Portland Bars Where Drinking Isn’t the Only Draw

Ground Kontrol
Image: courtesy ground kontrol
Lots of folks don’t want alcohol to play a central role—or any role—in their social lives. At these bars, alcohol is available, but it isn’t the main draw. Instead, you’ll find yourself playing badminton or ping-pong or Space Invaders, or in a room full of used books. Next time you’re looking to take the emphasis off drinking, turn to one of these spots.
This story is part of our Essential Guide to Portland Bars.
Read more here.

Birdie Time
Image: courtesy birdie time
Putt Around at Birdie Time Pub
Buckman
This indoor mini golf palace in the Central Eastside boasts a bar with tons of beers on tap, but also plenty of nonalcoholic options, from kombucha to CBD soda. When you’re not knocking your ball completely off course and repeatedly crouching down to pick up your wayward ball, grab gooey mozzarella sticks from the food cart on site, chill by the faux firepit for a bit, and then make your way to the outdoor badminton court, where you’ll break a sweat and probably laugh until you can’t breathe.
925 SE Main St

Ground Kontrol
Image: courtesy ground kontrol
Game the Night Away at Ground Kontrol
Old Town
This throwback to Gen X and millennial childhood birthday parties is stocked with vintage video games like The Simpsons, NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat, Space Invaders, and Frogger. There’s also an impressive selection of pinball machines. While the selection of nonalcoholic drinks is nothing to write home about, the food menu is nostalgic, with the likes of hot dogs and nachos.
115 NW Fifth Ave
Go Zero-Proof at Holy Ghost
Creston-Kenilworth
This bar took over the space of the Pub at the End of the Universe, and it’s still got that community hub vibe. Seating is plentiful, including big leather booths for you and all your buds. The signature drink here, the machine-shaken 5 Minute Ramos Gin Fizz with a hint of orange blossom water, is also available with Lyre’s nonalcoholic gin. But there’s also a whole menu dedicated to cocktails made with zero-proof spirits like tequila and bitters, plus nonalcoholic beer. While Holy Ghost doesn’t have its own food program, you can bring in food from neighboring restaurants like Electric Pizza Company or 28 Tigers serving pot stickers, noodles, and Chinese barbecue pork.
4101 SE 28th Ave
Take Up Table Tennis at Pips & Bounce
Buckman
Tired of folks hogging the one crooked, tired ping-pong table at your local dive bar? Enter Pips and Bounce, packed with pristine ping-pong tables that you can book by the half hour. There are basic nonalcoholic offerings (ginger beer, cranberry and tonic), plus snacks like spinach-artichoke dip and chicken taquitos.
833 SE Belmont St
Read at Rose City Book Pub
Sabin
For a solo night out, a quiet night of reading with a friend, or raucous book banter among peers, head to Rose City Book Pub, which is full of reading nooks and a massive selection of used books available for purchase. There’s beer, wine, and cocktails for folks who do drink as well as standard nonalcoholic beverages like coffee, tea, and sodas, and a huge selection of hot food that reads more restaurant than bar (think spaghetti with meat sauce). Check the event calendar for open mics, readings, live music, trivia, and writing workshops.
1329 NE Fremont St

Sousòl
Image: Courtesy Eva Kosmas Flores
Go Alcohol, Gluten, and Dairy Free at Sousól
Buckman
This subterranean, pan-Caribbean bar from chef Gregory Gourdet sits just steps away from his famed restaurant Kann. Since Gourdet himself is sober, you’ll find an impressive list of zero-proof drinks blending ingredients like Haitian ginger tea, tamarind, and jerk spice. For the drinkers in your party, some cocktails feature rums from all over the Caribbean, while others center aquavit or tequila, with surprising elements like Haitian black mushroom or coconut-infused cognac. It’s a funky yet elegant place to lounge, with a hot pink satin sofa lining the walls. Enjoy bites that, like all dishes at Kann, are entirely gluten and dairy-free. We’re partial to the wings, the Trinidadian doubles (chickpea curry stuffed into fried flatbread), and everything on the dessert menu.
227 SE 6th Ave
Play Pinball at Wedgehead
Hollywood
Nothing kills the vibe of a fun night out faster than losing a $1 pinball game within 30 seconds. Wedgehead understands the plight of novice pinball players as well as the needs of seasoned pinballers, offering $12 unlimited pinball every night. The pinball area is packed with a rotating selection of machines, at least a dozen at a time, from every decade from around the ’50s to present. And while the cocktails here are a draw in their own right, there’s also vegan horchata and mocktails on offer—add CBD, too, if that’s your jam. The bar puts a lot of love into its food menu, from burgers to fried chicken patties to arepas—and even hot churros for dessert.
3728 NE Sandy Blvd