Gurnet Trading Company — Restaurant in Brunswick

When I was young, my family would visit Bailey Island every year on our annual sojourn to Maine. We'd breeze right by the Gurnet Trading Co. on Route 24 without a second thought, instead heading to the good big restaurants down the road. It wasn't until I moved to Harpswell this year that I ventured over to the tiny eatery on the very edge of the Brunswick / Harpswell border to sample their menu. And boy, my family has been missing out by driving by this wonderful place! I tried the clam roll with fish chowder, and it was one of the best lunches I've had in years. The clams were perfectly crispy and just barely cooked, letting their freshness blossom on your tongue within each tender bite. It was a sandwich that I won't soon forget, and I often find myself craving it. The chowder--oh, the chowder. The broth was sensationally creamy, with huge, ample chunks of freshly chopped seafood floating throughout the heavenly cup. I loved that the seasonings were spot-on, without being overly salted, giving me the opportunity to get a real taste of the fresh, quality ingredients at the items' cores. The portions were more than generous, and frankly, I'm counting down the minutes 'til I visit again! If you're in the Harspwell / Brunswick area, do yourself a favor and stop in for a perfect takeout meal. Next time I go, I'm planning to cart my feast to a local beach and watch the waves crash as I savor some downright good eats. Now that's...

Not my best luck with food this trip. I tried to come Saturday night and was turned away because you apparently can't order anything steamed after 5pm when they close at 6pm. The sign says kitchen open til 530... Wasted trip. I returned today and called ahead to ensure I could get my order in. I got it to-go and, over the course of 10 minutes in the car, my expensive lobster stew was leaking all over the car because the lid disintegrated/cracked. I got to my hotel room and ate the chunks of lobster because that's pretty much all that was left. I then ate my lobster feast. It was steamed a bit too long - so very soggy. However, $25 for two medium-sized lobsters and a pound of clams... I guess I can't complain too much. The stew was ~$15 for a smallish bowl and relatively greasy, so I'm not sure I would do that again- even forgetting that it spilled all over. Hate to see what a cup looks like.They took my recommendation graciously that they make it known on website etc. regarding last call for steamed food, so we will see if they actually act upon it. My coworker was very happy with the lobster salad so, on hindsight, I would do that instead of the lobster stew. 4/5 may be generous for my experience, but I think I was just having...

The good stuff. This place is so cute. Right on the river on the way to Bailey Island with tons of outdoor seating and a decent beer selection. The only reason I don’t give the atmosphere a 5 star is that the wooden path down to the river is unkempt and impassable. Also the tables right outside of the restaurant are very close to the road and the speed limit is 50mph. However there is plenty of seating to avoid that. The service was fine. You stand in line, order and they have a pickup window. They pack it to go. Next the food. The bad part. They have lots of refrigerated food and frozen to go. They serve frozen not fresh French fries if that matters to you. We ordered the seafood chowder and the clam chowder. One was scalding hot and the other lukewarm. It was hands down the worst chowder either of us had ever eaten in Maine and we live here. It was so thin, it was like watered down milk. There was absolutely no flavour to boot. I can’t complain about the amount of seafood. I just know that neither of us could ever eat it again. It’s a seafood shack. The chowder should stand out. 15 buck for a bowl also. Maybe you can find something better on the menu, but we won’t be going back for...