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Lenora

4.2 (94 reviews)
Closed 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

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LENORA ATMOSPHERE

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Hipster
Casual
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Classy

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Recommended Reviews - Lenora

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Chilaquiles
Diana G.

Located in the Old Port, Lenora is easy to find with good available parking. The space is gorgeously appointed- high ceilings, subtle music and classy ambiance. Our server was gracious and attentive. Food was served quickly. The food - amazing! First time in 20+ years to find chilaquiles and it did not disappoint. To find Mexican food of this caliber and authenticity in Maine is a remarkable find!

Taals B.

Yummy Mexican style food. It's very unassuming form the outside. In fact , I had to look up the place to find out more about it. The chicken we ordered was ok but the beef tacos were the bomb. The guac was good and chunky. Not sure about drinks. Service was great too and we got a seat quickly on a Saturday evening.

Roadrunner
Christian E.

We are only taking a star off because the seating inside looks uncomfortable (stools). We sat outside on the benches to avoid them. The roadrunner cocktail was good. The happy hour nachos with beef were great! It was a little spicy and loaded with toppings and came with a side of guacamole that was fresh. The nachos could use some sour cream but other than that they were great! Service was good!

Amaury J.

Lenora surprised us in the best way. I was a little skeptical going in, given some of the mixed reviews, but both the food and service ended up being a hit for us. That said, I do think Lenora is still figuring out its identity. It's a trendy, mid-upscale spot -- not Michelin-level fine dining, but also not cheap -- which is why some of the little details felt off. Things like comfortable seating, cloth napkins (or at least an easy way to grab extras; tacos can get messy!), and a bit more space between tables would have elevated the experience for us. Speaking of space, the seating was really the one thing we didn't love. They've packed in as many tables as possible, which makes for a cramped and not-so-relaxing dining experience. If I had stretched my arm even slightly, I probably would've bumped into the person at the next table. We could hear every conversation around us, and at times, it felt a little awkward. The stools didn't help either -- zero back support, not much comfort. But the food was phenomenal. We started with the pineapple salsa and chips, queso, and street corn, all of which were great, though the street corn stole the show. We could've easily ordered more. For tacos, we went all in and tried every single one on the menu. The Baja Fish and carnitas were standouts; so good we reordered them. The only miss was the brisket, which was dry, overly salty, and had a strange texture. But everything else, including the vegetarian options, was excellent. Even as die-hard flour tortilla fans, we were impressed by their fresh-made corn tortillas. We finished the meal with a perfectly moist tres leches cake. The drinks program was also solid, though I expected a little more variety in the margaritas. They all seemed to have a similar flavor profile. That said, the ones we tried, including the Diablo, were refreshing and well-balanced. Service was great; our waitress was friendly, attentive, and on top of everything. Despite the seating situation, we really enjoyed our meal and would absolutely come back for the food and drinks!

Chile con queso and guacamole
Jane G.

Lenora is a high quality, well put together yet casual modern Mexican restaurant. They have a central, circular bar, high top tables, standard indoor seating, and outdoor picnic table seating as well. We ordered plenty of drinks and apps (chips and guac, queso, bean dip, pineapple salsa, tacos). Pros: food was delicious, space is great. Cons: Service/server was unfriendly and rushed

Michelada
Adrienne R.

Popped into Lenora while doing a stroll around the Old Port on Tuesday afternoon 10/22/24 around 5pm. This was my/our first time here. We sat at the bar which wasn't busy, but several tables were full and there were some larger parties. It's really nice and I like the ambiance. It's large and open, but somehow cozy. I liked that the bar was not real tall and made the space feel more open. I was thrilled to see a michelada on the drink menu! Bloody Mary mix and Mexican beer - in this case it was Modelo. It was served in a barrel style glass with a spicy rim. The mix was in the glass and I added my own beer. It was so good. Their bloody mix was very tasty. For a snack we had chips and guac. The guac was good! Had a little kick. The chips were crispy and seemed to be made in house. The menu is small, however I would have eaten several things if I had been hungry. I would like to go back for a meal next time around.

BAJA FISH
Gabrielle B.

One of my favorite interiors in the Portland area. Gorgeous. Honestly. The staff has treated me well but I have also had some times where they have been a little short- but I wouldn't let that knock their reputation. Just in my experience. The food is not a lot for the price but I have always been able to get a taco and enjoyed the conversation. I don't drink but feel as though I would recommend trying one, as they seem to have a nice menu and beautiful bar space as well.

Taco
Zaid N.

Came in for drinks and tacos one mid week afternoon. Great atmosphere and cool staff. Their tacos were delicious and drinks looked good. Visited restaurant as part of a foodie tour in Portland. Will visit again next time!

Lucha Libre marg and the 1930 Old Fashioned.
Steff D.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a first impression review focused on their all day menu and plant-based eating after visiting once. I didn't know what to expect from this new Mexican-inspired taco bar; the photos on Instagram make it seem waaaaaaaayyyy too trendy for me (am I aging out of Portland?). But, to be honest, one of my top five favorite foods is guacamole and salty chips. Throw some spicy salsa in there? Let's gooooo. Our server was sweet and patient. Currently, at the time of writing this, their menu has nothing labeled gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan. So we asked about what could be made without dairy and egg, and she immediately came back from the kitchen with their behind-the-scenes menu about which items had which allergens. We were able to order with SUCH confidence; still, somehow, in "one of the best restaurant cities in the world" finding good (and reliably) vegan food is difficult. Cheers to you, Lenora, for making us feel welcome! So, here's what's vegan/can be made vegan: 1. the guacamole, 2. ALL of the salsas, 3. the taco sauces (MINUS the crema), 4. the mushroom doradas taco (ask for no queso or crema), 5. the avocado costra taco (ask for no queso crust), 6. the black bean tostada (ask for no queso), We tried the guacamole (which is a much bigger portion than I thought it was going to be!), the pineapple salsa (made with tomatillo, poblano, chile pequin; it's labeled as two star in spice, but we didn't find it spicy at all - it did go REALLY well with the guacamole though! again, the portion size was impressive... also, not sure if they always/usually do this, but our chip basket was refilled complimentary. PLEASE KEEP THIS, LENORA. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE.), and the avocado costra taco (which was absolutely packed with vibrant flavors and interesting textures, and for sure I could easily eat three of these). When I asked for a not-too-sweet drink, our server recommended the Lucha Libre margarita (blanco tequila, lime, agave, orange blossom water), and it was *exactly* what I wanted. This, for me, is a place I'm excited to return to (especially to see if everything I experienced the first time held up)! A couple notes: 1) Their website says they have an "all day menu" - this is NOT true. That menu (with the tacos and guacamole, etc.) has a hard start time of 11am. I think they should either change that languaging OR really offer it all day. Some of us want breakfast margs, guac, and chips! 2) When we visited, the server joked that their frozen margarita machine frequently broke down. Not a huge deal, but heads-up there.

Barbacoa
Cynthia S.

Love the ambiance, love the drinks, they actually have interesting cocktail / drink program. The food program is kinda tight, American Mexican food taco etc. I had 1 barbacoa $6.5 and it's very decent American tacos. The aqua tamarind cocktail is very tiny but good balance so I ain't complaining. I asked about other thing because it doesn't specify on the menu and the server just said "oh we put a bunch of herb" like what ????!! U can't just say "herb" Problem is our server is not really kind or approachable . Maybe she had a bad day or whatever but she did charge us 20% because we are a big group. Look i totally understand that big group can be too much and I can see she covered a lots of tables, but I guess she can try to be nicer ? Since it's service industry after all. So my advise, don't be disappointed if the service is barely there And you got charged 20% just because they can and u are a big group but don't expect a "service". Good food and drink need to be accompany with good service since the tip exception is at least 20%

Cafe con dulce de leche
Salinee H.

Delicious, quick and charming spot. We stopped in before heading to the airport. Great coffee options for an early morning. And great menu options for a quick breakfast. I had the breakfast burrito and added chorizo. It was a good size burrito at a great price. It was also delicious.

Roadrunner cocktail
Caleb M.

Despite being opened for quite some time and following this spot since before they even opened, we finally made it in. It's a bright and welcoming space with a circular bar right as you walking in with tables around the outside of the room. Their restrooms are set up in the style of private rooms with a toilet in each (around 4 of them) with a shared sink outside the rooms. Not only did we come in for dinner we also returned two days later for their first day of brunch. Now offering brunch on both Sunday and Monday from 11-3. I think once the word gets out this will become a popular brunch spot. We were very impressed both dinner and brunch. For dinner we sat at the bar the bartender was very friendly and made perfect cocktails. My fiancée ordered their carnitas tacos and I had a special of the day which was a duck carnitas tostada and they were both so good! Some of the best carnitas we have had in the area easily! Still slightly hungry my fiancée got rice and beans which was tasty as well. After our experience and seeing they would be offering brunch starting Sunday we knew we had to return. Brunch was quite busy considering their first day offering it and the fact we got in a few minutes after opening. We were sat quickly and service was quick and attentive once again despite sitting at a table this time. Every thing we tried during brunch was phenomenal and I would any of it again. Their house chai and cafe con Dulce de Leche alongside their papas (their version of potatoes) were the perfect start. Then our meals, burrito and bread pudding were so good, with the bread pudding being the absolute highlight! From our two experiences here, this will be a new favorite spot of ours if we are craving a Sunday brunch or tacos or tostadas. Give this place a try if you find yourself nearby!

bluefin tostadita special
Kate S.

Went back to Lenora today and had some great food, tampered by an odd experience with the music that I feel like I should say something about. I ordered a congress st margarita, the special tostadita (bluefin tuna, some kind of aioli, etc). and the escabeche pickles again. Everything was delicious. The tostadita, while small, was incredible - I was literally cooing while eating it. The margarita was nothing special taste wise - good, but not memorable. But a pretty heavy pour, I walked out rather drunkkkkk. The music playing in the restaurant was hip hop music, I think the drill rap style. it was great, but then there was a song which had the 'n' word in it like..a lot, like every 5th word. The restaurant is owned by and apparently largely staffed by white people. Just doesn't seem cool to me. Lenora's a nice restaurant, I think they make good choices with the specials, etc. But like. vet the music maybe?

Barbacoa taco, chips and salsa

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3 months ago

food was excellent, and service was as well! the inside was very cool, lighting was great:)

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9 months ago

Yum, street corn, Mexican soda, great cocktails!! Staff very fun and food comes out fantastic this is a must do for restaurant

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Room for Improvement

Room for Improvement

4.6(57 reviews)
0.1 miOld Port

I've only heard good things about room for improvement and I was so glad to finally make it there!…read moreThis low ceiling, cozy bar has moody, lighting, booths, bar seating, and an outdoor standing bar. It's such a vibe for a late night drinking or grabbing a quick bite as they have such good food! They've made using the restroom fun as it's decorated with Polaroids from guests, and another funny item (you'll have to see for yourself) You need to get their espresso martini. The cold foam topping it off is the most delicious thing I've ever had.

I enjoyed the bar that use to be located here that was called Jager. It was all German themed and I…read moremostly went for the beers. Room for Improvement has been around for quite awhile at this point and I have heard nothing but positive about it. My wife and I finally made the time to come here and glad we did. With it being Halloween they have a special theme this week called Doom for Improvement so we thought it was the perfect time to visit! We showed up at opening for a spot to beat Halloween crowd on wharf street. I was reminded of Jager right away in the sense it felt familiar while also feeling new. They decked it out with Halloween decorations and bartenders were dressed up. We had Bojack Horseman serving us who was a top notch bartender, friendly, answered any questions and had good vibes! My wife tried their Pineapple Daiquiri and their Espresso Martini. I went with the Halloween themed drinks and got the Rest In Peeses that was a peanut butter (Reese's) themed Old Fashioned. Secondly I grabbed their Plenty Evil that was inspired by the Good & Plenty candy Absinthe Frappe. My wife's drinks were phenomenal and would both be go to orders for her and we both found a new favorite Espresso Martini. My first drink nailed the perfect mix of peanut butter flavor with a classic Old Fashioned. Secondly despite not being a huge licorice/good & plenty candy this drink was delicious! I look forward to returning for a non Halloween themed visit but we were both extremely impressed. If you are looking for a bar to grab drinks and want a nice and chill vibe this is your spot. Expect friendly bartenders who make high quality drinks!

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Room for Improvement - Inside at the bar

Inside at the bar

Room for Improvement - Sauerkraut dog

Sauerkraut dog

Room for Improvement - Their espressotini, made with banana and coconut! Vegan

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Their espressotini, made with banana and coconut! Vegan

Central Provisions - Popover

Central Provisions

4.3(1.4k reviews)
0.1 miOld Port
$$$

Dinner at Central Provisions was such a standout experience. The small plates format made it fun to…read moretry a variety of dishes, and everything felt thoughtful and well-executed. The flavors were creative without being overcomplicated, and each dish had something that made it memorable. The atmosphere struck a perfect balance--lively but still intimate enough to enjoy conversation. Service was attentive and knowledgeable, with great recommendations that really elevated the meal. Definitely one of those places you leave already thinking about what you'll order next time.

We were happy with the service and speed at which the small plates were delivered to us however…read morethere was a small instance where we got a dish we didn't order (not pictured and it was the special). The lemon sole (fish) and octopus carpaccio (not pictured) were filled with flavor! The pork belly was very underwhelming and I would not order again. The waiter said 2-4 plates per person. I recommend starting on the lower end and adding additional dishes based on how you're feeling. The amount of food was very different from dish to dish. For example the tuna dip had way too much bread and the pork belly was very small in size. Overall I was half impressed. I wish the staff would take a moment to announce the plate as it's placed next to you or point it out on the menu for those hard of hearing and wanting to know what they are about to enjoy. However the music, overall restaurant vibe and half the dishes exploding with flavor made my experience pleasant and I will return again knowing a bit more of what to expect and looking at photos of the menu/meal options beforehand.

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Central Provisions - Open kitchen

Open kitchen

Central Provisions - CP Frites

CP Frites

Central Provisions - Cold Fashioned

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Cold Fashioned

Lucky Cheetah - Sichuan Cucumbers

Lucky Cheetah

4.2(75 reviews)
0.2 miOld Port

The Lucky Cheetah is an absolutely amazing place! Think delicious dim sum with a twist combined…read morewith a fun tiki bar vibe combined with a sophisticated retro speakeasy décor and ambiance. What could be better than a dumpling lounge? We just went for the first time and were blown away. The ambiance of the place is unique. It feels like a chic timeless but retro speakeasy with the fun atmosphere of a tiki bar. Dark red and black colors, floral art, Art Deco chandeliers, lacquered tables, kitsch and fun cheetah lamps and statues. It immediately put a smile on our faces. The food is also unique. Dim sum for dinner but with more sophisticated twists and better quality than you'll find in most Chinatowns. You start by getting a dish with three different dipping sauces for the dumplings. The hot and sour soup was rich in peanut flavor, filled with tofu, mushrooms, and seaweed, with a cumulative little kick of spiciness. It was a great start and a major cut above anything we've ever had in a Chinese restaurant. The sichuan cucumber salad are Chinese cucumbers innovatively cut into a spiral like a slinky or coil spring. You pick them up with chopsticks and they spring up and down! Served in a horseradish and pepper coulis, they had a spicy kick. Don't miss the mojo baby corn. It's grilled, crispy, and addictive. You'll want a bucket of it when watching a movie. Steamed soup dumplings are filled with ham or prosciutto, a nicely salty and meaty twist on the standard ones. Steamed mushroom and truffle dumplings are probably the closest to traditional dim sum, rich, flavorful, and packed with shrooms. Crab and lobster lucky bags were deep fried wontons filled with a mix of ground lobster and crab, on a bed of crème fraiche with scallions. A great contrast with the crispy salty shell and soft filling! Our favorite was the sesame beef bao. They look like the traditional sesame balls in Chinese restaurants, crispy on the outside, pillowy soft inside but filled with brisket! They were mouth wateringly delicious! There was a selection of larger entrée plates that looked good (fried rice, lo mein, crispy chicken) that we didn't try but will next time. The drink menu was three pages long. Every kind of creative cocktail you can imagine, a long list of wines and sparking drinks, at prices from reasonable to 'special occasion.' For the atmosphere and ambiance, it seemed like cocktails or sparkling wine went best. All the staff and the manager couldn't have been nicer and more welcoming. They made us feel like old friends. Their warmth was genuine, we were sincerely touched by their friendliness. We were smiling and laughing the whole time, and amazed at how delicious the food was. It's unique. It's so much more than just a delicious meal. Going here is truly an experience, one that we'll remember for a long time and want to repeat often. It's an incredibly special place, and you feel special being here. You won't find a place like this outside of New York City, but here it is in Portland. We're going to go back often and regularly.

TLDR; Food was good/fine. Service and ambiance were great…read more Interior and service were phenomenal. Our waiter was very helpful and enthusiastic without being overbearing. Interior was clean (including the bathrooms) and had a nice fun quirkiness to it. The food, while good, fell a bit short for me. Money bag: This was great. Both my wife and I loved it. Their take on money bag was different and it worked well. The fact that cream cheese was on the outside left more room inside for the meats, and we could choose how much cream cheese we had. Soup dumpling: Also great. While delicious, nothing was special about the dish. Spicy lobster lo mein: This was a bit of a letdown. Not sure if this is usually how it comes out, but the noodles were chopped to such small lengths that it was easier to eat them with spoon than chopsticks. The sauce, while clean and properly seasoned, tasted a bit too clean, almost to the point of being bland. The lobster didn't really add anything to the noodle/sauce and just felt like it was dropped in there. Overall, we still had a great time, but it was a bummer that the main dish was such a letdown.

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Lucky Cheetah - Decor in the back room

Decor in the back room

Lucky Cheetah - Sweet & sour cod

Sweet & sour cod

Lucky Cheetah - Sweet & sour cod

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Sweet & sour cod

Cuties - Bar

Cuties

4.5(37 reviews)
0.1 miOld Port

Great servers & bartenders . Great place inside for cocktails and light food…read more Lunch here was a shrimp roll and crispy potato's with the best dipping sauce. Do not miss this stop when you are in Portland for Breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or just to stop in for an adult beverage or to say hi to my new friend Mason

I gave Cuties a chance during its opening weekend and thought it wasn't for me. It was too crowded,…read moreobnoxiously loud, and I just felt like I didn't fit in. Fast-forward to now: I was walking around with a friend and we felt like having a drink, and Cuties was right nearby. I decided to give it another shot, and I'm glad I did because my experience was incredibly better. First of all, the place felt a lot more welcoming and less overwhelming. I finally had a chance to look at all the decor and details, and my eyes were FEASTING on the colorful touches and funky vibes. Our server was very nice, and even though we only ordered one drink and definitely stayed there for a good amount of time, he wasn't pushy in any way. My cocktail, the Wink n Nod, was soooo good. It had vodka, gin, manzanilla, olives, and pickled Fresno brine. The result was a yummy concoction with a punch, one that I could savor and not slurp in ten seconds. That said, I gotta say I was surprised by how busy the place was given how early we went. It wasn't even 4pm. I don't think I would come back in the summer or during peak hours because I could definitely see them getting busy, just like during their opening weekend, and having an entirely different experience. Note: Although I didn't try any, I was happily impressed by the food options and non-alcoholic options. A true all-day bar!

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Cuties
Cuties
Cuties - Menu

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Menu

Lenora - mexican - Updated May 2026

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