Wonderful restaurant with large quantities, high quality and low prices. Fried food was freshly breaded and freshly fried with not a drop of grease or oil. Grilled cheese as on freshly made bread with numerous slices of sharp cheddar cheese. Fries are excellent and crinkle cut. Salad was large and fresh for a side salad and only a dollar extra. Chocolate cream pie was huge and delicious. Prices are incredibly low and portions are huge. Chicken and waffles was extraordinary and decadent. Waitress was friendly and fast. Great location right off 95 near Walmart. A definite stop.
(4)
David P.
Governor's is what it says it is - a casual family place with large portions of quality diner food. My daughter's love it and always insist on being in the train room so they can make up stories about it as it goes around. The staff has always been exceptionally friendly. As to the food, there's nothing fancy about the menu or the food that comes out but it is what it advertises to be - traditional diner fare.
(4)
Christine B.
Go for homemade baked goods and dessert. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner here are fine, reasonable quality and quantity, nothing too special. The homemade breads with breakfast and the desserts, they make this place great.
(3)
Lynn J.
5 STARS for huge portions. 3 STARS for food quality. ATMOSPHERE: This is more like a huge diner, than a more formal restaurant. Folks are welcome in their sweats. FOOD: Homemade comfort food... not deep on flavor, but more than enough to fill any belly with warm contentment. THE DEAL: Don't leave w/out dessert! The eclairs are on steroids, and the hand dipped ice-cream bars are worth stocking up on for home.
(4)
Gregg P.
Tha restaurant is purdy good, I wuznt 2 adventurous wit my choices...I jus had tha cheeseburger & fries which were purdy good but, when I finally convinced myself 2 git tha cake....it wuz waaay 2 sweet! A lemon blueberry cake sounded & lookd so good but, it wuz so sweet that it would run fat kids away....0_o
(3)
John S.
Friday night 7:30pm this place is packed. Service was excellent, lots of kids and noisy. Food comes in huge portions, cheap family prices, most everything was fried, I tried the broiled Halibut but it was drenched in a buttery lemon pepper sauce, pickled beets were healthiest option along with bland mixed vegetables. Deserts on display were massive (didn't try any). All-in-all lobster stew was OK but everything else was bland, to greasy for me but plenty of it. Beer and wine had very limited selections and most people there had soft drinks. For families with kids this place is fine....
(2)
Leila T.
Not much for the vegetarians here (either the grilled cheese or all day breakfast). Most meals seemed to be on the heavier side. Homemade bread. You can substitute the breakfast fries for sweet potato breakfast fries with cinnamon and sugar. Silver dollar pancakes were tasty. Atmosphere is a little odd. Decorations on the walls felt like the belonged in an elementary school US History classroom. This was a place my fiance came on occasion when he went to Colby.
(4)
Chester O.
Governors is a great place to eat. Staff is always great and the food is delicious. I've been going there since I was a child and I always remember it being great.
(4)
Aaron H.
Ate in at 4:45 PM on a Monday. Don't let the outside fool you, the inside of the building is very very clean and really nice. Waiter was really nice and overall probably my top 5 of best waiters of all time. I ordered fried pickles, and fried haddock sandwich with French fries. The fried pickles were delicious. Fried haddock sandwich was good. The tarter sauce that they made was ok. French fries were great. Overall thoughts- only reason I gave this place a 4/5 is because the haddock and tarter sauce could have been better . Would I come back here? Absolutely. There menu is great. Prices are reasonable, and the desserts are amazing. I would compare this place to IHOP on steroids with an amazing dessert Bakery. It has great family atmosphere. Would recommend.
(4)
Denis D.
Been to this restaurant several times for dinner. Food was delicious, service was great! Prices are amazing for this quality of food. A few weeks ago I tried their spaghetti with meatballs. It was absolutely delicious. One of the best spaghetti I've had at a restaurant. Sauce was amazing, pasta cooked to perfection, HUGE portion. ... and I'm so sorry I forgot to note the waitress' name, she was absolutely outstanding!!! Bright beautiful smile!!! So happy! She genuinely took pride in her job and it showed! Best service ever!!!! I've also tried their liver and onions meal in the past. It was delicious. With two sides, less than $10. Can't beat that!!! I would highly recommend. Will I go back? Absolutely!!!
(5)
Shanna D.
They have great breakfast! Service is always good and fast. Desserts here are fantastic as well. Meals are well priced.
(5)
Amanda B.
We come to Maine once a year from Georgia, and every time we come to a governors. The food is all sooooo good. Kids and adults will love it. Some of my family's favorites are lobster rolls, red hot dogs, fried clams (without the bellies), the roast turkey dinner, and THE POUTINE (they say 'poo-teen' not 'put-sin' by the way). The desserts are also bomb. Chocolate no bake cookies, whoopie pies, and a cake with peanut butter icing. Probably my favorite restaurant in Maine honestly.
(5)
Tiffany L.
Decided to try this place out around noon-time Friday. I was not disappointed. Thought there was a long wait because there were two people in front of me, but we were seated rather efficiently. The menu has a decent selection, but is mostly comfort food and burgers. Milkshakes are to die for--they use Gifford's ice cream in their milshakes and other dishes that contain ice cream. The wait-staff are EXTREMELY friendly. Our waitress, I think her name was Lisa Marie, was amazing and always had a smile on her face. Very sweet and friendly. The atmosphere was decent, but the only outstanding decor was the train that circled around the room on mounted train tracks. I was getting a sort of diner theme, but not quite. Perhaps like a Denny's without the brand name. For food, the fried pickle chips were great. Governor Lepage Burger was decent, with OK bacon (sad face). Country Fried Steak was amazing, but the gravy could have been much better in taste. Everything was well-cooked and taste was above average, but I wouldn't say it was the best I've ever had. A little warning though--DO NOT order a milshake with a full meal! The milkshakes, although very delicious, are an easy way to feel full before your main meal comes. SEATING: Good SERVICE: Excellent ATMOSPHERE: Good FOOD: Great Would definitely eat here again!
(4)
James D.
might as well go to denny's or friendly's across the street. Would even better to hit up ruby tuesdays and applebees in town. The only benefit of going to governors is for the sake of being in an iconic Maine restaurant. My grandparents love it... but this guy wouldn't go back there anytime soon.
(2)
Doug J.
(score 1-100) - 91. Ok, this place looks a little dated...more like an IHOP than a Buddakan but I'm rating this based again on apples to apples. If you drink your tea with your pinky finger up or only want a pinch of cinnamon, med foam on your Nexpresso blended coffee..well this might now be your place. This is the next level of comfort food.. think of House of Pancakes on steroids. Everything is comfort food, similar to the Cracker Barrel chain. What makes Governors stand out is there DESSERTS and PASTRIES!!.wow! Ready??? ... 12 inch tall cakes yes... 12 inch... you will not find a larger piece of cake anywhere! They have the old school round cylinder glass cases that have dozens and dozens of different flavors. The main entrance has a display case with virtually every sweet you can imagine...ONLY HUGE!.... Ten inch cookie..yep! ....6 inch by 6 inch rice crispy bar..yep!... Eclairs ... two times the width and twice as long...yep!... ice cream bars ...that are twice as big as you've ever seen..OMG!... IF you happen to be in Maine and driving by...you have to stop just to get one of these pastries...if nothing else for your facebook feed... no one will believe just how big it is!!
(5)
Monica L.
Recommend the chocolate chip pancakes. Recommend against the French toast -- plain and boring.
(3)
EC C.
Regular American food done exceptionally well. Nothing pretentious about this place, cozy setting with families and friendly staff, and really seriously great food. Bring a big appetite! I'll be back for sure- this is the type of restaurant I just love.
(5)
William H.
food was fair , but they do not like service dogs and try to tell you the law which is not right. I will spend my money some where else . and think they should look up the laws before some one takes them to court .
(2)
John M.
I really liked this place. I was in Waterville at Colby College for the AGS Conference. We decided to have our first meal together off campus... there were seven of us. One of us is from maine and suggested Governor's. It was not disappointing! I am going to start by saying my meal was so good, I did not notice what other people ate.... a friend and I split a poutine, if you are unfamiliar, french fries with cheese and beef gravy, and is was just so very good! Then I had seafood chowder. Just delicious. I am from Chicago and getting fish in chowder is a treat. Generally you get a potato soup with a couple canned clams... this was creamy and buttery and not over thickened, itg was peppery and just perfect! It alone is a reason to go. THEN I had a lobster roll. Their bread is homemade. Very tasty and the lobster salad was cram and not all celery! It had lobster init. We ran back for a board meeting then four of us ventured back for dessert and the waitress remembered us. Never a deal bgreaker if they don't, the place is busy. Not we had ice cream... lots of it. Okay someone had a piece of chocolate cake that was just huge and he said delicious. I had a hot fudge sundae. This bwas the clincher. They close at ten, We got there at 9:30. Deseree was wonderful, we were never rushed and she made us fresh coffee!
(5)
Bob F.
This morning my girlfriend and I got up early to go and try Governor's breakfast buffet, as I had never had it before, and she hadn't had it in a long time. We arrived at around 10am or so (the buffet ends at 11:30am on Sundays) and we had to wait a short time for a table, as the place was very busy. After we were seated, our drink order was taken immediately, and we made our way to the buffet. The buffet itself is set up with a lot of tables around it, and is in a quite crowded area. There also seems to be no rhyme or reason to placement of items, so people are reaching into the hot plates from both sides of the buffet table. The items are served in hot plates or platters with Bunson burners keeping the food hot. As the place was very busy, I was expecting the food to be fresh from turnover. Sadly, this was not the case for most of the items. I tried a little of almost everything on the buffet, with the exception of the pastries, of which there was a plentiful amount, along with donut holes that I believe were literally purchased at a Dunkin' Donuts. Regardless, most of the food had clearly been sitting out for awhile. The bacon was good, cooked exactly how I liked (slightly limp and a little greasy), and there were large vats of scrambled eggs. The "loaded" eggs with onions, peppers, and mushrooms were overcooked and watery, but still had a remotely decent flavor to them. Their corned beef hash is definitely from a can, and had a distinct "we just throw this into the microwave" flavor, as it was mushy and tasteless. Their hashbrowns were alright, but kind of hard - as I said, I believe they were left out too long. They had an offering they called "French toast sticks," but that were really just dry pieces of French toast they had cut up. I'm sorry, but French toast sticks are an actual item, and you can't just call something whatever you want. If that's what they think French toast sticks are, it's depressing. I tried them anyway - loaded with syrup, they were edible. I avoided the sausage, as it was obviously undercooked just by the look. They did have chunks of ham mixed with the bacon, and it was also a little undercooked, and super heavy on the salt. There was an option for potato pancakes, regular pancakes, and they had several topping options including syrup, blueberries, and strawberries. The kielbasa with sausage and peppers would have been great fresh, but was probably the worst thing on the table due to its age of sitting out. They have a side option of melons which is hard to screw up, honestly, and they were fine. They offer little yogurt cups and apples and oranges. You can order your eggs specially made, as well as toast (which automatically comes grilled with tons of butter unless otherwise specified) from your server. Soda drinks were bottomless, as well as coffee. Juice and milk was averagely priced at a couple bucks for a decent sized glass. All-in-all I expect a lot more, especially for the amount of people there and the word of mouth on the place. The staff wasn't overly friendly, but our server was nice enough and came back a couple times to refill drinks and check if we wanted any extra items. The worst part of the experience in all honesty seems to be the quick and lazy way they clear tables, which left both myself and my girlfriend wondering what goes on in the kitchen; they take all the food, plates, etc and throw them into a bin as normal, but then they also throw in the condiments, like full ketchup bottles, into the mix - then those bottles are the ones that end up back on the buffet. As the one I grabbed had food stuck to it, I'd say they don't bother cleaning them off at all, it's just a time saver to get the tables done as easily as could be. It seems to me that they could clean the tables WITHOUT throwing condiments into plates of dirty food, and take the 5 extra seconds to just put them back on a separate trip or, you know, just leave them on the tables. It just screams of unsanitary issues across the board. At any rate, I'll go 2 stars, and that's only because they happen to barely cook bacon, which is how I like it. I won't be going back any time soon. Even for the value ($21 for both of us) it wasn't worth it. Much better breakfast options or buffets. Or for $20 I'll make bacon and eggs at home.
(2)
Shaun-Mathieu S.
The Electoral Votes have all been counted, and Governor's Restaurant wins the race in taste, friendliness and price! While making our way through the scenic state of Maine, my campaign manager Wendy and I took a small detour looking for a good place to have lunch. We spotted Governor's and thought we'd give it a try. The atmosphere is what I would call family chic. Comfy booths, wooden tables and chairs comprise most of the furniture. An old model train races along a track that borders the ceiling. Large windows showcase the metropolitan side of Waterville. Now on to the food: Crab Cake Sliders - Gentlemen, we have a Winner! Savory cakes of crab are a surprising nominee in the traditional slider race. Served with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce, these are simply presidential. I think these are a special and I'm not sure if they're available all the time. Three come to an order and are quite filling. Onion Rings - Hand-breaded, these large golden rings could spin circles around any adversary. Astoundingly good. French Fries - Civic potatoes doing their duty as any good potato should - by being a French Fry. These were also excellent, especially with Ranch Dressing. As any native Californian can tell you, Ranch is imperial; we put it on everything. We really wanted to get dessert as well, but our stomachs would not permit such an entry. Their pies looked especially good. Our server, Roxy, was highly attentive and charming. This location is also attached to a large hotel. As part of a small, highly casual chain of constituents, Governor's Restaurants are really good and I'll be paying my respects once again the next time I'm in Maine.
(5)
Margie B.
My husband and I were heading south on 95 a few weeks ago and made the mistake of stopping at the Governor's resturant for lunch. The food was good and the service was great, but the septic pumping truck decided to stop by and pump out the tank while we were there. Not only did the truck park right next to our car but the workers saw fit to splash the sewage all over our car. They gave us a smirk as we expressed disgust and dismay. We would have expected them to offer to hose off our car at the very least! Well we drove around Waterville looking for a car wash barely able to breathe because of the smell. There were none to be found so we had to endure the stench until we got to Portland and found a nice Scrub a Dub just off the highway. I blame the management of this resturant for allowing the septic removal to be done during business hours. If this is the kind of judgement they have I can only wonder what else goes on in this establishment.
(1)
Joel S.
Governor's is a small chain restaurant in Maine. We were initially put off. The restaurant smells a bit musty and the decor is tired. The walls are dirty. The tables are timeworn. We stuck around anyway and had a pleasant meal. The waitstaff were lovely. The food was good. It's classic comfort food. We had excellent sandwiches and french fries. We would come back, but wouldn't complain if the restaurant was freshened up.
(3)
Jackie C.
This place has pretty decent food. I always get the "poutine" as my side dish but it's just fries and gravy without cheese curds. The gravy is really tasty though and the fries are always crisp. The burgers here are only decent but the seafood platter is pretty good. Always been too full to have dessert, but they look really good! Service is excellent but the decor is really dated. Don't go here if you're looking for some ambiance.
(3)
Brent K.
Food is above average diner food but is a little pricy for the quality, not that its bad, just not remarkable. Probably get better value from a national chain restaurant but then you don't help a Maine based biz. Desserts are definitely a plus. Service is generally very nice. The main attraction is the toy train set running around the dining rooms. Our two boys love it and helps pass the time.
(3)
Scott W.
Always a good experience.....I think it is a little on the pricey side, but who isnt now a days.
(5)
Ray G.
This is one of those classic neighborhood restaurants that you'll keep on coming back to. Very reasonable prices, and a ton of food. The food is generally high-quality, although the fresh seafood can be a tiny bit bland. High marks for the ham steak and the surf and turf. What really makes Governor's special is the massive selection of side dishes. There's really something for everyone here, from a bowl of spaghetti to a cup of the soup of the day. All around, highly recommended if you're in the area. I was here visiting a friend, and this meal was one of the highlights.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Jamie K.
Wonderful restaurant with large quantities, high quality and low prices. Fried food was freshly breaded and freshly fried with not a drop of grease or oil. Grilled cheese as on freshly made bread with numerous slices of sharp cheddar cheese. Fries are excellent and crinkle cut. Salad was large and fresh for a side salad and only a dollar extra. Chocolate cream pie was huge and delicious. Prices are incredibly low and portions are huge. Chicken and waffles was extraordinary and decadent. Waitress was friendly and fast. Great location right off 95 near Walmart. A definite stop.
(4)David P.
Governor's is what it says it is - a casual family place with large portions of quality diner food. My daughter's love it and always insist on being in the train room so they can make up stories about it as it goes around. The staff has always been exceptionally friendly. As to the food, there's nothing fancy about the menu or the food that comes out but it is what it advertises to be - traditional diner fare.
(4)Christine B.
Go for homemade baked goods and dessert. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner here are fine, reasonable quality and quantity, nothing too special. The homemade breads with breakfast and the desserts, they make this place great.
(3)Lynn J.
5 STARS for huge portions. 3 STARS for food quality. ATMOSPHERE: This is more like a huge diner, than a more formal restaurant. Folks are welcome in their sweats. FOOD: Homemade comfort food... not deep on flavor, but more than enough to fill any belly with warm contentment. THE DEAL: Don't leave w/out dessert! The eclairs are on steroids, and the hand dipped ice-cream bars are worth stocking up on for home.
(4)Gregg P.
Tha restaurant is purdy good, I wuznt 2 adventurous wit my choices...I jus had tha cheeseburger & fries which were purdy good but, when I finally convinced myself 2 git tha cake....it wuz waaay 2 sweet! A lemon blueberry cake sounded & lookd so good but, it wuz so sweet that it would run fat kids away....0_o
(3)John S.
Friday night 7:30pm this place is packed. Service was excellent, lots of kids and noisy. Food comes in huge portions, cheap family prices, most everything was fried, I tried the broiled Halibut but it was drenched in a buttery lemon pepper sauce, pickled beets were healthiest option along with bland mixed vegetables. Deserts on display were massive (didn't try any). All-in-all lobster stew was OK but everything else was bland, to greasy for me but plenty of it. Beer and wine had very limited selections and most people there had soft drinks. For families with kids this place is fine....
(2)Leila T.
Not much for the vegetarians here (either the grilled cheese or all day breakfast). Most meals seemed to be on the heavier side. Homemade bread. You can substitute the breakfast fries for sweet potato breakfast fries with cinnamon and sugar. Silver dollar pancakes were tasty. Atmosphere is a little odd. Decorations on the walls felt like the belonged in an elementary school US History classroom. This was a place my fiance came on occasion when he went to Colby.
(4)Chester O.
Governors is a great place to eat. Staff is always great and the food is delicious. I've been going there since I was a child and I always remember it being great.
(4)Aaron H.
Ate in at 4:45 PM on a Monday. Don't let the outside fool you, the inside of the building is very very clean and really nice. Waiter was really nice and overall probably my top 5 of best waiters of all time. I ordered fried pickles, and fried haddock sandwich with French fries. The fried pickles were delicious. Fried haddock sandwich was good. The tarter sauce that they made was ok. French fries were great. Overall thoughts- only reason I gave this place a 4/5 is because the haddock and tarter sauce could have been better . Would I come back here? Absolutely. There menu is great. Prices are reasonable, and the desserts are amazing. I would compare this place to IHOP on steroids with an amazing dessert Bakery. It has great family atmosphere. Would recommend.
(4)Denis D.
Been to this restaurant several times for dinner. Food was delicious, service was great! Prices are amazing for this quality of food. A few weeks ago I tried their spaghetti with meatballs. It was absolutely delicious. One of the best spaghetti I've had at a restaurant. Sauce was amazing, pasta cooked to perfection, HUGE portion. ... and I'm so sorry I forgot to note the waitress' name, she was absolutely outstanding!!! Bright beautiful smile!!! So happy! She genuinely took pride in her job and it showed! Best service ever!!!! I've also tried their liver and onions meal in the past. It was delicious. With two sides, less than $10. Can't beat that!!! I would highly recommend. Will I go back? Absolutely!!!
(5)Shanna D.
They have great breakfast! Service is always good and fast. Desserts here are fantastic as well. Meals are well priced.
(5)Amanda B.
We come to Maine once a year from Georgia, and every time we come to a governors. The food is all sooooo good. Kids and adults will love it. Some of my family's favorites are lobster rolls, red hot dogs, fried clams (without the bellies), the roast turkey dinner, and THE POUTINE (they say 'poo-teen' not 'put-sin' by the way). The desserts are also bomb. Chocolate no bake cookies, whoopie pies, and a cake with peanut butter icing. Probably my favorite restaurant in Maine honestly.
(5)Tiffany L.
Decided to try this place out around noon-time Friday. I was not disappointed. Thought there was a long wait because there were two people in front of me, but we were seated rather efficiently. The menu has a decent selection, but is mostly comfort food and burgers. Milkshakes are to die for--they use Gifford's ice cream in their milshakes and other dishes that contain ice cream. The wait-staff are EXTREMELY friendly. Our waitress, I think her name was Lisa Marie, was amazing and always had a smile on her face. Very sweet and friendly. The atmosphere was decent, but the only outstanding decor was the train that circled around the room on mounted train tracks. I was getting a sort of diner theme, but not quite. Perhaps like a Denny's without the brand name. For food, the fried pickle chips were great. Governor Lepage Burger was decent, with OK bacon (sad face). Country Fried Steak was amazing, but the gravy could have been much better in taste. Everything was well-cooked and taste was above average, but I wouldn't say it was the best I've ever had. A little warning though--DO NOT order a milshake with a full meal! The milkshakes, although very delicious, are an easy way to feel full before your main meal comes. SEATING: Good SERVICE: Excellent ATMOSPHERE: Good FOOD: Great Would definitely eat here again!
(4)James D.
might as well go to denny's or friendly's across the street. Would even better to hit up ruby tuesdays and applebees in town. The only benefit of going to governors is for the sake of being in an iconic Maine restaurant. My grandparents love it... but this guy wouldn't go back there anytime soon.
(2)Doug J.
(score 1-100) - 91. Ok, this place looks a little dated...more like an IHOP than a Buddakan but I'm rating this based again on apples to apples. If you drink your tea with your pinky finger up or only want a pinch of cinnamon, med foam on your Nexpresso blended coffee..well this might now be your place. This is the next level of comfort food.. think of House of Pancakes on steroids. Everything is comfort food, similar to the Cracker Barrel chain. What makes Governors stand out is there DESSERTS and PASTRIES!!.wow! Ready??? ... 12 inch tall cakes yes... 12 inch... you will not find a larger piece of cake anywhere! They have the old school round cylinder glass cases that have dozens and dozens of different flavors. The main entrance has a display case with virtually every sweet you can imagine...ONLY HUGE!.... Ten inch cookie..yep! ....6 inch by 6 inch rice crispy bar..yep!... Eclairs ... two times the width and twice as long...yep!... ice cream bars ...that are twice as big as you've ever seen..OMG!... IF you happen to be in Maine and driving by...you have to stop just to get one of these pastries...if nothing else for your facebook feed... no one will believe just how big it is!!
(5)Monica L.
Recommend the chocolate chip pancakes. Recommend against the French toast -- plain and boring.
(3)EC C.
Regular American food done exceptionally well. Nothing pretentious about this place, cozy setting with families and friendly staff, and really seriously great food. Bring a big appetite! I'll be back for sure- this is the type of restaurant I just love.
(5)William H.
food was fair , but they do not like service dogs and try to tell you the law which is not right. I will spend my money some where else . and think they should look up the laws before some one takes them to court .
(2)John M.
I really liked this place. I was in Waterville at Colby College for the AGS Conference. We decided to have our first meal together off campus... there were seven of us. One of us is from maine and suggested Governor's. It was not disappointing! I am going to start by saying my meal was so good, I did not notice what other people ate.... a friend and I split a poutine, if you are unfamiliar, french fries with cheese and beef gravy, and is was just so very good! Then I had seafood chowder. Just delicious. I am from Chicago and getting fish in chowder is a treat. Generally you get a potato soup with a couple canned clams... this was creamy and buttery and not over thickened, itg was peppery and just perfect! It alone is a reason to go. THEN I had a lobster roll. Their bread is homemade. Very tasty and the lobster salad was cram and not all celery! It had lobster init. We ran back for a board meeting then four of us ventured back for dessert and the waitress remembered us. Never a deal bgreaker if they don't, the place is busy. Not we had ice cream... lots of it. Okay someone had a piece of chocolate cake that was just huge and he said delicious. I had a hot fudge sundae. This bwas the clincher. They close at ten, We got there at 9:30. Deseree was wonderful, we were never rushed and she made us fresh coffee!
(5)Bob F.
This morning my girlfriend and I got up early to go and try Governor's breakfast buffet, as I had never had it before, and she hadn't had it in a long time. We arrived at around 10am or so (the buffet ends at 11:30am on Sundays) and we had to wait a short time for a table, as the place was very busy. After we were seated, our drink order was taken immediately, and we made our way to the buffet. The buffet itself is set up with a lot of tables around it, and is in a quite crowded area. There also seems to be no rhyme or reason to placement of items, so people are reaching into the hot plates from both sides of the buffet table. The items are served in hot plates or platters with Bunson burners keeping the food hot. As the place was very busy, I was expecting the food to be fresh from turnover. Sadly, this was not the case for most of the items. I tried a little of almost everything on the buffet, with the exception of the pastries, of which there was a plentiful amount, along with donut holes that I believe were literally purchased at a Dunkin' Donuts. Regardless, most of the food had clearly been sitting out for awhile. The bacon was good, cooked exactly how I liked (slightly limp and a little greasy), and there were large vats of scrambled eggs. The "loaded" eggs with onions, peppers, and mushrooms were overcooked and watery, but still had a remotely decent flavor to them. Their corned beef hash is definitely from a can, and had a distinct "we just throw this into the microwave" flavor, as it was mushy and tasteless. Their hashbrowns were alright, but kind of hard - as I said, I believe they were left out too long. They had an offering they called "French toast sticks," but that were really just dry pieces of French toast they had cut up. I'm sorry, but French toast sticks are an actual item, and you can't just call something whatever you want. If that's what they think French toast sticks are, it's depressing. I tried them anyway - loaded with syrup, they were edible. I avoided the sausage, as it was obviously undercooked just by the look. They did have chunks of ham mixed with the bacon, and it was also a little undercooked, and super heavy on the salt. There was an option for potato pancakes, regular pancakes, and they had several topping options including syrup, blueberries, and strawberries. The kielbasa with sausage and peppers would have been great fresh, but was probably the worst thing on the table due to its age of sitting out. They have a side option of melons which is hard to screw up, honestly, and they were fine. They offer little yogurt cups and apples and oranges. You can order your eggs specially made, as well as toast (which automatically comes grilled with tons of butter unless otherwise specified) from your server. Soda drinks were bottomless, as well as coffee. Juice and milk was averagely priced at a couple bucks for a decent sized glass. All-in-all I expect a lot more, especially for the amount of people there and the word of mouth on the place. The staff wasn't overly friendly, but our server was nice enough and came back a couple times to refill drinks and check if we wanted any extra items. The worst part of the experience in all honesty seems to be the quick and lazy way they clear tables, which left both myself and my girlfriend wondering what goes on in the kitchen; they take all the food, plates, etc and throw them into a bin as normal, but then they also throw in the condiments, like full ketchup bottles, into the mix - then those bottles are the ones that end up back on the buffet. As the one I grabbed had food stuck to it, I'd say they don't bother cleaning them off at all, it's just a time saver to get the tables done as easily as could be. It seems to me that they could clean the tables WITHOUT throwing condiments into plates of dirty food, and take the 5 extra seconds to just put them back on a separate trip or, you know, just leave them on the tables. It just screams of unsanitary issues across the board. At any rate, I'll go 2 stars, and that's only because they happen to barely cook bacon, which is how I like it. I won't be going back any time soon. Even for the value ($21 for both of us) it wasn't worth it. Much better breakfast options or buffets. Or for $20 I'll make bacon and eggs at home.
(2)Shaun-Mathieu S.
The Electoral Votes have all been counted, and Governor's Restaurant wins the race in taste, friendliness and price! While making our way through the scenic state of Maine, my campaign manager Wendy and I took a small detour looking for a good place to have lunch. We spotted Governor's and thought we'd give it a try. The atmosphere is what I would call family chic. Comfy booths, wooden tables and chairs comprise most of the furniture. An old model train races along a track that borders the ceiling. Large windows showcase the metropolitan side of Waterville. Now on to the food: Crab Cake Sliders - Gentlemen, we have a Winner! Savory cakes of crab are a surprising nominee in the traditional slider race. Served with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce, these are simply presidential. I think these are a special and I'm not sure if they're available all the time. Three come to an order and are quite filling. Onion Rings - Hand-breaded, these large golden rings could spin circles around any adversary. Astoundingly good. French Fries - Civic potatoes doing their duty as any good potato should - by being a French Fry. These were also excellent, especially with Ranch Dressing. As any native Californian can tell you, Ranch is imperial; we put it on everything. We really wanted to get dessert as well, but our stomachs would not permit such an entry. Their pies looked especially good. Our server, Roxy, was highly attentive and charming. This location is also attached to a large hotel. As part of a small, highly casual chain of constituents, Governor's Restaurants are really good and I'll be paying my respects once again the next time I'm in Maine.
(5)Margie B.
My husband and I were heading south on 95 a few weeks ago and made the mistake of stopping at the Governor's resturant for lunch. The food was good and the service was great, but the septic pumping truck decided to stop by and pump out the tank while we were there. Not only did the truck park right next to our car but the workers saw fit to splash the sewage all over our car. They gave us a smirk as we expressed disgust and dismay. We would have expected them to offer to hose off our car at the very least! Well we drove around Waterville looking for a car wash barely able to breathe because of the smell. There were none to be found so we had to endure the stench until we got to Portland and found a nice Scrub a Dub just off the highway. I blame the management of this resturant for allowing the septic removal to be done during business hours. If this is the kind of judgement they have I can only wonder what else goes on in this establishment.
(1)Joel S.
Governor's is a small chain restaurant in Maine. We were initially put off. The restaurant smells a bit musty and the decor is tired. The walls are dirty. The tables are timeworn. We stuck around anyway and had a pleasant meal. The waitstaff were lovely. The food was good. It's classic comfort food. We had excellent sandwiches and french fries. We would come back, but wouldn't complain if the restaurant was freshened up.
(3)Jackie C.
This place has pretty decent food. I always get the "poutine" as my side dish but it's just fries and gravy without cheese curds. The gravy is really tasty though and the fries are always crisp. The burgers here are only decent but the seafood platter is pretty good. Always been too full to have dessert, but they look really good! Service is excellent but the decor is really dated. Don't go here if you're looking for some ambiance.
(3)Brent K.
Food is above average diner food but is a little pricy for the quality, not that its bad, just not remarkable. Probably get better value from a national chain restaurant but then you don't help a Maine based biz. Desserts are definitely a plus. Service is generally very nice. The main attraction is the toy train set running around the dining rooms. Our two boys love it and helps pass the time.
(3)Scott W.
Always a good experience.....I think it is a little on the pricey side, but who isnt now a days.
(5)Ray G.
This is one of those classic neighborhood restaurants that you'll keep on coming back to. Very reasonable prices, and a ton of food. The food is generally high-quality, although the fresh seafood can be a tiny bit bland. High marks for the ham steak and the surf and turf. What really makes Governor's special is the massive selection of side dishes. There's really something for everyone here, from a bowl of spaghetti to a cup of the soup of the day. All around, highly recommended if you're in the area. I was here visiting a friend, and this meal was one of the highlights.
(4)