Go East to Peter’s Bar and Grill

Posted on May 1, 2026 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. This is a long post. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post. #)

One of the joys of my Beerchasing hobby – started in 2011 – has been the adventure of discovering new establishments. Many of them have been around for a long time with great ambiance, food, staff and regulars – consistent with the definition of a great watering hole.

Regardless of these attributes, they may have a low profile and are often off the mainstream. Such is the case with Peter’s Bar and Grill as you will see below – established in 2003 or 2004 – with a couple changes of ownership. In 2011, the ownership was assumed by four individuals who made this bar its own community. In 2025, Peter Goforth became the owner.

Like many establishments, it had challenges with the pandemic but Peter’s has come roaring back. This June 2021 Facebook post by one of the co-owners, shows the welcoming mindset:

“A few minutes ago, Tasha unlocked the door and for the first time since March 16th, 2020, welcomed everyone in without a mask. I’m excited for this next step in getting through the pandemic and getting Peter’s back to all it’s glory! If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, please do! We know not everyone is vaccinated.

We appreciate your patience and understanding…We are still a bit understaffed. and a bit rusty…But we’ll do our best to put out a good product. So, let’s just enjoy and appreciate our time together! I look forward to seeing everyone’s faces again!” (#1)

EGG Hatches…

A related delight of my Beerchasing hobby is reconnecting with indidivudals from work, civic activities or just friends I don’t often see given the hectic nature of life – even in retirement.

In early 2023, I asked five essentially retired guy friends to join me at the Basement Pub on Portland’s near east side. Click the link above to go to one of the three posts I did on this wonderful pub and you’ll read about this group shown in the photo below (l to r – Tom Kelly, Thebeerchaser, Jim Westwood, Doug Walta, Larry Frank, John Kelly)

We had a great time and at each of the ensuing four gatherings, the group has grown and inexplicably, it seems that the ratio of lawyers to others (1 to 1) in the original group has also increased. The ratio of attorneys to others grew to 1.5 to 1.0 at Peter’s, which some might want to suggest is based on an algorithm, but we shall refrain otherwise I’d be forced to reveal my vast repertoire of lawyer jokes.

Check out the following posts to see this esteemed group at the Sandy Jug, Holman’s, the Tulip Tavern and now Peter’s Bar and Grill on March 31st.

I’m not sure why this collection of “Old Guys” has grown, since the stories are pretty much the same and we often ask the guy next to us, “Repeat that” because of hearing issues, but most of my companions leave asking when the next assemblage will take place.

And I decided rather than continue the label “Old Guys”, I’d name it “EGG” for “Entertaining Group of Guys.” That label would open it for younger fellows to absorb our collective wisdom. I could also recruit new folks with the acronym by citing Mathew 11:30 – “The yoke is easy and the burden light.”

This is the photo at Peter’s and for some insight on a great friendship between two of these guys check the end of the post. (From left to right) Doug Walta, Steve Schell, Bernie Stea, Don Williams, John Limb, Tom Kelly, Jim Westwood, Don Bourgeois, Larry Frank and Doug Blomgren)

Why Peter’s Bar and Grill?

In surveying my bar escapades over the last fifteen years, I discovered that most of my Portland visits were downtown, the northwest or the inner east side. I needed to expand my horizons farther on the east side in Portland. After all, I had great experiences at three bars in this general area – the Sandy Jug, the Hi Top Tavern and the Top of the Hill Tavern.

I’d heard some time ago about an interesting bar named Peter’s Bar and Grill. In researching, I came across other bars with the same name which were east – but too far east (the guys would not be up for an extended road trip) including Peter’s Grill and Bar in Woodhaven, New York; Pete’s Bar and Grill in Albers, Illinois and J Peters Grill and Bar with six locations in South Carolina and one in Lavonia, Georgia….

And then I thought back to my bachelor days in the ’70’s when I used to take dates to Peter’s Inn, owned by the amazing Frank the Flake Peters right in downtown before he went to prison.

Frank was an outstanding two-sport athlete at Oregon State and after graduation “he bounced around minor-league baseball, dated gorgeous women, drove Cadillacs, and dabbled in politics.”

When he was released from his thirty-month prison sentence (“…a perfect sentence – ‘Just enough time to get into shape,’ he grins. ‘But not too much to lose my edge.'”,) he eventually managed the notable Grand Cafe before it closed in 2014.

The Grand was one of my more memorable Beerchasing expeditions (2013) and included a personal tour by Frank – one of the most charismatic characters I’ve met on this journey. We also got a group cha-cha dance lesson.

“(The Grand is) a bar/dancehall at the east end of the Morrison Bridge that Peters was affiliated with for more than 20 years, and where he served everything from reindeer to rodent while presiding over events such as strip karaoke and lesbian dance party.”) Willamette Week

But I digress…..

Before I invited the EGG group, I needed to check it out myself – ambiance, tap list, location and a few print and social media reviews – always a good way to discern issues – if one ignores the crazy Yelp people….And overall, they looked good with these two setting the tone:

We weren’t going to eat, but food is a good overall barometer to The Beerchaser:

“Incredible food and service, the fish & chips, little leaguer hamburger and clam chowder were outstanding. Hard to beat this establishment. Ambience was great as well.” Yelp 2/7/25

More edifying was this from Lizzie Acker an Oregonian reporter in a 3/13/2025 column:

“The service was great and the decor and whole scene made me consider giving up my current life and attempting to become a regular there and live out some sort of “Cheers-like, alcohol-soaked sitcom.” (#2)

And a site in the Cully neighborhood was promising – a community-oriented neighborhood in NE Portland with a diverse mix of Latino, Somali, Asian and Brazilian communities and recognized for its strong community engagement. It’s known for parks, local businesses and strong neighborhood identity.

The location was applauded by one of the invitees. I’ve known Mark O’Donnell for almost fifty years. He’s an outstanding attorney and philanthropist and we initially met at a Clackamas County Commission meeting when I served on the staff and he was representing a client at a land use hearing. (#3 – #4)

“As a 1961 Madison graduate, I spent time at the drugstore on the NE corner of 57th and Fremont. The premises housed a pinball machine…I assume the bar is the former Piggly Wiggly grocery store situated at the Southwest corner of 57 and Fremont.

It will be quite different for this blue-collar neighborhood to host white, resident elitists from the West side that only a Don Williams type would do. Blessings to all!”

I pointed out to Mark that he would have graduated from Jesuit – an elite private Catholic school on the west side – if he hadn’t been expelled and then transferred to Madison – a story he’s revealed many times.

While Portland did have many Piggly Wiggly stores through the mid-60’s, according to a data base of groceries I checked, there was none at the site of Peter’s.

Go Trent!

The clincher, however, was Trent, the afternoon bartender/manager. When I visited and told him about our plans – most notably the need for a large table and no music of the volume that would drown out conversations, he assured me they could accommodate us and he’d be there for the first hour of our visit.

Trent, who’d work there eighteen months was one of the most personable and effective server/bartenders I’ve encountered since I started chasing beer. We couldn’t have asked for a more considerate and hospitable rep for Peter’s.

I love bar idiosyncrasies such as memorabilia, signs, alcoves and restrooms and Peter’s didn’t disappoint. Check out this sign at the entrance to the gender-neutral heads:

And the six lawyers in the group were captivated by the fact that a health-sign in the restroom was humorously redacted. (They assured me none of them had done it…)

I Shall Return

Perhaps it was because my Ancestry Brewing Irish Red Ale was so good, the service from Trent, the plaudits I got from those in EGG or just looking at the photos of their burger, grilled-cheese sandwich and tacos, but I’ll make another visit to Peter’s Bar and Grill – probably during their Happy Hour from 3 to 6 each day (#5 – #7)

One Final Note

Two of the guys in EGG have been good friends for years. They are great human beings and each time we gather, I learn from these guys.

Dr. Doug Walta, is founder of the Oregon Clinic and retired CEO of Clinical Services for Providence Health and Services in Oregon. He had a distinguished career as an gastroenterologist and served on the Oregon Board of Medical Examiners. He is also an avid hiker, outdoors-man, skier and international traveler.

I got to know Steve Schell when we were on the City Club of Portland Board years ago. He is a retired attorney at Black Helterline LLP. and focused on land use, environmental, energy, and construction law with for over 40 years of experience serving clients before local, state, and federal agencies. (#8 – #9)

Active in the community, Steve was a key figure in Oregon’s land use planning program in the 1970’s and was a member and vice-chair of the first appointed Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission (1973-76).

The two met when they partnered with Catholic Charities of Oregon in 2006 and authored with two others (John Wiley Gould and Tuck Wilson) an amazing 94-page treatise “The Challenge of Homelessness in Portland.”

Doug and Steve became good friends and started traveling together (extended road trips with their dogs – usually camping). The first was through the Channeled Scablands in Eastern Washington:

“a relatively barren and soil-free region of interconnected relict and dry flood channels, coulees and cataracts and the typically flat-lying basalt flows that remain after cataclysmic floods located in the southeastern part of Washington state.”

The visit included a thorough tour and then camping at Grand Coulee Dam where in a severe storm, their tent blew down in the middle of the night. (#10)

This trip is where Doug learned that Steve liked to chat and “..could even enjoy talking to a rock.” Doug also learned about Steve’s unusual fascination with dams.

Road Trip Friends….

There was speculation on the origin and furtherance of Steve’s intrigue with dams. Research revealed that it was reinforced during his law firm days. (#11)

Many people refer to lawyers as “Sharks.” Steve was labeled “Salmon.”
Hard chargers such as Portland Trailblazer, Deni Avdija, are sometimes nicknamed “Turbo.” As a take-no-prisoners negotiator, Steve’s moniker was “Turbine.”
When he’d remark, “That’s a lock!’, he wasn’t referencing a final settlement, but a water-filled chamber with gates on both ends that allows boats to move between different water levels caused by a dam. (Sorry for that one…)
He once advised a client by quoting Proverbs 17:14: “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out”

Retirement Goals

Goals are important to maintain an active retirement. My goal in starting Thebeerchaser was to visit every bar and brewery in Portland. I have another retired journalist friend who vowed to visit a game at every Major League Baseball stadium – he only has two left. Another couple has visited every National Park in their Sprinter van.

It wouldn’t surprise me that Steve, after consulting the National Inventory of Dams (next to the old law books in his library) that he’s aware that according to the Army Corps of Engineers, the US has 91,804 dams across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

Doug and Steve’s next road trip starts on June 1st, through California and they could hit some of the state’s 1534 dams. I don’t know if he’ll hit all 92,000, but I do know that Steve will make a dam good effort! (#12)

Pay a visit to Peter’s and say “hello” to Trent.

External Photo Attribution

#1. Peter’s Bar and Grill Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1446116564180719&set=pcb.1446117644180611).

#2. Peter’s Bar and Grill Website (https://www.petersbarandgrill.com/)

#3 – #4. Mark O’Donnell Law Firm Website (Lake Oswego Law Firm, O’Donnell Law Firm LLC | Mark O’Donnell – Beyond The Briefcase).

#5 – #7. Peters Bar and Grill Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/petersbarandgrill/photos).

#8. Linked-in (Douglas Walta, MD, FACG | LinkedIn).

#9. Linked-in (Steven Schell | LinkedIn).

#10. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grand_Coulee_Dam.jpg) This image contains material based on a work of a Bureau of Reclamation employee, created as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, such work is in the public domain in the United States. Author: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation – August 1986.

#11. Chatgpt Image Generator (https://chatgpt.com/c/69f2ddf7-4b38-83ea-beda-1a6734a9247b.

#12. Wikimedia Commons (File:Water released from Shasta Dam (2017).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: Bureau of Reclamation – 12 February 2017.

Light Your Bulb at the Tulip Shop Tavern

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post. #)

Since I started my Beerchasing retirement hobby in the fall of 2011, I’v visited over 425 bars and breweries. About 140 have been in the Portland metro area – close to my home. That said, there are still many wonderful watering holes waiting for a Beerchasing expedition.

For example, I recently “discovered” Jerry’s Tavern – an outstanding dive bar that’s been adding hundreds of bottles to the sales of Miller High Life. Opening only about eighteen months ago, it has risen to the ranks of favorite dive bar for many Portlanders.

I needed a new bar for me to get together with a group of “old guys” who periodically gather for beer and to tell stories. Since most of the group are lawyers, the stories aren’t that interesting…but the camaraderie is good.

Past mustering of this group over the last two years has included the Basement Pub, the Sandy Jug, and Holman’s:

Since our last gathering towards the end of 2025, we added a few to the group, so I needed an establishment that had at least one large table and where the music and crowd noise wouldn’t preclude our conversations.

After some research and based on recommendations, I chose the Tulip Shop Tavern (hereafter TST) for a late Wednesday afternoon gathering. I was impressed with the owners’ backgrounds, the reviews and the ambiance.

That said, after a very positive experience, one of our group lamented:

“Williams, you must be losing your touch. This place has too much class. Next time we need a hardcore dive.”

That comment was taken under advisement by the Executive Committee (that would be me – Thebeerchaser.)

As the co-owner, Devon Treadwell stated:

““Tyler (her husband) and I take a lot of pride in making our home space cozy, ‘Devon Treadwell says. ‘We don’t want it to feel cold and dirty, but nice and warm. People want to hang out here.’” (Portland Eater 3/21/19)

They have succeeded in that desire.

Why You Should Raise a Mug at the Tulip Shop

(#1)

Tyler and Devon Treadwell are entrepreneurs and respected pros in the Portland hospitality industry. As stated in New Schoolbeer.com shortly after they opened TST in May, 2019:

“…Tyler and Devon Treadwell, local hospitality industry veterans, have quietly opened their tavern without much fanfare…Tyler Treadwell was on duty on a pleasantly warm evening, mixing drinks and pouring beers like a pro with years of experience, which in fact he is, with stints at Cascade’s Barrel House, Saraveza, and the Rum Club.

His wife, Devon, has put in working time at Higgins, Sweedeedee, and yes, also at the Rum Club.”

Perhaps their success with the Tulip Shop evolves from a combination of their prior experience, good instincts, willing to take risks, luck and a strong work ethic:

“The Treadwells put no small amount of sweat equity into the space, taking over the former Pop Tavern premises, putting in a lot of elbow grease to clean it up, and remodeling where needed.” (New School Beer)

They also have complementary skills – he handles the beverages including the outstanding cocktails (“The cocktails here get wild with a laundry list of spirits.”) and she handles the food:

“…The menu includes burgers, pork schnitzel, pickle-brined fried chicken, and Alaskan cod sandwiches, all using Dos Hermanos milk buns. TST also has beer-battered onion rings and French fries served with sauces made in-house including curry ketchup and Alabama white barbecue. Specials have included cheeses and chicken sandwiches.” (Portland Eater 4/20/23 – “15 Best Restaurants and Bars Along Killingsworth Street in Portland”)

Both the cocktails and the food have gotten rave reviews as has the ambiance.gg

And speaking of favorable reactions in the six years since they’ve been open, the TST is often mentioned. They made the list of Portland Monthly’s ten best bars in 2023. In addition to asserting that TST was the City’s best burger bar, Oregon Live’s Michael Russel included it in the list of Portland’s best bistros in 2024.

The awards continued in in 2025 with a ranking of 33 in Oregon Live’s best 40 Portland restaurants.

And social media reviews are quite positive – almost effusive as is this one from Yelp in July 2025:

“Get the double smash burger and thank me later. It was quite possibly the most perfectly cooked smash burger patty I’ve eaten. Crazy good. On top of the amazing burger, the rest of the experience was pretty solid, too. The onion rings were delicious, and the staff were very friendly as well. All in all, a solid spot that I’d gladly revisit

“Crazy good” (#2)

Since my group of old guys, just drank beer and did not try the food, I returned a week later with my former lawyer colleague at the Schwabe firm, John Mansfield – a “victim” of many prior Beerchases.

John had the Daily Special – three tacos for only $11. I feasted on the fried-chicken sandwich ($15). We both agreed that the menu and quality of food merits a return trip(s).

By the way, our server, Rochelle, was a gem and Darren the bartender was also great.

I had a nice chat with Tyler Treadwell and his vision was impressive. First, he was smart to hitchhike on the same great location of two previous dive bars which had been successful but eventually closed.

NE Killingsworth is an eclectic collection of shops and restaurants that has a following both by locals and those from the burbs. The prior two bars also had character:

Ducketts from 2010 to 2016 – “… a bar should be a place where everyone feels welcome and as I kept an eye on the broad cross-section of humanity ambling in and out the front door my heart warmed to this little neighborhood dive.”

Pop Tavern from 2016 to 2019 – “For a bar explicitly devoted to pop, there’s a sense that this, finally, is a place where history is preserved… as advertised by a lit-up indoor marquee that faces only toward the people already drinking, ‘LESS FASHION MORE THRASHIN’, the sign might entreat the bar’s drinkers.”

Tyler and Devon upgraded the bar so it’s (in Thebeerchaser’s opinion) a seamless integration of an upscale dive and neighborhood bar. That said, Tyler stated that he is well aware that bars go through cycles and need to adapt and change to both retain existing customers and attract new patrons. (#3)

It should be noted about the only complaint besides it being very busy (any bar owner would love that complaint) was that the loud music along with multiple conversations made it difficult to have a discussion. Our group of old guys wouldn’t offer that lament as it would lead to inquiries about which of us had hearing aids.

(Above left to right – Kimball Ferris, John Kelly, Larry Frank, Doug Blomgren, Doug Walta, Bernie Stea and Don Williams)

Although I have a lot of Portland bars I’ve never visited to this point which need exploration, I’ll definitely return to the Tulip Shop Tavern. Besides supporting a great hospitality couple and the robust food menu at reasonable prices, there are exotic cocktails and slushees to investigate.

We stuck to the draft beer lineup, which was great, but as one mixed drink connoisseur stated: “A cocktail is a hug you give yourself.” Anyone reading the news these days, certainly needs a hug. A slushee would also fill the bill and they look outstanding.