After a soul-crushing season for the Blazers, Spirit of ‘77 is shaking up its roster. Restaurateur Nate Tilden, one of the masterminds behind Clyde Common and Olympic Provisions, is taking a time-out this summer to rethink his strategy. The design-savvy sports bar on NE MLK Blvd will close for a month starting the second week of July for a menu overhaul and kitchen renovations (including a new fleet of skee-ball tables!)

For the revamp, Nate Tilden is coming off the bench himself. Tilden, who worked at Castagna under Kevin Gibson, is taking over the kitchen to execute what he describes as “an ingredient-driven bar menu with surprises around every corner.”

Eight small bites—an assemblage of high quality, hedonistic bar staples—will dominate the menu. Dishes like sweet and spicy mustard-glazed cocktail ribs, fiery Chinese chicken wings, a few fish and chip varieties, and a whole list of sandwiches. Taking hints from Portland’s wildly popular Bunk Bar, Tilden is stocking up on the sandwich basics: Philly cheese steaks, meatball subs, roast beef sandwiches and catfish po’boys.

The new game plan will include cask-controlled wines on tap from Oregon’s Cameron winery and pitchers of Kamikaze cocktails poured tableside into shot glasses. Let’s hope next season’s Trail Blazers will be worth a toast.

Spirit of ‘77
500 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
(503) 232-9977
Mon-Sat, 4-12pm; Sun, 4-10pm