The Bar and Bites Has Permanently Closed in Portland, Maine

Times to continue to change in the heart of the Portland's Old Port.

Despite record tourism, another establishment has permanently closed their doors in Portland. That would be The Bar and Bites, a casual spot at 8 Exchange Street that offered up cocktails, live entertainment, and a space to watch big games.

The Bar and Bites joins another business in recently closing their doors for good. The Old Port Slice Bar recently surprised some by shuttering their location permanently, leaving the Old Port without a late-night pizza stop.

Listed by Compass Commercial Brokers, the space is now available its next great venture. The vacated space is nearby a pair of Portland's hottest cocktail bars, Blyth and Burrows and Papi. The area receives significant foot traffic three seasons out of the year.

While The Bar and Bites offered a wide range of ideas to draw in customers, their closure could speak to the ever-changing appetite of visitors to the Old Port. Many old standards like the Old Port Tavern and Bull Feeney's have ended long tenures.

Bull Feeney's was replaced by The Henry, a well-decorated, upscale take on what the bar/restaurant used to be. Old Port Tavern will transform into the next restaurant venture from the team behind the ever popular Bird & Co, debuting some time in 2024.

Portland's Old Port was once home to many dive bars, Irish pubs, and casual lunch spots. Modern-day Portland is catered more towards shopping experiences as well as upscale eateries and cocktail bars. Cities change, and Portland's hub is in the midst of it right now.