Now that Portland's on the short list of cool American cities, we're fast becoming a target for chain businesses of a trendier stripe. So while Beauty Bar (111 SW Ash St., 224-0773, beautybar.com), a new pretty-in-pink downtown watering hole with a gimmick (spoiler: You can get your nails did and drink a martini for $10 during happy hour), isn't the first of its kind, the new Stumptown incarnation still feels tailor-made to our city. But what does Beauty Bar bring to the table? There's a nice—if oddly Mardi Gras-ish—balcony bar where you can visually undress the patrons down below without getting slapped. There's a photo booth and a rotating cast of local DJs. The drinks could be a touch stiffer and we think the clientele will get a little less weird when that new-bar smell wears off—but the nail polish smell will undoubtably remain.
WWeek 2015