Batson River Brewing & Distilling - Kennebunk

Birthday dinner in an ice shack in January — definitely a first, and a great experience. I’ll be honest, I was a little confused at first because it was something totally new, but once we settled in, it turned into a really fun and memorable experience. The atmosphere was cozy, the service was excellent, and the food was delicious from start to finish. As a local Realtor, I’m always telling people that it’s places like this that make living and spending time in Kennebunkport so special — especially in the winter. Definitely a unique experience and one I’d recommend if you’re looking for something a little different. Robert Thibodeau Realtor®

My favorite spot to visit in Kennebunkport — this place was my introduction to Batson River beers. The service is amazing, delicious food, and wonderful craft beers (as well cocktails and bourbon options). I would say the Buffalo Wings, truffle fries, and the whoopie pie flight are can’t miss. The lobster bisque is great, also. During the holidays, every inch of this location is decorated. It’s incredible and really puts you in the holiday spirit.

Me and my family went to Batson River in the early afternoon & the crowd was very thin, so there was no issue getting in & sat for dining! The waitress was very sweet & great about double checking on if items were gluten free or not for me. I got the shrimp cocktail, halibut tacos & a seasonal cider which were all delicious (the chipotle aioli is definitely a bit spicy!) I would definitely recommend dining here if you are on the lookout for some good food & drinks, even gluten free :) One thing to mention is their high chairs are only able to clip onto the tables that do not have chairs with seat backs.

Four of us ate in the fishing shacks Saturday night… SOOO FUN! The drinks were great, staff was friendly and fun, and the food was good too! We had to pay $50 to sit out in the shacks on top of our food/drink bill, but if you’re trying for a special night/experience, might be worth it!

Stopped here for lunch because the building looked so cool with all the outdoor seating options! We got the haddock tacos, Cajun fries & two of their craft beers and everything was super fresh & tasty! Would come again :)

Nice location and I enjoyed their take on brussels sprouts. My Batson burger was a bit bland even with ketchup and the fries were just standard. Overall a good meal and dog-friendly patio.

Came in for drinks and should have stayed to try the food- everything that left the kitchen looked amazing. The bar staff were busy hustling to get orders out while still being friendly with patrons. Would love to come back here!

4.20.25 We were exploring the area and our eyes caught this place so we popped in. And we.didmt want to leave. The food and beer were amazing. The inside has all sorts of unique seating options and games to play. And the outdoors is just as magical. This is truly an amazing place to visit. And they have other options should you not like beer.

Such a great place to stop into during the holidays! I came for lunch the day before Christmas Eve, and there was no wait! With no reservations this was a surprise, so expect a bit longer of a wait. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and has lights and decor on all floors, the space really made the experience! The food was good, nothing too exciting. You are really coming here for the atmosphere and decor, but would definitely recommend checking them out during any holiday!

Batson River in Kennebunk is THE holiday bar in Maine. Pros: - The space (and staff) are decked out decked out head-to-toe in holiday decor. Couldn't ask for a cuter themed space for Christmas. This aspect brought my review to 5 stars, hands down. - The drinks are delicious - It's in downtown Kennebunk, meaning it's right in the thick of things and not out-of-the-way - The upstairs has games (darts? more?) - Service is friendly and prompt Cons: - No reservations (understandably). Prepare for a wait, or plan on getting on their lengthy waitlist ASAP - They close at 8p.m. (most days? all days?) which seems a little early - The food is hit or miss and overpriced for what it is. The Poutine was massive, but the fries were cold and the cheese gelatinous (for $18); my Caesar salad was $12 and had maybe one drop of dressing. On the other hand, my friends loved the Lobster Mac, clam chowder, and Duck Fat cornbread. Don't let the cons scare you off; TLDR: Beautifully-decorated for the holidays, perfect to grab drinks in a cozy space, yet long waits and prices that don't match the quality of the food. Visit after mid-November and you'll have a wonderful time!

We stopped here on a whim while walking around Kennebunkport because it looked like a nice place to people watch while having a drink. Our drinks were good and we got a pretzel to snack on too which was good also. They have a really nice front porch with a balcony also to sit on. We sat on the second floor balcony and really enjoyed the beautiful day!

The fish shack was a cool experience. It was tight inside, but as should be expected. There are heaters inside for the colder months to make it very comfortable. Haddock tacos were great, but a little heavy on the remoulade and cojita cheese. Lobster roll was fantastic. Fries were mixed with some having freezer burn, so we picked out the good ones. The cosmo drink was only filled about two-thirds full. It was a team effort for service, so we were well attended to for the duration of our stay. Make sure you book the fish shack reservations in advance as they are rightfully popular.

Ate here on recommendation by a local shop owner in town and couldn't have been happier. The place had a really cool vibe and the entire restaurant was still decked out for the holidays from floor to ceiling (literally). We got some super tasty craft beers and cocktails made from their own spirits and delicious salads. Oh...and you HAVE to get the soft pretzel....SUPER TASTY.

This place looked intriguing as we were walking through town. It wasn't crowded on a Monday afternoon and we got a seat looking out over the street. Our server brought our beers and we ordered the cheesesteak to share. My beer was great and the sandwich arrived hot and looking good. The bread was fresh, the beef was tender and the caramelized onions and cheese were yummy. It had a dipping sauce which was REALLY good. All in all, the perfect lunch on a perfect day.

We only had a drink and an appetizer, but it was just ok. Opinion was probably impacted by: Happy hour times on website were wrong and parking anywhere nearby is almost impossible.

Service was phenomenal. We sat outside and it was decorated really cute for Halloween. The food was really good - we would definitely recommend the fried chicken sandwich!!

Return trip to Batson River Kennbunk, as the last few trips to Maine we've frequented the Wells location. 5 stars again. Jessica, our waitress, went above and beyond. We have a 2 year old and it's so hard to go out to eat because she walks around and wants to talk to everyone and Jessica was so helpful. She spoke to my daughter, danced with her a little, and brought her water to play with. As you can see by my Yelp profile, I go to a lot of restaurants and have had over 500 documented experience I've written about and Jessica is hands down the best waitress I've ever had. She helped me with my food selections, checked on us, and again was SO KIND to my daughter. Perfect experience in the perfect ambiance. This is hands down somewhere you should stop and have a bite. Looks like they have brunch until 3pm on Sundays! Can't wait to try that next time.

Everything we got was delicious and we enjoyed our time here. For cocktails, we got the Mr. Brightside, Bee's Knees, and the Drops of Jupiter. For food, we split a Caesar salad, Lobster Mac n Cheese, and the Fried Haddock sandwich.

I have never left a review for any bar before. But it needs to be known the absolute disgrace of an "espresso martini" I was given there last night. This guy shook it without ice. Without ice! That's a Fireable offense in my mind. He presented it to me with no foam, no color, and no beans. 0/5 Worst espresso martini I have not only tasted, but just straight up looked at.

Wonderfully decorated and cozy spaces with a large drink menu and tasty appetizers. Perfect spot to stop when exploring the beautiful town.

My husband and I came to visit KPT for our "mini-moon" and came here for dinner the first night. The Brussels sprouts and wings were so delicious! We split the fried haddock sandwich and I already want to go back for it again. Our server was very friendly and funny. We enjoyed her advice for food and drink choices. The space is extremely cozy and relaxing. While we ate inside by the fireplace, the upstairs and the gondolas outside were SUPER nice if you want to rent them out or hang with a larger group of people. Highly recommend!

Nice Maine-born brewery with some yummy dishes (duck fat cornbread and poutine). Good water views from their patios.

We will say the food was great, but we waited two hours to get in and it was freezing cold outside and then they finally seat us upstairs on couches and at a coffee table and they were out of lobster everything so everyone was disappointing for half my group.I'd still say the food was good, but service was a little off. Atmosphere was still awesome.

Super disappointed to review anything poorly but our trip to Kennebunk was spoiled by our visit to Batson River. I was thrilled to take my mom up to this restaurant to enjoy the Christmas decor and cocktails as my experience two winters ago was fantastic. Unfortunately there was a limited menu, drink service only at the bars, and people wandering around looking for seating. We reviewed the website the night before and this change was not indicated. Our server was the only redeeming quality about our experience. We order chili, pulled pork sliders and poutine. It was all varying temperatures and nothing special. Their bar service was limited and staff was unfriendly regarding the change in their offerings. I would be never go back during Christmas prelude and be hesitant to go another time of year.

This place is amazing in the summer and the winter. They go all out and decorate the inside and outside for Christmas. It is one of my all time favorite for Christmas decorations, it is amazing. The Christmas drinks are also really really good. The food is good as well. In the summer they have an outside patio which looks over the street. Great to relax and people watch. One of my favorites in Kennebunkport!

We stopped in on a week day during happy hour. Drinks were good. Service was good. Great vibes - decorated for Halloween very well. We ordered the pretzel and wings on happy hour - I'd order the pretzel again but the wings were just ok!

I rate this a 3.8 no higher. When first seated it took about 30 minutes to find us and order just drinks. Once our invisible cloaks wore off, drinks and food came out a reasonable time. The food was very good and my beer was great. It was great vibes and the truffle fries carried the 3.8. Price is as expected. Loud group behind me, but that's not a restaurant error. Lastly #BringBackCelebratingBirthdays

This was the first place we ate when we arrived to Maine! I got the fried chicken sandwich and my boyfriend got the lobster mac n cheese. We sat outside on the patio and the vibes were immaculate. Would definitely go back when visiting Maine again!

Food was excellent especially the Brussels Sprouts appetizer and the beer was very good.

Tall tale IPA and Porter did not disappoint. Pretzel was good, but a little on the salty side. Kids enjoyed the burgers and the beers held us over until the next snack. Our server was personable, and made sure to laugh, joke, and talk with us as she could. Sit on the front patio and people watch if you're able- you won't regret it.

Absolutely the worst waiting experience ever. We left without eating, but here are my thoughts: We were a party of 6, and were told 30-40 minute wait time. We were not allowed to wait in the restaurant area (inside or outside), and we were told we were not allowed to buy a beer (at the bar) until we had our table. (The bar had 3 people sitting and 4 empty seats). We decided to go for a little walk and returned after 30 minutes, and were then told it would be a while longer. There was a an empty 4-top and an empty 2-top when we looked in the restaurant, the manager told us the tables were too heavy to combine (this was BS). We realized there was only one table large enough for 6, and the group of 4 had just been seated there (???). So we left and walked into Alison's with a 10-15 minute wait. (Just saying this to emphasize the area was not over crowded this night). My suggestion is DO NOT GO unless you are a smaller group and want to be treated rudely. We watched the interaction with other groups and it was very very clear this brand thinks treating people obnoxiously is part of the allure. Not for me!

We went there originally to have dinner and a few drinks on a Thursday night. The place was not extremely busy, however our server came to the table next to us about 3 times to check in on them without taking our order. Eventually we just walked up to the bar to grab drinks and bring them back to the table. After another 20 minutes I flagged down a waitress so we could order the cornbread as an appetizer. The cornbread was good. After we finished the cornbread we were ready to order our meal. Another 20 minutes went by and our server was not acknowledging us so we asked a waitress from a different section if we could get our check. 2 beers and the cornbread was $40. This is not the first time we haven't had any service at Batson River. There are many other restaurants in town to dine at.

Such a fun place. Plenty of seating. Bar, booth and high tops. Small and larger groups. Plus they have the cool shacks outside but you need reservations and I just having been able to plan ahead to reserve one. The drink menu is pretty vast with obvious beer and a full bar and cocktail options. The food menu offers enough options for a variety to personal tastes. We both went with the chicken sandwich as my first choice was not available. The staff was professional and attentive. Which is hard to find sometimes. They have two leaves seating at this location. They have a store of sorts in the main floor and an arcade upstairs. Love the decorations with the frames and animal head. Love the Kennebunk and Portland locations. Have not been to the others yet. But will.

Great drinks and lunch! We came for an early lunch and had our golden retriever. We sat outside with other families. We loved our food and the service was excellent.

This place is awesome! The food is absolutely on point! Drinks are good, but come here for the food! The ambiance is great as well. Service was also great! We had the manager serving us, and she was wonderful

Batson River is my family's favorite spot in the port. First things first, they have fantastic cocktails. However, my family is still very disappointed they took their speciality gin and tonic drink off the menu BUT we quickly fell in love with other drinks. Their bourbon is extremely delicious, the spicy margarita is delightfully refreshing and any drink with their gin hits the spot. For food, you must try the cornbread. My dad, who takes great pride in all things cornbread, ranked Batson River's cornbread in his top 3 of all time. It's cooked in duck fat (which I know sounds gross) but it's life changing. Try it. We also got the Brussels as an app, served a honey drizzle and cornbread crumble. YUM is all I can say. 10/10 For food, get the smash burger. Easy for me to say it's THE best burger I've ever had. There's really nothing else to say. My friend got the pork tacos, which were also delicious, but you could see in her eyes that she wish she got the burger instead. Batson River is located in a great spot overlooking Kennebunkport and the river, even with a third floor level to have some drinks on for happy hour. You'll definitely drive past this spot if you're just driving through Dock Square, so I'll advise you must stop here for some refreshments and refuel!!!

Went last night for the first day of their yearly Holiday Camp. It was perfectly festive and the bartender was such a nice dude. The cocktails were all great, we tried about 5 of them - nice variety and using their own distilled spirits in some. We had mussels which I highly recommend, and brussel sprouts, which were really sweet but I think with a lighter hand on the maple syrup they would have been much better. We had a blast and the whole place smelled like balsam firs.

Only giving a 4 because we didn't try any entrees. My best friend stopped here on a girls trip. We sat outside under the heater and it was a great atmosphere. The service was excellent, beer and cocktail was delicious and the pretzel was yummmm! I'd definitely stop by again on our next trip for drinks and apps. It's February and their winter vibe / menu is great. They had shot skis which were fun (I'm pregnant, so I didn't have one this time). They also had cute "shacks" with tables in them for use - we didn't try, but they seemed awesome. Cute decor and atmosphere inside as well, even though I only popped in for the bathroom.

My five star rating is skewed by only ordering drinks, but I am so pleased with stumbling upon Batson River! It looks like my boyfriend and I showed up right at the time of opening since there was a long line outside of the host stand and no one seated. The line was moving & we were provided with plenty of choices on where to sit. We chose outside since it was stunning out and the patio was intriguing and dog friendly! We chose to do the tasting & really enjoyed the experience. Each spirit was excellent and I can only imagine how perfectly paired they are with their cocktail list. Both of us were EYEING the food the entire time, but had different lunch plans. The menu both catered to us, so we are thrilled to come back soon. The service was great, tasting was great, and the aesthetics both inside and outside were great!

This restaurant needs to hire a chef that knows how to cook seafood. on the 15th of December 3 of us ordered scallop scampi. the linguini was floating in water. no olive oil, no red pepper flakes, no infused shallots, no garlic, no parmesan cheese. No seasoning whatsoever. I put part of my caesar salad in it for flavor. At the same table one lady ordered salmon. It was over cooked and dry as a bone. Sent back and ordered a haddock sandwich. very disappointed. On December 18 my friends and I went for dinner. One had mussels which were over cooked and no flavor. it was like eating rubber bands. One ordered a haddock sandwich and she told me this morning do not order it because it was very dry. This chef needs to get his or her act together. As I was leaving I saw some friends who had just finished cocktails and they were going to Traditions to eat. That should tell you something. We are locals and if you want to maintain the image of a high class restaurant pay for a better chef because you are going to lose business because customers will not return to your restaurant if the quality is not there . The prices are conducive for a quality meal. You have a luxury feel and the food should reflect that . Good Luck Make Some Changes Biddeford

Food was delicious, get the core flight and the haddock tacos! Sit outside lovely time.

Hidden gem in Biddeford. Incredible architecture and attractive full bar and restaurant downstairs at Lincoln hotel

Great burger, nice location and great options for beer. I loved sitting on the patio, covered, so it wasn't cold and yet we could do people watching from the top. The server was very attentive. It's a good place to get casual food and beer or your choice of adult beverages.

Service was amazing!! Our waitress, Hannah, was so sweet and helpful and took pictures for us and was so attentive! We wanted to remember the name of the restaurant because we are from out of town so we took a picture of Hannah and her cute sweater

Mainly for Service, unfortunately can't comment on food because we didn't have a server that was around enough to take an order AND IT WAS HAPPY HOUR. I hate leaving negative reviews and granted I don't think to go to yelp to leave good reviews enough but I like to make the general public aware of places that are doing something terribly wrong. The hostess was nice and welcoming, directed us to go up to the patio and seat ourselves after giving us the option between patio, inside or upstairs patio. We thought we'd enjoy the view from upstairs and some drinks. We (my girlfriend and I) sat ourselves and waited about 12-15 minutes to be greeted when happy hour just started and not many people were in the establishment. Our server greeted us by getting straight to the point and asking what he can get us to drink (no pleasantries, not a biggie). After we gave him our drink order he followed by saying "no food?" And we said not at the moment (we were still deciding). He said "let me know when you're ready for food" brought us water 3 minutes after taking the beer order and That was the last we saw of him. Didn't even get his name. Drinks came out pretty quick via a drink runner (I think it was the hostess). But that was pretty much the end of it. We took like 15-20 minutes to finish our beers with no server or anyone else to check on us for water or any other requests or orders. We got up to pay our tab at the bar because we didn't know where the server was. Mind you, we were over looking a patio filled with people that looked well taken care of by the staff and there were other guests on the upstairs patio where we were sitting and they were also well taken care. My GF felt profiled because we were the only young adults in the building. When we got to the bar (that was empty) the bartender wouldn't acknowledge us and one of the two servers that were there directed us to go to the host first before sitting to which we had to explain our situation that we just wanted to close. And that was the end of it, we closed our $16 bill tipping 18% when we probably could've walked out easily on our bill due to lack of attentive staff. We also weren't carded upon our drink order. Maybe bad structure of service or bad management. Didn't wanna stick around to find out. Pretty disappointing considering we're visiting Maine from Cali and had a string of phenomenal service the entire 4 days of being there that ended at a brewery in the heart of one of the more popular tourist spots in Maine.

Go for the drinks; the food is fine and a good array of choices. Good tap beer selection and unique cocktail assortment. Servers were all good. Love the location in the center of Kennebunkport.

My party of 8 went for lunch at 2pm. We had a long wait at our table for order and the. Waited over an hour for our check. At first I thought it may be server inexperience, but when the hostess looked over at our party I put my hand up for help and she looked at me and turned away. the food was good, service is sub par.

This review is strictly for drinks sitting outside. We came during a "warm" spring day and just wanted a quick drink - we only had an hour parking - the host told us we could sit anywhere, but were advised against sitting on the top deck because it was super windy. However: there was no one else up there, so we made our way through the restaurant to have a private mid-afternoon drink with views! The staff was *so* friendly! Our transaction with our server was very quick: he came out to give us menus and introduce himself, however we already knew what we wanted, so we ordered and paid all in one go (loving places that have the handheld POS systems!). We saw him again when he dropped off the drinks and he wished us a good weekend. Easy, easy, easy. We also appreciated - in this circumstance - that he didn't come and check on us. There was no reason to after all (we really just wanted an England-like drinking experience and we got it). My partner got the Guava IPA (IPA with a tropical fruit profile from the combination of simcoe and mosaic hops along with guaca pureé); he said it was okay. I got the Batson G&T and it was one of the best gin and tonics I've ever had! It had cucumber, black pepper, and Fever Tree tonic. SO refreshing, SO light! I'm bummed that - looking through the menus - their gin and tonic recipe seems to change regularly, but if you ever see this combination: GET IT. We both agreed that if we got drinks and had to sit inside the restaurant it wouldn't have been such a lovely experience because the atmosphere and menu isn't especially different or unique from other places. We've also heard that the Portland location is ***THE BEST*** decorated spot during the holidays in December, so we'll for sure be returning later in the year to experience that.

Great location and friendly staff. We were seated immediately inside where it was very cozy. The pretzels were AMAZING. A definite must order. Fried chicken sandwich and fries were great too. Happy hour is 4-5 every day....we hit the place during happy hour and it wasn't too busy, but it was raining so outside seating was not an option. Easy on street parking free for two hours.

Very busy, but it's summer in a tourist spot so that's expected. We went for happy hour. Not a great happy hour selection but all the food at this place is delicious. I loved the duck fat cornbread. Good music, although it doesn't fit the vibe. We got upstairs seats, outside, and it was hot. It was high top metal stool seating, which is very uncomfortable. Most of the seating was high top.

After five days in Maine, splitting my time between Kennebunkport, Portland and Bath, this spot was one of my favorites. I visited the Kennebunkport location twice within 24 hours. The vibe is fun. The food is fantastic. Do yourself a favor and get the duck fat cornbread and baked brie. The drinks were great too. I had one of the best gin and tonics ever here. Also, I had their gose beer, which was really good if you like sours. Service was fast, friendly and prompt. I forget her name but the bartender with pink hair was personable, made great suggestions.

$17 for a pretty good bourbon. $1 for ice that was pretty cold. Service was ok. Food was ok. Plenty of other places to go around the area that don't charge for ice.

Seated at the worst table in the place with a blaring speaker above. We were utterly ignored for five minutes. Left and had a great meal at Pedro's

Was so looking to have a cold beer and eats and were told it was a 45 minute wait. There must have been more than 6 or so tables open as well as the bar. The host said they were short on help. Too bad. We always liked the venue. Went to Federal Jack's with no issues and most of their tables were full. Good luck!

Came here to enjoy one of their beers. Told I couldn't do that unless I ordered food. I was refused seating.

I was walking along Dock Square when I came across this place with its bright lights and chatter of people in the inside. I looked at their menu and had a good laugh when they had a drink called the "mojo dojo casa house", thought to myself 'they're quick with it'. Decided to give this place a go and absolutely loved my experience at the bar. First, if you're able to sit at the left end of the bar facing the window outside, you'll catch the sunset which was gorgeous. I got tequila shots and a blueberry and lemon cocktail called "The Freshmen". The shots were pretty standard. The cocktail was certainly unique, a flavor profile fitting to Maine. I was pleasantly surprised by the relatively strong presence of blueberry in the drink. I love blueberries so that was not a problem. The drink was yummy and my bartender was super attentive. Stayed until closing time and even then, the staff were not rushing us out the door and were cordial. Had lots of fun and would rec for a night in town.

Great spot, but my most recent experience here was underwhelming. We saw our server 2x throughout our time there. We asked for a cocktail that was a variation of something on the menu and were told it was too busy (5pm on rainy Sat, not in season) to make. I found this odd as they make "off menu cocktails". Settled for the "staff favorite" and it was too sweet, didn't drink, and didn't have a chance to tell server, nor did she ask when it wasn't touched. The scallops were delicious but salmon entree was tasteless, needed seasoning, and for $32 it was over-priced for what you got. The only time our server asked how our food was, was at the end of the meal when we asked for check. If your staff can't accommodate the tables they have, seat less tables. $150 for two drinks, truffle fries, two entrees. Not worth it for the lack of service and lackluster food/drinks.