Bar Guide 2015: Free House

1325 NE Fremont St., 946-8161, freehousepdx.com. 4 pm-midnight daily.

A comfy-chic boîte of blond wood, agreeably burly bartenders and an equally strapping-though-playful cocktail list—say, the Southpaw's (bourbon, lemon, aperol, falernum, egg white) reinvention of lemon meringue pie as perhaps-flammable syrup—Free House boasts a similarly sized, half-sheltered, largely unadorned patio offering the same fare but different feel. Outside, cigarettes are lit and beers drained to the pealing laughter of girls-night-out, decorous interiors encourage voices to match as couples trade bites from humbly exquisite small plates (Olympia Provisions shares a co-owner) below framed metalwork and a giant, glowering portrait of Abraham Lincoln. With apologies, a Free House divided stands just fine.

Happy hour: 4-5:30 pm daily, $1 off everything.


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WWeek 2015

Jay Horton

Jay Horton is a longtime correspondent and jack-of-all-arts-coverage: music, film, theater, food, television, books, dance and college football special teams, to taste. Follow him on Twitter @Hortland.

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