Old San Juan meets Old Port in this exuberant ode to Puerto Rican culture conjured up by The Miranda Group, a small local hospitality business known for unapologetically glam-yet-authentic bar/restaurants. Push past the facade’s 132-year-old mahogany double doors brought in from Puerto Rico, soak up the blasts of salsa and merengue, and snag a seat—most ideally at the intricately tiled bar surrounded by distressed walls. Waste no time digging into plates of cheluta (thick and pliant pork chops laced with tangy chimmichurri) and arroz con gandules (fragrant rice and pigeon peas).

Papi is a welcome respite from all the lobster and tourist knick-knacks in the Old Port in the form of Puerto Rican tostones and empanadas. As soon as you walk past the 19th-century wood-and-wrought-iron doors (which they imported from Old San Juan), you’ll hear the reggaeton pumping—the perfect background for a fun dinner at the bar. Enjoy classics like pernil, which is so marinated and so slow roasted that the pork shoulder barely stays on your fork, or the perfectly snackable sorullo: sweet corn fritters filled with cheese that you won’t be able to stop popping.

Meanwhile, playful Thai fried chicken at Crispy Gai, cocktails with Puerto Rican flare at Papi, and Vietnamese fare at Cong Tu Bot prove the city’s got range. Twelve is perhaps the most ambitious fine dining restaurant in the city at the moment, serving a seasonal prix-fixe menu crafted by Eleven Madison Park alum Colin Wyatt.

It’s hard to believe that this Puerto Rican restaurant only opened in early 2023 as it’s already such a beloved part of Portland’s culinary family. Fitting, too, considering that the offerings draw from the childhoods of founder and executive chef Ronnie Medlock and beverage director LyAnna Sanabria, who grew up in Puerto Rican families in New England, with Medlock often traveling to the island. Start with small bites of beef empanadas and tostones tossed in garlic sauce before traipsing to larger offerings of slow-roasted pork shoulder with rice and pigeon peas, plus traditional beef stew and more.

Its “diasporican” concept is like nothing else in Maine — from owner LyAnna Sanabria’s clever cocktails (scotch, coconut water and tea-infused simple syrup? A revelation.) to chef Ronnie Medlock’s menu of updated nostalgic dishes. And then there’s the décor, which reads as equal parts rum bar and Beaux Arts salon, with a chunky (and controversial), carved-wood front door, serpentine bar and an ambient tropical vibe that persists even when the weather outside is anything but sunny.

Papi’s opened in 2023 and is a fabulous addition to the Portland food scene. We ordered a tableful of small plates on our first visit, and every bite hit the mark. Between the vibrant atmosphere, inventive drinks, and nicely seasoned dishes, Papi has already earned a permanent place on our “can’t‑wait‑to‑return” list.

Hours: Friday-Saturday 4pm-midnight | Sunday-Monday 4pm-10pm | Closed Tuesday | Wednesday-Thursday 4pm-11pm. In March 2023, the Old Port in Portland, Maine got a beautiful new bar called Papi. After visiting Puerto Rico recently, I can easily say it was like stepping into one of Old San Juan’s famed bars.

Consider these places with parklet permits this year: Honey Paw/Eventide and Duckfat on Middle Street; Rosie’s, Mami and Dock Fore on Fore Street; Cheese Louise and Hunt & Alpine on Market Street; and High Roller Lobster Co. and Papi on Exchange Street. Makes for a lively street scene.

This Puerto Rican restaurant in the heart of the Old Port is worth a visit for the drinks alone. “I would say they are cocktail first, food second,” says Wyatt. “That’s not to say they don’t have a great food program as well, they do.

- Rating: 4.3/5 (63 reviews)- Price level: $$- Address: 18 Exchange St. Portland, Maine - Categories: Cocktail Bars, Puerto Rican- Read more on Yelp