Portland Dive Bar Guide

Unique Surroundings, Authentic Dives

The Pacific Northwest is a unique environment in about every way, a fact it turns out holds true for dive bars as well, Portland’s unique characteristics infused into the dive bar selections throughout the city. Of course the city’s appreciation for all things a bit strange helps, creating the kind of patronage needed to keep Portland’s dive bar institutions afloat.

Downtown feels like a good place to start a dive bar tour of the city, Yamhill Pub one of the holdouts in a part of town that has seen huge redevelopment. Opened in 1939, the visual appeal of the dive bar consists of a green awning on an otherwise nondescript street and not much else. Inside, a flurry of graffiti, stickers and PBR tributes cements the bar’s divey status.

Southeast of downtown, Gil’s Speakeasy Tavern similarly opened in 1939, sharing a sensibility with Yamhill Pub in avoiding drawing too much attention to a business that in this case is painted to fit seamlessly into the building that houses the bar. The dive bar’s slogan doesn’t hurt, of course, “Nicest Assholes in Town.”

And then there’s Reel M Inn, a dive bar with a broasted chicken reputation that may just exceed the bar’s divey appeal. Not content to fade into a city street corner, Reel M Inn is bright red, standing out under a sign that publicizes the bar’s chicken and “jo jo’s” specialty (a special kind of fried potato wedge). Be warned, the chicken wait can sometimes be considerable given the small batch nature of their preparation.

Hidden gems exist throughout Portland, each blending into a unique neighborhood in a city filled with wholly unique neighborhoods. A distinct city in this case means distinct Portland dive bars worth the hunt.

Dive Bar Map

Portland Dive Bars Not Yet Reviewed

Must Visit Recommendations

Unfortunately, we have not yet been to every single dive bar in the city, but there probably a few more punch cards on our livers, so we’ll make it there soon. In the meantime, the curated list of dives below comes highly recommended by a variety of friends, online sources and drunks.

Buckman

Roadside Attraction

1000 SE 12th Ave
Portland, OR 97214
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Buckman

The Slammer Tavern

500 SE 8th Ave
Portland, OR 97214
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Cathedral Park

Slim's Restaurant & Lounge

8635 N Lombard St
Portland, OR 97203
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Central Eastside

Gil's Speakeasy Tavern

609 1/2 SE Taylor St
Portland, OR 97214
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Downtown

Yamhill Pub

223 SW Yamhill St
Portland, OR 97204
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Kenton

The World Famous Kenton Club

2025 N Kilpatrick St
Portland, OR 97217
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Kerns

Sandy Hut

1430 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97232
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Nob Hill

Wildwood Saloon

1955 W Burnside St
Portland, OR 97209
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Northeast Portland

Billy Ray's Dive

2216 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Portland, OR 97212
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Northeast Portland

Mad Hanna

6127 NE Fremont St
Portland, OR 97213
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Northeast Portland

Spare Room

4830 NE 42nd Ave
Portland, OR 97218
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Pearl District

Lay Low Tavern

6015 SE Powell Blvd
Portland, OR 97206
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Southeast Portland

Low Brow Lounge

1036 NW Hoyt St
Portland, OR 97209
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Southeast Portland

Reel M Inn

2430 SE Division St
Portland, OR 97202
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Southeast Portland

Ship Ahoy Tavern

2889 SE Gladstone St
Portland, OR 97202
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Other Dive Bar Options

B Side Tavern

632 E Burnside St
Portland, OR 97214
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Bar of the Gods

4801 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR 97215
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Bear Paw Inn

3237 SE Milwaukie Ave
Portland, OR 97202
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Checkered Flag

7483 SE 82nd Ave
Portland, OR 97266
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Cosmo Lounge

6707 SE Milwaukie Ave
Portland, OR 97202
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Donnie Vegas

1203 NE Alberta St
Portland, OR 97211
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George's Corner Tavern

5501 N Interstate Ave
Portland, OR 97217
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Glass House Tavern

9710 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97220
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Holman's Bar & Grill

15 SE 28th Ave
Portland, OR 97214
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Joe's Cellar

1332 NW 21st Ave
Portland, OR 97209
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Jolly Roger

1340 SE 12th Ave
Portland, OR 97214
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Lutz Tavern

4639 SE Woodstock Blvd
Portland, OR 97206
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Mock Crest Tavern

3435 N Lombard St
Portland, OR 97217
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Montavilla Station

417 SE 80th Ave
Portland, OR 97215
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Paymaster Lounge

1020 NW 17th Ave
Portland, OR 97209
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Perch Bar & Grill

7505 N Lombard St
Portland, OR 97203
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Railside Pub

5301 NE Portland Hwy
Portland, OR 97218
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Renner's Grill

7819 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR 97219
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Sam's Hollywood Billiards

1845 NE 41st Ave
Portland, OR 97212
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Standard Tavern

14 NE 22nd Ave
Portland, OR 97232
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Suki's Bar & Grill

2401 SW 4th Ave
Portland, OR 97201
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The Candlelight Restaurant & Lounge

7334 NE Glisan St
Portland, OR 97213
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The Lion's Eye

5919 SE 82nd Ave
Portland, OR 97206
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The Ship Tavern

7827 SW 35th Ave
Portland, OR 97219
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The Trap

2427 SE Ash St
Portland, OR 97214
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The Trap

2427 SE Ash St
Portland, OR 97214
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The Vern

2622 SE Belmont St
Portland, OR 97214
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Yur's Bar & Grill

717 NW 16th Ave
Portland, OR 97209
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What Did We Miss?

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