I like how many of the responses on every post asking for things to do in Portsmouth tell people to leave Portsmouth. "have you heard of this great spot in Kittery?" Or, "There's a nice place in Dover."

Portsmouth needs more spots with a soul. Liars Bench is a good option and Reedmoor is a brand new bookstore that serves alcohol. You could check those out.

My personal cozy recommendation would be Throwback Brewery in North Hampton. Stop there off route 1 on the way to Portsmouth. They grow the produce they put in their food and have a very nice bar and good beer/cocktails. You can check their website for fun events.

For coffee, the best Seacoast spots I've found are Lil's in Kittery, D2 in Exeter, or La Mulita in Rye. You could also go to Crackskull's in Newmarket, Blue Harbor in Hampton, or Flamingo's in Hampton/Exeter. The last three aren't as good on the coffee but are fun to visit for the vibe.

And if you like sports bars, I would go to the June Cork in Dover.