Where to Drink Outside in Portland This Week

Portland gets all worked up anytime a rooftop patio opens in town, but the new bar atop Icelandic boutique hotel Kex is worthy of the buzz for uniqueness alone.

IMAGE: Courtesy of KEX.

1. Lady of the Mountain

100 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 971-346-2992, kexhotels.com. 5-10 pm Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations suggested. 

Portland already gets all worked up anytime a rooftop patio opens in town, but the new bar atop Icelandic boutique hotel Kex is worthy of the buzz for uniqueness alone: The theme is "Northwest tropical," with pickled and brined delights as well as lower-ABV cocktails made for warm summer nights on a rooftop.

Squid at OK Omens. (Sam Gehrke)

2. OK Omens

1758 SE Hawthorne Blvd. 503-231-9959, okomens.com. 4-9:30 pm daily.

Castagna's raucous wine bar restaurant remains one of the city's funnest places to drink wine, whether that's $3 wine bumps—dealer's choice shots—or a Domaine les Pentes de Barène, a tiny French winery that produces only about 5,000 bottles a year.

(Thomas Teal)

3. Century

930 SE Sandy Blvd., 503-446-6418, centurybarpdx.com. Call to confirm hours.

Century is many things to many people, but chill-seekers looking for a panoramic view at sundown know this luxe Buckman sports bar is unbeatable during the golden hour.

(Mad Hanna Facebook)

4. Mad Hanna

6129 NE Fremont St., 503-288-2944, madhanna.com. 2-10 pm Monday-Thursday, 11 am-10 pm Friday-Saturday.

Mad Hanna is not for the surly at heart. "Have a Drink, Meet a Friend" is the unofficial motto—that's what's painted into the Oregon Trail-themed mural out back, at least. It has a backyard you'll swear you visited for a barbecue your first summer in town, which is perfect for this season of distance.

(Christine Dong)

5. Bantam Tavern

922 NW 21st Ave., 503-274-9032, bantamtavern.com. 3-10 pm Monday-Friday, 11:30 am-10 pm Saturday-Sunday.

A quaint corner bar can be easily overlooked in chic Northwest Portland, which is why this is one of the best places to grab a beer by the likes of de Garde or Upright from one of the eight well-curated taps and some fancified pub grub before joining the well-clad crowds elsewhere. Of course, with seating extended to the adjoining parking lot, it's now a lot easier to find, so plan accordingly.

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