The Smiling Bison - Sanford

I like coming to a place where people remember my name and the food blows my mind. The drinks are also the best I've encountered in my time. Than you for a wonderful experience, every time.!

Cute vibe, interesting menu but nothing really special. We had the Bacon Fat Biscuits. They were maybe a little over-cooked; drier and harder like a cookie. We had the pickle spears which were good and the pork belly. The pork belly was the best thing on the menu but for $12 the portion size was very small. We split the Bison Strip for an entree and it was mediocre at best. Even though we ordered medium rare (and it WAS cooked that way) the meat was so dense and tough we were, essentially, sawing into it. That portion size was substantial-but I'd choose quality over quantity any day. The drink selection was good and the wine selection was decent. We might go back after we've worked our way through the other downtown Sanford restaurants.

I was skeptical at first but let me tell you I was wrong. The Smiling Bison is by far the best new restaurant I have tried in years. Very friendly and helpful service. Generous drinks and fresh food. Just order anything, you can't go wrong.

I have not lived in Sanford for long, but this place has the most thoughtful, caring, and talented staff I have ever encountered in 20 years of going to restaurants. Just the other day I was there my baby, I snag a table outside because they were very busy inside on Friday night. Once I ordered a wine from the hostess, it stared POURING RAIN. The host and waitress were so kind to me, coming out right away and packaging up my bison burger to go, and I’ve never been treated so well by staff before. The Smiling Bison has the best staff of any restaurant in Sanford. They have amazing food, they are super cool and trendy, but the people are warm, down to earth, and lovely. You have to go see this wonderful spot downtown!!

Everything my husband and I have had from there has always been wonderful and super tasty!! The service is always awesome, and staff is super friendly. We have become pretty much regulars there. It's not your every day food that you find in most normal restaurants, but everything has just great unique flavors!! Robbie, the executive chef, along with several of the other people there, (Kelly and Ron to name a couple) is always very accommodating to us.