Dined here last night for the first time on Valentine’s Day. Even though they were incredibly busy they went above and beyond to make sure we left incredibly happy and wanting to return. Beautiful atmosphere, great food and drinks, lovely service.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Warm, professional service allows you to take your time to enjoy dishes that are well worth the wait. We had the braised beef short rib with cheddar polenta and duck breast with tangy sauce and cauliflower and butternut squash. Both very flavorful. This little gem is a more like a restaurant you’d find in a big city bedroom community than in the wilds of Maine in February when we were there. Exceptional. Don't miss it.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
I had dinner there with a friend tonight, and in spite of a minor issue I had with my entree, we had a lovely time.
Both the wine and the service were fantastic. Corinna, who it as it turned out is one of the owners, took care of us and she was knowledgeable, professional and a gem.
We had the Coravin special pour of the evening - the Papillion. It was expensive but an extraordinary wine to get by the glass, and so worth the splurge.
This place is special. They are working hard to raise the bar on Maine dining, and they deserve our support.
Go and eat there and say hello to Corinna.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
We were frequent diners at it's predecessor Little Village Bistro and were disappointed when it closed 2 years ago. Back River Bistro is a very similar restaurant but has undergone some renovations to the better. An excellent dining experience starting with a champagne toast. They had a wine tasting featuring Beaujolais which was delightful. The mushrooms in the mushroom tart were excellent, but it was not a tart rather the mushrooms were over what appeared to be their focaccia. A special appetizer of meatballs and polenta was excellent. For main course we had the risotto and the ribeye both of which were excellent, although the potato pave was only so-so. Dessert was the bread pudding and a large mug of good coffee. We found Back River to be a worthy and desperately needed successor to the Little Village.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Polenta
We went to the Bistro last night as 4 very excited guests that used to go to the Little Village Bistro . . The ribeye was a very thin disappointing cut of meat for 45.00 the daiquiri I had tasted off . The rest of the meal was good but the price of the meal exceeded the dining experience . This is a review I had hoped not to give but this is not a review to discourage anyone for trying the Bistro out , I think they deserve another try .
Eloquent atmosphere, fabulous food, personal service and definitely save room for dessert. Culinary chef creates dishes your tastebuds won't forget.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
We had a delightful dinner at Back River Bistro and will definitely come back. We ordered the duck breast and the trout and both were prepared perfectly. Nice wine list, great service and a comfortable dining room. What else could you ask for?
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
So glad we found this gem! Booked a reservation for our 15th anniversary and each dish was superb. The tomato tartare was like a deconstructed BLT, and the panzanella was light and fresh. $2 oysters and half price bottle of wine was a nice surprise (Wednesday special) which we took advantage of. My wife got the tuna crudo to start, which she found a little soy heavy but for my taste was just right. I chose the ribeye for my main which was a perfect medium rare, and the sauce added a layer of complexity (and killer with the mashed potatoes), with the potato pave complementing the steak. My wife got the trout - delicate and flaky with lovely lemon herb flavors along with green beans and tomatoes made for a lovely summer dish.
We are already telling our friends, can't wait to be back!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
