50 Best Bars in Portland

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

“Cozy neighborhood vibes. Had to remind myself it is a bar. Kinda loud, but then again it is a bar. Scored low on service because there is zero table service. You have to keep getting up to order at the bar. Good burger and fries. Trout chips and dip was different but tasty. Overall good experience.“

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

“My go to spot for delicious drinks and scrumptious nibbles. The vibes are always great. The servers are all amazing especially Quintin and Johnny! This place is great on summer nights sitting outside or a winter day escaping the rain. It’s always a great time at The Love Shack!“

“I returned to Comala and Wow! What a pleasant surprise.

Stopped in just to take a little edge off hunger, not a full meal. I ordered a “quesadilla” and a Pacifico. It looked and tasted nothing like any quesadilla I ever had. It had a thick delicious sauce smothering whatever was underneath the sauce. I could not tell you what the sauce was because I’ve never enjoyed anything like it.

The server told me that three things between the tortilla (or crepe or whatever) and the sauce were squash.

Texture and deliciousness off the charts. If someone had just served this to me, I would never have called it a quesadilla, just “Damn good.”

Comala is a hidden gem, one of those where you don't want to tell people to keep it your own. On the other hand, the people there are so nice, you want to support them.

Great atmosphere, excellent food and cocktails.“

“Oh wow. I read reviews about this place online so we made a visit when we first arrived in Portland tonight. There was only seating at the bar and that was fine as it was last minute and this place was booked up. The service was great, the drinks just perfect and the food - excellent! My husband was skeptical at first but the more he ate, the happier he was! The heirloom tomato dish with one of the foccacias is a must! We combined the prawns with a tagliatelle- delicious. The cocktails were well crafted and tasty. We will be back!“

“Our bartender Franklin was so friendly and knowledgeable! The drinks they make here are complex and so intriguing... very hard to put into words that they just must be experienced to understand why they are SO exceptional. I cannot recommend anywhere else in Portland that can compete“

“Excelent tapas and coctails.“

“Love this place. Appropriate that the elevator doesn't take you up until opening hour. It has a very crisp and welcoming look. The greenery makes it so. We wanted rooftop and it was lovely. We arrived early and filled up shortly after. Love the fire inside. Staff is attentive and friendly. Food was great. Would definitely return.“

“Love this place. We've been a few times and both the drinks and desserts are so so delicious! Recommend reservations but not required. Seating is a little tight for larger parties, but I've seen them make it work. Ideal for parties of 2-3.“

“Chill vibes, amazing food,quality drinks and atmosphere that is unmatchable !“

“The food is delicious, healthy, and will fill you up, but the real prize and appeal of this spot is the sweet family who own and run it. You’re greeted with a smile, and treated with warmth and patience and a genuine kindness. Easily the most welcomed I’ve felt eating out in a very long time. It really makes a difference. You won’t be disappointed.“

“I came for Drag Bingo & had such a fun time! Loved the deviled eggs!!! I will return for more Drag Bingo.
There was this candle burning in the bathroom that smelled so good! I would still like to find out where they got that candle.“

“Great people, fun atmosphere“

“Nice people serving beers from about 20 taps featuring some of their beers and some guest beers, like Pliny the Elder. Quaff a pint while checking out what beers you'll take home with you from their extensive selection.
No food is served here, but their tavern is next door.“

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

“So fun! They have literally hundreds of games including DK bongos and the infamous power glove. The treetrunks apple pie slushie literally tasted like applesauce, definitely dangerous. The food slapped and the staff were great. Come play monkeyball and have fun“

“Great live music here!!!!“

“We love coming here to hang out with music lovers like us. If you're a Phish fan, they play all the streams. TJ and all his bartenders are wonderful.

I've also come here for drink and draw nights. It's a great neighborhood venue.“

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

“Warm cozy atmosphere, friendly service, fine cocktails.“

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

“I came in late afternoon/early evening on July 4th. They were busier than expected and the staff absolutely crushed it. Shoutout to Chris behind the bar and John in the kitchen. Great people, great at their jobs. Never had a bad experience here and I’ve been coming in on and off for years!“

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

“Great vibes and an excellent happy hour from 5-7pm. All of the cocktails were delicious and very affordable. The grilled cheese and tomato soup combo were great on a gloomy day, with the soup being slightly on the salty side, but still a great dish.
Inside is pretty dark, but the back patio was a nice space to hang out while still light out.“

“This airy, plant filled bottle shop and pub just opened right off the Yellow Line in Kenton. It’s spacious, bright and inviting. The staff are friendly and their tap list is good, plus they have lots of delicious to-go options. Happy to have them in the neighborhood!

Update 2024: Love Mayfly more than ever! They always have a great selection of fun rotating cans/bottles/taps. They frequently have events and food pop ups. Most importantly, they allow minors until 6pm now which makes it easier for our family to enjoy them.“

“Ever since they let me try a duck fat washed whiskey they were playing with, I was a fan for life. Wish they served the hot dogs specials till closing though, that's all. 🤘 Kyle Kinane said he was eye flucking my chicken sandwich once, that was a ku de gras.“

“Gin gimlets were delicious“

“This is my favorite place in Portland. I love the open mics, the trans community events, the potlucks, and the openness of the space. Every time I walk in, I feel welcome. The worker-owners are caring and kind people. The giraffe is definitely a fun added touch - but my favorite part of the Tap is definitely the community. This place has singlehandedly motivated me to stay in Portland.“

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

“Excellent spot for drinks and beers. Nice outside patio with umbrellas and tables. The interior is charming and reminiscent of a Parisian Cafe. Friendly service and food available from The Baghdad Theater. 3 stars for the food which I consider very expensive for simple fare.“

“At the risk of sounding cliche, I wish I could give the service 10 stars. I’ve never experienced a better Portland bar service, they’re always friendly, they make killer classic drinks and excellent twists on classics with very high quality ingredients and craftsmanship. When you consider the quality of the food, drinks and service combined I would say this is in my mind the best bar in Portland. They have a small kitchen but always deliver on everything they make. Please don’t come here I like having it to myself!“

“A perfect hideaway tiki bar! Looks like nothing from the outside, and then you walk into a themed dreamscape. Fantastic decor and experience that's a throwback to vintage tiki bars. Legit menu for rum enthusiasts, but the snackies were great, too.

Our server (Nathaniel, I think he said) was a proper mixologist who made helpful suggestions and was a joy to chat with and watch as he crafted drinks.

Thanks for a very fun time!“

“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.“

“Just, do it. Come here. The vinyl nights are quite incredible, really. Think Studio Gibli, 70's nightclub, sexy in a Sadé way. Finally the music is more demanding in it's cadence, in its decibel count, than the loud portland patrons next to you. You want to whisper into someone's ear. The vibe is very peanut butter, very amber glassware, very two-people-in-a-five-person-booth. Bartenders are masters of their craft, so ask them to lead you into an experience and prepare to be pleasently surprised. Always been a favorite, and continues to be. (I'm actually from Portland. Born and raised. Trust me.)“

“Such a cool bar! It had a nice ambiance and the cocktails were so unique. Our bartender was very friendly and was happy to tell me about areas in Portland when I told him my husband and I would be moving to Portland. I can't remember the names of our cocktails but they were very good! Mine had a pho wash which I was skeptical about when I ordered it but it was incredible. Highly recommend!“

“I really love it here. This true cocktail bar in the heart of our neighborhood that runs late night was needed. Thank you to all the people that make Dream House happen. The cocktails rock. The food rocks. The people rock. If you aren’t coming here you don’t get it! Thanks. “

“I had driven by here a couple times and never stopped because it didn't look that great from a moving car. Finally stopped in this weekend and it was a lot better than I would have guessed. Good food, good drinks, good vibe, nice (and pretty big) front patio. Will definitely come here again.“

“We got lucky and caught them when they weren't insanely busy the first time we tried their chicken. Go for the thighs! The juiciest chicken we've ever had.

The next time we tried to stop in, it was absolutely slammed. Didnt even walk inside. 😅“

“Travel the world through cased meat! BEST“

“This was a very very cool spot to hangout and have a few cocktails while we waited for our dinner reservation elsewhere. They had a wonderfully curated cocktail menu and everything was mixed with care. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and kind. Thanks again guys! Excited to visit again the next time I'm in the Portland area“

“Have only been blessed with food from here twice, recently with some tomato soup and bread someone dropped off at camp which was really good and about 5 or 6 years ago one of the ladies there hooked me up with an elk burger that was incredible. Makes me happy that I spend time cleaning up the area after all the folks that toss the fast food trash out the door before driving home

Parking: Can be a little tricky as the parking for most businesses in the area is side street parallel. There's a large lot next door for McDonald's but they've been known to tow people, part of the lot is out in front of over and out but I'm not sure if that's McDonald's as well. There is a lot at 81st and Washington at Milwaukee lumber where it's ok to park after 5pm up to around 630am and one across 81st at atc autobody but watch for broken glass in that one esp near Dumpsters“

“Tough luck. Bar is a gem hidden in a residential neighborhood. They have an impressively well stocked bar, and while I can't speak for substantial meals, I can vouch for the excellent selection of french fries, cheese fries, and tater tots. It helps if you like potatoes.

Vegetarian options: There's lots of potato goodness in the form of french fries and tater tots, and there's always mac and cheese.

Parking: I scored one of the three available parking spots and they're lots. I'm sure you can find parking on the street, you'll just have a little bit of a walk.

Kid-friendliness: It's a bar, so you should probably leave the kids at home with a sitter.

Wheelchair accessibility: The bar is a single level with seating that can easily be rearranged to accommodate a wheelchair.“

“Solid four star experience. Went in the middle of the day for a burger and wasn't disappointed. Burger was presented nicely, had a nice taste, bun was good, fresh fixings, and melted cheese.

Also got their fried pickle spears. Those were damn good.

Bartender was attentive, friendly, and did her job just fine.

I did enjoy the ambiance and will return to play some pinball and shuffleboard.“

“Great vegan food and a fantastic bar. Love the ambiance and decor, too.“

“Nice place for a beer and a burger while watching soccer“

“It’s like partying in a cool friends backyard! Eclectic and jus super fun!“

“They have done a great job with Misfits. Great music and great staff!“

“The Montavilla Mic returns on April 8th.“

“My hubby and I randomly stopped in yesterday after the food show. I’ve lived in OR for 17 years and he’s lived here his entire life. I’ve never done Portland as I moved from a big city and we live in Idanaha. My anxiety was on extreme when we arrived. (I was trying Portland for the first time). Between the food show and getting to the hotel, found Thunderbird. It was exactly what we needed. A decent place, great service. I seriously considered buying a piece of art displayed. Next time for sure! Loved the plants and vibe. We will be returning. Next time I’ll try the food (we were stuffed yesterday).“