Perkin's if you've experienced them. Nothing fancy, nothing crazy, just good solid food. Pictures on a glossy menu and pies behind a glass case in the lobby area. And no complaints from me at all. Thanks for being open late! We were served by Elyse and she did a great job. Friendly, patient and helpful. Our orders were accurately delivered still hot from the kitchen. It was neat watching her interacting with a couple and their baby at another table. This is a young lady who enjoys her work and that's great to see. I chose the fried haddock sandwich with cole slaw. The fish was fresh and hot, a huge piece with a slice of cheese on top. As you can see from the picture, it overhangs not just the bun (which I did not eat, thank you keto) but also the plate! The cole slaw was cold and a little crispy but nothing special. We opted not to have desert. I would choose Governor's for a breakfast and only have dinner here at a pinch. But again, when choices are limited, they're excellent! [Review 14856 overall, 358 of 2021, number 42 in Maine.] read more

Governor's Restaurant & Bakery - Haddock sandwich at Governor's Restaurant, Ellsworth ME - American Near Me - Ellsworth, Maine

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I joined an elderly friend for lunch at her place, she wanted to use Door Dash to have our meal delivered, and she likes the Governor's in Ellsworth. We ordered "Philly" Steak sandwiches off their menu. I've been a chef for over 30 years so I think I know what ingredients are supposed to be in a Philly Steak sandwich. When our sandwiches arrived, there wasn't ANY cheese on them, and not much else either. We double checked the menu to make sure that their version actually included cheese, you never know with dumps like Governor's. Sure enough, the description reads, "with fried onions, peppers, and cheddar cheese." As most people know, cheese is key to a Philly cheese steak sandwich. Not including the cheese is like not including the steak. There were next to no onions or peppers either. The steak was extremely overcooked also, so what we had were two dried out, crusty steak sandwiches (about 2 tablespoons of steak on each) on a giant roll for $15.99 a piece. This isn't rocket science. They should be ashamed of themselves. The only good thing I can say is at least the food didn't make us sick, like the experience some friends of mine had there recently. read more

Sadly, the reason for coming was pretty much a letdown. We'd been in Acadia and Bar Harbor for the day and were headed south. Had researched where along the way to get a decent lobster roll before leaving the area and this came up a few times on Reddit. I had it and was slightly disappointed. I'm not a huge lobster snob, but even I could tell this was a 6/10 effort at best. Wife and kids ordered lots of other stuff and it was all great. We had a great server and the booths and low-key atmosphere were just what we could've hoped for in an early dinner before another long stretch on the road. Basically all was great, except for the so-so lobster roll. read more

One of the only restaurants open on New Year's Day. The lobster bisque was was subpar, as the lobster was rubbery. The lobster roll was disappointing and not filling. The bread was phenomenal though. The sweet potato fries were also disappointing. Our waitress was super sweet and nice, but the food was just not satisfying - lacking flavor. read more

Governor's Restaurant & Bakery - Lobster bisque - American Near Me - Ellsworth, Maine

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I love me a greasy spoon! This place is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and there is a bakery section as well with fresh breads, rolls, and buns. There's plenty of parking, and it's in the Maine Mall but closer to the street. It is a bit dated inside, but it is clean. I wish they had an online reservation system, especially for breakfast on weekends. It is strictly walk up and wait, but they won't give a wait time either. Service is excellent and efficient. I always order corned beef hash of some kind at these kinds of places. Don't miss their corned beef hash and eggs; perfect portion size, chunky but crispy corned beef and the eggs were cooked to my liking. Excellent coffee as well. Their French toast is nice and thick. Great place if you are in the area. read more

We stopped here for dinner one evening while on vacation. The service was friendly, the decor and the atmosphere was a comfort food spot for locals. We ordered and the food arrived quickly. We had the fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, the chicken fingers, and the meatloaf dinner. Apologies for the lack of pics, we were hungry! The portions were generous! The Alfredo was very good, and apparently even better as leftovers! The chicken fingers were delicious and breaded to perfection! The meatloaf slices were griddled to crisp the edges a bit, and came with the option of gravy or tomato glaze. Go with the tomato glaze, you will not regret it! Get a little extra on the side too! I dipped nearly every bite into it! It also made a great dip for the chicken fingers! Next time we're in the area, I will definitely be returning for that meatloaf with the tomato glaze! If you are in Maine and needing some good old comfort food, you can't go wrong with Governor's! read more

Our food was absolutely delicious. Our waiter, Timothy B, was very friendly and accommodating. The bathrooms were clean. We will definitely be back! read more

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Used to frequent the South Portland Governors many many years ago and it was diner-style fare at a mom & pop style, family friendly restaurant. Somewhat greasy, tasty, inexpensive. Visited the Ellsworth location 2 times this year. Gross. Food is disgusting. It's just so horribly bad that it's inedible. The only somewhat redeeming quality is their homemade pies. Cheap place if you're feeding kids and want to fill them with garbage food. Yuck! What's even worse is when the business defends a poor experience with an attack and not an apology. Do better and negative reviews wouldn't occur. read more

Governor's Restaurant & Bakery - Cheeseburger. Sad. Sweet potato fries. $2.25 for 10 frozen fries. Gross. - American Near Me - Ellsworth, Maine

Meh...much like a Denny's. Service was very good. Music was hard rock & very loud (it was mostly a seniors crowd who couldn't hear over over the music). We had the fish haddock and it was pretty tasteless. Not even mashed potatoes were good. I don't think much of anything is house prepared. Service kind of food. read more

After traveling for 12 hours, we got up the next morning and found Governors on the way to Acadia. Awesome service. Amazing staff. The French toast and Pancakes were some the best we've ever had. Scrambled eggs were cooked perfect. Done but fluffy in the middle. Home fries are totally worth a side order if they don't come with your meal. Highly recommend!! read more

hideous!! Food was cold and inedible!! Cinnamon roll worst ever!! Seever never even asked how our food was.

Broiled scallops were tasty a little bit over cooked. Traditional Poutine was good we ate it all. Haddock Fry was very good. Really large portion. The service was good. Our waiter was very attentive. The ambiance was good but nothing special. Mostly booth seating. Bakery portion was of restaurant was picked over by the time we were there. Over all good choice. read more

Great specials and variety of choices! Would like to see more non-fried fish options, but it was a planned burger night so we went that direction. My husband loved the cheeseburger & hot dog combo, including a drink. (Just be sure it comes off the bill correctly - our hostess said the computer sometimes goofs). I enjoyed the bacon BBQ with carmelized onions. And discounted pie day is Sunday ($3 / slice)!!! read more

Governor's Restaurant & Bakery - Governor's Strawberry & Cream Pie (limited seasonal) - American Near Me - Ellsworth, Maine

Simple Americanized breakfast, lunch, and brunch food. Comparable to any of the numerous corporate chains such as Dennys. Staff were nice and somewhat attentive. Again, this is a simple chain. Nothing great, but to be clear, nothing bad either! read more

We had breakfast there and it was a good choice and a lot of food . Nothing super special but it was good.

After a long drive up the coast, we wanted something along the lines of diner food. We stopped here and it was a nice place for a late dinner. My husband ordered the poutine (which he said needed more gravy) and I ordered the blueberry beet salad which was loaded with fresh ingredients. Our server was friendly and helpful even though the place was understaffed. The cookies in the bakery looked delicious but we were full by the time we finished. Nice place to grab a meal. read more

Governor's Restaurant & Bakery - Poutine fries - American Near Me - Ellsworth, Maine

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You will not leave this place hungry. The fish and chips were outstanding. Huge piece of breaded haddock and more fries than two people could eat. Outstanding mashed potatoes and gravy. I'm Not a pot pie fan but it wasn't sweet like a lot of them and my wife loved it. Our server was outstanding and so nice. Great comfort food place. read more

Really great place that offers a great variety of food. Nice land and sea selection. My lobster roll big and yummy. The bakery is something not to miss. The no bake cookie was to die for according to my wife. Very good so go and enjoy. read more

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A typical diner in the heart of Ellsworth, we came hungry Saturday night during the Memorial Day weekend after a long drive from Portland while most restaurants were closed by 8. Thankfully they were open and we went in with very little expectations. We ordered a huge fried seafood platter to share, red hot dogs for kids which is a specialty in Maine. Great service but food isn't that great, fried haddock was ok and so was the fried scallop. I guess deep frying everything isn't my taste but it seemed to be a very popular joint with locals . A homey environment with overall good service and very large portion sizes read more

Governor's Restaurant & Bakery - Hot dog with onion ring - American Near Me - Ellsworth, Maine

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Our waitress was wonderful and the broiled scallops were delicious! Would definitely come again here! We told her she was great!

Wow is this place awesome sauce!!! From the moment we walked in and we're greeted by the wonderful Keith, to meeting our sweet, friendly, and efficient server Stacey, we knew we were in for a treat. Stacey recommended and we had the HUGE cinnamon roll, then split the veggie omelet, gilled potatoes and onions, and marbled rye bread. All of it was SO good! What a great place. Lucky us to have discovered it. read more

Governor's Restaurant & Bakery - Cinnamon roll. Yum! - American Near Me - Ellsworth, Maine

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I'd give this establishment a passing grade. The food was pretty decent and our waitress was delightful. There were some patrons that were giving "meth" energy, but they seemed nice enough. One customer did crawl under a table to vape, but hey... no harm no foul, am I right? My wife and I ordered giant platters of fried fish, and we ate about half. Saved the other half for tonight. The rolls were great! read more

We ate here twice as it was right across the street from our hotel. The food was good but it was the waitress that won our hearts. I wish I remembered her name. She was awesome with all the customers she interacted with. I was a little surprised that the pot roast was just meat. You got 2 sides so I guess I should have asked more questions. It was a little salty but the meat was tender and flavorful. The first night I had a lobster roll and it was good. And very reasonably priced. read more

If I could give this zero star's I would. We went for dinner at 6:30 pm on 30-September 2023. We should have walked away when I asked if the scallops were fresh (they are not) I opted for an open-face turkey sandwich. To say it was gross would be kind. The "turkey" was nothing more than thick sliced deli meat. The "stuffing" was of the stovetop variety and not even prepared properly. The gravy was cold and salty. There was nothing appealing about this meal. My sodium intake is good for about 3 days, now. Our server (Maddi) was kind and understanding when I had her take the plate away. Perhaps this restaurant does a good breakfast. If you are looking for good, fresh food, pass this place by. 1-October. Jason, while I appreciate your input and reply. The server we had was quite definitive in her reply. She indicated the scallops come to the restaurant frozen and are thawed. This is not fresh in my opinion. I did not leave a rev about the lobster roll my husband had but we're also told that his not fresh. We were told it came to the restaurant prepared and frozen. I put the blame on me for not just leaving when we found this out. I set myself up for disappointment. read more

They have REALLY good scallops!! We were delightfully surprised by this. Incredible home made fried cheese sticks too. Server was wonderful-helpful,funny and attentive. Busy place-people seem to love this place!!! read more