Village Tavern

Excellent food and excellent service. Very accommodating to my vegan diet. John was a fantastic waiter and the hosting staff was very understanding when I had to step outside multiple times to take work calls. Homemade bread was amazing, veggies were fresh and very tasty. Highly recommended by this California vegan.

What a great find — thanks Unilocal!Right off 95, in quiet West Kennebunk, the Village Tavern is a great choice for a change of pace from the typical Maine coastal eatery. We put together a meal out of various small plates and sides, and the food ranged from very good to excellent. Scallops, risotto, brussels sprouts, etc. Also, the bread is outstanding!
Service was up to the food, so it was a great experience all around.
Don’t know when we’ll be in the area again but if we are we will be returning to the Village Tavern for sure.

Fabulous atmosphere, menu, prices and staff… Great place away from the tourists… Fish was perfect and the filet could not have been done any better. We had the broccoli and crispy brussel sprouts– delicious. Can’t wait to go back. be sure to head early, no reservations and it gets very busy!

This is by far the best restaurant I have been to. The atmosphere was very pleasant and the service was top notch. My wife ordered the beef short ribs and I had the salmon. The beef ribs melted off the bone and the salmon was cooked extremely well. We finished the meal off with crème brûlée and a key lime tart. As with everything else the dessert was exceptional.

Ahhahamazing meal! Down to every.last.detail! These folks really know what they are doing! Nothing is overlooked! My husband and I came here after hearing great things and we both more than pleased with our experience!

Great food, we really enjoyed the service! Its shame we couldn’t reserve a table in advance, but the staff was so kind to call us when a table was available. Williams definitely come back for more!!!

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday and it was a really, really good decision. There was a 30 minute wait when we got there so we sat at the bar and had a drink and appetizer. The bartender was really friendly. We ordered duck wings which were so good. My boyfriend loves duck and he was so happy. We were seated fairly quickly, within the 30 minute time we were quoted. I think our whole conversation during dinner was about what we were eating. I don’t usually order pork anywhere but I decided to go for something different and I ordered the pork chop with the cider glaze and fried onions. It was so delicious. I inhaled it. My boyfriend ordered the short ribs which were really tender and tasty. For sides we ordered the potato spears and asparagus and both were good. Our waitress was so sweet and friendly and very accommodating. She really rounded out the dining experience. My boyfriend and I don’t get to go out to nice restaurants very often and I’m so happy that Village Tavern gave us our money’s worth.

Great find! We had salmon and the burger. So fresh and tasty. Service was excellent! Reasonable prices… highly recommend!

One of our favorite places to go. Get there early for a seat or you end up waiting a while for your table.
Food is always top notch, my only complaint– not enough «meat less» or «light on the meat» options. This place certainly caters to carnivores. I’m willing to overlook this as the food, drinks, apps, or desserts, are all delicious.

We have dined here several times, and really wholeheartedly loved the meals we’ve had. This restaurant is really, in our opinion, the best restaurant in Kennebunk. It’s off the beaten path, but so worth the detour. The food is a little pricey and much more high end than the location and the «tavern» name imply, and it’s simply delicious. Definitely give the Tavern a try. You won’t be disappointed.

My brother told me about this place last summer when he was disappointed he didn’t get in one weekend night… so I figured I’d give it a try off season. After driving by many mostly empty restaurants parking lots on the way there from Wells, we figured we would have no problem sitting right down, but even at 7:30, there was a wait. The hostess was friendly and accommodating and we grabbed an Allagash at the bar and were sitting down in about 20 min.
I got the seafood linguini with cream pesto sauce for $ 23 and it was very good and tasty with 3 shrimps, 2 big sea scallops and 2 little neck clams. The clams are mostly for presentation as they were tiny. My side was the maple mashed sweet potatoes, excellent.
I talked my wife into my second choice which was the short ribs. They were by far the best we’ve had and the price was just $ 26. They melted in your mouth and had a nice gravy for dipping and she paired with the blue cheese broccoli. She kept saying that it was a great meal and as I was hoping I got the 2^nd rib… as they give you 2 generous sized ribs and she was full after 1. My plan was complete!
I already told my brother we were going back together soon.
4 stars, for quality, presentation, meal size and value. Very, very solid for a Maine sea cost restaurant.

Best restaurant I have been to all year. Excellent service, beautiful setting, superbly executed food. And for the prices… a steal!
The calamari was perfectly breaded and not greasy. Haddock «fingers» were divine with perfect sauce. But the broccoli with blue cheese crumbles was the most amazing combination. The sides alone were the most well executed. Brussel sprouts like never done before (and without bacon which is the old stand by).
Skip the Port restaurants and travel just in land to this place. You will love it.

Absolutely. Delicious. Though it’s a bit unorthodox (it’s only open from 4:30−9pm and doesn’t take reservations), the food was absolutely delicious and the staff was friendly and quite accommodating to our table. Traveling over the holidays with picky eaters (read: my family) can be a bit of a challenge, but our server bent over backwards to make sure everyone was happy with the way their meal was cooked and the sauces and amount of sauce on the side dishes (thanks!). The chef (and owner) also stepped out of the kitchen a few times to greet regular guests – a lovely personal touch I’m sure that helps keep regulars coming back again and again!
As for myself, I gorged myself on the delicious homemade olive bread and then took the chef’s recommendation and enjoyed blackened salmon with a side of maple scented roasted sweet potato timbale and shredded maple carrots with snap peas. Everything was delicious! If I stop by the area again, I’ll certainly come on by and try their short ribs. I spotted them at the table next to me and they looked incredible.

This is by far the best place to eat!
The chef is fantastic! Top notch service and food can be beat.
Get there at 4:30. Or make reservations a week in advance. They only reserve 2 tables per night. I actually prefer to sit at the bar as the bartender is very friendly, and if you get there after 5 this may be one of your only options for seating.
The entire staff works very well together. It’s perfect.

Every thing was perfect from the chicken tempura appetizer to the main entrees and dessert. Service was just right not rushed but no slow either. I was with 3 friends who all loved there food as well. We will definatly be back.

For price and location, this lucky find gets five stars. We are staying in Kennebunkport but many of the restaurants have reviews that indicate they are overpriced with poor drinks. We’ve tried se good ones over the years but wanted something new.
Our drinks here were great and reasonably priced. A grilled romaine salad and a Cesar salad were very good, and an appetizer of two crab cakes as a main dish and the evening’s special sirloin steak ($ 34.50) were wonderful.

I had the the linguini with shrimp, scallops and clams with fra diavolo. The sauce was just the right level of spiciness and generally very delicious with balanced flavor. The seafood all tasted so fresh. I definitely recommend this dish. We sat at the bar, and the bartender was incredibly friendly and helpful. I didn’t get his name, but he was a nice guy from Peabody, MA. My boyfriend and I ordered a profiterole to share for dessert and they split it– they put it on two plates for us, each nicely decorated and looking like its own dessert.
Bottom line: this place is friendly and unpretentious with delicious, fresh, well-​prepared food and excellent service.

WOW! Four of us went to eat last night… 2 adults plus an 8 and 7 year old. We had to wait. They originally said 25−30… I think it took about 20 minutes and they updated us a couple of times while waiting.
Before I get to the food… superb service. Attentive, prompt and charming.
An adequate enough kids menu for our needs and they would also adjust any of the meals to a child size.
Homemade bread at the table. We picked one appetizer which was fried calamari. Hands down the best we have had… And we have had a lot! Great breading and served with raw peppers that were better than the deep fried ones I’m accustomed to seeing. It came with a really great dip… Possibly aioli… delicious.
Main course… My son had meatballs and there was a lot of it… He picked a side of broccoli. My daughter had Mac and cheese with a side of wild rice. All really good and plenty to take home.
My husband had a chicken Caesar salad with a great homemade dressing.
I ordered pork tenderloin with a mushroom sauce… a side of garlic and ginger mashed potatoes (I was hesitant about the ginger… it was fantastic!) and a side of Brussels sprouts that I believe were caramelized (mind blowing!).
Everything was beyond top notch. We had to pass onto the waiter how great everything was and what a great team they were. He mentioned it to the Chef (Rich) who came out to see us. He was a true professional and you could tell everyone was passionate about the role they played.
Hubbie ordered after dinner whiskey. They poured a big one!
Took home a superb carrot cake and peach/​blueberry pie.
The only downside-​I know there is likely to be a wait. I would plan for it but know it’s worth it. It’s a little loud because of layout. but this place is great and it will be first on our list when we come back. This is the best place we have been to in a very long time on every level.

My wife and I while staying at the Maine Stay inns ask the owner one afternoon if he knew any good restaurants around?
Is our second time in kennebunkport and we had eat at different places and were good.
But… Nothing comes close to this place from the place itself, staff, waitress, price, atmosphere and most important the food .
The food was fantastic!!!
Just perfect!!!
And we had the opportunity to meet the chef Rich and hear about his journey and hard dedication and we can tell that has put 100% of his dedication to this restaurant and we enjoy our dishes very very much!
I had the salmon and wife had linguine with seafood they were delicious!
Also try the Alaskan desert is delicious!!!
We know now we’re to go on our next stop ;)
To kennebunk .
Top 10 restaurants in my list
Thank you !

Dining here was a pleasurable experience from beginning to end. It was quite busy but Tina, the hostess & proprietor, greeted us w a warm smile and offered a quieter table in the lounge area and suggested that we relax at the bar in the mean time.
House made bottles of Ginger root vodka and Milagro repisado tequila w habanero
rest prominently behind the gorgeous old world wood bar w it’s fluted columns and faint silver mirrors. The Depot sign over the bar was rescued from the attic circa 1870’s.
Cat was our enthusiastic bartender — she made a perfect Xtra dirty martini w ridiculous creamy blue cheese stuffed olives.
The wine list offers California, Chilean, European and New Zealand wines. I enjoyed the Wither Hills Sauvignon blanc.
Everything we had was very, very good.
Standouts: huge, tender perfectly seasoned short ribs. The angus burger w blue cheese & shaved black truffles, local heirloom tomatoes & house made mozzarella, lamb shank, perfect tempura vegetables, house made sour dough loaf.
DESSERTS: sorry for the cliché but they serve edible art. Who even makes Baked Alaska anymore?! And it was the very best I’ve ever had. Perfect execution & presentation & it was heaven on the pallet. The Guinness chocolate cake is reminiscent of an English pudding but it’s wholly cake– it was divine. But the profiterole was the biggest one I’ve seen and yet it’s texture was traditional and filled w the house made salted caramel ice cream. Amazing desserts have the power to make you feel dreamy and spoiled. Each did just that.
John was our ever so adroit server. He was of course well versed on the preparation of each dish on the menu. He was prompt, pleasant yet professional. He took great care in serving us.
Rich is the chef & proprietor. Warm, gracious and unnecessarily humble. His obvious high end culinary career has lent itself quite nicely in creating this local neighborhood resturant. It is evident in both the dishes & in his well trained staff. Yet, he has created this opportunity where one dines exceptionally well replacing the pomp with warmth and well executed comforting dishes.
I rarely mention pricing. However, our party of four who travel extensively and dine out frequently agreed that the prices were very low in comparison to the excellent dishes we heartily enjoyed.
There is the slightest draw back because of the lack of good acoustics. Obviously, Rich has tried to remedy the issue w the noise absorbing ceiling tiles. Unfortunately they don’t help much. Should this problem be fixed, one could not ask for a more pleasant (& delicious) dining experience.