Where to Get Drinks in Portland This Week, One Way or Another

Your weekly Buzz List.

Tropicale (Christine Dong)

1. Tropicale

2337 NE Glisan St., 503-894-9484, tropicale.co. Noon-9:30 pm Wednesday-Sunday.

The Portland food world was leveled last week by the passing of Alfredo Climaco, Portland's pina colada king and owner of this colorful, recently opened cocktail bar. But a piece of his vibrant spirit survives in the drinks that made him famous, like the smoky-sweet Oaxaca Forever. Named after the home state of Climaco's father, it has a subtle wood smoke that wafts in the background like a bonfire on the sand, joined by a swell of grapefruit that crashes against a dash of warming cinnamon.

Read more: Alfredo Climaco, Portland's Piña Colada King and Owner of Newly Opened Bar Tropicale, Has Died of COVID-19.

Paydirt

2. Paydirt

2724 NE Pacific St., 503-908-3217, paydirtbar.com. 4-9 pm Wednesday-Saturday.

The to-go version of Paydirt's House Old Fashioned—Old Taylor bourbon with bitters and sugar, plus an orange twist and "fancy cherry"—is made to order, funneled into 4-ounce brown glass bottles. It also comes with an added bonus in order to satisfy OLCC regulations: a cheese sandwich, which literally a slice of American cheese between two pieces of white bread.

Read more: Drink Mobile: What's Better Than an Old Fashioned to Go? How About a Free Cheese Sandwich to Go With it?

Gluar (Chris Nesseth)

3. GlüBar

2006 NE Alberta St., 503-954-2021, imperialbottleshop.com/glubar. 4-10 pm Wednesday-Friday, noon-10 pm Saturday-Sunday.

Inspired by the outdoor Christmas markets in Northern and Western Europe, Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom's new curbside pop-up makes patio drinking in the dead of winter not only feasible but downright jolly. The lineup of mulled drinks changes about once a week, but whatever options are available, always spring for something that can be set on fire.

Read more: The Spirit of Friluftsliv Is Strong With Imperial Bottle Shop's Outdoor Hot-Beverage Pop-Up.

4. Tiny Bubble Room

2025 N Lombard St., 503-208-2660, tinybubbleroom.com. 3-10 pm daily.

Growing up in Northeast Portland, Jeremy Lewis remembers family dinners at the Lung Fung Chinese restaurant. Now, the place is his. His new bar, Tiny Bubble Room, is named for Lung Fung's adjoining old-school lounge, and gives Arbor Lodge and Kenton a "not-so-divey dive" similar to Roscoe's in Montavilla, which Lewis also owns.

Read more: The Owners of Roscoe's Have Turned an Old-School Chinese Restaurant Into the Craft Cocktail Bar North Portland Has Long Needed.

(Christine Dong)

5. Tulip Shop Tavern

825 N Killingsworth, 503-206-8483, tulipshoptavern.com. Noon-10 pm daily.

While the building has seen quick turnover in recent years, Tulip Shop Tavern feels like a neighborhood staple that's been around far longer than not-even-three-years. It's achieved that by hitting the deceptively simple trifecta that many nouveau Portland bars struggle with: good vibes, good food and damn good drinks. You can now get those drinks to go—from well-made standards to house cocktails such as the fruit-forward Paper Tiger—and pair them with their under-the-radar burger. The vibes, though? Those are up to you for now.

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