The Five Best Places to Drink This Week

Buzz list.

(Henry Cromett)
By WW Staff

1. Hey Love

920 E Burnside St., 503-206-6223, heylovepdx.com.

(Henry Cromett)

The retro tropical-themed bar inside the Jupiter Next hotel comes from a superteam of local food-and-drink pros. The décor is a flurry of highly photogenic touches from the South Pacific circa 1976, with intricate floral wallpaper, mismatched photos and a jungle of leafy plants that directly encourage the consumption of sugary, high-proof cocktails.

2. Wedgehead

3728 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-477-7637, wedgeheadpdx.com.

(Aaron Lee)

Portland's newest pinball paradise replaced legendary punk hang the Know, but the warm nostalgia of the room carries its legacy well. The layout is roomy and easy to navigate, but the X factor is the kitchen, which serves a no-nonsense menu filled with shareables like wings, a killer plate of underpriced nachos, and big, sloppy burgers like the Dangerfield ($12).

3. Psychic Bar

3560 N Mississippi Ave., 503-206-5343, psychicbarpdx.com.

(Abby Gordon)

Housed inside a converted Victorian home, the psychic-themed bar is the creation of three film and TV vets. The dark walls are adorned with a supernatural motif, and the restroom has surreal illusion mirrors. Crucially, though, the bar does not place theme before comfort—it doesn't take a clairvoyant to imagine it eventually becoming a popular neighborhood haunt.

4. High Score

617 SE Morrison St., 503-206-6586, high-score-arcade.business.site.

Occupying a shoebox-sized space two doors down from the owners' other venture, gringo taqueria Robo Taco, High Score feels less like an arcade bar than a pinball-geek man-cave that's open to the public. It's the sort of place you dip into to kill an hour and end up perched at the Flash Gordon cabinet a little longer than anticipated.

5. Rose City Book Pub

1329 NE Fremont St., 503-287-4801, rosecitybookpub.com.

Portland's first official bookstore-bar hybrid has its grand opening Nov. 3. According to owner Elise Schumock, the bar has a truly librarylike atmosphere, but don't worry, there won't necessarily be a decibel-level rule—it is, after all, still a pub.

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