The Parrilla

The Parrilla is the casual outdoor sibling of Havana, tucked right next door, where Argentine grilled meats and seafood are the main event. You'll find locals and vacationers shoulder to shoulder at the bar, ordering rounds of cocktails and splitting platters. The kitchen takes its time with fire and seasoning. It's the kind of place where you end up staying longer than planned because the food keeps arriving and you can't stop ordering.

• Perfectly cooked Argentine steaks and grilled shrimp.
• Cocktails and wine list worth the visit alone.
• Desserts that justify skipping the lobster roll.
• Staff who recognize you and remember your order.

Start with the grilled caesar, gambas shrimp, or arrachera. The mixed grill feeds two people easily. The smash burger is genuinely exceptional if you skip the grilled proteins. La Pera is the dessert to order, even if you're already full. The bread and sauce that come with the shrimp are so good you'll want an extra order.

Open-air and compact, with tables close enough that you overhear conversations. It builds noise as the evening goes on, but it reads lively rather than loud. The bar is the social heart.

The menu is short and grilled-focused. The arrachera, mixed grill, and gambas shrimp come with bread and sauce worth ordering twice. Steaks arrive perfectly seasoned. The smash burger ranks among the best visitors have had anywhere. Salads are fresh and substantial. Desserts, especially La Pera, are the kind worth leaving room for.

Guests describe meals here as standouts from multi-week Maine trips. The bartender builds drinks off-menu without hesitation. One recent visitor called the smash burger one of the tastiest he's had anywhere. The desserts consistently steal the show. Regulars talk about coming back year after year to see the same faces working the bar and kitchen.