Division Street’s New Daiquiri-Heavy Cuban Joint Is Now Officially Open

Palomar served tropical cocktails and Cuban classics to a packed house during its soft opening last night.

(CJ Monserrat)

Last September, WW reported on acclaimed Portland bartender Ricky Gomez's plans to open a new Cuban bar and restaurant on SE Division Street.

Last night, the eatery, Palomar, officially opened its doors, slinging blended cocktails and daiquiris and Cuban-comfort food classics to a packed house, Eater PDX first reported.

Related: Portland Is Getting a Daiquiri-Crazed Cuban Spot From a Bartender Crowned the Best in America.

We’re open! #openforbusiness #nolongercomingsoon

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The two-story bar is in a new building at 959 SE Division Street, adorned by a 70-foot tall Finbar Dac mural of a woman with a Cuban Togon bird on her shoulder and live plants growing out of her hair.

Gomez, a James Beard-winning bartender who worked at the Teardrop Lounge before opening the bar at Ox, apparently succeeded in crafting an atmosphere and menu that embodies the vibrancy of Cuba.

"A lot of places in Portland will have that dark burnished wood, this very sexy feeling," Gomez told WW in September, "that's not what I think embodies Cuba,"

According to Eater, the bar's strawberry-red-painted ceiling fans, palm tree wallpaper and rows of hanging plants help create a '50s-era Havana aesthetic.

As promised, the daiquiri list is extensive, featuring simple classics along with more adventurous banana, strawberry and pina colada blends. House-made pineapple gin is also on order for $5 a shot.

Comfort-classic bar snacks include croquetas, empanadas, and a Cuban medianoche, which Gomez previously described to WW as being "like a Cubano with a sweet bread."

As an homage to his dual roots in New Orleans and the Northwest, Gomez also included an oyster selection—served fried with remoulade, raw in the half shell or baked in mojo de ajo—on the menu.

Larger dishes include plates of Cuban pork with two sides and rice, and happy-hour food items can be snagged for as cheap as $1.

Still to come in the new space, reportedly, are a rooftop space for private events and a ground floor patio.

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