Kennebec River Pub & Brewery

Last week, on a whim, I decided to drive north and take a mini vacation. I ended up at the Northern Outdoors, which is the rafting/​snowmobile/​camping resort type place this restaurant is located inside of. The whole place is so cozy and warm. Not to mention how beautiful the landscape is outside. My cell phone stopped working about 50 miles before I got there, but that was ok because its right on rt 201 and you really cant get lost because there are not many (or ANY) wrong turns to take. On my solo road trip with no cell I was forced to just take everything in. I stayed in a room at the lodge which I also would give 5 stars and I will be reviewing that in its appropriate place.

I decided to sit in the dining room, though you can eat anywhere in the place. They are really laid back about where to eat, as you can order while sitting on the couch or at a table outside or whatever. I opted for the build-​a-​burger choice. There are tons of options so you can create whatever suits you. I decided to be adventurous and get mac and cheese, fried pickles, local tomato, and sriracha aioli, and smoked gouda on my burger. I choose sweet potato fries as my side. I think it may have been the best burger Ive ever had. I was so full I couldn’t try the wings but next time I will :)
The whole staff was friendly and professional and the food was excellent. I will definitely be back. I had only one day so I didn’t get a chance to do any of the fun activities they had going on up there or try their beer they brew on property. But the prices were reasonable and it was warm and inviting. The town itself is very very small and the people are down to earth. The other guests ranged from large groups of 20 somethings enjoying beer to older couples having a quiet dinner to foreign family’s on vacation. It was quite interesting and diverse. I imagine the bar area gets quite full at night since there are many young people. I don’t know if they have any music or entertainment but there certainly is plenty of space for it. Oh and there is a huge hot tube outside which closes later then most other places Ive stayed… I’m really excited to come back with a group of friends for a fun weekend.

This pub-​brewery-​restaurant is located at the Northern Outdoors resort where we were staying to whitewater raft. The food was really good as was their beer which is brewed on-​site. We enjoyed their VERY hearty breakfasts, selection of wings, and burgers. I especially liked the chicken and quinoa dinner and black and blue salad, both a nice change after days of well-​prepared but very filling pub food. Definitely don’t miss the beer. Our favorite was the Sled-​Head Red but they also had a really good wheat beer and a subtle but tasty blueberry beer, a refreshing summer option. Everything was quite reasonably priced and served with a smile.

This is strictly a beer review. Stopped in on the way to portland. Had no idea this place was on the way. Got a couple of flights, tried all their beers. They were all good with a few standouts. The big mama blueberry, vanilla porter with Jim beam, and octoberfest were fantastic. I left there with a growler of the porter.
This place has a ton of other stuff going on and I’m sure the friendly staff won’t mind helping you out.
BIG respect to the brewers for only having their brew on 8 taps all the time. No bud no coors no bs on tap.

Very disappointed in this place, came here based on reviews. The food was overpriced for what you got, the beer was mediocre, the service was slow and unfriendly, and there was a lot of staff just standing around. We ordered the magic wings as an appetizer which came out 10 minutes after our meal came and were frozen in the middle, the sauce bland. The food itself was overpriced for what we got. I ordered a flight of beer and asked which beers I wanted on it and but it came out a set way even though I was asked which beers I wanted. A table of 10 was sat right on top of us and my wife had to move even though the dining room was practically empty. My tip is to try one of the other locations for cheaper food, better alcohol selection, and friendlier staff.

A wonderful stop after rafting. Food, beer and service are excellent. This is a true oasis in the wilderness.
There is a fun lodge vibe with cool vintage photos of the area. I’ll definitely be back.