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1. Bar Norman
2615 SE Clinton St., barnorman.com.
All-world sommelier Dana Frank's new venture is an ode to chic European wine bar culture. With more than 25 wines available by the glass, the bar at Bar Norman offers a vast range of flavor experiences depending on mood and inclination—plus an awesome hi-fi sound system.
2. Little Beast
3412 SE Division St., 503-820-7721, littlebeastbrewing.com.
A welcome respite from a New Portland beer scene overcrowded with garage doors and concrete, Little Beast is a retooled yellow bungalow with 16 taps, a smattering of indoor seating and a massive half-covered outdoor area that serves as the liquor-licensed front yard you never had, complete with blankets for picnic-style drinking on the lawn.
3. Vault Cocktail Lounge
226 NW 16th Ave., 503-490-1178, vaultpdx.com.
The owners of Montavilla's Vintage Cocktail Lounge have moved into the Pearl, bringing an unpretentious eastside aesthetic with them. It's a touch that won't be lost on regulars from Vintage who hope to enjoy a Prohibition cocktail for $8 in a neighborhood where that's a rarity.
4. Sardine Head
5202 N Albina Ave., 503-946-8087.
Hosted Friday through Sunday inside Sweedeedee, the Sardine Head pop-up bills itself as a "natural-wine dive bar," but it's really a perfectly pleasant, not-at-all divey extension of the bakery's daytime space, with a deep and impressive list of natural wines.
5. The Rambler
4205 N Mississippi Ave., 503-459-4049, ramblerbar.com.
We dearly miss the macramé chairs and hammocks of the Bungalow Bar era, but the Rambler has done a fine job of keeping its beloved patio mostly the same while shaking off the bro plague and improving its kitchen and cocktail menus as well.