contents
PUB
CRAWLS
BREWPUBS
BREW
CLUB PROFILE
CHI-CHI
COCKTAILS
THE
SCIENCE OF DRINKING
FUN
AND GAMES
GAY
BARS
KARAOKE
OLD
MEN
OUTDOORS
SPORTS
BARS
THE
YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
WINE
WINE
WORDS
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"When you have lost your inns, drown your
empty selves, for you will have lost the last of England."
--Hilaire Belloc
In one of the more amusing scenes from the movie An
American Werewolf in London, two young American travelers
find themselves stranded on the Yorkshire Moors, weary,
hungry and fed up with the biting wind and rain. Much to
their pleasure, they come across the welcome sight of a
pub, ominously called The Slaughtered Lamb. From the outside,
the pub seems to be a cheerful, lively and warm place. As
soon as they walk through the doors, however, the vibrant
conversation in the tavern comes to an abrupt halt, and
the locals slowly eye the newcomers with a distrust bordering
on the paranoid. The reaction is, of course, exaggerated
to heighten the comic effect, but it's not completely without
foundation in reality.
"I know," as Welsh comedian Max Boyce's catch phrase goes,
"because I was there." Growing up in a small village in
Wales, I had my local, the Glan-y-Don, where I would regularly
drink and play pool for the pub team. Though outsiders who
entered the pub were not met with the cold shoulders of
the regulars at The Slaughtered Lamb, they were certainly
viewed with curiosity. Who were they? What did they want?
In general, there were two possible answers: They were either
new to the village (and consequently potential locals) or
they were passing through.
For a newcomer, this kind of curiosity can be stifling
or even alienating, depending on the pub, but it can also
be the catalyst for an incredibly warm welcome. Either way,
one could argue, it's better than being met with indifference.
Basically, the personality of a pub can be as important
as the beer it serves. While the communities in the many
British and Irish pubs in Portland may not be quite as close-knit
as those in some of their transatlantic counterparts, they
are equally important to the people who frequently or infrequently
visit the establishments.
BIDDY MCGRAW'S IRISH PUB
Biddy McGraw's has the best Guinness around, but the
bar has much more to offer than a well-poured pint. It is
one of the friendliest places in town and consistently offers
its customers a solid range of live Irish music. And like
a real local, Biddy's has its loyal regulars. Nevertheless,
the crowd is often mixed, with construction workers and
Reedies, tourists and locals, Irish people and Americans
struck with Riverdance fever. The establishment does
not serve liquor, but with great music and a nice range
of beer and cider, who needs it?
3518 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD., 233-1178.
OPEN DAILY. BEER AND WINE.
THE BLARNEY STONE
This new addition to the string of drinkeries along
Hawthorne is a welcome one. An oasis in the desert between
Biddy's and Bar of the Gods or the Space Room (for smokers,
at least), the Blarney Stone offers a fine pint of Guinness
or cider for the thirsty wanderer. Bizarre murals aside,
the bar is roomy--hardly surprising, given that it's part
of an old Masonic hall--but something needs to be done about
the lighting, which gives the space the feel of an under-attended
prom. Additional attractions include an accessible pool
table and a fine stage, on which traditional Irish and bluegrass
musicians often play. It's early days for the Blarney Stone,
which opened on St. Patrick's Day of this year, but the
crowds already gathering there suggest it may be around
for a while.
3862 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD., 234-7474.
OPEN DAILY. BEER AND WINE.
ELEPHANT & CASTLE
Given its location, the Elephant & Castle doesn't
seem to get the custom it should. Although it's a local
lunch spot for many, the pub is generally a lot quieter
than its neighbors at night. Still, one should not ignore
this place. Dishes like the fish and chips are both substantial
and reasonably priced; the range of beers is more than adequate;
and the introduction of an extra happy hour (from 9:30 to
11:30 pm) has to be good news. You can even get a game of
darts in after you've had your shepherd's pie and a pint.
Alternatively, you can just watch--there are some great
players here.
439 SW 2ND AVE., 222-5698.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
HORSE BRASS PUB
The exterior of the building that houses the Horse Brass
in no way suggests that a pub lies therein. If you pulled
up outside the place, you'd think you were about to meet
with an insurance agent rather than down many a pint. But
there, of course, you'd be wrong. With its numerous dart
boards, impressive range of beers and whiskeys and standard
menu of well-prepared pub fare, the Horse Brass comes as
close to a British pub as you'll get in Portland--just ask
the Brits who go there every weekend.
4534 SE BELMONT ST., 232-2202.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
THE IRISH BANK
The Irish Bank's huge windows, wood floors and high
ceiling give the large barroom an airy feel. But the place
often lacks an enjoyable social atmosphere. When it's not
oppressively busy, it tends to be depressingly quiet. The
inescapable, annoying photographs of Irish stereotypes don't
help, either. (A few lessons from Biddy's--in politics and
music--might help.) On the positive side, the range of beer,
wine and liquor is wide, and the Irish Bank offers a happy-hour
bar menu. From 4 to 7 pm daily, you can get dishes like
crab cakes, oysters and baked brie for just $2.50.
206 SW STARK ST., 464-1122.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
KELLS
Like the Irish Bank, Kells has a happy-hour bar menu that's
well worth sampling. The same goes for all its food, in
fact, especially the fish and chips--some of the best in
town. Guinness and Harp are staples in this spacious bar
and restaurant, but the attraction for many is the huge
selection of single-malt Scotch. On cold, rainy evenings,
there are worse things than sitting in front of the fire
and listening to Cul An Ti while sipping away at a Glenlivet.
On a less cheery note, with its masses of tourists and crowds
of office parties, Kells often seems like a Disney pub.
112 SW 2ND AVE., 227-4057.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
PADDY'S BAR AND GRILL
One of the most striking things about Paddy's is the
wall of liquors behind the bar. On shelves almost reaching
the high ceiling, more than 400 bottles stand as both decoration
and a challenge. While the list of beers is nowhere near
as extensive, it is solid, with the usual suspects like
Harp and Guinness alongside a variety of local brews. The
food, though a little pricey, caters to the office workers
who frequent the place at lunchtime and in the early evenings.
It is notable for its quality and range--from a great citrus
spinach salad to calamari and, of course, fish and chips.
65 SW YAMHILL ST., 224-5626.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR
ROSE & THISTLE PUB
With such a name and façade, you'd expect the Rose
& Thistle to be a traditional Scottish pub. The closest
the Broadway bar comes to meeting that expectation, however,
is in its offering Scotch eggs and MacTarnahan's. The prints
of Highland landscapes and the mishmash of other things
Scottish that bedeck the walls cannot cover up the fact
that this place is simply a bar. After such a disappointment,
you need a drink--and this is the good part about the Rose
& Thistle. As well as serving liquor, the bar offers
a variety of microbrews, along with Guinness, Harp and Bass.
The food is not especially worthy of recommendation, but
the beer garden is. In the summertime, it's the ideal place
for a pint of cider or a tall gin and tonic.
2314 NE BROADWAY, 287-8582.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
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