This spot is so fun and I had no idea there was something like it in Portland!! Came with friends…read morefor her birthday drinks and the vibe was so so cool. It really feels like you're in a dungeon or dark castle inside and there's surprisingly a lot of seating (indoors and outdoors). We were able to snag a booth indoors. There's candles everywhere which really add to the ambiance. The servers were attentive and fast and it was nice that they came to the tables to take our drink orders. We just got espresso martinis, which were pretty good. I'd definitely come here again to try the other drinks and enjoy the vibe!

Came here for after dinner drinks with some friends. We sat outside in the back area and it got…read morepretty crowded. The person helping us seemed to be very overwhelmed with all the people that were in the back area. I and another friend got mocktails and our other friends got real drinks. The inside of this bar is cool but kinda scary feeling. Feels like you are in a basement or a dungeon. It's dimly lit in the inside area. And has candles in the middle of the place with wax dripping down. The bathroom is kinda spooky too. And the sink you have to use a pedal and I could not figure out for the life of me how to get colder water to wash my hands. The water was super hot. I may want to come back here and try an actual drink and maybe experience the inside atmosphere. This bar is below and the restaurant called Roma Cafe.

Wanted to find a nice kind of hole in the wall beer bar and just happened to walk down this alley…read moreand stumbled upon Mash Tun. I should have just checked on Yelp since one of my Yelp friends gave this five stars! I have to concur because I stopped her with my co-worker and my husband for a couple of beers and have to say two things: 1) they have a great beer list that rotates frequently, 2) the bartenders are top notch. You know sometimes you go to a cool beer place and it seems like the bartenders want to do ANYTHING but actually give you a beer in exchange for cash? This place is the opposite and it's wonderful. Very helpful with the beer list, suggestions, tastes, etc. They are also quick to offer another beer where as some places it seems like pulling teeth to try to get a beverage. It was lively but not slammed when I was there but I can tell these guys would manage great even if the bar was two or three deep with customers. Yeah, I thing the Mash Tun is one of the best beer bars I've been to and in a place like Portland that is in the top echelon of beer cities, that is an achievement to respect.

Loved this spot! Perfect hidden gem with good food! Cheap bite. Burger (not photographed) was also…read moredelish! Lots of good sauces too. Lots on draft. Friendly staff

Staying at the Longfellow hotel across the street, we gave this place a try on a whim. Excellent…read morevibes and service. Highly recommended: salt cod, foie gras truffles, pasta with guanciale. I had a smash burger (special) which was a bit too much -- needed one fewer item from the rich salty umami family of flavors, every bite good on its own but a LOT as a dish. Service was wonderful; my friend mentioned that she loved chocolate mousse but was too full for dessert, and our server brought us a to go portion as a bonus with the check. And it was awesome (topped with hazelnuts, sea salt, and a drizzle of olive oil, very good idea well executed).

**November 2025: Thanksgiving Dinner**…read more I made a reservation through Resy about a week before Thanksgiving and was able to successfully secure bar seating for two. We got a text reminder as well as phone call reminder leading up to our reservation. On the day of our reservation we were greeted with a warm smiled and directed to our seats. Since we visited on Thanksgiving Day it was a prix fix menu which included the following: -Bread and Turkey Jam -Winter Squash Soup -Chicory & Arugula Salad -Roasted Turkey Breast -Braised Short Ribs -Ilma's Maple Bourbon Pie -Pumpkin Budin This menu was specifically made for Thanksgiving so I imagine guests who have to wait until the next Thanksgiving to enjoy the fare. What I can say is that the soup was my favorite and the turkey breast was not in the slightest dry. The short ribs were my friends favorite and we both loved the pumpkin budin. Service was polite and efficient and te music was upbeat and lively, despite the restaurant emiting a dark romantic vibe. I'm really thankful that they had reservations available and that the food was delicious since many restaurants in the area were already booked out. Thank you Wayside Tavern for a delicious meal!

The perfect walk in burger joint in downtown Portland. We went on a Sunday night at 8 pm and we…read morewere able to get seated right away. The ambiance is a classic burger joint: music, loud chatter, etc, but it's perfect for the vibe. Our waiter was attentive, though not overbearing. The food was delicious. I got the crispy chicken sandwich and my wife got the cowboy burger. The buns on both were the star of the show, for us. Clearly handmade in the back, soft and chewy, yet sturdy enough to handle a hefty burger and sandwich. We also got the loaded fries, which were alright. For the price, I don't know if I'd recommend them again, just go with the regular fries. The texture of the fries was perfect, but the pickled onion/ground beef combination was not my favorite.

My family (a couple of 30-something's with a 5 year old) meandered into Black Cow this afternoon…read morewhile walking downtown Portland. For being in the middle of the day on a Saturday, I was actually surprised it wasn't busier; however, with a starving kid it was a blessing. Service was quick and kind, but not overly frilly. The staff were pleasant and incredibly accommodating with my son (offering coloring books if he needed to be kept busy, etc). I loved the location, and the ambiance was stellar. I would love to come back as a date night so I could actually take in the space and really enjoy look over the options, rather than a quick glance so that we could keep our afternoon rolling. I got a chicken sandwich and my husband and son both got cheeseburgers. We split a large fry which was plenty for the three of us. Portions were reasonably sized for the price, and the dirty sauce I got on the side was delicious! The house-made soda was also delightful and refreshing. So, a 3 star is great for the the fact that I didn't really take my time to truly take it all in. But I definitely look forward to coming back and really soaking it all in

Stop two of eating and shopping our way through Portland: we came for the fries and milkshakes!!…read more We shared a large order of Belgian Frites with garlic mayo and Thai chili mayo. Very generous portion, two of us couldn't finish the fries. We went back and forth between which of the mayos was better, based on how much we ate out of the little cups, it was the garlic mayo, but only barely! I had the Wild Maine Blueberry & Kate's Buttermilk shake. It was very creamy and delicious, fabulous blueberry flavor, and they give you the extra that doesn't fit in the chilled glass, so another generous portion!! The atmosphere and service were great, there's a magnet board with words along the wall by the bar, so we were entertained as we worked on our fries and milkshakes!!

Duckfat used to be one of our favorite places in Portland. The duck panini and fries were…read moreabsolutely amazing and were the reason people went there. Removing the duck panini - the one staple item everyone associated with the restaurant - makes no sense. Bring back the duck panini and you'll get the five stars back. As of now, it's one star because the name feels misleading. Maybe they need to change it to Porkfat?

Several more visits since my last review…read more Some things haven't changed: -- The beers are still great. Swish, Here's to Feeling Good All the Time, Nothing Gold, and Reciprocal are a formidable foursome. At any given time, you can usually get at least two, more often three, sometimes all four. -- You'd be hard pressed (pun intended) to find a better smashburger in Portland, but I'd also put it up against any regularly-offered burger I've had in Portland--smashed or otherwise. I love everything about it, from the high caliber of the beef to the fresh pillowy milk bun to the exhilaratingly strong cure of the bacon to the razor-thin cutting of the vegetables to the execution that gets even a smashburger burger juicy. -- I'm still not crazy about the wings. They have a frozen dinner feel to them. A few things, though, have changed: -- Full service now instead of having to order everything at the bar. That's a plus. -- The place is much more crowded-- including screaming tykes-- on the weekends. Not a plus, but can't fault a place for its own popularity. -- The fries are now the industrial strength coated kind. A big minus and a sad drop off from prior greatness, but better that than from an item off the main cast. -- You can now order beer cans to go from the table rather than having to get in line. A nice convenience. A few things to know: -- It's a surprisingly good option for vegetarians and pescatarians. The veggie burger and the grilled fish sandwich are both much more than solid. -- There's outdoor seating in front of the building and also to the right. -- The bar room to the right of the entrance is adults only, so if those screaming tykes get on your nerves, this is the place to be. -- You can still order beer at the bar if that's your preference over table service. Still a favorite, and the combo of beer, food, and space is tough to beat (Mast Landing and Maine Beer in Freeport are also somewhere in that echelon).

Bissell Brothers still is deserving of the high acclaim and5 star review. One of their most popular…read moreDouble IPAs, called Swish had a new special Triple IPA version brewed called Super Swish. This beer release brought my wife and I for our visit today. As an IPA fan I enjoyed this new version very much for its hop saturated citrusy forward taste that drank quite smooth for the 9.5%. At this point now Bissell is broken into two separate parts. The first will be the space welcoming to families and is more of their restaurant style area. Appeared to be a popular area and does offer reservations. My preferred area is the Bissell Garden as they call it. Those entering need to be of drinking age and have more lounge vibes where you order at the bar. It still offers full kitchen menu so is perfect. Particularly my favorite is snagging bar stools to grab some beers and food. I had to try out the Super Swish while my wife grabbed their red ale named Turnpike. Then food wise we split their kitchen special Classic Poutine. Some of the best classic kept simple poutine I have had. The perfect comfort food for yet another cold weather day in Maine. Have been impressed by all the food from Bissell. Truly the only negative still stands being the fact it's on Thompson's Point and required paid parking (not Bissell Brothers call but still). One of the most popular Maine breweries for a reason especially in the IPA game. Give all their other style of beers a try too though, top notch brewery!

The Lobster roll from The Highroller is pretty up there! It's not the best I've had but it is very…read moregood. I guess I learned that I don't like mayo with the roll because it overpowers the flavor and this place specializes in sauces so of course I tried their mayo. I'm sure the classic butter on a roll would be just right. Potato salad was great though! And I love that they have a vast n/a drink options. A little something for everyone. The easy QR code ordering allows you to order on your own so you don't have to split the bill later. Much appreciated for those who come in a big group. Truly worth trying!

Everything was exceptional, starting with the bread which was fluffy, soft, and buttery. I enjoyed…read moremy meal so much that I ordered two of the lobster flights. For my selections, I chose the sweet red pepper mayo, charred pineapple mayo, mango habanero mayo, drawn butter, jalapeno mayo, and garlic mayo. I also appreciated the option of the 2oz flight sandwich sizes and chose warmed rolls for all of them. Furthermore, the waiters and host were warm and friendly. They were incredibly helpful in guiding us as tourists toward items they knew we would enjoy. Very casual and family friendly space. I will absolutely be recommending Highroller Lobster Co. to others. Thank you for the great service and delicious food.

Great spot to check out before you go to a concert. Only a block away but not right on the main…read moreroad so you can typically get a seat. Quite a few tables and a smaller bar. I got the lobster risotto and it was really good. Also the wine is decently priced. Service was great and quick!

My friend treated me to dinner at the Little Tap House. I love the cozy, neighborhood atmosphere…read more The menu is well currated. Service was quick and friendly. Along with the chicken risotto, I orderd the Peace Offering, a grapefruit based mocktail. The risotto was done beautifully with toothsome arborio that Gordon Ramsey wouldn't swear about. My friend's salad looked fresh and well composed.