Locally Sauced

Locally Sauced sits in a Freeport office park and leans into a Mexican-BBQ fusion concept with in-house smoked brisket, pulled pork, and carnitas. The kitchen makes its own sauces and salsas. Reviews swing wide: some guests rave about the brisket burger and generous portions, while others found the food oversweetened, portions small for the price, and off-menu details (bagged chips, extra sauce charges) frustrating.

• In-house smoked brisket earns genuine raves from fans
• Homemade sauces and salsa available at the start
• Brisket burger called 'the best burger in Maine' by one guest
• Patio seating overlooking a quieter space than indoors

Order the brisket burger or brisket tacos if you're going all-in. The brisket burrito is solid and comes with chips and salsa. Shattered potatoes (a crispy side) are worth sharing. Skip the mac and cheese and approach the chicken taco with caution. Ask whether they have pulled pork and brisket platters in stock before you sit.

Indoor seating is loud and bustling. The patio is quieter and a better bet if you want to talk. The room has an office-park setting that doesn't scream destination, but regulars know to look.

Prices run $30 and up per entree. A few details trip people up: sauces cost extra, bagged tortilla chips show up instead of house-made ones, and portion sizes don't always feel proportional to the tab. The brisket burger and brisket tacos draw real praise. The mac and cheese and chicken taco draw the opposite.

Fans call the brisket preparations exceptional and leave full. Detractors complain the overall execution doesn't match the concept or the price. One recent visitor called the brisket burger 'the best burger I've ever had in the State of Maine.' Another diner felt the food was oversweetened and portions too small, leaving hungry and frustrated.