Mouthwatering Dive Bars in Portland

Holman's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (299) • $$

"A fun little dive bar which made for a great night in Portland! We were stopping in for a nightcap but wound up sticking around for a long night -- if you're expecting chatty bartenders who can make speciality drinks... this is not the spot. If you're looking for a spot to play arcade games with fun bartenders who make drinks with generous pours... this is most definitely the spot. It's deceptively large on the inside with a nice back patio. I loved the 6-in-1 arcade machine with games ranging from Galagga to Donkey Kong -- I think we easily spent an hour there. They have a pool table which is pay-to-play. It wasn't crazy busy the night we went, but they had on a college football game which drew some fans. I'm glad our post-dinner detour wound up here!"

Low Brow Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (227) • $

Ship Ahoy Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.9 (71) • $

"We love it. This was a token of a place prior to COVID and now it's even better (for what we are working with). If you love a dive bar, you will love this spot. They have seating on the sidewalk out front with small umbrellas for covering but no heaters. Benefits? You can smoke and have your pups. The side/back is covered with a tent and has two heaters that really heat up the place. They have about 6 tables in the back that are distanced from each other AND a TV that is usually playing a sporting event if there is one one otherwise maybe the history channel. I've felt safe coming here unless all the tables are full then it starts to get a little cramped but overall, I love the space. You can't smoke or have your pups back here though. The drinks are always a good pour. Bartenders are always kind. They also have a pretty fun food menu that includes what I would consider bowling alley food which sometimes we just need. Example: totinos pizza!!!!! What a blast from the past and exactly what a dive bar should have.They have hand sanitizer throughout and feels as safe/clean as it can be."

Pappys Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (21) • $

"Love the food, Love the people. Great drinks and good prices. Perfect place to have a late night snack and play a game of pool. Miss this place like crazy!!!"

McAnulty N Barrys

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (21) • $

"This bar is the "dive bar" in downtown OC, I guess. 10 years ago every bar was a dive bar but OC has definitely changed since then. The pool tables were playing much better than when we went up and played the front room tables at Midway Bar. The drinks and food are what you'd expect from a bar. This isn't Portland; food doesn't have to be 5-star. Clientele were what you'd expect. As a woman, I'm comfortable with the people here on a Tuesday night."

Joe's Cellar

★★★★☆ 3.8 (129) • $$

"I don't know how we've missed going to this longtime "dive" bar over the years, but we've been a couple of times this summer and they do not disappoint. This is a comfortable, casual, "old school," local's bar and restaurant. Roomy with plenty of seating. Pool tables and lottery. The bartender was super friendly with great service. The drinks were well made and generous. Serving both breakfast and lunch/dinner, they have a surprisingly large menu with good options. The burgers were delicious and generous. Pricing is spot on for what they offer. The hours here on Yelp are incorrect. They are open every day 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Free, lot parking. Convenient location to downtown Portland. We'll definitely be back."

Chopsticks

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (61) • $

Yukon Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.8 (59) • $

"Came on a Saturday evening and found street parking just across the street. Very typical standard bar atmosphere with shuffleboard and dim red lighting, but felt a bit cleaner. Two restrooms available. Seating inside and outside Service was good as they did warn us the food would take a while with the small crowd hanging out. The "chicken tendies" were SO GOOD. Three big pieces with the perfect crunch. I got franks hot sauce and blue cheese as the dip. I'll probably get two of Franks hot sauce next time. They tasted like quality chicken that was juicy and perfectly cooked.The fries came with it and they were on the salty side but not bad.Definitely would return for the chicken tenders! I believe it was around $12 but the pieces were big and just amazing to eat fresh and hot!"

The Ship Tavern

★★★★☆ 4 (68) • $

Barlow Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.8 (84) • $

"Had brunch at the Barlow Tavern today for the first time and was very pleased with the results. I can't believe I didn't try this sooner as I am only a couple blocks away.I had the huevos rancheros and took the cooks advice with getting my eggs sunnyside up. The egg yoke mixing in with the salsa, sour , and black beans was delicious. I also tried their bloody mary and enjoyed that as well. If you like your mary on the spicer side you should for sure get the jalapeno infused vodka. They have patio seating out front and also in back. The only thing I could do without are the creepy taxidermy animals that peer down on you from the walls. I will absolutely be back again.Thanks Barlow, you make a great addition to the neighborhood!"

Bear Paw Inn

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (76) • $

"It's a dive bar, right? So my review and rating is based on the fact that it's a dive bar and I knew it was a dive bar before I walked in. These one star reviews because people don't like the place because it's a dive bar tend to irritate me. When I go to a Chinese restaurant I'd don't write a one star review because they don't have a veggie taco item on the menu. So when a dive bar turns out to be a dive bar experience exactly what were you expecting?First time I went in there I thought it was an Irish bar due to the O'Briens sign out front. I'm OFD and Irish bars are legendary for having great food, cold beer and "colorful" clientele. This place is not much like the typical Irish pub. Not a complaint, just a statement of fact.Good place to drop in for a brew. There are waaaay better pizza options in town but as others have commented, the scent of a pie in the oven does make you want one if you show up hungry.This is not a Biker dive bar and I am always easily twice the age of the next oldest patron in the place. The Brooklyn district is an interesting and very diverse area of town. I don't have a lot in common with most of the residents (and I'm sure it's visa versa) but from my limited experience over that way they mostly seem like nice, friendly people. I patronize several businesses over that way and I do like it over there. Way better than my own neighborhood which is mostly pretentious stuffed shirt yuppies and more money than brains geezers. Suffice it to say that I don't generally engage people in conversation when I'm in a bar but the patrons there seem like they are probably ok. Staff has always been fine but again, it's a dive bar so a friendly, helpful, efficient babe tending bar is a plus, not an expectation.I'm not really a darts/pool guy but they have all of the usual dive bar accouterments there if that's what you're looking for. As for me, I'm happy sitting quietly looking out the window and enjoying a cold Colorado koolaid. It's dark and can be noisy but it is what it is.Ample parking especially if you show up on a motorcycle and so far no one has said anything to me when I park my Harley up on the sidewalk close to the front door."

My Father's Place

★★★★☆ 3.6 (391) • $$

"When you are hungry at midnight there are some options especially when you live in Portland. Bars need to serve food to keep selling alcohol - so bars will have always a bite. But fathers is a bit different it's a diner that also have a bar. Good thing you can have the full menu the whole day - even breakfast. I decided for pork chops and a side of salad. Impressive was the speed of service. The salad came almost immediately together with the ice tea. Good start. The pork chop came not even six minutes later. It tasted all fine - it missed some finesses but for a late meal it was all fine. The pork it self was a bit over but not to a mess and it had a good pan roast taste to it. The mashed might be of a package, the gravy was not just a blob so that was fitting. The veggies had some bite left. The garlic baguette could have been a bit longer in the offen but it was a good garlic taste. After all nothing special how mother would make it - but father did well!"

Cosmo Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.6 (55) • $

Bar of the Gods

★★★★☆ 4.1 (201) • $

"Pretty interesting dive bar with concepts of gods and goddesses. This place can be quite loud but for a dive bar, it is not really rowdy or dirty - most things are well maintained and clean, aside from the intended grungy ambience. I personally got the strawberry margarita slush and it was solid for $8 before tip. I couldn't even finish it, and I can drink a lot of alcohol! The culprit could be the drink is grossly sweet, but I still enjoyed the vibes of the bar. There is a pool table and a bunch of arcades inside if you wish to partake. Maybe coming a bit later at night may be busier and you can socialize, but we mostly chilled and got a quick drink before our next stop."

The Standard

★★★★☆ 3.7 (124) • $

Utopia Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.7 (89) • $

"i came here with a group of friends for dinner and drinks. this place is super spacious and has a casual lounge vibe to it. i heard they have karaoke as well, and i would definitely like the participate if i ever come back!i ordered the #3 which was a rice dish. the meat was tender and super juicy. the egg was fried to perfection and the pickled vegetables balanced out the flavors super well. i also tried my boyfriend's vermicelli noodles and it was a big hearty bowl of deliciousness. the drinks are "dangerous" if you know what i mean the service was super fast. our waiter was super kind and attentive. i really enjoyed my time here and cannot recommend this place enough!"

Scoreboard

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (58) • $

"It's a dive bar with big spinny chairs and tons of tvs to watch all the sports you could ever want. Watching sports is not my jam, but the massive amount of pinball machines, decent pours and friendly bartenders keep us coming back."

The Wishing Well

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (64) • $

"Ok, so maybe I was a little overdressed as I often am. Too many sequins, too much sparkly jewelry, wearing a sport jacket, twas all a big clue to the eagle-eyed regulars that I was an outsider. But they were cool, and made the evening oh so interesting.It was a little surreal, kinda like stepping into a time machine and stepping out into 1985. The hair, the clothes, the music. Don't get me wrong, I was digging this and found this place to be totally rad. An American-Chinese karaoke bar. And I'll be damned if some of those folks couldn't belt out the hits like pros. Most of them were completely amazing. I especially enjoyed the performance of this big, burly man sing Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman," for reals.What I found to be even more amazing was "Uncle Ray." He's a chipper fellow that enjoys dancing along with whomever happens to be singing. Now, that old chap has got some bad-ass dance moves that include some lecherous looking motions on the various poles they have around the dance floor. He was a sight to behold.Our bartender, Kat, she too had an eagle-eye, watching out for we ladies yet serving up a mighty fine drink. Right before the kitchen closed I ordered the broccoli beef which I am still working on. It's pretty good. I wouldn't hesitate to try something else off the menu next visit. I am so intrigued by this place, I can't wait to go back, maybe get drunk and sing something.2016 - Review # 49"

Slim's Cocktail Bar & Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.7 (190) • $

"The food is amazing for the price. If you're a stickler about how your steak is made I suggest ordering it a little more raw then you actually want though. Staff is friendly. I wouldn't say this is a hang out spot as much as a date spot or somewhere to eat but most of the customers are friendly and seem like regulars."

The B Side Tavern

★★★★☆ 4 (88) • $

Pleasant Home Saloon

★★★★☆ 4.2 (27) • $$

"We were last here before COVID and the saloon looks so much better! We showed up around 530 pm on a Saturday. The parking was already packed. We found a table and a server immediately came over to take our drink order. The rest of our party arrived 15 minutes after we got there and as soon as they sat down,  our server got their drink order. Love that attentiveness! A friend raved about the French Dip and onion rings. The French Dip was bigger than I envisioned. Yum! The onion rings were crispy and remained intact with each bite(the onion did not slip out from the breading). The French Dip is only listed as a Wednesday lunch special; however, our server said they can usually make it throughout the week. We also got the Saturday dinner special- Bacon wrapped Filet Mignon, baked potato, and texas toast and Bacon cheeseburger. The burger was stacked and filling!  The Filet Mignon was good but not my favorite bite of the night. Overall, happy with the service and food. Would return."

Yur's Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (147) • $

"Dive bar in a little bit of a hidden stretch of town. There's parking nearby on the street. Food is pretty good for a dive bar and they have some nice daily deals. Pretty standard dive bar with some pool tables and slots otherwise."

The Nest Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.6 (88) • $

"Went here for happy hour. Cool outdoor lounge area with heaters. Drinks were good. Didn't get to try the food. Bartender was nice!"

Lutz Tavern

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (165) • $

Donnie Vegas

★★★★☆ 4.2 (100) • $

Reel M Inn

★★★★☆ 4.2 (441) • $$

George's Corner Tavern

★★★★☆ 4 (112) • $$

"My knowledge of George's is that of a good dive bar, the best fried chicken in town (with Reel M Inn a close second) and really good burgers. I think that sums it up. After a nice seven mile bike ride up to Arbor Lodge, it was the place we wanted to stop for a beer or two and some good grub.It was a busy night at the bar because the Western Conference Finals were on and there seemed to be many OKC fans there to watch them beat the Warriors for game one. That wasn't expected when we walked in, and being that a sign at the bar states that fried chicken could take over an hour if the place was busy, fried chicken was not to be had on my first visit here. Oh well.... Burgers however, were a great choice. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger special with fries and my buddy got a cheeseburger with potato salad along with a couple of frosty beverages. The wait began. Even with burgers it took quite awhile to get the food but the food was worth the wait.This is not a "bar burger", this was a really good and large burger with all the fixins plus BBQ sauce that I asked for. It could have used a bit more bacon, because why not? But the burger was cooked perfectly and seasoned well, the cheese was thoroughly melted and the veggies were plentiful. The shoestring fries were crispy and there was an ample side of them. There was only one bartender for this busy night and she was all over the place, perhaps a second was needed because it took awhile to get drinks and to pay our tab at the end. She was friendly when we did get her attention.It's a nice place with many TVs and even a couple of video games and video poker plus a decent patio out back. I want to get back when it's not bust because I want to try some of best fried chicken in town.Enjoy."

Brooklyn Park Pub

★★★★☆ 3.8 (71) • $

"I don't think there could have been a more appropriate bar for me to venture into. Yes it is called Brooklyn Pub, in a part of Portland called Brooklyn, and I have to be a born & breed Brooklynite visiting, but it was divey, had inexpensive beer, and the largest selection of whiskey in all of Portland. Did I mention Rockem Sockem Robots?This was the first bar I was visiting on a beautiful Saturday afternoon after stuffing my face elsewhere. I came for some drinks, but I got so much more. Our bartender was great. She was funny, friendly, and knew how to do her job. That whiskey selection is amazing. If you like fine whiskey, this is your spot. They had lots of televisions so I got to see some Mets and Islanders action while in the bar. One televisions is dedicated to Groundhog's Day. Yes the Groundhog's day with Bill Murray. How do you ask? Well they play the movie all day, everyday! The backyard is gorgeous. It was a great way to soak up some sun. Best of all they had Rockem Sockem Robots which I hadn't played in forever. I still got it though. Undefeated champ of the day!Alas, eventually it was time to explore some more of Portland, but Brooklyn Pub was indeed my favorite."

Charlie's Mountain View

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (192) • $$

Montavilla Station

★★★★☆ 3.7 (52) • $

"Stopped in for a quick drink to kill some time before our showing of Top Gun: Maverick at the Academy, and honestly, I wasn't expecting to like this dive bar as much as I did. For one thing, it's far more spacious on the inside than it would appear from the street, with three separate sections containing the bar and some slot machines, a dining area, and a gaming area (with pool, shuffleboard, and pinball), respectively. Live music is apparently a regular thing here as well, which always gets you bonus points in my book!My drink was stiff...real stiff...and yet surprisingly cheap. Seems like a great place to get wasted, listen to some tunes, forget where you parked, and inevitably end up taking an Uber home, on a weekend night. Heck, I might just do that here, sometime in the future!"

Angelo's

★★★★☆ 4.2 (42) • $

"I am not a dive bar person... I have several reasons stacked up as to why - I am highly allergic to Hops and Pot so getting stoned and tossing cheap beers back is not for me, nor is smelling it or people doing that since... yeah thanks no. A lot of dive bar food is made with beer whether the menu says it or not and it is usually just a tragedy. I get it - drunk folks do not care what they are eating but the menu is about the same at most places. A friend wanted to attend a Shakespeare interactive play here. Since it was starting at 7pm and I live in Beaverton I was not going to have time to get over here and eat so I looked up the bar online. I was curious at the Mediterranean food but also very happy since that is not made with beer. My friend arrived before me and grabbed up perfect seats. We realized it was going to be a full house so we had better order food which was super easy to do. Can I also throw in that on their wall behind the bar they have chips you can just grab from the bartender... FRITOS, which are one of my favorite things. But thank you - just that... I was not drinking and just having soda with the show and some food but I could genuinely see having a few drinks and just grabbing one for a small snack. Our food, even with the bussel busy Friday night, came pretty fast and all the folks taking orders and serving were super friendly, wanting to help. I wanted the chicken gyro but they ran out so I gave their falafel a go - the falafel was a touch on the over mark but was still pretty delicious and I opted for a 'side' salad which I thought was strange to upcharge $3 for until it arrived and was INSANE... so huge! I got a side of onion rings too which were ridiculously good...seriously some of the best damned rings I have had and I could not stop eating them so that, my friends, was dinner... I had to take most of the gyro and salad to go. That salad ...later...I had an avocado I needed to use up at home and with their dressing. It was incredible! Amusing thing is that there is a vegan restaurant my friend had wanted to try near here and we did. Had the WORST experience and this was perfect... when we are over here this just earned itself a place as a go to spot for me. I might even drink here sometime HAHAHAHA!"

Mad Hanna

★★★★☆ 4.3 (63) • $

The Sandy Hut

★★★★☆ 3.6 (184) • $

"Old school dive bar to wet your whistle. Belly up to the bar or go play pool. The dive bar charm is still very much alive here, just how us dive bar connoisseurs like it. Creaky stools, stiff drinks, grumpy counter neighbors (and nice neighbors too!) Prices have caught up a bit here so the day of the cheap beer is gone but a cheap beer is a rarity now unless you like sitting at home. Which I don't, so cheers! Drink up!"

Triple Nickel Pub

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (172) • $

"It is a cool place that has both backyard patio and seating in front outside seating options. The interior is spacious, and they have added some more games inside since I last came here. The burger here is ok, but their spirits selection is excellent. The bartender is also super nice and helpful."

Shanghai Tunnel

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (250) • $$

"This bar has been around for as long as I can remember. It may look like nothing much on the outside, but is actually a chill bar with an open space on the bottom floor. It has a lot of history to it. It's a pretty chill place to have a drink and hangout with friends. I ordered a greyhound and it was made with fresh squeezed grapefruit. A good refreshing drink after eating greasy food."