The Old Goat — Restaurant in Richmond

July 30, 2022 - By Serendipity (discovering something by surprise) my wife and I stopped in Richmond , Maine . . . At The Old Goat Pub several years ago to find “ a gem”!

As a former brewer of beers, I appreciate their selection of beers & hard ciders! We also enjoy the casual atmosphere, and chance to sample their lunch items! The Old Goat’s menu is simple but tasty:

3 Salad choices ( Caesar, Greek, SXSW)

7 Paninis ( Bobcat, Reuben, Big Back Yard, Ozvaldo, Centurion, Ham & Twist, Corsican)

3 French Roll Subs

2 Quesadillas

Several Pizza Choices

Several Appetizers ( try Old Goat Nachos)

I hear there are new owners who purchased from the original owner, Scott McIntire (who started The Old Goat) in 2004 . There’s a beer garden off to the side of the building. The Old Goat pub has a similar vibe to TV’s Cheers Pub! Our bartender, Aimee, seemed to call some folks by name as they walked into the bar. I like that “ small town” camaraderie! I rate this a 4.6 experience, hoping for a chef that adds a few soups, salads, entrees that set this above the typical pub/restaurant that attracts more folks to Richmond! ( similar to Hollowell)

Examples:

*Fresh fruit w/salads in season

*Specialty soups carrot & ginger, and shrimp soup almond & peanut soup

*Fresh bread & cheese & meats

*Pizza is GOOD 👍🏼

Fun History Facts

+Abenaki Indians lived in this area

+1649 Christopher Lawson purchased land

+Fort Richmond built by Mass Colony 1719

+Area called White’s Landing

+Under Bowdoinham jurisdiction

+Richmond incorporated 1823

+Farmland mostly in early years ( potatoes)

+Ship building in 1830’s to 1850’s

+Greek revival architecture in homes

+Late 1800’s ice harvesting, shoe factory

+Peacock Beach State Park with 1807 Oldest building . . ....

While the food and beer are okay, I have an enormous problem with the owner's demeanor and general attitude toward his customers. I went into the Old Goat about a month ago and my six-month-old daughter was quite hungry. When the owner greeted our table, I eagerly requested a cup of warm water to heat up a bottle. My request was received with an eye-roll and he begrudgingly got it for me. The rest of the meal was awkward as he continued to regard us as if we were extraordinary inconveniences to him for being at his establishment and taking advantage of his services.

More recently, my friend and I recently held a bridal shower for our friend at the Old Goat. There were four children in attendance, two of which are only two-years-old. The children were enjoying one another's company and running around in the rented upstairs space. Because we were consumed with the event, the adults did not take notice that this may have been loud for the patrons downstairs. However, Scott, the owner, came upstairs and yelled at all of the children--interrupting the bridal shower and frightening all of the kids. Why wouldn't he just politely ask one of the adults to have the kids limit the noise? Why frighten some very small children and disrupt the enjoyment of an event? I can say that the children did stop running and that it was extremely quiet for the rest of the event--it's not as if he had to repeatedly remind us to keep the noise down.

This guy seriously needs some tips in customer service, professionalism, and general manners. There are a lot of good places in the area for pizza and beer. I will actively discourage those I know from being patrons and having to endure Scott's...

Should have tried the pizza, I guess. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Everyone raves about this place so my son and I stopped by while we were in the area today. It was a Tuesday at lunch time so I figured it probably wouldn't be super busy. There were three men drinking at the bar, one of which turned around and stared awkwardly at us both when we walked in and when we left. There were 3-4 other tables of patrons already seated. Haley was covering both the bar and table service. She was pleasant and sufficiently attentive. The food and time to receive the food, however, left much to be desired. There was one person working in the kitchen area and it seems she was only able to work on one thing at a time. As an appetizer, we ordered something called "crusted mozzarella" (or something like that). It was literally two 7" "bosco sticks" (bread sticks filled with cheese and awkwardly cut up into bite sized pieces to make them look like they filled a plate. It had very little flavor, was around $10 and arrived about 2 minutes before our lunch dishes. I ordered a grilled chicken and cheese quesadilla. The chicken was most definitely not grilled. Not only did it not taste grilled, but I opened up the quesadilla and looked at the pasty white chicken - no grill marks. This adds a LOT of flavor to a dish. Why advertise grilled chicken when it's not actually grilled? My son ordered the pulled pork sandwich, which I also tried. We both agreed the pulled pork itself was delicious, however there was soooo much bread, it drowned it out. There needs to be more meat in this sandwich to balance it out.

We may be back to try the pizza at some point, but...