37 Best Cocktail Bars in Portland

“Went for brunch today and it was SO good! Really inventive menu. I had the bone marrow toast and my bf had the fish sandwich. Our standout was the blue fin tuna nduja dip with fennel jam and fried sour dough. I’ll be dreaming about it forever.“

“Went for Oyster Social/Happy Hour they do on Wednesdays after a local recommended I try…had a little bit of everything and some punch. I’m not easy to impress. It was DIVINE!!! Delicious fresh seafood, excellent quality, great drinks, just a very nice experience I wish I were local to attend every week! Highly recommend!“

“Loved the concept. Modern dive bar. Good quality cocktails without the usual stuffiness, and most were only around $13-$14. I usually avoid bars around the Old Port area, but this one seemed different. On a Saturday night, the crowd looked like locals who knew exactly what they were getting.

We walked in at 8 PM to a completely packed house. Handful of booths, bar stools, and some standing tables in the back. We got insanely lucky and swooped into some bar seats the second a group closed out.

The ladies next to us mentioned that Esquire magazine named their Espresso Martini one of the best in the country. Had to try it. They used local Allen’s Coffee Brandy, which gave it a heavier, sweeter, and much more robust punch than a standard vodka-Kahlua build. But it was still the best out of all the martinis we ordered.

The food menu was mostly just dive bar snacks. Cheese balls and hot dogs. They intentionally don’t put much effort into it, and everything was really cheap.

Definitely recommend checking this place out. Just be prepared to elbow into a standing table if you roll in during the weekend rush.“

“Just an excellent experience overall“

“Everything about this meal was amazing, even the playlist they had on! The perfect place for sharing plates and cocktails with the girls. Fantastic ambiance and super tasty food. Our server Will was so attentive and friendly, he made the experience even better. We would recommend this place in a heart beat to anyone visiting Portland!“

“The wife and I had an amazing time for my birthday. Dinner was perfect. Our bartender Mikey was attentive and entertaining. Highly recommend! 5 stars.“

“We absolutely loved our dinner at Knotted Apron. The food was so delicious & inventive but more importantly the service was impeccable and made me feel like I was at home! ❤️ We will absolutely be back soon!“

“Ordered some Nippers off Etsy. Very tasty drinks. Shipping was very Quick and packaging well done. Only thing in would say is the nippers really Don’t make two full drinks unless you add more than the suggested alcoholic or a mixer. We will buy again just the larger sizes.“

“Just finished one of the BEST Italian meals ive ever had in my restaurant going life in a place id never have expected to and thats saying something being a 1st Generation Italian coming from NY ! ViA VECCHiA is Portland, Maine was absolutely 10/10 on everything they did! We started with Meatballs, Whipped Ricotta & Grilled Octopus. The meatballs reminded me of my mothers, the ricotta was tremendous with truffle honey & sesame breadsticks and the octopus was grilled perfectly. One dish was better than the next. We shared ravioli with as an entree and we never felt gross like we ate too much. The portion sizes were PERFECT. Wrapped the night off with a espresso infused cheesecake over salted caramel. Wow. Staff was incredibly accommodating, professional and polite. Service was excellent! If youre ever in Portland, ME you must go get a meal here!“

“This place is friendly, it looks great inside, and the food was great. The decor and the food are both very Instagrammable. The guac was very good as were the tacos and the birra brisket grilled cheese. The salsas are not the common salsa you get other places - they seemed pretty unique to me. The pancakes were good (corn which was a nice change) and the drinks were great too. Service was quick and super nice. We’d absolutely go back again.“

“Warm and comfortable, lovely wine, friendly staff, and tasty food truck offerings.“

“Best martinis in Portland! It’s a must try if you’re in town. Chocolate salted caramel is my fav 🤤 but, you must ask for Miriam, she’ll take care of you!“

“Fantastic menu! I felt like I just walked into a glamorous pub in England when I saw the menu choices. The cocktail list is loaded with great drinks AND there are two happy hours daily! I had a delicious toasted cheese sandwich with bacon and tomato —so huge I could barely finish half. It came with a heap of perfectly fried hand cut potatoes. My sister got a lovely bowl of French onion soup to start and the steak frites as a main course. There was a big sliced steak done to perfection! We will return regularly! *****“

“What a great place to discover!! One of my new favorites! Loved the cool vibe, incredible food, and special cocktails! Can’t wait to go back!!“

“I’ve always had good conversations with the bartenders when I come here! It’s been a bit since I’ve been able to stop by but it’s always on our list when in the Portland area!“

“Looking for a dog-friendly place for lunch and glad we found this place! We weren’t even here two minutes and the servers brought our dog a pup cup and a bowl of water. I usually don’t look for restaurants in hotels when on vacation but this was great! Limited but very good menu.“

“My partner and I celebrated my 50th and our 30 year anniversary there. They had a special table set for us. The food, drink and atmosphere was amazing. Their was a surprise birthday cake for me made by Ilma. Such a memorable experience. Only complaint is that there should've been like 30 of those deviled eggs....lol Thanks for the great meal and everlasting memories.“

“Great food made on the premises, including homemade desserts and sourdough bread. Try the charcuterie plate with several cheese, fruit, nuts, bread and a rotating sliced meat. Or the grilled shrimp or tuna, both yummy. Cocktails, wine, espresso -- choices galore. gotta love the espresso martini, even a decaf one! Jazz or blues background music, no headbanger stuff. Relax and enjoy...“

“Great venue, great staff. 10/10 would go every night!“

“Best food I ate in Portland all week (including upscale places) was the lobster bisque from Chef Ryan. Oysters were GREAT as well. Family friendly. Chef Ryan’s whole menu was top notch and the kitchen staff was so nice. Ty came up and offered to give my young kids a lobster lesson over FaceTime (was here for work). Lizzy was excellent at the bar for our group. Ashley was amazing and welcoming to our group. Couldn’t recommend more. But def order the menu items and not just the lobster!“

“Went for a lupper date with my husband on the referral of a friend. Had the Natalie house drink which was well balanced and bright for us gin lovers. Enjoyed thier spin on Poutine with a tater tots base. Lots of goo goodness with bacon and sausage. Sausage pizza with Vodka sauce had real Greek olives and was delicious. Will be back again!“

“Chill intimate environment. Fabulous community. Rotating local art. Fast friendly bar service. Excellent drinks, whether you want a cheap beer or a cocktail. Sober friendly with NA options. Everyone is welcome and treated with kindness. The End is a regular stop for me and I have all the respect for the guys behind it. Check them out! 🤘🏻“

“pop up with Meet on the Street last night. Prix Fixe four course menu 😋. Food was outstanding, service…outstanding. Drinks?? Always outstanding! The gondola in the bar is always a fun little spot to sit. Such a great space on Wharf St, especially when the snow is falling. Food is warm and lovely, and the staff is always happy to see you. 100/10.“

“Everyone needs to come here! If you don’t like rum or gin you’d be surprised as they have amazing drinks. A lot of their rum has scotch/whiskey vibes. They infuse their gin with things like strawberries and raspberries and make their own tonic. The music is on point, board games are here to be played and an indoor/outdoor vibe. Idk what you’re waiting for.. get over here! Also shout out to the bartenders are they were both lovely humans!“

“Absolutely love Aloft, first time staying at this hip Hotel on Commercial St , in Old Port, best walk in shower ever,,, perfect location. Front desk receptionists were over the top in being helpful. Priced right for winter season“

“We were there at the Regency for a 2 day conference and this was very convenient for us with a short lunch break. The food came fast and was very good. It was a beautiful day and very pleasant. The noise level was what I expected for a summer day in the Old Port with the background music blocking most noise.“

“Todd in the back lounge is the kindest, most talented bartender around. His cocktails are top notch and he is completely dedicated to his guests’ experience. We spend a lot of time at the Press Hotel and have personally witnessed him treating every guest with respect, class and above and beyond service.“

“We had our wedding reception at Grace in April and it was absolutely perfect, we cannot recommend enough. The building is gorgeous, truly not requiring any added decor as it shines on its own. From the balcony, the massive stained glass windows, the huge bar, to every other detail; it is stunning.

The ownership changed in the middle of our wedding planning which was stressful at the time, but genuinely made our day that much better. The new Grace team is incredible. Meghan was a surprise bonus wedding planner; providing us with great advice, doing everything she could to make our day perfect, and renovating Grace in record time before our day. Her and the team provided new paint, new tables, and perhaps best of all, new bridal and groomsmen suites that were the perfect place to get ready.

If you are debating booking Grace, do it. It is beautiful, has a great dance floor, is in the perfect location walkable to everything Portland offers, and was such a smooth planning process.“

“Great service, lovely atmosphere and the food was delicious. Pizza was the star of the show, but the rye cavatelli was a nice, bright dish.

Pasta serving was too small for the rather high price, but supporting quality neighborhood places like this outweighs the slight wincing at the final bill.“

“Very nice layout that’s small but big enough for those staying in the area. Not super busy in evening or morning. Vintage yet updated modern clean feel throughout. Nice cafe next door support great breakfast and coffee and utilizes this space in the Longfellow lobby for seating. Great vibes, low to moderate noise that you can still hear a normal conversation.“

“Took my step mom here for a belated Christmas gift. We stayed at the restaurants adjoining hotel and were seeing a comedy show across the street at The Merrill Auditorium.

The food and service were amazing. We started with non alcoholic blueberry martinis which were delicious. We ordered off the fixe menu (we ended up picking the same options) which means we received three courses for one price. We also ordered two appetizers under the à la cart section - half a dozen oysters and bread with yummy cinnamon butter. I’ve never had oysters with froth on them before but they were so good!!

We had salads as starters and they were so fresh and colorful and the dressing was to die for. Our mains were scallop risotto. Flavor. Flavor. Flavor. It was a tad spicy but nothing we couldn’t handle, and the scallops were so tender they melted in your mouth. For our final course we ordered the chocolate semifreddo. It was so good that it should be illegal.

Service was great. Friendly, kind, attentive. My stepmom wasn’t sure if she wanted the non alcoholic wine or not so the waiter gave her a small sample to try first.

Atmosphere was beautiful. Modern but cozy. You can dress up or dress down but it is definitely more of an upscale restaurant and experience.

Overall - I highly recommend. Great for a romantic date, special occasion or if you’re just looking for an upscale restaurant with delicious food and great service.“

“This might be the best overall bourbon list I have ever seen at an establishment. Prices were reasonable as well. I just wished they opened earlier than 4pm. Burger next door at Rigby is 5 stars.“

“An absolute gem in the heart of the old port. The margaritas are the best in all of Portland and served by the friendliest / warmest locals around. Not enough space to talk about the divine cuisine. ¡Salud!“

“Fire pizza service everything about this place is awesome if you haven’t tried not tried it your losing out amazing food get some“

“Visited Saturday night. Delicious food at good prices. Great service. Relaxed atmosphere.“

“Small menu but very good options of interesting and delicious plates. The avocado crudo, charred cabbage salad and the cod were fantastic. The desserts... Charred corn ice cream and the Peruvian dark chocolate cake - WOW! Nice list of tequilas and interesting cocktails.“

“What an amazing experience. We would definitely recommend and will be back soon!“