McMenamins Zeus Café Has a New Name to Honor a Beloved Employee

Longtime manager Hal Finkelstein died in January 2022.

McMenamins Hal's Cafe Photo courtesy of McMenamins.
By Andi Prewitt

Regulars at McMenamins’ downtown Zeus Café—or anyone who passes by the restaurant in the pizza slice-shaped block between West Burnside and Southwest Harvey Milk streets—will likely notice the business is sporting a new name.

The anchor eatery at the Pacific Northwest chain’s Crystal Hotel is now called Hal’s Café. New signs went up on June 21, a few days after the company began teasing that changes were coming on its Facebook page.

While it’s easy to assume the original moniker was inspired by the chief deity in Greek mythology, it was actually a nod to Nate and Tillie Zusman, who owned what was then called the Desert Room (now Al’s Den) in the 1950s and ‘60s.

So who is Hal? Turns out, he was one of the behind-the-scenes leaders at Zeus Café until his death in January 2022.

McMenamins Hal's Cafe Photo courtesy of McMenamins.

Industry veteran Hal Finkelstein, formerly of Wildwood, helped launch Zeus Café in 2011, which was a different sort of operation in the constellation of McMenamins restaurants at the time. The company’s blog states that it was “a new paradigm for the McMenamin brothers,” veering away from the typical pub experience, which define its strip mall joints and more elaborate historic properties. In fact, you won’t find casual staples like the Captain Neon burger or Cajun tots at Zeus—the elevated menu includes dishes like blackened ahi steak, seared steelhead and gochujang-marinated short ribs.

Finkelstein was hired along with Franco D’Amico (who had previously worked at El Gaucho) to focus on the “guest experience,” according to McMenamins’ blog.

“With the highest standards, an unstoppable work ethic and a kind word for everyone he encountered, Hal was the indomitable force behind Zeus Café,” the business’s Facebook post stated. “His absence reverberates through this wedge of McMenamins, and we couldn’t find a more fitting honor than to rename Zeus Café to Hal’s Café.”

The statement added that in addition to the new signs, the food and beverage offerings will also be updated. The first addition to the brunch menu was Finkelstein’s favorite: a smoked steelhead Benedict with two poached eggs and a tomato slice atop a toasted English muffin.

McMenamins Hal's Cafe Hal's smoked steelhead Benedict. Photo courtesy of McMenamins.

Related: McMenamins’ Dining Patio Outside the Crystal Hotel Ain’t Edgefield, but Close Enough

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