Papi Portland 18 Exchange Street, Portland, ME 04101

"What an experience it was for my husband and I last night at Papi’s. It felt like we were in Puerto Rico visiting family. It began with a recommendation from John Michael, a fantastic bartender at Blith & Burrows. As soon as we walked into Papi we were impressed by the fun an eclectic decor. We were greeted by Nick who welcomed and ushered us to our seats at the bar. What a friendly, knowledgeable and hospitable host he is. He introduced us to Elica our bartender. Not only was she friendly and welcoming, she is excellent at her craft. We watched as she created beautiful works of art - cocktails! I enjoyed the mojito very much. The highlight of our experience in addition to the mouth watering and authentic dishes, was meeting and chatting with Executive Chef Ron. Not only is he talented, an expert at creating the true criollo flavors and textures of Puerto Rican cuisine, but he made us feel like family. We must have hugged at least 5 times throughout the evening. He was as excited as we were. He enjoyed watching us taste and bite into his dishes with so much anticipation and pride. It was a party for our tastebuds taking us back to our childhood memories. The empanadas were perfectly crunchy and savory with a tangy and criolla sauce. The short ribs melted in your mouth, the mofongo tasted authentic and fresh, the pork pinchos delicious, the corn fritters delectable, the plátano soup so flavorful and the flan, perfectly custardy and luscious. Wow. We cannot wait to return and recommend Papi to all. It’s not just a dinner and drinks out, it’s a full-on experience where you feel that Puerto Rican hospitality at its best!"

"I’ve been dying to go here for months. Very in love with Puerto Rican culture and I’m a big foodie and food stylist. So I have been following their instagram. I love love the atmosphere and decor inside. Amazing vibe. Reminded me of many places I’ve been to in Miami. I know that’s Cuban but just the cool vibe! I haven’t been to Puerto Rico yet but I have family there and have seen dozens of documentaries of their. So what I envision in my dreams definitely is what they captured! Food was amazing. Glad I’m fairly local so I can go back. Highly recommend. Personally don’t think it’s expensive for the level of food and atmosphere. Appetizers we got were the beef empanadas and scallop. Both incredible and under $15. Entrees were the octopus insalata and the mofongo. I’ve had mofongo a couple times, made by my best friends mom who is from Puerto Rico. Praying she doesn’t read this, cause Papis was definitely the best I had and my friends mom would kill me for saying that! I really appreciated the mocktails. I’m pregnant and also a mixologist myself. I tried both mocktails, both amazing. I’ll be dreaming about the hibiscus one in particular but really both were great. Staff was all very nice, helpful and lovely. Food came out very quick and they were pretty busy. Highly recommend."

"Lots of options on the menu, decided to get a bunch of small plates to share instead of entrees. Everything was fresh, delicious and amazing. Our server was prompt, courteous, knowledgeable and friendly. Got to sit outside, weather was as gorgeous and beautiful as the food."

"This was one of the better meals I've had in a while. The food ingredients were fresh, and the menu was varied but not overwhelming. Every plate had great flavor. Really, really loved the alcapurria. Each cocktail I had was delicious and had flavors I hadn't had anywhere else. The decor is very cool and inviting. Beautiful bar. A must stop in Portland."

"This place feels alive. The atmosphere is outstanding and it reminds me a lot of my trip to Puerto Rico 2 years ago. My single disappointment was finding out that they only serve plantains on Monday nights. That's one thing I really missed from my trip was a dish called mofongo. I hope to get there some Monday night for the plantains or that they add mofongo to their regular menu. I loved everything I tried. It was a great time and I recommend it. If you get cocktails, prepare to spend at least $30 per person, but I dare say everything was absolutely worth it."