Ebenezer's Restaurant & Pub

Ebenezer's Restaurant & PubEbenezer's Restaurant & Pub
Ebenezer's Restaurant & PubEbenezer's Restaurant & Pub
Bar, Eatery

44 Allen Rd
Lovell, Maine, 04051-3919
United States

(207) 925-3200 | map
ebenezerspub.net
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.7
Reviews:
127
Ratings:
163
pDev:
9.79%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by opwog:
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Reviewed by opwog from Minnesota

5/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
I just glanced at the last review before submitting this and I have to ask; are you kidding? All things being equal, you would rather visit Novare Res than Ebenezer's for beer? Not as a dig to NR, but they are not even in the same league as Ebenezer's.

Ebenezer's was all that I had expected and more. The "more" being that I had thought that they were (by reputation) an exclusive Belgian bar. Forget that...I was able to mix up my fine Belgians with some rarer domestic releases such as Brooklyn's Intensified Coffee Stout. Everybody there was friendly and accommodating to begin with, but extended that gratitude even further once they recognized how far we had traveled to visit.

If I was local, it would be a sin not to have Ebenezer's as a regular spot. As a beer enthusiast, I would say that it is an essential spot to visit if you are in Maine or the White Mountain area of New Hampshire. This is what being a destination for beer advocacy is all about!
Oct 09, 2009
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

5/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Did this place live up to it's reputation? Yes, and surpassed it. Situated on a golf course, about an 1 1/2 hours north out of Portland. Looks like a nice country inn from the outside, inside carries more of that vibe, as well as a cozy little bar straight out of a British pub. Taplist carries a wide variety of Belgian styles, as well a smattering of local craft beers. The cooler case is behind the bar, but I was welcomed to come around the bar and look through it. That's where the good stuff is, although I believe there's a private basement bar with the very best stuff. Service was prompt and friendly. The owner saw my Rate beer shirt and gave me a dusty bottle from the basement, a1997 Chimay Bleu. Just an amazing place, I spent much more time there than I had planned, soaking up the atmosphere. I can check this off of my bucket list. 5 stars.
Nov 15, 2022
 
Rated: 4.1 by acurtis from New Jersey

Aug 29, 2020
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Reviewed by kdb150 from Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -30.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | food: 2
After having wanted to visit Ebenezer's for a long, long time, I finally got the chance while on vacation nearby.

The ambience of this place is good. We had perfect weather and sat in the screened-in porch overlooking the golf course; the picnic grove vibe and pastoral setting was reminiscent of a brewery tasting room from a small Belgian town. Our server was accommodating and helpful.

As for the beer, the draft list is quite good, and I was happy to see it focused on Belgian beer. It is definitely a draft list that someone takes time and effort to curate. However, a trip to Ebenezer's is supposed to be all about their cellar, but they apparently don't sell beer out of the cellar any more because we were directed to a cooler for bottles, which had a rather small and haphazard selection of mostly easily obtainable beers. No rarities or aged beers in sight, and no cellar list from which to order any such beer. This is simply not what one expects from a place who claims to be a top 10 global beer destination, particularly since the deep cellar is what they are known for.

The food was the other letdown. My fish and chips were delicious, as were the calamari and wings we ordered as an appetizer. However - they were out of mussels! A Belgian beer bar running out of mussels is totally unacceptable. Three members of our party were unable to get what they wanted for dinner because of this. I understand that sometimes restaurants run out of things, but this was 5 PM on a Saturday, the day before the enormous Fryeburg Fair was opening just down the road, and they were out of what is a signature entree for a Belgian beer bar.

Between the running out of mussels and the mediocre bottle list with no cellar access, this very much has the feel of a place coasting on its reputation, rather than one striving to deliver a top 10 in the world drinking experience. It's worth going to if you're in the area, but if I made a special trip to go here I would have been extremely disappointed. It's crossed off my bucket list and I will not be going back.
Oct 02, 2019
 
Rated: 5 by NateF90 from Connecticut

May 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4.73 by tmac from New Hampshire

Feb 21, 2016
 
Rated: 4.53 by ScaryEd from New Hampshire

Jan 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.89 by abrodsky from Massachusetts

Jan 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.83 by popo901 from Indiana

Oct 15, 2015
 
Rated: 4.92 by psweendogg from Connecticut

Sep 25, 2015
 
Rated: 5 by Peter1977 from Massachusetts

Sep 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4.59 by blisscent from Rhode Island

Aug 20, 2015
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Reviewed by mklisz from New Hampshire

4.11/5  rDev -12.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
Took a long overdue trip to Ebenzer's this past Saturday. Arrived around 12:30pm and sat at the bar. The place wasn't too crowded, several parties sitting out in the screened-in entrance area and two others at the bar. Things picked up around 1:30 then died back down about an hour later.

Selection was good, lots of Lively drafts with a good mix of European brews. Cooler was impressively stocked with trappists, 3F, Fantome, Italian and German selections. Shared a 750mL of 3F Oude Geuze with my buddy, served in a lambic basket.

Food was decent. I ordered the fried cod sandwich which was a bit mushy. My friend was raving about his sous-vide chicken, however. Frites were average.

My major issue was the amount of horse flies buzzing around the place. You'd expect to see maybe a few in the hot summer months, but they were EVERYWHERE.
Jul 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.98 by Stoutmeister from Massachusetts

Jul 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.29 by dmmichaud from Maine

Jul 20, 2015
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Reviewed by Faxmesomehalibut from New Hampshire

4.73/5  rDev +0.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.75
Nothing to say except, WOW. The best selection in the USA. Easily some of the rarest and most amazing Belgian beers I have ever laid eyes on. Go for the beer, stay for the food, it also does not disappoint.
And some day I will attend Night of the Great Thirst, then my life will be complete....
Jun 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4.95 by abridgedatx from Texas

Jun 24, 2015
Photo of tigg924
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts

4.66/5  rDev -0.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 5 | food: 4.75
A lot has been said about Ebenezers and I will echo it. This is a world class bar. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. We sat in what appeared to be a screened in porch with an excellent view of a golf course. The sounds of birds and the fresh air provided a pleasant atmosphere. The food was amazing. I had a Philly cheese steak with frites. Despite having this dish hundreds of times, Ebenezers put a twist on it and it felt as though I had not had it before. Excellent food. My wife had a farm fresh chicken sandwich that was also excellent. We had two waitresses during our visit with the second one being a lot more helpful and knowledgeable. Outside of that our experience was fantastic. Beer variety and tap list was amazing. This place deserves its reputation as being one of the best beer bars in America. Certainly will go back if I am in the area again.
Jun 23, 2015
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Reviewed by rocksteady726 from Massachusetts

2.25/5  rDev -52.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 1 | selection: 2 | food: 3
Visited here over the summer. It may have been a busy day, but the service was terrible. The staff was unwilling to serve us bottles from the cellar and continued to insist we order tap beers or bottles from the cooler. We had a reservation and still had to wait 30 minutes to sit down, even though our table was empty and clean. The food was slow to come out, and the staff was openly being disciplined by management in the dining room. This certainly did not live up to the hype for me. All that beer down in the cellar doesn't do anyone any good if you can't order any of it.
Jun 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.56 by slasich from Pennsylvania

Apr 19, 2015
 
Rated: 4.89 by johnbion22 from Tennessee

Mar 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.85 by benzalman from California

Mar 02, 2015
Photo of DQuilliams
Reviewed by DQuilliams from Georgia

5/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Simply amazing. We had 5 small children with us and we were so very well taken care of given our crew. The beer selection, knowledgeable and friendly staff ( Sir Chris et al), and the location in picturesque Western Maine (on the fringes of the Saco River and the White Mountains) made it surpassingly enjoyable.
Dec 28, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by mattycasey from Massachusetts

Nov 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by spycow from Illinois

Nov 08, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by parris from Massachusetts

Sep 25, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by WesFoxlove from Massachusetts

Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by anthony23cippy from Maine

Aug 02, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by MacQ32 from South Carolina

Jul 29, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by NHbeerguy from New Hampshire

Jul 27, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by jelpernw from New York

Jul 22, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by MattGrimley from Massachusetts

Jun 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by mbonugli from Maine

Jun 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by CATVDK from Maine

May 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.43 by ladyivory from Massachusetts

May 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by smccann from New Hampshire

Apr 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by BierBliss from New Hampshire

Apr 04, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by dwoolley1 from New York

Jan 13, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by ajcormier from New Hampshire

Oct 31, 2013
 
Rated: 4.75 by TheRealPour from Illinois

Oct 28, 2013
Ebenezer's Restaurant & Pub in Lovell, ME
Place rating: 4.7 out of 5 with 163 ratings