Joshua’s Restaurant & Tavern

After shoddy service a few times, actually filling out a review trying to help them and not getting any response back after they said they would reach out we’ve stopped going here. Too expensive with the other options locally with better pricing and less expensive options.

The location was good
They were a little busy
Waitress was friendly. The salad was excellent the lobster was good the baked potato was not good too cold & undercooked. Fair pricing

Joshua’s is a local tavern with nice atmosphere and good pizza. They are predominately pub food, and I have ordered many items off the menu, and never have been disappointed. This is a tavern on the first floor, and restaurant upstairs. I cannot review upstairs, I have only ever eaten in the tavern area below.
First the beer selection is good, well priced, and pint sized. The drinks are a tad strong. I like to taste the flavor that all the components mixed together produce. If I want to order a straight whisky, I would do that. But overall, most people would not complain about that. In other words, you get your moneys worth. The service can be prompt, although the last few times it took a considerably long time just to get the servers attention, and then my food took almost an hour. Took twenty minutes to get beer, but this usually isn’t the norm. But a few times of neglect does not ruin all the other times.
Their pizza is good. Probably best in Brunswick. Friday and Saturday nights they can be busy after nine with many locals, so if you want a bar hangout, Joshua’s is the place. I would not hesitate to take a large party in for dinner. Free popcorn always popping to soak up the beer, and games are usually shown on the television.
There are two pool tables, a working fireplace, and some video games, along with an outdoor patio.
Like I said before, I cannot rate the restaurant, this is only for the downstairs tavern. Overall we continue to go there. Good spot. They stay a 3 star because service can be very spotty. Especially on nights when they are dead. Those seem to be their worst.

The food was excellent but service brings from a 4 to a 3. The place is named after Civil War General and hero of the Battle of Gettysburg, Joshua Chamberlain. I had the «Gettysburger» served on a Cibatta bun. Very good but they do not serve their burgers with lettuce or tomatoes. You have to request them.

Stopped in here for a beer or 2. Bartender was super nice, the locals were as well. They have a good mix of local «Maine» beers and the norm. Great location and the food smelled good. Pool tables in the back which topped off the location. If I lived in town I could easily see myself coming in here on a regular basis.

We absolutely love it here! They have a very large menu with a variety of appetizers, seafood, salads, burgers & sandwiches and pizzas. There are about 15 taps at the bar and there is ample seating throughout the restaurant. A warm, cozy fireplace is crackling during the winter season and there are pool tables and foosball. The staff has always been friendly whenever we go in — this is definitely ‘our place’. Prices are on the low-​end of the $ 11-​$ 30 range.

Little less than expected I was not overly impressed not bad just not great seems a but dated

I’ve now been here 3 or 4 times. The food is decent. Nothing particularly offensive and nothing that gets you excited.
However, I have been there during the lunch hour as well as at night for drinks. The first time I was there for lunch, we waited quite a long time for service. I don’t usually like passing judgment after one time at a place since the wait staff could have been over-​burdened.
However, having been there a few times at night for drinks, I have to say that this place has a consistently bad staff and management. Especially the bald-​headed monkeys that they have managing the door at night. They are rude and ignorant. I suppose if you grunt, they’ll understand you.

Absolutely terrible service. There’s so many great places in Brunswick that display genuine Maine hospitality that I don’t see why I would ever come back here.

Sorry San Francisco. Sorry Seattle. This is the place for chowder!!! We completely enjoyed our lunch here: caesar salad, New England Clam Chowder, Lobster Stew… and local brews: Geary’s Hampshire Ale and Geary’s Seasonal Ale. We enjoyed every taste of all of it, plus the staff is fabulous! Thanks so much!!!

Waited 20 minutes on a Sunday evening and the place was dead and no one waited on us or even took a drink order even though several waitresses were sitting around. We frequent this place often, but will not be going there any more. We ended up leaving and eating at Sea Dogs down the road where we were waited on in under a minute.

food was ok, nothing amazing, although I only ate some bar food. Drinks were made terribly though so that was a little upsetting. I couldn’t finish my drink. Bar tender was a very sweet girl, friendly and made it completely worth the trip. I would love to try again and actually experience it!

Veggie burger with wing sauce on it every time. Aroostook potato skins with no bacon, also delicious. Servers aren’t always very attentive but it’s a small price to pay for the great beer and food. We eat here every time we are in Brunswick!

Been here many times and it really is hit or miss. On my most recent visit it was 330ish on a Sunday afternoon so not busy at all. A friend and I each ordered pizzas. I ordered one of their signatures… the Primavera Pizza and my friend did create your own. Waitress was friendly and took our order right away. My pizza came in 30 mins and the waitress informed us that my friends pizza had stuck to the oven so they were starting over. So this meant I’d be chowing down while he watched on… always kinda awkward even among friends. I would’ve shared mine but it was a veggie type pizza and he wasn’t into it. My pizza had a generous amount of veggies and was cooked well, although it was luke warm. My friends pizza came as I was about finished. He said it was good.
A few tips for Joshua’s: scrape down your pizza oven as there’s always burnt chips coating the bottom of the pizza crust.
You really should put up a sign that tells folks to seat themselves. I witnessed 3 different couples come in and just stand there wondering what to do without anyone speaking to them for a long time. One of them just gave up and left.
All in all I would recommend this place, but I would add when it’s good it’s great, but I’ve been disappointed with the food before too. Like I said… hit or miss.

I stopped in for a beer and a bite to eat on a Wednesday evening. They were kind of busy, but not at all slammed. I sat at a bar table for about 10 minutes while at least two servers walked by me several times without even saying hello or making eye contact. I finally moved to an empty bar seat, hoping for better service. I sat at the bar for another five minutes, and overheard another patron complain that he never got his food that he ordered an hour and a half ago. Then, a guy came up to the bar right next to me. The bartender apparently knew him, because she called him by name, and went to pour his beer. So I left and went to Pedro O’Hara’s down the street, where I got great food and great service. Won’t go back to Joshua’s. Will go back to Pedro’s.

In keeping with the «anti-Valentine’s Day» motif that some Unilocalers opted for, me and my honey wanted a simple, non-​pretentious place to grab a bite after a very rugged week of working for ‘da man. Actually, I work for myself, but ‘da man still controls my giggery.
Basically, it was Friday night, we had been up since 5:00 am to shovel heavy, wet snow, and then my better half spent the day trudging around to customers in the snow. I spent most of my day flitting between pitches and finishing digging out – no cooking for us.
Our go-​to seafood place in Brunsiwck was closed, so we were on the fence where to go for drinks, a decent dinner, and one that wouldn’t break the bank – also one where there weren’t people in their first 6 months of a relationship gushing all over one another (we’re in year #31 of marriage – still in love, but you get the picture).
I suggested Joshua’s and my lady said «yes» with such enthusiasm that I knew were were headed to the right place. Nothing about our time there changed my initial inclination.
Basically, Joshua’s is the kind of local place where you feel right at home at, whether you come there regularly, or occasionally, like us. I mean, when you pull up and see a four-​wheel drive pick-​up, parked sideways out front with a big ass bail of hay in the back, you know you won’t have pretentiousness pushed in your face.
We kept is simple; my wife went with the gyro and I opted for the fried haddock sandwich. Both came with Joshua’s fries, which are stellar. We chose chowder as an appetizer. I went with the New England clam variety and my date had the Casco Bay seafood chowder. Hers was much better than mine. The clam chowder was too salty, the broth a bit watery, and the clams a bit tough. The seafood chowder was much more flavorful, with equal amounts of seafood (fish, scallops, shrimp and crabmeat).
Joshua’s has a large selection of beers, 21 brews featured, and I went with the Sam Adam’s seasonal. Miss Mary went the liquor route, a Tanqueray and Tonic. As other reviewers have noted, you get your money’s worth with mixed drinks – no watered down and over-​priced drinks here. $ 6 mixed drinks with plenty of alcohol are a bargain; the beers on tap were $ 4.
Both the gyro and haddock sandwich were excellent.
We ate in the back dining area, off the tavern. I hadn’t eaten in this section and we both liked it. The main bar area is always fun, however. Plus, you get free popcorn, too.
Is Joshua’s the fanciest place in town? No, but if you are looking for a place to grab a drink, with a varied menu, with a fun, pub-​style atmosphere, and a place frequented by a cross-​section of locals and the college crowd, then you can’t go wrong with a visit to Joshua’s. And if you are out later than usual in Brunswick, it’s one of the few that’s open after a late movie or a trip to the Brunswick Music Theater.

I have a special place in my heart for Joshua’s from my college days. I just have always had such a good time when I go there. One great and unique thing they have is the free popcorn — they have a cute little popcorn popper in the front room with cardboard holders that you can bring to your table — which I find delicious and amazing. Last time we were there they had Allagash Black on tap — one of my favorite beers and actually kind of dangerous that they happened to have it for FREE at the event I went to. I just can’t stop drinking at it.
Other than drunk happy college kids, there are a lot of regulars here. I remember from my college days this guy, a «townie» that always hung out around the main bar area. When the fiancé and I came for our 5-​year reunion, the first person I saw when we entered the bar? That guy. It seems they have a lot of loyal customers.
Other than the popcorn, the food is just OK. And other than the Allagash Black, the beer is just OK. But they have a back game area, a nice bar area, a little lit patio place and friendly staff. I’ll always feel at home and a little nostalgic when I come here and I love the place. Yay Joshua’s!

Unfortunately, the highlight of Joshua’s was their freshly brewed iced tea. It’s pretty difficult to screw up iced tea– though many places manage to do so. Joshua’s knew what they were doing with their iced tea.
Server was attentive; albeit he was a bit slow. Our food arrived at the table a bit slower than it needed to– the food was cold.
The food was fairly lackluster, except for the haddock sandwich– which was nicely breaded and not over-​fried. Ironically, this was the cheapest entrée for our table. The fried Maine shrimp resembled popcorn shrimp from the freezer (and, was just as delicious as you might guess). The rest of the food, including the pizza, was unremarkable. Prices are far too high for the quality of the food and service– you can do much better elsewhere.
Skip Joshua’s.

Not the Best by any means. You can find better places in Brunswick.

If you’re looking for a quick meal in Brunswick, Joshua’s Tavern is an unexpectedly good place to grab a bite to eat and have a cheap drink.
While their crab stuffed mushrooms were nothing to write home about (I was visiting after all!), the steak and cheese wrap was awesome, as was their $ 4 Allagash. And despite the outdoor deck upstairs being closed, we had a great time eating inside.