Took a trip south for the evening with some friends to check out this new wine bar. To be honest, I did not do my typical research before going, so I had no expectations. With that said, I don't think this was worth the hour drive. The place itself is lovely with a modern decor and some antiques mixed throughout. When I walked in (first of my party to arrive) at 6 PM on a Saturday night, I was greeted by almost the entire staff. This was because I was the only customer. At 6 PM . On a Saturday. I passed many other restaurants on the main drag to get here - all were packed. The wines were on the pricier side. However, if you are with someone who enjoys the same wine as you, you can try some nicer wines without committing to a whole bottle, as they will open any bottle for two glasses. I had a glass of white on recommendation by my server when I asked for something sweet. It wasn't really sweet, but it did have a nice fruity flavor. While I was there for the wine, the mixed drink menu was more appealing and I succumbed and tried the daily special - a Honey Badger (gin, lime juice, honey, and cherry juice). It was quite yummy, but at $11, I wouldn't order another. They are a tapas (small plates) restaurant. I ordered a brûlée Parmesan and crisps plate with a daily house salad. While both were good, neither are enough for me to make the trek back. Especially after recently visiting a tapas place in Portland that was OUTSTANDING! A friend did order the cheese plate which was beautifully presented. In short, I was underwhelmed and don't feel as though I came away as satisfied as I should for the money I spent. But hey - the company was good! read more

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With all the glorious reviews, it was exciting we were able to get a seating for 5 at 7PM - same day...thank you cancellation. That said, I was openly disappointed. I'll get this out of the way - their adherence to COVID19 requirements is excellent - tables spaced and servers cognizant of distancing and masked. The highlight - well, it is a wine bar and the selections are truly excellent. I had one of the Pinot Noirs available by the glass and it was stunning. Really special...If only I remember the name The food, disappointing, while a strong word, is most appropriate. My wife selected the gnocchi with lobster and peas - more peas than anything else. The lobster, was part of a claw...maybe? The gnocchi, meh. Ranna's pre-made bought in the grocer's cooler was about on par. I selected the Tagliatelle with puttanesca sauce - I sincerely doubt the pasta was house made, was served still in the de Cecco type nests when you buy it in the pasta aisle and it was two minutes overdone. The sauce, clearly made from the leftover olive appetizers - was too olive in flavor and not much else. Another issue - Tagliatelle is traditionally 6.5mm to 10mm in width...this rendition was strikingly similar to fettuccine . The last meal selected - the salmon, while excellent in presentation (plating was all nice), was raw in the middle. Truly unacceptable when you can't prepare a small piece of salmon properly. The desserts, a banana cream pie (more a torte, overly dry) and a spongecake with berries was passable, but nothing special. Here's my take, this place garners substantial reviews because it is not one of the touristy, strap a lobster bib around your neck, restaurants that dot Perkins Cove - it has a vibe, interesting music selections and a different menu - well done. Portions are right sized when the food is truly special....here, it isn't. I guess I was hoping to find Michelin Star quality in a great atmosphere like you would in Sonoma. The problem here is in the execution of the meals - truly disappointing, and the setting is a good one and with food done right, can make for a special evening. Disappointing. read more

had been looking forward to going here since booking our Maine trip and what a treat. started with the roasted carrots and pork buns, both were delicious and carrot cream sauce was one of the most unique and tasty sauces i have had. my girlfriend went with the short ribs which server told us had been braised for 48 hours and it was succulent and tasty! I went with the grilled chicken breast and it was cooked to perfection and the jus that was on it i can still taste. Might have been one of the best chicken dishes i have ever had. the drinks were great and the atmosphere perfect. servers were also great. if you are in the area i definitely recommend giving it a try. read more

Northern Union - roasted carrots - Wine Bars Near Me - Ogunquit, Maine

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If I could give this place 10 stars I would. The food was perfectly portioned and everything was so fresh. The menu was also unique so that was really refreshing. Highly recommend! read more

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We kicked off the early season In Ogunquit with a nice dinner at Northern Union. A family run fine dining restaurant that is intentionally thoughtful and local. Designed for the wine loving visitors to the areas beach hotels, this is a comfortable and friendly spot. After many visits to the area, can say this is one of the very best foodie stops. The starter small plates all feature fresh local produce and protein. My springy ramp soup and the Curried Beef Empanadas were delicious and a great start. We enjoyed the sweet savory Foie Gras dish and the entree sized roasted Pork Loin touched with more ramp ash was unique and paired nicely with an excellent from Pinot from Vacqueyras. The pork came with lentil and celery root risotto. Order that. The decor is lovingly (intentionally) disheveled and a jumble of Maine clabbered walls and tidy home style tables and chairs. Not a diner and not a dining room, the place is cozy and invites lingering. The delicious and long list wine program encourages experimentation. The cocktail program is also good. read more

Northern Union - Our wine with dinner - Wine Bars Near Me - Ogunquit, Maine

This was our second time at Northern Union and once again we had a 10/10 experience. The food and drinks were fantastic, as was the wonderful service. Highly recommend trying the scallops, they were fantastic!! read more

Absolutely fabulous. We chose a variety of small plates and each one was excellent. The plating presentation was beautiful. The deconstructed cheesecake was awesome! Cocktails were made by a pro! There is no doubt we will be coming back every year when we visit Ogunquit. Hands down one of the best restaurants in town. Don't miss this place! Make a reservation in advance during season. read more

Northern Union - Wine Bars Near Me - Ogunquit, Maine

We just came back from a nice dinner at Northern Union, although given all of the amazing reviews we were fairly underwhelmed and landed at 3.5 stars (but rounded up given the current state of the world). We started off with an order of the house made focaccia which was $4 and came with 2 tiny bite size pieces of bread and a little side of olive oil. My boyfriend and I looked at each other and laughed that an establishment would charge money for something like that. It also had barely any taste. So, if you're looking for a nice bread starter, this is not the one for you, and the main reason I'd give this place 3 stars not 4. We also ordered the shrimp couscous appetizer which came with 4 shrimp and Israeli couscous. It was fresh and clean and much better than the bread. I had the chicken as my main and my boyfriend had the short ribs. We agreed that the chicken was great, impressively moist for a chicken breast and the risotto and broccolini fit nicely for a well rounded dish. My boyfriend enjoyed his short ribs but it wasn't the star of the night. I don't believe we would come back if we had the option, but we genuinely appreciate all of the adjustments Northern Union made to accommodate life in the COVID world. It was a nice setting and felt safe, and the waitstaff were friendly. read more

Been here several times throughout the years. It's always a favorite of ours to get some delicious, well executed food, tasty wine & cocktails and amazing vibes. On our most recent trip we had some great cocktails. The Verve in particular stood out. We also loved the roasted carrot, foie gras torchon, olives and local salad starters that were all amazing. I had the buttered carrot tortellini. It was incredible, light & pillowy. Also tried some of my wife's short rib that were so so tasty. Love this place. Can't wait to go back. read more

A most favorite place of ours for many years but no longer. The food is average, the portions small and the prices very high. We were happy to see they had finally made some changes to a menu that had not shifted for a long time, but our last visit was very disappointing. Service was fine, and the outdoor seating can't be beat but the appetizers and main courses were tiny and not tasty. Specifically the tuna that was so overdressed and decorated the tuna was lost. The high point was the Potato Latke, perfectly cooked and garnished with crème fraiche and caviar. Ordered a second at the end of our meal because we were still hungry. read more

Great food! Amazing ambiance. Great for special occasions when you feel like splurging read more

I was so excited to get a last minute dinner reservation here. The outdoor seating set up is cozy with a fire pit and tiki torches. Tables are well spaced out from other guests. The host seemed overwhelmed and we had a bit of a wait to be seated despite being on time for our res. I'm assume they're understaffed or someone had called out - it happens! Once we were seated, the waiter was lovely and very attentive. Drinks and food came quickly. The food highlights were the pork bao buns, lobster gnocchi and blueberry cheesecake. Portions are relatively small, so definitely start with apps. The signature cocktails were above average. Perfect date night! read more

I'm a local- of all the fabulous restaurants around here, Northern Union is my absolute favorite. The food is INCREDIBLE, the drinks are amazingly well thought out, and the service is beyond knowledgeable and helpful. Special shout out to Rob, who goes above and beyond with every visit!!! read more

Northern Union is our favorite restaurant anywhere nearby. Everything about it is phenomenal!

This place never disappoints. The food is excellent. Customer service, location, ambience, indoor and outdoor seating are outstanding. read more

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We had an excellent dinner here! I'm surprised it isn't booked up every night. The atmosphere is great and so is the good. The pork belly buns were a standout and the chicken was super fresh and juicy. I would definitely recommend! read more

Start with the positives - the chef's basket appetizer (good size, decent price); the quaint and comfortable decor; the wine list; and friendly server. The negatives (take deep breath)....(1) loud, annoying "house" music. Feels like you're stuck in an elevator. (2) water glasses - why are they 2 ounces? (3) saltiness of absolutely everything served - massive amount of salt but no other discernible fresh herbs. If this is a "superfine" restaurant, this is basic. (4) prices are not commensurate with portion sizes. Ridiculous for something that is three bites of food. (5) do NOT order the hangar steak. The meat was tough and over cooked and the chimichurri sauce was way too oily and had no flavor. At least use high quality olive oil! Overall, there are WAY better places to eat in Ogunquit/Cape Neddick. read more

Very disappointed with my time at Northern Union. It took an extremely long amount of time (over an HOUR) to simply just get A SALAD. I had a reservation and didn't get any sort of food until over an hour after I had sat down. Keep in mind, the place was not busy at all. There were tons of open tables. I decided to not even order an entree because of how disappointed I was with the service. While I was there, people that sat down after me, got their food way before me. My server did not come to check up on me and notify me of any delay/problems in the kitchen. Clearly they had some problems. I had such a bad experience that I will not be coming back to Northern Union. read more

Run, do not walk to Northern Union. Actually, you don't have to run anywhere in Ogunquit because it's so laid back. A culinary journalist friend suggested and wow. First off, we had a reservation and the owner called me earlier that day to make sure we knew the temp was expected to drop and to wear layers or bring blankets, whatever would keep us comfortable. Yeah, because that would happen in our native NYC. We sat outside on the lawn in a beautiful setting surrounded by tiki torches. Both of us had the pork tenderloin with cauliflower purée and spicy bok Choy. OH MY GOD. I'd go back just for that meal. I don't happen to gravitate toward specialty drinks but I'm told Tim is a mixology genius. A must if you're in Ogunquit read more

Northern Union - Outside dining. - Wine Bars Near Me - Ogunquit, Maine

Wow just a really special environment sitting outside by fire pit having dinner, cocktails ... my wife had the lobster gnocchi and thought it was delicious and light and really creative yummy. Highly recommend this restaurant everything we ate we enjoyed read more

Definitely a fru fru place. We sat down to double shot glasses, and I had a minor anxiety attack thinking I'd have to stall down my waiter every two sips. However, never to fear, they give you a quart bottle to yourself. (Phew. Crisis averted). A couple items were unknown even to these foodies, so luckily we had a knowledgeable waiter. They all seem pretty on-point there. We got the soup of the day, a beet gazpacho with fennel foam, the flavors were alright, and halfway through we realized the black dots were salt, that helped meld the foam with the gazpacho. Having been served table-side there was a yin-yang aspect to the bowl where they were separated. The beef empanadas were the highlight of the day, go figure one of the least costly options. They had a red pepper "sauce" and celeriac remoulade that nicely complemented them. FYI- 4 small ones / order. The waiter definitely seemed to warm everyone that small plate = small portions, for those that don't realize. The Parmesan brûlée was good, the apple raisin compote was sweet and tender, and a little (really little) reduced balsamic added a nice bitterness to the creamy cheese. But honestly it was $8 for just cheese a "crackers". The real disappointment was our $22 entree. We had the sprig tagliatelle. I was so enticed by the fiddleheads, mushroom , the homemade pasta and spring garlic sauce that I insisted on ordering it. Alas, my dinner companion - not much into fiddleheads and mushrooms tried one of each. Well the needed salt was apparently ALLLL on that mushroom. I think I've also finally learned I don't need fiddleheads. They have a bit of a basic after-feeling. The portions were all so so small for the entrees. We looked over at our neighbor's $28/9 steak and $24?27? Salmon. Just happy we didn't get that. Even the desserts, while they looked good, were extremely small. Just a shame my other half doesn't do seafood, I would have been happier with an a la carte lobster roll by the water. Oh well. read more

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Unique flavor combinations, excellent pairings, easily eat four courses and walk away satisfied not overfilled. Friendly smiling staff, great service, lots of options for seating, highly recommend for high end dinner! read more

A bit crowded but still so worth it. Everything we had was delicious. Service was great.

Love this place! Amazing food and drinks. Plates are small but food is creative! We love it all here

Have gone on four separate occasions now - always top-notch, kind, and thoughtful service that helped enhance our meal and drink decisions! Food is probably the best we had throughout several months in Ogunquit. Highly recommend on all fronts. read more

We finally found amazing food (and cocktails and wine) in Ogunquit! The Verve cocktail was "the best cocktail of my life," according to my wife. And every course was truly fantastic; from the brown bread and blue cheese salad with candied walnuts and apples to our rich, make-Italy-proud fettuccine alla puttanesca and sweet potato torteloni with parmesan foam and the roasted carrots (with butternut squash puree and pepita granola) to the Konig Cabernet. Yum! Steph and colleagues provided great service and Tim is the master bartender. Come here every night. read more

Excellent addition to a town that has not quite figured out fine dining with a modern influence and Northern Union is that place. Creative cocktails, nice wine list and flawlessly executed menu. Service is a tad slow, but the staff is warm and genuine which wins every time versus 8 people on your table with 0 personality. Three visits since they opened and all outstanding. read more

This was definitely in the top ten meals I've ever had in my life. Service was great and the food was even better. read more

Northern Union - Dessert - Wine Bars Near Me - Ogunquit, Maine

This is definitely one of my most favorite restaurants ever! The owners Matt and Lauren always go out of their way to make your experience spectacular! I was so flattered that they made my long overdue mailbox a focal point of the night! If your celebrating a special event definitely call Northern Union! Trust me you'll never be disappointed There fire pit is also a great conversational spot to meet some pretty awesome people! read more

Northern Union - Blue tuna tartare! - Wine Bars Near Me - Ogunquit, Maine

Absolutely fabulous meal! The menu is exciting and interesting. The food was beautifully prepared and presented. We had the Jerusalem Artichoke snack which was wonderful. The cornbread, although properly described as rustic was a little too rustic for us but good nonetheless for what it was presented as. Small plates we thoroughly enjoyed the Octopus (my first time braving that protein) and I'm a convert as long I know it's pressure cooked now! We also loved the beet soup. The gnocchi were light fluffy and perfected. Ricotta tortellini were very good as well. Would have given 5 stars had our plates not arrived one on top of the other, would have preferred them to come as courses as we ordered them one/two at a time, being able to complete one before the next round arrived to the table. We will definitely return to trey more options! read more

Northern Union - Ricotta tortellini - Wine Bars Near Me - Ogunquit, Maine

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This place is super fun. The food is amazing and so unique. When you watch Food Network and you see people making creams and foams and all sorts of fun things like that....you get those things here! The small plates are pretty small so you'll want to order a bundle of them. The Jerusalem Artichokes were probably my favorite thing on the menu. They were amazing. The Duck Spring Rolls are deep fried and delicious (because who doesn't love deep fried) but the fried wrapper overwhelmed the flavor and you couldn't really taste the duck. The main dish of Ricotta Tortelloni was really good. It comes with five large tortelloni and some asparagus. The flavor was yummy and the portion was reasonable (not like some main stream restaurants that give you an entire pound of pasta and you feel like death afterwards). This place was great. Super delicious looking cocktails (we didn't try any), large wine menu and a handful of good looking beers too. Come here if you want to try some delicious and unique small plates. Definitely come visit - great place to try! read more

Service was solid. Wine and drink list is awesome. Eat dinner before you come because portions are too small

It has been my personal quest to try out up and coming wine spots in the area so I was excited when I heard this place was opening 45 minutes south of Portland. Unfortunately it did not meet the 5-star expectations other reviews had described. For starters, I placed a reservation about a week in advance by sending an email to hello@northern-union.me (that's what they suggest on their site). Four days later I had not heard from them, so I called and made the reservation for me and six friends. It was quick and easy this way and they text you a confirmation. I finally got a response to my email from a restaurant in Berkeley, California (on the day of the reservation - annoying, but this review isn't for that random establishment). The location is a little off the beaten path in a high-traffic vacation/tourist part of Ogunquit, but with its rave reviews I didn't expect it to be empty. There was bumper to bumper traffic and tourists in and near every other establishment up the road. I thought "hey, this place is new, so maybe they haven't discovered it yet." As we were led to our table we walked past a beautiful wall filled with bottles of wine (that I should've captured in a photo) and through several modern and inviting dining areas that made me really excited for what I was about to experience. One item on the menu that caught most of my party's attention was the pork buns, so of course I had to get those. They were one of the pricier items on the menu so I expected them to be great. While they were delicious, each slider was something I could have eaten in one bite. I was disappointed in the portion size for the price. Due to my super small dish I decided to also get an order of the potato latkes (they looked so good on my friends' plates). And for $8 I would get it again. They were delightfully crispy with creme fraiche--and had more food than the buns did! Other things ordered at my table were the cheese plate (beautifully arranged), the Parmesan brûlée, and the market salad (I was jealous of this salad). All looked great, and from what I tried of the cheese plate it was great! I came for the wine but the cocktail menu was way more enticing. I did have one glass of Rose that the hostess touted as being summer in a glass, and while it was refreshing and crisp I don't think it was summery enough to warrant $10. On the other hand, my cocktail--the honey badger, was delicious. It was small for $11 so I probably wouldn't get it again, but I enjoyed every drop of it. It was a mix of gin, honey simple syrup, cherry juice, and lemon (maybe lime?) juice and it came in a dainty little glass. A+ for presentation. This place has the perfect ambiance for a cute date night or a fun place to grab drinks with girlfriends, but it's so pricy and off the beaten path that I understand why it was empty at 6pm on a Saturday. If you're thinking about making the trek from Portland, it isn't worth the 45 minutes. Full disclosure: I would like to dock an extra half star for the reservation confusion, but alas, yelp doesn't do half stars. read more

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Cannot speak highly enough about this place. The food is amazing, the service is amazing, and the owners are a doll! There is honestly not a single thing on the menu that we have not loved. We have had Colleen as a server in several occasions and on top of being amazing server, she has never steered us wrong. From amazingly ridiculous carrots to cauliflower soup, the elevation of the simplest ingredients to fine dining cuisine is nothing short of amazing. But yet, the atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming. This has become a regular date night for us and will be for the future. Love love love this place. read more

Everything was outstanding - decor, service, food, people. If you only have one night out in Ogunquit, go here. You're made to feel like a personal guest of the owner. They have standard tables and some unique setups more like sitting in someone'e living room and eating off the coffee table. Go for the latter if you can. As soon as we sat down, we were given two glasses of Prosecco because we noted on our Open Table reservation that it was our 25th anniversary. Nice touch! Service was great - they go out of their way to make sure you're happy. All the food was great, but standouts included the corn soup and Lobster Squid Ink Gnocchi. Go here! read more

My new favorite spot in Ogunquit, hands down! Northern Union is so good that my girlfriend and I went back a second time in a long weekend. That's saying a lot for two food snobs in a town with lots of good food options. Upon entering Northern Union you are greeted by a hip and modern but quiet and relaxing atmosphere. The staff greet you promptly and cheerfully. We had our pick of tables both times we went. Even the bar area has cool tables to sit at. Bonus points for the cool "wine corner" with bottles stacked with backlighting behind glass. The service was great both times with the bartender, hostess and waiters all very friendly and willing to chat it up. They remembered us the second time we returned. Food was delicious! Our first time there my girl & I got the Thursday night only "date night" special which is several courses and a bottle of wine for only $49 which was a great deal! They even gave us a free experimental cocktail (which was delicious) and teeny macarons made in-house. The salmon and pork we got for entrees were very tasty! The only minor letdown in the entire Northern Union experience? The dessert. At least the one we selected which was basically just fried dough and not fried quite enough. It wasn't terrible, just not very good compared to the rest of the experience. Northern Union: we will be back. read more

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My boyfriend and I came in to Northern Union on our way back from the Cove. We vacation here every summer, and were excited to check out the new place. Not only is this place absolutely gorgeous, but the cocktails are phenomenal and the small plates are well thought out and perfect for late night. Our bartender, Tim, was extremely friendly and knowledgable about the menu and the restaurant industry as a whole. He engaged in great conversation and made us feel welcome. We also met the owners, who were amazingly down to earth and made us feel welcome and special. This place is a GEM. If you're in OGT and don't stop by, you're missing out. They're open till 1am (one of the only places to get late night snacks) so make sure you stop by! read more

Northern Union - Wine Bars Near Me - Ogunquit, Maine

Worth the money !! We go out often to dinner and find most places aren't worth the money as we could cook better at home. We had a time crunch as we were running to see a show this nite. Paige took amazing care of us. She stayed on top of the food and our needs without being pushy or us feeling rushed ( not easy ). The food was lovely and many layers of flavors. The menu changes so I think you would do well with what ever you order I was sad to see the bacon rapped dates with Blue Cheese were off the menu. That was one of the selling points of us going once we read about local places to try You can't go wrong here and the atmosphere is lovely!!! read more

I wish the Greenery Cafe was in my hometown in Massachusetts!! This place is a gem! 5 stars. Food and friendly staff! Thankyou for being part of our fantastic vacation in August 2021. read more

Cute setting - incredibly uncomfortable seating, waiter with major chip cause we didn't order any alcohol - food portions are tasty but tiny. This place specializes in fine wines and pricey cocktails - not for the non drinker ! What a shame ! read more