Skip to main content
Portland has long loved a themed pub. After all, we’ve got a lounge decked out like a circus, a watering hole dedicated to all things Elvis, a book bar, and even a haunted parlor that’s a mashup of a macabre villa and a mad scientist’s lab.
Now, the city is getting a taphouse that pays homage to The Lord of the Rings.
Treebeerd’s Taphouse, named after the oaklike giant that first appeared in J.R.R. Tolken’s second fantasy novel of the series, The Two Towers, is currently on pace to open at 822 SW 2nd Ave. by the end of January 2022. The downtown space was formerly home to a Southwest-inspired restaurant called High Noon that closed in August 2017.
Treebeerd’s won’t submerge you in its source material. You won’t be transported to Middle-earth via walls plastered with images of hobbits and wizards. Beyond the name, the LOTR motif will be gently referenced in the design, which includes the use of actual trees and some nods here and there to beards.
This Treebeard’s is actually a spinoff of an original location in Corvallis and now part of a growing family business. David Seidel opened the first taproom two years ago, and now his daughter, Hanna Seidel, has relocated from Denver to take on the role of general manager at the Portland location.
“We’re really fortunate to have survived the pandemic and expanded up in Portland.” Seidel tells WW. “We’re hoping to be part of the revitalization of downtown.”
Like the Corvallis bar, Portland’s Treebeerd’s will have 36 taps pouring not just beer but also ciders, mead and root beer. Upon its opening, you can expect a menu of snacks like soft pretzels served with a housemade beer cheese, dips and charcuterie plates. Seidel says the food options will expand throughout the year and rotate with the seasons, but you can always expect to see plenty of dishes highlighting cheese—a tribute to the family’s home state of Wisconsin.
Seidel is working with Jewell Hardwoods to create a cozy atmosphere, which includes live edge resin tables and a 30-foot bar—the “showstopper,” she says. There will also be a lounge area with banquet seating and plush couches.
“We kind of like having the nerdy theme, if you will, but we want to keep it really upscale. You’ll see that in the furniture,” she explains. “The bartenders are also really competent about beer, so they’ll be able to help you find your new favorite or even an old favorite.”