Two Wrongs May Not Make a Right, but It Does Make Some Damn Good Cocktails

It's easy to mistake Two Wrongs for a cocktail bar.

Sure, the menu of mixed drinks includes some high-priced entries, and the beautiful Moroccan-inspired tiling suggests a sophisticated mixology lab. But if you're looking for a mellow place to admire the craftsmanship of your old fashioned, you're likely to be disappointed.

Really, this is more of a nightclub, comparable to a spot like Dig A Pony rather than nearby Teardrop Lounge or Pink Rabbit. Tables get moved aside at night to make room for a dance floor with DJs, so adjust your expectations accordingly.

That said, Two Wrongs still serves some damn good cocktails—especially for a nightclub.

The Naked and Famous ($15) is a fun, if pricey, mezcal drink with aperol and yellow chartreuse. For those really looking to go full baller, the Big Easy ($18) is essentially a top-shelf, mixed-base sazerac. With a price tag that high, it's not quite bang-for-your-buck, but it's bold, layered and—most importantly—boozy. Plus, there's no cover to get in, so if you're here, why not splurge?

For the more budget-conscious, the Wrong Fashioned ($10) offers a stiff, balanced take on the classic whiskey drink. The house margaritas ($10) are also crowd pleasers, especially the bright passion fruit and guava version, which comes in just shy of overly sweet. The Bourbon Outfitters ($10)—essentially a whiskey sour with orgeat—is thin-tasting and skippable. Points for the name, though.

The bar also gave its food menu a welcome upgrade recently, replacing mediocre hot dogs with tacos, burritos and bowls from the Mexican restaurant next door, Papi Chulo's.

Two Wrongs might not be a serious cocktail destination, but there are already plenty of those in this town. A nightclub with seriously good drinks, though? That's much more rare. And anyway, cocktail aficionados like to dance too, right?

DRINK: Two Wrongs, 617 NW 13th Ave., twowrongspdx.com. 3 pm-1 am Sunday-Tuesday, 3 pm-2 am Thursday-Saturday.