Bonissoni Brazilian Steakhouse

Bonissoni is a Brazilian steakhouse where servers bring skewers of meat to your table and carve portions right in front of you. The room fills with a mix of special-occasion diners and regulars who've figured out this is one of southern Maine's best steak nights. You get the salad bar included, the pours are generous, and the kitchen keeps the meat coming hot and fast.

• Tableside carved meats, constantly refreshed and hot
• Salad bar and sides included, not an afterthought
• Staff knows your name and remembers your preferences
• One of the best special-occasion dinners in the area

Start with the salad bar to pace yourself, then let the servers bring the cuts. The pork can run a touch dry but the beef is perfectly roasted. Get the roasted vegetables on the side. Order a cocktail, the dessert drinks (think caffeinated, boozy, sweet) are worth the splurge. Skip the petit gâteau unless you want a straightforward cake, or ask how they prepare it.

Warm and lively without being loud. Tables are spaced well enough that you're in your own bubble, but you feel the energy of people celebrating around you.

This is the kind of place you book ahead for, whether it's a birthday, an anniversary, or just a night when you want to eat really well. Kathleen and the team remember what you ordered last time. The petit gâteau for dessert is divisive (some want it lava-cake style), but the cocktails are strong, and you'll leave full.

Guests consistently praise the meat quality, the attentiveness of the staff, and the overall polish of the meal. One recent visitor called it "hands-down one of the best dining experiences in southern Maine," while others highlight that the team keeps drinks full and meat coming. The name Kathleen comes up more than once as someone who makes the night feel genuinely welcoming.