Top of the East Lounge

Fancy, fun.
The drinks are alright but the view is great!
I’d like to see better appetizers!

The reason for my frequent visits to this lounge will not apply to you, but I offer them in the interest of full disclosure. As a teenager in the late 80s/​early 90s, I used to go here because I knew how to sneak in and get served without getting carded. I have some fun memories of the place so it’s always neat to go back. The other reason is that the Westin is where I stay when I’m in southern Maine. So it’s a convenient place to meet people for a drink while I’m in town. Now, having said all that — unless it’s a clear sunny day and you’re in it for the view, there are plenty of better places for a drink in Portland.
The view is unquestionably excellent; far and away the best view I know of for any lounge or restaurant in the area. It is fantastically positioned on one of the highest spots at the center of the peninsula. It doesn’t have a full 360° view, but pretty damn close. If my memory serves, the view encompasses east, south, and west, but not really north. Many of the perimeter walls have floor-​to-​ceiling glass and on a clear day you can see all the way to the White Mountains to the west, and well offshore to the south. You can see most of the region, especially the working waterfront and the southern/​eastern coastline (Cape Elizabeth, Peaks Island, etc.)
That’s the best part of the place. The service is consistently polite, but slow and mediocre.
The drinks are overpriced (for the area) and generally fall flat. You can tell by the menu that they *want* the drinks to be sophisticated and delicious, but they just never seem to strike the palate that way. Part of it, I suspect, is that the skill set of the bartenders is not quite up to the ambitiousness of whoever is creating the menu.
They also close whenever they feel like it — giving little heed to their posted hours. For example I was there with someone in early May at around 9:30pm. It was a Sunday night, so their posted hours had them open until 11. We were told (upon ordering our first drink) that it was «last call». Surprised, I said «I thought you were open until 11?» and the waitress replied «well, it’s a slow night, so we’re closing early.»
The food is quick, convenient, and passable, but it is also overpriced and not particularly good.

NIce view, great bartender. Hubby had a mojito that could have been stronger. I had The Westin Thyme. It is a Bellini with a bit of extra yummy! Nice atmosphere and good view. A pre drink before dinner later on.

I have heard this is an amazing view of Portland, unfortunately for us we came at night for a post-​dinner drink (we were really jonzin’ for an espresso martini!) The Westin is a beautiful property but set far enough outside the Old Port where an Über is probably necessary. You have to go to the elevators in the lobby and take them to the top floor.
The bar/​lounge is very chic with the lighting and setup though the servers/​bartenders wearing traditional hotel garb really threw the vibe off. Oddly, there were no bar napkins anywhere (such a small thing but struck me as odd!) I don’t think I’m going to make a special trip back but if I’m walking by and we want a drink it’s no mistake to go.

Casual atmosphere. Flatbread was amazing and the cheese platter was interesting. A great place for friends to just relax and grab couple drinks in the evening.

Great place to go at night with friends or your other half for some tasty drinks and to enjoy a view of Portland. Nice tables and sofas. We had an Old Fashioned, Champagne, Wine and a Vodka Tonic.

This was once was a romantic place to share a drink or have a bite to eat. It’s now an expensive sports bar with all the charm of Walmart.

Beautiful spot with the best views in the city of Portland, Maine. Food (apps) was ok, drinks had mixed reviews within our group. (I had red wine so that was consistent) Flatbread was burnt, with sweet ricotta and chewy tomatoes. Overall very high prices for the quality.
HOWEVER: The band (of the evening) was AMAZING and got the folks really involved and personalized a lot of the music (Bob Charest Trio). Wait staff was friendly but pushed to the limit. The management was brusque. The band MADE the evening.

I’m pretty guarded against rooftop bars (overpriced and all that). A friend and I went up for a happy hour drink after she got out of work. Happy hour is 5 – 7.
Our food experience was pretty good actually– we got a garlic spread over crostini as a first app. It was decent and actually paired well with my wine. We then had a sun-​dried tomato, arugula, and goat cheese flatbread. It was delicious (and filled two people). The flatbread came out so quickly that it probably had to be partially frozen or something– but honestly I don’t care considering how tasty it was. Regardless, the toppings were clearly fresh and delicious– particularly the sun dried tomatoes.
Drinks were as follows:
Happy hour Cabernet
Appletini
Novelty mixed drinks:
«The 207″ — moxie and aliens coffee brandy
Some fruity prosecco drink.
This is what it comes down to: no drink is worth the price excluding the happy hour specials and (maybe) the 207 (once).
Also, our waitress was stiff. We’re a couple 20 somethings that were treated like sixty year olds. While I appreciate the respect, it was mentally choking every time she came over. It honestly was the vibe of the whole place too– I understand someone might come up here that’s a big wig and must be treated that way, but on the whole, you don’t need to act that way. Not sure if it was training or her demeanor. Service was adequate otherwise.
Good views. An atmosphere of importance. Overpriced drinks.
Not for everyone, but worth a visit– maybe after a (calm) concert at the state theatre.
3÷5− –1 for overpricing and –1 for the service during my visit.

Über later review:
I was required to come to Maine for part of a two part interview I was filmed for that aired on 48 hours in January. This trip happened the weekend after thanksgiving and I stayed at the Westin (will do a separate review for that!)
Before we (the producers and I) went to our dinner reservation but after I landed I came here for a quick nibble and a couple drinks. I met a lovely and handsome bartender named Trevor who kept me entertained and engaged after the long flight. I had a few drinks in first class on the flight but was sleepy and needed to stay awake for said dinner to come. I came up here after my bags were unloaded in my room and I freshened up real quick. I guess this bar is open to all guest but also local resident so it was packed by like 7:30 when I went up to scope it out. The ambiance was phenomenal and so were the people. Maine locals are so much more down to earth than the high strung always in a rush no va atmosphere and attitude I’ve become accustom to.
I had two drinks a Grey Goose on the rocks and a Makers Manhattan w/​extra cherries of course and they were both crafted beautifully. Funny thing though you cannot order shots but can order the liquor straight in the rocks, who knew.
I also ordered the pepper crusted ahi tuna rare served with a side arugula salad and that was amazing, better than the cheesecake version which I like a lot as well.
If you’re in the area definitely worth checking out.

Top of the East is where you go when you want to feel like an important person. With views of downtown Portland surrounding you and bar patrons dressed to the nines, you can’t help but feel like you’ve stepped into a movie. Every drink I’ve ever gotten was beautiful and delicious. I can’t recommend the chocolate martini enough– an indulgent twist on an old favorite.
The food is great, too. Everything served with the crostini is amazing, and the sun-​dried tomato and spinach flat bread is my favorite thing on the menu. Even though it’s great, I question it’s freshness, only because the flat bread came out in under 5 minutes, and it has to take longer than that to make a flat bread, right? Either way– I’m definitely not complaining about fast service.
The only reason I’m giving this 4 stars opposed to 5 is because of the prices of the cocktails. Obviously, being in the heart of downtown Portland and on top of a hotel– the prices won’t be cheap. This isn’t the type of place you’d regular either, so the prices aren’t that big of a deal. The cheapest cocktails on the menu will probably still run you $ 10-​$ 12.
If I can suggest anything, GO DURING HAPPY HOUR. This lasts from 5 – 7, and during this time a bunch of their appetizers are half priced.
Overall, this is a great place to go for a drink after work or before dinner. I wouldn’t suggest spending the whole night there– unless your wallet doesn’t mind.

Great views from the 15^th floor. Came here for an evening cocktail before dinner. Great cocktail and wine list. The potato chips were a great snack. It also came with some sort of cheesy dip, not sure what exactly was in it but it was delicious. Lots of seating and it seemed like it attracts quite a number of people.

This lounge has so much potential. It’s a relaxed semi upscale environment with amazing views. They need to attract more of a nightlife crowd with better music… more friendly and attentive staff and better specials or themed parties. They are just getting by at this point. Mixed crowds (which is a good thing) but so hit or miss with everything. I used to bring everyone here first but have been opting out recently. Too boring! Just a little more effort and it’s the hottest spot in Portland!

So obviously this place has an amazing view. That’s their lure. I went there for drinks and it was great but extremely expensive. My two drinks cost about $ 35. Despite the price, the drinks were incredible, they were balanced and rich. This was the first place I experienced a cocktail with an egg white in it, and I loved it.
So you may be wondering why I gave it only two stars.
Let’s start this off by noting that I am a women in my mid 20’s with light pink and blonde hair, but it’s primped and classy.
Since I adored this place I decided to stop in while looking for a part time bar tending position to see if they would be interested in some help. (They always are posting for open positions online)
I went in to talk to the host and asked if they were looking for any help and without skipping a beat she said «No sorry we’re only looking for assistant managers»
She automatically assumed that I wasn’t qualified for that job, I hadn’t specified what position i was interested in yet. She didn’t even offer to take my resume in case something opens up. (I had applied at several places earlier in the day and everyone took my resume, even if they weren’t hiring) I just felt the vibe that she was trying to get me to leave. This women was taller with fake blonde hair and a horrible attitude.
Despite the absolutely fantastic cocktails, I will no longer patronize Top of the East. Customer service is extremely important, especially in the restaurant industry. Portland is an extremely hip foodie city and any other restaurant would not treat a customer that way.

Great views of Portland. And that is what earns this place 3 stars. I can’t get on board with the scene here. It feels like a hotel bar that is trying not to be a hotel bar. The service was friendly but the vibe was weird. The drink list was not extraordinary but was fine. It was busy so they must be doing something right but it felt a little casino-​ish and that’s just not what I was looking for on a Friday night out.

You go to the Top of the East for the view; it’s gorgeous, especially at night when the streets are lit up. Even more so during the winter when it’s snowing out and the Christmas décor has enveloped Portland.
That being said, sometimes it’s very difficult to even get a seat near the windows, which mind you wrap around nearly the entire top floor. I know it doesn’t make sense, but when you visit you’ll see what I mean. It gets very busy here, and loud. Luckily we’ve always have good service but sometimes I wonder how the poor waitstaff manages in the chaos.
The drinks are what you’d expect; yummy and expensive. I’ve never tried the food here, and probably never will, not because I don’t think it will be good but simply because this is the type of place you stop in to have a couple drinks before you head out to the rest of Portland. It’s really not the type of place to linger and get cozy, because you really can’t get cozy with the noise level and crowd.
Definitely take a trip here to soak in the view of Portland, but head out afterwards and grab a drink and bite to eat elsewhere.

There’s no doubt about it… the Top of the East has some of the most sweeping views of Portland you’ll ever seen. And on a clear day you can see for miles and miles. You are doing yourself an injustice — whether you’re a tourist or local — by not coming up here at least once just to take a gander.
Our evening started with one bartender and halfway through switched to another bartender. Our original bartender didn’t go anywhere, he just stopped serving us specifically and handed us off to another bartender. Which is fine by me, because I disliked him tremendously — I believe the feeling was mutual. So, before I order at a place I’e never been I always ask a million questions (anybody who’s ever been out with me knows this). I always want to know what people like the most on a menu, what people dislike the most, what the server likes the most, etc. It helps me figure out what I want to spend my money on and it helps me (someone who hasn’t been to a particular establishment before) get a sense of what the place is all about. Bartender A did NOT appreciate that I was asking him any questions at all. He rolled his eyes. He sighed. He made annoyed faces. He oozed with attitude. And he didn’t try to hide any of it. He asked if we wanted bar snacks. When I said (with a smile and friendly disposition), «yeah sure, that sounds great!» he sneered at me, paused like he was going to say something, then stormed away. If you don’t want folks to have them, fella, DON’T ASK.
Now, when it came time for drinks I asked him if there were any prosecco-​based cocktails on their menu, he said there was only one (he lied — there were actually two). Seeing that it contained tequila, I asked him politely if he could make me something else with prosecco in it. He flat out told me no — I HAD to order off the cocktail menu. So I got some rum and coconut cream thing… that I didn’t finish because it was gross (I only ordered it because he told me it was something everyone loved… that, too, had to be a lie). At this time Bartender B took over — he was younger, smiled loads, seemed genuine, noticed that I hated my drink, and very quietly let me know that he could make me a prosecco cocktail. He did… and it was delightful (prosecco, mulled blueberries, lemon juice, elderflower liqueur… well done, Anthony! Three cheers to you for being the saving grace of our customer service and overall experience at Top of the East. You deserve to be running that darn place!).
My friend had two cocktails: (1) a cucumber-​cilantro margarita — made by Bartender A — which tasted like a generic margarita with chunks of cilantro floating around in it; (2) a delicious, summery, hot peppery cocktail — that I can’t for the life of me remember any details about — that was made by Bartender B. I would come back for THIS drink, for THAT bartender, and for the AWESOME view (and if Bartender A was working, I’d sit as far away from his as possible and only order beer).

We’ve visited 2 or 3 times now for drinks and I like it here. New décor, great views of Portland and some pretty tasty cocktails — the Cucumber Collins is my preferred beverage. Small plates/​apps available too.

After dinner in the Old Port, my wife, our friends and I went to Top of the East for an after dinner drink. The Eastland, now the Westin, underwent a huge and expensive renovation. The lounge is on the top floor of the hotel and has a beautiful view of the city depending on where you sit. There was some kind of function happening and I felt like the oldest person in the bar (I probably was!). Our table did not have a particularly great view but the lounge was packed.
The renovation was truly incredible. The hotel was old and tired but now it’s hip and vibrant. When you walk into the lobby, the huge lighting array on the ceiling was totally cool. Sorry I do not have a picture but it’s breathtaking. The lounge on the 15^th floor got a big makeover as well. It was attractive although a bit over lit.
I had a blueberry mojito, my wife a pescato cocktail and our friends had a glass of wine and a beer. I thought the cocktail menu was a bit slim. While we didn’t order food, I glanced at the menu and the food seemed pretty pricey. Our drinks were good. The space was attractive and the place was rockin’. I would highly recommend a drink and maybe an appetizer at the Top of The East. It’s a fun place with beautiful views and a great place for a pre or post dinner drink on a date night. I cannot comment on the food but, based on the price, I think thst there are better choices in Portland.

The views are amazing, food not so much…
We tried the Maine lettuce wraps, lobster wrapped in lettuce, no seasoning and no taste at all. The cheese board was pretty good, not enough crackers though. We also had the steak panini, just so so… The chartiurre plate was inedible. Wine selection was good. The vibe was good here, lots of people, of they want to keep it up, they must improve the food selection and quality.