Another stop on our crawl. Gritty's! We come here often and today was just as packed. The taco on this stop was so so, but it's not what they re known for. Another short visit, with drinks done, off to the next one. read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Pub atmosphere with friendly staff, TV for watching games. Large menu for this type place. Chicken Chowder was flavorful and hot, as it should be. Caesar Salad was fresh but ordinary. Clam Chowder very good. Homemade Chips not greasy. At weekday lunch easy to get table; not noisy. Likely a stronger level during evening or game time. read more

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Kinda cozy! Definitely just a dive pub but a fun hang, nice place to chat. Lots of drink options, plus NA options. read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Bar - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

We've been to Gritty's for drinks and enjoyed the atmosphere--it's a great spot to hang out and grab a beer. Tonight was our first time trying dinner here, and unfortunately, it didn't hit the mark. I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap, but the chicken was pre-grilled, cut into small cubes, and there was barely any of it. The chicken was tough and pretty disappointing. I also swapped out the side for the vegetable of the day--the waitress said it would be squash and mixed veggies, but what I got was just corn and peas, no squash in sight. Definitely still a good spot for drinks, but I wouldn't come back for dinner based on this experience. read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Buffalo chicken warp - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Another price to quality of food review I got the Fish and Chips. It had one piece of fish and soggy-ish fries coleslaw was good the fish was really good not very generous with 25 dollar dish. I would let give it four stars because the 25 plus price tag it should be really good for lunch the ambiance was nice and Dad got the Reuben said it was good. read more

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Service was fast and friendly as always. Beer was nice and cold. They alwa6s have a great selection on seasonal beers and cocktails. read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Tasty Pale lager! - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Gritty's is a Portland landmark I guess. It's good. The food is solid. The service is reliable. It's a great location and a big place. We usually stop here at least once on every Portland visit. read more

We did not eat at Gritty's in Portland this trip, but we certainly raised a few mugs of their ale. Our server, Emma, was very attentive and we had absolutely nothing to complain about. As always, we had a great time reminiscing and sharing family stories. We sat at our favorite table for 3 hours and had such a wonderful time. There was a small Sunday crowd, and the pub was open and airy. Megan (our bartender) and Manager Troy made sure all was well at the table and I really look forward to my next visit to Maine! Safe Travels read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - My daughter's mug #105 - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great service! The twinkle lights were a nice touch too! Only place I have been so far with prosecco on tap- 10/10 recommend read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Pretzel - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

I'm doing some more catch up on breweries that I have tried out but somehow slipped from my memory to get a review up for them. Shame on me! Anyway before you know it Autumn will be right around the corner and with that will be Halloween. In fact this year some people and stores have already joined in celebrating the holiday making it the earliest kick off in stores that I recall. So I will throw in my contribution to that. For Gritty McDuff's the beer I had was their Halloween Ale, an extra Special Bitter style beer which I don't get too often but always glad when I do! Flavor features with this beer are malty, sweet and hoppy. Since it's an Extra Special Bitter it's also very strong also! The body of the beer is nice and smooth. A nice beer to enjoy when the spooky holiday is on the horizon. read more

We had a good time at Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub in Portland, Maine. This was one of several restaurants and bars we visited while bar-hopping in downtown Portland. Gritty's has three locations in Maine: this one in Portland (the original that opened in 1988), Freeport, and Auburn. According to a sign inside, this is Portland's original brew pub. A unique feature of Gritty's is the beer steins that decorate the wall and ceiling of the bar. The steins belong to members of Gritty's mug club. Something else that is unique about Gritty's is you can buy beers in advance for others. That's what one of my buddies did during our visit here. These advance purchases are written on a public whiteboard at the bar with the claimant's name and a claim by date. Kind of fun. Our group of eight visited on a Saturday around 4:15pm. Expectedly, Gritty's wasn't too busy yet. We had drinks at/by the bar. We later took over the long table by the bar after a bachelorette party left. We didn't get any food, but the menu looked good with dishes like lobster poutine, clam chowder, fish and chips (haddock), and fried shrimp. Service was good. All of the staff we interacted with were nice. Coincidentally, all of the bartenders and servers were female, at the time of our visit. Gritty's was one of the bigger bar-restaurants we visited during our Portland pub crawl (we went to about 10 places). I liked the extra space, TVs to watch sports, and the general vibe. There were elevated views of the waterfront out the back windows too. Check out Gritty McDuff's on social media for specials, events, holiday hours, and more. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grittymcduffs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grittymcduffs read more

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Service 5 our guy was fantastic! Lemon Drop Martini 5 Beers were on point. Had a great time playing trivia (offered Wednesday nights are trivia night read more

5 stars for ambiance, service, food, cleanliness Just walk in and grab a seat either indoors or outdoors. The servers are absolutely wonderful and attentive. Sit back and brace yourself because you are about to experience an explosion of wonderful lobster filled flavors. The star of the show for us was the Lobster poutine-oh my-I still dream of that dish. There is great variety of dishes to choose from-all of which are delicious. This place should be on your list when visiting Portland, ME. read more

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Stopped for lunch before a long drive home. The place was bustling for a Sunday. Even so, We found a table quickly. Definitely has a pub vibe. Food and service were very good. Gotta love when places have tots(and a good portion of them)! read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Rachel with Tots - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

We stopped by Gritty's waiting for a show in town and decided to check them out for a drink and some bites. I'm not a regular beer drinker but I've found that I really do prefer stouts over other beers. Their Christmas Ale really did hit the spot -- it was warm and spicy and came with a cute ass bar for the tap. The interior is old pub style and they have a wrap around bar with larger tables along the edges. It was pretty packed when we arrived but we were well attended to. Not being particularly hungry, the SO ordered a lamb burger and I had the fries. I think it's probably the state of things and old port prices, but the lamb burger was almost $20 for a cafeteria style burger -- a shadow of the burger you'd find a other places like this awesome place on Commercial [...] I was pretty disappointed in the food and hesitated to judge based on one item, but they decided it was good enough to put on their menu ‍ read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Christmas ale - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Had a fantastic meal here last weekend- Josiah was our waiter and he was so funny and attentive to filling our super hungry stomachs! Veggie Pizza, McDuff's Salad and Baked seafood with scrumptious broccoli and mashed potatoes. Will definitely return when we are in the area. read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Baked seafood - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I'll start with the positive--the beer was good. Unfortunately, that's where the positives end. If you're going to charge premium prices for food, you need to deliver quality to match. The food was a major disappointment. The fish and chips were advertised as a "generous portion," but the serving was anything but. While the fish itself was decent, the portion was small, and the fries were soggy and barely edible. The buffalo chicken wrap, as mentioned in another review, was inedible. It consisted of frozen, precooked chicken with artificial grill marks and no real flavor. The turkey club we received didn't resemble the menu description at all--misleading and underwhelming. It's unclear who's managing the kitchen, but it feels like a Kitchen Nightmares scenario behind the scenes. The lone waitress covering the entire second floor was clearly overworked and visibly exhausted, which affected the service experience as well. Unless you're just stopping in for a beer and a soft pretzel, I can't recommend this place. It's certainly not worth spending $225 for a dinner for two adults and three kids. read more

The food was very good. Unique old bldg turned into brew pub. We went for lunch so can't comment on the beer as we didn't drink any. Service was fine. Got bill and there was charge for "operational tax" or cost. WTF, who does that? Isn't your prices figured into your operating cost? Was not a lot of $$ but jeez. This is reason for 3 stars. Why scam your patrons with add on fee? read more

A local brew pub that still brews their beer right at this location. Great atmosphere with a large bar and big tables for a large group of people. They have live music many nights, and it's always a fun vibe. The food is upscale pub food and most is really great but a little over priced. Great drinking spot, with other drinks besides their own beers. Pro tip: check out the downstairs, it's quieter and you can typically get a bar seat even on slower nights. They also have outdoor seating as well! read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Bar area - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Good casual place - seems like a nice local spot. Enjoyed the beer, but the food was average at best. Live music was a nice addition.

Food and service were fabulous and drinks were nice and strong! Clam chowder was truly amazing! read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

Easy place to grab a quick pub bite and a beer. Not amazing food, but has something for everyone. Waitstaff very friendly. Lots of fried options. Has lots of locals passing through at the time we were there. read more

Great pub restaurant. Waitress was very friendly and attentive. Enjoyed our beers and snacks. Ambiance is warm and sports oriented. read more

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Had a "Smashburger" and a Reuben - both with tater tots. The burger was "meh," tasted like it was from a frozen patty. Small, not flavorful or creative. The Reuben was also just "meh." Very little corned beef - when I think of a deli sandwich: the expectation is a "piled high" work of art dripping with melty Swiss and fresh sauerkraut. This was chintzy and flat - and the sauerkraut had a tinned, metallic sort of taste. That said - the tater tots were plentiful and well-fried. Crispy outsides and soft insides... but how can you go wrong with those? Just dip them in the fryer and wait. It was certainly crowded on a Saturday night at 9 pm - lots of young people and a definite energy. We would not return for the food - which was expensive compared to expectation vs what we were served. It seemed like a lot of frozen, semi-quality items masquerading as heightened "pub fare." Just meh. read more

We walked in & the place was just clearing out in the downstairs bar. We grabbed some seats at the bar. Mallory was our bartender & she was super sweet. She took our food & drink order all at once. Food came out quickly & we enjoyed our smash burgers and beers! read more

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This cute brew pub offers more than just bar foods. Their seafoods are fresh and they offer a variety of great draft beers. Their service is amazing! read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Fried scallops - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Stopped in for a beer some lunch. Couldn't decide on a beer and the waitress brought a taste of the two I was torn between. (Chose the seasonal Halloween Ale. Burger was delicious. Had a side of tater tots which is a nice change from fries. Wife had Mac and cheese which was delicious. Came with fried jalapeño slices and cornbread. Overall an excellent stop. read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Menu - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Neat little bar tucked away in old Portland. Very impressive bar top that shines with pride against the brick arches. I did get the Mac and cheese but it was a little too dry and lacked great flavor. The service was on point and the drinks were great. They have cask beer which isn't a common sight for an American pub. read more

Sometimes heat and when nature's calling will supersede the most important reason to go to an eating establishment (ya know, for food). I'd say that when my fiancée and I stumbled into Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub in July on our Portland trip, we were entering for all those aforementioned reasons (but don't worry, hunger was mostly why). Truth be told, Gritty McDuff's (or Gritty's as the menu states) wasn't our first option. A nearby tots place was closed and Gritty's looked like a nice little pub to grab grub instead. I had bookmarked it as its boast about being Maine's original brew pub was intriguing enough to try to visit at some point. We entered from the cobble stone alleyway (Wharf Street) which featured a smaller separate section of the larger Gritty's interior (that can be entered off of Fore Street). Though for us, getting out of the heat was enough to grab a high top table right there. Having just downed a beer flight only minutes before at Shipyard, I wasn't necessarily looking to divulge any further, but that aforementioned brew pub aspect of Gritty's made it tough to turn down an ale. The Black Fly Stout was my choice and hit wonderfully as that dry, semi-creamy flavor you look for in a beer like this. They had a few other options along with a couple of non-Gritty brews, but I was one and done at this point of alcohol consumption. Moving on to the menu, it's your typical pub food fare with a slight nod towards Gritty's Old Port location (i.e. some fishy choices). With that in mind and being in Maine, I tagged the lobster grilled cheese as my choice while the fiancée went for a half sandwich (same as me) and soup combo (New England clam chowder). Something called Gritty chips (they sounded like seasoned potato chips) were supposed to accompany both, but they were out of them so coleslaw was the replacement. Starting with the lady's soup, it was creamy with good chunks of potato and no complaints from her about sandy crunches. Though the winner of lunch was by far the lobster grilled cheese. Dill havarti and cheddar jack cheese were melted amidst sautéed chunks of lobster on grilled garlic bread. I know I was starving, but this sandwich was delectably delicious and stood out as a highlight of the trip. Sure, Maine lobster goes a long way in making anything with the crustacean taste great, but it just hit the spot so perfectly for both of us. Overall, Gritty McDuff's is a divey but nice spot to stop in for a bite to eat. It's a regular ol' pub in looks and style so nothing fancy, but with a few of their own brews and some quality eats, it should be thrown on your Portland itinerary. I mean even if you're just escaping the heat and need a bathroom, it does well to fill these two importances...though seriously, you might come for those reasons, but you'll stay for the lobster grilled cheese. Do it. read more

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Expensive $30 cold lobster roll. Excellent service. Fried clams were the best ever. Yummy coleslaw w a hint of horseradish. The clam chowder was filled w delicious fresh clams- in thin soup, needed to be warmer. Great local beer- read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Lobster roll - yum! - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

As a small-ish city (80,000 people?), Portland punches WAY above its weight when it comes to food and drink scene offerings. And - in a place with many outstanding restaurants, breweries, and pubs - so does this Portland outpost of Gritty McDuffs (Flagship is in Freeport, I think). As a first time visitor who spent a week in Portland this past March, this place absolutely wowed me! Not only do they offer a great mix of their own quality brews, but they also do at least two versions of them as cask conditioned, quintessentially British ales. To my knowledge, none of the pubs in town that present themselves as "British" provide the cask ale option. Gritty's does. Expertly so. Great staff, solid food, fun trivia night, unpretentious vibe. HUGE fan! HIGHLY recommend. read more

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This is such a nice little bar with great live music! We went to see one of the bands that has a residency there every other Thursday and they're amazing! The drinks were served fast, even though it was an extremely busy night and the food that people were getting looked delicious! I also lost my wallet there and the staff and even patrons were super helpful in helping me find it! They are so sweet and it's such a good spot to go for a little post-dinner drink or some amazing live music! read more

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Gritty's is a fun and lively pub to enjoy good drinks, hearty food, at (mainly) communal-style tables. The servers are friendly and hardworking. The food is basic but good; their strength truly lies in their vibrant atmosphere, which is reminiscent of a local Irish pub filled with spirited locals. Don't fret if you're not a beer-drinker (even though I assume you would have a better time if you were), they have options for us, too! The white russian I enjoyed on St. Paddy's day did the trick. read more

Great food, and I love that they have gluten free options. Nice place for a quick dinner.

Last minute girls trip to Maine!! Stopped here on recommendations from various people. Micah our server was AMAZING. She was so personable & professional guiding us through the menu & discovering this side of Portland!! Definitely the right place for foodies! Something for everyone . read more

Stopped in for dinner and we got nachos for the appetizer, good chips salsa was just okay. I ordered the burger and it was bland, I think I should have ordered something else based on the other reviews. It wasn't bad but just lacked any depth or flavor. The atmosphere was nice and our server was very attentive but for the price it didn't hit. read more

This place was a cute place to come across! The seating is not my favorite since we got a large picnic table but also had to share it with this family with lots of young kids... maybe we will go for the high top tables next time so we don't have to share with screaming kiddos... Menu was a good size and service was pretty fast despite how busy it was in there. I got the salmon with veggies which was cooked at the right temperature - I do think the rice and veggies lacked a bit of seasoning which is weird cuz it looks really seasoned but there were some salt and pepper shakers around. My friend got one of the specials which were chicken tacos and he seemed to like that but also said nothing running back to. It was a good place to stumble upon and I'd eat here again but it probably wouldn't be a place that I'll be craving to come back to. read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

It was late and our bartender Bri got us a hummus platter even though the kitchen was closed. She was super nice. This place is great!!!!

It was kinda expensive and just ok all around in the flavors. The bread on the grilled cheese was also very dry and rough to bite into. read more

Gritty McDuff's Brew Pub - Lobster poutine - American Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great drinks. Brea is an awesome bartender. The only knock is I think it desperately needs karaoke. read more