Rating: A+
If you’ve lived in Maine for a while, you’ve probably heard about the famed Sea Dog Brewery. Founded in 1993 on the coast of Maine, the Bangor location offers brewery tours as well as a full restaurant and bar. For any University of Maine students looking to indulge in good old-fashioned beer and burgers, Sea Dog delivers quality food service.
Starting with their quality beer, brewed right on the property, the staple options include the Sea Dog Stout, the Hazelnut Porter, the Old Gollywobbler Brown Ale, the Deep Stowage IPA, the Invader Pale Ale and the Windjammer Blonde Ale. They average around 5 percent alcohol by volume, and are brewed in a traditional English style using English two-row malted barley and British top-fermenting Ringwood yeast. They are popular and pricey, yet they are perfect to pair with your dinner.
The menu is expansive, offering seafood starters, salads, soups, pub shares, seafood, lobster rolls, tacos, sandwiches, burgers and sides. For anyone looking to really indulge themselves, steamed Maine lobster is in offer, as well as baked stuffed Maine lobster and an impressive Sea Dog steamed lobster feast (all are market priced daily). You can also get your lobster fix in the form of lobster rolls paired with fries and coleslaw.
The seafood is what really completes the Maine experience, and your choices include shrimp scampi, haddock fish and chips, fried whole clams, panko-encrusted North Atlantic salmon, seafood stuffed haddock and a baked fisherman’s pie. The prices range from $16 to $22. Each dish is well-portioned and most include some sort of a side dish.
There is no shortage of pub style food options either, and all are guaranteed to please. Choose from options like steak tips poutine, meat and ricotta lasagna, brew house jambalaya, chicken and artichoke with garlic cream sauce, hot open-faced turkey and gravy or Sacchetti mushroom pasta. Similarly to seafood, these entrees average around $20 a dish.
And who can turn down a classic burger with their beer? The 100 percent all-beef burgers are served with a side and a pickle, and can be substituted with a veggie or a turkey burger. If that doesn’t float your boat, you can replace it with a grilled chicken breast upon request. Options for burgers include beer burgers, garlic burgers, bleu burgers, BBQ burgers, veggie sweet potato burgers or a classic basic burger. Juicy and satisfying, these entrees are perfect for a summer afternoon.
If you’re looking for a full seafood experience, my advice would be to start with the famous chilled seafood sampler (shrimp, crab and lobster) and progress onto the shrimp scampi or fried scallops. They also offer the best clam chowder and lobster bisque in Bangor. However, be prepared to drop a pretty penny; beer, appetizers and a meal for two can quickly break $100. It will certainly be a meal to remember, though; the service is fast and the outdoor seating boasts a lovely riverside view.
Sea Dog Brewery currently has seven restaurant locations in Maine and Florida, with brewery tours available in Bangor, Maine and Clearwater, Fla.