Marketing director Alex Kuehling graciously agreed to give me a tour of the club after owner Ryan Byther got tied up at his construction company, Innovative Development, and couldn’t show me around.
As of last week, 75 of the tap lines were up and running at Prost! (That’s cheers in German.) But with a capacity for 108 drafts, the bar aims to have at least 100 flowing soon. All this sudsy goodness comes with a decidedly German beerhouse feel. Sausages, from bratwurst to knackwurst, fill the menu and the attractive waitresses sport sexy Bavarian dirndls (think short skirts, low cut blouses and aprons).
The bar is attached to the new, upscale nightclub Onyx. It replaces the inexpensive drinks and hip-hop DJs of Liquid Blue with high-end cocktails and live music. Expect a cover (which was $10 for opening night, but will change depending on the band) and a dress code (no baggy pants, ripped clothes or athletic wear).
“I want to develop it into the top entertainment venue in Portland,” said Kuehling, who founded Oldportmusic.com and is familiar with the local club scene. “We want to be the upscale place to take a date. A little more cosmopolitan and unique to the Old Port.”
Back on the Prost! side of the establishment, Kuehling showed off the diverse beer selection, which he had the pleasure of choosing. Most of the Maine microbrews are included in the line-up along with beers sure to please connoisseurs, such as Gulden Draak ($7.50), Cherish Raspberry ($9.75) and Piraat ($8.75). A skull and crossbones on the menu warns patrons when a beer’s alcohol content rises above 6%.
Accompanying these potent drinks is a decent menu filled with pub standards. In addition to the sausages (you can get two with sauerkraut and mustard for $10.25), you’ll find things like rotisserie turkey wraps ($9.75), Berlin burgers ($8.25), shepherd’s pie ($9.75) and veggie spatzle ($9.75).
The Oktoberfest Game Room occupies the upstairs, with foosball, pool, pinball and arcade machines galore. Every Tuesday night the bar plans to host foosball tournaments tied into the day’s televised soccer match. And during the Summer Olympics, look for $1 off beers that hail from gold medal winning countries.
“We try to do last call at 12:30 to avoid some of the problems on the strip,” Kuehling said, referring to the fights and excessive drunkenness that have become synonymous with late night on Fore Street. “We’re aiming for a slightly older clientele (than you typically see in the Old Port) with more seasoned taste.”
— Avery Yale Kamila