Slim’s Restaurant & Lounge – 2023 Update Slim’s Restaurant & Lounge was one of our very first dive bar articles from the pre-pandemic days (read our original review from 2019 here – https://www.portlanddivebars.com/slims-restaurant-and-lounge/) Reportedly first established in 1911, it felt right to revisit this iconic spot for an update and ...
Your Inn Tavern Look beyond the unfortunate name of the Your Inn Tavern (say the first two words fast and think of waterfalls) and what you will find is an historic Portland dive bar. Open since 1923, this is a charming little spot on a sleepy street in the St ...
The Perch Bar & Grill The Perch Bar & Grill is a neighborhood institution and has been in operation since the 1940s as near as anyone can tell. And our bartender/cook/waitress Lori has been here for 28 years, so she should know the history better than damn near anyone. Apparently, ...
The Ranger Tavern The Ranger Tavern is the Cheers of dive bars. Don’t understand that reference? Brush up on your 80s tv. In a nutshell, it’s a place where everyone knows your name. Their motto even speaks to this ethos: “Never a stranger at The Ranger Tavern”! Comfortable and welcoming, ...
Park City Pub First off, I wanna lobby to bring back the former name of this establishment because it is so incredibly awesome: “Sir Loin’s”! Why would anyone ever change that name? I’m still chuckling to myself. That being said, I think the present, blander name fits the current incarnation. ...
Rumpus Room The name “Rumpus Room” gives me visions of a 1970’s era basement lair with rust colored shag carpeting, triangle shaped ashtrays, earth toned velveteen couches and a cheeky wet bar serving up cheap pull tab topped beers and Reunite on ice for the ladies…ok, back from fantasy land. ...
Anchor Bar Well, it is a dive bar, I’ll say that much. Not exceptional, but Anchor Bar is more than serviceable. Should you find yourself nearing the wilds of Vancouver and in need of a good stiff drink or a quick bite to eat, you can comfortably do so at ...
Holman’s Bar & Grill The question was hanging over us and we needed to settle it – is Holman’s Bar & Grill (AKA “Holman’s Restaurant”) a dive or just a divey restaurant? Well… let’s just say it swings both ways. Two thirds of it is a regular diner-y restaurant and ...
Mousetrap Tavern Mousetrap Tavern is a cute neighborhood-y place. It’s a little light inside and the service is a bit too friendly for this to be a traditional dive bar. It has a good long bar with comfy barstools which have backs for when you are ready to belly ...
Slim’s Restaurant & Lounge Slim’s Restaurant & Lounge is very much a Portland style dive bar – Slim’s has excellent food and tap list in a pleasingly divey setting. Dark and smelly with a sticky floor, don’t-stay-too-long barstools and an awesome menu with solid beer and whiskey selections. Fun old ...
The Twilight Room, AKA The T Room A close associate and U.P. grad highly recommended The Twilight Room and we were not disappointed. HUGE place, looks like it has been expanded multiple times over the years to accommodate its loyal clientele that appears to be a mix of U.P. students, ...
Railside Pub Is it open? Hard to tell since the only vehicle parked in the lot at Railside Pub was a hearse, but we ventured in anyway. What a hidden gem! Perfect size, cozy but not claustrophobic. Clean without the acrid smell of industrial strength disinfectant. Lighter than most dives, ...