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Claudia’s Sports Pub and Grill – Oh the History!!

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Claudia’s — A Portland Tradition

The 2007, “Willamette Week “Drinkers’ Bible” described Claudia’s Sports Pub below:

“…The friendly bartender here is steering a ghost ship:  On a Saturday night no one seems to be doing much at this Southeast haunt except plunking cash into an endless sea of video poker machines.  Too bad – the overflowing trophy case speaks of better days.”

Thebeerchaser would suggest that this writer was brain addled – the kind of intellectual lightweight who doesn’t have an adequate appreciation or understanding of history – who would define the Louisiana Purchase as buying a café  latte at a New Orleans Starbucks. Perhaps novelist and academician, John Gardner’s quote is more charitable:

“History never looks like history when you are living through it.”

Sarah with Thebeerchaser logo. My favorite waitress/bartender on the beer tour so far.

And it appears that he was axed or replaced by the Portland weekly as evidenced by reading subsequent reviews in 2009 and 2011 comparable publications:

2009 – “When all the (athletic) contests are concluded…how do they keep the beer-sodden spectators in their seats….?  Claudia’s, the dowager of Portland sports pubs has devised a resourceful solution:  After the last out, the bar switches to karaoke, projecting lyrics onto its largest screen.  It’s an ingenious idea, not least because it allows crestfallen fans the chance to constructively vent.  Claudia’s needn’t worry:  It continues to pack ‘em in with high def TVs, cheap pints and its claim to fame – high-backed green captain’s chairs lining the bar.”

The Captain’s Chairs – “Full Speed Ahead and Give me a Draft……” Also note the multiple TVs

2011 – “Claudia’s is the best sports bar in Portland…..Every year it seems like more new, hip sports bars open, but at the end of the day, there’s only one place I want to go when the game is really close.”

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Claudia’s seems like a good and appropriate name for a tavern.  It was named after founder Gene Spathas’ wife.  According to Gene’s Washington High School classmate and SAE fraternity brother at OSU, Oregon City attorney, Don Bowerman, “Gene was a gifted businessman and Claudia Mickelson was an intelligent, classy and beautiful lady.”

The Moniker Fits the Location and the Tradition

It should be noted that naming a bar after a wife named “Mildred” or “Gertrude” would not be a good thing regardless of her attributes.  Claudia was different.

Gene Spathas graduated from Washington High School in 1950 and attended Oregon State University and was an avid Beaver fan.  His obituary stated that although he would never admit it publically, he actually graduated from the U of O in 1958.

He married Claudia and they opened Claudia’s as partners the following year.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Interior – Gene Spathas and his wife opened Claudia’s to be more than just a sports bar.  As their website states, ” (Claudia’s was) developed as a total concept, our purpose is to provide a gathering place that is warm, pleasant and physically and aesthetically pleasing.”                    

The captain chairs are obviously distinctive (although they make it hard to eat a juicy hamburger….).  There are probably more TVs and monitors with more different sports options than most sports bars in the City: “We currently offer high-definition (HD) big screen, a number of HD LCD screens, ten satellite receivers as well as a numerous monitors. Claudia’s prides itself in continuing to provide the best in sports viewing.”

Big Screen and Monitors

There were 11 TVs in the main part of the bar including 5 big screen, and five in the back part.  While I sat in my Captain’s Chair and consumed some delicious fish and chips with a Manny’s Pale Ale, I simultaneously watched a Yankee – Red Sox game, saw the Mariners lose another game with less than five hits and gazed periodically at some obscure soccer teams from Europe battle to a scoreless tie.

Sports History Memorabilia – Claudia’s’ is like a mini-Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.  The gigantic trophy case in what is now the poker room is stuffed with hardware from the victorious AAU Basketball and other teams which were a hallmark of the pub for decades. You can also see basketballs signed by John Wooden and legendary announcer, Dick Vitale.

For 25 years, from the early ’60s to the mid ’80s, Claudia’s sponsored the best AAU basketball team in the Northwest. Claudia’s won the Northwest championship so many times, long-time coach Walt Spitznagel lost count according to a column by Kerry Eggers. Thebeerchaser remembers watching former college basketball stars such as Jimmy Anderson, Jim Jarvis, Pudgy Hunt, Vince Fritz, Frank Peters, Chuck Rask and Nick Jones play against rival Dr. Bernard’s for the AAU Championship and in later years OSU guards, Mark Radford and Ray Blume wore the Claudia’s uniform.

A Victorious Tradition

The black-and-white scanned photos on their website give an incredible nostalgic gallery  – I even found my high school varsity basketball coach, Dale Herron, who starred at basketball at U of O (also played football) before he coached at Oregon City High School and then at Olympia (WA) High School where he was recently inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame. He played for Claudia’s from 1961-7 during which time they won three NW AAU Championships.

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No. 34 – Former U of O star, Dale Herron (third from rear left) who coached OCHS to the TYV League Championship in 1966.  Coach Walt Spitznagel is on the right in the second row.

Other sports mementos such as a signed Chicago Cubs jersey and photos provide additional ambiance to the main part of the bar.

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OSU Basketball and Portland Maverick Player and Manager Frank Peters

Seeing the picture of Portland’s colorful and sometimes controversial, Frank Peters brought memories of his former pubs and his present bar scheduled for a future visit on Thebeerchaser tour – The Grand Café.

Playing the Ducks

Gonzaga’s Pudgy Hunt – A Formidable Presence for Claudia’s

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Poker – One change at Claudia’s is the poker games – seven nights each week as can be attested to by the signs below.  The entire large side room is taken up by card tables each night and I was amazed to see seating charts – an indication of a serious approach.  While there appear to be about twenty taverns or more that have poker nights in Portland, Claudia’s, based on a web search, appeared to be the only one with social gaming every day of the week.

And this is serious stuff as evidenced by this excerpt from the gaming rules on their website:

 “No Rabbit Hunting, No Side Bets, Any Shown Cards are Exposed to All Players, No cash on table, Please limit cell phone use. Decisions of the Administrator are Final.”

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The Menu – The pub’s menu is very good for a sports bar.  Beside 12 beers on tap when I was there they have “featured drinks’ such as Claudia’s Margarita and a Citron Cooler.

A Variety of Good Beers on Tap for a Reasonable Price

There are eight different hamburgers, several chicken-burgers, ten sandwiches, pizza, salads and eight “specialties” such as Fish and Chips.  Another nice touch is peanuts available for $1.50.

Gene Spathas was a savvy businessman and also owned the Kitchen Kettle, Beef and Brew and the Steak Skewer restaurants. The tradition initiated by Gene and Claudia Spathas at Claudia’s continues as their son, Marty, a 1980 OSU grad, now manages Claudia’s over fifty-three years later.  It is more than a sports bar and was one of the highlights of Thebeerchaser tour this year.

Claudia’s Sports Pub and Grill                               3006 SE Hawthorne

Gold Dust Meridian – A Nugget on SE Hawthorne

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“Brady Bunch” – Mid-Century Modern Exterior

If you’re cruising along SE Hawthorne Blvd., you might not notice Gold Dust Meridian (GDM).  That’s because they “stuck a bar in a mid-century accountant’s office,” or as stated by The Portland Tribune, “If you hanker to party again in the basement of your parents’ suburban ranch house, GDM will joyfully recall those halcyon years.“

According to co-owner, Marcus Archambeault, the 1955 office building formerly occupied by Gearhardt & Sons Accounting Firm, looked intriguing  – “mid century, modern style – kind of ‘cold war pristine with glass in front!”

“Perhaps a juke box would look good in place of this desk….”

So why should you want to frequent a bar where CPAs once calculated double-declining balance depreciation and bemoaned the impact of the alternative minimum tax?

???????

Well, it’s because GDM gets many superlative reviews, including that of thebeerchaser and his group – three lawyers from the Portland law firm of Whipple & Duyck P.C.  GDM has even received plaudits from Playboy Magazine as one of the Twelve Top Late Night Spots in the Nation in 2011:

Naomi affirms legacy of great servers at GDM …

“After Midnight, compiled by the editors of Playboy, provides a coast-to-coast glimpse at some of the most coveted late-night watering holes in the nation.  At these legendary spots, after-hours thrill seekers will have no problem catching live music, enjoying generous cocktails, hobnobbing with eclectic crowds, savoring scrumptious late-night eats, and in some cases, learning a bit of local history.”

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The Portland Mercury has also named it one of the best happy-hours in Portland in multiple years.  (Seven days a week from 2 to 8 PM) Keeping in mind the insightful quote:  “You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a sing only you can hear,” let’s discuss the melody emanating from GDM when you walk into the bar:

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Distinguishing Characteristics

Dan Duyck at the spacious bar – that’s native Oregon hardwood…

The Interior – While the exterior doesn’t beckon, walking in GDM reveals in their own words, “large comfortable booths, slanted teak ceilings, a custom bar built with reclaimed Oregon timber, and a dimly lit brick and wood façade.”

Another review summed it up well: “The past and present rarely collide so nicely.”   Unlike a lot of bars, conversation is promoted because there are NO televisions, pool tables or video poker machines –  a very refreshing touch.  You can get a deck of Trivial Pursuit to tap your brain, however. They have live music on Tuesday and Wednesday nights and DJs on weekends.

The Art –  it is truly distinctive as evidenced by the two photos below.  A number  of pictures such as “Bird of Prey” are oils on canvas by local artist Hickory Mertsching (“I set out to create a peaceful contemplative setting, paintings that illustrate the relationship between man and nature, a reminder of our state of being and the simple aspects of life.”)

Local Art by Hickory Mertsching

ASCII Art – Who is Mandroid?

There was also a large computer-generated “pop art” piece on the south wall, which was very unusual.

The Food and the Cocktails – Naomi said that management seeks ideas for cocktails from the bartenders and servers and Marcus affirmed, “We change our classic and champagne cocktail menu with the seasons to make it more dynamic.”  They have about ten classics ranging from a Marionberry Margarita to a Root Beer Cowboy (WL Weller Bourbon, Apple Jack, Fee’s Old Fashioned Bitters and Root Liqueur) and ten more champagne cocktails such as Death in the Afternoon (Champagne,Trillium and Absinthe). 

Scorpion Bowl – because it stings when you don’t expect it….

And there are the three Family Bowls – also known as “Scorpion Bowls described by one who imbibed as,“A sixty-ounce drink served in a huge bowl, garnished with fruit and hanging monkeys and enough straws to share with you friends – these things are dangerous – the zombie tastes just like punch.”

Being somewhat reserved, we ordered some very good Oregon Beers (GDM has ten bottled beers and eight on tap) – Apocalypse IPA from 10 Barrel Brewery in Bend and Double Mountain IPA from the brewery of the same name in Hood River. 

Oly Country….

The one exception was Dan Duyck who ordered a $1.50 Olympia.  When asked for an explanation, Dan, who hales from the rural area of Washington County stated, “It’s beer to bale hay by…..To this day, whenever I catch a whiff of beers such as Oly, Blitz, Rainier and Heidelberg, I am reminded of my youth and that beer is the true reward for hard work  no matter what your age.” 

They also have a number of “Whiskey Flights” where one get shots of three different whiskies ranging from $15 to the more rare at $28.

The food, ranging from appetizers to salads to sandwiches, is also very good and not traditional “pub grub.” –  “It’s 1950’s Trader Vic style with sharable plates” – I had a superb oyster poor boy sandwich and one of the lawyers had macaroni and cheese which he described as, “with a wonderful crust and rich and creamy throughout…..”  We then talked about the trend where good Mac & Cheese seems to be ubiquitous on quality pub menus these days, which led one of us to ask:

Available in Fine Bars and Goes Well With Beer

Q: How prevalent is Mac ‘n Cheese on pub menus these days?

A: “Well, it’s more prevalent than Portland Mayoral Candidate Jefferson Smith’s license suspensions.”

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The Mac ‘n Cheese Candidate?

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The Patio – With the ban on indoor smoking, most bars have patios these days, but many are just stuck in surplus space.  While the outdoor tables in front of the GDM are right on Hawthorne and noisy, the patio areas in the back and at the side have nice vegetation and are spacious.

Marcus and his partner in the bar, Warren Boothby, have a philosophy that to compete and draw patrons, “a bar has to be more than just a bar.”  Even the name Gold Dust Meridian is different.  Marcus said it was developed five years ago, “After a few beers and the (Prime) Median was starting place, of sorts, just like our new venture….”

They recently opened a sister bar – The Club 21 – on NE Sandy and 21st. 

Gold Dust Meridian stands out as a quality bar that distinguishes itself in a number of ways.  Prime yourself for a visit.

Gold Dust Meridian         3267 SE Hawthorne

Bar of the Gods (and Goddesses) …. It’s Not a Myth

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A More Contemporary Mythology

One long-ago review of the Bar of the Gods (BOG) stated: If you want to kick your liver into high gear, visit BOG.”  For context, it also talked about the magnitude of the second-hand smoke.  There is now no smoking, except on their patio, but the BOG still fits the classic definition of a “dive bar.”  While it has disappeared from the list of Willamette Week’s best bars in the last three years, prior reviews give some insight:

2007 – Despite an off-putting goth decor, everyone’s welcome….If  you come alone, you’re leaving alone….The clientele is on the youngish side and mostly travels in packs.

2008 – You’d think that a bar dedicated to the Greek Pantheon might be a bit, um, brighter.  Just insert “dive” though and you’ve got all  you need to know….BOG serves plenty of stiff, cheap-ass drinks.

2009 – The bar is dark and inviting with strings of grape-lights overhead doing little to illuminate the grime left over from the smoking days…The music is as loud as the crowd.  Its everything you want a dive bar to be complete with a heated smoking area out back and hypnotizing lights that make it look like fireflies are on.            

Duyck, Whipple and BOG Owner, Kip

Portland lawyers, Scott Whipple, Dan Duyck and Dan Peterson from the Whipple & Duyck firm, joined me for this second stop on Thebeerchaser Bar Tour this evening.

The owner for the last 3.5 years, a pleasant fellow named Kip, said that BOG before 1996 was a gay strip club. The grape-clustered lights on the ceiling, the artwork and even the signs on the restrooms, evoked memories of studying Greek Mythology in high school.

Bar of the Gods Artwork

Although I don’t still have my Odyssey Cliff’s Notes (at the time, wrapped in brown paper to hide the yellow and black cover), I remember stories of giants and ogres of indescribable horror ranging from such monsters as Medusa, Deimos (God of fear and terror) and his twin brother, Phobos (God of panic).

Odysseus, after seven years captivity by the nymph, Calypso, heads home to Ithaca and encounters a slew of these on his fabled tour of Greek bars and taverns chronicled by Homer in the eighth century.  His journey was prior to legislation against second-hand smoking in pubs, which added to the hazards.

A Trap for Unwary Beer Drinkers….

For example there was Charybdis, once a beautiful mermaid, who took “the form of a huge bladder of a creature whose face is all mouth and whose arms and legs are flippers. She swallows a huge amount of water three times a day before belching it back out again, creating whirlpools.” (Wikipedia)

The whirlpool or vortex brought back unpleasant memories of “the blind whirleys” from college – appropriately Greek-related from fraternity parties.  The cure for this whirlpool-type condition was to lie down with one foot on the bed and one on the floor – it did not work if you were already lying on the floor….                             

The Siren – Don’t call 911 to hear this one.

And The Sirens – “Their song, though irresistibly sweet, was no less sad than sweet, and lapped both body and soul in a fatal lethargy, the forerunner of death and corruption.”        

Fortunately, the music at BOG was so loud that we overcame any lethargic tendencies when a Van Halen tune belted out from the juke box at a 120 decibel level.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Theme – You probably won’t find another Portland bar with the pervasive Greek mythology theme – even to the point of the signs on the restroom doors:         

Ethereal Powder Room

The Food – Since we had already eaten at another bar, we just topped it off with some delicious home-made chips and salsa and a chicken quesadilla, but Kip asserted that the BOG food is distinctive. Their chili is home-made as are all their soups.  The menu on the blackboard does seem unusual for pub grub:

A Distinctive Menu with the Emphasis on Home-made…

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Another Myth???

Kip also told us that there are eleven bars in the eastern environs of Hawthorne Street and they are known as The Bar-muda Triangle.  Since this seemed relevant to Charybdis, the Vortex and Blind Whirleys, it required some research.  In fact, there were 2,910 Google entries for “Portland Bar-muda Triangle”, and Kip may be right:

The Urban Dictionary – this user-generated website pinpoints its location as “an area of bars that collectively saturate the SE Hawthorne Arts District at the base of Mt Tabor.”

The Portland Tribune – In a July, 2008 article entitled, “Drop anchor in Bar-muda Triangle,” there is a bar review of “The Tanker” with a subheading stating, “Setting a course for spirits, sports? Navigate to Hawthorne’s Tanker.”

To the contrary, there is a Willamette Week article from May, 2011 captioned, “Douchebags Not Allowed: Bar-muda Triangle’s Ankeny Car-Free Zone Is a Go.”  According to WW, Portland’s Bar-muda is located in the Old Town neighborhood on the west side, near Voodoo Donuts where one block of Southwest Ankeny Street was converted to a car-free zone with outdoor tables for diners.              

A High Pressure Front Whirling Around Mt. Tabor or Maybe That’s Florida?

Perhaps the dilemma is resolved based on info gleaned at the “wise-geek” website stating:  “ A Bar-muda Triangle is an area where the concentration of bars is especially high. The number of bars located within an area known as a bar-muda triangle may be greater than three, of course, and sometimes an area with only two bars may be colloquially termed a bar-muda triangle. You may also hear a bar-muda triangle referred to as a beer-muda triangle.”

It appears that “Bar-muda triangle” is used by many towns to refer to particularly alcoholic intersections and the term is garnered from elsewhere or invented independently.

Since BOG has five beers on tap, eleven bottled beers, five in cans and champagne,  let’s hoist a Hypotenuse IPA and agree that everyone is correct!

Kip Behind the Bar

BOG has four video poker machines and a spacious area to play pool.  The crowd was an interesting mixture of locals and those cruising the Hawthorne District, although I did hear one guy shout, “I’m part of the 47%…

Try the Bar of the Gods, but take your GPS and don’t disappear in the confines of the Bar-muda Triangle.  Check out their interesting website on the link below.

Bar of the Gods               4801 SE Hawthorne

Bottles — The Preferred Alternative to a Glass Ceiling

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Not a Fancy Setting but it’s What’s Inside that Counts!

We (thebeerchaser and his environmental lawyer friends) decided to hit another bar on NE Fremont street about thirty-seven blocks east of County Cork, where we started the evening.

Bottles looks very plain externally although the great aroma wafting from the barbecue roasters by the front door, encouraged us to not only have some beer, but partake in the flamed fare.

Take the Title — Literally…

Shaun, a co-owner, and who was our bartender and waiter (and excelled at both) briefed us on the bar which opened in 2011 – it used to be a small Turkish import store – and offers between 450 and 500 different bottled beers.  Before one gets disappointed, there are also eight draft beers, which according to the Bottles website “rotate daily — or sometimes hourly.” As one impressed reviewer commented, “The rotating taps are always full of great selections, and have led me to try several different beers I never would have tried otherwise.”

Shaun (in the background) Joins the Environmental Group

Since the beef and pork are from Carlton Farms and they serve Draper Valley Chicken, it is suggested you not visit Bottles on a Monday because it is the only night they don’t serve barbecue. After devouring the chicken slider (a heaping portion because it was the last one that evening), we were stuffed. 

We concurred with the reviewer who was delighted with the food, “The BBQ is delicious…..The Mac & Cheese is also amazing. The hot sauce is a fantastic accompaniment to all their food. Indeed, I always take a straight mouthful on every visit. Their spicy mustard is quite amazing as well.”     

While imbibing, I conveyed to my environmental friends, the contemporary version of an old adage about personal development: “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day.  Teach him how to fish and he will be dead of mercury poison in three years.” 

Terminal??

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Beer – It is doubtful there are many, if any, NW bars with this wide an assortment of bottled beers, while also serving great draft beers.  Indeed they take their beers seriously. 

They have an excellent section on their website entitled, “Education” which list beer styles (Ales, Lagers, American Lagers and Specialty Beers) with variations of each style and then a detailed description of each type.  For example under Lagers: “Bohemian Pilsner – Similar to German Pilsners, however, Bohemian Pilsners can be more full-bodied and darker in color.” There is also a section with detailed elements of taste i.e. Aroma, Flavor and Texture.                        

A “Case” of Beer

The Display – It’s eye-catching with several glass cases are totally filled with different beers.  They even had the Lucky Buddha Beer I had heard about but had not been able to find elsewhere.

Lucky Buddha Bottles

Other nice additions to the bar were a very large patio (dog friendly…), a sitting room with big screen TVs and space for darts, video games  and shuffleboard.

Game Room

    

 We decided it was time to leave Bottles and were reassured by another unusual feature.  A coin-operated breathalyzer machine called “Alco-Buddy.”  It allowed us to ensure we were sober although that was facilitated by the final environmental joke of the evening:

Dog Friendly Patio

“An environmental lawyer and a non-renewable resource walk into a bar and sit down for a couple of pints. After a while, the non-renewable resource orders two more beers. The bartender turns to the lawyer and says, ‘I’ll serve you, but not your friend, he’s getting wasted”      

                Bottles               5015 NE Fremont

Coin-operated “insurance” in case the bad jokes don’t sober you up

County Cork – The Irish Solution

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The Irish are Right!!

Don’t Fight It – Have a Guinness

County Cork was visited early on a Tuesday night. Thebeerchaser and four friends who I consider among the top environmental lawyers in Portland were in our group.

Since John Mansfield, a patent attorney, accompanied me to Mock Crest Tavern, (see previous June post) one might wonder why environmental lawyers were the preferred companions.  Well, if one has the choice to converse on what constitutes prior art and derivation practice under the American Invents Act, or alternatively, to discuss nuances resulting from the interaction of Endangered Species Statutes with the numeric effluent links of the Clean Water Act, most people would choose the latter.  (How about those Mariners….?)

Clearing the Air – Tanya, our Waitress and 4 Env. Lawyers

A guy at the next table who overheard us talking piped up: “You know it’s not pollution or industry that is harming the environment. It’s the impurities in our air and water.”

We abruptly ended the dialogue when he then opined, “The recent eclipse of the sun is irrefutable proof of the unreliability of solar power.”

The pub, County Cork,  is named after the county by the same name in the southwest region of Ireland.

An Irish Geography Lesson

Since one of our party was named Brien Flanagan and he is a Notre Dame double grad, we were not concerned about fitting in. In fact, the bar has a reputation for being family friendly.  How family friendly?  It even has a play area for kids with a toy chest and a shelf full of kids books.  The 2008 Willamette Week Bar Guide sums it up:

“Go ahead – bring all the kids you want to this Irishy Irvington pub. Sip an imperial pint from Eire (Murphy’s, Beamish, Guinness) ……. while little Angus and Fiona try their hands at darts.  When they’re done poking holes in each other, stuff them full of fish and chips.”       

“Good Night Moon” – The book – not when you pass out!!

There are 16 beers on tap and also cider, Guinness and Murphy’s Irish Stout brewed in Cork County.  Also nine bottled beers and a wine list.  Drink and food prices are reasonable with Dollar-off-Pints 3 to 6 o’clock  Monday through Friday

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Interior – Although it is in a somewhat ordinary setting on Fremont Street, the bar does have the feel of an Irish Pub.  Pictures of JFK and Bobby are prominent as are signs about Irish food on the menu and live Irish music on most Tuesdays and Fridays (e.g. Johnny Connelly and Danny O’Hanlon that night).  There are two individual stalls for darts, which is somewhat unusual. The bartenders are “in costume”, so to speak.

The Food – Some of the reviews describe the food very favorably (esp. the fish and chips) although one of our party with experience, used the adjective “scary” to describe the Scottish Egg on the menu (Hard-boiled egg wrapped in seasoned pork sausage and lightly breaded, deep-fried and served with a side of house-made chutney)

301 or Cricket??

Menu “classics” included Murphy’s Stew, Bangers and Mash, Shepherds Pie and Bread Pudding.

County Cork was enjoyable and we decided to leave when Flanagan asked us if we had heard about the Irish boomerang?

“It doesn’t come back, it just sings songs about how much it wants to.”

County Cork               1329 NE Fremont

A Family Friendly Patio — Is that Angus??

The Cheerful Tortoise – Slow and Steady Wins the Race

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Aesop Was Correct!!

Since the Greek story-teller Aesop, was purportedly a slave, it is doubtful that he conveyed his fable about the tortoise and the hare to Aristotle or Herodotus while hoisting a mug in a fifth century Greek pub.

Aesop’s Legacy

The Cheerful Tortoise Pub (CT) by the Portland State campus, however, has an eclectic mix of PSU students, professors, athletes and OHSU medical students so drinking yarns and tales of  yore are prevalent.  With its 42 television sets, gobs of sports momentos and historic sponsorship of PSU athletics, the CT was voted the top sports bar by Portland City Search two years in a row.  However, it’s far more than just a sports bar as one patron stated:

“One must remember that this place is a college bar that is a sports bar that is a karaoke bar that is a neighborhood dive bar. Most of the time it is chock-full of regulars, but at other times is a raucous mess of barely 21 college student who get stupid after 2 beers.”

Scholarship Support for the Viks….

I was fortunate to be joined by my good friend, former insurance company president and now Director of New Business Development for the PSU Athletic Dept. Dennis Ferguson.   All the bartenders know Denny, who is an extrovert and so optimistic that he once started a diet on Thanksgiving Day.  He commented on the generosity of owner Amy Nichol and Pat Lockhart (former) whose contributions generate PSU scholarships.

A TV Spreadsheet to Keep Track

Thursday night is $1 beer and $2 wing night so the probability of seeing out-of-control college kids escalates.  Trivia Nights on Mondays are for those who desire a more mundane experience.     

Denny, Allison and thebeerchaser logo

While a few of the reviews commented on unfriendly and slow service, our experience was great.  Our bartender, Allison, helped educate us about the bar which opened in 1940, and she and fellow bartenders Lana and Brooke were all intelligent, friendly and great looking!

Sports Memorobilia Abounds

The TC has 18 beers on tap — I had a Hamms which is always $2.75 except on $1 beer night.   Karoke is on Wednesday – Friday and Saturday.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The History – Although fellow PSU Grads, historian John Terry and former GE College Bowl PSU Captain, Jim Westwood, wax eloquently about the tradition of PSU-area pubs such as Lydia’s, the Chocolate Moose and Birdies, andthebeerchaser remembers some good draft beer after class at Sam’s Hoffbrau (now a McDonalds), none of these survived – and the Cheerful Tortoise is still going strong after 72 years!

It evokes Park Blocks memories for many  – whether it is WW II vets taking courses at Vanport Extension Center, Ben Padrow coaching his 1965 College Bowl Team or the outstanding dialogue when masses of students gathered to hear and debate decorated Marine Corps officers and Viet Nam veterans, Lt. Ancer Haggerty (Silver Star and Purple Hearts – now a federal judge) and Cpt. Jud Blakely (Bronze Star and Purple Hearts)  when they recruited on campus during the late ’60’s.      

Promoted Dialogue in a “Charged” Environment

         

Denny and the Building — Both Historic…..

The Character –  There are essentially no windows and the 42 TVs provide the light so it’s very dark yet the big fireplace roaring all year makes it warm and hospitable.  One night, you may see a bunch of international students in front of one of the TVs cheering on their favorite soccer team. It’s quirky trademarks such as $1 Beer nights and the $1.99 Breakfast available every day, have a wide following.  As Willamette Week’s 2009 Drink Guide, listing their 100 favorite bars, aptly stated:

“The CT packs the benefits of a college sports bar without the vomiting sorority girls and Dave Mathews fans….But on the Bar’s legendary $1 beer nights…there is no escape.  Come ready to get drunk– and relive the glory days.”

You don’t have to be a student to enjoy the Cheerful Tortoise – give it a try.

The Cheerful Tortoise                         1939 SW Sixth Avenue

        

Interurban – Urbane Saloon

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“Urbane” is defined as “notably polite or finished in manner,” which is apt for the relatively new (November 2011) Interurban (IU), another watering hole on the now trendy NE Mississippi Ave.  One of the three owners is Dan Hart, who also owns Prost – a bar up the street previously reviewed by thebeerchaser in November.

The original opening was delayed because of a fire of questionable origin until, according to our waitress, Rachael, Portland Fire and Rescue came in and pulled down some walls and discovered the source – an action commemorated at the top of the stairs with the logo shown below:

Tribute to “The City that Works” – 11/27/11

The bar was evidently named after Portland’s first interurban line, the Portland Sellwood and Milwaukie Railway, constructed in 1890 and the first of several interurban lines serving Portland and the Willamette Valley.  According to one of the owners, a spur once ran down Mississippi Avenue, right past the restaurant. For those into historic trains, an extremely interesting website can be found at http://pdxhistory.com/html/interurbans.html

The Oregon City Trolley on the Interurban Line

Reviews on IU are somewhat mixed and from our perspective, it was almost a little “too cool” – really dark wood, taxidermy, a coolly efficient staff, a nice sound system playing what one patron described as “a mix of classic funk, old school hip-hop, trip-hop and the like,” but was some good jazz when we (thebeerchaser and spouse) were there. A number of reviews have criticized the noise level at IU as being too loud with the sound system a factor.

IU is pretty confined – on the lower level, two tables by the entrance, a somewhat crowded bar with about 10-12 stools and some “buddy bars” with stools facing the wall and a small ledge for eating and to place drinks.  Upstairs there are about six or seven more tables. 

The Bar on the First Floor

There is also a patio for use when the weather is reasonable??!!    Happy Hour is every day except Saturday with $2 drafts $3-4 whiskey and $5 wine.  They have a nice selection (14) of cocktails, craft jello shots, 8 bottled beers and 14 draft beers (we had a nice Staropramen Pilsner).

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Food – two of the owners are well-known Portland chefs and the menu (coolly set forth in manilla file folders with clips..) has a great selection of pork and beef dishes, lamb stew and what is billed as “Portland’s largest corn dog” at $9.  I had the “hot dog of the day” – a chili dog – all the meat is from Olympic Provisions, which was outstanding.  Also a good range of soups and salads.

The African Trophy from Namibia

The Taxidermy! –  one of the bartenders told us that besides the large moose head on the wall, the other two animals on the first floor were shot by one of the bartenders and his father on a trip to Africa.

An Antelope from Zambia

The Mix of Cocktails – Both the display in the menu and the assortment were impressive and unusual for most bars.  For example, “The Suffering Bastard” – which research revealed has a history.  One website quoted a 1959 New York Times interview with the inventor himself, Joe Scialom, one-time head bartender at Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo. 

“When liquor was short during the war, he had to concoct ‘something to quench the boys’ thirst.’ He combined equal parts gin and brandy with a dash of Angostura bitters, a teaspoon of Rose’s lime juice, and English ginger ale. He garnished the drink with a sprig of fresh mint, a slice of orange and a cucumber peel.”

We enjoyed Interurban (of course, how does one not appreciate any public house).  It was cool – but lacked the character of many of thebeerchaser’s prior bars and taverns.  If the old trolley line was still operating, I would have taken it up the street to revel in the ambiance of Prost!                                   

The Patio — Weather Permitting…

Interurban  4057 N. Mississippi

The Muddy Rudder Public House – Chart a Course Here!

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Sellwood’s Muddy Rudder Public House

The Beerchaser’s favorite nautical quotation is by Admiral David Farragut during the Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864.  The Admiral, in his flagship the USS Hartford, while lashed to his observation post in the rigging, yelled “Damn the Torpedoes – Full Speed Ahead!”  This is still good advice if you are on the Willamette River near Sellwood.  Chart your course to the Muddy Rudder. 

No Muddy Rudder Would Deter Admiral Farragut

While we didn’t have to dodge naval ordnance, the weather was terrible (rain and hail) which made the pub’s warm atmosphere better the night we had a great visit with our friends, Kate and David Dickson.  Note that the picture above is taken in the summer when you can enjoy the Rudder’s neat beer garden.  “If you do go, try to sit in the lovely outdoor garden during warm weather.”

Coincidentally, if you are searching on the Internet, you should be aware, there is also a great seafood restaurant and bar of the same name near Portland, Maine – named for the tugboat, PORTLAND,  which sank in the Cousins River “when a harsh nor’easter besieged the boat at its mooring and strong winds grounded and overturned her.” – so much for nautical lore, now let’s talk about a great pub in our Portland.

The “Rudder” would be easy to miss because its roots as an old house are still evident and there is little signage.  It’s only two blocks from the east end of the Sellwood Bridge. on Tacoma and 7th.   As one reviewer stated:  “What had been a little decaying rental had been pushed out and up and seemed to be preparing for a second life as some sort of storefront. But that second life had to wait a couple of years while owner Jim Sheehan, a custom woodworker and motorcycle fanatic, toiled away reworking the cabinetry, floors and woodwork.”

One less complimentary description was:  “It’s like a commercial version of the residential renovations and partial tear-downs you see throughout gentrifying Sellwood. The successful, upper-middle class, white people in their 40s and 50s with kids and dogs who live in those houses find a regular watering hole in the Muddy Rudder.”  However, the above quote is followed by good advice:

“But don’t let this stop you from visiting (or even frequenting) the Muddy Rudder. It’s a great spot with excellent food and drink, and one of the only establishments at the far west edge of Sellwood. You “should” really like it a lot.”

So What’s to Like?

  • The atmosphere is cordial and classy.  There are old nautical charts and maritime accoutrements throughout the two levels.  The round tables and wooden chairs, cabinetry and wood bar, give it the feel of a great neighborhood pub.                                                                 

    The Food Focus…

  • The food was great and reasonably priced. Most of the menu items ended in vowels, (pizza, Stromboli, bruschetta, zucchini, antipasto, chili, et.al…)  Being in the spirit, thebeerchaser ordered his first cocktail on this tour of beer joints – an excellent dirty martini!  We had a superb meatball sandwich and a pizza.
  •  The Entertainment – there is music (no cover charge) most nights and if you get there in time to sit on the second level, you’re right next to the band.  In our case, it was a great group called the “Sleepy-eyed Johns” – a wonderful five-piece combo (fiddle, mandolin/guitar, bass and banjo). From their first tune – “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” to the end of the evening, they captivated the crowd.

Wake up to the Sleepy-eyed Johns

  • The Beer – a nice selection of micros on tap at a reasonable price.

    What’s on Tap

In fact, the only down-side of the Muddy Rudder, which was totally offset by the positives, was the service – the pace and not the people themselves.

Our waitress Marissa (Mo) was wonderful and Todd the bartender was great, but they are just understaffed.  Mo did a heroic job, but she was the only waitress for the entire pub.  Many of the reviews indicate that this has been an ongoing problem as evidenced from this one in early 2009:

“You can’t get through a visit without wondering where your food is, or having the servers apologize for being short-staffed, or having to go up to the bar to ask for napkins or forks.”

One patron’s overall sentiments about this pub seemed right on target when she stated: “I kinda love this place. I hope other people don’t come here so that there is always a place for me when I want to go.”

The Muddy Rudder Public House  9195 SE 7th in Sellwood

The Hawthorne Hideaway – Amiable Alliteration

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Hawthorne Hideaway

This is a delightful, friendly little neighborhood bar, in a nondescript setting around Southeast 21st and Hawthorne.  It was aptly described by one patron as “Nothing spectacular, definitely not flashy – but Hawthorne Hideaway is great!”

Another regular said, “When you can walk in at 5:30 on a sunny weekend and leave to a dark night sky after 8:00 without realizing how many hours you just wasted, that says something about the enjoyable nature of this place.”  It also bring to mind some constraints on pub habitation from September 2011 Beerchaser of the Month, crime novelist, James Crumley in his novel, The Mexican Tree Duck:                                                    

James Crumley

James Crumley

“Bars can be nice places, comfortable homes away from the loneliness or confusion of home, but nobody – not even the most confirmed degenerate drunk, can spend eighty or ninety hours a week in one.”

There is a good selection of beers:  seven beers on tap, seven bottled beers and five beers in cans including my old favorite, Rainer.  We tried an excellent Fort George Oatmeal Pale Ale on tap.  Happy Hour is every day from 4:00 until 7:00.

People like the decent but cheap food (served until 2 am) and the strong drinks.  The only major complaint from several years of reviews – a female visitor from Salt Lake City.  Although a non-drinker, she complained for over three paragraphs about the tacos, which rates a one-word response from Thebeerchaser:

“Go Back to Utah!”

Evidently Better in Salt Lake City…

And oh yes, the Hawthorne was a bit dark, however, this elicited one of the more creative views of a dingy, dive-bar setting: “It’s dimly lit with a borderline seedy feeling – the low lighting makes everyone look a little better – no need to even wear makeup with that lighting…..”

Distinguishing Characteristics

We talked to Craig, the owner, who said the two differentiators for the bar are the fresh-squeezed juices in all the mixed drinks and the lemonade, and the distinct layout and interior design – one which a set-designer friend developed six years ago when they opened, after surveying the neighbors on what they wanted in the bar.

The layout is quirky as one Portland Barfly reviewer conveys well:

The entrance is timid. Where’s the circulation?  Why is there such dramatic separation between the front and the back – it’s severed?  Where’s your central gathering space?  I don’t understand the logic – why would I go there??

Because it’s AWESOME!

Original but Quirky Art

Original Art??

In the front where there are tables, one can see original (and quirky) art on the walls and old photos of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, the Lone Ranger and Tonto and other icons along with a sign that says, “Come Enlarge Your Brain While Destroying It!” – a marketing slogan for the bar’s trivia night every Monday at 7:30.

Free Pool in the Back Room

The back part of the pub is a large room with several pool tables (patrons love the free pool), big screen TVs video poker and some pinball machines.

The west wall is chock full of old 33 RPM album covers ranging from Count Basie, The Ink Spots and Montovani to Fabian and Elvis’s memorable album “How Great Thou Art!”  – they’re really interesting!

“Rock of Ages…!”

 The Hawthorne Hideaway is a great hang-out and neighborhood pub for a pint!

The Hawthorne Hideaway     2221 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

Another Stop for the Beerchaser Logo

The Migration Brewing Company Pub – Why do People Keep Leaving and Then Return to This Pub? *1

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*1  That’s supposed to be a joke……

One of the advantages of thebeerchaser tour of pubs in Portland is that the number of bars and taverns facilitates visits to multiple establishments in one outing.  Such was the case on the night that we hit Laurelthirst – within less than two blocks we saw the sign for Migration Brewing Company and its pub.

Migration Brewing

Migration Brewing just celebrated its second anniversary on February 18th and it’s philosophy is brief and well-stated:

“At Migration we celebrate the tradition of crafting great beer, while sharing the history it holds and the bonds it creates between the joyous beer drinkers of Stumptown. So come on down and share a laugh with us and take part in the timeless tradition of drinking beer!”

The rationale behind the name was beyond my research, but I assume the wings on the logo are an implicit reference. We visited on a Thursday night and unlike evenings when there are Blazer or Timber games, the place was not crowded.  Our bartender/waiter was a nice guy named Scott who was very helpful telling us about the Brewery and beer options.            

Scott the Bartender

There is a Happy Hour during every Blazer game and the Pub has Bingo every Tuesday night. The setting was pretty similar to the other brew pubs we visited including Coalition and Amnesia i.e. no frills –  big garage door (open in fair weather), cement floor, high ceilings and a patio with picnic tables.

Scott said the place used to be a radiator shop.  The brewery is in the back behind the bars. An apt description by one patron – “Unpretentious beer/wine only industrial micro joint, not unlike any other in the town.” The Coalition Brew Pub had the best environment of the three breweries visited to this point, but all lack the character of a good neighborhood or even a dive bar.

Distinguishing Characteristics They have focused on the Blazers – even to the extent of naming one of their beers after the former Blazer  i.e. “Terry’s Porter – “Big and Bad is the way this Porter plays the game.”

There are also Blazer pennants and posters throughout. Pints are $3.50 and pitchers $10 during games.   As one reviewer stated:“The working stiffs at Migration are devoted to our city’s beleaguered NBA team and show every game on their two screens. It’s not the most accessible set-ups for viewing, as one of those screens is small and only visible from one corner of the bar, but the fandom from both the business itself and its patrons is palpable.”                                                                               This emphasis has not pleased everybody and there were several comments about Migration transitioning from a brew pub to a sports bar where the crowd during games is “loud and obnoxious” and it is a challenge to find a seat or play darts.