The King's Head

Sat at the bar. Received prompt service with solid food recommendation. Scotch eggs were great way to start the evening. Great local beer selection. Really enjoyed the Korean short rib boa buns.

On a hot summer day in Old Port this was an oasis. Not touristy as the rest of the street. Good people, great food, excellent vibes. Amazing AC. Solid craft beer and other drinks menu. Fish n chips a must.

Came here on a random Sunday evening and holy shit did we find a hidden gem. The seared Tuna dish and the seafood paella was insanely delicious. Best meal we had in Portland all 4 days we stayed here. Great atmosphere, lovely server, top notch eats. 10/10

Trendy feel, cozy seating, and an overall fine gastropub to grab some great tasting food and some great service. So, two things I didn't enjoy here, I'm not crazy about the soft drink options, but at least they're locally sourced, and not big brand name sodas. Big ups for that, but also, it did deter me from getting another one. The flavor didn't sell me. Eh, water is healthier anyway. Also, they like to put cheese on their fries. I didn't order cheese on my fries, I actually ordered a hamburger without cheese, so I definitely didn't want 1.5" long, rock hard, sticky, stringy chunks of cheese on my fries. All-in-all a good place to bring either your workmates, or a group of friends. Solid choice for small and medium sized groups alike.

Came here for dinner on a Sunday night because of good recommendations and they open later than most places downtown. The fish and chips were definitely delicious, the Kings margaritas were bomb, so was the fried pickles. The atmosphere was ok, relaxed place, nothing much. I’d probably come back to try more of their menu.

We came here on recommendation and glad we did. The outside gives no indication of the good atmosphere inside, and Shannon was very welcoming. A good choice of beers and cocktails but limited on wines. The menu was very varied, and the food is excellent and good value. Although, the additional portion of chips that we ordered was enough for all 4 of us 😀 Would certainly recommend

Cozy pub atmosphere with great friendly service. We ate all over Portland and this was our favorite. Best tartar sauce I have EVER had! Food was fresh and hot. We liked that there was a lot of different menu options that other places don't have.

We were visiting Portland for a few days and ended up coming here for three straight nights. I love the music selection, the wide selection of beers, and the generous amount of food served. The bartender, Shannon I believe, was just awesome! She was very courteous and quite friendly to take the time for each customer. The King's Head was our late night happy place.

Lovely service from Isabella. Dim-lit local spot. Delicious scotch egg with insane horseradish mustard, omg so good. Crab flat bread and chowder were just alright but the ambiance and vibe made up for it. I was extremely pleased and surprised to find a local gluten free beer, as I am allergic to barley. I sipped on Lucky Pigeon pale ale. Tons of parking and it's located near hotels and a block from shops and main part of town.

We visited on a Saturday and the restaurant was fairly empty. We were surprised because it was quite busy in Portland. The restaurant itself has really high ceilings making it feel open and even emptier than it was. The food was extraordinary. I had the steak and cheese. I believe they used the same meat that's used in the short rib tacos. The steak practically melts in your mouth. The salad was fresh and the pickles were delicious! My husband loved the tacos.

Stopped in for a beer and a snack. Staff is super friendly, clam chowder was delicious and local beers on tap. Would recommend and would return!

Deliciousness overload!! Do get the steak tacos, the meat was so juicy and tender. Too bad they ran out of most of the beer I was ordering but I'll come back another night for that. Server was great and attentive. Kind of like the brick wall, next to the water place. TIP- it's in a alley by the parking lot , we almost missed it twice while walking there.

This is one of my local GoTo restaurants. The staff is always friendly and fun and the food has always been delicious and fresh. I tried the short ribs this week and they did not disappoint!!

This was my first time visiting Maine. Came in from Boston with my husband for NYE and this was the first restaurant we tried. I was excited to check it out based on the reviews I'd read and really wanted to like it. This was our experience: 1) We came in and stood around looking like idiots while all of the staff walked by ignoring us. There was a hostess station but no one was there. There was no sign instructing us to wait or seat ourselves. My husband had to go find someone to figure out what to do. 2) After being told that it was self-seating , we found a table and were quickly waited on by a very pleasant server. Didn't get her name but she was a young lady with long blonde hair and she was nice. 3) We ordered drinks and I attempted to order the mussels...out of mussels. We asked if they were out of anything else and were told they were also out of lobster. Still wanting to try some of Maine's famous seafood, I settled for the fried haddock sandwich, which my husband also ordered. Omg, I don't remember ever having had a worse fish sandwich if my life! That would include McDonald's and Wendy's. It was super thin so there was very little meat. The breading was SATURATED with oil that tasted like it was used to cook something else. Maybe the fries that came with it? There was a mound of dripping coleslaw...much more coleslaw than meat, in fact. And to top it off, the bun was stale. 4) I attempted to order the margarita advertised on the menu (can't remember the name) but they were out whatever flavor juice it was supposed to be made with. All they had were plain margaritas with plain white salt (no Tajin). 5) Instead, I decided to just order a but either the tap was broken or they were out. Can't remember at this point but couldn't get a cider. This establishment should be ashamed of the food they served...on New Year's Eve nonetheless! It was only around 4:00pm so there was absolutely no excuse for being out of or unable to serve multiple things on the menu. You would think they'd be stocked in anticipation of the holiday crowds. The place was not busy at all, so they couldn't use that as an excuse. Most of the tables were empty and pretty much everyone was sitting at the bar. My husband is from New England and has spent a lot of time in Maine. He has never had a worse meal anywhere in the state. This was terrible first impression of Portland. Very disappointed!

The King's Head is a quaint, cozy spot perfect to grab drinks and a quick bite. Much like the medieval pub it hopes to imitate, it is quietly tucked away in a stellar location just off of Commercial, just next to a wharf. The interior is spacious enough. Their signature stag's head, draped in string lights, is a fun touch I really enjoyed. Although I can't speak to their food, as I only had drinks, I did enjoy the two Cranberry Mules I ordered! The service was efficient and friendly, and they were far from empty on a Friday night. There's nothing quite wrong with the King's Head--it just isn't my cup of tea, as I find there are other, dimly-lit, cozy spots to grab a drink. It didn't necessarily 'grab me' or leave much of an impression, but it's worth trying.

Fun little pub with really great food. They have a large bar and then another room with lots of seating. We got a table for 10 people and we had plenty of room. The service was really great. They don't split the bill if it's over 6 people so just make sure you know that. They have so many beers on tap and ciders as well. The drinks are good too. I got the burger and it was really great. Everyone liked their food! A fun spot!

Excellent. Had the scotch eggs and mussels for lunch. Tasty! Only drawback...parking is horrid.

Great spot to enjoy with friends. We ordered some food and hung out for a bit.. good service and great prices. Enjoyed the bao buns and chicken fries. Thanks for a good time!

Good place to stop by. Large bar and lots of tables Only 2 women on staff but they rocked it, great service and friendly. Great mixed drinks also including one with draught nitro coffee (Bandito) we loved. Bartender gave us great recommendations of where to go, she was really nice - I think it was Mariah? We loved her

The good: Super cute space close to the water. We sat at the bar and ordered a couple drinks and a few appetizers which was great. The bad: drink prices. As a bar owner from another state I don't think I have ever seen such high prices on beer outside of a resort or tourist trap. Average $10+ for 8oz pours. The bartender told us that locals who are "members" get pint pours.

The cool name and reminiscent vibes of an old English pub will draw you in; the drinks will make you stay. Very cool pub located off the beaten path of old town Portland. I felt like it was a very fun spot to grab a drink or two before heading further into downtown. I did not order food but I did see many others getting something to snack on. It all looked great to me. Maybe next time I will try those eggs?

I came here with my boyfriend on a road trip to Maine. We love this place. Everything we ordered was good. He liked the lamb burger and the mussels are definitely one of the best I've ever had. The haddock chowder is also one of the best in Maine. It's not common for us to find a Scotch egg anywhere near us, so it was nice to finally get to order and taste one. And it was delicious. The atmosphere is really cool with the old building brickwork, rustic bar, etc. It's also right by the water, which is neat. The beer list is pretty long with a good selection of different types of beer. The service was good. We had a great time.

Burger looked delicious , but medium rare was cold and bloody, twice. Service was not attentive Too bad, I like this place for a beer, but eat somewhere else.

Stopped here for a quick beer and snack. Terrific beer selection. I had an IPA, spouse a lager, and we split three haddock tacos. As perfect as one could seek! Loved it and recommend.

Ordered the lamb burger. Oof. Came with a minuscule amount of French fries that were cut into 1/2 long pieces. Guinness was almost room temperature as well.

The ambiance was superb, just like a nice simple pub. We ordered the brussles sprouts and fish and chips. The sprouts were very tasty. The fish and chips were excellent.

A lot of character at this very hip hipster English bar and restaurant. The service was excellent and Andrea was very bubbly and accommodating. The Scotch egg was delicious, however, given the high price would have loved two. The beer prices were a tad high not being 16 oz, but the atmosphere in the restaurant dulled the sadness. This restaurant is located on the wharf down from Union Street. After eating here, go to the gelato restaurant up the street.

Cool hole in the wall. Super simple, cozy atmosphere. Great spot for fall / winter drinks.

Great beer and food choices. Service is spectacular. Always visit when we are in town.

If I could leave 0 starts I would . The worst dinning experience. Thirty minutes to get our drinks out. We had to follow up twice for our ordered drinks until they were brought to us . We were not even offered water. After the long wait we ended up with the wrong drink orders, when we politely brought this to the waitress's attention that the wrong beers where poured, she began to argue the beers where correct until she checked with the bar then realized this was the incorrect beer. It also took thirty minutes for a lukewarm coffee. Forty five minutes later when the food finally came the waitress missed three of our parties orders meals having to then place the three meals after half our party had their meals. Three people in our party were left sitting hungry, two of those being very hungry children. The whole experience was awful and service was un-acceptable. When we brought this to the waitresses attention, she was rude , annoyed and demeaning. I am completely appalled by the experience . With so many options for food and drinks in town . I would suggest to skip this place unless you want to leave hungry and in poor spirits . I want to thank the business of how they handled the negative experience. The manager quickly responded and did her best to rectify the issue and addresses the matter! I hope to return and experience better serve as the food we did receive was very good.

If you're looking for a great pub with super casual atmosphere this is it. Service was great and food was fine for pub food. No problem parking as it was off the main drag.

This was a recommendation from a new friend. Can't say enough great things!!! We had fish and chips, and the Buffalo chicken sandwich with salad. The French fries with vinegar sauce are fantastic !! Our servers/ bartenders Lindsey and Alyssa knew everything, made amazing drinks, especially the margarita. They have a well stocked bourbon list, and the craft beers are top notch. Can't wait to try the scotch egg!

Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Classic British pub , enjoy going here even got the scotch eggs , fish and chips are delicious Over all really good fun , amazing staff , a real treat to go

Food was excellent - 4.5 stars. We had Brussels, pretzels with beer cheese, wings and flatbread for apps and all were great. If you like wings on the crispy side be sure to request. Everything was prepared as we asked and tasted great. For dinners we had soup, fries, Greek salad, burger and cheesesteak. Everything was very good. Cheesesteak was slightly greasy but had great taste. Atmosphere was VERY VERY quiet. Maybe because it was a Monday but it was half full and still like a library. Not sure if that's the usual vibe or just a one-off. But definitely a great spot.

Excellent draft selection. Very friendly staff along with impeccable service. Will be back

I've been here a couple of time and yes, I'm a fan. It's not in an obvious location, so unless you're looking for it, you might walk by the street / dock, where it is located. A lot of locals settle in down here. When you walk in, you're immediately facing the bar crowd and they all look to see if they know you. Like the show Cheers I guess. Darker wood atmosphere. Cozy, pub like. easy place to just hang out. The staff is somewhat friendly. They will help when you walk in, but it feels like their obligation, not overly welcoming. Don't let that deter you. The drink menu is great. Local beers for days...craft beers for days. The food menu is not huge, but everything on it is top quality. The food is so good! The portions are fairly large as well be warned. The prices were decent for everything. If you are looking for an easy place for drinks and bite to eat, I would recommend this location. There's plenty of pay parking near by off of commercial street.

We wanted to love this place. The beer list is great, the atmosphere is warm and friendly, and there's more on the menu I'd like to try. However, the kitchen was SLOW. We came in on a Monday. There were probably 7-9 parties total, some not eating. We got our drinks quickly, then waited for about 30 minutes for our apps, the scotch egg and bacon wrapped dates. Both YUMMY. We then waited 45-60 minutes for our food to come out. The burger on special, small order of fries, and a bowl of squash soup were good and should not have taken, in our opinion, almost an hour to come out. This was never addressed by our server. I would've appreciated a "just checked on your order...", "kitchen has to hand-cut your fries..", something. Would like to go back and give them another shot. Not sure if we will.

We were driving through Portland on a Saturday night on our way back to New Hampshire after visiting Freeport for the day. No reservations, so wandered a bit around the docks and Commercial, trying to find a place to grab dinner at 6 PM that didn't need a reservation or wasn't packed. King's Head wasn't our first choice, because we were looking for Italian or Mexican. We had parked in the nearby parking lot and had no luck elsewhere, so stopped in. So glad we did! Great ambiance (low lighting, somewhat of an English pub vibe I think they were going for) and friendly staff. Our waitress was attentive, even though she was clearly busy. Full bar. Got our drinks right away. They made me a flavored mule, which was not on the menu. My husband had the falafal sandwich. He reluctantly shared a bite. It was very flavorful and good. I had the short ribs and mashed potatoes. Beer braised, but no beer flavor, tender, and absolutely delicious. HUGE portion. I never get mashed potatoes at a restaurant, but these were seasoned well, not too lumpy, but not too creamy. The perfect comfort food. Was a little loud, and one guy was telling stories and swearing at the bar. We could hear him a whole room away, but other than that, great overall experience.

What a great local find! The ambiance is cool & laid back, drinks and food delicious and service was amazing. The shrimp and grits, jambalaya (secret menu!) and Alivia was the most amazing server!! She gave us great recs for places & things to do. Definitely worth the trip & turned out to be a lovely dinner

Service is incredible here! I wish I'd taken note of our waiters name cause he was amazing and had such great knowledge of the menu. We came in just to grab a couple beers and eat a light snack and this place was just perfect. Super cute and rustic vibe with good beer selections and we only got to try the Scotch Egg but wow let me tell you we will come back if it's only to eat those again. What a weird, random dish but it's amazing! Just try it. You won't be disappointed.

Stopped in for dinner tonight and enjoyed a nice seaside dinner. They've currently got a large outdoor seating area along with indoor seating available as well. I had the macaroni which was pretty good but nothing special and oddly expensive at 18 dollars. I wasn't impressed with the portion size for the price but eh. I also had a very tasty local draft beer. Our waiter was very friendly and enjoys his job. I loved the location near the water but it's a little bit off the main commerce street area so you'll have to look for it. Nice place and a good spot for a drink and bite to eat!

I'm sorry for the Kings' Head if their business is suffering at all right now, but selfishly I'm a bigger fan now than ever. Outside seating! I don't remember if this existed before and they just expanded it, or if it's all new by necessity, but the nicely spaced al fresco is treating me right. No real covering, but not a ton of sun in the afternoon and your right next to the water for the occasional breeze. Perhaps you'll get to hear the ol chanties from the nearby lobster boats, which in my case last time was a Taylor Swift song. Most recently had one of the better buffalo chicken sandwiches of my life. Photo posted and tell me that doesn't look divine. So.damn.good. Chicken fried crunchy-crispy, juicy inside, stout enough bun to hold up to blue cheese and buffalo (and also not doused in either). It is a touch spicy if that's an issue, but just a solid, solid sandwich. Their bacon, chicken ranch is also pretty good, but to me it needs something sweet like tomato, or acidic, maybe even just some sri-racha so it's not just all savory, but hey, it's called a bacon, chicken, ranch so WTF am I talking about. Fries are also very good and I base my life around knowing which restaurants have good fries. You won't find any beer bargains but the selection is top notch. I've had some service issues over the years here... just the usual sassy bartenders (guys too) that joke around with the regulars, which is great and funny until you've been waiting 20+ minutes with an empty beer glass when it's not busy. Beer under the bridge though as they seem to be on their game more, even with people now sitting outside instead of at the bar (they still do have limited inside bar seats too). Next time I'm hankering for a buffalo chicken sandwich, only one will do.

Really good! They had a lot of really tasty brews - our favorite was the iced tea mead. The fish and chips were also the best we've had in a very, very long time. The batter on the fish was excellent, and the fries were well seasoned. The servers were really friendly, and the atmosphere was lovely. We also ordered a mushroom risotto, which wasn't bad but I wouldn't hanker for, and a kings burger which my husband and 4 year-old devoured.

Great service and food. Nice beers on tap. Most of the beers are Maine local breweries. Scotch egg is amazing. Lobster rolls are really good also but not always on the menu

The King's Head came on recommendation from a local co-worker to us out-of-Mainers as the best fish & chips in town, and it did not disappoint. I also lost my hat at dinner that night and our server was cool enough to stash it away when he found it. Thanks man!

Went there for a beer a year ago and thought we'd go back to try the food. Nope. The scotch egg was ok, not much flavor. Not worth $10 for one egg. The beer is overpriced. Most beers were $9 and they don't give you a full pint. 13 oz. That comes out to be over $11 for a pint of beer, which is high even for the snotty old port. The worst was the calamari. Tiny dry little rubber bands covered in a dry, salty crumb. I took this one personally, because my wife and I were going to have dinner somewhere else after this stop. The calamari sat so heavy in our stomachs that we lost our appetites for dinner and just drove home afterwards.

Every time I come here I do happy. Food is always great and the beer selection is top notch. Don't miss out on the dessert either.

Great place, great beer selection and Lobstah Roll! Met Family and friends here. Hoisted a few and walked back to hotel. Glad I had a chance to sample the local fare!!

Holy shit this place is good. We started with the Brussel sprouts, which was huge and perfect size to share. Followed that up with the calamari - nothing insanely special about the calamari, but very good. Finally the scallops with risotto. I love sweets, so I loved this dish. If you don't like sweeter dishes, don't order this - very maple. The waiter was friendly and helpful. We gave him a few options and let him pick our orders. Very happy we did so.

Cool location with a euro-pub vibe, though I think the space would look much more open and inviting with some renovation. There's no option to order online, but the service was fast and friendly. I got the steak & cheese, scotch eggs, and truffle fries. Scotch eggs were delicious and cooked perfectly, with the yoke still runny on the inside. Fries were also great. The steak & cheese is the reason I couldn't give this place 5 stars. $15 seems steep for a small portion that did not include fries and was packaged in a box with no paper or foil to protect from the pickles--which were not mentioned on the menu and left the roll inedibly soggy.

If you are looking for an authentic pub experience, the King's Head surely provides that rustic pub feel at an elevated level. The minute you walk in, there is a decent sized bar that is always fairly busy, but you are greeted by wooden and brick walls with modernized light fixtures. There is also a dining room area, that provides a more intimate experience. My husband and I went with a friend on New Years Eve, so there was a limited menu of options, however, they did a nice job providing a variety of options. To start out, we got the scallop appetizer which was seared scallops with glazed and roasted pears. The scallops were a little bit over cooked, but the taste was good. For dinner we got the pancetta stuffed chicken, which was amazing! It was so flavorful and cooked perfectly! I highly recommend if it is ever on the regular menu or a special. Oh! And the beer list. The beer offerings that they have are pretty extensive, ranging from IPAs, lagers, malty beers, stouts, and ciders. Each category had at least 5 different options on draft, which was pretty great. The beers range from local beers to beers around the country that I have never heard of, which makes it fun to try all the different ones! Overall, I was impressed with the ambiance and food that they had to offer. I definitely want to come back another night to try out their regular menu items.

This place is sneaky good. Tremendous pub food, (fresh and surprisingly creative), great beer selection and a relaxed, casual European pub feel to it.

Nice draft list , really cool setting and good food but the vibe is more than a tad sterile The only entertaining thing was a super drunk old townie trying to make it with the bartender. It didn't work out.

Enjoyable meal here while in Portland. This English Pub had a decent menu although I wish there were more options on it. Our choice were both very enjoyable: chicken & Waffles and Wild Mushroom Risotto. I was surprised they didn't have pot pies as I saw a significant amount of them posted on here, but food and service were enjoyable. I would return.

This is a very nice pub to hang out in. I came here with my brothers friends to drink during a night of my limited visit in Portland. This place is not that far away from the old port where we were visiting that day and is quite near the seaport. The place is not big but is a fair enough size for a pub and they have good seating in the back. They have a very good draft selection and a very big beer selection overall. They even have some rare drink options like Absinthe which surprised me. Food wise they surprisingly had some good options for a pub. They even have Lobster Rolls which I really enjoy. They also have a lot of good appetizer options. The place was crowded when we went to drink but the atmosphere was very festive and chill. The staff here is really nice. Overall this great bar. My brother who lives here never went in previously but he considers it now one of the better pubs in the area.

They have a variety of collection of beers, including some of the rarest. The lobster roll was delicious and so was the muscles. On the ratio of costs vs. deliciousness, this one might be one of the best (since the price is very affordable).

Great spot by the water to get local craft beer. Friendly staff that calls you by name. I recommend stopping in for a beer.