Where is the Best Conversation Bar in Portland, Oregon?
I met a girl on first date at the M Bar – at her suggestion. First off – It’s small! Or what I would call ‘intimate’. The acoustics are very good so any conversation taking place is fair game to anyone else in the establishment. Outside a being a tiny cash only place – it’s very cool. Warm, candle lit, with agreeable music playing. Non-smokers may be put off due to the size of the establishment and the lack of airflow (smoking is allowed inside). Luckily there are a couple outside tables to take advantage of. 4 star due to lack of ventilation – but I will be a return customer!Pros + Cheap prices (happy hour gives 3$ glasses) friendly occupantsCons – Very small, if you come with 5 or more people, you’ll fill half the place up.
A friend and I stopped into Bartini a month or so ago for happy hour after hearing rave reviews. Unfortunately, we were SORELY DISSAPOINTED with the service. As it was pretty busy we sat at the bar, and the bartender asked to see our ID (good job doing your job). He then loudly told us we couldn’t be there because we weren’t of age, and, as the rest of the patrons were staring at us, told us to leave. Too bad we are, and a coworker awkwardly corrected his math. The bartender didn’t didnt apologize, but instead ignored us the rest of the meal. It isn’t like we were expecting to be comped or anything, but an acknowledgement of his embarassing mistake would have been in line. Perhaps he was embaressed, but it is more awkward if you just ignore customers who are a foot away from you on the other side of the bar. Anyways, the services was extremely slow for a simple happy hour. I don’t care for the excuse of “it is being made fresh”…it doesn’t take that long to make fondu or plate a salad
I’ve never actually seen a place try so hard to appear to be somewhere it’s not. Lot’s of people wearing $100 t-shirts attempting to look “low brow”. I came here expecting cheap drinks and I was wrong, $14.50 for two drinks is pretty steep when I can get the same two drinks down the road at a trendy pearl bar for $9.00. Worse yet, the place was full of smoke and my friend lit up a clove cigarette. He was told to put it out! Apparently they’re not allowed in there, but there was no sign stating this. We went to the corner, finished our drinks and headed out to one of those trendy “high brow” bars with lower prices and less pretentious people.Pros + Different From the Other BarsCons – Pricey Drinks, Fake Scene, Very Trendy
Met some friends for dinner prior to a show last week and we were pleased with our meal and our service. Upon entering olea the hostess greeted us and sat us promptly at a round table for six. This was great as my husband does not like sitting in booths. The server guided us through the menu pointing out some house favorites. Our table sampled some pizzas, the grilled dates, fritto misto sp?, several salads, and entrees. The standouts were the Lamb and the monkfish. Our table was sat early as to make it to the show, but the room filled at about 6:30-7. We loved the interior, the food & the service, would only suggest closing the front door in Portland prior to the temperature hitting the seventies. There was a slight draft
What kind of moron waits forty-five minutes for water when there are about fifteen other places in a five block radius? If you hate the Blue Moon don?t go there retard! The service does not get better when you act like a total chode! At times, servers are bad or busy, but it would be nice if you were able to differentiate between the two. Could people be more rude and yet still keep coming back? You pretentious crybabies have preconceived expectations of a horrible experience and are really surprised when the service is slow when each server has (no joke) twenty tables, and at times are bartending and cooking your food? Have you never been to a McMenamin’s before? People I know who work for this company work long shifts with no breaks while babysitting condescending patrons who criticize them for doing the best job they can under the circumstances. Many of these workers have other jobs and college degrees, but are disgruntled because they are waiting on rude impatient patrons who alre
