Are you looking for the fantastic bars in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to grab a drink? The fun-loving city on the Piscataqua River is the best place to enjoy adult beverages with friends to celebrate a weekend or after happy work hours.
NH Seacoast has an energetic evening, but in the city, the closing time of the inn is 1:00 AM. There are several drink options in lovely town to satisfy all customer needs, whether you are looking for local flavors or a unique Insta-worthy place to enjoy your drink.
Many restaurants in the town also offer the best natural wines, draft beers, and cocktails, but in this article, we will reveal the establishments primarily known as bars or breweries.
Best Bars in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 2024
Here are the best places to enjoy your beverages.
Dwyer’s Pub:
| Location | 96 Bridge St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Service options | Takeaway Dine-in |
| Hours | Mon to Fri: 4 PM to 1 AM Sat & Sun: 11 AM to 1 AM |
| Phone Number | +1 603-319-6770 |
| Quality | Good for locals and outdoor drinks |
It is one of the modest bars with plenty of local flavor and an outdoor space. It gives you the vibe of the typical Irish bar. Dwyer’s Pub is located on Bridge Street, a little away from downtown. Find it near the Foundry Place parking garage.
As you enter a bar, you feel like wandering into somebody’s living room with a few extra TVs for the sports ball. According to Dwyer’s, it is a “local watering hole” and considered “good for locals.” The term “locals” refers to regular people like us.
Molly Dwyer and Kevin opened the pub a few months before the start of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, Dwyer’s was reopened later only by Kevin with the addition of outdoor bar space.
On the weekdays, it offers you lunch, dinner, brews, and brunch. The other dishes on the menu include Guinness Stew and a chicken Parm Sando.
Draft and seasonal cocktails are reliable local beers included in their drink menu. At Dwyer’s, you might meet a friend you haven’t seen in a long time because most people visit this stunning spot repeatedly.
Earth Eagle Brewing’s:
| Location | 175 High Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Service options | Dine-in Takeaway No delivery |
| Hours | Mon to Thu: 12 to 9 PM Fri & Sat: 12 to 10 PM |
| Phone Number | +1 603-502-2244 |
| Quality | Good for gruits, dogs, and for outdoor drinks |
In short, Earth Eagle is a place where the beers are prepared with unique ingredients. In Portsmouth, it has been offering craft beer services since 2012.
On the high street, there is an entry door to the homebrew supplies storefront. But near the tattoo parlor on the side of the building, there is an entrance to the brewpub.
A secluded beer garden with table service in the summer is an excellent outdoor drinking spot. There is also a facility to bring along good behavior dogs. They mainly concentrate on gruits. It is a mixture of foraged herbs, roots, and spices used as a hop substitute.
Moreover, Earth Eagles offers you both non-hopped and hopped beers. Butch Heilshorn’s book “Against All Hops” defines many wonders of fruits.
The massive list of hot dogs, with almost twenty different preparations varying from the Huckleberry to Santa’s Little Helper. It has some value but is expensive for the wiener.
The Press Room:
| Location | 77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Service options | Dine-in Takeaway |
| Hours | Mon to Wed: 4 PM to 1 AM Thu & Fri: 12 PM to 1 AM Sat & Sun: 10 AM to 1 AM |
| Phone Number | +1 603-431-5186 |
| Quality | Good for locals and for live music |
The Press Room is a public institution known for its live entertainment performance venue. The establishment has seen more than four decades, but in 2016, visitors got upset when they saw the place shuttered.
However, after two years, under new ownership, they reopened it after comprehensive renovations. They added a mezzanine level to its two floors and established an extra space for live performances and a sitting area.
It was closed for a long time during the pandemic. But the Press Room has grown up again. On the first floor, you can relish the live music acts or try a Guinness or local brew in the quieter.
The establishment also hosts “The Spirit of Old Portsmouth,” a local arts marketplace. The menu of Press Room provides various types of foods. It includes Blackened Haddock Wrap and Porter Reuben.
Cup of Joe:
| Location | 31 Market St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Service options | Dine-in Delivery Kerbside pickup |
| Hours | Mond & Tue: 7 AM to 8 PM Wed to Sat: 7 AM to 12 AM Sunday: 7 AM to 8 PM |
| Phone Number | +1 603-294-9404 |
| Quality | Good for non-drinkers, dogs, and music. |
Cup of Joe is a coffee shop and bar in the downtown of the city. An unusual dual identity establishment welcomes all the customers.
Cup of Joe is located at the Market Square’s Commercial Alley entrance. It is the right spot if you are craving tea, North Country cider, Allagash, and a white mocha of the raspberry flavor.
Jo Kelley owns this business and offers beer and coffee lovers great services. The warm atmosphere and friendly staff attract all the customers.
Their main motive is to create a “place where no one feels out of place.” They placed power outlets and pillows to feel at home for customer coziness.
Make your night memorable with the espresso martini when they set it on fire. On Wednesday night, you will see the local singers in the open mic.
On other nights, you will likely experience live music or poetry readings. If you’re looking for a place to spend a weeknight in Portsmouth, this is the place to be.
Liars Bench Beer Co.:
| Location | 459 Islington St. #4, Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Service options | Takeaway No delivery |
| Hours | Mon to Thu: 11:30 AM to 9 PM Fri & Sat: 11:30 AM to 10 PM Sun: 11:30 AM to 9 PM |
| Phone Number | +1 603-294-9156 |
| Quality | Good for outdoor drinks and for local craft beers |
Liars Bench Beer Co. was established in 2016 by some UNH graduates. It is established with an auto parts shop, and its interior section looks like a garage.
During challenging lockdown periods, the pub faced many difficulties in the past two years but saved its status. It is considered the friendliest and warmest folk’s brewery.
However, the large selection of drinks doesn’t hurt your health. It is an indoor and outdoor excellent house place for friends. It is the site for storytellers, and Liars Bench Beer Co. organizes a team trivia night event.
Even in warm weather, the outer terrace is good to enjoy because they use shades to save them from the sun and rain. I love their chopped cheese sandwich and killer hot dog. They have a smaller menu than Earth Eagle but are less expensive.
Portsmouth Book and Bar:
| Location | 40 Pleasant St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Service options | Dine-in Takeaway No delivery |
| Hours | Sunday: 11 AM to 10 PM Mon to Wed: 1 to 10 PM Thursday: 1 PM to 12 AM Friday: 1 PM to 1 AM Saturday: 11 AM to 1 AM |
| Phone Number | +1 603-427-9197 |
| Quality | Good for literati and for music |
In terms of brews and bookshops, it is a perfect match. It was found in an old stone Custom House building a few years ago. Portsmouth Book and Bar offers music performances, an extensive list of regional beers, and books for sale.
It is one of the best places for book readers and beer lovers. There will be a sense of calm on a Sunday afternoon with a book and beer. As a result of the pandemic, the Book and Bar was hit very hard. Once they have closed their doors, they return to their routine and work all the hours they are supposed to.
The Portsmouth Brewery:
| Location | 56 Market St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Phone Number | +1 603-431-1115 |
| Quality | Suitable for local brews and cask beers |
The pub is well-known for its delicious food and variety of beers. It is considered that your tour to Portsmouth is incomplete without visiting the Portsmouth Brewery. It has worked for thirty years and is affiliated with Smuttynose Brewing Co.
Additionally, you will find an extensive range of experimental and Smuttynose’s classic brews in it. It is a reality that many people tried their first local craft beer in Portsmouth at this establishment.
The interior atmosphere resembles a restaurant than a pub, but the Jimmy LaPanza Lounge area gives a pub feeling. You can explore Smuttynose’s first and second-floor offerings, such as the Boardwalk Blackberry Saltwater Taffy IPA or the Pineapple Cherry Upside-Down Cake Sour.
Along with beers, you also need some sustenance, so trying the Portsmouth Brewery’s signature mussels is recommended. It is the only brewery in Granite State that allows children because it is a full restaurant.
Slow Burn Lounge:
| Location | 36 Market St, Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Phone Number | +1 603-319-6920 |
| Hours | Mon to Sun: 12 pm to 12 am |
Slow Burn Lounge is right if you enjoy unique creations and craft cocktails. This cocktail lounge offers over 150 scotch, whiskey, and bourbon brands. It is also a cigar lounge.
Library Restaurant:
| Location | 401 State Street #5, Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Phone Number | +1 603-431-5202 |
| Service options | Dine-in Takeaway No delivery |
It is an old-school lounge with a fantastic martini bar. Library Restaurant is considered one of the best Portsmouth steakhouses. They also claim they have the largest vodka collection in the north of Boston.
Thirsty Moose Taphouse:
| Location | 21 Congress Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Phone Number | +1 603-427-8645 |
| Service options | Dine-in Takeaway Delivery |
Thirsty Moose Taphouse is located in the heart of downtown Portsmouth. They offer a spot to live free and enjoy a beer drink. The diverse selection of tasty bar grub and craft beers attracts a large audience.
FAQs
What are the best places to enjoy a beer in Portsmouth or grab a cocktail?
Portsmouth, NH, doesn’t have a “party until sunrise” environment, but many places exist to relish an evening drink. Non-alcoholic beverage places also exist in the town to make fun. If you are visiting Portsmouth in the summer, you should enjoy the outdoor seating of a bar.
What’s the best bar in Portsmouth, NH?
It depends on people’s choices and demands, but our favorite bar is Dwyer’s Pub.
What’s the best bar for beer drinkers?
The best local brew spots are the Portsmouth Brewery, Earth Eagle Brewings, or Liars Bench Beer Co.
What’s the most unique bar in Portsmouth?
Portsmouth Book & Bar is considered the most unique in the town. It is the most iconic spot to relax and enjoy your drink while listening to live music or reading a book.
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