MJ's Wine Bar

www.onecitywines.com
Between all of us we have been to MJ's almost a dozen times.  MJ's has a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. There is a wide wooden bar, long narrow table ideal for a large group, smaller tables and leather furniture. The wine selection must be the best in town. And, they are always changing the selection to reflect the season. They don't have the "standard" wines you'll find at other bars and restaurants but rather new and interesting wines. They may have a wine from a region you like but from a winery you have never heard of. If your not a big wine drinker you can describe what you like and they will make the recommendation so you get something you'll enjoy. Needless to say, the service is top notch. The menu includes nuts, olives and cheeses. The food selection is also routinely changed to reflect the season. If your not sure which cheese plate would go best with what your drinking ask because they will help you make the right decision.
Did I mention the outdoor seating in the summer!

Beer taps in the foreground, wine in the background.

The music selection.

Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 5
Staff: 5
Drinks: 5
Mount Gay rum: No
Food: 4
Parking: 3

Otto's Pizza

http://ottoportland.com/
We have been to both Congress Street locations. Pizza from both location have been equally satisfying. Otto's mashed potato pizza with bacon and scallion is as good as it sounds. We were told its their best selling pie. The location at the top of Forrest Avenue is interesting. There are three doors. The door on the right and left leads to small dining areas each with a bar. The inside is clean and neat. The middle door looks like it's dedicated to walkup and selling slices. The best part is they are open until 2am on Friday and Saturday night. They have a few outdoor tables. The staff is friendly and welcoming. Beer selection was decent. There were 5 choices including Rising Tide's Zephyr. They also had Uinta Hop Notch IPA which we highly recommend. Wine selection was basic.
You can't go wrong with Otto's.

From left to right: 3 cheese Tortellini, Marguerite and the Mashed Potato

View of upper Forrest Ave from the bar

Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 5
Staff: 5
Drinks: 3
Mount Gay rum: No
Food: 4
Parking: 3

Top of the East Lounge

http://www.westinportlandharborview.com/top-of-the-east
We were walking up High Street from the Little Tap House and saw the Top of the East Lounge. We took a quick vote and decided to go check it out. It was a good decision to change plans. When you walk in the front door of the hotel, walk straight to the back and take the elevator to the top floor. Very simple. Everyone we came in contact with were very friendly. We were there on a partly cloudy afternoon. But, the view was amazing. It's such a different perspective on Portland and the surrounding towns. The atmosphere is very comfortable. There are tables and couches. We sat on the couches. Some of the long tables have power outlets which is always handy. When you sit down the staff will bring over what our waitress jokingly call "Westin Crack". It was Carmel popcorn with wasabi peas. It was very addicting.
The wine menu is impressive. Excellent choices from all over the world. Some of the bottles are expensive but the wines by the glass are the same prices you would see anywhere else. The are many specialty drinks like the Pear & Brown Sugar Martini. The beer menu is all Maine beers. Menu consists of choices like Maine Beer Company, Allagash and Atlantic. For food we had the panko crusted goat cheese with crostini and the prosciutto, roasted red pepper and mozzarella panini. All the food was very tasty. The panini was sweet and salty and toasted perfectly.
Service was just okay. It seemed like our wait person had a large area to cover. But she was friendly and helpful. We are planning another trip back. We want to go at night this timer. See you there?

View of the lounge

 

panko crusted goat cheese with crostini

Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 5
Staff:  5
Drinks: 4
Mount Gay rum: Yes
Food: 4
Parking: 4

Portland & Rochester Public House

http://www.118preble.com/
We went to Portland & Rochester for dinner on Saturday night. When you enter the restaurant you come into the bar. The bar is organized, clean and warm. However, they did not have all the usual local beers that we prefer (Bissell, Rising Tide, etc.). Wine selection, by the glass and bottle, were good. The kitchen is visible to the restaurant. Sometimes this means noisy. It was not. There are two semi-private booths on one wall and tables throughout the rest of the restaurant. We had the stuffed artichokes, the brussel sprouts and the deep fried cheese curds for an appetizer. All were cooked well. I would get the cheese curds again for sure.
Dinner was the Cassoulet with seared Duck which was excellent. The Hake with parsley purée, roasted potatoes and beets were good but the fish was a little overcooked and a somewhat small portion. The mushroom risotto was excellent. The burger and fries were excellent. The fries had rosemary on them which gave them a nice earthy taste. The fish and chips was undercooked and we had to send it back to the kitchen. The kitchen quickly responded with the squash soup while they made a new sandwich. These things sometimes happen and they handled it quickly and professionally.
Overall, we were happy with the service, food and drink. Were going back.

Foreground: Cassoulet with seared duck.
Background: Hake with parsley purée, roasted potatoes and beets

Burger and fries

Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 5
Staff:  5
Drinks: 4
Mount Gay rum: Yes
Food: 4
Parking: 3

Ri Ra's

http://www.rira.com/portland/

We are not Irish but you think or WISH we were when you go to Ri Ra's. For those who don't go there often, there is a full restaurant upstairs. We have been there for private parties and dinner in the past. The food and the view are excellent. Check out the Chippers Menu in the bar. Basically, really good, late night bar food.
When you walk in thru front door there is a bar to the left and one to the right. Generally, the room on the right is less busy than the room on the right. Of course, they have Guinness. The only local beer on tap is Allagash. The atmosphere is the quintessential Irish pub. You have to love it. The staff are professional bartenders. The are polite, quick and know what they are doing.

The perfect pour

Guinness advertising

Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 5
Staff:  3
Drinks: 4
Mount Gay rum: Yes
Food: 3
Parking: 3

Central Provisions

http://www.central-provisions.com
Central Provisions was our last stop of the day and a good way to end it. Now there's an upstairs, accessible from Fore Street. This is more of the restaurant with a long sleek bar and tables. And, a downstairs accessible from Wharf Street. The downstairs is more of a bar. We chose the bar...
The downstairs bar smelled new. Like the polyurethane was still wet. Of course the bar wasn't wet but the business has been opened for just a month so it did, literally, smell new.
The staff were warm and friendly. You could tell they like working there because they kept everything spotless. We had already eaten so we just had the bar nuts and an order of croquettes. Honestly, we love the tapas-style menus. They have several tempting menu items like Smoked Carrots. I keep thinking about what they will be like. I must go back... And the Brussels Sprouts with horseradish, pine nuts and pecorino. Good selection of draft beer and wine selection. Cider is also available on tap. In summary, great location, menu and staff. Sounds like a home run.

The downstairs bar

My view of the bar

Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 4
Staff:  5
Drinks: 4
Mount Gay rum: Yes
Food: 5
Parking: 3

Holy Donut

http://www.theholydonut.com
Holy Cow these are good. We have been here before and loved the donut. We cannot resist buying 6 or 12 and bringing them home. And we could not resist again today. The atmosphere is like your typical coffee shop: tables, couches and coffee tables. Very comfortable. Our favorite is the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt and the Maple Glazed. They keep the Cheddar and Bacon donut in a display case on the counter. Its hard to resist them.
The staff is friendly and patient while you negotiate which donuts to buy and which your going to eat now. We are told they do run out occasionally but we were there mid-afternoon and they had plenty and were making more so just go and get some.

The display case

The Donut Queen

Our ratings scale
Atmosphere: 3
Staff:  3
Drinks: alcohol free
Mount Gay rum: n/a
Food: 4
Parking: 1