Restaurant Review: The Porthole, Portland, ME

This past week, I had the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful summer evening with a co-worker who was in from out of state and wanted to see Portland.  After walking around the wharfs a bit, we decided to stop in at The Porthole for dinner.

I have seen The Porthole in Diners, Drive-ins and Dives episodes in the past, and knew the old ownership had made quite a name for it.  However, the restaurant fell into a sad state and was eventually closed. It was not closed for long, and the new owners have reopened the place in 2013 for business. I, for one, am happy they did!

As we approached, we could hear some incredibly good live music from the deck.  (Clue #1 this was a good choice!) Lyle Divinsky has a regular Thursday night spot at The Porthole which he commandingly fills with some of the best live music I’ve heard in a very long time!  Not only is he a talented musician, but he is also a great entertainer with a one-of-a-kind smile that you will not forget!

We proceeded to get an umbrella-covered picnic table on the deck and were promptly given menus and our drink order was taken. The staff were all incredibly friendly and well-versed in the menu.  They were also very skilled at getting the guests to interact with each other with food recommendations!  My friend and I ordered crab cakes to start, fish tacos and a fish sandwich with onion rings.

Clue #2 that this was a good choice was when the crab cake came out. These crab-filled wonders looked like extremely appetizing and were delicious!

Clue #3: The fish tacos came highly recommended by our server, and my friend was not disappointed at all!  Being from a region of the country where fish tacos are a norm, she said these were even better than many other places she had tried over the years.  My onion rings were also outstanding!

Besides the food, the ambiance of the place just screamed Portland!  From the excellent live music, to the well-deserved Foodie vibe, to sitting outdoors on a beautiful summer evening just inches away from the water, the new owner of The Porthole has done a great job of resurrecting this Portland icon and making it a destination for those who live here or are just visit during the summer!