A favorite establishment, growing up in Auburn. Delighted to see they are still in business all…read morethese years. A classic local Lewiston joint where $5 went a long way on draft beers. But that was a few years ago. Ron Calef ELHS 1961

I love this place. I haven't stopped thinking about it since i went two weeks ago. Loved it so much…read morewe went 3 times in one day

If you have never been down to Craft Brew Underground, you're missing out. The selection of beers…read moreare great. If you don't know what you want, the staff will help you find one. The place downstairs is a cool spot.

Fantastic spot that offers a way better night out than Grittys across the street…read more Outstanding selection of ciders and beers, including several nonalcoholic options. No hot food but great charcuterie and snack selections. Lots of locals but everyone feels welcome

This was awesome. After spending time at the HGI we went to the Auburn Gritty's. The Google search…read moreshowed they were open until 1 but due to volume they were closing at 11. We get there at 10:57 and didn't want to impose but Jackie said she would take care of us. (Party of 5). She mentioned a smoky old fashioned and I jumped at the chance. It was a slow Tuesday night and she took care of us even though she didn't have to. She was amazing and so was the drink. This is what L/A is all about. Thank you so much to Gritty's and to Jackie!!!!

Having the option of sitting outside is fantastic! Loved that…read more Varied menu options - for beer, drinks, and food. Mac & Cheese with kielbasa was good. We were surprised to see a pile of jalapeños included - maybe it's on the menu and we missed it. Corn bread was moist. I opted for a build your own burger which was great. No bun, lettuce and tomato. The waitress told me to just tell her what I wanted on it and she'd get it for me. Cool. She didn't tell me I would be charged an extra $1 for a tiny bit of spinach, and 75 cents each for grilled onions and mushrooms. Not cool. I definitely would have just selected an "already made" option. I asked for sautéed mushrooms and onions so was a little surprised to get deep fried shrooms. There were good - I would probably order, and even be willing to pay extra, for them again. My issue was not being told. The seasoned fries were really good. The iced tea and Hazy IPA were (of course) good. Our waitress was a bit too attentive. It seemed almost like every time we took a bite, she was asking if everything was okay. Maybe just check in a couple times over the course of the meal? Please do remember that 3 is not bad. For me, it's a solid average.

Alyssa the waitress was great ! The food came out quickly and was very good quality. The prices are…read moregood too for the portions also. Cool vibes inside and a dope little horseshoe bar. Quesadillas and wings and grilled cheese special and all 3 kinds of fries were good. The sweet potato fries were sooooo yummy ! A must get for the table to share. Would be a good starter ! Would definitely come back!

The Firehouse grill lives up to its reputation!!…read more The food was all in large portions and delicious. We started strong with mozzarella cheese sticks and the pretzel and cheese appetizer. Fresh and hot defined these apps perfectly! The sticks were warm and stringy, the pretzels were warm, soft, and salty. The cheese dip was actually delicious and tasted nothing like a can mix. For the main courses we had the home made mac and cheese that was topped with pulled pork which was sauced in Sweet Baby Rays and the Loaded Nachos topped with the Firehouse's award winning chili. The food all came out sized for a table of 8 with savory and sweet hints of deliciousness! The waitress was welcoming, outgoing, and offered sound advice on food choices. The cook staff was timely and efficient, and the bar tender was busy busy slinging cups full of the nectar of God (BEER!!)! The Firehouse House ambience lived up to the name with firefighter equipment, first responder memorabilia, and crafty decor. The only downside to this establishment is that is dark and throws a dive bar vibe. 9/10... we will be coming back here for sure (and ordering less food)!!

We had Autumn for our bartender today, she was lovely and made a flawless bloody Mary! They have a…read moregreat bloody mix there, not sure if it's house made or from a bottle, but I like it. I love a place that will allow you to order all flats, I will happily pay extra for all flats. I won't even entertain eating the upper part of the wing, too many things happening up there. I always order my wings as chicken, flavored sawdust. I've had salmonella more than once from chicken wings, but I love them too much to stop eating them. These were cooked perfectly! The burger on special was a two patty smash burger with grilled pineapple pickle onions, and a sweet Thai chili aïoli. I added fresh jalapeño and got the aïoli on the side because I wanted to see what it was like. I was really happy. I got it on the side because there was flavorless. It was basically mayonnaise that they mixed sweet Thai sauce with and called aïoli. Also, if it's a sauce that I don't know, I don't trust it, I don't want it on anything before I try it. I think that should be like rule of thumb. But the burger was awesome, I got it with dirty sweet potato fries. Which means I put some Cajun seasoning on it so it had that sweet, salty, spicy element that I love so much. They also have this delicious French pear martini on the specials menu. It was fantastic, it was fresh, bright, not overbearing. I hope that stays on the menu for a minute because it was LOVELY. And I took home a cute little dessert sampler that probably could've done without all the whipped cream over the little dessert squares, but my boys loved them!! Great place for lunch, really cool location, relaxed feel, don't forget to check out the little waterfall!!

I recently visited Baxter Brewing and was very disappointed by the service. The bartender was rude,…read morethrowing the menu down without a greeting or any sense of welcome. It took about ten minutes to receive two beers and an appetizer, and there were no plates or silverware until we asked. The bartender never checked in or followed up, even when another guest nearby gave up after being ignored. The food was poor (overcooked), but the lack of basic hospitality made the entire experience feel uninviting. The food typically is average. Bartender spends her time on other employees who are eating. There have been multiple similar experiences with this bartender. The simplest way to ruin a bar is when this happens...patterns of slow service, poor communication, or unprofessional behavior that keep repeating. Same staff, languishing customer volume.

Wow! I can't believe that I am just now discovering this place only 35-ish minutes up route 26 from…read morethe Gray turnpike exit. Fantastic and creative brews (and "guest stars" like a Absalom cider), a very relaxing and chill vibe, a nice open space inside, and incredible seating options outside, even in the winter. Lots of outdoor activities, including x-country skiing free of charge, and plenty of parking. Not having been here before, my friend and I appreciated the clear signage of where to go for food vs. gear. We were fortunate to get to the barn before all the morning skiers arrived for lunch and were able to order and seat ourselves pretty quickly upstairs. We looked at the menu and went back downstairs to order food and drinks. The drinks we carried upstairs, but the pizza we ordered was brought to us. To pay and to order more drinks, downstairs you go. And with the free x-country ski trails, on a nice day, this place jams up pretty fast. Soon tables are packed, there are lines to get food and drinks, and to use the 3 individual non-gender restrooms. Just a few things I found a bit odd or inconvenient - 1) They have a wonderful beer selection, but don't do flights :( 2) The hybrid service model is a bit confusing and certainly inconvenient. Technology could certainly help smooth this out. 3) To pay, you either have to pay in full (and tip) when you order, or have to wait in line at the same line where people are ordering in order to pay, 4) 3 single bathrooms are not enough for the peak capacity Aside from the wonderful beer selection, the highlights were free x-country skiing with a warming hut, plenty of parking and friendly staff. This is my new go-to winter refuge :)

We stopped here on our way to Sunday River. We have driven by so many times and decided to finally…read morestop in and check it out. Amazing! You can order and sit outside. They have fireplace, picnic tables, high tops etc. I ordered a Pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and it didn't disappoint! My wife ordered a cheese pizza. For dessert we ordered the Zeppole which were fresh and sugary! Stop by! We didn't get a beer as we don't drink, but great food and super dog friendly as you can hang outside.

I go to cage mostly because there aren't many bars around and every now and again we want to go…read moresomewhere other than the goose. That being said, the male staff members are unbelievably sexist every time I go. I've gotten hit on by the bartender who proceeded to get my order wrong and tell the random man standing next to me that "chicks can be so god damn annoying" when I asked him to grab the drink I ordered from the fridge behind him. The bouncer told me a couple of days ago when i was at the front of the line that "with that kind of behavior you'll never find a husband." I don't know what behavior he was even referring to, but extremely disappointed by my experiences at the cage.

Wow, I can't believe I never wrote an update to my review of La Cage. Here are two short pieces I…read morewrote this past summer on two different Thursday nights here. Also note, Thursday nights blues jam is kinda the best thing you'll ever do in Lewiston on a Thursday night. Thursday! 7/1/11: Grayer days Lewiston, grayer days. Old railroad tracks, working class roots, this old bar, an improv blues night and the audience, plentiful. Scrunchies still adorning the copper highlighted ponytails of overly tanned women in their thirties. Everyone slightly off and no one fashionable except the musicians, clearly high timing in a small town, fedoras just so. Cartoon lobsters with shades on, off brand track pants and the requisite new England lack of eye contact. How long have you been sitting on that barstool, sir - how many years? 7/8/11 This ain't new York city, or LA, no. Mr bluesman you are correct, here in this dark, seedy, working class dive where all that matters is your improvised words, notes, sonic bliss... Sold for free to the tired citizens of a worn out, angelic town, built on industry, dripping with soul. Reverberate off the walls, this old bar, the cathedral across the street. Reverberate the two odd centuries of strife, of worn hands, of working the mills. Lewiston has the blues.

I'm not sure about this one. The food was good, nothing to…read morewrite home about but not bad. The cheesesteak definitely tasted like steakums, ya know that pre sliced stuff in the frozen section. The bus was too large for the amount of meat given, but the bread was good. The salad was solid for a side, fresh toppings, nothing brown, dressing was good but tasted store bought. The service was slow for how dead it was, the bartender was good for daytime service, nice guy, but I'd hate to see how that panned out on a busy night. Great space, nice decor, lighting, very clean. Lots of potential, several places have failed in this spot, hopefully they work the kinks out. (I didn't eat the other items pictured)

The Blue Feather is a lovely restaurant in downtown Lewiston. It's spacious, with ample seating and…read morea dimly lit (but not too dim) atmosphere. Since the Blue Feather opened, my husband and I have tried our best to sneak out for a date night whenever our son is with his grandparents. We love their offerings (both food and drink), and the service has always been delightful. My personal favorite has been the steak tips in garlic butter, Parmesan fries, and béarnaise sauce. Their craft cocktails are always interesting and well-balanced; I've yet to have one I don't enjoy. Needless to say, check out The Blue Feather. It's a gem in Lewiston, and I truly hope that they stick around for a good, long time.

What's not to love about The Vault? It is the most well stocked craft beer and wine shop in the…read morearea and parking is usually available on street outside. When I say the most well stocked, I'm talking about Foundation, Bissell Brothers, Lawson's Finest Liquids, Liquid Riot, you name it and they probably have it. Great sour beer selection as well! They offer Fiore olive oils and vinegars that are available for tasting. As far as wine goes, I can tell you they have a ton to offer and also have some chilled. They have specialty tea, chocolates and coffee too. Incredibly friendly, helpful staff and great prices.

Since I'm not a "how many racks of Bud Light can I buy"-the cheapest kind of girl, I prefer to get…read moremy wine and beer at smaller, more intimate places that are run by folks who are passionate about what they do. That's EXACTLY what you'll find at The Vault, which is such a wonderful, gem in the Lewiston/Auburn area. The owner, Susan, and her staff not only appreciate good wine and beer themselves, but they're incredibly knowledgable about it too. When it comes to my libations, I don't want to be (up)sold on whatever product needs to be moved out. I want to have intelligent conversation with educated folks on what they suggest, why, and have them make recommendations to me about what I might like after I tell them (and they listen with open ears) what it is I personally prefer. And that's part of what The Vault folks offer; they take the time out to get to know you (whether you're a regular or just passing through) so that your experience at their store each and every time you go in is tailored completely around you in that moment and not around whatever retail agenda that might have. Locally craft beers? They do that. Budget-friendly wines? They do that, too. And now they're offering flavorful and unique balsamic vinegars and olive oils, too for both samples and purchasing (although downing a shooter of olive oil is frowned up... The Vault is classier than your average beer and wine store, so don't be one of "those people" [*ahem* like myself] who rolls in and starts taking shots of EVOO like it's going out of style). If you're in the area - even if you're not - and you're looking for something specific, you should talk to Susan and her team. If they can't help you, they'll be able to find someone who can! Also, The Vault frequently hosts wine and beer tastings (something I'm an avid believer in - it's a great way to discover new beverages without spending an exorbitant amount of money on something you may not end up liking), so be sure to check that out as well!

Great atmosphere, lots of young families! They seem to be very popular. We liked beers that we…read morechose. They have a limited menu but good food. We'd definitely go back!

Service was good, you have to order at the rail and the staff is friendly. The beer was pretty…read moresolid too. But the pizza was sad. This is a classic case of the menu description not living up to what it says. Two personal pans and very little toppings and very little flavor. They have a nice setup back there and with a little more care or actually executing what the description states could go far to make it good. Conclusion: come for beer and vibes.