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LOCATION PROFILE

Berbati's Pan

(503) 248-4579
231 SW Ankeny St.
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Neighborhood: Old Town/Chinatown

From the Abercrombie-clad youth who crowd Barracuda ((read more),Portland,OR">9 NW 2nd Ave., 228-6900) and the hipsters hiding out at Tube (18 NW 3rd Ave., 241-8823) to the punks at thrash-dive Satyricon (125 NW 6th Ave.), Old Town-Chinatown—a onetime center of immigrant culture—is now more a melting pot of twentysomething white-kid cliques. Stumble down Burnside from the classic arcade game-equipped bar Ground Kontrol (511 NW Couch St., 796-9364) to tasty, funky 24-hour Voodoo Doughnut (22 SW 3rd Ave., 241-4704), and you’ll probably cross paths with stylish queer clubbers on their way to gay nightspot CC Slaughters (219 NW Davis St., 248-9135) or Darcelle XV (208 NW 3rd Ave., 222-5338), a drag-queen cabaret in operation since 1967 that actually serves a fairly even hetero-homo mix—which would be surprising if it weren’t in Portland. But nightlife is only part of this eclectic neighborhood. Thanks to a grant from the Portland Development Commission, local nonprofit juggernaut Mercy Corps (3015 SW 1st Ave., 796-6800) is moving into the Skidmore Fountain Building (28 SW 1st Ave.), right next door to Portland Saturday Market (Southwest 1st Avenue and Burnside Street, 222-6072), a weekend meeting place for curious, hungry tourists, local artists, cart foodies and street kids. Chinatown is also home to the run-down and the sketched-out. Operations like Portland Rescue Mission, Blanchet House and Transition Projects have long made the ’hood a haven for Portland’s homeless. But where are the Chinese, you ask? Despite the gaudy, pagoda-style gateway to Northwest 4th Avenue from West Burnside Street, the only remnants of the Chinese Americans who migrated to Portland when they were expelled from Seattle and Tacoma beginning in 1864 are the two dozen or so Chinese restaurants. Try the roast crispy pork at Good Taste Restaurant (18 NW 4th Ave., 223-3838) and visit the Classical Chinese Garden (239 NW Everett St., 228-8131), a welcome but hidden green space in this otherwise paved-over neighborhood. —John Minervini.

Also in Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood:
Featured in Drink Guide 2007

Bartender’s choice: I’m sure my bartender said something funny, but it’s so damn loud in here!

Ah, Berbati’s Pan, the Costco of downtown bars! What looks like a big box form the outside, though, usually amounts to a solid night out (hints of Greek and nautical themes successfully distract from the building’s generally clumsy architecture). If your money is gone after a night at Berbati’s, the venue’s very serious pool and pinball sharks are the most likely culprit, not its reasonably priced Greek menu or suitably stiff mixed drinks. On live-music evenings (and most of them are), one can jump back and forth between a great show and a great conversation on the two distinctive sides of the club. Or you can just get drunk and watch ’80s music videos on the huge projection screen. HAPPY HOUR, DJ, LIVE MUSIC, FOOD/DRINK SPECIALS, OUTDOOR SEATING, TV, VIDEO POKER, GAMES. (CJ)

Casey Jarman

Events Today


Wednesday November 4

Big Business, Thrones, Hot Victory


Berbati's Pan 9 pm. $10 in advance, $12 at door.

Upcoming Events


Thursday November 5

White Rabbits, Local Natives, Glass Ghost


[BLOG POP] Do you hear that deafening noise? That’s the sound of the hype machine buzzing out of control for a bill that joins New York’s White Rabbits with L.A.’s Local Natives. The former is an indie-pop sextet whose sophomore effort, the May-released It’s Frightening, left blogs atwitter with its frenetic dual-drum assault and loads of jagged pianos. And the latter seemed to be the unsigned band to watch at both South by Southwest and CMJ this year. Though Local Native’s debut, Gorilla Manor, is now set for a U.K. release next month, details for its stateside release are sparse, so your only hope of hearing the band’s rhythmic, tribal pop (legally, at least) is attending this show. REBECCA RABER. Berbati's Pan 9 pm. $13 advance, $15 day of show. All ages.

Friday November 6

Western Aerial, Kleveland, Red Hot Pistol


Berbati's Pan 9:30 pm. $6 in advance, $8 at door.

Saturday November 7

Nathan Detroit, Very International Love, Freaky Outy


Berbati's Pan 10 pm. FREE.

Monday November 9

PBR Industry Night: The Glib


Berbati's Pan 10 pm. FREE.

Tuesday November 10

WW PickHeadlights, Ani Rossi, Pomegranates


[LONG DISTANCE CALL] Last year Champaign, Ill., quartet Headlights released a nice little slab of indie pop called "Cherry Tulips," complete with an equally dreamy video that captured the song's ability to make even the most hardened cynic break into a smile. Just over 18 months later, the band is back with a new album that ditches the joyful optimism of "Cherry Tulips" for a resigned sorrow that's more fitting to its music. Wildlife showcases an equal mix of anthem, ringing pop nuggets ("Telephones" and the endlessly catchy first single "Get Going") and sullen, woozy background pieces ("Wisconsin Beaches," "Teenage Wonder"), but everything is offset with a good ol' dose of heartbreak. It's no surprise to find out that guitarist John Owen left during the album's recording—the most tumultuous situations usually lead to the best art. MICHAEL MANNHEIMER. Berbati's Pan 8:30 pm. $10. All ages.



Ratings and comments

Rob Adams  writes on Dec 31st, 1969 4:00pm

Been to a few shows at Berbatis and it's definitely a cool venue.

Rating: Thumbs up

John Doe  writes on Dec 31st, 1969 4:00pm

Rating: Thumbs up

Rate or review Berbati's Pan







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