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Chefs' Choice: 9 Awesome Bars in Maine to Watch NFL

by Adam H. Callaghan
3 comments / new
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by Adam H. Callaghan
3 comments / new

Put those shorts and flip-flops away. Fall is here. That means those Sundays that were spent at the beach are now for watching football and crushing wings and beer. While the New England Patriots dominate the local fanscape, it turns out that there are a wide array of pigskin allegiances among Maine chefs. For recommendations on where to go and what to order, Eater Maine consulted a panel of football-crazed chefs and compiled their choices into a handy map. Here's who weighed in:

Bill Leavy of Small Axe Truck is a New York Giants fan.
Karl Deuben of Small Axe Truck is a Denver Broncos fan.
Nick Krunkkala of Oscar's New American is a Minnesota Vikings fan: "I haven't had all that much to be excited about with following them for pretty much my entire life," he says.
Andrew Taylor of Hugo's and Eventide Oyster Co. is "a rabid Patriots fan as my father actually had season tickets as I was growing up," he says.
Briana Warner of Maine Pie Line is also a New England Patriots: "We are a football family, so fall is always welcomed in our house," she says.
Damian Sansonetti of Piccolo and Blue Rooster Food Co. is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan: "Born and raised in Pittsburgh -- black 'n yellow!" he says.
Brendan Levin of The Wayfarer is a Texas native and a Dallas Cowboys fan.


Got your own haunts for NFL nirvana? Leave 'em in the comments for the world to share in your team's glory.
—Tom Minervino
· All Eater Maps [-EME-]

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Salvage BBQ

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The smoked meat and craft beer emporium got the nod from several of the chefs. Krunkkala says, "I love going there on Sundays, watching whatever they have on the big screen, and getting the Meat Fatality (which is a mix of everything they have). I was doing this way before football season started and will probably continue through the winter." Leavy and Deuben like to pair some fatty brisket with collard greens and a local beer (or perhaps a bourbon). Taylor likes to hit Salvage for takeout: "I especially like the fatty brisket and the ribs. Hush puppies are good for the ride home."
919 Congress St, Portland, ME 04102
(207) 553-2100
(207) 553-2100

Buck's Naked BBQ

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"Bucks Naked in Portland has a real good happy hour special for Sunday football and I'm pretty sure they have the best wings around," says Krunkkala. "I'm a big wing fan and I like that they naturally smoke them. I could eat 100 of those things."
50 Wharf St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 899-0610
(207) 899-0610

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Rivalries

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"You get a good mix of fans of all the teams," Sansonetti says. "They play most of the games and it's a good place to belly up for the game." He likes to order a cheeseburger with lots of pickles, washed down with a Miller High Life.
10 Cotton St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-6044
(207) 774-6044

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The Ramp Bar & Grill

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Levin says this casual bar below Pier 77 is his go-to spot for watching football. He generally orders the mussels steamed in beer.
77 Pier Rd., Kennebunkport, ME 04046
(207) 967-8500
(207) 967-8500

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The Great Lost Bear

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Taylor, who describes himself as a "watch the game on my living room couch kind of guy," will hit the Bear for takeout if he has a Sunday off to watch the Pats. He always goes with the wings and his order is simple but precise: "Extra crispy with the celery in a separate container."
540 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 772-0300
(207) 772-0300

Commercial Street Pub

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Warner says this is her favorite place to watch the Patriots. "I love it, because you are surrounded by a bunch of other people who love football and love the Patriots," she says. "Their sweet comfy office furniture that substitutes for bar stools is a plus too." Her beer of choice? "I always like to drink Sam Adams during football games."
129 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 772-9414
(207) 772-9414

Howie's Pub

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This East Deering neighborhood spot with a devoted following of regulars is another favorite of the Small Axe Truck guys, Leavy and Deuben. Here, they like to order pizza and beer.
501 Washington Ave, Portland, ME
(207) 347-7107
(207) 347-7107

Nosh Kitchen Bar

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The burgers and fries are legendary here. If they aren't eating those, Deuben and Leavy are also big fans of the Nosh Double Down BLT: A BLT with cheese that uses two fried chicken cutlets as the bread. The craft beer and booze selections are also impressive.
551 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 553-2227
(207) 553-2227

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Samuel's Bar And Grill

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If Sansonetti is waving his Terrible Towel from his own couch, he likes to grab some wings here to-go: "I do love good wings. If we watch at home my go-to is Samuel's for wings to take out." For those who want to stick around to watch football, pizzas are half-priced and select domestic bottles are $1.50 all day on Sundays.
1160 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04102
(207) 797-6924
(207) 797-6924

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Salvage BBQ

919 Congress St, Portland, ME 04102
The smoked meat and craft beer emporium got the nod from several of the chefs. Krunkkala says, "I love going there on Sundays, watching whatever they have on the big screen, and getting the Meat Fatality (which is a mix of everything they have). I was doing this way before football season started and will probably continue through the winter." Leavy and Deuben like to pair some fatty brisket with collard greens and a local beer (or perhaps a bourbon). Taylor likes to hit Salvage for takeout: "I especially like the fatty brisket and the ribs. Hush puppies are good for the ride home."
919 Congress St, Portland, ME 04102
(207) 553-2100
(207) 553-2100

Buck's Naked BBQ

50 Wharf St, Portland, ME 04101
"Bucks Naked in Portland has a real good happy hour special for Sunday football and I'm pretty sure they have the best wings around," says Krunkkala. "I'm a big wing fan and I like that they naturally smoke them. I could eat 100 of those things."
50 Wharf St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 899-0610
(207) 899-0610

Rivalries

10 Cotton St, Portland, ME 04101
"You get a good mix of fans of all the teams," Sansonetti says. "They play most of the games and it's a good place to belly up for the game." He likes to order a cheeseburger with lots of pickles, washed down with a Miller High Life.
10 Cotton St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-6044
(207) 774-6044

The Ramp Bar & Grill

77 Pier Rd., Kennebunkport, ME 04046
Levin says this casual bar below Pier 77 is his go-to spot for watching football. He generally orders the mussels steamed in beer.
77 Pier Rd., Kennebunkport, ME 04046
(207) 967-8500
(207) 967-8500

The Great Lost Bear

540 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04101
Taylor, who describes himself as a "watch the game on my living room couch kind of guy," will hit the Bear for takeout if he has a Sunday off to watch the Pats. He always goes with the wings and his order is simple but precise: "Extra crispy with the celery in a separate container."
540 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 772-0300
(207) 772-0300

Commercial Street Pub

129 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101
Warner says this is her favorite place to watch the Patriots. "I love it, because you are surrounded by a bunch of other people who love football and love the Patriots," she says. "Their sweet comfy office furniture that substitutes for bar stools is a plus too." Her beer of choice? "I always like to drink Sam Adams during football games."
129 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 772-9414
(207) 772-9414

Howie's Pub

501 Washington Ave, Portland, ME
This East Deering neighborhood spot with a devoted following of regulars is another favorite of the Small Axe Truck guys, Leavy and Deuben. Here, they like to order pizza and beer.
501 Washington Ave, Portland, ME
(207) 347-7107
(207) 347-7107

Nosh Kitchen Bar

551 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
The burgers and fries are legendary here. If they aren't eating those, Deuben and Leavy are also big fans of the Nosh Double Down BLT: A BLT with cheese that uses two fried chicken cutlets as the bread. The craft beer and booze selections are also impressive.
551 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 553-2227
(207) 553-2227

Samuel's Bar And Grill

1160 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04102
If Sansonetti is waving his Terrible Towel from his own couch, he likes to grab some wings here to-go: "I do love good wings. If we watch at home my go-to is Samuel's for wings to take out." For those who want to stick around to watch football, pizzas are half-priced and select domestic bottles are $1.50 all day on Sundays.
1160 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04102
(207) 797-6924
(207) 797-6924