The Lion's Eye Tavern: Bullseye

THE LION'S EYE TAVERN
By Casey Jarman

No longtime Portlander is surprised to hear there's great stuff in the outer reaches of Southeast 82nd Avenue. Even so, the Lion's Eye Tavern (5919 SE 82nd Ave., 774-1468) comes as a bit of a shock. Turns out that one of Portland's coolest bars—one with pool tables, pinball machines, a top-tier patio and a well-curated supply of about three dozen bottled beers and eight fine/cheap pints on tap, including the slightly fruity Lion's Eye Bock—is spitting distance from Cobbler Bill's footwear and Monique Salon. The rejuvenated Mount Scott dive shows Timbers games and hosts trivia nights, but it's the little things—the nut-filled quarter machines built into the '70s-wood-paneling bar; the stack of board games—that make this pint-sized spot feel warm and cozy. The housemade soups and sweet bartenders help, too. And all the sirens? You get used to them.

WWeek 2015

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