I’ve been promising for a while that I’d be updating my list of Portsmouth’s Best Bartenders. Mainly because it’s been so long since I first posted it, but also because some of the people on the list aren’t even tending bar anymore. For the most part, the list has stayed the same, but here goes:
1. Ray from the Dolphin Striker – Still the man, and unless he decides to hang up his bar towel, he’s not likely to be bumped from the top spot anytime soon. As I noted before, Ray wins points for his prompt service and his ability to book ridiculously good bands almost every night of the week, not to mention the fact that he’s one of the few people in town who was able to figure out who The Beer Drinker and Mr. X were. And when he did, he actually uttered the phrase: “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. You’re kinda like Batman.” Happily, the Dolphin Striker has been getting a lot of attention from Beer Drinkers lately. On one recent night, The Beer Drinker had trouble even getting through the door because it was so crowded.
Yes, that's Tristan hiding behind his T-shirt. $15 dolla, yo!
2. TIE: Tristan and Ryan from the Press Room – Tristan would have made this list on his own, but since he’s usually in manager mode more than bartender mode, we figured we’d give Ryan a holler, too. Tristan, of course, is the creator of the PBR Summer and PBR Summer hot, and is one of the friendliest, most chill people you’re gonna meet in downtown Portsmouth. As for Ryan, he’s no Greg (who is), and Greg would immediately reclaim a spot on this list if he resumed bartending. But Ryan’s done a pretty good job of winning people over with his personality and his general willingness to chat people up. He also wins big points for being a former bartender at the old Albert Einstone’s in Dover, and for being an ex-TJ Maxx employee.
3. Cyrus from the Daniel Street Tavern – We had to bump Cyrus down a peg from our previous list, only because he’s not bartending as often as he used to, having mostly given up his Saturday night shift. You’ll have to hit D. Street on a Friday to catch him now. Cyrus is always the life of the party, but at the same time not someone you want to mess with.
4. Mo from State Street Saloon — She makes the list for serving as hostess to The Beer Drinker and Mr. X through most of last winter, when we hardly went to any other bar in town. Even on a slow night, it’s worth stopping in just to chat with Mo.
Not only can he pour a mean beer, he can paint the shit out of a canvas.
5. Aaron from River House — This spot had been held by Riley at the Portsmouth Brewery, but seeing as I don’t ever go there anymore, I don’t think he qualifies for the list any longer. Hell, for all I know he might not even be tending bar anymore. As for Aaron, he’s been around longer than most other bartenders in town, so he knows almost everyone. And though he’s not necessarily the guy you want to go out drinking with (I swear I ran into him four Saturdays in a row over the winter, and each time he was so shit-faced that he greeted me as if he hadn’t seen me in years), he’s a hell of a bartender. He used to hold court on the old Stockpot deck, but now he’s relegated to the indoor bar downstairs at RH. And no, Aaron, you didn’t make the list just because you campaigned for the spot. You made it for your skills behind the bar.
That’s my list. As always, feel free to post your comments if you agree or disagree, or e-mail us your best bartender picks at iambeerdrinker@yahoo.com
– Mr. X
Aaron Buell at Harpoons tops the list. And, before moving on, Jeff Carr at Rudi’s. Staples of Portsmouth.
Oh, and Ryan has bartended at Rosa’s and Radici. Props on including him in your list.
I bartend in town myself and Chris Gansburg of Cafe Med and Jeff Carr of Rudi’s are two of the best classic Restaurant bartenders in Portsmouth. They will talk your ear off, make you feel like the bar is your living room and serve you a great cocktail.
Meghan of the Gaslight Niteclub can pump drinks out like no one else in town. She ’s got a different job than those guys though. Go watch her sometime. Shes has 250 customers to serve.
Although it may all look like the the same job, it’s not and only those in the business really can tell the difference.
Body of Cresta Body of Cresta Body of Cresta.
She serves some holy cocktails, that woman.
any bartender that does not take 5 mins to get me a drink is the best…..oh wait, no 1 qualifies, especially @ the page on sundays during nfl.
Sumeet at the red door tied with Anarita at Fat Bellies.
Dennis Proctor Magoon the II
[...] Ryan, one of our top choices for bartenders in town, dropped us a line today — showing us a pretty cool link that has some [...]
[...] and found Barfly working his heart out. I know Mr. X rates him somewhere at the bottom of his best bartender list, but I’m telling you, the dude was slinging drinks with such speed and command of his [...]
Ray at the Dolphin Striker is a very nice guy but lacking in the speed department. You could very easily die of thirst while Ray is behind the bar. Something tells me that The Beer Drinker and Mr. X are a couple of jackasses.
You’re absolutely right, B Real. We’re tremendous jack asses. That said, it’s tough to get a drink in there on the weekend.
If you try a weeknight — when we used to go there, say a Tuesday — you might find some better service. Maybe not. Either way, I still like the place.
– The Beer Drinker