The space now is home to Grendel's Coffee House. Back then it was a contrast in conservative ways, and a growing youth culture focused on self fulfillment. The owner in the 1960s was rumored to have connections to the Las Vegas mob, and the card room became the focus of vice squad investigations into illegal gambling (and an internal police investigation into whether vice officers looked the other way at some of Dunkins Retreats shadier practices). This exciting nightclub boasts of several electrifying features that will keep you bouncing to the music all night long. Long before tiki bars became retro-cool, this downtown restaurant was mixing stiff Polynesian drinks and serving puu puu platters to students from nearby Portland State University. Instead of Fellini, dolled-up rockers and living ghosts from Old Town's street scene jostled around a gyros counter oh-so-accurately named Eat or Die. In this 1985 photo, Carcy Flatch, a waitress at the Beaverton location, sported a special T-shirt to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in 1985. ", Northeast 24th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard. A Hot Lips Pizza opened there the next year. And if were missing one of your favorites from days gone by, tell us what made it special in the comments. In the late 80s, patrons of Embers salvaged two of the Gargoyle faces from the rubble of Portland's Orpheum Theater demolition to display in Ember's show bar. Film flashback: 31 movie theaters from Portland's golden age. "[20], Demolition of the building began in July 2011,[36] after which many pieces of furniture, memorabilia, and parts of the building were "unceremoniously given away to anyone interested. Still, the world-famous female impersonators take their art very seriously, as their Las Vegas-style cabaret has been entertaining Portland for over 40 years. As a younggay man in the 80s, heremembers hiding behind his clothes and accessories entering gay bars. In the 1960s, The Broadway Inn added topless dancers to the mix to compete with Marys Club on the other end of Broadway. More tasty memories: 84 closed Portland restaurants we wish were still around. In the 80s, the Kennedy School was just an abandoned school building and it would be another decade before the McMenamins team would renovate the school and turn it into a beer-drinking destination. People came here for the bar, which was a popular after-work drinking spot, that became on of the citys best places to hear live jazz and blues later in the evening. El Gaucho steakhouse, which has its own clubby lounge area, is in the ground-floor location now. It was rebuilt after a fire in the early 20th century, and continued operating under various names -- Erickson's Saloon, Erickson's Cafe and Erickson's Working Man's Club -- until 1980. A former firehouse, it changed hands and was known as Remos, and then, in the early 2000s, resurfaced as a jazz club called Touch.. Collage by Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive. The space was later converted to a health club, and is currently vacant. Salim is a lover of adventure and creativity. A City Home customer with an affinity for Portland history took the statues home. [7] Upon taking ownership, Touhouliotis re-conceived the location as a nightclub that would offer live music. Slide into a booth at Slow Bar for arguably the best burger in the city and enjoy $1 off beer, wine, and cocktails, and $2.50-$5 off assorted menu items from 3-6 p.m. every day. requires no physical fitness program: Everyone gets enough exercise jumping to conclusions, flying off the handle, running down the boss, knifing friends in the back, dodging responsibility and pushing their luck. '' The Blow Fly would continue to operate into the 1990s. It's a Saturday night in 1985. Included in photo: John Brkich (third from left), Oscar Olson (sixth from left), Marko Susnjara (far right). This brief video from the Oregonian has some great photos and insight into what life was like in Portland in the 1970s: You can also see some video footage of Portland from the 1970s in this video, which appears to be an educational film shown in schools: Jessica Tomlinson is a native Oregonian currently living in Southern Oregon. [2] The marquee above the club's entrance was believed to have been either stolen or destroyed in the demolition process, as it remained unaccounted for. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Digger ODells (named after the undertaker on the 1940s radio show The Life of Riley, of all things) served Cajun fare liked blackened catfish before it became an obsession of the 1980s, along with lots of southern drinks, like Hurricanes a Mint Juleps. Come to celebrate 10 years of Brazilian Carnaval in Portland. Ruby Bryan, who owned the tavern in 1982, led a campaign to get drivers to slow down on Killingsworth after several patrons had near-misses with cars. This workingman's bar located downtown at Southwest Second Avenue and Alder Street opened in the 1890s and continued until the 1980s. We have date night ideas, activities and adventures for couples with all sorts of interests. In town or planning your visit and need some advice? He is fascinated with the beauty of nature and the great African arts and history. Among the local musicians with regular gigs at the Candlelight was drummer Carlton Jackson (pictured), and Norman Sylvester, aka "The Boogie Cat.". But come the weekend, Dixie transforms to a place bubbling place with a wild and frenzied atmosphere. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Among them: If you're thirsty for more on the history of Portland nightlife, you're in luck: Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). When this venerable downtown restaurant and bar closed in 2016, it ended a 45-year run. Another popular downtown nightclub in the 1950s was Sidneys. Easily one of the most fun nightclubs in Portland! Back in the 80s and the early 90s, if you wanted to visit OMSI, the river was not the place to go. This Southeast Portland dance club hosts many international musicians and eclectic styles. Karaoke is a popular way to keep the good times going, and from dive bars to private boxes, there are no bad places to sing only bad singers. Its location gives the club a historical feel coupled with the eclectic mix of the very best modern equipment and gear. Tiger Bar opened in 1997 on Northwest Broadway, bridging the gap between Old Town and the then-industrial Pearl District. The songbook is packed with selections not available anywhere else, including some wild mashups.If you ever wished you could front a real, live rock band then Karaoke From Hell is for you. Frosty glasses, stiff drinks: 28 long-gone Portland bars we wish were still here. Young, Gifted and Brown Fosters Community Through Dance in Portland. Brothers Michael and Richard Sullivan are seen enjoying crab cocktails in this 2001 photo. [26], Commenting on the various stories and lore surrounding the club, journalist Zach Dundas wrote: "The written record of the club's existencewhich can amount to no more than 1 percent of the Whole Truthis a florid tale of excess, controversy, creative chaos. Address: 2845 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214, USA, A post shared by Holocene (@holoceneportland). Even with the shift, it never lost its focus on the music. Portland, a town of friendly people and progressive ideologies is famous for its relaxing vibe and of course, beer. However, almost every night, this club offers you activities like karaoke and goldfish racing so there isnt a dull moment here. It also has a robust food menu, nightly drink specials and occasional art openings. 13 cool features of old Portland restaurants you won't find anymore. Meanwhile, Helium Comedy Club is all about the punchlines,drawing everyone from touring, a-list professionals to emerging local talent to its stage. Hawthorne's colorful Cuban restaurant, Cubo, has happy hour specials from 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursday, with $6 daiquiris and mojitos, $4 pints of beer, and Cubanos with plantains for just $7. Karma Rivera performs in Portland in 2019. In 1993, a second location opened in Southwest Portland, and the chef was Ross Pullen, formerly of Belinda's. A bar had been operating in the location since the 1950s, and Benjamin bought and rechristened it in 1972. virtual services offered. Portland comes to life after hours with open mic nights held throughout the city, nationally acclaimed karaoke spots, delicious late-night eats, adult-friendly gaming spots, and plenty of alcohol-free fun. Long before lower East Burnside Street became a district of hot bars and nightclubs, it featured this hot-spot for acoustic music. Postscript: After sharing this initial list of long-gone bars, we heard from readers about their favorite places. A lot of people think were easy marks, Tucker said. That led tothis list of 12 more favorite watering holes people wish were still around. Almost every establishment in town has one, so finding the best depends on where you are and what you want to eat (or drink). Film flashback: 31 movie theaters from Portland's golden age. Every day from 3 to 6 p.m., find $9 prime rib French dips, $7 Louisiana-style hot wings, and a $9 lounge burger with fries alongside Old Fashions and martinis. The building was demolished in the late 90s to make way for the downtown Marriott hotel. But the bar went out with a bang. Located in a building that had served as a horse stable in the early 1900s, the club's owner, George Touhouliotis, founded Satyricon after acquiring a tavern that had operated in the building. Departure has daily happy hour specials running from 4-6 p.m., mixing inexpensive, inventive Asian cuisine with equally mouthwatering views of the citys downtown. Beloved by local night owls and pancake enthusiasts, Portlands Original Hotcake House stays open 24/7, dishing up delicious diner grub and breakfast classics. In his weekend best pulled together from Material Objects, 25-year-old Sid Tripp locks the door of his Exchange Street apartment at the Old Port Arms and heads down to see what the rest of Portland has been doing since Friday. But in the 1960s, became known for connections to Portlands gambling underworld. The lounge featured rum barrel tables and all sorts of Polynesian dcor, and was the place for sipping strong Fog Cutters and Mai Tais from the late 1950s until the early '90s. If we missed one of your favorites from days gone by, tell us what made it special in the comments. Others faded as their neighborhoods changed. Our information desk is currently staffed Monday Friday. In the post-Prohibition era, neighborhood bars sprouted up throughout the city. Located at the heart of downtown in the vibrant Old Town Chinatown neighborhood, Portlands Entertainment District is a go-to spot for late-night frivolity, whether its live DJs, tasty cocktails, or rowdy dance floors. The buildings later became the popular Legin Chinese restaurant, which was sold and torn down in 2012 to make way for the expansion of PCC's eastside campus. Just make a booking and have pure fun and entertainment. But that doesn't necessarily mean Portland's clubs are always on the up and up. This was a mini-chain of Irish restaurants and pubs that had five locations in the Portland area during the 1980s. See our privacy policy for more information on how we use your data. Portlander's went to the disco, and adult bookstores and strip clubs sprouted up across the city, prompting the Oregonian to call Portland 'The pornography capital of the West Coast.' The 1970's were also a time of physical change, as Portland began to turn into the city we know today. 13 The Jazz de'Opus (1970s-2003) NW 3rd and Couch. Every day from 3 to 6 p.m., find $9 prime rib French dips . The wheel is a last vestige of one of Portlands first gay bars. You can now find these trees for sale in City Home's showrooms. This downtown caf and cardroom opened on Southwest Sixth Avenue in the 1950s, and continued to operate until it was displaced by the development of the downtown transit mall in the 1970s. At 240 N. Broadway in Portland, a stone's throw from The Rose Garden where the Trail Blazers play their home games, a worn brick building stands alone, a forlorn island in a sea of traffic. It isnt so.. In this 2005 photo, Joes Place owner Joe Benjamin looks out over rapidly changing Northeast Alberta Street. But they linger on in memories and in photos that captured their essence. "In Wake of Jimmy Mak's Closure, New Jazz Club Will Open in Basement of Rialto. Embers is an iconic name for alternative lifestyles across the country - not just in Portland. Near Christmas, Billy Rancher and the Unreal Gods, having signed a contract with Clive Davis and Arista Records- amidst much hoopla and snickering from local wags (who either proclaimed Portland to be the next Liverpool or an absolute pawn to the whims . The owner, Roman Wydra, was Ember's owner Steve Susss primary partner. East Burnsides iconic Doug Fir is known for live shows in the lounge downstairs, hearty brunch and generous dinner plates enjoyed in the mid-century meets log-cabin dining room. It officially closed in November 2010, and the building in which it was located was demolished in July 2011. The wood carvings gracing the bar were made by Portland's Ed Quigley. Satyricon became a prominent music venue in the city, and hosted various local and touring punk and alternative rock bands throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The list of musicians who played here is a "who's who" of the local blues scene, and the bar became a popular after-hours gathering spot each summer during the Waterfront Blues Festival. An index to pages dedicated to the clubs, music and dance venues of the Pacific Northwest from the 1950's through more recent times. Site design by Click Marketing + NomadicCopyright 2021 City Home. The first all-used record store in the city, sadly fell on hard times when music took a digital turn. It featured a newsstand and a licensed card room - one of the. The music lasted until 1991 when the business faced foreclosure. Unsubscribe in one click. In 1978, Mike and Rose-Marie Barbeau-Quinn opened this quirky downtown restaurant and wine bar, which became a hit with the symphony crowd, drawn by the blaring opera on the sound system and the dependable roasted game hen and the smoked pork chop. In this 1989 photo, Steve Brausen and Smitty enjoy a couple of cold ones. Owner Jack York was blind, but in a 1951 Oregonian feature said he remembered regular customers by the sound of their voices. For over 50 years, this unique showplace has been entertaining and dishing out a different kind of amusement for people in the city. Sixth Avenue, was formerly Marlena's Tavern, "a dark, narrow barroom on a seedy stretch. We asked readers if there were other watering holes that they missed, prompting a flood of suggestions. This bar in the Uptown Shopping Center in Northwest Portland was a hot-spot for live blues and folk music in the 1980s and early '90s. [20][34] Bands included Big Daddy Meat Straw, the Dandy Warhols (with original drummer Eric Hedford, playing songs from first two albums with some original guitars), Pond, Poison Idea, and Napalm Beach,[35] with the final concert taking place on October 31, 2010. In the 1960s, the bar became a part of the citys underground gay night scene, and in the late 70s and early 80s, it was recognized as the bar/business of the year several times by the Imperial Rose Court for its showroom where drag shows were staged. All rights reserved (About Us). With barnwood walls, other hippie-era decor and photos of jazz legends on the walls, the Jazz deOpus was an Old Town night spot that presented many national touring artists in the 70s, Darroch says. This environmental-friendly town in Oregon is a bubbling place of quality eating, drinking, and shopping. In May 2003, the club abruptly closed, after which it was acquired by new owners and reopened as an all-ages venue in 2006. The club was big in the last part of the 1950s, before all clubs in town started struggling., A less-formal version of the Dude Ranch, the Cotton Club featured comedy and dance, in addition to excellent live jazz. A popular independent music venue, Holocene also hosts Gaycation, one of the citys longest-standing dance parties. Most bars and nightlife options in the early 2000s were rather scattered and not concentrated along these stretches. The '80s in Oregon weren't all dark, however, with Bud Clark arriving on the scene to shake things up. Sewickly's, a Hawthorn District cafe and bar that served breakfast all day. Portlanders went to the disco, and adult bookstores and strip clubs sprouted up across the city, prompting the Oregonian to call Portland The pornography capital of the West Coast. The 1970s were also a time of physical change, as Portland began to turn into the city we know today. . A few recommendations were large, long-closed nightclubs like Beaverton's disco-era favorite Earthquake Ethel's. Since its establishment in 2001, Goodfoot has been a great place to enjoy the very best of food, music, drinks and art Portland has to offer. This large center located in the Lloyd District was completed in 1989 and opened the following year. We've revisited the original Portland location of Trader Vic's in downtown's Benson Hotel before, but not the Tiki Room Lounge, which several readers remember as a favorite after-work spot for drinks. In its final decades, it became a popular karaoke spot. The space is now home to Upper Left Roasters. Tasty memories: 97 long-gone Portland restaurants we wish were still around. In Portland, Sidney's nightclub features not only one of the hottest combos in town but the singing of bartender Wayne Keith and waitress Barbara Helzer. Take a break from the real world with the help of these themed bars in Portland, where the ambiance is just as important as the menu. It closed in 1996, and became the now-closed Rose & Raindrop pub. Its success was also due to music policy and management by [the late] owner Jim Makarounis, and the internationally known club was famed for hosting drummer Mel Browns groups three nights a week. On New Years Eve 2005, the bar closed when Benjamin retired. The stage itself is comfortable, like an old basement rehearsal space with a high ceiling. 8. Recording its popular public radio program in front of Portland audiences, Live Wire stitches together sketch comedy, music, and confessionals in a variety show format. And pop and folk-rock acts aren't excluded. [7], Satyricon was founded by George Touhouliotis, a former taxi driver who acquired Marlena's Tavern in 1983. If you lived here in the 80s, you may remember these things about our city before it made this change. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. A venue for music, arts, and even hosting, this club comes alive at night with all manner of parties and club night activities happening every night. Sidneys, which was owned by Porter, continued to be a popular venue for live jazz until its closure in 1971. Try their chicken and dumplings, pulled pork nachos or Frito pie (that can be made vegan!). The Oregonian described the bar at the time: The small tavern has a jukebox, pool tables and no-nonsense types of signs on a wall that say things such as this: Notice -- This dept. First opened as The Mural Room in 1947, the club became the Jazz Quarry in the late 1970s, and featured regular performances by many local musicians, including local singer Lloyd Fletcher, seen here in 1984 in front of a mural of jazz legend Charlie Parker. This bar in the Uptown Shopping Center in Northwest Portland was a hot-spot for live blues and folk music in the 1980s and early '90s. Crowds for live music dwindled, and Caf Vivo closed in 1993. The year was 1985 when King Kong took over the Portland Building to market the Oregon Lottery. Weekend jam sessions were particularly popular. It closed in 1952 after lease difficulties and battles with City Hall over its liquor license. King Kong Visits The Portland Building World of Clutter / Bing The jury is still out for most of them on whether they'll accept the new positions. But the iconic sign -- tourists stop to giggle and take pictures of it still hangs over the original building. Instead of a sedate old folks' home, Satyricon's neighbors included a shady grocery store (later bombed) and a corner dive bar longtime Portlanders still remember with a shiver. In 1964 a replica of the Liberty Bell was installed in the City Halls rotunda and rung for the first time. Journalist Zach Dundas on the club's location in the 1980s[7], Satyricon opened in March 1984,[a] and attracted a wide array of musical groups, as the club's booking agent made "no stylistic or hierarchical" distinction among the musical acts. Read on for some highlights. Today it houses a plastics company, but in its heyday half a century ago it was Portland's premier jazz venue, the Dude Ranch. Located underground, party and have fun in a spacious dance floor with music playing from every angle. Located in a basement space, it offered a menu of sandwiches by day, and live music at night. Because we serve liquor in a relaxed atmosphere and wear abbreviated costumes, they sometimes assume were pushovers, an easy mark for the man out on the town. In 1953, the Gold Camp Room opened in downtown, and was designed to look like an old-time saloon. [27] Beginning in the early 1990s, Satyricon became a frequent host to grunge bands,[28] including Nirvana,[29] Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Mudhoney, among others. Among reader suggestions for beloved closed bars and taverns were some that The Oregonian never took images of (or at least none that made it into our digital archive of historic photos). Fourth Ave., are closed to cars, transforming the area into a pedestrian-friendly party zone.Set within walking distance of a number of popular nighttime destinations, The Society Hotel, a newly revived 19th-century sailors boarding house, provides a perfect weekend basecamp. The bar was a popular spot with patrons of the many movie houses that were located nearby. Patty's Retreat, a downtown dive that lost its liquor license after numerous patron arrests for drunkenness, drug use and dealing, and serving alcohol to minors. 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