Stopped in for dinner and was really impressed overall. The drinks were fantastic. Perfectly made and a great start to the meal. The clam chowder was classic New England style, creamy with a good amount of clams which is exactly what you hope for (and expect) in Maine. The lobster roll was overflowing with fresh lobster meat, which was the real star of the show. The roll itself was a simple hot dog bun. Nothing fancy, but it worked. Sometimes simple and good is all you need. Cozy spot, friendly vibe, and a solid stop if you're craving the Maine staples done right. read more

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We visited during our recent tour de Maine. It was a sweltering day and we opted to try the patio with a good breeze coming in off the water. We ordered drinks & small salads. My BFF and I opted for the margarita. It was good, not great! I've had a hard time finding just the perfect scratch margarita of late. This still did the trick. My salad was the beet & apple salad. I ordered the fried haddock on the side, not knowing if I even liked haddock. I did! It was light, flaky, cooked well, not too breaded. The beet & apple salad was fresh & delicious. Patio has great water views, and was a cool place to sit even in the summer heat. There were plenty of seats outdoors with umbrellas. read more

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Memorable lunch Friday along the Kennebec River. Jalapeño Margarita followed by Korean Fish Tacos. Churro Cheesecake for dessert. Very friendly and helpful service. Plenty of free parking. Indoor dining (lots of tables) too. read more

We recently enjoyed a lunch here. Lobster Rolls and chowder. Waitstaff was good and so was atmosphere. Pricy though ... read more

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The Host and outstanding waiter Mike made this an enjoyable meal! That said, the food was a departure from our old memories of the Tavern. The Calamari tasted great, but the membranes were not removed from the rings.... The haddock chowder tasted good, but was absent any significant pieces of fish, and finally, the fish and chips consisted of 5 small thin tail sections unfit for entree portions. An easy fix as the location, atmosphere and staff make this a great place to visit! read more

Kennebec Tavern - Fish and chips after digging into the fries... - New American Near Me - Bath, Maine

To start: my server was great, if overwhelmed. The location right on the Kennebec river should be awesome... But the badly dated deck outside and the docks are a bit of an eyesore. To the food: one drink and a mother's day bacon wrapped scallop appetizer was a hefty $28. The scallops had undercooked bacon and were in a super sweet sauce- even extra lemons couldn't rescue it. Bottom line- that dish lacked any subtlety. I'd suggest choosing another spot in town, despite the obvious appeal of the river location. read more

Sitting on the water is nice, everything else is OK at best. Service was amateur, salad boring, steak overcooked, fries meah.... just a very unexciting dining experience. The outdoor patio is on the river and the view is nice. read more

Food was great. Service could have been better but not bad. 5 stars because I left my credit card there and they sent it back to me in Los Angeles! read more

Ate here after attending a play at Maine State Music Theater. The restaurant had only a few customers, but service was still very slow. I ordered a vodka tonic that cost $12.00, which is more than normal. I was given grey goose vodka which I didn't ask for. It was over half filled with ice. My husband ordered a bottle of beer. That was $8.00. Dinner was the main rip off We both ordered the " fish and chips". My husband ordered his haddock fried, and I ordered mine sauteed. We split a dinner salad which ended being the best part of the meal. When the entree finally arrived, I was stunned to see the tiny piece of haddock that I got. It was about three inches square!!!! The fried haddock was on the smaller side, but adequate. The potato salad that we opted for instead of fried potatoes, was a bit soupy with sauce. But I received twice the amount that my husband got. My potato salad was heaping over the dish, while his was about an inch below the top of the ramiken. My husband asked for tarter sauce, and apparently the waitress forgot to bring it until he was eating his last bite of haddock. I left the restaurant hungry, and we bought snacks on the way home. Our bill at the restaurant was $80.00!!!! For what we got our visit to this restaurant was a total rip off. I think they are catering to tourists who want to dine by the river. But it's not worth seeing the river while you get a snack instead of a meal. Don't waste your money. read more

Came here for some apps and drinks. Good clam chowder and amazing spinach salad with blueberries and strawberries. Sat at the bar for a few drinks and Tate the bartender was great! It was around 8:15 and as you know everything in Maine closes early and we did not feel rushed at all and they close at 9. Nice, warm and cozy place, we'll be back! read more

Kennebec Tavern - Clam chowder - New American Near Me - Bath, Maine

Not an amazing restaurant but we have always had a good meal, lovely location as we sit outside on the patio and really attentive, friendly , go above waitstaff here. read more

My husband chose here for our 43rd anniversary, and it was OK. I had heard that they had flooding issues recently and there was some water damage around the windows, but the rest of the restaurant was in very good shape and looked very nice. The nautical theme was not overdone. The Clam Chowder was very tasty and creamy. My husband liked the Haddock Chowder. The host and server were both very nice and helpful. The entrees were disappointing, especially given $30 each! My steak was well cooked and seasoned just, but putting a rib eye steak fried in butter on top of sauted spinach just adds grease to grease. The fries were cold, not crisp, and had very little parmesan. My husband said the potato cakes were OK, but I thought they were very under seasoned. His scallops were overcooked, and the seaweed salad was very spicy. I certainly could have done without the loud and active drunk at the bar. All in all, we will probably not go back. read more

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Ok I was a little apprehensive due to several comments and the low rating but I'm up for a little risk taking and I am so glad I am cause best chicken sandwich I've had in awhile and by far ask for a side of the Sriracha ranch sauce to eat with everything holy cow so good!!! Wife got the fish pockets and by far a ton of food for the price, she couldn't finish it!! Also couldn't keep her out of my sriracha ranch dipping sauce!! Definitely will be coming back and yes you can see they are still doing some workto the flooding recently but everything was clean and the service was great and speedy!! read more

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Delicious traditional lobster roll. Beautiful spot on the river. Enjoyed the breeze and spacious outdoor seating. read more

Kennebec Tavern - Lobster roll with potato salad and cole slaw. - New American Near Me - Bath, Maine

Nice location situated on the small marina along the historic Kennebec River in Bath Maine. Service was terrific because our friendly waitress was knowledgeable about the menu options and let us know immediately what was not available, rather than tell us after we made a menu choice. Our dinner companion ordered something I would never consider for myself. She ordered the Haddock Rueben sandwich. Yes! With sauerkraut! She loved it! We were able to enjoy dining under the patio canopy overlooking the river. Will definitely return when we are visiting Bath. read more

Kennebec Tavern - Haddock Rueben sandwich at the Kennebec Tavern in Bath Maine. - New American Near Me - Bath, Maine

Hate to say it , wonderful location, but poor surly staff and managemen. Food average at best. Very disappointed.

Good food, great look, nice staff.... But they tend to be a bit slow....if you are patient and not terribly hungry, you won't mind the long wait for servers to come by or to actually get your food.... read more

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Stopped in for lunch for the first time and so happy I did! This place is packed during the summer and was fortunate it is open during the offseason, so I took advantage. They've got quite a bit going on such as special events throughout the winter as well as a fantastic Sunday brunch I'll be back to enjoy. Service was great and so was the conversation from my bartender. Be sure to stop by and take advantage of this gem! read more

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My meal was inedible. No squash or black beans to speak of, NOT avacado dressing. My husband had chowder that seemed from a can.

I last reviewed this restaurant more than 4 years ago. I was grumpy and said I would probably not return. For 4 years, I didn't. But restaurants change, and any restaurant that is still in business after the pandemic deserves another chance. I ate dinner at the bar because that's the best place to hear the staff talking to one another. Alas, the staff were all too busy to stop and talk. Like every other restaurant, they are understaffed, and nobody had time for chit-chat. I had a good meal from the "daily specials" menu, with awesome blueberry pie at the end (please don't tell my doctor that I had dessert, and I promise I only ate half of it.) It is quite possible that the restaurant is under entirely new management. Certainly there is new decor, a new menu, new menu typography, and a certain amount of new art on the walls. And they are still in business; they must be doing something right. They still serve fried parsnips, which are wonderful. Most of my other favorite dishes from long ago (such as a fish Reuben sandwich) are gone, but the parsnips remain. The menu focuses on fresh seafood, which makes perfect sense for a restaurant that has its own dock for fishing boats. Mine was cooked perfectly, and served promptly. I'll be back. The Kennebec Tavern is now back on my list of favorite places. read more

We had been looking for dinner that would be on the water, unfortunately we were looking on a night when all of the ocean front places were closed. We elected to try the Kennebec Tavern for a couple of reasons - open for early dinner & on the river. It was great! We walked in and the hostess (manager?) let us know that we were more than welcome, but there might be a short wait as they had just come off a busy lunch and needed to get their servers food. My reply? "get us a drink and all is good" and they did! Our server was Erik and he was great. Their draft beer system was down, but that did not affect my martini - and, frankly, I appreciated the transparency of letting us know. Loved to be able to sit on the deck - we watched boats leave from the dock and we tried to figure out how awesome it would be when the lights went on. I had fried haddock - very generous and lightly fried. I had convinced one of our visitors from the west coast to try it and he was very pleased! Wayne tried "fish pockets" it was a pita stuff with fried haddock and Thai peanut coleslaw and avocado chili sauce. Onion rings and FF were good - but we totally focused on the fish! read more

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Great atmosphere, after the flood! Food was great, but when ordering a seafood platter, there was not enough, for the huge price . The server was great, beyond nice.My wife's meal was enough, but dwarfs, my meal. read more

They have a big banner out front saying "now open." There is a big table outside and other tables outside to eat. There is also a tent outside with more tables there to eat at. It's got water to view from the outdoor seating. And where there is water, it's been my experience that it's windy. And it's windy here. I went in with my emotional support dog (I have a doctor's note , and I have Complex PTSD) and they told me it's Maine's state law not to have owners eat OUTSIDE when they have dogs, unless it's a service dog. This can't be true because yesterday, I ate at another very nice Lobster house INSIDE (granted, by the back door; it was FREEZING outside and the staff took pity on me) with my dogs. I am visiting from Virginia and trying to experience a LOT of Maine while I am here for only 3 days. The place I am renting told me specifically not to leave my dogs there if I am not there, because it bothers the neighbors if they bark and howl. That's fine, I take them everywhere I can, anyway. Also, sometimes I will leave them in the car and go eat in a restaurant, but these people lied to me (I feel lied to), and acted like they are superior to me, and while the weather is super nice and my dogs would be fine in the car, I am Yelping about this rather than leaving them here to go back inside and spend tons of money on food. I am also a big tipper. I am a former waitress and I tip very well. Oh well. A note - my dogs are super friendly Spaniels. One is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - he is considered Royalty and would be allowed in the Houses of Parliament in London, England. The other is a very sweet American Cocker Spaniel. They both make friends everywhere they go, so their breed and temperament is not the issue. Clearly, this place wants to be snobby. So, have fun with that. Too bad for their sake that I am a Yelper. read more

I just don't understand the negative reviews here. My wife and I spent a lovely evening at the Kennebec Tavern. Erik provided professional and friendly service throughout the evening. Chef David French prepared two fabulous meals for us. Let me say that I just wanted a nice Salmon dinner. Nothing fancy. I asked Erik and Chef French delivered a great meal. If you had a bad experience here I suggest you go back, ask for Erik, talk to the staff and have a great experience. read more

We ate here last night and I was really happy overall. Our waiter was amazing and took excellent care of us. My mother-in-law ordered the peach salmon and loved it. I ordered the lobster tortellini and it was pretty good. I'm finding I'm not a huge lobster fan, but that's not the restaurant's fault. I've tried it a couple of different ways while visiting Maine and I don't think it's for me. The sauce and noodles were yummy though. My husband ordered the chicken pot pie and it was just bad. It's a non-traditional pot pie w/o the crust and the flavor had a wang to it. The waiter was nice enough to remove it from our bill without us asking. Not his fault we tried something different and didn't like it but he took care of it anyway. I'd definitely go again - top-notch service and I think with a different food choice it would have bene a 5 star. read more

I don't know what people are complaining about. The service and food here were above and beyond! I had a great experience at this restaurant! Love that it's on the water too! read more

Kennebec Tavern - Lobster roll - New American Near Me - Bath, Maine

Visiting Bath for the day and stopped in for lunch. The staff was very attentive to us as soon as we walked in the door. There is a sign at the hostess stand asking for patience as they rebuild their staff and the menu was limited. The limited menu had plenty of options and we likely wouldn't have been the wiser if it wasn't posted. We ordered the lobster and crab rolls. Both rolls were well portioned and delicious. Overall, service was excellent. Our server Devin exemplified great service. He was friendly, personable and attentive. read more

Kennebec Tavern - Lobster roll sweet potato fries. - New American Near Me - Bath, Maine

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Phenomenal food, cute space with a cozy vibe and nice service. Go for the seafood pot pie and finish with the blueberry pie -- both were spectacular! read more

The woman in last review that's "nasty" is the owner. No locals ever go to the bar because of her. She's horrible. The food: don't recommend the chicken wings- they precook them and let them sit out for hours on trays while flies continually land on them. Gross. Head chef apparently yells at female employees and makes them cry on the regular. Do yourself a favor and get better food better prices at Gurnets. Owner is nice guy th read more

Beautiful day to have a beverage & lunch water side. It was busy so great having businesses come back after a tough year. Food was flavorful and the salad was fabulous... no iceberg lettuce lots of veggies!!! House Chardonnay was good as well! read more

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Crab Roll near the hotel for dinner. Clam chowder wasn't my favorite ever, but was ok. read more

Kennebec Tavern - Crab Roll - New American Near Me - Bath, Maine

Lobster roll. A lot of lobster meat. The bun was soft. It was very salty and had No other taste. The lobster stew was salty and not much meat. Service was good and tentative. read more

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STAY AWAY! 10/14/24 walked in for lunch and ordered a lite beer from the bartender. older employee buts in "we only have MAINE beer" The bartender proceeded to read off the bottle list and I ordered. she gave me a menu and I asked about the quote "house cured corned beef". nasty older lady empolyee butts in AGIAN and tells me WE DONT HAVE THAT, WE GET IT FROM A DISTRIBUTOR". I began to inquire about the menu which specifically states "house cured" and made the terrible, horrible error of addressing this nasty woman, respectfully as "maam" she looks at me (the customer) and says "don't ever call me that!" I tried to explain that I was reading verbatim from the menu and was confused by her. she then grabs the menu and starts to read it to me and realizes her error. instead of apologizing, she DOUBLES DOWN on her nastiness to me, the customer. the bartender looks apologetic. I leave money plus a tip for the bartender and explain I will not be treated like this, and left my beer. DO NOT waste you hard earned money here with people who will treat you like dirt. read more

3 stars go entirely to the scenery of the outdoor seating. It was an absolutely gorgeous place to eat. However, the clam chowder was bland, crab roll extremely dry, lobster roll was average (not good enough for the price), and their pickles were so salty I could only eat a bite. Our bill was ridiculously expensive for the quality and taste of the food. It also took 5-10 minutes for the hostess to even greet us. Poor girl had to buss all the tables, get guests started with water, and seat the line that went out the door. Every. Single. Other. staff member acted like the line didn't exist. No one said a word to us. Not even a smile. If we went back, it would be for the seating and we would probably stay away from the seafood. Lobster rolls can be found elsewhere. read more

Kennebec Tavern - Outdoor seating - New American Near Me - Bath, Maine

The challenge with owning a restaurant that's one of the best views of the river is that you NEVER know whether you'll be slammed or not in advance, but a visitor can guess. This is NOT the place to go with a very hungry young or old and frail group at 6 o'clock on a nice summer night-- you will wait just as you would anywhere with a view of the water. They do their best, but slammed is slammed-- by 7:15, it's usually wholly available for the later eaters. We have always found the service to be friendly, helpful, and hardworking, despite the rudeness of some patrons. And sometimes mistakes are made. I'm going to take issue with those who complain about drink prices anywhere in Maine-- Maine restaurant and bar owners pay full retail price for alcohol-- not wholesale-- they have to mark up to cover labor, ingredients, and other overheard. You could have made your own at home for cheaper for sure-- but you wouldn't have been sitting outside on the river watching the bald eagles and sturgeon. Our crew loves the following-- fried haddock, the salads, the fried parsnips (who knew), the fish pockets with the Thai-style slaw, and the wings-- plain or with one of the sauce choices. They also love the draft beer choices and the bloody Marys. Can't say much about the desserts-- mostly ice cream eaters-- but we always enjoy our meals on the water. read more

Busting there xxx to serve you. Short of help. We waited and we're happy with the results. Fish and chips as good as we have ever had. Lots of food and friendly service. Sit outside on the water, read more

Kennebec Tavern - Outside - New American Near Me - Bath, Maine

Like other reviewers here, the hour long wait for food ruined the entire experience. Every staff person explained up front that we need to bear with them because it is hard to find help with COVID. My wife and I are understanding of that but, 20 minutes to get a water or drink seems like they just don't care. After 50 minutes we decided to leave Unfed because the tables on either side had arrived after us got their food. So, beautiful setting by river but, deplorable service and the COVID excuse doesn't quite cut it. read more

So I've come into this restaurant a few times now and I've been equally disappointed each time. The location itself is beautiful but that does not make up for the overly priced food that could have been made better at Applebees or any other large chain restaurant. The manager or the owner came across as harsh, condescending, and just generally unconcerned with how the patrons of her restaurant were enjoying their time there. I've been to nearly every restaurant in Bath and this one was by far the worst time and time again. If this is how the restaurant is ran day to day, I'm not sure how they're able to stay in business. It's really a shame because the location would be perfect for a well ran business. read more

Go for the scenery from the great deck along the river. As to the food - meh. Our chowders were barely warm. It's blueberry season here in Maine yet the blueberries found in the blueberry/strawberry/burrata salad were devoid of any flavor. Also should have opted for a different salad dressing as the strawberry-balsamic dressing that comes with the salad was off-putting. We only go here when we can sit outside because that is the best part of the experience. read more

Service here (Host, not waitress) is slow and combative. Host takes forever to seat every table, so there is a line outside, like an exclusive Vegas club....and it's not even half full...took 15 minutes to get seated, with two parties ahead of us...not surprisingly, it's for sale...if it wasn't on the Kennebec, it would have gone out of business years ago...food here is a solid B-, which is a huge upgrade over actually getting to your your table, which shouldn't be this hard... read more