The Tarratine

I think this is a great edition to the Bangor area but they just have a few things to work on…read more Great things: Very cool speakeasy vibes. Decorated very well. Service was friendly and very knowledgeable. The drinks we got were great. Things to improve on: Priced a little high for what you get. Change the menu to much where they don't have anything on the menu you have to hear everything from the waitress which is hard to remember. We didn't try any food for the reason and for everything to be super pricey. I will be back to try again if I'm in the area, even if it's just for a drink!

On my overnight in Bangor I was at a not-great hotel but fortunately Barliman's was nearby to save…read morethe day--or rather, happy hour into dinner into nightcap, which is how it went (mind you this was right after the time change, so it was dark before 5pm and my "late night" meant I left at 8:30, lol). The vibe is chill speakeasy/library; there's a comfy bar area with tables and then a warren of other little spaces where you can hang out as well, with books and games strewn about to peruse. I love that they have a small, curated menu, which makes it easy: Maine oysters (two kinds, both awesome) got me started with a martini (well OK two martinis; friendly bartender makes them *perfectly*), and then you can extend to dinner with a few rotating options. I got lucky because whoever is making this delicious food decided that bolognese and lasagna should have a baby and be served in a piping-hot dish with some bread and salad on the side, and who could be mad about that?! (NB get some red wine with it). And they feature the fabulous Maine martini (aka Allen's Coffee Brandy, to which I have been converted), so there's your perfect nightcap. Sometimes when you go to bars with small menus the food is so-so, but not here: everything was insanely good and the perfect portion size. Who knows when I'll be back in Bangor next, but I'll definitely come here again when I am. Check it out!

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Happy Endings

3.8(28 reviews)

Bangor (specifically downtown) was really missing a good cocktail place and a good place for…read moredessert. Not only is Happy Endings good for both of these, it offers small plates as well. So, you can make a whole night of it. I came here with my sister for a girls night out a few months ago. I ordered a Pickle Martini on special. I weirdly make these all the time at home. Yes, they're a thing. I really like salty martinis, so this was right up my alley. It was so good, too! The pickle flavor was there, but wasn't overwhelming. I wish I could have another one right now. My sister ordered The Happy Ending and loved hers too. Their cocktails aren't exactly cheap, which I realize is a bit of a negative for Bangor folks (I grew up there). But, I really don't mind paying a bit more for a really well-made, craft cocktail. It's worth the price! They also have beer on draft and wine as other options. I'll definitely be back.

Low quality drinks and service, bad atmosphere, many better options in the area. Its a shame.read more

Inside

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Inside

The Butcher The Baker

4.6(51 reviews)

Fantastic service - beautiful food. Farm fresh, local, thoughtful. The bone marrow is to die for…read more Sometimes a bit pricey - but for intimate meals with foodie friends - just fantastic. If you are married to a meat and potato person - maybe not the best place...although they do have a fancy burger on the menu. It is a smaller place - so reservations are probably a good idea during the busier season.

I didn't have any food, but there were several appealing options such as a seasonal beet salad as…read morean appetizer and different chicken entrees and a homemade pasta special. There were two hosts to greet me upon arrival. The space can be a little tricky to find if you've never been before.. if facing restaurant from the street you need to go to the right of it in a little alley way like spot and door is on your left in that space. The ambiance is upbeat and medium loud. Medium to dim lit with 7 or so spots at the bar and then tables near window or in dining room. There are wine, beer, and cocktail options. I had a blackberry cocktail with egg white, blackberry compote and gin. It was very good. Not too sweet or sour and light and fresh. The customers varied from older couples to dad and their kid to people in their early to mid 30's.

Strawberry shortcake from the baker! Fresh whipped cream. It was light and flavorful definitely split it!

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The Baker Drink

Novio's Bistro

4.6(96 reviews)

0.3 mi

Extremely good 4 course meal. I had the steak and a chocolate mousse dessert. Literally no…read morecomplaints besides being a bit pricey. They have a "speakeasy" bar in the back only available to members which has a nice ambiance but way too expensive for me to ever actually join myself.

We frequent Novio's for date nights and their monthly wine dinners. After last night's meal, I had…read moreto write a review. It was the very best meal we have had here (and we have had a lot of wonderful meals). For our first courses, the tuna tartare was so fresh and paired perfectly with the homemade chips. My husband had the mussels and the broth was drinkable, it was so delicious. We both had the filet for our mains. They were perfectly cooked medium rare with craveworthy pave potatoes. We sat at the bar and Courtney was a wonderful host/server/bartender working the perfect balance of conversation and privacy.

View from high top table

Appetizer

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Caprese salad

Paddy Murphy's Irish Pub

3.9(227 reviews)

Amazing environment, amazing food, just a very nice place to be generally. Every time I've been…read morehere the staff have been fantastic, highly recommend.

i really wish cooks would be more open to seasoning their patties in burgers. And i'm not talking…read moreabout just salt, i'm talking about garlic, onion, paprika, oregano SOMETHING other than a pinch of salt and pepper.... Ironically what WAS over salted was my fries. The cheese was stringy tho which is always a + but it was just a boring meal. Great drinks, boring meal, and they should invest in a Mancala board game set

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Timber Kitchen & Bar

4.3(552 reviews)

1.2 mi

We enjoyed our 35th wedding anniversary last night which was wonderful. Andrew our favorite waiter…read morerecommended the steak tips with mushrooms, mashed potatoes and grilled squash and zucchini which I enjoyed with a red glass of wine! This is our 5th visit and we plan to return as always something new to try and staff all works together for a lovely dining experience!

We were completely blown away by Timber Kitchen. Honestly, this was the best meal we had during our…read moreentire trip through Maine and New Brunswick. We tried the lobster bisque, lobster mac & cheese, a burger with truffle fries, a wood-fired pizza, and finished with the homemade Maine blueberry pie from their in-house pastry chef. Every single dish was outstanding. The flavors, quality, and execution were exceptional from start to finish. The biggest surprise? It's located in a Residence Inn. Don't let that fool you--this is a destination restaurant in its own right. A special thanks to our server, Nick, whose recommendations were spot on. He was incredibly friendly, attentive, and genuinely helped make an already fantastic meal even better. Hands down, one of the best dining experiences we've had in a long time and easily the best food we had anywhere in Maine or Canada during our trip.

Dining tables on left, bar on right

Lobster elote

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Lobster bisque was just okay. Could've had more flavor

High Tide Restaurant & Bar

3.4(236 reviews)

0.7 mi

Bad from start to end. Waited 20 minutes for the server to…read moreask us what we wanted to drink, by that time we already knew what we wanted to eat we order and waited 30 minutes for our food when i received my meal it was missing the lobster, shrimps and scallops, waited another 30 minutes for them to correct my meal, by the time meal was 55 dollars not worth it, very small pieces of lobster and burn shrimp, no discounts paid full price, I can see this place being perfect for tourists who are here for the seafood but honestly I rather dine out at another restaurant where you get more for your buck!

This restaurant was recommended to us by two sources, including the motel we were staying at. It…read moreis right on the water, and has a large indoor and outdoor area. It was Saturday night and they had a great band playing outside. We ate outside and enjoyed the band. I ordered the Haddock special with carrots and mashed potatoes as a side. It was $25. I really enjoyed the dish, very delicious. My friend enjoyed her salad dish also. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is the service. Our server was very good, but the staff as a whole didn't seem that friendly. Nevertheless, I would come here again.

Indoor seating is spacious

Lobster Roll & Fries / Drink: Dark & Stormy

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View from our high top

Nocturnem Draft Haus

4.4(114 reviews)

Got into town a little late and needed a quick bite prior to retiring for the night as Nocturnem it…read morewas! Plenty of beer options to choose from along with some standard bar fare for the food. Decided to go with the steak tacos which were flavorful and filling. Staff was polite and quick with the service. Causal vibe not overly loud to carry conversation and enjoy a good drink/bite!

Smoked Wings are so good!! So they have theme nights:…read moreMonday: Industry Night Tuesday: Taco Tuesday Wednesday: $1 Wing Night Thursday: Burger night Friday: Live Music night 7-10 Saturday: Flight Sat Sunday: Funday Wings are smoked and the sauces are on the side. It is a bar so it is bar service. They are busy, but they work for their tips!

Bar and seating area

Cheese Burgers

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Evenrood's

3.7(122 reviews)

I have always loved Evenrood's. The food, beverages, and atmosphere are excellent. I recommend…read moreEvenrood's to everyone. We started with brussel sprouts, which were very tasty, just a bit salty. I usually get the salmon or halibut-I went for pan seared scallops. Excellent choice! I do not use a lot of salt at home, so again, a bit salty. My friends enjoyed the fish tacos and grilled shrimp. More fish on the tacos and a little less salt would have made this a five star review. Overall, still my favorite spot. The bar, the restaurant, the dragonfly decor -- nothing but love! Maybe I'll secure the old bank vault room when I graduate with my Master's degree in May 2025.

Evenrods is one of my favorite restaurants in Bangor. The food is consistently good and the service…read morevery pleasant. I ordered the halibut and it came with a delicious lemon blanc sauce. The fried rice cake that accompanied the fish was a tasty addition. The asparagus was nicely cooked. There is an upscale ambiance to the restaurant. If you fly in to go to the coast or mountains this would be a nice place to stop for dinner. It's nice without being fussy (though you will not experience fussy in Bangor anywhere).

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Utopia

4.3(53 reviews)

Reserved a table at Utopia on a whim and so glad we did. There were so many locally grown…read moreingredients which added to the exceptional flavors in the dishes. We started with spanakopita, which is baked and made of layers of phyllo dough, spinach, fresh herbs, ricotta cheese, and feta cheese. For dinner I had the mushroom pasta, which incorporated fresh pappardelle with locally sourced mushrooms. It was in a cream sauce, but the sauce was subtle and didn't overwhelm the dish. I also got the meatballs, which were so flavorful and delicious. My wife had the comfort bowl, which was breaded chicken over Maine mashed potatoes. But what took this over the top was the pear/apple compote and fried leeks. The owner spent some time with us talking about the dishes, the locally sourced ingredients (some from her garden) and Bangor. It was a nice night and a restaurant that I'd return to if I was back in Bangor.

Doors were locked when we got there so we had some issues trying to communicate that with the…read morepeople inside which made for a weird start but the environment inside was nice, clean and comfortable. The male server we had was very pleasant and on top of everything. Overall, the food was fabulous. Everything we had was vegan. To start we had the polenta fries which were good but needed salt and there was no salt at the table so that was a minus. I had the gnocchi with tofu, it was a generous portion with a nice presentation and the flavor came out beautifully once I got some salt on it. I really savored every bite of this meal. The side piece of bread was not served with any olive oil or vegan butter so that was a little disappointing. My partner had the vegan bean burger and he liked the flavor but it was very messy for him and he had a bit of trouble eating it neatly which made him not love his as much as I loved my plate. The fresh cut fries on the side of his plate were nice. To drink we both had a couple of utopia daiquiris, they were delicious and strong. Top notch. I took home the baklava (made with agave, not honey) and honestly it was the best I've ever had. It had a very nice salted caramel profile to it so I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great options for vegans on a date or just a nice comfortable meal for any occasion.