beer on tap at dive bar in portland maine Apparently, I’m of an age where I didn’t realize that going to dive bars was now trendy—so I shifted into hard-core research mode (aka: asked my daughter for first-hand, insider info) to bring the divey deets from the streets to you.

And, WOW…there was a lot of ground to cover. Who knew Portland’s grittier side could be so plentiful—and popular?

Yes, there’s always talk that this sort of popularity will inevitably bring on the dreaded seep of gentrification—which would truly be a shame because most folks seem to love these murky little havens of beery bliss just the way they are.

Map Of Portland Dive Bars

The map below shows the locations of every bar mentioned in this post:

Tomaso’s Canteen

IMHO, this spot is on the upper end of divey, if only because they have a website (well, a webpage, actually) and a menu on offer. But the extent of said menu is 14 items in its entirety, and nowhere can you find the words “locally-sourced,” “aesthetic,” “fresh,” or “craft”—although, after further creeping, I’ve determined that they do serve house-made sausage. The service is friendly, the bar is fully stocked, and the vibe is the embodiment of an honest-to-goodness, corner dive bar.

Location: 18 Hampshire St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: Tomaso’s Canteen

CBG

CBG (or Congress Bar and Grill) recently underwent a facelift—although the new owners seemed hypersensitive to how important it was for CBG to retain as much of its dive bar status as possible. And for the most part, public opinion seems to have embraced the little changes. Another establishment deemed not-as-divey-as-some by moi, CBG has a small (but slightly elevated from basic dive food fare) menu, including appetizers that actually have vegetables in them.

Location: 617 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: CBG

Ruski’s Tavern

Ruski’s is one of the places that kept popping up in my research—always a good sign. And while undeniably a dive bar, Ruski’s also has a simple menu—and is open for breakfast, something that seems highly unusual for establishments such as these (one reviewer raved about their Crab Cake Eggs Benedict, saying it was best she’d ever had).

Location: 212 Danforth St, Portland, ME 04102

Website: Ruski’s Tavern

Maps

This basement bar has all the hallmarks of a real dive bar: low-key web presence, blurry photos, and happy customers. But Maps is a dive bar with a few twists—like, they do cakes. I know—weird, right? But seeing as cake is my favorite food group, that fact alone has pushed them up to the top of my must-try list. Fans also rave about the grilled cheese at Maps…and they also love that Maps doesn’t rely on a streaming service for music; strictly old-school turntable and vinyl here.

Location: 64A Market St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: Maps

Samuel’s Bar and Grill

Here’s another spot that can look sketchy from the outside (although, who am I kidding—most of them do) but oozes welcoming camaraderie as soon as you walk in the door. Samuel’s has been described by happy customers as “a diamond in the rough,” and their menu is more extensive than most places reviewed here. Locals Sam and Robbie Minervino have been keeping it real since 1988—an unchanging anchor of dive bar unpretentiousness amidst the ever-changing Portland bar scene.

Location: 1160 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103

Website: Samuel’s Bar and Grill

Spring Point Tavern

This South Portland bar has review after review from folks touting the friendly staff, strong drinks, and handy proximity to the beach. Their affordable pub menu and in-house entertainment (pool table, giant Jenga, arcade games, dartboard, music) are also a big draw for locals, college students, and tourists alike—a dive bar for all.

Location: 175 Benjamin W Pickett St, South Portland, ME 04106

Website: Spring Point Tavern

Howie’s Pub

Touted by Condé Nast as one of Portland’s best dive bars, Howie’s changed hands a few years ago—but the younger new owners made very few changes to the place, having been long-time happy patrons themselves. Their webpage trumpets the fact that Howie’s has THE COLDEST BEER IN PORTLAND!!!…and little else, which was probably quite intentional (I couldn’t help but wonder—how can they know that?).

Location: 501 Washington Ave, Portland, ME 04103

Website: Howie’s Pub

Munjoy Hill Tavern

Staking claim to being the “only tavern on the Hill,” MHT is fond of providing creative fun (music bingo, trivia nights, live music) and strong, affordable libations to their faithful following, and anyone else who wanders through their doors on any given night. Taverny food, happy hour, Jell-O shots, low ceilings, and dim lighting—what more could you ask for in a dive bar?

Location: 189 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: Munjoy Hill Tavern

Commercial Street Pub

Another establishment that locals refer to by its initials, CSP is a sports-centric dive bar—the perfect spot to get a cheap drink, piles of mouthwatering carby-salty-cheesy pub food, and a spot at the bar to watch whatever game you’re interested in. One reviewer calls CSP a “place where white and blue collars drink together,” and another gushed it is always “low key, comfortable, and fun.”

Location: 129 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: Commercial Street Pub

Forest Gardens

You just might be a dive bar when…you accept cash only and have absolutely no web presence. Subscribing to the “we don’t need no stinkin’ web page” school of thought doesn’t seem to harm their cred, though; word of mouth is the name of the game with Forest Gardens. This is another spot that kept cropping up when I asked those in the know, and was told that this local favorite was also purchased by “young whippersnappers” recently; Forest Gardens has so far avoided any “facelifts,” much to the relief of those that love it just the way it’s always been.

Location: 371 Forest Ave # 1, Portland, ME 04101

Website: None – just stop in.

Dock Fore

Dock Fore is another sportsy watering hole, offering a terse menu of pizza and a few other items, with cheap beer and a friendly atmosphere since 1980. Although far more enjoyable in warmer weather, Dock Fore has outdoor seating available no matter what time of year—a great spot for people-watching while enjoying a cold draft (brrrr—only in Maine).

Location: 336 Fore St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: Dock Fore

Bubba’s Sulky Lounge

Named America’s 7th-best dive bar by Portland’s WJBQ, Bubba’s has also been voted as the area’s #1 dance club, which is quite the accomplishment, seeing as those two crowns seem to be a bit…conflicted. Reigning as the “mayor of Portland Street” for more than 47 years, Robert “Bubba” Larkin has perfected the art of infusing his life’s passions (kitchy clutter, lunchboxes, quirky antiques ) with a gritty-glam 70s and 80s vibe. And if you go on a Friday night, be sure to wear your legwarmers or rainbow suspenders—your retro garb will get the $5 cover charge waived.

Location: 92 Portland St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: Bubba’s Sulky Lounge

The Snug

Go to The Snug’s website and you’ll be greeted with a rotating welcome banner, announcing such sentiments as “An Irish-ish Pub,” “Orgasmically Powerful,” and “Not for the Squeamish.” Supposedly called “the best bar ever” by someone called “W. Disney” (hey, who knows—it could have been him, right?), The Snug allows you to bring your own food, an astoundingly simple yet revolutionary idea that should be far more utilized, says I.

Location: 223 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: The Snug

Downtown Lounge (DTL)

Self-described as the oldest neighborhood bar and grill in Portland, DTL has a loyal following of customers of all ages. With a grungy, lived-in look and a surprisingly good bar food menu, DTL offers a daily happy hour and restrooms that look like the Sex Pistols were invited in to do the decorating.

Location: 606 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: Downtown Lounge

Old Port Tavern

Located in the historic Mariner’s Church Building, OPT (enough with these initials, already, folks) is a respectable restaurant in a dive bar’s clothing and an irrefutable local favorite. And while their prices may rise with the seasonal temperatures (thanks, tourists), fans keep coming back for the drinks, food, billiards, and awful karaoke.

Location: 11 Moulton St, Portland, ME 04101

Website: Old Port Tavern and Billiards

And, while not specifically dive bars, per se, I had to throw in a couple of nods to places that just seem to fit in here. One of my favorite spots to bring visitors to this fine city—even if just for the novelty of it all—is Lincoln’s. You have to know how to find it—it’s a speakeasy—and I’m not going to spoil all the fun and give away any hints. But all the drinks are $5 (get it?), and the atmosphere is divey enough for me to include here.

Geno’s Rock Club is technically a music venue, but one look at the façade of this place tells all; with its poster-covered windows and blocky brick ugliness, there’s no way you’d be fooled into thinking it was anything but a dive bar—with loud (lots of punk and death metal) music. But patrons swear by the welcoming staff, affordable-but-strong drinks, come-as-you-are mojo, and earplug-worthy live shows.

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