607 Washington Avenue
Portland, ME 04103
Cumberland County
Phone: (207) 774-4639
Fax: (207) 780-6247
Website: Visit our websiteEmail: no email on fileHours: unknown
Anania's Variety - About Us
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Website Description and Information
No Website Description Available for Anania's Variety.
by Lou S. on You can tell that the Ranstead Room is trying really hard to do the speakeasy sort of thing. And they pull it off really well. Like other discreetly tucked-away retro and bespoke-cocktail bars that make you feel like you stepped into another dimension, RR feels escapist. Open a door, go in a vestibule, and you're greeted by a polite bouncer who sees if there's room for you inside. Yep, they're one of _those_ bars, but it's good to have some room. Through another (pleather-padded) door, and you're in a back room that Ike Turner might have hung out in. A dozen or so bar stools line a pleather-padded bar from which $12 classic and bespoke cocktails are efficiently served. There are also a few tables. On the wall are some (tasteful) naked lady paintings. I know where Mr. Starr is going here, evoking a sort of an informal 1960s/70s blacksploitation feel with the red decor, the back entrance, and the naked ladies on the wall*. So let's call a spade a spade. It's a theme bar. Anyways...the cocktails are top notch, if a little on the sweet side. The service is pretty good too. It would get 5 stars, but the 1970s feel extends to the bathroom: it doesn't look like the fixtures have been changed since then. *I'm pretty sure that Mr. Starr got this idea from the scene in Kubrick's "The Shining" where Mr. Halloran, who is back home in Miami, can tell that little Danny is in trouble back at the Overlook. In that scene, there's a tasteful naked lady painting on Halloran's wall.
by Kai Freniere on Echo; minus one star for cash only. The layout is awesome - one of the best I've seen for clubs with a lot of live shows. The art on the walls is mesmerizing enough to distract from the show, so be prepared for that. Drinks are strong with a generous ratio of liquor to mixer. Good sound. Godly bathrooms. Great club.
