River Drivers Restaurant

So — I must confess, I may be a bit biased. I used to work here… well, not this location, but at the original place before they moved.
With that said, let’s start with location! It doesn’t get any better than this. You are on Millinocket Lake with a view of Mt. Katahdin. Anytime of year, the view here is amazing.
On this visit, I tried the crab cakes and poutine. While the poutine was just okay, the crab cakes were perfect. The lemon dill remoulade was a perfect pairing — especially on this sunny, hot day. I also had a small bite of my mom’s Fish and Chips. It was delicious. And my mom, who is a fish snob, says it’s the best she’s ever had at any restaurant. So much so, she gets it every time she comes. She claims she’ll try something different next time.
While I didn’t have one on this visit, I will say I used to be obsessed with the desserts here. The flourless chocolate torte was to die for. And the crème brûlée is amazing as well. And, they are somewhat famous for their Ooey Gooey Cake.
If in Millinocket, a visit here is worth your time and money (dinner is on the pricey side). And — while here you can inquire about white water rafting! A ton of fun on a hot summer day!

snowfall in october, mist on the river, lovecraftian horrors lie in wait. solid coffee along a dirt road, solid breakfast, log cabin structure Mt. Katahdin in the fog watching over

My favorite place to eat after getting down off the mountain. Great food, great service, great atmosphere.

The view here is stunning! We went just before sunset and snagged a table on the patio, and we could see Katahdin across the lake as we sipped our wine.
The food here is good, too. It helped that we went in mid-​August, so they had a lot of fresh produce on the menu (from their own garden!). The peanut butter/​chocolate cake was rich and decadent (as you’d hope!), although it was a really large portion. My husband and I split it, and we still couldn’t finish it.
Overall, I was really happy with the experience. It was a perfect way to spend a summer evening.

Great find in the north woods if Maine!
Returning home from whitewater rafting on the Penobscot, looking for a breakfast place. Beautiful building on the lake, great menu and very welcoming staff! Would love to check it out for dinner!

The food was good and the waitstaff (Matt) was excellent! It was a really nice place to grab a bite to eat before we went on our sight seeing tour. The prices were reasonable and the waitstaff attentive.

We stopped in again this year after rafting. We just ordered drinks and decided to order nachos when we saw this huge plate come by. We were also told that the chips are made in-​house. The nachos were just OK. The chips were thicker; almost like toasted pita bread. The cheese was just about melted and overall, needed more toppings. Jared salsa and sour cream in the corners was not enough to offset the dry chips and massive quantity. I think that if they added beans or re-​fried beans would help with the moisture.

Lobster bisque was so delicious! With big chunks of lobster, it was creamy and not to thick, served hot with crackers. The fish and chips was meh… I’m not a big fan of bread crumb type, being from RI it’s normally served battered. So its merely a matter of preference. The fish was fresh NOT frozen, which you would be surprised that in Maine of all places it can be! The décor and ambiance was great! Typical Maine décor with a moose head on the wall, and novelty items to purchase. What caught my eye was the copper top tables, clay pots for the sugar packets, a comfy couch in the middle of the restaurant, and a full bar. The waitstaff was pleasant and attentative. The bathroom were very clean and nice and big. All in all I would absolutely return!

Well «Holy O’ Jesus» that was a good burger. If your looking for a place to eat on the border of the largest uninhabited piece of land east of the Mississippi River — well, ya ain’t got a lot of choices, but if you ended up at this place — your gonna be happy ya did. It is certainly a bit pricy for the locals, so you won’t see any there eating from this fancy menu. The crafty mango, spiced salsa on calamari — does make up for the lack of any locally grown or even local recipes on the menu (why no moose meat? Or baked beans? venison or land locked salmon/​perch? and no blueberry deserts?). Take a look at the walls when your there, cause the reclaimed wood is beautiful. Sitting outside for the sunsets over Millinocket Lake is a special treat (with some bug dope of course). A great culinary respite in Northern Maine… waiting to add a star when the menu reminds you more of Northern Maine in taste and not just jargon. Have to agree with the other reviewer that big rectangle plates seem out of place in the back woods — and wish they would embrace their location a bit more. BTW, if you get the «Twofer» (discount meals on Tuesdays, I think) — beware, as our pork and beef were overdone and chewy… seemed like re-​warmed meat.

Not the easiest place to find or get to but was well worth it. Food was exceptional. The crab stuffed haddock was out of this world. Best rice pilaf ever and the fresh veggies were perfectly seasoned and prepared. Save room for dessert! Service was very good. Really enjoyed the live music; folk and Native American. Will definitely return next time we’re up.

Hands down one of the best lobster bisque I’ve ever had!
The mussels were delicious and plentiful. I could do without their bread though.
Unlike the rest of the other reviewers we had exceptional service!
And an amazing view to boot! Definitely take a walk down to the lake if you get a chance.
Perfect place to stop by for some dinner after a long day up at Baxter State Park.

This was probably the worst dining experience I have ever had. The only reason it gets one star is the view. Our food was terrible. The young lady waiting our table had a horrible attitude and should be demoted to dishwasher. Do not waste your time!

Was in town visiting my mother and decided to take her out to lunch here. The food was really delicious — really tasty crab cakes, super fresh ingredients, very well prepared. Bottom line, the chef and the spot on the lake is the reason to go here. The reason not to go here is the service. Our waitress was downright surly and not once did she say thank you or how was everything. This struck me as really odd, since my hometown isn’t exactly swarming with jobs, you would think that this place could do a better job recruiting servers that are actually nice and dare I say «service-​oriented.» So, again, go for the chef and the setting, but keep your expectations low for their service.

My boyfriend and I just spent Memorial Day weekend in Millinocket. Since we were going on a moose safari out of NEOC, we decided to eat at River Driver’s for dinner. Very glad we did! Both our meals were fantastic! Fresh, tasty, creative & delicious. We each had a Chicken Pesto sandwich and shared an order of beer-​battered onion rings. The sandwiches were mouth-​watering and the onion rings were easily the BEST I’ve ever eaten ~ light and non-​greasy with an exceptional flavor, served with a terrific dipping sauce. Since our dinner was so wonderful, we ended up also have breakfast and lunch there over the weekend. Between the burger, the fried tomato BLT, the fries, the breakfast sandwich and the beer, we were overall extremely pleased and satisfied with every single dish.
The view is magnificent, the restaurant is clean & cozy and the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. Prices were reasonable and service was prompt and professional.
Eating at River Driver’s was one of the highlights of our trip. Wish we lived closer!