How many times have we been asked, “Where should we go to get a good cocktail?” Our answer always starts with the belief that you can make a great drink at home—but that’s not usually what people want to hear. So, we decided to post a list of mini reviews featuring some of our favorite places to have a cocktail. If it’s on this list, we enjoyed the drinks. Some places link to reviews. It is hard to keep up as places come and go—especially in different cities—so this work in progress also serve as a record of places we have been.
You can find a bad cocktail in any city, but in Portland, Oregon, it’s getting harder every day. Even hotel bars feature signature drinks and seasonal recipes that leverage fresh ingredients and balanced flavors. Another surprising trend is the number of fantastic breakfast joints that have a craft cocktail list that goes beyond the Mimosa and Bloody Mary.
Most spots feature a happy hour with a special or two or maybe a punch, but regular prices vary. You can expect to see drinks on the regular menus priced anywhere from $8 to $14 depending on the place and the ingredients used. There is no sales tax!
N:
NW:
- Ataula
- Teardrop Cocktail Lounge
- Oven & Shaker
- Irving Street Kitchen
- Park Kitchen
- Mediterranean Exploration Company
- St. Jack
- Hamlet
SW:
- Clyde Common
- Pepe Le Moko
- Little Bird Bistro
- Rookery Bar at Raven & Rose
- Red Star Tavern
- Multnomah Whiskey Library
- Kask
- Imperial
- Driftwood Room
- Departure
- Grüner
- Jackknife
- Luc Lac
- Veritable Quandary
- Picnic House
NE:
- Toro Bravo
- Secret Society
- Eem
- Hale Pele
- Laurelhurst Market
- Expatriate
- Ox, and the Whey Bar
- Box Social
- Small Wares / Bar Wares
SE:
- Bible Club
- Rum Club
- Beaker & Flask (closed)
- Pok Pok
- Whiskey Soda Lounge
- Bar Avignon
- Ava Gene’s
- Woodsman Tavern
- The Sweet Hereafter
- Nostrana
- Farm
- Sunshine Tavern
- Circa 33
Yet To Visit:
- Trifecta
- Thirst
- Mint
- Sapphire Hotel
- Vintage Cocktail Lounge
Seattle is our nearest neighbor to the north. Over the course of time we will will continue to visit and add reviews.
The Twin Cities—Minneapolis and St. Paul—are our former home. We started Summit Sips while living in St. Paul, working in Minneapolis, and exploring all of the places offering the best cocktails in the Midwest. In fact, many of our posts over the years make direct references to life in the Twin Cities.
A lot has changed since we moved to Portland, Oregon. New bars have opened, the Northstar Bartenders Guild has grown, and professionals and residents are more informed than ever about craft cocktails. We like to think we played a small role, and although this list is far from complete, we thought we should post our favorite places to get a good drink while we were there.
- Bradstreet Crafthouse
- Marvel Bar
- Eat Street Social
- Strip Club
- Cafe Maude
- Meritage
- Bar La Grassa
- Town Talk Diner (original, closed)
- Lynden’s (non-alcholoic, kid’s welcome!)
- Borough
- Parlour
- Butcher & the Boar
- Icehouse
- Rickhouse
- NoMa
- Buena Vista
We don’t spend a lot of time in Chicago. It was definitely easier when we were living in the Midwest. Still, we feel obligated to post a link to our mini review of one of our favorite places.
