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1. Palomar
959 SE Division St., No. 100, 971-266-8276, barpalomar.com. 4-10 pm Wednesday-Saturday. By reservation only.
A reflection of owner Ricky Gomez's Cuban American heritage and his hometown of New Orleans, Palomar doesn't look like many other Portland bars. The interior could be a set piece from HBO's Ballers, and the drink menu is just as colorful, full of piña coladas, daiquiris and all things slushy and beachy. Moving operations to its roof deck overlooking Division Street was, well, a baller move given the circumstances.
2. Gin Alley
3348 SE Belmont St. 4-10 Wednesday-Saturday.
Opening behind still-shuttered pseudo-speakeasy Circa 33 off Belmont, Gin Alley is, well, an outdoor gin bar located in an alley. The brainchild of veteran bar manager John Paul Longenecker, the drinks include a martini with locally sourced herbs, a strawberry and pepper gin fizz and, perhaps most tantalizing, a hazelnut mai tai.
3. Sandy Hut
1430 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-235-7972. Call to confirm hours.
Dive bar, tiki bar and diner, the Sandy Hut has been a mainstay for service industry workers and young eastsiders for decades, and a 2016 makeover only made it more inviting. While most of its unique charms are found inside—the pool table with lion heads carved into the corners; the awesome Al Hirschfeld wallpaper—the oddly shaped building sits on an island along its namesake street, which makes grabbing a cocktail on its curbside patio a singular experience by itself.
4. Zoiglhaus
5716 SE 92nd Ave., 971-339-2374, zoiglhaus.com. 4-9 pm daily.
If the E-Z Ups are out, that's a sure sign a good time is being had. At Zoiglhaus, they're one of the defining features of the brewery's new pop-up beer garden. The setup is bare-bones, but it's enough to transform the oil-stained patch of concrete on 92nd into a breezy block party. Sadly, the outdoor cooking portion of the shindig has come to an end, but the jägerschnitzel is still on the menu. And then, of course, there's the beer: Cans of Hop on Top—the brewery's sassy, seasonal dry-hopped Pilsner—sit in a galvanized tub, adding to the feeling that you're at a neighbor's summer hang.
Read more: Zoiglhaus Brewery in Lents Has a Poppin' Patio, but They're Still Figuring Out Exactly What to Do With It.
5. Lady of the Mountain
100 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 971-345-2992, kexhotels.com/eat-drink/rooftop. 5-10 pm Wednesday-Sunday; last reservations taken at 8:30 pm. Brunch 10 am-1 pm Saturday-Sunday.
Icelandic boutique hotel Kex is one of those rare gems in the city with a rooftop oasis. At four stories up, Lady of the Mountain feels a bit like being nestled in a fjord made of glass and concrete. The list of wine, beer and cocktails is long, but to make things easy, just order the Pimm's Cup: It's like an adult snow cone, made with cucumber-infused gin, and it's the most refreshing thing you could possibly order on a Portland rooftop in August.
Read more: Lady of the Mountain Is a Rooftop Bar Worth Summiting.
