#1519 - The Chapel Pub, Portland OR - 7/18/2011

 As they do, McMenamins remodeled a great old building here into a nice neighborhood pub -- in this case what was previously the "Little Chapel of the Chimes," nee "Wilson-Chambers Mortuary," a former funeral home in Portland's Piedmont neighborhood.  There is a sort of vestibule, a main room with a bar, a couple additional rooms and a nice patio (the upper floor is McMenamin's headquarters).  It may seem a little formulaic at times, but God bless 'em for saving and restoring all these great old spaces for the northwest public.

If you've ever been to a McMenamin's, you know what you're in for.  If you have not been to a McMenamin's, expect some pretty good beers brewed by the company, some funky artwork and decor, and better than average pub food.

430 N. Killingsworth St., Portland, OR 97217 - (503) 286-0372
Est. 2006 - Building constructed: 1932
mcmenamins.com - beeradvocate - tripadvisor -  barfly - yelp

#1518 - Mock Crest Tavern, Portland OR - 7/17/2011

3435 N. Lombard, Portland, OR 97217 - (503) 283-5014
Est. 1947
mockcrest.com - facebook - mercury -  barfly - yelp

#1517 - The Twilight Room, Portland OR - 7/17/2011

 The Twighlight Room is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year, but that's only under the current management.  It is said to have been established in the late 40s and owner Doug Penner was a bartender here himself going back to 1949.  He and his twin brother purchased the bar in 1961, and over the following years expanded it four times, incorporating a former barbershop, refrigeration shop, and insurance business.

So it is now a pretty large place, and a comfortable neighborhood bar for both college students and local old timers.

5242 North Lombard Street, Portland, OR 97203 - (503) 283-5091
Est. late 40s
thetwilightroom.com - facebook - oregonlive - wweek - barfly - yelp

#1516 - Kenton Station, Portland OR - 7/16/2011

8303 North Denver Avenue, Portland, OR 97217-6707 - (503) 286-9242
kentonstationportland.com - facebook -  mercury - barfly - yelp

#1515 - Tavern on Denver, Portland OR - 7/16/2011

8234 North Denver Avenue, Portland, OR 97217-6624 - (503) 285-7010
barfly - yelp

#1514 - The Original, Portland OR - 7/16/2011

300 Southwest 6th Avenue, Portland, OR 97204 - (503) 546-2666

originaldinerant.com - talkeatdrinkportland - oregonlive - barfly - yelp

#1513 - Bulldog Tavern, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

1650 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209 - (503) 894-8492

bulldog-tavern.com - barfly - yelp

#1512 - Marathon Taverna, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

A large bar with a curious mixture of classic dive bar patrons and 22-yo girls.  Chatted with Steve, who was reading a book at the bar, and has been coming here since '68 or '69, when it was The Acropolis.

1735 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209 - (503) 224-1341
Est. year - Building constructed: year
barfly - mercury - yelp - urbanspoon  

#1511 - Kingston Bar and Grill, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

2021 Southwest Morrison St, Portland, OR 97205-1600 - (503) 224-2115
Est. 1982
kingstonsportsbar.com - barfly - yelp

#1510 - The Bitter End, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

1981 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209-1918 - (971) 222-2000
portlandbitterend.com - facebook - barfly - yelp

#1509 - Tony's Tavern, Portland, OR - 7/15/2011

1955 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209-1918 - (503) 228-4574
barfly - mercury - yelp

#1508 - Ella St. Social Club, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

A small club in an old mortuary in the Goose Hollow portion of town, the Ella Street Social Club hosts live music in an intimate, almost-speakeasy sort of setting.

714 SW 20th Pl, Portland, OR 97205 - (503) 227-0116
ellastreetsocialclub.com - barfly - yelp

#1507 - The Matador, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

1967 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209-1918 - (503) 222-5822
thematadorbar.com - facebook - barfly - yelp

#1506 #S901 - Ba Bar (Capitol Hill), Seattle - 7/7/2011

Ba Bar serves upscale Vietnamese street food and some very fine cocktails in the former space of Watertown Coffee across from Seattle University.  I had a fantastic pork belly, along with a Sazerac and then a Gilded Age (Domaine de Canton, Noilly Pratt Dry, Stone Pine liquer, Ricard, maple honey).  Ba Bar is from Eric Banh, the owner of Monsoon and Baguette Box, named for his Chinese father ("Ba" = father), and designed to reflect the spirit of a Vietnamese quan (cafe).

Despite some early drama with the folks manning the bar, he has created a very comfortable space to enjoy just a drink and snack or a nice dinner.  (The bar is now run by Even Martin, formerly of Chantanee.)  12th Avenue seems to be becoming something of a bourbon mecca -- Ba Bar stocks 175 types of bourbon alone and Jamie Boudreau's Canon which opened right down the street shortly after Ba Bar.

550 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 328-2030
Est. July 7, 2011 - Building constructed: 1920
Other bars at this location:  None known
babarseattle.com - facebook - seattleweekly - eater - seattletimes - seattlemet - seattlemag - yelp

#1505 - Max's Bar and Grill, Yakima, WA - 7/5/2011

Update: Max's closed in 2015

1107 S 3rd St, Yakima, WA 98901 - (509) 457-8041
facebook - yelp - urbanspoon

#1504 - Vern's Tavern, Caldwell, ID - 7/5/2011

127 S 7th Ave Caldwell, ID 83605 - (208) 455-8012
facebook

#1503 - Victor's Hogs 'n Horns, Caldwell, ID - 7/5/2011

3110 Cleveland Blvd #B1, Caldwell, ID 83605-0721 - (208) 455-1956
victorshogsandhorns.com - facebook - yelp  

#1502 - Shorty's Country Western Saloon, Boise, ID - 7/4/2011

5467 North Glenwood Street, Boise, ID 83714-1335 - (208) 672-9090

shortyssaloon.com - facebook - boiseweekly - yelp

#1501 - Pengilly's Saloon, Boise, ID - 7/3/2011

A classic old saloon that accentuates the historical with the pictures on the wall and the 113-year-old Brunswick bar.


513 Main Street, Boise, ID 83702 - (208) 345-6344

myspace - facebook - uncleboise - boiseweekly - yelp

#1500 - Bittercreek Alehouse, Boise, ID - 7/3/2011

A fairly typical modern brewpub/gastropub, with an emphasis on local ingredients and beers.


246 North 8th St, Boise, ID 83702-5816 - (208) 345-1813
Est. Feb 1996
bcrfl.com - facebook - boiseweekly - slashfood - beeradvocate - boiseweekly - gayot - yelp