50 Best Bars in Portland

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

“We had a fantastic experience here. Greeted by beautiful colors and decor upon walking in to the restaurant. Our server was so kind & made great recommendations on what to order.

The food was AMAZING. So flavorful while also being healthy & nutritious.

We had been searching for an Ethiopian restaurant to eat at, and I’m so happy we came across Gebeta! We will absolutely be back.“

“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.“

“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!“

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

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“

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

“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!!!!“

“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 !!!“

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

“While Tomorrow’s Verse has a great reputation for welcoming musicians of all genres, they are also popular for live streaming Phish concert runs on a big screen…. and they provide wireless silent disco headphones ! Great rotating tap list and a limited menu of good quality bar snacks. Excellent pizza and salad orders are possible too, from neighbor Red Sauce Pizza. I keep returning for the chill environment for remote work in the afternoons and the friendly regulars watching the latest playoff game at the bar monitor. Try it out on a Tuesday eve when they have an popular bluegrass picking circle. It’s a great place to make new friends.“

“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.“

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

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

“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.“

“Food was well prepared and it was an interesting menu. There were some exceptional dishes (e.g. Hamachi Crudo, Watermelon Salad) and a few that were very good, but forgettable. Service was excellent, friendly, responsive but not intrusive. Will definitely return looking for the next exceptional dish.“

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

“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.“

“I've been coming here since I moved to Portland 4 years ago, and I can't believe that I haven't written a review. Not only are the drinks phenomenal, the people who work here are *amazing* too. It's a great place to hang out and have a drink as a solo woman. I feel so lucky to have this in my neighborhood.“

“Great live music here!!!!“

“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.“

“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.“

“What's not to love about Mayfly?! Mayfly always has one of the best draft and bottle selections in the Portland area that always feels new every time I come in. Prices are excellent, staff and the owner are wonderful people, and there are plenty of great events to check out each week. Also a great selection of food vendors during the weekend. I live in Vancouver and bike here regularly because It's my favorite spot within miles.“

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

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

“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"“

“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.“

“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!“

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

“Jade does a great job! 🙂👍“

“I finally made it to Collector after having it on my list for a while. We found seats immediately on a Friday afternoon at 5:00. The drinks were delicious, innovative, and really covered every flavor profile depending on what you prefer. Piske the bartender was so cool. She was fun to talk to, knew her regulars, and was a genuinely rad hang. I can’t wait to go back.“

“This place is a gem. It has a welcoming atmosphere with a blend of vintage and modern decor. High quality, delicious specials and drinks, relaxing live music and a sweet little corner bistro atmosphere. The proprietors made me feel like they wanted me to stick around for awhile. Definitely the kind of place where one could become a regular with ease.“

“Stumbled into finding this spot needing to find a happy hour location. New favorite place!“

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

“Absolutely stellar selection of sandwiches. I had the chicken parm, and my only regret is that I couldn't eat enough to try them all. Only thing to do is come back! Pool table and some arcade consoles for entertainment, lots of windows for ventilation. Music is on blast so not exactly a quiet spot, but definitely quietly enjoyable on the back patio.“

“This place is the vibe. They set the tone for this neighborhood years ago and the cool kids never left. Beer, booze and food- all winning. Service is spot on. Porch seating, bar seating, dark corner seating, back patio seating..... pick a place and enjoy. Photo booth has super zoom- B&W is your friend.“

“I know, nobody is perfect BUT our experience was perfect in every way. From our greeting at the bar as we arrived to our exit. The burger and fries were perfect as was the beer on tap. If we had not stopped at another place earlier for Burger Week, we would have stayed longer and drank more. Sad Valley is our new favorite place in the neighborhood. Such an original & creative theme for a bar. Love the decor, the original art is spot on. You either get it or you don't. Sadly I did not have a fabulous cocktail, but looking forward to it on my return.“

“Great people to work and drink with!“

“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“

“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.“

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

“Comfortable booths, tiki cocktails, fun karaoke on Saturday night.“

“This is the spot you will want to expose any out of town guests to Portland. Menu is amazing. The bomba salad is one of the best salads in town. They go light on the meat and heavy on the vegetables which leaves you full and satisfied. Cocktail program and now bunch. Make a reservation for sure.“

“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!“

“Been coming here for 4 years now. I always get the chicken burger w/ fries, always tastes great!! Beer and service have also always been great! Been both in the daytime and at night, always a chill crowd of people, from younger 20's to older folk.“

“Ask for Aaron :) He knows his stuff. Recommended me the mellow mood cbd tea no caffeine and it tastes so good and I can drink it at work . I love this place the vibes and the outside area and the food and drink definitely makes it a good atmosphere.“

“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!“

“Went here for a friend's going away party & fell in love with the vibe. Owner is so awesome. Patio is fully enclosed & wonderfully appointed. I even saw a shelf that held board games anyone could play. (We didn't cause we were spending time visiting, but I totally will next time! ) looking forward to my next visit.“