An Old Port landmark, Three Dollar Deweys has been in Portland for 22 years. With 36 beers on tap and free popcorn, this stop is a haven for the after-work crowd. Located on the corner of Commercial and Union Streets, the pub is a convenient place to unwind at day’s end. They offer live music on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and plenty of regular beer specials.
Though I’ve been there a few times, trying their menu was a new experience. I visited the large rustic looking pub for dinner on two separate occasions. Both visits were on days where live music filled the rooms-a definite plus.
On my first visit, we sat in the front dining room at a small, made-for-two wooden table close to the small stage. Loud, fun, business people yakking it up surrounded us. The atmosphere was lively, just what I needed to end a busy day at work.
Deweys offers a wide variety of things like chili, nachos, burgers and sandwiches. We ordered a chicken sandwich with peppers, onions and cheddar cheese ($6.95) and a bacon cheeseburger ($6.95). These come with chips, or fries for an extra dollar. We chose fries. Our waitress was quite pleasant and very attentive.
My sandwich was excellent. The white cheddar cheese was melted over a large chicken breast and the saut?ed onions and peppers added extra zest. All was served on a fresh, toasted bulky roll. The fries were hand cut and crispy. My dinner companion’s burger was cooked well done and topped again with mouth-watering melted cheese and crisp bacon.
I was so pleasantly surprised I just had to try dinner there again. This time I ordered a cheeseburger ($6.95) and my companion a veggie burger ($5.95). We also ordered a nachos and cheese appetizer ($6.25).
This second meal was not as tasty. Our nachos were a bit soggy. Our waitress was nice enough but quick and short. She didn’t plan the arrival of the food well either. Our meals were served right after we received the nachos, not giving us enough time to enjoy them. My burger was good, but not excellent and my companion’s veggie burger was undercooked. We both received chips with our meal, not remembering to ask for fries. I was a little disappointed my waitress didn’t ask if I would like fries instead of chips.
Overall, Three Dollar Deweys is a great place to pop in after work for a few beers and a quick bite or for the free popcorn. However, it isn’t the most consistent place for dinner. The fun, lively atmosphere will bring me back there again, but I may eat dinner beforehand.
Staff Writer Katie Gallagher can be contacted at: [email protected]