Bitter End

The Bitter End continues to be one of our favorite spots in the area! Our go to favorites are the mussels, 9 hour bolognese, and the burger. We’ve never had a bad meal here and will continue to come back here time and time again! The drinks are amazing too. (& don’t forget to get dessert! - blueberry crumble FTW!)

It is a hidden gem. The service is outstanding, from the hostess letting us know it's a 50 minute wait ,much appreciated this information. We got drinks at the bar, best Cosmos made correctly. The bartender keep it moving, to the waiter who was absolutely terrific. We had fried clams, whole belly done correctly--no sand. The pan seared cod flaked beautifully, the house salad, crisp & a great starter. Love the vibe, eclectic, welcoming.

This is a busy place that only does walk ins. The food was awesome. Had the crab cakes, chicken taquitos, mussels provencal and cod. We managed to snag the last table near the bar. The lady taking care of us and everyone seated at the bar was super efficient. She made us some very serious cocktails.

I love this place. Excellent food and service. Taylor was our server and she was very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu, as well as attentive. All of the decor is so unique and fun to look at. There always seems to be something new on the walls every time we go. We had the original onion strings, muscles, chicken pot pie, the seafood stew, and cocktails. Everything was amazing. There was live music when we got there and the place was very busy. The hostess said there would be a 35 minute wait, but we were sat within 15 minutes. I like that they under promised and over delivered. Ive been here a bunch of times and the food and service never miss 🤩

I knew this place would be unique, but everything about my visit exceeded al expectations! The playlist was outstanding, the decor was phenomenal, and while I didn't make it early enough in the day to try the pan seared Halibut, if the Thai Brussels Sprouts, and truffle shoestring fries set the standard? I will be spending a lot of time at Bitter End. Great flavors, wonderful service. So much personality, both indoor and outdoor spaces, and plentiful parking. A splendid drink menu, including NA beers. Highly recommend!

4.19.25 This is a unique and eclectic restaurant with an interesting menu. The food and presentation of the dishes was perfect. Our service was a bit slow but it's because they were understaffed. There's indoor and outdoor seating available with cool decor. There's lots of free parking.

On a weekend when wait times were often more than an hour, this restaurant was such a welcomed reprieve. Large garden with a live band and a walk up bar, so you don't feel like you're waiting at all. We took a first available table, which was indoors in a charming room with baseball memorabilia. The mood was great. The server was kind and accurate. And the food. Oh man, it was our best meal the entire Labor Day weekend. Delicious seafood and generous portions. Even our son, who is a bit picky at restaurants, ate the entire plate of fish and chips and coleslaw. The icing on the cake was that another diner picked up the bill for us. We couldn't even thank them because they had already left, so it was a huge surprise. Thank you, if you ever see this. You really made our day, that was SO nice. And we will pay it forward!

Our party of three had a wonderful dinner on Monday night. I had only eaten lunch here and thought Monday would be a quite night. It was not and given the quality of the food and service, it was not surprising. We had the Lemon Cod, Chicken Pot Pie, and the I, the Seafood Stew. Everyone was very happy, and I have to say, it was one of the best Seafood Stews I've had. I do wish the stew had more than a toast slice for starch. I ordered a side of fries, which were excellent and a good accompaniment. Nick, our server, was attentive and professional. He showed up when needed. His coworker, didn't get her name, was equally professional and attentive. Highly recommend this place for a great dinner!

I love this restaurant. Owner and staff are awesome. Menu is limited. I recommend the chicken pot pie and spaghetti and meat balls. Eat outside and enjoy the landscape. motor motors and wooden boats. Pets are allowed in outside dinning. My grand nephew love to play yard. Lots of things to climb on.

Service, food, and atmosphere were awesome! Had the burger and my husband had the moussaka both were great!

Fun, funky venue for eating, drinking and live music! Hang out on Adirondack chairs listening to music while you wait for a table. Food good, portions, not too big. Not a whole lot for vegetarians but I made do with some side dishes. .

Had a late lunch here with my friend this past weekend. The place was fairly full, but we were able to get 2 seats at the bar. The bartenders/servers were super nice and attentive - I think we had Olivia and Alastair. I love a good chicken pot pie, and the Bitter End's did not disappoint. I got a heads up that the topping was puff pastry instead of a standard pie crust, but I preferred it that way. The filling was hearty and delicious without being too thick or overwhelming. It had the perfect amount of puff pastry, which was fluffy and fresh. My friend got the bolognese, which she loved. My only regret was not having enough room for the brussel sprouts - they looked and smelled amazing. Next time!

Great service, awesome seared sesame tuna, fattoush salad with prawns, after pita, hummus and falafel. My husband had the 9 hour bolognese and the blueberry crumble. The outside dining was excellent with so many eclectic things to look at and marvel at, too. Like the antique motors atop the fence and the baseball bat bench, to pique your interest. We will return as we met friends there and it seemed halfway between Cumberland and Kittery. A lovely suggestion by our friend's foodie friend Deb.

Surprised I haven't tried nor heard of this place before! Excellent service, everyone was super friendly, possibly the best fish and chips I've ever had. I asked for Parmesan truffle fries instead of chips with the lobster roll, 10/10.

Prefect little place. From the hostess to the cocktail ( prefect pear) to the waiter to the delicious food ( lobster risotto and crab cakes)! Would highly recommend!!

I don't even want to make this review because I don't want this place to get mobbed with tourists, but it's such a good spot. The indoors is small, but when it's nice out the outdoor bar is open so you can grab a drink while you wait for a table inside. If you're open to sitting outside, there's sooo much open space and variety of seating. The food is amazing (get the onion strings), the service is great, and the location is truly like an oasis. 20/10 recommend

Ate here on a recent trip to Wells based on a recommendation from a friend. We sat outside. Seafood was delicious. Service was phenomenal. Cool, chill vibe.

This place is amazing, so rustic to the vacationland theme, food is excellent, the service is friendly and easy, I've been here before and always enjoy my time. Indoor and outdoor seating I primarily sat outdoors.

One thing that really stands out at The Bitter End is the ambiance: there's always a band playing, ample outdoor seating, and lively conversation happening. As for the food and drinks, we were not disappointed! I had never had roasted cod in a red sauce before, but it was a delicious combo. The other entrees we ordered were the burger, fish and chips, and a pulled pork sandwich, which everyone enjoyed. I'd definitely recommend trying the truffle parm fries too! We ended up waiting an hour for our table, but the time flew by as we ordered drinks, relaxed in their chairs, and listened to the band. Don't let the wait deter you!

Nice atmosphere. Bit pricey Service was good. Had a burger and fries. Burger was good, Very small portion of fries. Lemon drop martini was not good at all

Best place in the area to eat great seafood and listen to the best local musicians. You will not be disappointed.

The parking lot had a lot of Maine plates so figured it would be a good place to get a meal since it was patronized by locals. I was wrong, it was quick to be seated, but that was the only good thing. The chowders came before our drinks and were not creamy or flavorful. The nachos were greasy and loaded with a rubbery cheese. The grease saturated the chips and pooled at the bottom of the cast iron skillet. They used canned jalapeño's. We decided not to order meals based on what we did try. The place has the right name since the food was bad to the bitter end.

After having frequented this restaurant all summer which has been with no problems, had a disappointing experience today. The drink which I get all the time had an off taste, the server brought over a new one that tasted the same. Another customer sitting near us said the same about hers, I just gave up and got a coke. I had the fish and chips, the fish had more batter than fish. For $24 one expects better than that. Will not be back any time soon. By the way, we are locals.

Back in Maine for the summer and this was it first stop. Loved sitting outside and dining (something that cannot be done in Phoenix this time of year). The watermelon & jalapeño gazpacho special was perfect for a warm day. Savory, sweet, with some small backend spice. The lobster roll was as we remembered and the Carnitas bowl helped with a Mexican food craving. If you have to wait it is worth it.

Lobster rolls, salmon, scallops, shrimp, Chowder Tried them all. Excellent service Outdoor seating (heat lamps) Dog friendly Chairs are plastic and very unstable. My opinion. Make note. Choose the solid picnic tables if you have issues. I should have. Live music then it rained. Didn't stop us. (Stopped the band though, something about water and electricity). Lobster Rolls only come one way, with mayo as they are pre-prepared. Can't get LR's with only butter. Wife doesn't like mayo so no LR for her. Large portions and all very good but the salmon was not seasoned much at all. Our opinion Perfect temperature just missing the seasoning. Great place for some very good food, great service and outdoor fun. Don't forget the pup.

Maybe they were having a rough day but this was the worst lobster toll I have ever had. They brought me the wrong drink, my husband the wrong side and my kids burgers with cheese when we said no cheese. It took 45 minutes to get our food after we sat and the whole meal was just awful and incredibly slow service! The outdoor Adirondack chairs are a vibe but we will absolutely not be back

Great vibe! We came for the live music and dinner 4th of July weekend. As you might expect, it was packed. We ordered a couple drinks at the bar, our 3 year old played on the old boat and we enjoyed the energy of the band. We'll be back.

The ambience here is what is great. They have an amazing outdoor area.. Its really unique, kinda feels like someones fancy backyard. The drinks were great. I got a strawberry martini like drink and it was good. The app that was recommended to us was not that great. It was some type of taquito. I got the lobster roll which was tasty. My mom and mother in law got the shrimp and zucchini pasta dish. It was overpriced and and small. My husband also wasn't a fan of his dish. The blueberry crumble was not what we expected either. No real kids menu- they did offer pasta with sauce. It ended up being an overpriced dinner that we didn't love.. I would come for drinks and share something small.

Good food, great service every time I've been even when it's busy! Fresh drinks that are never over poured.

Over the last few years, I have heard great things about Bitter End from a variety of friends. Looking for a new spot that we haven't tried before, my partner and I decided to give Bitter End a shot and see what it was all about. For starters, the venue and small and quirky, with memorabilia hanging up on the walls. There is one dining room with a bar and tables, and then there is a hallway where you walk in that also has some tables. I wasn't expecting it to be these small, but it has a quirky, laid back vibe. Given that it was early Spring, their outdoor space was not open, but taking a peek, I can see that it would be a fun outdoor venue to visit. My partner and I met up with a friend and we were quickly seated at our table, which was in the hallway section. We were promptly greeted by our server and she gave us the specials for the night. We ordered our drinks, and I decided on the skinny spicy margarita that they had on their cocktail list. The cocktail was...okay. It ended up being pretty sweet and not very spicy. For dinner, I opted for one of the specials: the mahi mahi tacos. At the table, other people got the carne asada bowl, a burger, and the onion straws to share. The onion straws were nothing extraordinary. The burger was okay, according to my friend, and the carne asada bowl was great with nice flavor. My tacos were dripping in wetness due to the pineapple salsa that was on it, to the point that the corn tortilla was saturated, which I was pretty disappointed about. Other items on their menu tend to be Mediterranean-inspired. Is the food anything to ride home about? I didn't think so. Am I rushing to go back? Not really. I will say, one of the positives was the service which was prompt and friendly, however, I don't think that is enough to get me to go back anytime soon.

Consistently delicious, fresh and creative menu, awesome cocktails. An awesome place to sit outside in the summer! Only thing to note: no kids menu, so if you have little ones, plan accordingly.

Stopped and order fried clams, what we got was a large container with six clams on a bed of lettuce $22.00. Also bought a fried clam entree and got six clams and fries and slaw $26.00. food was okay but not worth it?? Won't be going back there.

Our second visit to Bitter End was every bit as enjoyable as our visit in 2024. It was a windy, rainy night--yet we felt warmly welcomed. Purple Rain cocktail was just outstanding. Seared sesame tuna and mixed seafood grille were terrific. And...the chocolate chip cheesecake was so light & fluffy. Alastair again proved to be one of the best servers around. A small, inviting, cozy place with a big presence in Wells.

My husband and I had different entrees - both excellent. Very small dining area, friendly ambiance and good service. I will definitely go back.

We stopped for the Blueberry cobbler and a drink. Great tasting dessert. Friendly staff. Fun sports themed stop.

Fabulous find! Great atmosphere, fun outdoor seating areas! Stew was absolutely fresh and flavorful! Loved this impromptu find on our way north!

I went to Bitter End tonight with my grandma and had a really great time. We sat in the indoor porch area that has a rustic design. I had the fish and chips which were crispy and delicious, and we topped the night off with their blueberry crumble that's packed with blueberries. The staff there is always so friendly and service is great. The summer time is also very fun with their live music and outdoor bar.

I tried Bitter End with my wife for the first time tonight and I can't believe I've driven past it so many times without stopping. Service was excellent. Food was amazing. Live jazz was spot on. Can't wait for our next visit.

I've gone here twice and each time I left disappointed and wondering where my money went. It was very awkward at check-in for outdoor seating. I was dining alone and went to an empty seat at the bar. The bartender told me I had to be seated by the hostess. I went to the hostess stand where I stood for about 10 minutes as waitstaff continually assured me the hostess would be around to help me. Eventually, she came and seated me at the bar seat I had originally tried to take. Made no sense. And the bartender greeted me a second time as if nothing had happened. The food... underwhelming. I ordered basically a deconstructed taco entree with brisket and I bet there was about 3 oz of brisket in the whole meal. I left hungry, puzzled by the service, and out 50 dollars.

We finally made a pilgrimage here after wanting to try it for a very long time and lucky for us, missed the rush. Yes, they're still very busy on a weekend in mid-March! It's also a pretty small interior when they don't have the outdoors to expand to, but the servers handled everything with grace, mixing drinks, checking on tables, all while navigating pretty small spaces in between tables. I can't speak highly enough of them. The beers were fresh, the drinks were good. Ordered the parmesan truffle fries, the fattoush, and the taquitos. The fries were just so-so. The truffle and parmesan were both present, but they either sat the longest or they were re-fried as they clumped together and were an afterthought for us (which is usually never the case for me when it comes to any kind of fried potato). The fattoush was fresh with crisped up croutons and a nice dressing, but we only realized after we left that there was supposed to be falafel on top, which would have been great. The taquitos were the best of the bunch, and I'd go back for those alone. I was eyeing up the lady's burger next to me, ordered medium and definitely well, and that went from top of my list for next time, to closer to the bottom. Happy we finally made the trek and we'll be back, likely when the outside area is open. Overall, better than average pub food with some creative twists, and none of the pretensions of some other places in the area.

Great name, nice interior, good servers. This was a good off-season option near Kennebunkport. Nice beer selection, but my $15 "White Cosmo" cocktail was watery and not too tasty. A shame, because the ingredients sounded delicious. The onion strings (v skinny onion rings) were terrific, the burger was good, the fish and chips were delicious - very fresh fish, well battered. The seafood stew was not realy seafood-y enough in that the broth was like a nice tomato-based broth that happened to have some clams, mussels and shrimp tossed in. The shellfish did not infuse the broth so it was not bad, but nowhere near the top. This place did enough well that it is worth another visit to get a fuller picture.

Bitter End is one of my favorite, local places to dine at, lunch or dinner. The ambiance is friendly and inviting... in the warmer times of year, their outdoor dining is spectacular with a fire pit and sometimes live music in the summer months. . . Oh,they also have a bar back there too! The chef and Staff are all amazing people Their well crafted menu offers tasty apps and full plate dishes to suite all flavor palettes ....from muscles and truffles fries to burgers and pan seared salmon .... A few handhelds and really nice Salads. Not to mention their great beer, wine and craft cocktails offerings . I never leave without having or bringing home their famous Blueberry Crumble.... Sooo Good Open 6 days a week from 11am-8pm, closed Tuesdays. They currently do not take reservations unless you're a party of six or more. Get there early as there's always a line waiting especially at dinner time. I hope you enjoy all of Bitter End as much as I do...... Bon appétit

Bitter End is a gem! Excellent food and drink; waitstaff, hostess and bartenders are all top notch. If people are complaining that they're not being seated fast enough, too bad. It's always packed and they don't take reservations and it's summer in Maine. Deal with it! Highly recommend the Mixed Seafood Grill, but, honestly, it's all delicious!

Great decor, tasty food, obnoxious and insulting chef, server, hostess, and unreliable freshness. Won't go back for stale food and verbal abuse from staff.

We really enjoyed our drinks at Bitter End! We had a puppy with us so we sat outside and had a drink at the bar while we waited for takeout. It's a very relaxed vibe - dog and kid friendly - with music. They have a pretty good selection of wines by the glass. We opted for takeout and the pulled pork sandwich was fantastic! Good prices all around too.

I've been looking forward to trying this place for a while now and really enjoyed our experience. Live music outside. Whimsical decor both inside and out. Good drinks, the Strawberry Basil Mule was refreshing and strong enough to letter. We started with the Taquitos, they were excellent! Following that I had the Herb Crusted Haddock and enjoyed every bite. The Haddock was perfection as were the sides. Dessert was the Blueberry Crumble. I would go back for the dessert alone.

Great spot with a great vibe!! Inside and outside seating, but sit outside for a unique experience. Picnic and regular tables with lots of green grass/trees and vintage nautical elements. We just had drinks and an appetizer but all the food looked amazing. Our Thai Brussels Sprouts were very tasty and the craft cocktails were creative and delicious. The wait staff was very chill, friendly and very attentive . Also outside is a small stage that was getting set up for a jazz trio as we were leaving.

Absolutely awesome lunch. The Bitter End accommodated our walk-in party of 14 with friendliness, great service and outstanding food. All dishes were fantastic.

Found this place online looking for a lunch spot. It was a busy afternoon, and there was a short wait. It was extremely small. The food was great. The only criticism I have is that our waiter didn't really check in on us or ask if we needed drink refills. He was very friendly, though.

The food is amazing and it is clear that they use fresh ingredients. The service was perfect and the ambience was very cool! We will definitely be back!

I like the look inside and out. Service was great Fried clams were chewy, fries and coleslaw were great. The Blueberry Crisp was different. If you really like nutmeg, you will like this. I did not care for it. Overall I thought it was too pricey, very nice use of space and definitely worth stopping by for a drink.

A great place to sit outside on a warm day. The hostess and waitstaff very friendly and attentive. We had to wait for a table but were able to sit out on the grassy area. The menu had something for everyone. I enjoyed the Fattoush salad. My husband had the fish and chips. The others had the pulled pork sandwich. There were specialty drinks and a few items for dessert. The creme brulee was just perfect. Iwill definitely come back here next time I am in the area. Loved the vibe of the place as well.

Happy Mother's Day 2022. We had a few options for today but the wife said she'd like to try something new. So I said I know a place. We went around 2pm. The host told us it would be be around 20 minutes. Then she told us that the bar out back was open and we could get a drink while we waited. We walked around and were greeted extremely pleasantly by the bartender (the name on the check Alistair). We decided to eat outside as our table was in the sun and nice and warm. We ordered the two specials lobster sliders, avocado crab toast, chop salad and the Brussel sprout app. All the food was very tasty and I would order again. The entire staff was extremely pleasant and very welcoming. I saw on Instagram the had a halibut special that look amazing I just hope I can get it in the future as I'm sure I'll eat there a few times a year.

What a charming, distinctive, welcoming, place. I'm looking for words to describe the charming atmosphere. Late Monday afternoon and we sat at the bar for a and some appetizers. Delightful, delicious, and so friendly. I'm thoroughly impressed and definitely will b back. I'm new to the area and so fortunate that my friends introduced me to this delightful, amazing, place. You must give this place a try. U will be very pleased.

Excellent food & outstanding service!! The wait staff was extremely attentive and catered to our every need. Amazing for a busy Friday night. Wife had the crusted haddock & portabella mushroom ravioli - "an explosion of flavor!" I had the seafood stew. Not a scrap of food left - we devoured it. Family kitchen atmosphere, upbeat vibe, laid back decor (with cool sports memorabilia), very reasonable prices and fantastic food. You cannot go wrong.

Pleasant server. Interesting items on the wall. We didn't feel rushed. The real problem were the ants crawling on the plates while we were eating. We mentioned this to the server. He said that they come in through the window. I thought that the restaurant should spray to get rid of the ants. I prefer not to have creepy crawlers on my food.

food was outstanding! Taylor and Stephanie working the back were absolutely fantastic!