Yeah you know me: OPT

The (re)development Portland has changed the face of our city. Some of these makeovers include: The razing of "Little Italy" to accommodate the Franklin Arterial, I-295 cutting a swath through Deering Oaks and the replacement of historic Union Station with a strip mall.

So some of the past is gone. But downtown, history thrives, where 19th-century buildings rub shoulders with shops, pubs and restaurants in the Old Port. But when developers were knocking down historic buildings prior to the district’s development, The Old Port was just that. An old port.

Old Port Tavern was one of the first bars to spring up in an area reenvisioned so many times over the years. Established by Richard Herrera and Charles McGee in 1972, OPT has seen a lot. Herrera recalls Mo Vaughn ducking out the back door, Walter Cronkite stopping by for lunch after docking his boat at DiMillo's and Judd Nelson coming in just to hang out.

Herrera and his partner owned two more bars: Silver Street in Waterville and Benjamin's in Bangor. Bands were booked to play at all three, making a trip to Maine feasible for out-of-state bands. 'Twas a time live music dominated the scene; Old Port Tavern was where you could see it.

Several years ago, the tavern experimented with DJs. These young kids, it turns out, wanted to dance. After realizing DJs were outdrawing live music, the nightlife at Old Port Tavern forever changed. Now a Saturday night is a rowdy dance party with strobe lights and a disco ball. But this is not just some skeezy weekend dance club.

OPT is in the basement of the historic Mariners' Church, a Smithsonian National Landmark and a stop on Portland's Freedom Trail. The first floor houses retail shops, the second floor has Old Port Tavern Billiards and at the top is Mariners' Church Banquet Center. It is a massive, beautiful building.

The tavern itself has an upscale feel rooted in the 70s. When confronted with the possibility of renovation, a family friend told Herrera: "I don't know if I would do that. One thing you can count on is that (the tavern) is always the same."

That's not a bad thing. I like the retro feel, which recalls the lounge of an upscale hotel, the type of place I envision filled with smoke and decadent diners 30 years ago. The dining room lies behind a brick half-wall and is adorned with candles and place settings at each table, different from the spartan settings in the bar area. Maritime elements persist throughout. There are even massive mermaid and dolphin casts between the dining room and the bar area, a nice touch, though some may find it tacky.

Apart from the unique decoration is OPT’s diversity of function. You can get a gourmet dinner there, and though I didn't sample any food, it smelled great. We watched a game during the elongated happy hour (4 to 9:30 p.m.) and enjoyed the fact the Maryland game was on upon arrival (nothing worse than explaining who the Terps are and why you follow them). The amount of TVs give it a sports bar feel, but that all changes at 10 p.m.

Then the lights dim and young people come streaming in to work off the stress of a long day. The DJs take a page from WRED, but after all, it is dance music. With the recent closing of Liquid Blue, OPT is one just a few places that really go for the weekend club crowd.

Something else that separates Old Port Tavern from other bars is the quality of the drinks. Herrera says "well" drinks aren't $10 handles from Hannaford. Instead, the "well" rum is Baccardi. Cheap, high-quality drinks are the norm.

Old Port Tavern covers a lot of bases, and it does them in a great location. The decor or the dance parties might not be for everyone, but the tavern's character is unique. The fact the bar is one of the pioneers in what is now the raucous Old Port only only adds to its appeal.