Duckfat

We came in around 8pm on a Sunday during memorial weekend. Seating took a little bit, which was fine and we expected. Everyone working was personable, and knowledge. We had a few questions on what to get and sizing, and they were able to offer recommendations for us. The poutine was delicious. We did get a small, and honestly we could’ve got a little more and have been stuffed, but we wanted to save a little room for dinner. I got the lobster roll special, it was so great. The bun was so soft, and the lime added such a zesty flavor. My husband ordered the cubano sandwich, he really liked it, he did say it was a little meat heavy, and wasn’t able to finish. We finished the meal with the sea salted duckfat milkshake, and were able to take it to go. It was insane. So good, but would reccomend splitting it with someone because of how heavy it is. Overall would reccomend anyone stopping by Portland to come in to Duckfat.

We recently visited Duckfat and overall had a good experience. One thing to know before going is that the food comes out in waves rather than all at once. Nobody explained that to us initially, so we were a little confused at first, but once we realized that was their style of service it wasn’t a problem. The restaurant itself is much smaller than we expected and can feel a little tight when it’s busy. Parking was also challenging and expensive. We paid $22.50 for a two-hour minimum just to have dinner. If you’re planning to spend the day exploring Portland it probably feels more worthwhile, but it definitely added to the cost of the meal for us. We started with the Oreo milkshake and it was fantastic. Made with local gelato, it was noticeably lighter and less heavy than a traditional milkshake while still being incredibly creamy and flavorful. My husband ordered the House Smoked Brisket sandwich. The brisket was good, but it felt like it was missing a sauce. We ended up ordering the truffle ketchup, garlic mayo, and the special sauce on the side. They weren’t large portions and added about $6 to the bill, but they were all delicious and really completed the sandwich. We also shared the large Duckfat Poutine. The portion size was huge and there was a generous amount of cheese curds. We personally prefer a darker, richer gravy and this one was a bit lighter than what we’re used to, but it was still very good. I ordered the Duckfat Caesar. The dressing was flavorful, the duck was cooked perfectly, and the lemon zest garnish added a lot to the dish. My only criticism was that there were only four very thin slices of duck, so for the price it felt a little light and left me wanting more. Service was fine overall and the food quality was good. There were a few inconveniences, such as only allowing one person from a party to go inside and get a table, and the tight layout made moving around a bit difficult. Still, there were several standout dishes and we’re glad we finally gave it a try.

I like it as a recommendation, the fries were quite crisp and the use of duckfat in many thing was quite unique while maintaining a great taste. The staff was so nice and provided recommends and checked in very frequently. The food was delicious

Alright yeah, it looks like one of those new age “everything is expensive because it’s niche” type of places… but lemme tell you that not only was it pretty reasonably priced, it was FANTASTIC. Colin was our server and he was patient, answered all our questions, and deserves everything. Food was five stars all around and if it gives you the option to add duck… you may as well ducking do it. They smoke their meats anywhere from 6-8 hours, pickle their own cucumbers… everything is from scratch. Astounding taste and officially ties first place for me in terms of restaurants in Portland, Maine. Top notch. No notes.