Ode to Downtown Lounge

There's a lot of reasons that I am happy to live in Portland, Maine.  I even took the tacky dive of putting an "I Love Portland, Maine" bumper sticker on my car.  After a few years of living here, I've slowly learned where I can get the cheapest bloody mary (judgement free) on a Saturday morning, and which places on Commercial St. will still screw up fish and chips. 

The search for the perfect happy hour was the most difficult discovery to make.  I work, like many of my peers, until 5pm.  It baffles me how many happy hours in Portland run from 3-5pm.  If I was working my ideal teaching job, I could probably swing these hours.  Then again, how many of my friends are teachers as well, how much fun would I have nibbling (read as scarfing down) from the free (and absolutely delicious) Corner Room buffet? 

I kind of always knew where the DTL was.  I was going to concerts at the State a lot, and I liked going there for a quick drink(s) beforehand.  I hadn't had any experience with the food, and honestly, based on the appearance inside, I judged it as a place that wouldn't necessarily be anything great.  There's about 6 to 7 booths in the narrow restaurant that can comfortably sit 4 friends, or uncomfortably sit 6.  I'd say that there's about 10 bar stools, which I've never sat on because between the choice of comfy booth or the stool, I mean...right?  The very small kitchen is wedged behind the bar, it didn't look like it could offer much. 

Two of my dearest friends live on State St, and were the first ones to coax me up the hill (on a day I wasn't going to a concert?!) to the DTL for happy hour.  The first convincing difference of the happy hour at DTL is that it runs from 5-7.  Plenty of time to make that transition from work mind to unwind time.  The deals at DTL cannot be beat.  I won't list them here because I'm hoping this post could be the gentle push others need to try it out.  To put it simply, I've never left the Downtown Lounge in a bad mood or with an empty tummy, and this is generally the most money I spend there. 

That price covers three mixed drinks and a full meal.  If you have lived or eaten out in Portland, you know you would be hard pressed to find any other place that offers that low of a bill while still promising that you won't walk out with food poisoning.  

It's probably been about a year since I've started going to the DTL once (sometimes twice) a week.  The waiters and I are beyond the first name basis, I hear about their noisy roommates and they are even open to giving me dating advice (always needed and appreciated).  They know what I want when I sit down, and yet the monotony has not gotten old.  

Save money, go to the Downtown Lounge.  During the winter, the dark lighting is flattering no matter how many layers you have on under your puffy coat, and in the summer the people watching on Congress St. is impossible to beat.  (Watch out for the first two booths during the winter, though, it can be a little drafty.)