#1014 - Veritable Quandary, Portland - 3/12/2010

From the mawkish name you might gather that this is more of a cafe than a bar, and while that is true, the narrow bar in front does feel like a "real" bar, of course with the emphasis on wine.  It's a cozy little alternative for a glass of wine or scotch, and with it's small gardens on the riverside, the patio must be very popular place with the downtown professionals when the weather heats up.

1220 SW 1st Ave., Portland, OR 97204 - (503) 227-7342
Est. 1970
veritablequandary.com - barfly - yelp - boorah - urbanspoon

#1013 - Jake's Famous Crawfish, Portland - 3/12/2010

Jake's Famous Crawfish, Portland, OR

Step into Jake's and it seems instantly recognizable to anyone who has been in one of the 85 or so McCormick & Schmick's around the country.  That means pretty good food (usually an emphasis on seafood), excellent happy hour deals, pretty good service, and a friendly, decent bar that looks -- and often is -- 100 years old.

But McCormick & Schmick purchased the business only in 1972, after the business had been running in this location since 1911. Many people date Jake's as the second oldest restaurant in Portland, after Huber's. Indeed, some date the business back to 1892, through a string of preceding businesses in other locations. The Mueller and Meier saloon was established in 1892 at 18th and Washington, and moved into the just constructed Whitney and Gray Building in 1911. Mueller and Meier sold the business to Jacob "Jake" Freiman and a partner during prohibition, with Jake passing away just as prohibition was ending. It is not clear if it took the name Jake's immediately with the new ownership in 1920, but Freiman is said to have been a popular local character who brought with him crawfish expertise and an enthusiastic following (wikipedia).

Jake's Famous Crawfish, Portland, OR

 The exterior of Jake's features a neon sign installed in 1927, at the dawn of the age of neon, and now the oldest remaining in Portland. Walking in under this sign one may be seated in one of the elegant, white tablecloth settings in multiple rooms to the right, or take a left into the bar. The bar is a hodgepodge of antiques and memorabilia, with a 37' mahogany Brunswick front bar and before that a tiled trough and drain dating back to the Mueller and Meier era. The trough once had running water for the convenience of tobacco chewing customers. The walls feature replicas of classic paintings, old photos, and sports memorabilia, around a backbar comprising various antique cabinets and counters, some reflecting the days as a soda fountain during prohibition.

 You are not likely to find cutting edge cuisine or creative craft cocktails at Jake's, but you will find a stolid, quality meal in an elegant, old school setting.

Jake's Famous Crawfish, Portland, OR

401 SW 12th Ave., Portland, OR 97205 - (503) 226-1419
Est. 1920? as "Jake's"?  1933? as a bar?
mccormickandschmicks.com - nps.gov - barfly - yelp - urbanspoon

#1012 - The Gilt Club, Portland - 3/11/2010

This is a pretty swanky place with some fairly swanky cocktails. I especially liked the Tracy's Wild Ride (Sauza Hornitos tequila, Parfait Amour, muddled cucumber, fresh lime & agave nector) -- and I ask once again: Has there ever been a bad cocktail with cucumber in it?

The web site can be found at both giltclub.com and guiltclub.com, and both seem quite appropriate.

(Picture: Megan, Hannah, and Joe the bartender)

306 NW Broadway, Portland, OR 97209 - (503) 222-4458
giltclub.com - facebook - barfly - yelp - pdxplate

#1011 - Teardrop Lounge, Portland - 3/11/2010

Wow.

The Teardrop came with several rave reviews from friends with reliable judgement of fine cocktails and I was still impressed on my first visit there. I had a traditional Chauncey and a Between The Sheets, and both were as well-made, balanced, and tasty as any cocktails I've ever had.

Portland already had a great richness of neighborhood bars with character, and now they are piling on with great stops for the best quality cocktails. At Teardrop, one wants to drop by regularly, working your way through the menu, the bartender's recommendations, and the massive arrays of bitters and tinctures aligned in little blue bottles like the mad scientists they are.

The decor is spare and elegant and the bartenders were friendly and engaging. I don't think I'll ever visit Portland again without trying to make it there at least once or twice.

1015 NW Everett St., Portland, OR 97209 - (503) 445-8109
teardroplounge.com - cocktailia - yelp - barfly

#1010 - Fez Ballroom, Portland - 3/11/2010

Of course how enjoyable these old ballrooms are is almost entirely dependent on the individual event there on any given night.  The Fez is perfectly serviceable -- and I'm biased in favor of any place with "fez" in the title.  In addition, the event the night I attended ("Shadowplay" goth night) was pleasant and fairly well attended, despite goth interest declining in some areas (not necessarily a bad thing, as such movements tend to be most robust when confined to a fairly underground scene).  I have little idea what other nights hold, but I like this Fez better than the Red Fez in Austin, so right now it's my favorite fez bar in the country.

316 SW 11th Ave., Portland, OR 97205 - (503) 221-7262
fezballroom.com - barfly - yelp

#1009 - Kelly's Olympian, Portland - 3/11/2010

426 SW Washington St., Portland, OR 97204 - (503) 228-3669
Est. 1957 (current location, est. 1902 a few blocks away)
kellysolympian.com - barfly - yelp - citysearch

#1008 - Rock Bottom Brewery, Portland - 3/11/2010

The Portland version of this national chain has something I haven't seen in the Seattle version -- a packed crowd on a weekday night, along with live music.  It wasn't exactly my kind of crowd and it certainly wasn't my kind of music, but at least the place was pulsing.

206 SW Morrison St., Portland, OR 97204 - (503) 796-2739
rockbottom.com/portland - ratebeer.com - yelp - barfly