Best Portland Dive Bars

Looking for the best Portland dive bars? Portland has hundreds of great bars, and some of the most popular are the neighborhood hangouts that offer that simple dive bar appeal: cheap drinks and no nonsense, "come as you are" appeal. Given Portland's relaxed West Coast attitude, it's no surprise that we celebrate and enjoy our dive bars in Portland just as much as our fanciers bars and clubs. These are the neighborhood bars where locals choose to spend their time. Leave your pretension at home: just come in, order a drink, and relax. Here's the rundown of the best Portland dive bars, by neighborhood. This is by no means an all-inclusive list of Portland dive bars (there are literally dozens of them), but it should help you pinpoint a few of the best in Portland.

Northeast Portland

Billy Ray's Neighborhood Dive
2216 Northeast Martin Luther King Blvd.
Portland, OR 97212-3726
(503) 287-7254

One of the few bars that actually uses "Dive" in their name, Billy Ray's is a Northeast Portland original with dive bar appeal, drawing customers from the Boise-Eliot neighborhoods, as well as surrounding areas of Portland. This Portland dive bar has even earned national acclaim: Playboy Magazine listed Billy Ray's as one of 10 Great American Dive Bars. Billy Ray's is housed in a two story red house, with a non-descript "Tavern" sign on the outside. In fact, no signage indicates the real name of this dive bar, but Portlanders recognize this hole-in-the-wall bar as "The Dive". Inside, you'll find a skinny room lined with booths, a jukebox, TV, and the requisite video poker machines filling one corner. The bar features old-school swivel stools that look like they've been a part of Billy's for decades. The decor is ratty and rough around the edges, but that only adds to the dive bar appeal.

To make up for the cramped bar interior, out back you'll find an amazing patio with ample seating, a grill, and a ping pong table. This is a wonderful place to drink a cold brew on a Portland summer night. Upstairs you'll find a pool table and several pinball machines. Weekly Portland trivia night, "Quizzy", is hosted at Billy's by Roy Smallwood, a local character known for his tough brand of trivia questions, and sardonic sense of humor. Billy Ray's serves big cheap glasses of beer, and a very short list of wine and liquor. I've never eaten anything while visiting Billy Ray's, but according to their whiteboard sign, you may enjoy a "Hungry Man" TV dinner (fresh from the microwave). Billy Ray's Dive is a cash-only bar. There is an ATM inside, but it's frequently out of service. There is a bank with an ATM about a block or so away, in case you run out of cash and need to settle your tab.

Southeast Portland

Bonfire Lounge
2821 Southeast Stark St.
Portland, OR 97214-3048
(503) 232-3704
www.bonfirepdx.com

Southeast Portland is home to so many great bars and restaurants, that it's quite difficult to select only one dive bar to represent the area. How does one choose between Roscoe's, The Triple Nickel, Clinton Street Pub, My Father's Place, The Slammer, The Lamp, and dozens of others? Locals know and love each one for their own unique twist on what makes a great Portland dive bar. However, the Bonfire Lounge does stand out, not only for their cheap drinks but also for their happy hour food menu. Happy hour at the Bonfire Lounge is offered daily from 2pm-7pm. This is where you can get a decent pint of microbrew for only $3.00, or well drinks for a mere $2.50.

From the happy hour food menu, you can fill your belly for only $3.50, and it's tasty food! Choose from their happy hour menu of tacos, quesadillas, gyros, and burgers (meat or veggie burgers--this is Portland, after all). These aren't typical happy hour small plates, either. You'll go home full and happy, without totally emptying your wallet. As far as mixed drinks go, they're locally known for their "Mother Maria", a spicy Bloody Mary made with their own jalapeno infused tequila. But don't assume that house-infused liquors removes this from the dive bar category, because the dark moody interior,and laid-back vibe fits the bill perfectly. They also have pool tables. It's worth mentioning that the Bonfire Lounge was definitely more dive-ey before the Portland bar smoking ban removed the haze from the room. Still, for a Portland dive bar that offers great food as well as cheap drinks, this is a great choice in SE Portland.

North Portland

Mock Crest Tavern
3435 North Lombard Street
Portland, OR 97217
(503) 283-5014
www.mockcrest.com

The Mock Crest Tavern has been a favorite North Portland neighborhood dive bar for 60-plus years, so obviously they are doing something right. Like the Candlelight Bar downtown, Mock Crest features great live Portland music as one of their assets. But, they go beyond that with cheap drinks, decent food, and consistently friendly service. The bar is small and cozy, and unlike some dives, it's actually clean. The Mock Crest "bier garten" patio out back is a great place to be in the summer time. They offer a nice selection of food and appetizers to go with your drinks, such as the Rainier's Mug O' Pickles, fries and tater tots, and a nice hummus platter, and they're also known for their char-grilled burgers and $2.99 breakfast special. Happy Hour is from 3-6pm daily, with Pabst Pounders (PBR) for only $1.50, well drinks for $3.00, and microbrews for $3.25. They offer a draft beer special all day, every day of the week. Mock Crest has free Wi-Fi and will even loan patrons a laptop to use while visiting the bar. Unlike many of the dive bars in Portland, Mock Crest does accept credit cards, and also has an ATM machine.

Downtown Portland

Candlelight Cafe and Bar
2032 Southwest 5th Ave.
Portland, OR 97201-4907
(503) 222-3378

One of the best things about a dive bar is the interesting cast of characters you might meet inside. Portland dive bars feature all sorts of people: the drunken old man who is a permanent fixture at the bar, middle-aged divorcees on the prowl, soccer moms on a ladies' night out, hipsters and singles, and of course, the mix of Portland locals who call this neighborhood home. The Candlelight is no exception: although it's clearly more popular with the over-30 set, you never know what diverse crowd you'll find within the bar, and you're usually in for a good experience in this popular Portland dive bar. The Candlelight's main claim to dive bar fame is live music 7 nights a week, with no cover charge. The inexpensive drinks seem to vary from stiff to watered down, and the service is also hit or miss, but most of the time this is a great choice, especially if you enjoy live jazz, blues, or R&B music. The Candlelight also has pool tables and a small dance floor, which is usually packed.

Northwest Portland

Nob Hill Bar and Grill
937 Northwest 23rd Ave.
Portland, OR 97210-3005
(503) 274-9616

The best thing about the Nob Hill Bar and Grill, besides their burger, is the fact that they thumb their nose at the super trendy 23rd Avenue Nob Hill neighborhood by being exactly what they are: a neighborhood dive bar and restaurant that has stood the test of time. No putting on airs, here at the Nob Hill Bar and Grill, patrons aren't ashamed to order a real burger: one that is huge, unattractive, and dripping in grease, paired with a cheap beer and a side of french fries or tater tots. You know this meal isn't good for you, except in the sense that a dive bar is good for your spirits: a place where you can let your hair down, relax, and clear your mind of worries, including worrying about your diet. "The Nobby", as locals call it, is pretty much the antithesis of trendy. This isn't the place you come to for fine Northwest cuisine or a nice ambiance; it's the place you visit when you're sick of all the other fancy-schmancy places in the area. They're not known for their overly warm and attentive service, but they are known for cheap beer pitchers, $2 Taco Mondays, big-screen TVs (featuring sports), and for generally being one of few dive bars in what is otherwise a fairly upscale NW Portland neighborhood. As a plus, they are right on the Portland Streetcar line, so it's a very easy dive bar to visit.

Southwest Portland

The Ship Tavern
7827 Southwest 35th Ave.
Portland, OR 97219-2463
(503) 244-7345

The Ship is in Portland's Multnomah Village neighborhood, or "the Village", to Portland locals. The Ship Tavern is a true dive bar that's only good for the chill local vibe and for cheap beer or wine. Most patrons will tell you that they don't come to eat the food here; they just come for the relaxed neighborhood vibe, pool tables, dart boards, and video poker. This is a cash-only bar, with no fancy drinks. The Ship offers a rotating selection of good microbrews, and of course, old favorites served in cans. Chicago fans will enjoy the Cubs or Bears playing on the TVs. The Ship offers free peanuts on Thursdays, and free pool on Sunday.

For more helpful information about Portland bars, and best Portland happy hours, visit http://www.portlandneighborhood.com.

Content Sources:
Content for the above Portland dive bars article was provided by my own personal experiences, in addition to the following helpful sources:
Bonfire Lounge Website - www.bonfirepdx.com
Mock Crest Tavern Website - www.mockcrest.com
Steve Dollar, 10 Great American Dive Bars - Playboy.com
BarFlyMag.com - Portland Dive Bars