Nightclubs in Portland

Asylum is Portland's most beloved nightclub — a Bayside venue presenting DJ entertainment and live music for Portland's young professional and creative community. Portland's extraordinary growth (driven by remote workers from Boston and New York who have discovered Maine's extraordinary quality of life) has created a nightlife market more sophisticated than the city's relatively small population would suggest.

Aura is Portland Maine's largest nightclub — a multi-level downtown venue hosting national EDM DJs, live hip-hop acts, and themed dance nights for the city's nightlife market. With its capacity for over 1,000 guests and regular bookings of nationally touring DJs and producers, Aura fills the large-format nightlife gap in a city whose entertainment scene more typically skews toward intimate concert rooms and craft cocktail bars.

Aura is Portland Maine's most popular dance club — a converted Old Port warehouse where outstanding DJs and live acts create the most vibrant nightclub experience in Maine. Portland's extraordinary Old Port entertainment district (one of the most atmospheric waterfront entertainment areas in New England) and Aura's consistent programming create a nightclub of genuine Maine urban entertainment significance.

Dante's is Portland's most beloved late-night entertainment institution — a West Burnside bar presenting the legendary Sinferno Cabaret burlesque show alongside live music and DJs that have made it the most uniquely Portland entertainment experience in Oregon. Portland's extraordinary acceptance of eccentricity, its thriving burlesque community, and its genuine appreciation for adult entertainment of all kinds find their most complete expression in Dante's extraordinary programming.

Empire Dine and Dance is Portland's most versatile entertainment venue — a Congress Street club combining a restaurant, bar, and dance floor in the most convivial entertainment environment in Maine's creative capital. Its extraordinary combination of excellent food and energetic entertainment, combined with Portland's sophisticated dining culture and its growing population of young creative professionals, creates an entertainment experience that reflects Portland at its most contemporary and ambitious.

Empire is Portland Maine's premier nightclub and dance music venue — a downtown club booking DJs, live bands, and dance events that serves as the late-night anchor for Congress Street's vibrant entertainment district. Portland's thriving restaurant and bar scene, driven by a young professional influx and robust tourism market, supports Empire as the city's essential nightlife destination for those seeking a more energetic evening experience beyond the craft cocktail bars and concert venues.

Holocene is Portland's most respected independent nightclub — a 550-capacity Southeast Portland venue presenting the finest touring DJs, electronic musicians, and experimental performers for Portland's passionate dance music community. The club's non-profit model, commitment to diverse and adventurous programming, and refusal to book performers whose politics conflict with its values have made it one of the most principled and beloved venues in America's most politically active major city.

Holocene is Portland's most important electronic music venue — a Morrison Street club presenting world-class DJs and electronic music producers for Oregon's most progressive music community. Portland's extraordinary LGBTQ+ community, its authentic DIY culture, and its refusal of mainstream entertainment values create an electronic music venue culture that prioritizes genuine artistry over commercial appeal.

Mississippi Studios is Portland's most beloved intimate music venue — a Mississippi Avenue converted church presenting folk, country, and Americana acts for Portland's creative community. The N. Mississippi Avenue neighborhood's extraordinary transformation from a blighted corridor to one of Portland's most vibrant independent retail and entertainment streets reflects the same forces of creative community investment that Mississippi Studios embodies.

Oxbow Brewing is one of New England's most celebrated farmhouse-style craft breweries — a Portland taproom producing extraordinary Belgian-influenced ales and wild fermentations that have earned international recognition. Maine's extraordinary craft beer scene (Allagash, Bissell Brothers, Foundation Brewing) has established Portland as one of America's most respected craft brewing cities, and Oxbow represents its most internationally recognized farmhouse tradition.

Polaris Hall is Portland's most beautiful new music venue — a Central Eastside converted 1940s industrial building presenting indie, electronic, and alternative acts in a stunning space that reflects Portland's extraordinary commitment to adaptive reuse and creative design. Portland's thriving creative economy and its commitment to preserving industrial heritage while creating beautiful contemporary spaces create entertainment venues that are themselves works of architecture.

Port City Music Hall is Portland's most important live music venue — a 500-capacity Congress Street club presenting national touring acts for Maine's most culturally active city. Portland's remarkable per-capita restaurant and bar density (the highest in New England for a city its size) and its growing reputation as one of America's most creative small cities create a music market of unusual depth and enthusiasm.

Port City Music Hall is Portland Maine's most important concert venue — a downtown Portland institution presenting outstanding rock, indie, and alternative acts for one of the most vibrant mid-size cities in New England. Portland Maine's extraordinary culinary renaissance (it has been called the "food capital of New England," with more James Beard-recognized restaurants per capita than almost any American city) and its remarkable independent arts culture create a nightclub environment of genuine New England urban creative significance.

Portland's nightclub scene is among the most genuinely creative in America — a city where the combination of cheap rents, progressive culture, and extraordinary artistic talent creates nightlife venues that prioritize genuine creative expression over commercial entertainment. Portland's refusal to be mainstream and its authentic appreciation for independent arts create a nightclub culture of unusual integrity and quality.

Space Gallery is Portland's most important arts and music venue — a Congress Street institution presenting indie, experimental, and alternative music alongside visual art in Maine's most creative entertainment environment. Portland's extraordinary transformation into one of America's most celebrated small cities (consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the US) is reflected in a cultural scene that Space Gallery embodies at its most ambitious.

Star Theater is Portland's most historic music venue — a beautifully restored 1913 Old Town theater presenting indie, alternative, and folk acts in one of Portland's most architecturally atmospheric settings. Old Town's extraordinary history as Portland's original commercial district and the Star Theater's preservation of its early 20th-century theatrical character create an entertainment experience of genuine historical depth.

The Goodfoot is Portland's most beloved soul and funk bar — a Buckman establishment presenting live soul, funk, and hip-hop music to Portland's most diverse entertainment community. Portland's African American community's extraordinary contribution to Oregon's music culture (despite the state's historically troubled racial history) and the Goodfoot's genuine commitment to Black musical traditions create a bar of important cultural significance.