Three years ago, when WW named Victory Bar our first Bar of the Year, we lauded it just as much for what it wasn't as what it was. It wasn't shiny, or new or overly contrived in a neighborhood swiftly racing toward hipster Disneyland. Now, Victory Bar remains steadfastly unchanged—its Orwellian Big Brother décor all the more poignant and ironic among the new crop of multi-use towers. Because why fuck with a good thing? The cocktails, like the house signature Bourbon Ginger, are fresh and delicious, the beer selection rivals any local beer bar in curation, and the food—from the juicy venison burger to the creamy lineup of house-made spatzles—is comforting like a hug from someone else's grandma. The website remains willfully terrible, with a snarky indifference to your dietary intolerances and the threat of bodily harm to kittens if you do not come in for a drink. You don't need to convince us.

Happy hour: 5-6 pm daily, 10-11 pm Sunday-Thursday.

Entertainment: Propaganda, mind control, video game.

3653 SE Division St., 503-236-8755, thevictorybar.com, 5 pm-1 am Sunday-Wednesday, 5 pm-1:30 am Thursday, 5 pm-2 am Friday-Saturday.

Willamette Week