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When you need a hit of sunshine, stat
BAR CALA | 2703 NE Alberta St. 4–9 pm Tuesday–Thursday, 4 pm–2 am Friday–Saturday.
Bar Cala does not feel like Portland. A Latin American cocktail-and-tapas bar housed in a former electrical substation, Bar Cala, with its Melrose-pink stucco exterior and plush, high-ceilinged, plant-fringed interior, suggests the smooth tropical warmth of Miami or Havana. Take one of the house’s tequila- or pisco-forward drinks, along with some fish tacos and shrimp ceviche, to a back patio that evokes a poolside cabana and trans- port yourself. Even less Portland-feeling are Bar Cala’s nights: From 8 pm until closing, it transforms into a club—complete with a live DJ, dancing, and Spanish music.
When one patio just isn’t enough
RADIO ROOM | 1101 NE Alberta St., 503-287-2346, radioroompdx.com. 11 am–11 pm Monday–Thursday, 11 am–1 am Friday, 9 am–1 am Saturday, 9 am–11 pm Sunday.
Walking into Radio Room truly feels like you’ve entered a portal to the 1960s: The shiny red leather booths, the checkered floor, the mod paintings, the warmly lit bar, the retro décor at every turn—even the bar’s menu would have any midcentury design enthusiast in a chokehold. And the garden-level and rooftop patios? They’re the perfect place for al fresco drinking with friends at any time of day—whether y’all are stopping by to chug Upper Deck Lemonades in the sun, sipping on some Nordic Negronis crowded around the cozy fireplace, or trying RR’s signature Radio Marys during a hungover Sunday brunch.
When you’re seeking irreverent revelry
CHURCH BAR | 2600 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-206-8962. 5 pm–midnight Wednesday–Thursday, 5 pm–2 am Friday–Saturday, 11 am–3 pm and 5 pm–midnight Sunday.
If live DJs, standup comedy shows, and boozy trivia nights are your jam—you’ll worship Church Bar. No, seriously, I have a group of friends who attend Church Bar’s Wednesday night trivia nights, dare I say...religiously. And it’s not hard to see why. The staff is great, the drinks—with names like That Girl, Basic Bitch, and OK Boomer—always hit the spot (especially the frozen ones), the Jell-O shot syringes are almost as iconic as the hidden photo booth, and the atmosphere, dimly lit by the redglow of the neon cross on the wall, feels like the perfect place to lose your religion (sorry) on the dance floor. The official outdoor drinking area is modest, but the bar’s parking lot often trans- forms to host rotating food pop-ups, vendors, and open-air mar- kets to browse in between drinks.
When you’re not quite ready to call it a night
PAYMASTER LOUNGE | 1020 NW 17th Ave., 503-943-2780, paymasterlounge.com. 2 pm–2:30 am Tuesday–Saturday, 4 pm–midnight Sunday–Monday.
Although the sign out front still refers to this venue as “Paymaster Check Writers & Signers Swingline Business Machine Company,” Paymaster Lounge is, in fact, a bar. We’d even go as far as saying it might be the best bar at which to wrap up a night out in Portland, especially if you’re someone for whom 2:30 am still qualifies as “night.” Paymaster is no-nonsense on the inside, but its enormous heated back patio, complete with outdoor pool table, is the real draw: There’s enough room for you and your friends, plus anyone else you’ve picked up along the way. Both the $8 smash burger and the veggie burger are fire. The cocktails, which include the Purple G&T and the Peaceful Mule, are well priced and delish.
When you want both European ambience and big-screen soccer
NORTH 45 PUB | 517 NW 21st Ave., 503-248-6317, north45pub.com. 4–11 pm Monday– Wednesday, 4 pm–midnight Thursday, 4 pm–1 am Friday, 2 pm–1 am Saturday, 2–11 pm Sunday.
North 45 Pub is one of those spots where you and your partner can enjoy a romantic dinner of coconut-curry mussels, rosemary fries, and pinot grigio one night and then come back the very next day to chug tallboys on the crowded back patio you didn’t even know existed the night before. The self-proclaimed best spot in town to watch Portland Thorns matches, North 45′s award-winning patio has its own separate bar—meaning you don’t have to miss even a second of the game while you order your next round. Just make sure to avoid hitting your head on the trendy décor and plants hanging from the ceiling.
When you want to share the warmth
BANTAM TAVERN | 922 NW 21st Ave., 503-274-9032, bantamtavern.com. 4 pm–1 am daily.
On one of my first visits to Bantam Tavern, a tiny Yorkie in an even tinier dress sat on a barstool at the counter watching Guardians of the Galaxy, clearly waiting to be served. Sure, she was merely a patron, but clientele can say a lot about a joint, and after spying that pup I knew Bantam was a real one. The bar’s outdoor space is small but memorable; if you can secure a spot around the intimate fire pit, you’re sure to gain a few new drinking buddies who’ll be more than happy to share a bowl of steak frites. Drinkwise, the Music & Passion, a vanilla vodka-and-passionfruit number, has my heart.
When you’re not looking for anything fancy
THE FLORIDA ROOM | 435 N Killingsworth St., 503-287-5658. 3 pm–2 am daily.
Whoever said “Florida Room is like a tiki bar that got taken over by squatters who brought their own beer”—spoiler alert, it was us, Willamette Week, back in 2017—was definitely onto some- thing. But I’d call this teal-hued North Portland fixture the ideal combination of divey and, well, slightly less divey. The drinks are strong and cheap, but you can also order a more complicated cocktail from the chalkboard menu without feeling like you’ll enrage the bartender. The cozy, often puppy-filled patio is the perfect place to unpack a drunken night out while sharing some vegan-chicken “Strips Yo” and sipping a ChiChi slushie. The vending machine is a must-try, there’s a pool table in the back, and the Florida Room’s ever-changing marquee can offer the kind of affirmation you didn’t know you needed.
When you need a little Oktoberfest in July
PROST! | 4237 N Mississippi Ave., 503-954-2674, prostportland.com. 11 am–2:30 am daily.
Prost! is for all my beer girlies out there, and by that I mean anyone who actually enjoys drinking IPA. Located in the his- toric Mississippi District, this pub offers biers imported from Germany and meant to be paired with its authentic German cuisine: everything from Bavarian pretzels to bier cheese soup to bratwurst. The outdoor patio offers communal seating—perfect for making new friends around the fireplace at 1 am—and it shares space with the food cart pod next door, in the unlikely event you get tired of bier cheese.
This story is part of Taster Magazine, Willamette Week’s new guide to the best of beer, wine and spirits in Portland. It is free and can be found all over Portland beginning Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Find your free copy at one of the locations noted here, before they all get picked up! See more copy from Taster magazine here.