Downtown Lounge

Most of the five star reviews seem to be pre-lockdown. Clearly something changed, because instead of being self aware and wearing a "hidden bar" aesthetic, the vibe was genuinely apathetic and a bit creepy. Slow service, awkward staff. The drinks were quite good when they arrived but the lighting was so poor I could hardly tell what they looked like. Going to try again in a few months and see if I can redo this review.

This little slice of America should be visited at least once in your lifetime. Johnny is one of those world-class bartenders that sets 'em up right and can steer you in the right direction regarding the finer points of catching a well-earned buzz. Music, decor & atmosphere was splendid when I was there. The restrooms are sublime. If you like clinical, dreary, soulless joints with zombie staff who care more about fingering their phones than rocking steady this might not be the joint for you.

Excellent dive bar with great music and great happy hour specials. Service is attentive and quick. I love the clientele, and the bartenders are always very friendly. The food is decent and affordable. The bathroom is not handicap accessible, but very clean and great toilet paper.

Great little bar, nothing special except the drinks! Stopped in while walking around. Nothing flashy, which I like. Sit down talk to the person next to you and share a drink. Didn’t have any food so can’t comment on that.

Accepts credit cards

I would call this a upscale dive bar because its got all the essence of a dive bar but its not dirty and you can feel safe in it. The only issue I found was the bathroom situation, you open the bathroom door and there are immediately very narrow stairs to the toilet. My friend has MS and had some issues using the facilities. I'm not sure if there is a handicap bathroom or not. Overall the place was comfortable, the bartender was wicked nice and the drinks were delicious!

The food is really good and cheap. Great happy hour place or a great place to get delicious food.

Great dive bar that has the NYC vibe going on.

If you're looking for an upscale, trendy, tapas gastro pub filled with hipsters drinking foo foo cocktails, then this ain't it. This is a local bar filled with local people of diverse backgrounds. Some may call it divey or a "shot and beer" kinda place but if you're looking for a cold beer, good music and meeting interesting people then this is the place to go. They have a small menu of bar food and a lot of interesting memorabilia hanging on the walls. You'll love the portrait of Babe Ruth hanging behind the bar.

Chill & divey ambiance, amazing burger and fries, sensible draft selection and amazing service. If I lived in Portland Maine I'd be a regular. 10/10

I like the Downtown Lounge. It has a nice Bar feel. Good food. I've been many times. On this particular night, I had an old fashion. Had a great orange flavor to it. I go regularly and will continue to go. If you're looking for a drink in the downtown area, check it out.

Honestly one of my favorite spots in all of Portland. If you are looking for trendy, hipster vibes, this is not your place. This is a dive bar with a ton of heart and OG Portland feels that will transport you back in time and remind you of Portland's rich, authentic history. Drinks are cheap, it's usually packed, and everyone is super friendly. All of my friends say that the food is great too, but I haven't tried it. If you're looking for a low-key, no pressure place to hang with old and new friends alike, this is it.

Didn't even know they served food- i'll have to go back to order something and properly assess. It wasn't bad the couple times I went. Kind of a dark dingy place but nothing particularly off-putting about it. Kinda cramped layout. Pretty standard beer and liquor offerings. Decent prices. Seems like a lot of people use it as a hole to go get loaded up before a show across the street.

We stopped by while on vacation and ended up coming every night while we were here. The staff is so welcoming and friendly. They play amazing music all night. Brandon the bartender took care of us every night we stopped in and made us amazing drinks.

While the music is loud rock and roll, and the whole place screams edgy and colorful it is actually one of the safest places I can think of in Portland for a woman. Grant will kick a disrespectful guy out incredibly fast I am told by my female friends. I find it a really good place to catch up with a friend and order some fries. Also nachos ... particularly during happy hour. My strategy is to buy pitchers because they are really cheap! If you buy a pitcher for you and your friend they likely will want to buy one in return ... makes for a fun night. It may seem kinda dark from the outside but you will be happy you spent some time after wandering in if you do.

A lot in Portland has changed over the years, but luckily the DTL has not. With a comfortable, but uncompromising atmosphere the DTL is an establisment in the truest sense of the word. Somehow Norm(the owner) has managed to consistently hire an A+ staff that always makes you feel like a close friend. If you love a dive with a lot of heart the Dtl is your spot. Happy hour is 5-7 and I'd recommend the Big Mac burger

I especially like Downtown Lounge (or DTL as it is referred to by most locals) for Happy Hour. Drink specials, half price apps (good nachos and wings, great fries!). I've been in a couple of times this summer for later, evening food and beverages and been very pleased. Their food selection isn't terribly broad, but what they have is good and they do fun daily/weekly specials. DTL is a great, donwtown staple - one I can rely on. And, sitting in the front window booth, watching the folks of my city - that's one of the best parts!

This is the only bar I've been coming to consistently for nine years, since I was 21. Makes you feel like family every time. Great for new and old friends. Best happy hour 5-7 half price apps. Heather is a perfect baby angel and Norm is the best bar dad you could ever ask for. 10 out of 10.

A diner? On Congress St in Portland? No. Close! but it's just Downtown Lounge. We caught the end if the Celtics playoff win (in OT!) and the bus boy chatted with us (very coherently) about draft picks, salary cap space, personel, and ownership... it was enviable to the point of questioning whether he was the owner filling in for the dishwasher. Regardless... we purchased a pitcher of 21st Amendment via bartender suggestion and found the brew to be exquisite. Though we'd only finished a single drink at previous establishments during the evening, we dripped every drop from the conventional plastic pitcher that was available to finish it off. The most memorable moment was walking into the bathroom. While fastening the metal drop-hook, I stumbled mightly up three stairs to the toilet, dif my business, and walked out. A slight breeze from the poorly-covered 18" window made it feel like I was peeing outdoors, which -- as a man -- felt not only welcome but also wild and enjoyable. Thank you. I cannot possibly bate my breath appropriately to exude my excitement of returning to this establishment.

Found ourselves here before a show at the State theater and it was really great! Food was good, service was incredible (Haley is a rock star) and the location can't be beat. The nachos were delicious and the fried chicken sandwich was outstanding! It's a dive bar atmosphere with great food and service, I'll definitely be back!!

I met some friends here for a drink before heading to dinner. The server was great and the drinks hit the spot. Sure, it's a dive, but that's what it's meant to be, and places like this need to exist. They fill a role. At the table they had Lost Woods Hot Sauce. I'm a big hot sauce fan, so I tried some out just on my finger, and it was incredible! I asked the server about it, and he actually knew enough to talk to me about the people who make it. Very appreciated! I'd absolutely come back here when I need a dive bar in the area. I'd like to check out their food, too.

I can't believe the restaurant's response to our request that a dish be made to our original order. My friend ordered a burger with "just cheese and raw onions." He got one with a full dose of condiments and pickles. He politely asked the waitress to take it back and make it as he ordered it. We heard a lively conversation between her and the cook over what the original check she had given to the kitchen said. She returned with the same burger from which she had scraped the non-ordered items. It still had remnants of all of the unrequested stuff. When my friend noticed this, he brought it to her attention. She then said "I scraped off the burger. The cook says he doesn't want to waste another one." WHAT!!! They refused to make him what he ordered even thought his request was a simple one. At that point, my friend gave it back to her and said he didn't want it and to remove it from our bill. I finished my food, and we requested the check. She had removed the charge for the burger but offered no goodwill gesture like comping him his $2.00 soda. We will never return. Because if a stubborn cook and perhaps a poor relationship between wait staff and kitchen, they have lost 2 customers and gained bad social media reviews.

It was New Year's Eve, so this may have been an off night when I went, but this place is one of the worst bar's I've been in. Why? It's got a dive bar vibe with Ritz Carlton prices. If you have more than 4 people in a group there also isn't enough space to hold a good enough conversation. I am not a native of Portland but was with someone from the city who has lived there for over a decade. We couldn't find the bar because the sign says "DTL" and it certainly does not resemble a lounge (Downtown is also one word, not two). There are so many great places in Portland and this was a major disappointment.

We didn't even get into the bar because they chased us away before we even sit down. We walked passed by the bar and we decided to just go in and check it out but then we didn't even say anything at all. They just told us to go away, they don't want to serve us. No reason! Maybe because of my Thai face? Never have this experience anywhere else but here. It's only our one night in Maine but wow this bar really bring us down.

Been going here for years. Best happy hour in the city, and small enough that it doesn't get filled with tourists. Definitely the place for you if you want drinks and good bar food at a low cost. If you're pleasant, you're treated in kind.

Really only 8 reviews? Why did I only give this place1 star? Let me tell you: We came in on a Thursday night. Had a pitcher and a few entrees. We were well behaved and generally not high maintenance. We had a few rounds of drinks after the pitcher. When we were ready to leave (at about 10 pm) we left a decent tip (about 30%...of a $55 bill, it was not to hard to deal with) and headed on our way. Half our party left the bar and was outside smoking, the rest were collecting our bags the bartender accosted us and asked what the problem was. We were confused and asked what the issue was and he insisted we only tipped 10%. This was an outright lie! I said I was not the bill payer and that I would ask what the problem was. The bar tender got in our faces. We are a mild mannered local group so we were taken aback...he was abrasive and rude. I said "the way you are coming at us is inappropriate" (and yes that is an exact quote) and he then informed us that" I don't care if its inappropriate". wow. that says it all. We were basically chased out for no reason. On our way out another patron mentioned that he had been treated the same way and that he would never be going back... Neither will we and neither should you. I have NEVER been treated this way, and I think it is a disgrace for such a prominent place in Portland to treat their patrons this way. The waitress was awesome and we have no complaints. we left her an appropriate tip and did not expect to be harassed on the way out. There are many more worthy places to spend your money in Portland. Avoid DTL hit up ruskis or mesa verde or amigos or gritty's or a plethora of other places instead.

This may come as a surprise, but this has to be one of the most fun bars in Portland. Really! It's small, a little divey, and doesn't appear to be much, but man, this place can party. For starters, beers are $3.50, and mixed drinks are served in pint glasses, super strong, for $5-7. The bartenders are all super hot and on point, which is of course a nice touch. And I had heard the food is very good, so although I haven't yet eaten here, I plan to return for the hummus platter. Best of all, the music ROCKS. From Skee-Lo's "Wish" to Coolio's "Gansta's Paradise," I had all the 90s rap I could handle. Even sitting in a booth, I couldn't sit still. A born performer, I spent a good 30 minutes rapping everything from Warren G's "Regulate" to "Baby Got Back." FUNN!!! I was sad to leave... my friends pretty much had to drag me out. I will be back.

DTL is my go to drinking spot. Comfortable, cool and uncomplicated. Always have a good time here and the staff is awesome. Great drink options and amazing burgers. Can't go wrong here.

We walked in here without knowing what it was (what's this place called? Eh who cares ) and I'm glad. Divey, cheap, and the bathroom has steps in it (not leading too it- you enter THEN take three steps up to the holy pooping Grail). Actually? Now that I think about it, the bathroom describes the whole place well. Somehow it dresses itself up enough that you don't realize you're looking at a toilet. Maybe that's the art behind a dive bar- the charm comes from, well, how it charms you, and not how it looks. Not everything can or should be pretty, and you can't live a life where you expect that. I'd come back here just for the bathroom, or maybe even with some from away; it's the right level of where am I and who cares. They can find a hundred nice restaurants and picturesque this and that's, but maybe, just maybe- all we really want is that one bar with the funky bathroom.

This is by far the best dive bar in Portland maine - if not all of New England. Not only are the drinks strong and cheap, they even serve Maine Root ginger brew. The service is excellent and Leia (spelling?) is one of the loveliest bartenders I've ever met. The location is great, right in the middle of downtown near the artsy fartsy sector. Cool crowd, open late, very cool decor. Unlike almost every other bar in New England, they have a couple TV's - but I don't recall ever seeing a stupid ball game on either of them. In fact, every time I've been there they had AMC on all the time. And just when it can't get any better, I tried the food and I was simply stunned. It was cheap and I didn't expect much, figured it would be pretty basic pub food. But it was outstanding! Everything I tried was absolutely delicious. I wish the world could be more like the Downtown Lounge.

One of the rudest bartenders I have ever dealt with works at this establishment. I sat down at the bar waited a good five minutes politely and asked for a milldog.. The bartender Hailey responds with "no" slams a drink menu in front of me and abruptly walks away. One of my friends had asked if she could make a green tea shot for us, she responded with "I can, but I don't have time for that." So we just got Jameson instead.. Then we jokingly said to her later it seems like you could use one, but it turns out she had just had a shot.. So maybe her attitude comes out with drinking problem. Anyway, I don't intend to come back to this establishment in the future.

We found this place by accident and couldn't be happier! We asked the guy at the front desk of our hotel for a recommendation on where to eat and that we were looking for pub type food. He sent us to a really upscale, fancy food type of place and as soon as we sat down and looked at the menu, we knew it wasn't for us. As we were getting up to leave, we apologized and explained to the waitress that we were looking for more casual fare and she sent us here. From the minute we walked in, we knew we found a great place. We were greeted right away and told that the was a bit of a wait and we were offered drinks. The wait wasn't very long and we were seated at the bar. The bartender was great, the food was great as are the prices and ambiance. We will definitely be back!

What a great bar - a great dive bar. This place needs to be featured on Triple D on Food Network! The Nachos in the platter are made there. The Buffalo ribs were super. Just enough heat to be interesting but allowing the full flavor of the ribs to shine through. My daughter had the burger and what a burger - hand formed and juicy, nice crust and full of good beef flavor. The beer is cold, the wine is priced right, the service is better than super and it's all about being laid back and enjoying the moment.

I stopped in here with my boyfriend before the Rustic Overtones show. We were just about to leave because there wasn't an empty seat anywhere when the bartender put a drink menu in front of us and asked us what we would like. I appreciate that kind of service so of course we stayed! Once a few barstools opened up and we sat down I had a chance to take the place in. One bartender, one cook, one server. Everything was getting done, no one was stressing, everyone was happy. This place does it right! We had ten dollar premium cocktails and five dollar happy hour appetizers that would have been a bargain at full price! The atmosphere and overall vibe of the place was great. This will from now on be my go to when I'm in the area.

If you're looking for a welcoming, no frills bar in town, look no further. The Downtown Lounge has a laid back and local vibe, with a killer happy hour. Draft beers are $4 on happy hour, and I got the steak tacos ($5 on happy hour) and the nachos ($5 on happy hour). I'm from the Southwest and I was impressed by how good the tacos & nachos were. The people who work there were super friendly and ready to give me local suggestions as well. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in town!

Quaint in size but not in heart and soul. Underground rap spits rhyme above ground while Isaiah Thomas drains threes in the clutch. The cook shouts out draft advice from the depths of the line while you down pitchers on your side of the bar, contemplating this scene, the next bar, the next move... in life. 5 stars

Oh pleaseeeeeee I went there on a date any the first scorpion was fantabulous then it was nothing but a disgrace. We told the bartender the 2nd scorpion tasted like straight up fruit punch and his response was 'There's plenty of alcohol in it, I made it myself. Needless to say, the bartender put extra liquor in our drink after being quite the fucking asshole of the year. Thanks doucher and we probably won't b back

If u want cheap drinks and fun time, this or salvage. No pretentious Portland shit. Be nice to Norm and u got a bar for life. Rancid and bud.

Good bar food, insanely strong drinks, a killer old school jukebox and an angry bartender sweating out the drugs he ingested 36 hours prior. Win.

Hands down the best bar in town. You'll always feel welcome and the food and drinks are phenomenal. The happy hour is one of the best deals in town and as a bonus, it's all day happy hour on Sundays. A perfect way to end the week with some amazing affordable food and drink. Norm and staff are some of the best people and are super friendly. The music is always great and the scorpion bowls are even better.

I'd recommend for your parents or someone who doesn't drink. They wouldn't serve the girl I was with on new years eve, so they wouldn't serve me? What's a dive bar that doesn't serve a third round.

I'll preface this by saying I've worked in restaurants for over 5 years, I've never written a review, and was actually able to exchange money for drinks at this place last night - but I can confidently say I have never seen service staff this unwelcoming and blatantly rude in my entire life, even at "alternative" bars that pride themselves on being punky/edgey. There are too many bad things going on to even list them all but here are a few that really annoyed me. -asked the bartender for green tea shots, she responds "yes but I don't have the time for that". How about just say no next time? -bartender rudely slapped menus down when we tried to order a beer they don't carry. -bartender rudely pressuring us to order drinks while she's down the bar in front of us when none of us were even looking for refills. -bartender reluctantly made shooters for us and gave a very uneven pour with different amounts in all 3 glasses -while the area behind the bar is very small and I realize he needs room to work, the waitress was deplorably rude, telling people to f-off and literally pushing people out of the way that were simply letting others get out of the bar seats to leave! When one gentleman politely commented that this was the first warning he gave him and he didn't have to be so rude about it, the waitress proceeded to tell him to get the f out, refusing to let the calm gentleman attempt to settle the situation reasonably. This is all while another 5-10 people are standing in this same path the waitress demanded be empty. The place was busy before a show and I realize it's just two of them on the floor, but this behavior is so immature, unprofessional, and completely uncalled for. As awesome as the bathrooms are, it's obvious I will never come back.

best dive bar & great food. always changing cast of charachters

Pleasantly dicey atmosphere with good micros on tap, retro tunes and decent pub food

We went here early Saturday evening for something light, having read the menu online. Immediately upon walking through the door, it was clear that we, upbeat and nicely dressed, were not welcome, based upon the sarcastic reception we received from the sickly-looking and heavily tattooed staff. Three grimy patrons sat at the bar, nursing beers and blurting out obscenties. Being the only diners, we had our pick of tables. Upon selecting a booth, we were informed by literally the nastiest waitress I've ever encountered that the dinner specials were half price until 8, which was a good deal because they were regularly only $10. Although no one else was ordering food, our meals somehow took about twenty minutes to be plated. If you enjoy being heckled by your bartender and having your drink coasters literally thrown at you by your waitress, I'd recommend the Lounge. Otherwise, despite the reasonably good food and portion sizes, I'd probably recommend that you go somewhere else.

Was up in Portland last weekend. The girl at the coffee shop said we should go here cuz there was a "hot whore" who worked the bar. She was right, but that's not why this place gets 5 stars. The drink selection was good and the Jameson was poured deep. The menu was brief but the food was cheap and delicious. I had a fried chicken sandwich and it wasn't at all greasy. The fries they have are cut really thin, something i'd never seen before. I love when you're introduced to a new take on fries. Awesome. The biggest bonus... they had BET on the tv and we were all enjoying a screening of Scarface. Oh and FYI for any executives of BET reading this: Scarface has zero black people in it.

Probably only walked in because it was raining, but definitely glad I did. Classic dive bar, and I love dive bars. Everything is reasonably priced. The bill for two, that included two sandwiches, fries, and two large pitchers of some local ale was less than $25. If associating with the local degenerates is something you don't like, then go to TGIF's, but if you like to hang with real people, listen to some bizzare music, and be waited on by tatooed freeks, this is the place for you. I loved it!

I went by Downtown Lounge recently and noticed that the sign no longer claims they have tapas. This should have been done long ago, since - as my last review mentioned - they do not have tapas and I'm not sure they ever did. I have to give them credit for fixing the false advertising. This does seem like a decent bar so check it out.

Ah, the DTL. I have to say, when I'm in the mood to drink on school nights and be a part of a spontaneous, bar-wide dance party to Michael Jackson in the front window, the DTL is where I go. Beers run you under four bucks, mixed drinks come in pint glasses and could take the paint off your house (I mean, if that's your thing), all served by attractive bartenders who can somehow manage to hear your order over the booming music. One of my favorite spots in Portland, surprisingly - definitely worth checking out. But don't spread the word too much, it's a local gem......

If I could give zero stars I would. Norm...the owner was extremely rude and very disrespectful to our party of 4. They weren't busy at all but he couldn't be bothered by us. I would never go back and I urge others to stay away as well. There are so many great bars in Portland to try instead of wasting your time and money at Downtown Lounge. If you want to be insulted and treated poorly then go ahead but if you want a great night out....go elsewhere.

DTL Is one of my favorite spots to hang and have beers. I love the long bar and the red booths. The few beers on tap are always good ones and the half price appetizers can't be beat during happy hour. You would never guess but they make the best nachos and wings. Not to mention the great music playing on the sound system. Punk, Ska and Rock N Roll.

good vibe, friendly server, love the red walls.. I'd give the bathroom a 2 star review but it's a funny experience though :) I love the place. Went there twice last night

Hipster central. Always a scene. Good cheap beer.

Portlands best dive bar...good food, cheap prices and awesome staff!

It's like a real life bar, right in Portland! The staff is good, the drinks are good, and the music is good. If you're looking for something stupid, like local oysters that have been raised in the shadow of a local lobster that only shops at the farmers market, you might want to go someplace a little more pretentious.

Horrible service.... Went there after work looking for a couple beers and some dinner. Sat at the bar and grabbed a beer from the "bartender". When i started my 2nd beer i grab a menu and was looking it over. The "bartender" passed me a few times doing her thing (clearly seeing me looking at the menu) . I set the menu down and wanted to order.... 30 minutes passed as she talked with her friends at the end of the bar...I was never even approached again. It wasn't til i set my card down to pay that she even acknowledged i was there. Awful...

This place is cool. It's conveniently located and they have good tapas. It can get a bit loud. Not the place to go to have an intimate conversation with someone. And they have lost woods hit sauce!! Bonus!!