Don’t Freak Out—Iconic Portland Steakhouse Strip Club Acropolis Has Closed, But Only Temporarily

A panic swept across social media last night with reports that the Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard institution had suddenly shut down.

Acropolis Steakhouse. (WW archives)

Fans of flesh both grilled and undulating, take a deep breath—Portland's most iconic strip club-slash-steakhouse is currently closed, but not for long. Hopefully, anyway.

A panic swept across social media last night with reports that Acropolis on Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard had suddenly shut down. A photo of a sign posted on its front door reading "Closed Till Further Notice" made the rounds on Twitter and Facebook, leading to fears that another pillar of Old Portland had evaporated overnight.

Turns out, it's just a temporary closure related to an OLCC licensing issue.

In April, owner Haralambos "Bobby" Polizos passed away, leaving the bar's liquor license without an active licensee. Although Polizos' wife, Diane, is co-owner of the Acrop—as it's known around town—her name was not on the license, which left the club unable to legally serve alcohol.

Reached by phone at home in Estacada, Diane Polizos said she recently submitted the proper paperwork to the OLCC confirming her as the executor of her husband's estate, which would allow the license to be transferred into her name. She's hopeful the situation will be resolved soon.

"We've been around for 40 years," she said. "I would hope so."

OLCC spokesperson Matthew Van Sickle says the authorization process can take anywhere from a single day to 10 days. Polizos would then be issued a temporary license, and can file for a permanent license in 60 days.

So calm down, Portland—you should be eating super-cheap, surprisingly good steaks in the vicinity of naked women again soon.

One person who probably isn't all that happy to hear that Acropolis isn't going away? The owner of neighboring vegan strip club Casa Diablo II, which has been locked in a Hatfield-McCoy-like feud with the Acrop for years.

Revisit that crazy beef here—it's just a bit more entertaining than alcohol-related state bureaucracy.

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