Just above the busy and packed streets of Kennebunkport’s lower shopping village, Pedro’s Mexican Restaurant is close enough to the action that you can visit after a long day of window shopping or make plans without the flurry of people and traffic.

Additional Photos

Bartender Sara Robinson with one of the signature margaritas at Pedro's – "El Pepino," a cucumber margarita. Photos by John Ewing/Staff Photographer

When you enter Pedro’s, you see bright colors and Mexican decorations all around, but they are not overwhelming or kitschy. In fact, the first thing I took note of was the intriguing and unique track lighting over the bar, consisting of bare lit bulbs surrounded by a haphazard arrangement of bare unlit bulbs. As the sun goes down a bit, the bulbs glow with reflection and refraction, casting a soft glow on the bar.

With 15 or so of the most comfortable bar stools ever, there’s plenty of room to meet with friends or catch a game on the small flat-screen television hanging in the corner.

If sitting at the bar is not quite your scene, there are multiple tables in the open-area restaurant that shares the same space. Or, since it is summer, you can ask for a table on the patio.

Surrounded by picket fencing, shrubbery and lit tiki torches, the patio boasts a 40-person seating capacity at 10 round tables. It’s the perfect place to enjoy an individually made drink in the warm evening breeze off the ocean.

Although it is a Mexican restaurant, the beer selection at Pedro’s is not exclusively foreign. There is always Dos Equis Amber and Dos Equis Lager on tap ($4) and two rotating taps with a featured local Maine brewery and a foreign ale ($4.50). You’ll find your domestic drinks by the bottle with Budweiser and Bud Light ($3.50) as the all-American beer. For those looking for something a little different, try a can of Tecate ($3), basically the Mexican equivalent of a domestic like PBR.

Not surprisingly, the wine menu is almost exclusively Spanish and Argentinian, with a few California wines available by the bottle ($16 to $56). By the glass, there are a few reds and whites ($6.50 to $8.50) that will appeal to any wine drinker who enjoys the up-and-coming appeal of Spanish vineyards. For something a little lighter, there is always the sangria option ($6/glass or $18/pitcher), which is crisp and fruity, and perfect for a summer day.

Pedro’s does offer tasting flights, but not with the regular Spanish wines. Instead, the tasting flight features premium tequila ($12, paired with a glass of sangria). With three different aging options — blanco (light and unaged), reposado (rested and aged) and anejo (dark and extra-aged) — and six different distilleries featured in each category, you can mix and match three glasses however you see fit. I learned during my quick tasting flight that people are usually most familiar with the blanco selections. The reposado and anejo selections are much darker, like a bourbon or scotch.

The mixed drinks are all individually made with no mixes or pre-mades. As I sat at the bar, I watched the bartenders make no fewer than 10 classic margaritas ($7.50) and a couple of skinny margaritas ($8.50, made with agave nectar and fresh lime) for people who want a lighter version of the original.

Most importantly, I took the time to pause and text message my friend Chris, a fellow mojito connoisseur, to let him know I may have found the best mojito in Maine ($8; Cruzan Light Rum, muddled mint, simple syrup and fresh lime).

There is also a great bar-food menu at Pedro’s, with almost every appetizer and small meal priced at $12 or under. If you are just looking for a little something to put in your stomach before drinking some very potent mixed drinks or tequila flights, the chips and salsa ($2) is a good option.

At the suggestion of my bartender, I ended up with a vegetarian quesadilla ($8), which was stuffed to an overflowing level with roasted corn, salsa fresca and guacamole, all mingled with a hefty portion of cheddar cheese.

The food is not too spicy, which means anyone is able to enjoy it. If you want a little more heat, though, make sure to ask for one of the handmade house hot sauces.

Elisa Doucette is a freelance writer who lives in Portland.

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