In the postcard-perfect village of Kennebunkport, Maine, few things are as dependable as the tides — and Alisson’s Restaurant. 🦞
Celebrating over 50 years as a Dock Square landmark, this family-owned pub and restaurant has become the beating heart of coastal Maine dining — a place where the lobster rolls are legendary, the craft beer taps are always rotating, and every guest walks in a stranger and leaves feeling like a regular.
How Allison’s Won Kennebunkport’s Hearts
The story of Alisson’s begins in November 1973, when a local couple — Beatrice and Francis Condon — purchased the former Smith’s Market and Chat & Chew Restaurant in the heart of Kennebunkport’s iconic Dock Square. 🏡
The original Alisson’s was a modest 35-seat establishment, but its scratch-made recipes and welcoming atmosphere made it an instant local favorite from the very first week it opened its doors.
By 1984, B and Fran’s eldest son and daughter — Mike Condon and Pam Padget — purchased the business, expanded into the neighboring market building, added a bar and a 50-seat upstairs dining room, and set the stage for what Alisson’s would eventually become: a full-blown Kennebunkport institution. 🏆
Today, the fourth generation of the Condon family has joined the team — making Alisson’s one of the most deeply rooted family-owned restaurants in all of coastal New England.
Over the decades, Kennebunkport family dining at Alisson’s has meant more than just a good meal.
It’s meant celebrating birthdays, toasting anniversaries, introducing out-of-town guests to Maine seafood for the first time, and returning season after season with the comfortable certainty that the lobster roll will be exactly as good as you remember.
The Condons didn’t build this place by accident. They built it by showing up, cooking well, treating people with genuine warmth, and passing that standard down — generation after generation after generation.
Food Highlights
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Famous Maine Lobster Roll: Mounds of fresh Maine lobster, lightly mixed with mayo, piled into a grilled split-top bun and served with your choice of fries, coleslaw, or deviled egg potato salad.
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Lemon Chive Lobster Roll: A bright, citrus-forward twist on the classic — Maine lobster lightly tossed with lemon chive mayo in a grilled split-top bun. 🍋
- Maine Lobster Bisque: Alisson’s most iconic dish — a rich, cream-based bisque packed with generous chunks of Maine lobster and one of the most talked-about soups in all of Kennebunkport. 🍲
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Lobster Bisque Poutine: Crispy French fries topped with chunks of Maine lobster, house lobster bisque, cheddar cheese curds, and scallions. 🍟🦞
- The ‘OG’ Steamed Mussels: Fresh mussels simmered in white wine with garlic butter, shallots, and scallions, served with grilled garlic herb focaccia.
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Maine Lobster Mac & Cheese: Tender lobster tossed with sweet peas and pancetta in a rich Fontina Gruyere cheese sauce over gemelli pasta. 🧀
- Seafood Risotto: A showstopper entree featuring Maine lobster, native mussels, sea scallops, jumbo shrimp, and caramelized shallots in an Asiago risotto, topped with a grilled lobster tail and lemon beurre blanc.
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It’s A Gouda! Burger: An 8 oz. burger topped with smoked Gouda cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, and smoked bacon mayo. 🍔
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New England Clam Chowder: A scratch-made classic — creamy, hearty, and deeply rooted in New England tradition.
- Salmon Focaccia Sandwich: Flaky grilled salmon layered with fresh greens, tomato, and house-made herb aioli on toasted focaccia bread.
Atmosphere
Alisson’s Restaurant has the easy, lived-in warmth of a place that has been genuinely loved for over half a century — exposed wood, a lively bar anchored by 26 rotating craft beer taps, and the kind of background hum that signals a dining room full of happy people.
Located right in the heart of Kennebunkport’s Dock Square, the restaurant offers both main-floor pub seating and a 50-seat upstairs dining room, making it equally suited for a casual solo lunch or a full family dinner. ☀️
Walk-ins only means the energy here is spontaneous and democratic — no reservations, no velvet rope, just good food and a staff that has welcomed locals and visitors with equal warmth for decades.
Four generations of family pride are baked into every corner of this place, and you feel it the moment you sit down. 🤙
Bottom Line
Alisson’s Restaurant is a living piece of Maine history — 50-plus years of family ownership, scratch-made Maine seafood, legendary lobster rolls, creative pub fare, and genuine Kennebunkport hospitality that no chain restaurant could ever replicate. 🦞🌊⚓
Address:
11 Dock Square, Kennebunkport, ME 04046
📞 (207) 967-4841
🕔 Open Mon 12:00 PM–8:00 PM | Tue–Sun 11:30 AM–8:00 PM (hours may vary seasonally)