Over the past two and a half months, we've unveiled our favorite Portland bars for cocktails, beer, wine, good food and great times. We've played darts, sung karaoke and discovered dives embracing modern mixology. Below, find all 10 chapters of Bar Tab -- our first annual bar guide -- all in one place, our guide to the 100 best bars in Portland.
COCKTAIL BARS
Clyde Common (1014 S.W. Stark St., 503-228-3333, clydecommon.com): A zinc-topped bar attached to the Ace Hotel's Northwest flagship, Clyde Common is the main muddling ground for one of Portland's best-known bartenders, Jeffrey Morgenthaler. On busy nights, the chic clientele stacked three-deep at the bar, sipping cocktails tart from lemon juice -- the Bourbon Renewal -- or frothy from egg white -- the Formosa Sour. -- Michael Russell
Hale Pele (2733 N.E. Broadway, 503-662-8454, halepele.com): An exotic world cloaked behind strip-mall facade, this tropical escape from city life offers balanced yet luscious sips, from classic mai tais with a mountain of mint-scented ice to frozen lava flows with a ribbon of house strawberry cordial to the potent Zombie with undercurrents of grapefruit and cinnamon. -- Colin Powers
Imperial (410 S.W. Broadway, 503-228-7222, imperialpdx.com): Vitaly Paley's downtown Portland restaurant is built around the bar -- literally. It's the first thing you see when you walk in the door, with its towering cathedral of spirits arranged on mirrored shelves above tinctures, bitters and a growing collection of savory infusions (caraway vodka, anyone?). -- Samantha Bakall
Kask (1215 S.W. Alder St., 503-241-7163, grunerpdx.com/kask): Old kitchen scales and vintage beer cans decorate the intimate space, but the cocktails are anything but dusty antiques. Kask freshens up the classics for modern palates. Take the gin-fueled Delilah, which feels like a Clover Club homage with raspberry shrub stepping in for the original's syrup, or a Boot Strap Buck, an amped-up Dark N Stormy. -- CP
Little Bird (219 S.W. 6th Ave., 503-688-5952, littlebirdbistro.com): During the day, Little Bird, the downtown Portland bistro, offers a refined pit-stop for a quick lunch and a glass of wine. At night, the copper-topped bar nestled underneath the restaurant's second floor balcony becomes a cozy after-work and later-night cocktail bar (the shakers stop shaking at midnight). -- SB
Mint/820 (816 N. Russell St., 503-284-5518, mintand820.com): This North Portland Pioneer has been shaking things up since 2001, and while the food is hit-and-miss, this remains one of the city's most-dependable spots for inventive sips. And the clientele has grown up with the bar, offering a spot for older party animals to hang out without feeling like posers. -- Grant Butler
The Rookery at Raven & Rose (1331 SW Broadway, 503-222-7673, ravenandrosepdx.com) Upstairs at the historic Ladd Carriage House, the Rookery taps Portland history for a bar that's half country saloon, half leathery English parlor. The extensive cocktail menu delivers sweet originals and smooth updates on the classics. -- David Greenwald
Rum Club (720 SE Sandy Blvd., 503-265-8807, rumclubpdx.com): Summary: A laid-back restaurant-industry hangout and playground for local bartenders, three-year-old Rum Club has turned the corner from buzzy to beloved. An outstanding rum collection anchors the bar, and the perfectly balanced, spirit-forward drinks are designed to show it off. -- Danielle Centoni
Teardrop Cocktail Lounge (1015 N.W. Everett St., 503-445-8109, teardroplounge.com): A virtual cocktail academy, this Pearl District haunt not only offers eclectic drinks -- classic, original or borrowed from bar contemporaries -- but its mixology ranks have help pave the way to Portland's Golden Era of Bartending. Where to start? Bury the Lead with vodka, lemon, maraschino, apricot liqueur and orange bitters. -- CP
Woodsman Tavern (4537 S.E. Division St., 971-373-8264, woodsmantavern.com): Coffee frontiersman Duane Sorenson's first foray into the restaurant game debuted, three years ago, as a fully realized vision of dark wood and bourbon, its patina rich enough to make some 50-year-old bars jealous. The cocktail list has been a consistent delight, from clever spins on classics to a memorable egg-white and edible-flower cocktail that resembled a surrealist terrarium. -- MR
DOWNTOWN HAPPY HOURS
Bamboo Sushi NW (836 N.W. 23rd Ave., 971-229-1925, bamboosushi.com): Bamboo Sushi made a name for itself with its good intentions of serving only sustainable fish and running an eco-friendly restaurant. At this second restaurant on Northwest 23rd Avenue, you can drink kaffir lime-infused cocktails as chefs slice avocados as thin as paper, and apply dollops of sauces, quail egg yolks and colorful fish roe to sushi rolls with the precision of surgeons. -- GB
Bar Mingo (811 N.W. 21st Ave., 503-445-4646, barmingonw.com): Bar Mingo, the next-door sister to Northwest Portland's Caffe Mingo, comes to life every afternoon from 4-6 p.m., seven days a week. During this sneaky-great happy hour, stoneware gratins filled with tender lamb meatballs and baked polenta covered in red sauce and housemade mozzarella emerge from the kitchen and find themselves to white cloth-covered tables. -- SB
The Bent Brick (1639 N.W. Marshall St., 503-688-1655, thebentbrick.com): When the sun's shining and the weather's warm, head outside onto The Bent Brick's trellised patio for happy hour, where cherry tomatoes climb the brick exterior and a menu of Northwest tavern fare complements a simple drinks menu. -- SB
Clarklewis (1001 SE Water Ave., 503-235-2294, clarklewispdx.com): Stray from your loveably seedy neighborhood tavern norm for something a splash more refined -- this edgy-elegant Water Avenue watering hole, where you'll sip deeply-discounted gimlets and seasonal snacks priced on a $1-$5 tier. Perfect for all-ages date nights, post work refreshments, and waiting out a seemingly never-ending inner SE freight train crossing. -- Jen Stevenson
Departure (525 S.W. Morrison St., 503-802-5370, departureportland.com): Stepping into Departure's modernistic, borderline-garish world, you won't be able to shake the eerie feeling you've been transported to a strange facsimile of Miami or L.A. until you make the 15-floor journey back to solid ground. Just sit back and enjoy the ride, because the easy-drinking cocktails are delicious and chef -- and "Top Chef" contestant -- Gregory Gourdet's pan-Asian small plates shouldn't be missed. -- DC
The Fireside (801 N.W. 23rd Ave., 503-477-9505, pdxfireside.com): When Music Millennium closed its Northwest Portland location in 2007, it felt like the Alphabet District lost part of its soul. Last year, a new restaurant brought the mojo back, reconfiguring Millennium's neon sign in a nod to the musical legacy and adding some serious talent in the kitchen and behind the bar. -- GB
Irving Street Kitchen (701 NW 13th Ave., 503-343-9440, irvingstreetkitchen.com): This handsome Southern-influenced Pearl District staple is less interested in whetting your evening appetite than in knocking it out cold with hearty happy hour helpings of Creole chicken wings, meatballs 'n mashed potatoes, and smoked tasso jambalaya. There's an airy twinkle-light-laced patio for fair weather, a fireplace for foul, and 11 shiny silver wine taps for either. -- JS
Nel Centro (1408 S.W. Sixth Ave., 503-484-1099, nelcentro.com): With arguably the best Westside hotel patio that's not 15 stories in the sky, David Machado's flagship restaurant is the go-to happy hour for many office workers set free from the surrounding buildings. You can sit among green maple trees while gazing at the gas-fueled fireplaces, sipping $5 gin & tonics, or eat wood-fired pizzas, fried calamari or duck leg confit, all discounted at happy hour. -- MR
Oven & Shaker (1134 N.W. Everett St., 503-241-1600, ovenandshaker.com): As the name suggests, the bar and kitchen get equal billing, so make sure to sip the well-balanced cocktails in the rustic-chic space while noshing on thin-crust pizzas, like the tasty wild fennel sausag). At happy hour, which starts early at 2:30 p.m., drinks are bright, citrus-forward classics like a bees' knees or a rum daisy. -- CP
Trader Vic's (1203 N.W. Glisan St., 503-467-2277, tradervicspdx.com): A nostalgic retreat that invites guests to take a two-hour vacation amid island votives, ornate scorpion bowls and colorful concoctions sprouting orchids. Compared with most dark tiki dens, this outpost of the venerable chain is lighter and brighter, which makes it a welcoming home for happy hour. Start with Vic's famed mai tai, order some Polynesian bites and imagine you're in Bora Bora. -- CP
PORTLAND CLASSICS
Alibi Tiki Lounge (4024 N. Interstate Ave.; 503-287-5335; alibiportland.com): A Portland hipster's dream of a Spring Break dive bar, the Alibi offers middling tropical drinks but atmosphere to spare. You'll find decades of kitschy history tucked in every corner of this bar that has survived relatively unchanged from tiki's last gasp in the '70s. Watch the karaoke faithful take the spotlight from the cozy dark of a red vinyl booth. -- CP
Cassidy's (1331 S.W. Washington St., 503-223-0054, cassidysrestaurant.com): This oak-paneled bar on the very edge of downtown seems older than its thirty-five years thanks to its worn wooden bar, oak-paneled walls and an air of casual permanence. Long a favorite of actors and audiences of Artists Repertory Theatre, the bar these days tends attract the older fans of whatever band's playing around the corner at the Crystal Ballroom, drawn by excellent seasonal menu, pleasant service and absence of teenagers. -- Ben Waterhouse
Dan & Louis Oyster Bar (208 S.W. Ankeny St., 503-227-5906, danandlouis.com): These days, Dan & Louis Oyster Bar, which has existed in some form since 1907, might be known mostly for its happy hour, when sun-worshipers sit at picnic tables in the Old Town alley slurping $2 oysters from Oregon and Washington's best-branded bays and inlets. But inside, the bar is a classic, with its dark wood smoothed down from age and a giant ship's wheel setting the tone for the nautical decor found in the warren of rooms behind. -- MR
The Driftwood Room (729 S.W. 15th Ave., 503-820-2076, hoteldeluxeportland.com): Tucked into a corner of Southwest Portland's historic Hotel DeLuxe are the wood-paneled walls, coastal decor and plush seats of the Driftwood Room, a throwback lounge serving cocktails, bites and plenty of mid-century vibe. First opened in the 1950s, the Driftwood Room has maintained its retro feel with a menu of refreshing Champagne cocktails, extensive Manhattan variations and perceptive, vested staff who effortlessly deliver drinks and entire spirit lists (from memory). -- SB
Higgins (1239 S.W. Broadway, 503-222-9070, higginsportland.com): Higgins has the kind of bar every big city needs. There's the no-nonsense bartender, who might seem gruff to first timers, but will notice your empty glass before you do. There's the TV tuned silently to sports. And because this is Portland, there's a monumental charcuterie plate, a trailblazing bistro and a stellar beer list. A relative whipper youngster on this list, the Higgins bar already feels like an institution. -- MR
Huber's (411 S.W. 3rd Ave., 503-228-5686, hubers.com): This downtown stalwart is timeless in the best way: Operated by the same Chinese-American family for over a century, it owes its continued popularity less to its turkey-heavy menu than to its understatedly elegant atmosphere--stained glass, mahogany, terrazzo--and unfailingly graceful service. Try the Spanish coffee. -- BW
The Palm Court (309 S.W. Broadway, 503-295-4110, coasthotels.com): A seat at the swank bar of downtown's Benson Hotel demands the right sophisticated sip. Jager bombs and apple martinis will not do. Try the Pegu Club, an appropriately throwback blend of gin, Grand Marnier, lime and bitters, accompanied by a chilled sidecar to refresh your drink as you go. This bar does it effortlessly, as befits a grand hotel. -- CP
RingSide Steakhouse (2165 W. Burnside St., 503-223-1513, ringsidesteakhouse.com): One of Portland's oldest family-owned restaurants and still the city's best traditional steakhouse, RingSide at 70 has a clubby, Rat Pack-era charm. The sunken bar, decorated with dark wood, dangling boxing gloves and little else, is the best place in the city to see Portland's power-brokers unwinding, rapidly, over cold beers and ice-cold Martinis. -- MR
Veritable Quandary (1220 S.W. First Ave., 503-227-7342, veritablequandary.com): A watering hole for the courthouse set, Veritable Quandary has long been the place where legal minds from both sides of the bench come to make a deal, plan an attack, or just plain blow off steam. The cocktail list only occasionally rotates, but it ambles widely through brown and white spirits, and bitter and sweet profiles, offering enough variation to stay interesting. -- DC
Virginia Cafe (820 S.W. 10th Ave., 503-227-0033, virginiacafepdx.com): Originally opened in 1914 on the corner of S.W. 10th Avenue and Stark, the VC has relocated several times before finding its current home in 2008. Today, you'll find regulars at any hour of the day here, where wooden floors meet wooden walls lined with historical photos, where Rod Stewart croons alongside girl groups of the '60s and where, no matter what time of day, done-up or dressed-down, you'll fit right in. -- SB
RESTAURANT BARS
Andina (1314 N.W. Glisan St., 503-228-9535, andinarestaurant.com): From the buzzing entryway of this Pearl Disctict Peruvian favorite, navigate a narrow hall overflowing with dinner-hour hopefuls, past a Latin jazz trio, through a maze of tables and count yourself lucky if you manage to procure a coveted seat at the tiny bar. From this perch you can engage in ample people-watching in Bar Mestizo while marveling as some of Portland's busiest bartenders shake cocktails at a frenzied pace. -- CP
Ataula (1818 N.W. 23rd Place, 503-894-8904, ataulapdx.com): In Spain, tapas are bite-sized bar snacks meant to be gobbled down with drinks. So it's no wonder that tapas make perfect drinking fare at this Northwest Portland Spanish restaurant, where stools at the snake-shaped bar are some of the best seats in the house. While sipping sangria or a glass of Spanish rose, glance around at what other people are eating before mapping out your game plan. -- GB
La Taq (1625 N.E. Killingsworth St., 971-888-5687, podnahspit.com): Sitting beside big sibling Podnah's Pit, La Taq can be enjoyed as a cool lounge to grab a drink before dinner at the barbecue hot spot or as its own destination: an industrial-chic cantina serving up Tex-Mex, Portland-style. The Bandolero, from former bar manager Kevin Ludwig (who recently left for Laurelhurst Market), blends reposado tequila and scotch for something complex, while a house margarita, with El Jimador silver, lime, triple sec, sets the right tone. -- COP
Levant (2448 E. Burnside St., 503-954-2322, levantpdx.com): With its warm wood walls, open fire hearth and large fronded plants that sway in the lily-scented air, Levant, Southeast Portland's French-Arabesque restaurant, could pass for a mirage. Cocktails, inspired by the food coming from the kitchen, are shaken and stirred with ingredients like carrot reduction, vanilla salt and rose jam. -- SB
Nostrana (1401 S.E. Morrison St., 503-234-2427, nostrana.com): Nostrana occupies that sweet spot between neighborhood favorite and destination restaurant with a bar to match. Monthly drink menus walk the line between playful and serious, revealing a level of expertise -- and a love of Italian amari -- that puts Nostrana's bar among the best of any Portland restaurant. -- DC
Park Kitchen (422 N.W. Eighth Ave., 503-223-7275, parkkitchen.com): For the past decade, few restaurants have made Portlanders feel more like they were visiting Europe than Park Kitchen, especially when sitting at the sidewalk, sipping a Champagne cocktail, watching people playing Bocce in the South Park Blocks. Behind the bar, there's a refreshing G&T made with house tonic syrup and a tap devoted to a Manhattan variation made with bourbon, orange bitters and and green Chartreuse. How cosmopolitan. -- MR
St. Jack (1610 N.W. 23rd Ave, 503-360-1281, stjackpdx.com): Though wine is the typical libation of the bouchon, Lyon's convivial cafe and muse for this popular Northwest Portland restaurant, St. Jack's drink of choice would have to be the cocktail. Arriving in hues from burnt red to lavender, and sometimes alongside a sidecar on ice, cocktails here range from the appetite stimulating (aperitif), to refreshing (rafraichissant) to spirit-forward (spiriteuse). -- SB
Tasty N Alder (580 S.W. 12th Ave., 503-621-1400, tastyntasty.com/alder): John Gorham, Portland's tapas and brunch maestro, scored another hit with this West End hot spot, which spills happy conversation onto the corner of Southwest 12th Avenue and Alder Street seven nights a week. Cocktails are intelligent and balanced -- the Rawhide, an earthy blend of bourbon, genepy, lemon, Boker's bitters and salted Bonal honey, is a highlight. -- Adam Lindsley
The Whey Bar at Ox (2225 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 503-284-3366, oxpdx.com): The Whey Bar represents a logical step for Ox -- one of the most popular new restaurants of the past few years -- a cocktail and oyster bar annex built into short-lived private dining space that looks and feels like a (barely) redecorated garage. Among Ox's signature cocktails, you'll find the La Yapa, a silky smooth blend of rye, and the Dirty Grandma Agnes, a vodka martini garnished with a pickle spear. -- MR
Xico (3715 S.E. Division St., 503-548-6343, xicopdx.com): This Mexican restaurant on Southeast Division Street pairs aggressively modern decor with great margaritas and the neighborhood's best patio. Mezcal veterans should look straight to the "suitcase" portion of the drinks menu, which features small-production spirits brought back from the owners' research trips to Oaxaca City that you're unlikely to find anywhere else in the United States. -- BW
BEER BARS
Apex (1216 S.E. Division St., 503-273-9227, apexbar.com): With 50 beers on tap and a patio filled with picnic tables, Apex is the perfect place to bask in the glow of the quickly fading sun, or seek shade under a large umbrella. In addition to the on-tap beers, a balanced mix of light German lagers, double-strength Northwest IPAs and more unusual fare, there are 250+ bottles chilling in a cooler at the end of the bar. -- SB
Bailey's Taproom and The Upper Lip (213 S.W. Broadway, 503-295-1004, baileystaproom.com): One building, two bars. Downstairs, Bailey's Taproom is a bustling after-work destination with an easygoing, bring-your-own-food attitude and 24 first-rate taps of mostly West Coast beer. Upstairs, The Upper Lip is quiet room with a view and 150 bottles of barrel-aged, sour, and high-proof brews, around half of them European, plus six taps. -- BW
Bazi Bierbrasserie (1522 S.E. 32nd Ave., 503-234-8888, bazipdx.com): Nestled just off Hawthorne Boulevard, this confluence of beer geeks, soccer nuts and neighborhood regulars offers the kind of international focus that Belgophiles go gaga over. The highlights include seventeen taps devoted primarily to Belgian and Belgian-style beers, unusual cocktail and an enormous screen airing Portland Timbers games. -- AL
The Beer Mongers (1125 S.E. Division St., 503-234-6012, thebeermongers.com): Craft beer can get pretty precious in some places, but not at The BeerMongers, with its scarred concrete floors, cooler-lined walls and idiosyncratic decor that runs to beer signs, soccer scarves, knicks and knacks. Owner Sean Campbell and his beer-knowledgeable crew are the definition of unpretentious -- to avoid beer-geek hysteria, they recently listed that holy grail of ales, Pliny the Younger, as Miller High Life (at $7.50 a glass). -- John Foyston
Belmont Station (4500 S.E. Stark St., 503-232-8538, belmont-station.com): When beer lovers dream, their REM cycles must look a lot like Belmont Station. Its biercafe's 20 taps are a constant rotation of local newcomers, interesting imports and mouth-watering rarities; its breadth of brewery selection is matched by its styles, with sours, stouts, ciders and more alongside the expected array of IPAs. On a random Tuesday, you might walk in to find Chimay Rouge, nearly never tapped outside of Belgium, alongside a fresh keg of Pliny the Elder and the Commons' funky new farmhouse ale. -- DG
Hop & Vine (1914 N. Killingsworth St., 503-954-3322, thehopandvine.com): The pleasant back patio is a plus, but Hop & Vine earns its spot on this list for its intriguing, eclectic beer list. Or should we say lists. On the bar side, the chalkboard features eight beers from the local and refreshing. In the bottle shop next door, the list is shorter, if just as enticing, with taps recently pouring Firestone Walker's Agrestic, Breakside's Passionfruit Sour and, why not, a gimlet-flavored Jell-o shot. -- MR
Horse Brass Pub (4534 S.E. Belmont St., 503-232-2202, horsebrass.com): It's a fair bet that the Horse Brass tops the must-see lists of most Portland beer tourists, because this faux-Brit pub in a quiet Southeast neighborhood is where Oregon craft brewing really began. Go for the fish and chips, Scotch eggs and a ploughman's lunch, the smoke-stained walls cluttered with old photos and Guinness ads, models of RAF planes hanging from the ceiling, honest imperial pints and 50 or more taps of beers from around the region and the world. -- JF
N.W.I.P.A. (6350 S.E. Foster Road, 971-279-5876, nwipapdx.com): A modest neighborhood bar with an intentionally limited tap list (four India pale ales, one cider, one wildcard), N.W.I.P.A. also boast a cooler with some 150 bottles, a menu featuring oysters, charcuterie and pimento cheese and a delightfully unironic heavy metal soundtrack. Get another glass of Hop Venom. This is home now. -- BW
Roscoe's (8105 S.E. Stark Ave., 503-255-0049, roscoespdx.com): Montavilla cornerstone Roscoe's manages to pull off the not inconsiderable feat of acting like a dive bar while embodying the core of a much more sophisticated one. Its lowbrow first impressions -- pool tables, video lottery, cranked-up jukebox -- are blown away by a glance at the chalkboard, which reveals one of Portland's most diverse taplists. -- AL
Saraveza (1004 N. Killingsworth St., 503-206-4252, saraveza.com): If all Saraveza had going for it was the Wisconsin theme, it would still be a remarkable place to drink. But behind the kitschy Midwestern beer decor, owner Sarah Pederson and her staff have curated one of Portland's best craft beer lists, with bottles both collectible and ready-to-drink and eight taps ranging from pilsners to sours to Cascadian Dark Ales. Pull up a seat at the bar, with its intricate bottle cap design, order a flaky beef pasty and repeat after me -- "the Bears still suck." -- MR
WINE BARS
Ambonnay (107 S.E. Washington St., 503-575-4861, ambonnaybar.com): Champagne is an expensive habit. Not as expensive as designer clothes or designer drugs, perhaps, but not far behind, either. The beauty of Ambonnay, the sparkling-specific bar tucked in the southwest corner of the Olympic Mills building, is that they keep these designer wines within reach. Sure, there's a reserve list that starts at $100 a bottle and head north to $1,000. But there's also a glass of bubbly for $8, plus a half-dozen Champagnes in the $12 to $13 range. -- MR
Bar Avignon (2138 S.E. Division St., 503-517-0808, baravignon.com): With a charcuterie board in front of you just slowly savoring a glass of wine, Bar Avignon the kind of spot that invites dawdling conversation -- more of the first-date banter variety than rueful epiphanies, though the latter wouldn't be out of place. If you like wine, you'll inevitably want the long bottle list (you can take most home for 25 percent off). But there's also craft beer on tap and interesting cocktails to tempt you. -- CP
Coppia Restaurant and Wine Bar (417 N.W. 10th Ave., 503-295-9536, coppiaportland.com): This Piedmont-focused Italian restaurant and bar embodies the Pearl District of the mid-2000s, after the muffler shops had closed but before Safeway moved in. It's a fine spot for a an early-evening snack and a couple pours from the lengthy and wide-ranging glass list. If you stick around for dinner, go for a plate of the housemade pasta and take advantage of the pairing suggestions listed for each dish. -- BW
Noble Rot (1111 E. Burnside St., 503-233-1999, noblerotpdx.com): If the name didn't clue in the oenophiles among us -- Noble Rot refers to a benevolent fungus that plays well with wine -- the bountiful display of reds and whites lets you know wine is the star here. You'll find a 300-plus bottle list, with plenty of local and global choices. If you're looking for a bite, the menu boasts vegetables from the bar's rooftop garden. All that, and a view. -- CP
Oregon Wines on Broadway (515 S.W. Broadway, 503-228-4655, oregonwinesonbroadway.com): This downtown life of the pinot party hosts a bevy of regulars familiar enough to be family, who gather early and often to sip and swap good wine. The bar's niche is pinot noir, but they offer a half dozen whites as well, and bubble buffs won't go thirsty, especially on Champagne Friday. -- JS
Oso Market and Bar (726 S.E. Grand Ave., 503-232-6400, osomarket.com): Part artisan market/bottle shop, part European-focused restaurant open for just about every meal of the day (it serves weekend brunch), Oso Market and Bar is just special enough to warrant the trip to the Industrial Eastside, but it's comfortable enough to make you come back for more. --DC
Pix Patisserie (2225 E. Burnside St., 971-271-7166, pixpatisserie.myshopify.com): With a mini vineyard out front, tapas bar, dessert counter (and chocolate case), a petanque court and more bottles than you can fathom, it's not difficult to find a reason to hang out at East Burnside's Pix Patisserie. The bar was recently honored by World of Fine Wine Magazine as the "best Champagne and sparkling wine list in the world." -- SB
Remedy Wine Bar (733 N.W. Everett St., 503-222-1449, remedywinebar.com): Tucked unassumingly into the side of a former pharmaceutical building along the Northwest Park blocks, Remedy owns its status as the cure-all for after-work woes with a cushy, living room vibe, carefully curated wine list, seasonal small plates and medically-themed logo. -- SB
Southeast Wine Collective (2425 S.E. 35th Pl., 503-208-2061, sewinecollective.com): One of the happy offshoots of Portland's recent generation of urban vintners is that many of them double as great wine bars. Our favorite of the new crop is SE Wine Collective, a small wine bar attached to a production facility that currently hosts ten small wineries. With 65 wines by the glass, SE Wine Collective rewards repeat visits. -- MR
Taste on 23rd (2285 N.W. Johnson St., 503-477-7238, tasteon23rd.com): It may have a generic-sounding name, but this relatively new Alphabet District wine bar is anything but ordinary. Bartenders who double as waiters offer wine suggestions geared to your mood, though with most glasses priced around $12, your tab can add up fast. But hey, good taste comes with a price tag. -- GB
NEIGHBORHOOD GEMS
Beech Street Parlor (412 N.E. Beech St., 503-946-8184, beechstreetparlor.com): Beech Street Parlor, a sister bar to the dearly departed Tiga, has a similar vibe, with nightly DJs, good food served in a lovingly restored Victorian home. Find us upstairs, or sitting on one of the antique couches, sipping a house-infused rum and coke. -- MR
Church (2600 N.E. Sandy Blvd., 503-206-8962, churchbarpdx.com): With a biblical theme, Southern-influenced food and a long list of inventive cocktails, Church is a place you can't help but want to come back to, no matter what neighborhood you live in. Try the punch, a refreshing sipper served on ice for a downright abstinent $6, or explore the theologically-named cocktail list where lapsang souchong-infused Benedictine, black IPA syrup, yerba mate syrup are shaken and stirred.
Free House (1325 N.E. Fremont St., 503-946-8161, freehousepdx.com): When is a neighborhood bar more than a neighborhood bar? Free House, reopened in 2012 with an immaculate pedigree -- including owners from Victory Bar and Olympic Provisions -- provides an answer. Cocktails are especially sharp. Order the Turnbuckle, a gin cocktail with cardamom vermouth and passion fruit, garnished with mint and served in a Collins glass, alongside a bowl of the smoked mac and cheese with sweet, crunchy onions. -- MR
Interurban (4057 N. Mississippi Ave.; 503-284-6669; interurbanpdx.com): A favorite of bartenders (open till 2:30 a.m.) this "new American saloon" has the pre-Prohibition and spirit-forward cocktails: Old Fashioned, Sazerac, Suffering Bastard. The wood-heavy decor also nods to the past, but modern gastropub fare brings a modern touch, while craft jelly shots lighten things up. -- CP
The Old Gold (2105 N. Killingsworth St., 503-894-8937, theoldgoldpdx.com): Three years after opening, The Old Gold has become exactly what it was always meant to be: a catchall bar with a few good beers, some straightforward cocktails, and the best whiskey list you'll find this far north (at least until you hit Seattle). Everything you really need to know is written on a wall-sized chalkboard by the door, where dozens of bourbons and ryes, from cheap firewater to $30-a-glass luxuries, are spelled out in a punctilious script. -- MR
The Sapphire Hotel (5008 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.; 503-232-6333; thesapphirehotel.com): This cocktail lounge was once home to an early 20th century brothel lobby. It's now the perfect date night spot, retaining a mysterious, sensuous allure that has you feeling like you're enjoying a late-night drink no matter the hour. Drinks with names like Retrosex and Floozie hint at its notorious past. -- CP
Sunshine Tavern (3111 S.E. Division St., 503-688-1750, sunshinepdx.com): An unusual blend of family-friendliness and culinary currency -- pizza, soft serve and shuffleboard jambon beurre and a serious cocktail program -- makes this Southeast cousin of North Portland's Lincoln restaurant a favorite of both parents and partiers. -- BW
Sweet Hereafter (3326 S.E. Belmont St., hereafterpdx.com): A few years ago, at New Years, Sweet Hereafter looked like a scene from "Boardwalk Empire," all girls in flapper dresses and bartenders in suspenders. Today, the staff at this sister bar to the Bye and Bye (1011 N.E. Alberta St.) seems more comfortable in T-shirts and tats, mixing up Sazeracs, Old Fashioneds and other classic cocktails while pouring pints of Barley Brown's IPA or Liefmans' Oud Bruin. -- MR
Tannery Bar (5425 E Burnside St., 503-236-3610, tannerybarpdx.com): Barely bigger than a one-car garage, The Tannery, East Burnside's neighborhood spot for a cozy evening, is more than you could hope for within walking distance of home. On some nights, two turntables spin quietly near the back while a chef and a bartender dance around each other behind the kitchen/bar. -- SB
Vintage Cocktail Lounge (7907 S.E. Stark Ave., 503-262-0696, vintagepdx.com): Wedged between the Bipartisan Cafe and the Union Rose boutique, the pertinently named Vintage Cocktail Lounge splits its focus between an extensive list of classic concoctions and house creations that come with a generous tip of the hat to their elder brethren. Expect everything from a gimlet with Old Tom to the "Nameless" with chamomile tincture and a flamed orange cap, along with local beers, ciders and wines by the glass. -- AL
GAMING BARS
Back Stage Bar: Pool (3702 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., 503-236-9234, mcmenamins.com/603-back-stage-bar-home): A narrow two-story space behind the Bagdad Theater on S.E. Hawthorne, most eyes are on one of the five vintage pool tables (three downstairs, two upstairs), which cost $5 per hour to play. The table quality is nothing special, but the opportunity to tuck yourself away in a small room upstairs, playing pool without the crowding or the noise, is a rare departure from much of Portland. -- Jamie Hale
C-Bar: Pinball (2880 S.E. Gladstone St., 503-230-8808, cbarportland.com): Grab a beer and shift your focus to what this dive bar truly excels at: top-notch pinball. The highlight of the southeast Portland haunt is its 15-machine pinball room in the back, featuring a unique assortment of games, including the gratifying "Who Dunnit," hypnotizing "Black Hole" and maddeningly difficult "Metallica." -- JH
The Critical Sip: Boardgames (345 S.E. Taylor St., 503-238-4000, ggportland.com): Past the Warhammer figures, beyond the dragon mural and through the Magic: The Gathering section of Guardian Games, adventurers will reach the Critical Sip. The 10,000-square-foot Guardian is the largest such store in town, which means this backroom bar offers plenty of room at its plastic tables for low-key playing and boozing, with a bar stocked with four taps ($4 for a 12-ounce pour) and a solid bottle selection of beer, cider and wine. -- DG
Double Dragon: Karaoke (1235 S.E. Division St., 503-230-8340, doubledragonpdx.com): Come Saturday night, this purveyor of proudly inauthentic Asian sandwiches and citrusy cocktails is packed to bursting with karaoke fans. Double Dragon is one of two regular Portland venues for Baby Ketten Karaoke (the other is Mississippi Pizza), dubbed the best karaoke night in America by no less an authority than The New York Times thanks to the excellent sound system, custom light setup, and enormous, eclectic song catalog. -- BW
Ground Kontrol: Video Games (511 N.W. Couch St., 503-796-9364, groundkontrol.com): It's hard to even know where to begin at this vintage arcade-goer's dream. More than 60 classic video games and 27 pinball machines (pretty much the entire second floor) fill this double-decker adventure den, promising to take all of this month's laundry money. -- SB
La Merde: Trivia (301 S.E. Morrison St., 503-234-1324, montageportland.com): Bistro Montage's understated bar gets a lot geekier on Thursdays. That's when Shanrock Trivia founder Shannon Donaldson packs in fans of her maddeningly difficult blend of obscure pop-culture knowledge, song identification and absurd physical challenges. -- BW
Punch Bowl Social: Bowling (340 S.W. Morrison St.; 503-334-0360; punchbowlsocial.com): You've come to bowl, but it would be easy to get sidetracked with billiards, karaoke or the myriad other diversions this veritable mall theme park offers. With rainy days, it's the perfect spot for you and your friends to hit the lanes for a bit of heated competition, all the while enjoying the chic lounge areas and complex house punches. -- CP
Rose City Futsal: Indoor Soccer (5010 N.E. Oregon St., 503-734-2382, rosecityfutsal.com): Make no mistake: Rose City Fustal is not a bar with a few soccer courts, it's a full-out indoor soccer center that just happens to have a bar. Officially called Clive's Public House (after Clive Charles), the upstairs bar is a family-friendly haven for parents watching kids play, friends watching friends play, or for sweaty futsal players themselves to grab a drink after a match. -- JH
Sellwood Public House: Darts (8132 S.E. 13th Ave., 503-736-0179, sellwoodpublichouse.com): Just off the bar side of the Sellwood Public House is a giant rec room set up with free pool, Foosball, ping pong, shuffleboard (under construction), tables for Wednesday trivia night and, most notably, the top dart bar in the area. Loyalists square off against 12 steel-tip dart boards weekly for the bar's Thursday league play, Tuesday mixed double nights, Friday blind-draw shoots and Sunday open shoots. -- JoLene Krawczak
There Be Monsters: Shuffleboard (1308 S.E. Morrison St., 971-319-6983, tbmpdx.com): Little sign remains in this sorta-British, sorta-map-themed pub of Hal's Tavern, the storied dive that occupied the space for half a century, but the old joint's enormous shuffleboard table abides. Drop by for an informal tournament or grab a cocktail and head for the covered patio out back. -- BW
HIGH DIVES
Bunk Bar (1028 S.E. Water Ave., 503-328-2865, bunksandwiches.com): With several locations scattered across Portland, the Bunk Sandwich empire shows no signs of slowing down. Tommy Habetz and Nick Wood teamed with Bladen County Records' Matt Brown on this booze-focused Produce Row offshoot of their original Southeast Morrison location, trading a cramped space for a large concrete dining room with plenty of seating, pinball machines, and space for live shows. The beers and cocktails should satisfy all palates, but the Bunk frozen margarita, fresh from the slush machine, is a no-brainer. -- AL
Dig a Pony (736 S.E. Grand Ave., 971-279-4409, digaponyportland.com): Inside Dig a Pony -- a former Greek diner -- the walls are decorated with vintage pictures, animal skulls, color-coded books and a two-tiered bar lined with glittering bottles. Chic customers line up at the bar -- named for a Beatles song -- looking for simple cocktails, beer, wine and bites from the Southern-ish food menu. --SB
The Fixin' To (8218 N. Lombard St., 503-477-4995, thefixinto.com): The Fixin' To, a Southern-inflected bar at the gateway to St. Johns, offers a kind of second living room for many North Portlanders. There are four good beers on tap, a quartet of suggested boilermakers, red Christmas lights above the bar, vintage beer memorabilia and Television's "Marquee Moon" playing on the speakers and "The Walking Dead" on two flatscreens. -- MR
Gold Dust Meridian (3267 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.; 503-239-1143; golddustmeridian.com): Leave it to Hawthorne hipsters to turn a former accounting office into a funky hangout that's like a cross between their grandparents' rec room and throwback Vegas lounge. Mid-century modern accents scream cocktail hour, but the party starts early with an expansive happy hour and runs late with DJs or live music. -- CP
The High Dive (1406 S.E. 12th Ave., 503-384-2285): There's something alluring about a bar that serves Jell-O shots (still fun!) and everyday is a celebration of some sort (Taco Tuesday!). Beer options range from tallboys of Hamms to taps reserved for trendy new breweries. Cocktails are interesting and tasty, but the best part of the drink menu is the margarita section, where options range from slushies to one shaken, recently, with Hatch chiles. -- SB
Lutz Tavern (4639 S.E. Woodstock Blvd., 503-774-0353): This tavern, which served Woodstock residents young and old for 63 years, closed in 2010, then reopened the next year under Crow Bar owners Jayson Criswell and Robert Kowalski, who moved the pool table, removed the pay phone and added eight good craft beers. Most importantly, they kept the vintage decor in place, from the curved bar with its lunch counter stools to the cozy red booths ringing the walls. -- MR
Paymaster Lounge (1020 N.W. 17th Ave.; 503-943-2780; paymasterlounge.com): From the old beer memorabilia on the walls to the VHS tapes and pregnancy tests in the vending machine, a winking attitude pervades this warren of hipster drinking rooms that end in a large covered patio. Paymaster ups the game for other dives with infused spirits and fresh juice cocktails.
Night Light Lounge (2100 S.E. Clinton St., 503-731-6500, nightlightlounge.net): The platonic ideal of a Southeast Portland bar, with good food, a covered and heated patio, plentiful bike parking, a solid tap list and a pile of board games. There's a good cocktail menu, though you'll probably order beer. The tap list is short but strong. The menu is mostly solid, but everyone orders the burger. -- BW
Victory Bar (3652 S.E. Division St., 503-236-8755, thevictorybar.com): You've come here for the bar -- up to 18 taps of local and Belgian brews and a cocktail list where old drinks get a new spin and hot toddies have earned a place of their own. It's barely a high dive, more a place you'll want to post up at every day of the week. Just don't forget, order at the bar. -- SB
White Owl Social Club (1305 S.E. 8th Ave., 503-236-9672, whiteowlsocialclub.com): A great neighborhood bar in search of a neighborhood, this Southeast Industrial District spot from the owners of Sizzle Pie pizzeria boasts a huge, partially covered, dog-friendly patio with a fire pit and a menu featuring excellent burgers, shoestring fries, and plenty of options for allergies and restricted diets. (And s'mores!) -- BW
BEST NEW BARS
No. 10 -- The Richmond (3203 S.E. Division St., 503-208-3075, therichmondbar.com): This Southeast Division Street bar co-owned by Clyde Common/Olympic Provisions' genius Nate Tilden (and sister to Victory Bar and Free House) is deceivingly complex, offering far more than a waiting area for Pok Pok across the street. The no-fuss cocktails are the real winners here, proving that sometimes the greatest things are still the simplest. -- SB
No. 9 -- Downtown bar crawl: (Various): Some of the year's best new bars blend a low-fuss atmosphere, even staking claim to a blue-collar ethos, while serving up food and drinks as sophisticated -- and sometimes as pricey -- as more traditionally upscale cocktail dens. Tilt Restaurant (1355 N.W. Everett St #120; 503-894-9528; tiltitup.com); River Pig Saloon (529 N.W. 13th Ave.; 971-266-8897; riverpigsaloon.com); Swine (808 S.W. Taylor St.; 503-943-5844; swankandswine.com); Jackknife (614 11th Ave.; 503-384-2347; jackknifepdx.com) -- CP
No. 8 -- Stammtisch (401 N.E. 28th Ave., 503-206-7983, stammtischpdx.com): Stammtisch, a sister bar to North Portland's Prost, pushes Portland's already strong German beer scene forward in a big way. On a recent visit, the less common beers proved most intriguing. Those included an ultra-refreshing Zunft Kolsch, the unfiltered Grevensteiner lager and the Professor Fritz Briem Grut, an unusual beer brewed with herbs and spices in a style that disappeared after the passing of the Reinheitsgebot, the German Beer Purity Law. -- MR
No. 7 -- Cooper's Hall (404 S.E. Sixth Ave.; 503-719-7000; coopershall.com): Portland's best new wine bar doesn't quite feel like a wine bar. An old quonset hut houses an epic space that feels like an airport hangar hosting a Tuscan garden party. With wine production occurring unobscured in the corner, it's cask-to-glass experience. You can order a glass, carafe or 2-ounce sip from the dozens of taps. -- CP
No. 6 -- The Knock Back (2315 N.E. Alberta St., 503-284-4090, theknockback.com): The ambiance here is rockabilly casual, with a little bit of edge -- check out the angry boar vs. goat mural behind the small stage -- but the craft behind the cocktails is legit. Jesse Card, the big dude with the bald head, nails the classics, from Old Fashioneds to boilermakers -- there's a list of left-field beer-shot combos on the wall, including one pairing porter and aquavit -- and the on-tap Manhattan is made with Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon. -- MR
No. 5 -- Multnomah Whiskey Library (1124 S.W. Alder St., 503-954-1381, multnomahwhiskeylibrary.com): More than 1,500 bottles of nearly every spirit from across the world glisten in vintage chandelier light at this gorgeous Southwest Portland bar. Settle into a tufted leather armchair, a cushy leather sofa near the fireplace or at a sturdy wooden table lit with collegiate green desk lamps for a cocktail (wheeled over on a wooden cart and made tableside) or a pour from The Bible, an embossed hardcover guide to every spirit in the building. -- SB
No. 4 -- Trifecta Tavern & Bakery (726 S.E. 6th Ave., 503-841-6675, trifectapdx.com): Once an auto upholstery shop, Trifecta is now home to fire engine red booths set, a wood-fired oven and a marble bar backed by eyedropper bottles of bitters, local spirits and old oyster cans. Flip open the black, leather-bound drink list to find eight taps pouring a beer menu focused on Oregon-brewed Belgians, a lengthy wine list featuring glasses from local and beyond, and a diverse cocktail menu (a five-pronged list of everything from "stirred and strong" to "bubbles"), where it's nearly impossible to go wrong. -- SB
No. 3 -- Angel Face (14 N.E. 28th Ave., 503-239-3804, angelfaceportland.com): What makes a great bar? Is it the depth of the cocktail list? The breadth of the spirits selection? Or is it the skill and character displayed behind the bar? Angel Face, a sugar tin of a cocktail lounge next door to sister restaurant Navarre, puts all its chips on option No. 3, forgoing the cocktail list entirely, while offering a small but well-curated list of liquors, amari and bitters. Instead, let Kelley Swenson and his team help you choose the perfect cocktail based on a spirit, a flavor profile or even your mood. -- MR
No. 2 -- Pepe Le Moko (407 S.W. 10th Ave., 503-546-8537, pepelemokopdx.com): There's something illicit about descending into Pepe Le Moko, the underground bar beneath the Ace Hotel, a feeling somewhat akin to discovering your dad's old Playboy collection. Downstairs, Jeffrey Morgenthaler is at work improving the reputations of a handful of unfairly maligned cocktails. Remember the Long Island Iced Tea, that grab-bag of hooch, barely cut with cola, that gave that 21-year-old you such a miserable hangover? At Pepe, it's a nuanced blend of quality spirits, balanced yet lush, with a little sweetness from some Mexican Coke. -- MR
No. 1 -- Expatriate (5424 N.E. 30th Ave.; expatriatepdx.com): Portland's best new bar sits across the street from one of the city's top dining destinations, but Expatriate is its own beast. Husband-wife team Naomi Pomeroy and Kyle Webster take guests on a journey. The major destination food-wise is Asia, but the expert cocktails find influences all over the map. The personal touches on the menu are matched by the idiosyncratic Far East-inspired decor, though some of it can be spied only by candlelight. -- CP
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