Good Times At Great Lost Bear; Grill Room

Emma Bouthillette of The Portland Press Herald stops in at one of her favorite watering holes, The Great Lost Bear in Portland, "for a happy hour with colleagues that turned into hours for one of those Thursday nights," including a raffle with prizes like Snuggies and a giant jar of pickles. With 69 taps, the specialty of the house is beer, but that's not all.

It's created an interesting drink menu to keep non-beer drinkers coming back for more. One of my favorites was the "Laspberry Rime Lickey." It's your traditional Raspberry Lime Rickey, but for adults only, and named as such because that's how you'll be saying it after drinking a few.

Blueberry Files blogger Kate McCarty had been avoiding The Grill Room in Portland "after an utterly bizarre service incident in the bar" turned her off. But missing some menu favorites, notably the "steak and cheese" appetizer (beef carpaccio over fried goat cheese with fried capers and red onions), she decides to give the place another go - but just for happy hour.

This place will never be one of the restaurants that comes to mind when people ask me where they should eat. I think the entrees are pricy ($19 to $31, ordered a la carte), and there are so many places in town to get consistently good food for less. But as with all the Rooms ($3 wine, people!), the happy hour deals are worthwhile, and I'm so glad to have the 'steak and cheese' appetizer back in my life.

· Beer Drinkers Will Find Great Lost Bear To Their Liking [PPH]
· Bar Snacks At The Grill Room [BF]

[Photo: Yelp]