Munjoy Hill Tavern Replacing Mama's Crowbar in Portland

Two months after Mama's CrowBar closed and a month after its lease ran out, the essential craft beer bar is being supplanted at 189 Congress Street by Munjoy Hill Tavern. The tavern has received its liquor license from the City of Portland. The business will be run by Stanley Dobson, brother of building owner Shane Dobson, who attempted to evict the previous tenant early.

The new establishment will add limited food options; see a sample menu online (page 72), including crab bites on Ritz crackers, fried chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce, Caesar salad, "Build Your Own Grilled Flatbread Pizza," and sandwiches like a sirloin burger or lobster roll. According to Munjoy Hill News, the business expects to start serving lunch in early 2016 "with the possibility of breakfast as well."

Images hanging in the window of the tavern say, "Coming soon, home of the Portland Rugby Football Club" and list the web address www.portlandrfc.com.

It's hard for locals when a beloved neighborhood bar is forced out, and between Sangillo's and Mama's, Portland's East Enders have suffered through it twice already in 2015. The former is being replaced soon by Tomaso's Canteen, run by Samuel's owner Sam Minervino, who publicly defended Sangillo's in its hour of need and who has enough cred that he's likely to win back many if not all of Sangillo's supporters. Dobson, a first-time bar owner whose brother booted the previous tenant and continued to fan for Munjoy Hill News the flames of his dispute with Mama's owner Tricia Henley, could face more of an uphill battle.