May 2014

By Claire Z. Cramer

It’s getting late. You’ve just emerged from a paranoid dystopian thriller at the Nickelodeon, or Anna Lombard’s set at One Longfellow Square. You’re hungry.

You’re In Luck

“We call it ‘reverse’ Happy Hour,” says Andre Gennetti at Boone’s on Commercial Street. “From 9 till 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday nights, and 10 to midnight Friday and Saturday, we serve our bar menu for half price and $3 off wine and beer, with special cocktail prices.” In no time, you find yourself on a barstool in Boone’s upstairs Oyster Room, gazing out over a row of premium single-malt and vodka bottles into the inky harbor, sipping a $5 glass of Fess Parker pinot noir with plates of Kung Pao chicken skewers ($5.50) and pork-and-oyster meatballs ($3.50) set before you. 86 Commercial St. boonesfishhouse.com

Roam the Cobblestones

Maybe you’ve been dancing the night away at Bubba’s or Styxx and now you’re starved. How about a locally sourced and pedigreed, utterly divine hotdog? Blue Rooster, the diminutive but decadent sandwich shop on Dana Street, has the gourmet bargain. A Junkyard Dog–bacon-wrapped, chili-slathered, and topped with house-made tater tots–is just $5.

“We’re open until 2 every night but Sunday,” says Randy Cruse. “People get hungry late. It can get crowded after the bars close at one. We kind of clear the counters so stuff doesn’t get knocked off; it’s a good time. There have been situations, but the patrons are helpful if someone needs to be escorted out. We’ve only called the cops once.” Not bad for more than a year of late nights after the bars turn out the lights. 5 Dana St. blueroosterfoodcompany.com

Don’t forget Gritty’s–the burnished, beloved pub has been here for Portland for 25 years. “We’re open till 1 a.m., and the kitchen serves till 11 on Fridays and Saturdays,” says bartender Abby Neill. Between the hours of 9 and 11 p.m., “some people need to get a base” if they’re planning an evening with pints of Black Fly Stout. A Gritty’s Meatloaf Sandwich on a toasted pretzel bun ($10.99) can be just the thing. 396 Fore St. grittys.com

Buck’s Naked BBQ serves up big game until 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday nights. A Big Buck Combo plate pile-up of brisket, pulled pork, sausage, and pit chicken is $17.99. If this sounds overwhelming, catfish fingers with ancho mayo ($8.99) might be a little daintier with your mojito. 50 Wharf St. bucksnaked-bbq.com

Settle In

Have an all-American pub dinner and a cold pint of Lake Trout stout brewed with the clear waters of Sebago Lake at Sebago Brewing Co.’s spacious storefront on the ground floor of the Hampton Inn until 1 a.m. Sebago excels with classics like beer-battered fish and chips. “We do a late-night happy hour with $6 apps and $6.99 burgers from 10 to 1 a.m. and a dollar off draft beers–it’s pretty popular,” says manager Ben Ellis. Sounds like good food for watching sports. “Oh yeah. Last night we had all seven TVs on the Red Sox. They won.” When the mood strikes, the most expensive thing on the menu is the New York strip steak at $23.99. Twelve ounces of Angus with blue cheese butter just might answer the call of the wild when the Yankees come to Fenway. 211 Fore St. sebagobrewing.com

If you’d rather skip the game, the North Point at 35 Silver Street has a good selection of wine by the glass to enjoy with a cheese plate or sandwiches like the Havana Cubano ($13) until midnight on weekends (and 10 p.m. during the week). northpointportland.com

Congress Street After the Show

The curtain just dropped on Portland Symphony’s presentation of Don Quixote and you want a spot for drinks and spicy, salty snacks in which to talk it over. It’s a possible dream–just turn west on Congress Street and discover a great white way of late-night snacks. Nosh is known for its hopping bar, towering burgers, and spiced-up, much-in-demand fries made from Lewiston-grown potatoes–dip the sea salt and vinegar version ($6) into exotic condiments from chipotle mayo to Thai peanut sauce. Eat and drink seven nights a week until 12:45 a.m. 551 Congress St. noshkitchenbar.com

Across the street at 548 Congress Street, Taco Escobarr is serving $5 wings or nachos from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. every night. On Monday nights, you can have your tarot cards read while you sip your margarita. A stone’s throw farther toward Congress Square, there’s Otto’s flagship pizza parlor at 576. The people who somehow taught us to love butternut squash and ricotta on our pizza keep the sit-down cafe open till 1 a.m. on weekends, and the slice shop until 2 a.m.

Head farther west across High Street and discover Kushiya Benkay at 653 Congress. The Old Port’s old-favorite sushi pioneers, Benkay, opened this Japanese pub-style restaurant in the space that has held restaurants celebrating many ethnicities over the years. It’s headquarters for grilled meats and seafood on skewers–including chicken livers, smelts, and baby octopus. Kushiya keeps grilling until 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, which is handy after a show at the State, One Longfellow, or Blue–or after extra innings at Hadlock Field–when you’re craving all things spicy, grilled, and exotic with sake. You can’t miss the Rock and Roll Benkay/$2 Skewers till 2 a.m. sign outside.