50 Best Bars in Portland

“Love this iconic place. It is such a vibe. Gluten free by necessity, so I opt for the ciders. Would love if they offered a GF beer or even mead, eventually. One of the best places to sit and people watch in Portland. The staff is always lovely people.“

“Honestly this place has my absolute favorite Ethiopian food in Portland, having tried most all of them. It is perfectly flavored and balanced - delicious - yet also has options for vegans and vegetarians. The plates are my favorite, specifically the veggie plate. Each dish is just scrumptious and they all go together perfectly. This place is a gem. I don’t know why some of the others nearby get so much hype, because this one stands far above the rest. Don’t miss it!“

“Reminds me of NYC, really cool place to grab a drink. Turns info a nightclub after 10 PM“

“Monday 12/8 my daughter took me to Lombard House to watch a Monday night Eagles/Chargers football game. My daughter lives in Portland and I was visiting from Royersford, Pa We had such a great time and everyone was kind and friendly. Such an intimate place to go. Thank you for your hospitality. I will be sure to stop in again at the next visit. "GO BIRDS"“

“Coming into Mother's Bistro & Bar felt like going into a charming Parisian cafe. There was no wait to getting a seat, but I was told that they do not seat partial parties. The noise level was very loud, even when my party and I were sitting in the corner, so you will need to speak loudly in order to listen in.

I have ordered the 1/2 order tofu hash (lower right dish) and cinnamon roll. The hash was so-so as I was not enthusiastic about somewhat of a thick layer of oil at the bottom of the plate.

However the cinnamon roll and the strawberry jam that you can request for on your toast really won me over. The cream cheese filling toned down the sweetness of the cinnamon roll while brightness and light sweetness of the strawberry jam made the toast that much more tasty.“

“Tomorrow’s Verse is easily one of my favorite hangout spots in Portland. It has a great living room vibe that makes it easy to settle in, relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

The staff is always super friendly and welcoming, and they do a great job creating a real sense of community. There’s usually something fun going on, from great live music and other music events, sporting events to regular game nights. The crowd is friendly, the beer selection is great and it’s the kind of place where you can come for a drink and end up hanging out for a few hours.

Definitely a Portland spot worth checking out!“

“Best Pina Colada in town food is amazing nice staff outdoor dinning only super fun atmosphere“

“Great atmosphere and top-notch drinks!
Had a wonderful time at Bellwether Bar. The vibe is cozy yet stylish, the cocktails are expertly crafted, and the staff is super friendly. Perfect spot for a date night or catching up with friends. Highly recommend!“

“This place is truly incredible. It has every generation from Atari to Nintendo Switch 2, from every major manufacturer, TurboGrafx-16 included. The library is extensive and the energy is palpable. They handle all the game-switching for you; all you do is play, eat, and drink. The prices are more than reasonable and the quality of food & drinks far exceeded my expectations. Whether is a quick stop, or you would like to spend the most of the night here, Retro Game Bar will satisfy completely in all aspects.“

“Had a very special time with our group of five. Adam made the whole experience easy and fun!“

“I make a stop at the Bye & Bye every time I’m in town! Once a year, but totally worth it!!“

“Great people to work and drink with!“

“Good wine, nice vibes. We didn’t get food but the menu looks great. We enjoyed our wines, staff was friendly, interior is cozy. We have also come here earlier in the day for their coffee which is very good too! Definitely plan on coming back for some of their events and tastings.“

“From our nine year old: Amazing service and great mocktails! We went during the make your own Gimbap and it was absolutely amazing!!“

“Nice outdoor patio with plenty of seating. Great neighborhood vibe!“

“We would like to say a massive thank you to Kierre and the Blank Slate team for being so accommodating, hospitable, and helpful. They made sure my fiancée Roxanne’s surprise engagement celebration was extra special and absolutely flawless!

The bar itself is stunning, trendy, cosy, and intimate with a wonderful, homely warmth. The food selection was incredible; the oysters, Tillamook Mac & cheese and truffle popcorn were a huge hit with everyone. The choice of cocktails was also phenomenal, really unique and carefully crafted to perfection.

We cannot recommend this place highly enough, whether it’s for a romantic date, a get-together with family and friends, or a large group celebrating a special milestone. Blank Slate truly has something for everyone and every occasion.

Blank Slate will always have a special place in our hearts, and every time we visit Portland, we’ll always make sure to pay a visit. It was an absolute pleasure planning and celebrating our special day with you. Until next time, cheers!

Love Ash & Roxanne!“

“Super nice staff. Good food Plenty of beers Dig!“

“Absolutely a wonderful time whether casual or just fun and a quick drink! Very nice staff and food was amazing! Matt, the bartender was very helpful!! Great Paninis and desserts and soup!! I will be back for sure!!!!“

“I can't stop thinking about the celery salad and the warm olives“

“There are a lot of hard working people keeping this a safe place to engage with others. Expect tea, coffee, drafts, and good company. 👍👍👍

The new porch is great to hang out on and the back porch is also nice and cozy. There is a library upstairs that has some great literature.“

“LaVerne's hosted our wedding reception in their semi-private event space 'The Hall', and it was everything we could have hoped for and more! There is a little pocket door in the archway that connects the hall to the main bar area; by closing that it felt like we were in a fully separate space, even though the main bar was open for biz as usual. We had our own dedicated bar with a custom drink menu, charcuterie, jojos and a taco bar. The food was exceptionally delicious — we are vegan and they accommodated a fully vegan menu easily, and they even made us an extra spicy habanero salsa because they knew we love heat! The vibes were cozy, festive, funky and exactly what we hoped they would be.

But the real praise goes to the service and hospitality of everyone on the team. Sophie, Felix, Alysa, Kevin, Owen, and our amazing bartender (who's name I am forgetting) all made our reception feel absolutely seamless, and took incredible care of us from the very beginning of planning. They worked collaboratively with our friends and family who helped put together the event, responded to communications promptly, and their catering costs were incredibly reasonable.

I can't say enough good things. We will always cherish this bar and I am so grateful to them. Book them for your private event !!!“

“An excellent neighborhood bar with good vibes and quick service. Love to stop here for an afternoon drink they have inside or outside seating and are dog friendly. Only con is that their food could be better with even just the smallest improvements. But the food isn't bad for what it is.“

“I love this place—it's a stylish and friendly place to catch some amazing DJs. The cocktails are out of this world good, and the whole place has a vibe.“

“Came here for lunch with my girlfriend. I saw this on Instagram and we decided to give it a roll. The atmosphere is absolutely stunning. We ate in the outdoor seating and had no regrets. It was shaded by beautiful grapevines. The area was beautiful. The food was delicious. The service was helpful and kind. No complaints at all.
Upon asking if the grapes were real we were informed they were and were told we could try them. They were spectacular.“

“We’ve enjoyed some celebrations at this beautiful space! The menu works for all and their drinks are so well done!“

“Amazing Italian food and amazing service! Two of our favorite places in Seattle is Spinasse and Mioposto so I tried to find a similar place in Portland and we were not disappointed. Seriously some of the best Italian food I’ve ever had, including in Italy (sorry Italians). If you have the chance you have to check this place out!“

“It’s my neighborhood hangout 🍺“

“My husband and I ate at Palomar Recently and really enjoyed the ambiance The service and the food. We will make it a point to go again soon and I really look forward to it.“

“Took my date here and had one of those nights you actually remember. The setting and atmosphere are incredible — intimate, unique, a little moody, and unlike most places in Portland. It made the entire evening feel special.

The staff genuinely wants you to have a great experience and was attentive and helpful throughout the night. The kitchen clearly puts a lot of effort and creativity into what they’re doing, and the food only added to the experience.

Nothing is ever perfect, but sometimes the little imperfections are part of what makes a place memorable. This place has character, personality, and a soul to it — and I’ll take that over polished and forgettable every time.

Great food, amazing atmosphere, wonderful company, and one of the better date nights I’ve had in a long time. Definitely a night I’ll remember.“

“Came here because of the new Filipino-influenced menu. Absolutely delicious and highly recommend, especially the Happy Hour offerings.

We got the Calamansi Margaritas, Calamansi Lemonade, Sinigang Crunchies, Rockfish Ceviche, Thai Chili Queso Dip, Adobo Melt, and Crispy Tofu Bites. Service was super friendly, bartenders were great, vibes were amazing. Can’t wait to come back to try the rest of the menu!“

“Now known as Mini, this bar is fantastic. The owners are knowledgeable, kind and make a great effort to ensure that people are comfortable in this cozy and communal space. The cocktails and offerings are fantastic. Honestly, this is my personal hidden gem in the city, but I wanted to share the love.“

“The Mediterranean pizza was delish. It just happened to hit the spot for me. I will definitely go there again and highly recommend it.“

“Fun time. A bit of a wait, so go early.“

“F'n amazing people and amazing beer!“

“Great live music here!!!!“

“We love this place. The staff is amazing, even if you are new to wine but you have an idea of what you would like to taste, from something sweet, bubbly or heavy and dry. They know what to recommend and they are spot on. Jazz nights are amazing. This place is small and cozy and welcoming.“

“I loved the place and food! Also the DJ playing vinyls.
The service is another thing, one of the bar tenders (black dude) cancelled my order because I went to the table to pick up my ID to show to him and he didn’t even care on taking my order again until another bar tender came to help me. It feels very shitty to being dismissed like this when you’re a paying customer.“

“Recently had my second foray into Hale Pele. Overall, a fantastic experience that is better than nearly every tiki bar I have had to pleasure of haunting. However, the quality of the drinks were a step below my first visit (2024). We tried 15 drinks between the five of us. The Corn n' Oil in particular was a big miss. It looked and tasted like a glass full of ice and 1/2 ounce of bitters. There was no rum, certainly not an aged Bajan rum. I inquired with the waitress, and got nowhere. The wait between drinks and the frequency of visits by staff was also considerably longer than last time. Our fellow patrons, however, were wonderful as always.“

“Had a great tour here, along with a couple of excellent cocktails. Highly recommend it as a stop if you like spirits. The gins stood out, but the rye was quite good too. Pro tip: if you're traveling, they have a store in the Portland airport so you can buy bottles without checking them in baggage.“

“where to start, we are big good truck goers. A family of 5. makes it great when everyone can get what they want. This place is beautiful, they had a handful of trucks (more coming) but the options were definitely a mix. Something for everyone for sure. The Cuban food truck is a 10/10 highly recommend! The Cuban sandwich was the best sandwich ive had in a long time. Do yourself a favor and give it a try. My husband and kids had burgers, corn dogs, and chicken strips. The burgers were huge. super great flavor, (adding lamb burgers to the menu soon) super excited to come back to try those. Lets talk drinks, I like a good spicy cocktail, however most "full bars" offer Tabasco to spice up my drink. I hate that. I prefer a spicy tequila or a muddled jalepeno. This place has bitters. This was hands down the best spicy margarita (the house margarita with spicy bitters) that I have had since I've been out here. They have have a changing station in the bathroom. a pinball room, and a kids toys section. For families like us, little kids, picky eater, the FULL bar. This is by far the best food truck place we have went to.“

“Local dive bar. bar food. nice staff.“

“The Muddy Rudder has (in my opinion) some of the best pizza that I've had in Portland. Their menu is pretty straightforward, good appetizers, pizzas, calzones, and some sandwiches and salads. Their beer list is ever-changing and always very good, there is a full bar so options for boozy drinks are available and kids can even get their own Shirley Temples, lime-aid, etc.
The staff is always friendly and the music is always great, whether it is played over the stereo or one of the many live acts they have performing on a number of nights each month.
When the weather is cold and the fireplace is burning there aren't many other places I'd rather be outside of my home.“

“When living in Portland this was my default place to connect with a friend, or when I wanted to be around people while also reading or doing some work. The kava is always excellent, with minimal sleep disturbance like some of them can cause me.“

“This place is something special. First time I've ever felt like really spending time in a bar. I don't go to bars and I don't write reviews. The 13th Moon has me doing both. Anybody that had a negative experience, earned one.“

“As soon as we arrived we were warmly greeted and quickly seated. The attentive service throughout the evening exceeded our expectations and was better than many high end restaurants. Plus the food was delicious! We were a group of five and everyone enjoyed their meal and the experience. We’ll definitely be back!“

“Friendly folks ~ awesome food carts ~ nice drinks!“

“Great place to watch all the San Francisco 49’er games!!! One of the 2 viewing sites for Niner Empire Beaverton. Great beers and pub grub“

“dog friendly inside and out. great selection of beer and hot sauces. reasonably priced and a great staff and atmosphere“

“Such a great vibe with a generous pour.“

“My wife and I got married at this wine bar late last Summer and it was the best day ever. Jack, Stephanie AND Cassi were the best hosts and we’ll always be grateful for the experience they provided us in their lovely space.

We revisited the wine bar this weekend and had a lovely time reminiscing over our previous time in the space while sipping delicious wine, nibbling crackers and cheese and of course engaging with the staff, Elijah and Connor. They were welcoming, charming, knowledgable and attentive. We were happy to hear that Jack was enjoying a well deserved day off ;-)

Always good wine and a lovely time at Backcountry Wine Bar. That’s why it’s our favorite!“