Lay Low Carries On Club 21’s Legacy and Offers an Outdoor Haven for Chain-Smokers

Yes, there are cheap tallboys, mismatched décor and a hearty food menu.

(Henry Cromett)
By Pete Cottell
When Kerns hobbit hole Club 21 bit the dust in early 2017, every hesher, hipster and hypebeast in town loudly mourned the loss of one of Portland’s most iconic bars. Shortly after it shuttered, owners Warren Boothby and Marcus Archambeault—the duo behind Double Barrel, the Elvis Room and the restored Sandy Hut, among others—announced they were moving the mountain of kitsch that inhabited Club 21 to the old Coasters space in the Foster-Powell neighborhood. The new spot, Lay Low (6015 SE Powell Blvd., 503-774-4645, 11:30am-2:30am), carries on Club 21’s legacy, with cheap tallboys, mismatched décor and a hearty food menu that’s available all hours and features some of the best burgers, fried chicken and tots in town. The patio out back is mostly covered, which is great for chain-smokers who care not about the temperature when getting their fix, but it’s still an outdoor oasis on a tract of 26 that has very few nonetheless.

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Pete Cottell

Pete Cottell

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