Whether the first day of a long-planned holiday or the end of a long week of work, finding great happy hour places is a fun way to drink, mingle, and relax. Happy hour is a ritual that friends and neighbors, visitors and vacationers, enjoy year round, and summertime can be especially inviting. Sitting on a patio overlooking the harbor, a lakeside veranda up in the mountains, a quaint street side café, or hanging at your favorite local, Maine offers some of the best happy hour spots in the country. The following short list will not disappoint. They are some of the best happy hour places to visit in your travels through Vacationland!
Old Port Sea Grill
Rambles through the historic Old Port would not be complete without dropping by for happy hour at the Old Port Sea Grill at 93 Commercial Street in Portland. And happy hours it is—all three of them—every day of the week from 3 to 6 p.m. The Old Port Sea Grill offers happy hour specials and the 250-gallon saltwater fish tank will leave you mesmerized as you quaff your favorite craft beer or sip a delicious red wine. Noted for having the most diverse raw bar in the city, oysters are at a discount during happy hour, too. Local craft beers on draft, extensive cocktails to choose from, and a lengthy wine list tailored to pair with some of your favorite seafood—the Old Port Sea Grill is well worth a visit.
Enoteca Athena
You can’t go wrong with Enoteca Athena’s commitment to happy hour. The restaurant, located in the heart of Brunswick at 97 Maine Street, is open Monday thru Saturday, from late afternoon thru early evening. Those wishing to start the evening with a Negroni, glass or two of wine, or craft beer will delight in discovering Enoteca Athena. Like to snack through happy hour? Or have a full dinner? Enoteca Athena offers inexpensive, rustic foods similar to what you may find wandering through the streets of Greek or Italian towns, villages, and cities. Selections feature an array of food to pair with whatever you may be indulging. The food is locally sourced and sustainably harvested or raised.
Natalie’s
In a word—ambience—if that’s what you’re seeking for a happy hour experience then you’ll find it at Natalie’s at the Camden Harbour Inn. Expertly crafted cocktails await you at the bar and a wine list with over 200 selections of some of the finest wines from around the globe. Natalie’s wines list received the coveted Wine Spectator Award for selections. Well known for its world-class culinary experience, the bar menu offers an array of appetizers, entrees, and dessert to pair with any wine or wine recommendations from one of Natalie’s sommeliers. Overlooking the harbor, visit Natalie’s at 83 Bay View Street in Camden.
Ondine Oyster + Wine Bar
At Ondine Oyster + Wine Bar in Belfast, Maine, social hour begins promptly at 4 p.m. daily and continues until 6 p.m. In between, you can enjoy an abundant selection of wines from around the world and a variety of house cocktails to start your evening of reverie or to unwind after a long day on the job. Whether small plates or full dinner, the menu of delicious farm to table offerings is a result of relationships cultivated between the restaurant and local farmers, ranchers, fisherman, and foragers. Ondine’s is located at 108 Main Street, a short distance from Belfast’s historic waterfront.
Nina June’s
A happy hour at Nina June’s Mediterranean style trattoria will be a memorable one. You’ll find Nina June’s in Rockport across from the Rockport Marine Park at 24 Central Street. Amble on out on the porch, choose from a great wine list, cocktails, or craft beer and sit a spell to enjoy the view of the harbor and Penobscot Bay beyond. Nina June’s is open Tuesday–Saturday, 5:30–9:00 p.m., and offers small plates to pair with your drinks or a leisurely full-service dinner if you’re so inclined. Considering the view, you just might be.
Ada’s Kitchen
Raise your glass at Ada’s Kitchen in Rockland and Salute, cento di questi giorni! May you have a hundred of these days! Ease on into the comfy confines of their lounge to discover an assortment of Italian cocktail classics, a fun run of exotic drinks, bubbly, whites, and reds for wine lovers, and tasty artisan beers that will have you wondering why you’ve never visited there before. Ada’s popular happy hour happens Monday thru Friday from 5-6 p.m. Small plates to accompany happy hour drinks or full dinner after, Ada’s offers affordable, authentic Italian food, which includes handmade pasta made from the finest local and imported Italian ingredients.