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OLD SCHOOL
barley mill pub
My friend Rodney calls this old standby The Swill--not, by any stretch, to imply that the McMenamins brew anything approaching rotgut. It's more of a term of endearment for the neighborhood pub, which was the first in the McMenamins empire. The Grateful Dead-style decor that never seems to go out of style is created with late '60s concert posters. The bar continues to hold Grateful Dead nights on Wednesdays. Long wooden tables with benches make this the perfect place for a big group. There's nothing more tempting from the window of the #14 bus, which drives right by, than the outdoor picnic table seating. (MO) 1629 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 231-1492. Open daily.
20 taps. bridgeport brewpub
BridgePort thrives on what it is not. It is not a pickup bar, though it is something of a scene for casual professional types who prefer a pair of worn Dockers and a trimmed beard to Levi's and 2-day-old growth. It is not a sit-down restaurant, but it does have some of the best pizza in town, with a chewy, tangy crust made with unfermented beer wort. It is not a place to get wasted, dance on the table and fight with the staff. The bar closes early (11 pm during the week, midnight on Fridays and Saturdays), and patrons are too happy to get belligerent. BridgePort is a great place to enjoy pints of near-perfect bitters, pale ales, stouts and the barely amber signature brew, Blue Heron, served by smiling, knowledgeable men and women who know their products like the backs of their hands. (RR) 1313 NW Marshall St.,
241-7179. Open daily. 6 taps. goose hollow inn
There's something about a neighborhood bar, even if it's not in your neighborhood. The Goose Hollow is a lot like any number of local taverns, with an eclectic mix of regulars, a decent selection of beer, friendly servers who know their customers yet treat first-timers like old friends, and the kind of pervasive warmth you get from a place where good spirits have resided for a long, long time. Thirteen taps cover the usual span of local micros, imports and cheap domestics. In warmer weather, the large front porch becomes prime location for mingling and relaxing at the picnic tables with a pint of Mirror Pond. The after-work, after-jog, after-walking-the-dog crowd is big here between 6 and 9 pm; then the scene mellows out as the heavy drinking picks up. The Goose Hollow's menu is traditional with a few inventive twists. Try the snack plate: cheese, cold cuts, pickles, mustards, crackers and bread ($5.50 or $8.50), such a great idea you'll wonder why you don't see it more often. (RR) 1927 SW Jefferson St., 228-7010. Open daily. 13 taps. produce row
In keeping with the bare-bones style of this beer-lover's paradise, we'll keep this simple. There are just four things you need to know. 1. With 27 taps and scores of bottles, this is truly Beervana. 2. You do the work. If you like your pint to arrive on a tray, forget about it; order at the bar. 3. See the stars. The enclosed outdoor deck doesn't offer much of a view, but who wants to see life in the Central Eastside Industrial District, anyway? Look up and you'll be happy. 4. All that and music, too. When the live band is low-rent bluegrass (covers are rarely more than $2), you're in luck. On those rare occasions when Puddletown provides a sunshiny day, make sure you stay and have another beer. (MO) 204 SE Oak St., 232-8355. Open daily. 27 taps. pub at the end of the universe
The bar named for a nightclub in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy might as well be called University Pub, except that it borders Reed, a college full of free-wheeling philosophers, instead of a monolithic land-grant institution. Beyond the animal-print slipcovers and dais seating, the Pub isn't that galactic. Bartenders with ample attitude will grudgingly offer one-swallow samples; ignore their discouragement and try away, because the Pub has some really great beers you've probably never tasted. Obsidian Stout and Bond Street Brown Ale are both smooth and excellent, and the Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar is so malty it tastes like a chocolate milkshake. For a cleaner bite, try Widmer's Hop Jack. Unless you resemble the Dude, this pub isn't for the 40-plus crowd; it caters to students, not their parents. Come here to play laid-back pool or darts, listen to the Smiths and gossip about your professors. (CM) 4107 SE 28th Ave., 238-9355. Open daily. 23 taps. |
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