New Hampshire
Best Bars in Portsmouth, NH, for Every Kind of Night Out
An unforgettable evening doesn’t get easier than this: Smell the ocean air, explore downtown, and stop into one of the best bars in Portsmouth, NH.
By Cathryn McCann|Mar 10 2020|
Downtown | Best Bars in Portsmouth, NH
Credit: Aimee TuckerBest Bars in Portsmouth, NH
FAT BELLY’S | LIVELY SCENE
If you’ve got your dancing pants on, head to Fat Belly’s: In the upstairs cocktail lounge (home to New Hampshire’s first “ice bar”), a DJ keeps things hopping Thursday through Saturday nights. On the main floor downstairs, you can enjoy a drink at the second, smaller bar or dig into some of the best comfort food in the city.
Best Bars in Portsmouth for Every Kind of Night Out | Fat Belly’s
Credit: Eric GendronCredit: Eric Gendron
THE PORTSMOUTH BREWERY | ALL-IN-ONE STOP
Founded in 1991, the Portsmouth Brewery has grown to become a downtown staple — the kind of place that can accommodate any type of night out on the town. There’s the brewery, where many of the on-tap beers are created (take a look through the glass to see where all the magic happens). There’s the Jimmy LaPanza Lounge, a more intimate basement space that’s ideal for happy hours, game nights, and live entertainment. Rounding things out: a beer garden, a main dining room, an upstairs bar, a “sky bar,” and a “fish bowl” (the best place for people-watching).BRGR BAR | BURGER JOINT WITH A TWIST
A tough day might well call for an adult milkshake, which is exactly what Brgr Bar serves up — in addition to some really tasty food. Choose one of the signature burgers or build your own with fresh, local ingredients, and then go ahead and pair it with one of those aforementioned shakes (think bourbon and maple syrup, crushed Oreos and espresso vodka, spiced rum and coffee brandy). Beer, wine, liquor, cocktails, and nonalcoholic drinks are also available.
Brgr Bar | Best Bars in Portsmouth, NH
Credit: Courtesy of Brgr BarCredit: Courtesy of Brgr Bar
D STREET TAVERN | DIVE BAR
Casual and unassuming, Daniel Street Tavern — more commonly known as D Street — is the place to go for affordable drinks and good fun, whether it’s a game of pool or a round of karaoke. Catch the game on the TVs or some live music in this bar, and you’ll leave feeling like a local.CAVA TAPAS & WINE BAR | WINE BAR
There’s actually a pair of wine bars here — a street-level option and a “wine cave” — both with a selection of 50-plus international wines poured by the glass. The vino selections pair nicely with Cava’s extensive selection of tapas: Choose your own or opt for the chef’s choice of tapas for the whole table. In the summertime, you can enjoy your meal and drinks outside next to Cava’s striking “vertical garden.”
Best Bars in Portsmouth, NH | Cava Tapas & Wine Bar Patio
Credit: Courtesy of Cava Tapas & Wine BarCredit: Courtesy of Cava Tapas & Wine Bar
THIRSTY MOOSE TAPHOUSE | SPORTS BAR
For sports and a wide selection of beer (we’re talking 116 tap lines) in a casual, lively atmosphere, the Thirsty Moose is the place to go. Catch the game and indulge in some American-bar-and-grill cuisine upstairs, or head downstairs for some live music in a cozier setting.EARTH EAGLE BREWINGS | BREWPUB
Started as a nanobrewery in 2013, Earth Eagle Brewings has grown into a full (and very popular) brewery/gastropub. It features an always-changing selection of its own brews on tap, plus some guest beers, cocktails, wine, and nonalcoholic beverages to accompany an array of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, bowls, and sweets.
Earth Eagle Brewery | Best Bars in Portsmouth, NH
Credit: Courtesy of Earth Eagle Brewings
Best wine bar in Portsmouth: Black Trumpet; Best Bar / cocktails: The Wilder
Great content for the article and things to do in Portsmouth sounds so exciting.
An insider’s tip: Tuesdays on the Terrace at Strawbery Banke museum. 5-7 pm Tuesdays July 9 thru Aug 26. Live acoustic music. Wine beer light meals, with a backdrop of the 10 acre campus of Strawbery Banke living history museum in downtown. Just $5 admission. Uniquely Portsmouth.