Bars/Pubs
Brian Boru
57 Center Street
(207) 780-1506
2 floors of Irish fun. The 2 floors are complimented by 2 decks. Pretty straight forward.
Flask Lounge
117 Spring Street
(207) 772-3122
www.flastlounge.com
A new West End favorite. This small, brick building has one of the most non-descript exteriors of any watering hole in Portland. This is all just a facade. Perhaps literally. The interior holds a small bar, which serves great and cheap beers (especially during happy hour from 4 to 7), a little kitchen tucked in the corner, a few tables with bench seats and my favorite couch in Portland. Not only is it the exact same couch that I have at home, but it is positioned in front of one of the largest TVs I have seen in this little city. They hold Wii tournaments on Thursdays and stream sports at you most other days. What's not to love? I have even grown to enjoy the inevitable smell of fried food on my clothes when I leave. Just another reminder of a good time had.
Sangillo's Tavern
18 Hampshire Street
(207) 879-2810
This cinder block bunker in the East End is a haven for true locals. Upon walking in you may be met with a few stares, but the crowd will soon loose interest and turn back to their drinks. Bring cash. The beers are cheap, but credit cards are not welcome. The owner is generally planted at the far end of the bar and offered to buy a round for the 4 of us that ventured in on New Years day. If you are looking for a true local watering hole and don't plan on upsetting the equilibrium, stop by for an Allen's Sombrero (Allen's coffee brandy and milk).
Rivalries
10 Cotton Street
(207) 774-6044
www.rivalriesportland.com
A fine place to watch the Red Sox of Boston, or any sporting event. Wide open with plenty of tables. The first floor is more favorable than the second, purely for the number of TVs. There is a small private room upstairs that has an old school big screen. It's like hanging out in a 1980s rec room. There is a fenced-in patio out back with a few picnic tables. If the sun is just right, you can almost make out the small TV in the corner. Get a plate of nachos and a few beers ($2.50 during happy hour) and you won't even need the TV.
The Stadium
504 Congress Street
(207) 772-4263
The address is misleading. Once upon a time, there was an entrance on Congress Street, but since the suspicious break-in and subsequent renovation, it has moved. There is now one entrance on Brown Street and another around the corner on Free Street. I never saw this place pre-reno, but I have heard rumors of a seedy past. The current incarnation fits the bill for a sports bar. Plenty of TVs and plenty of seating. Portions have been super-sized to American standards. Even the pitchers. They come in huge plastic beer bottles (which are a mere $4 at happy hour on Mondays). Great novelty appeal. There is a pool table, pop-a-shot, Big Buck Hunter and some other arcade entertainment to keep you occupied between quarters, innings, periods, etc.
Una
505 Fore Street
(207) 828-0300
www.unawinebar.com
I ended up here after Rivalries one evening. What a transition. My initial response along the lines of "what the duce is this place doing in Portland?" A couple of martinis later and I was settled in. It has a NYC feel and the prices to match. Happy hours (from 4:30 to 7 M-S and Tuesday all night) bring the cocktails and some wine down to $4. A price as easy to swallow as the drinks. Holy crap that was cheesy.
The White Heart
551 Congress Street
(207) 828-1900
Oh so hip. A hipster playground with great cocktails. Try the little green one that is served in a martini glass. I had too many on my last trip and have now lost the cognitive ability to come up with the actual name. The patrons sometimes shoot dirty looks to anti-hipsters such as myself, but the bar tenders and wait staff are quite tolerant. So tolerant that they did not even blink an eye when we pulled out a board game while sitting at the couches. Nothing like a little Apples to Apples to go along with a few stiff cocktails. Half price bottles of wine makes this a Monday night destination of choice. Tables spill out on to the sidewalk during the Summer, so you can take in all that Congress Street culture.
The Wine Bar
38 Wharf Street
(207) 773-6667
This place is hilarious. I can only claim to have been there once, but here is a quick rundown on what I saw: Multiple Elvis paintings, huge keyboard shaped booth right out of 1984, a faux fireplace and a chair in the shape of a high heeled shoe. I kid you not. Still, they had a decent and afordable wine list and it was a funky place to pass an hour or so. The Bar of Chocolate downstairs has good sandwiches and might be a good lunch spot, if you feel like prowling around Wharf Street on your lunch break.