HomeMaineKittery › Port City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Port City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

5 ★★★★★ 81 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Kittery, Maine

BJJ gym Free trial Affiliated Beginners welcome Kids & teens No-gi Competition team

Affiliated academy — reviews and the gym's own info point to a recognized BJJ lineage or affiliation (think Gracie Barra, 10th Planet, Renzo Gracie, Alliance, Atos or Checkmat). If lineage matters to you, ask which affiliation the academy belongs to and under whom the head instructor earned their black belt.

Plan your first class

  • Free trial or intro class most gyms welcome new members with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
  • Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
  • Kids & youth classes kids and youth BJJ classes — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
  • No-gi no-gi grappling classes — training in a rashguard and shorts, with faster scrambles and a natural bridge to MMA
  • Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule portcitybjj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone +1 802-903-2066

Hours

Monday 5:30–8 am, 6–8 pm
Tuesday 6–8 pm
Wednesday 5:30–8 am, 6–8 pm
Thursday 6–8:30 pm
Friday 6–7:15 am, 5–7:30 pm
Saturday 9:30–10:30 am
Sunday Closed

Hours shift for holidays, seminars, and open-gym times — worth a quick check before a special trip.

The classes they run

BJJ classes on the schedule at Port City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🧒 Kids BJJ 2 mentions

“My kids are part of the Juniors program, and every time a session ends, they ask to do another!”

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🩳 No-Gi 3 mentions

“Both NoGi and Gi classes were brilliant, consisting of lots of detailed tech and rounds.”

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🥋 Gi 2 mentions

“Both NoGi and Gi classes were brilliant, consisting of lots of detailed tech and rounds.”

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🛡️ Self-Defense

“) and Instructors (Are they teaching techniques that work, competition and/or self-defense proven?”

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🌱 Beginners 4 mentions

“Going to new places for the first time with no prior experience has felt overwhelming in the past but Chris and the guys at this spot have made anxiety permanently tap 😁.”

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Other martial arts here

BJJ gyms are usually multi-discipline. Here's what else members mention training under the same roof at Port City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🏟️ MMA

“I started training Jiu Jitsu on 9/16/2009 at Seacoast MMA and transition to Port City BJJ upon opening in 2010.”

Other gyms that also teach mma →

Disciplines are mined from reviews and the gym's own info — they show what members have trained, not a formal class guarantee. If you specifically want MMA, muay thai, or wrestling alongside your BJJ, confirm the current schedule with the gym.

What members say

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 81 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, high-level coaching 3 mentions

“While the techniques, to be honest, we have world class instructors at Port City.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 16 mentions

“Black Belt Lineage (Roberto Maia – Boston BJJ), Training (Competition and Hobbyist), Environment/Community (try a class and get a sense for how it ‘feels’ – Is everyone welcoming?”

🤝 no-ego, friendly academy 25 mentions

“Black Belt Lineage (Roberto Maia – Boston BJJ), Training (Competition and Hobbyist), Environment/Community (try a class and get a sense for how it ‘feels’ – Is everyone welcoming?”

📘 strong technique & fundamentals 8 mentions

“Regardless of class size, Chris was very welcoming and we went over various techniques and drilled and went live in that position.”

active competition team 4 mentions

“Black Belt Lineage (Roberto Maia – Boston BJJ), Training (Competition and Hobbyist), Environment/Community (try a class and get a sense for how it ‘feels’ – Is everyone welcoming?”

🧼 clean, well-kept mats 4 mentions

“I’ve been with PCBJJ through 5 academy locations, and while our current is the most impressive (to me) with respect to mat space, cleanliness, location…the vibe has never change.”

From the reviews

Port City BJJ is awesome! The staff is super friendly and they connect very well with the class. The skills being taught to our 8 year old can certainly apply to so facets of life. I would highly recommend joining this gym.

★★★★★ — Gary, May 2024

I started training Jiu Jitsu on 9/16/2009 at Seacoast MMA and transition to Port City BJJ upon opening in 2010. PCBJJ has the top ingredients I recommend to others looking for an academy to start their own journey.

★★★★★ — John, Jan 2024

Dropped in at this gym for nogi and gi today and it was awesome! Welcoming coaches, great training partners (had 2 women in both classes and everyone took care of each other). Learned some good tips for half guard attacks and escaping armbars.

★★★★★ — Natalie, Jun 2024

Jay is an amazing teacher and a skilled practitioner he’s also very friendly was helpful to me and other beginners and in teaching us good bjj. Chris taught my no gi class and has superb technique and is beyond friendly . Great space incredible vibe and a nice combination of good training and friendly atmosphere..

★★★★★ — Howard, Jul 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 81 reviews →

New to BJJ? Start at Port City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Port City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu comes up as a beginner-friendly gym — noted on their own site. If you've never rolled or set foot on a mat, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit or flexible to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the intensity to you. Second, you won't be thrown into hard rolling — reputable gyms build fundamentals (positions, escapes, and basic submissions) for weeks, live rolling eases in gradually, and tapping early keeps every roll safe. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out, and leave your ego at the door. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.

See their beginner class info

Your first BJJ class at Port City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Nervous about walking into a BJJ gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling basic positions and escapes with a partner — not hard sparring. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: athletic wear you can move in (or a gi if you have one); you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and a mouthguard if you have one — many gyms lend a loaner gi for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gi (or a rashguard and shorts for no-gi) and a mouthguard. Live rolling eases in gradually, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.

BJJ is a contact sport. Ease in, tap early and often, listen to your coaches, and if you have any injuries or health concerns, mention them before class and check with a doctor if you're unsure.

Where to find Port City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

280 US-1, Kittery, ME03904

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Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and member reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this gym? Claim your listing — it's free.