Favorite
The formula for perfection is precise: Plymouth gin (very English and very dry), a splash of white vermouth, a shimmering dash of lemon oil on the surface and a single olive. It’s the classic dry martini, and yes, thankfully, it’s on the menu. With a little pun fun for the historically inclined (the bar’s name refers to the Dickensian heyday Read more...
Favorite
With adobe-colored walls and track lighting laid out in a spiral pattern, the recently opened Camellia Lounge—tucked behind Tea Zone in the Pearl—resembles a funky basement bar in a Southwest motor lodge. But the intriguing array of tea-infused drinks dissipates lingering doubts about the décor. Singular cocktails such as the Genghis Kowboy and the Maté Mojito teem with yerba maté Read more...
Favorite
If IKEA opened a wine bar, it would feel a lot like this Scandinavian-inspired escape from Northeast hipsterdom. (In fact, the swoopy, oddly comfortable chairs were designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen, the guy behind the St Louis arch.) Enclosed within Pour’s mod, spaceship-cafeteria décor, urban sophisticates chatter and sip glasses from a Northwest-centric wine list—a list that owner Robert Read more...
Favorite
The new bartender introduces himself as Burt and fashions a breathtaking martini just before pouring a respectable pinot noir for a grumbling Blazers fan. No small news, the arrival of Burt: A fresh face behind the stick at the Ringside doesn’t appear too often—bartenders here tend to have careers longer than Andy Rooney’s. But like his predecessors, Burt is Fred Read more...
Favorite
When you enter Paddy’s, one fact becomes toweringly apparent: You have choices. With over 400 bottles lined up along seven shelves climbing approximately 20 feet toward the ceiling, this upscale Irish pub claims to have the largest liquor selection of any club, bar or restaurant in Oregon. The lively blue-collar crowd ogling what’s reverently referred to as “The Wall” attests Read more...
Favorite
It’s attached to a Travelodge and the parquet has more scratches than a meth addict. But don’t cry for Suki’s: With a lively cast of mic fiends and no waiting, it’s a party outlet for sleepy Southwesties. Besides, you can get pancakes till 8. And nothing goes with “Brown Sugar” like a short stack. In between karaoke sets sate your Read more...
Favorite
For a more organic experience, check out tastemaker and vinyl junkie DJ Gregarious, a cat so canny he can segue from Gorillaz to Joy Division to the Kinks without dropping a beat. He’s the main man behind “Shut Up and Dance” every Friday night at the Fez Ballroom, where goths, new-wave nostalgia buffs and revved-up party boys scuff the floor, Read more...
Favorite
There’s no shortage of joints in this town that try to tap into the elusive Rat Pack swagger of the Stork Club in its heyday, but Tony Starlight’s has a distinct advantage—namely, the presence of the dapper proprietor himself. He’s the hepcat, dressed sharp enough to slice cheddar, who materializes at your table inquiring about the quality of your cocktail, Read more...
Favorite
Loud, (formerly) smoky, and as boisterous as any local found in Swindon or Tunbridge Wells, the Horse Brass serves as a home away from home for English ex-pats in need of a pint, some soccer speculation and a few rounds of darts—not to mention bangers, pasties and the dreaded Scotch egg. But the Horse Brass is actually much more than Read more...
Favorite
The Gilt Club handily carries this city’s Rat-Pack-era torch: Candy-red booths and banquette seating offer just the kind of dim corners needed for successful surveilling, while Nancy Sinatra’s teasing voice wafts from the speakers crooning the theme song to Tony Rome, a silly detective flick from the ’60s that starred daddy Frank. Luckily the drinks served from the wave-shaped bar, Read more...