Hey, Good Lookin'

By Casey Jarman

Now that Portland's on the short list of cool American cities, we're fast becoming a target for chain businesses of a trendier stripe. So while Beauty Bar (111 SW Ash St., 224-0773, beautybar.com), a new pretty-in-pink downtown watering hole with a gimmick (spoiler: You can get your nails did and drink a martini for $10 during happy hour), isn't the first of its kind, the new Stumptown incarnation still feels tailor-made to our city. But what does Beauty Bar bring to the table? There's a nice—if oddly Mardi Gras-ish—balcony bar where you can visually undress the patrons down below without getting slapped. There's a photo booth and a rotating cast of local DJs. The drinks could be a touch stiffer and we think the clientele will get a little less weird when that new-bar smell wears off—but the nail polish smell will undoubtably remain.

WWeek 2015

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.