Open late · 7 nights a week

Benjamin’s

Downtown Bangor’s cozy bar and grill. Smashburgers, cold drafts, and a whole lot of character.

Get directions See the menu

An old bar with real character

Tucked into downtown Bangor, Benjamin’s is a cozy neighborhood bar with real character: warm wood, neon signs, Red Sox pennants, and a disco ball hanging over a red velvet couch.

Guests call it the coolest old bar around, with excellent staff and no waiting. Pull up a stool at the bar, slide into a booth, or claim the sofa.

A red velvet couch and orange booths under a disco ball and string lights.

Off the griddle

The kitchen is the other half of the draw. Regulars come for the owner’s own Willie’s Way smashburger, the birria quesadilla, and a blueberry habanero margarita, and there’s a bottle of the house hot sauce to take home.

A tall double smashburger with lettuce and tomato beside a pile of golden fries.

The smashburger

A double smashburger stacked with melted cheese and fresh fixings, with a side of hot fries.

Barbecue-glazed ribs plated with a ramekin of sauce and a bowl of coleslaw.

BBQ ribs

Glazed ribs with a cup of barbecue sauce and a side of crunchy slaw.

A toasted grilled melt cut in two, next to roasted Brussels sprouts and a dipping cup.

The grilled melt

A griddled melt cut in half, served with charred Brussels sprouts and a cup of au jus.

A loaded appetizer platter of wings, fried pickles, chips and fries around a bowl of dip.

The sampler

A shareable platter of wings, fried pickles, crispy chips and fries around a house dip.

Three golden coconut-crusted shrimp beside a dish of red sweet chili sauce.

Coconut shrimp

Crunchy coconut shrimp with a sweet chili sauce for dipping.

A frosty glass mug of draft beer held at the bar in front of a row of taps.

A cold draft

A frosty mug poured from the taps, best at the bar with the game on.

The menu changes with the season. See what’s on right now on Facebook.

Pool, pinball and a good crowd

Downstairs is all bar: two pool tables under the Bud Light lamps, a pinball machine in the corner, the game on the TVs, and cold buckets of beer. Open late, seven nights a week.

Two pool tables under Bud Light lamps with a pinball machine along the wall.
The bar counter with beer taps, a wall of bottles and TVs above a Buckets of Bud sign.

What people say

4.7 stars from 147 Google reviews

“Coolest old bar with character! Excellent staff, excellent service. Best burger and fries we’ve had in a long time.”
Isabel C Google review
“Outstanding pub. Likely the best smashburger I’ve ever had, the owner’s own creation, Willie’s Way.”
Gary Blair Google review
“Mckenzie crushed it behind the bar. When I saw her crafting the blueberry habanero margarita I had to have two.”
Joey C. Google review
“We were thoroughly impressed with the birria quesadilla and Bella smash burger. And the lemon cake was phenomenal.”
Michelle Benson Google review
“Pleasantly blown away with the owner’s friendliness and food quality. The corn salsa and fresh homemade chips were out of this world.”
Darren Long Google review

Find us

123 Franklin St Bangor, ME 04401 (207) 307-7545
Get directions See the menu

Hours can change on holidays. Call ahead to be sure.

Hours

  • Monday 4:00 PM - 1:00 AM
  • Tuesday 4:00 PM - 1:00 AM
  • Wednesday 4:00 PM - 1:00 AM
  • Thursday 4:00 PM - 1:00 AM
  • Friday 4:00 PM - 1:00 AM
  • Saturday 4:00 PM - 1:00 AM
  • Sunday 12:00 PM - 1:00 AM