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OUTDOORS
bar of the gods
This narrow slip can be seen as a microcosm of Portland. The tap beers run the gamut from Black Butte Porter to Pabst Blue Ribbon. Bands and pool coexist with young hipsters, older hippies and the occasional Harley Davidson crew. A tidy, dim front room with a bar, couches and bistro tables gets cramped in a way that feels urban and exciting. Just when you start feeling like you're in New York or Chicago, head out back to the large patio. Getting tipsy at a roomy, candlelit table under a sliver moon (heat lamps make this possible all year) will bring you right back to the Northwest. (BD) 4801 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 232-2037. Open daily. 9 taps. fulton pub & brewery
There's nothing wrong with sitting inside at the Fulton Pub. The cozy 10-year-old McMenamins outpost in Johns Landing has a wonderful old bar and high, glass-fronted wooden coolers. But it's not until you step outside into the hidden courtyard that you realize this isn't just another tavern. Wild vines cover the walls enclosing the outdoor area, making it seem as if you're surrounded by nature. In one step, you go from an urban space in a densely packed, semi-industrial neighborhood to an enchanted garden. Drag along a pint of Terminator stout or Hammerhead and a plate of fries, and you're living large. An unscientific survey of McMenamins aficionados placed the Fulton Pub in the chain's top five--based on ambience alone. (NJ) 0681 SW Nebraska St., 246-9530. Open daily. 16 taps. harborside pilsner room and restaurant
Despite the tedium and predictability of most corporate-chain establishments, the Harborside (it's owned by McCormick & Schmick's) has a view and variety at which even the most jaded of critics can't scoff. The Pilsner Room, Harborside's bar and mingling space, bustles like the floor of the Stock Exchange any weekday after 5 pm, full of dawdling commuters and residents of the surrounding condo community. Full Sail brews on the premises, producing a selection of cask-conditioned ales as well as McCormick & Schmick's own amber. On a clear day there's likely to be a wait for an outdoor table, but to catch a light breeze off the Willamette River on a balmy afternoon while sipping a cool pilsner is virtually unparalleled. (RR) 0309 SW Montgomery St.,
220-1865. Open daily. 29 taps. |
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