Where are the Best Bartenders in Portland, Oregon?
YES,YES, YES! Had thought about trying this restaurant since it opened, sorry it took so long to get there….last night’s dinner shared with a couple of friends was perfection! Started out with good feelings with the very helpful & kind response when I made the reservation…asked about noise levels(husband has a hearing problem, and there are too many places with intolerable noise levels that became a one-night stand, no matter how good the food was). Throughout the meal, our server was a delight, helpful & attentive without hovering, fun, and his suggestions were right on. That was a bonus for sure, but the amazing food was the star….it was hard to choose, but we opted for five appetizers(elk tartare, foie gras torchon, duck egg with fonduta, salt cod fritters, walnut bread)three small plates/charcuterie(wild boar nuggets,rabbit & pork mortadella, pork explosion)one main(chitarra pasta with wild mushrooms), and for dessert, the oil & chocolate & coffee pot de creme. EVERYTHING
I have been here two times now, and in my honest opinion this is the hands down best bar in town. I know my cocktails and I know my spirits. I read a lot and I rarely talk to a bartender who knows more than I do. I’m not someone who is easily impressed. But I was blown away within minutes of sitting down at the bar in Teardrop.Their spirit selection is limited but carefully picked. They have a lot of lesser known yet exceptional sprits. They don’t use a lot of infused vodkas or liqueurs. And they don’t use a lot of fruit purees and fruit juices like most other cocktail bars today. Places like that tend to artfully mask the taste of the spirits. Instead the people at Teardrop try to enhance the qualities of the spirits using superior ingredients. I’ve never seen a place which has put so much time and thought into their ingredients. Most other bars take things like tonic water, vermouth, olives, and maraschino cherries for granted. At Teardrop, all those things are carefull
I called in advance to see if it was o.k. to bring our own birthday cake, which it was. Our party started rolling in at 8 pm. As our group expanded the wait staff found us more chairs until other near-by tables emptied out. No one had to wait long to order drinks that were top notch. I ordered some of the house’s specialty cocktails that were excellent – there bartenders know how to pour! Though most of us had already eaten, we ordered up a number of appetizers after a few rounds of drinks. The dates wrapped in bacon were perfect ( o hard crusty skins o the dates – they were warm and soft and melted in your mouth with a silky texture next to the smoky-saltiness of the bacon) We also got an anti-pasta platter that was nearly licked clean by the time we left. The kitchen dressed up the birthday cake and served it with a beautiful light fresh fruit garnish. They also found some birthday candles, which I had forgotten, and didn’t embarrass the birthday boy by singing – his friends took
By far my favorite bar in Portland. Despite a “hipster” reputation, most everyone there (staff and patrons) are super friendly. The food is super yummy especially the sandwiches and vegetarian fare. Although they don’t open til 5pm, it’s the best happy hour in town with dollar PBRs and cheap booze til 8. The place seems to get about the right amount of people on weekends to fill up, but not be too crazy. A great date spot if you aren’t looking for something super classy. Yes it’s dark and the music is loud but the tunes are good and they show movies with the subtitles on which is fun. The Hawthorne “barmuda triangle” as they call it is kind of out of the way but it’s nice to be able to wander around the neighborhood if you need to really kick your liver into high gear. I never walk out of the BOG feeling like i should have gone somewhere else. The place gets five stars and two shockers up for sure!Pros + good service, nice people Cons – smokey and loud
There are so many great breakfast/brunch places in Portland that it’s hard to pick a favorite (Helser’s Tin Shed, Jam, Genie’s, Bread and Ink, Cafe du Berry, Junior’s all come quickly to mind). Topping my list at the moment is Crush. I’ve never been there at night when the hipsters allegedly arrive, but have had the Sunday brunch (9 to 3). The menu is reasonably varied, with classy breakfast choices on one side and some more lunch-brunch type selections like mac & cheese on the flip. I especially like the chilaquiles and the scrambles, some with meat and others vegetarian. Very flavorful with ingredients like Antique Cheddar (not sure what that means). They even get the little touches right — e.g., using sliced fennel on the sliced apple that garnishes most of the dishes. There’s also something I haven’t seen elsewhere in P-Town: free cornbread and toast, both self-serve. The Stumptown coffee (not free) is also self-serve. There’s amazing art throughout the place (apparently by the ow
