Brian’s Bistro

This is easily the best restaurant in the area. The food (an Asian grill with chicken, pork tenderloin, mixed veggies onion rings and linguine with white wine and garlic sauce with an Asian glaze) was delicious, filling and only 18 bucks!. The waitress was excellent and the décor of the restaurant was great. You can go there on a date with friends or with the family and somehow the atmosphere is perfect for all 3.

Pretty much only place in town. Decent. Prices are a bit high for the area though and the food.

Stopped here for lunch on our way to Bar Harbor… and, to be honest, wasn’t expecting much from a small sleepy town along the water, and we were refreshingly surprised. Ate at the bar… had a turkey panini and chicken panini. both were tasty and fresh. French fries were large and crisp. Big props to owners Brian and Jessica for bringing a tasty delight to our all-​day drive. Definitely worth stopping for a bite.

Great service. Kid friendly. Apres ski. Sicilian burger.

A few weeks ago, my sister mentioned being in Rumford and asked me about a bistro located in the historic Hotel Harris. Since I hadn’t been to Rumford in awhile, I wasn’t familiar with Rumford having an upscale, downtown eatery.
I am fond of rural places, especially in Maine’s western mountains. I’m aware that the changes during the first decade of the 21^st century hasn’t been kind to paper towns like Rumford. Since I wanted to take a drive across Route 2 into the White Mountain National Forest, I suggested that perhaps we try to make our way back through Rumford and check out Brian’s.
The restaurant isn’t new; it opened in 2008. It’s probably the only place like it within about an hour’s drive.
I read that owner Brian Nichols describes the restaurant as «fine dining without pretensions.» I’d say that’s an accurate assessment based upon our experience on a Saturday night.
The menu is varied, with a number of pasta, meat and fish-​themed dishes. There are ample appetizers, too.
We decided to sample the fried green beans, with a house-​made chipotle ranch dip. Kind of like onion rings, but with crisp green beans substituted for the onions. The beans were breaded on the outside, flash fried, and were a nice beginning.
My sister went with the buffalo mac and cheese. This was a gargantuan serving of penne, tossed with chicken in a spicy cheese sauce and then topped with seasoned crumbs and baked. It arrived piping hot.
I went with the bistro burger, topped with pepper jack cheese. The burger comes with lettuce, tomato, onions, and a pickle, on a hearty bun. The burger wasn’t anything special and a bit overcooked for my liking. I probably should have opted for one of the other menu options.
The restaurant has a full bar; the beer selections were a bit lean for my liking and I settled for a Newcastle Brown Ale.
The service was ok, nothing outstanding. It may have been because the place was jumping by the time we got our food and the waitress was slow checking back with us.
I’m willing to give Brian’s another shot when I’m passing through Rumford. It’s definitely an upgrade for the area.

The drinks and dinners are fabulous! Very flavorful and creative for a small town. I’m from Boston and am very impressed! The service I also fantastic!

Good food and service. Had the mussels in white wine sauce for an appetizer (excellent) and Italian Trio entrée (chicken parmesean, meat lasagna, fettuccine alfredo). Tasty but heavy. Prices a bit high but not terrible.

I spent several months in Rumford, getting my parents’ house painted and ready for sale. Brian’s Bistro had the best food in town. My only disappointment is that they are not open for Saturday at lunchtime. Loved the atmosphere and décor!

We were just passing through Rumford and Unilocal lead us to Brian’s Bistro. The food was good and service was friendly and quick. The tortellini salad served as a side was yummy, and a great value since it was loaded with fresh red peppers. I had the Tuscan panini and my husband had the French onion soup. Both were delicious.

My favorite restaurant in the Rumford, ME area! We always get the Asian BBQ wings – they’re fantastic!

If you want want to hang out in in Rumford at an Applebee’s wanna be, then this is your place so so food, poor service, unless your at the bar, never going back

What a gem, I found myself in Rumford and wasn’t expecting much at all for food while there and was pleasantly surprised to find Brian’s. The food was very good, the service was better than average and the tap beer selection did not leave me wanting. They have a nice menu that offers more than enough to accommodate any taste with a nice selection of wine as well. Our entire party was very happy with their meals and thought the price was just right. If you find yourself in Rumford do yourself a favor and stop by Brian’s, you will not be sorry you did.

Great Food! Wednesday Nights — $ 5.00 burgers with a side! What more could you ask for? It is officially our Wednesday Family Night at Brian’s Bistro! Other nights I recommend the Antipasto plate, buffalo mac and cheese or their specialty salads! Prices are great, atmospher is inviting, and the staff are very professional! One of my favorite places in town!

Okay there isn’t much up here and the town (very interesting architecture) has made a major mistake by not reversing the stupid one way down main street (like you can’t access down town from the major through way which deters tourists) however, with a little luck we found this absolute GEM in a historic hotel (now apartments but you can walk in and view the beautifully restored lobby). Oh, back to Brian’s, yup he could compete in Cambridge, Boston and even New York. Clean open kitchen design. I got a steak tip salad and my husband got Ceasere salad to start and ‘black and blue’ a sirloin with Gorgonzola cheese sauce. Service was friendly but not hovering. Wine list is affordable. Fresh bread right out of their ovens came quickly to the table. Yum! My salad was perfect! Steaktips cooked exactly medium, lots of veggies and fresh blue cheese. My husbands ceaser salad had fresh shaved parm. on it. At one point before our meals came the waitress came over to say that his steak had been over cooked and the chef did not want to send it out so it would be a minute or two more. We really appreciated that! When we did get our meals, his steak was perfect. Oh and home made garlic mashed Yum! So please, if you are up in this part of Maine, it is totally worth the trip.

Another g in the Sunday river area chicken Marsala was mild and creamy The pan fried scallops were delicate and delicious. A new go-​to place for us!

Brian’s Bistro is a great restaurant. The first time I ate here, I was pleasantly surprised given it’s in Rumford! The food is very well prepared, the atmosphere is very nice as are the people! AND ya know how other restaurants /​taverns have a beer mug club? Well they have that but also a wine club!!! I’ve thought for a long time I’d love to find one of those — who knew it would be in Rumford??? This is far and away the BEST place to eat in this area.
A true diamond in the rough. Oh and did I mention they have a veggie burger option???

For being in a town in the middle of nowhere, this restaurant is a diamond in the rough! A true gem with delicious food, a great wine selection, and a cozy atmosphere. Every time I’m home I look forward to an evening at Brian’s.