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    Papi

    4.4 (115 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Papi Photos

    PAPI ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Papi

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    Reviews With Photos

    Polll Guisado & Pernil
    Sharon L.

    After a few days of eating ourselves silly on seafood, my fiance & I were dying to find something different. We didn't expect to find good Puerto Rican food in Portland, but I'm so glad we found this local gem! Reservations are recommended; they were still packed during the off season. We were lucky enough to snag two seats at the bar during dinner time without a wait. The bartender is super friendly and gave us some excellent food recommendations. We ordered the beef empanadas, pernil, and pollo guisado. Everything was DELICIOUS. The beef empanada filling is hard to beat - this might be one of the best ones I've had yet. We both really enjoyed the pernil & pollo guisado, but the soup was probably my favorite. I'm a soup gal, and this was just a hearty and excellent bowl of soup. Pernil portions were very generous. Definitely a highlight of our trip!

    Pegao- don q gold, guava, coconut sticky rice orgeat, lime, fruit caviar
    Sarah S.

    I've never been to a Puerto Rican restaurant before and I was so excited to try it. This is a tiny restaurant and you have to put your name on the waitlist, even if you want to sit at the bar because of the limited seating. The bartender was amazing and she made some of the best drinks. They have a very inventive menu. We got the shrimp ceviche, the corn, fritters, and the plantains. Everything was so amazing and we would definitely recommend this place.

    Yeimi D.

    As a latina visiting Portland, I searched for Spanish food in the area and this place came up! I was pleasantly surprised and did not expect to eat at a Puerto Rican restaurant. I Gotta say it smelled soo good. Just like my mommas kitchen. The atmosphere was incredible, it was upscale yet cozy. The food was really good too.. The empanadas were very tasty and in also ordered tacos and corn fritters that were delicious as well. Only thing i didnt like is that their rice had an insane amount of olives for the serving size. I counted 18 olives in a small serving. I mean I dont mind olives but not that much. I ordered rice with guandules and I feel I got rice with olives. I honestly had a very good experience here and would definately come back if im ever in the area again.

    Are Colada - vanilla vodka, and rum, but with coconut and pineapple flavors - didn't sound like it would be delicious, but it was
    Greg L.

    Date night at one of our favorite bars - the changing bar menu helps every visit be its own special event. The small tables help keep it from being overcrowded with big groups. The cocktails are unique and delicious rather than unique and weirdest happens at some places. If you want to try something different, this is a great place to start. The small plates were very good, but a bit small for the price.

    Street Tacos
    James H.

    Papi has an appealing and inviting allure to it's bar and dining area. They also have an outside section (small but functional, for sure). We ordered a couple drinks and some small bites to get us through the afternoon walking around the Old Port. The fried plantains were disappointing. Far too thin. It was essentially eating a fried batter with some delicious dipping sauce. I also have to criticize the street tacos a bit -- the ratios were off (too much meat and a lack of sauce for my liking). The taste of the tacos was quite good though. And the prices were fair for the portions of food.

    Cuban sliders on grilled bao buns
    Melissa P.

    What a gem in Portland. A little piece of Puerto Rico has found its way here. The food was fantastic, and the vibes were on point - we walked in and scored great seats by the window bar. The lighting is low and sultry, with Latin music setting the mood. The staff truly works as a team, and the owner is charismatic--he even came out to greet guests. We'll definitely be back.

    Emily B.

    What an unexpected delight. And by unexpected, I mean I didn't have expectations. It's been a hot minute since I've partaken in the downtown culinary scene, but Papi might have the best cocktail menu in Portland. It's short, but every single one hit the mark. Add that to the pork tacos, sauce plate, fried plantains, and empanadas, and it's the best dining experience I've had in a while. And our server was personable and funny without being intrusive. Highly recommend!

    Outdoor seating
    Tyra P.

    I love coming to Papi when the weather is nice to grab a cocktail and hangout. They have really great small Puerto Rican bites. Piña Colada: the best nugget ice, refreshing Boriken Gold: delicious coco cold foam on top, sweeter cocktail

    Amaury J.

    Ayyyyy Papi! Not gonna lie -- when I first heard a Puerto Rican bar was opening in Portland and that it was named Papi, I rolled my eyes so hard. I assumed it was going to be another one of those "Latin-inspired" spots that leans heavy on the branding without any of the actual culture or heart. So I ignored it. For months. Wouldn't even consider stepping inside. Yeah... I was wrong. I don't even remember what made me finally go, but I do know I've been back close to a dozen times since. Friends nights, date nights, rainy days, hot summer afternoons, and every single visit has been incredible. The first time I walked into Papi, I literally sighed out loud. As a Cuban living in Maine, I don't often walk into places that feel like home -- that remind me of my childhood, my family, my roots. But Papi did. From the prints on the wall to the smells coming from the kitchen to the drinks on the menu -- guava, guanábana, mango, Malta, Goya cans stacked like back home -- it felt like someone got it. It was honestly a liiiiittle emotional. And I have to shout out Lyanna, the head mixologist. Watching her command the bar while having real conversations with guests is just insane -- she'll be deep in making ten cocktails at once and still make you feel like you're the only person there. She's gotten so much well-deserved recognition recently, and still manages to stay humble and always present. It's always like catching up with a friend. Not, onto the drinks. Papi is doing things that no one else in Portland is doing -- both in flavor and presentation. These are cocktails you remember. And at $14-$16 each, they're priced the same as other bars around here, while (in my opinion) being a top player when it comes to creativity and ingredients. My all-time favorite is the Boriken Gold; guava, gold rum, lime, queso and coconut foam. I don't even have the words. It's magic in a glass (and comes with this edible glitter that makes for quite a pretty drink!). We mostly go for the cocktails, but we've had their food too. The tostones are my personal favorite. Always perfectly crispy, garlicky, salty, and way too addicting. Papi, I didn't believe in you at first, but now I just hope you stick around para siempre.

    Plantain chips
    Jennifer O.

    I had the pleasure of visiting Papi on Valentine's Day and we were very pleased. They were entirely booked & somehow they were able to squeeze us in which I appreciated it. The vibes were on point they had Bad Bunny playing which was a super plus. The people were friendly and the food was good. The plantain chips were good but the tostones too tier. Had the right amount of garlic. The pork was really good & the pollo guisado was too. I had a caribeño drink which was really good too. If you're in Portland I would recommend.

    Crystal C.

    What a vibe here! As soon as we entered, it was like we went through a portal and traveled to Puerto Rico. The hostess and waitress were filled with positive energy. They were inviting, made you feel like you were family they were happy to see, and offered helpful suggestions while you navigated the menu. We settled on the tostones al ajillo (fried plantains), street tacos, beef empanadas, and rum cake for dessert. The beef empanada filling was different than any others I've had. I'd dare to describe them closer to the consistency of a sloppy joe. They were good, but saucier than expected. The fried plantains were HUGE and the garlic was prominent (yay!). I could eat just about anything dipped in that sauce. The street tacos were my favorite, hands down. The pork was AMAZING- so tender, juicy, and flavorful... a must get! The rum cake was a perfect ending to this meal. The pineapple compote and the coconut ice cream played perfectly off of each other. Loved our time at Papi and can't wait to return!

    Cocoa colada
    Ellen B.

    Came to Papi for first time and mixed reviews. Cute, little space with limited table seating but a big bar to sit at. The drink menu was impressive with some interesting cocktails. I had the cafe colada which was delicious. As far as dinner, I was disappointed in my meal. I had the short rib over yucca mash and corn salsa. Very nice presentation with a 3" square of short rib, but once I started breaking it up to eat, found that about half of it was pure fat and gristle. I salvaged what little actual meat there was and ate the sides. Fortunately this was our second stop of the evening so I wasn't starving, but would have been but for that fact. When you are paying $30 for an entree, you expect to be able to eat more than half your protein. Flavors were very good, but not one of the more memorable short ribs I've had. Server was friendly and helpful with the menu. Not sure I will be back to try again.

    Robert H.

    A stellar dinner out at this Puerto Rican restaurant in Old Town. The vibe is electric - very cool bar and lighting, tin ceiling tiles, photos of prominent Puerto Ricans along the back wall, and fun regional music loud and proud. The food was superb. We loved the empanadas, the sorullo, the street tacos, the tostones, and the main plates. Papi can be a family/tapas kind of experience. The desert was a lot of fun - guava and cheese empanadas with powdered sugar, anyone? My cocktails were very good as well, really liked the Burden in My Hand and the Grito de Lares. My wife enjoyed Goodfire beer on tap. Our server was incredibly helpful. The kitchen is fast so it is easy to order as you go. Honestly this is one of the most fun restaurants I have experienced in the last few years. Highly recommended even with all the other great spots in Portland. We'll be back!!!! :)

    laser cut ice cream- nice touch

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    5 months ago

    Had such a great time here! Food tasted great, service was fast and the team was so amazing and welcoming!

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    Ask the Community - Papi

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    4.2(90 reviews)
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    My wife and I popped in here at the recommendation of a local bartender for some cocktails after…read moredinner elsewhere. We didn't really look it up before hand and I think we were expecting more of like a dive bar and couldn't have been more wrong. As soon as we walked in the door, we were really digging the decor and overall layout of the place. We were seated right away at the bar and got a couple drinks pretty quickly. The bartender was a younger guy and super friendly. He was very approachable and was really knowledgeable about the gluten free experience (my wife has celiac), which got us excited to come back another day for dinner. My wife got the Short Story Long, which had a really interesting, herbal/vegetal flavor that she really enjoyed overall. I got the Pulp Fiction, which was a flavor bomb all the way with the hint of rye flavor but also a hint of fruit and other layers that was just really fantastic. We will absolutely come back here with the kids for dinner some night!

    Aurgh. Such a nice and sexy vibe inside, but the food was so horrible. They need to retrain the…read morekitchen. Crab and lobster Rangoon- so dry and stringy. Lobster dumplings- the wrapper was so thick! It was thicker than a momo. The lobster inside was over cooked. Baby corn - they said fried and tossed in a sauce, but it felt more like it was steamed. No wok char at all. The strawberry drink was so tart and the whiskey drink was super sour. Food would have been 1 star, but our server noticed our uneaten dishes when we asked for the bill he comped some of them, This place has such great potential, but it is definitely NOT authentic Chinese food. I mean...they served duck sauce at every table....but no duck on the menu?

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    Decor in the back room

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    Seating area

    Papi - cocktailbars - Updated September 2026

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