White Owl Social Club Is As Close As Portland Gets To a Bar That Everyone Can Agree On

At night, especially during warmer months, White Owl transforms into a good-natured but nonetheless line-out-the-door party bar.

(Thomas Teal)
By Walker MacMurdo

1305 SE 8th Ave., 503-236-9672, whiteowlsocialclub.com. 3 pm-2 am daily. Happy hour 3-6 pm daily: $4 drafts, $6 cocktails, $5 food specials.

Established: January 2013

White Owl Social Club is as close as Portland gets to a bar that everyone can agree on. During the day, it functions as a relaxed post-work hangout thanks to a dozen spacious booths inside and rows of picnic tables on the enormous patio, half of which is tented for outdoor drinking during wet winter months. This real estate is bolstered by a stellar happy hour, with $4 pints from a diverse and ambitious tap list, as well classic $5 happy-hour snacks like nachos and wings, all of which come in a tasty vegan variation. At night, especially during warmer months, White Owl transforms into a good-natured but nonetheless line-out-the-door party bar, with DJs and live bands scheduled most nights. Though the cocktails are closer to dive-bar quality than they are upscale, White Owl still has plenty to offer for larger groups in search of lively place to drink and be seen.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.