My Father's Place

By Jay Horton

Although the Central Eastside Industrial District's dive bar of record welcomes a wide swath of well-wishers throughout the day, first call attracts an especially diverse scrum for unofficial sunrise service, split evenly between retirees seeking eye-openers and drinkers still awake from the night before. It is a bar of gruff bonhomie, unreconstructed comfort food like gravy-covered chicken-fried steak, impossibly cheap drinks and a well-worn rec-room aesthetic. And at Christmas or Easter, for those self-made orphans day-drinking away obligations, "Spending the holiday at My Father's Place" remains the perfect excuse—for almost anything, really. Though the bar bears no relation to charity housing project My Father's House in Gresham, it's hard to think it doesn't serve the same function for many of the same people.

HAPPY HOUR: 4-7 pm Monday-Friday. $2.50 well drinks, and $2.75 draft microbrews.

ENTERTAINMENT: As much pinball as video poker, two pool tables, and a public lost and found bin.

523 SE Grand Ave., 503-235-5494. 6 am-2:30 am daily.

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