Bar Carlo
6433 Foster Road Portland, OR 97206Phone: (503) 771.1664
Located in: Southeast Portland - Visit Website
BarFly's Review of Bar Carlo
There is a part of FoPo—yes, every neighborhood rhymes these days, and we blame the realtors—where all is Russian, from check cashers to Laundromats, and that’s where some people from Detour and Acme (now Plan B) have set themselves down, in the space of an old Russian Tearoom.
It’s a bar only sort of: it’s open till merely 10 pm, brunch is its biggest draw, and the liquor is served from a coffee bar. Really, it’s like a cozy living room for a decidedly un-cozy neighborhood, where old ladies might get dotty on some Bailey’s and coffee in the early afternoon, and the old-school, floor-to-ceiling paneled windows keep the place impossibly bright till sunset.
Still, there’s a pool table for the happy-hour bar-leaning types who aren’t afraid of a little be-carpeted comfort. And who knows? Maybe you’ll get lucky with the members of the local sewing circle.
Open 7:30am weekdays,8am weekends
Closes 3pm Sunday-Wednesday, 12am Thursday-Saturday
I live up the street from Bar Carlo, and have been dropping in for quite a while now. Not quite a regular, but most of the staff says more than just "Hey, what'll you have." Speaking of the staff, they're some of the friendliest around; talk to them like they're real people and you'll see what I mean. On to the particulars.....
The Drinks: Ain't the strongest, but the best for sipping. Tons of great beers and they'll gladly whip up something new for you.
The Food: Aside from the aforementioned Reuben (tough is an understatement), the food's awesome. Try the Shift Meal, it'll rock your socks. And if they've got a crepe special, EAT IT!
The Service: They may keep you waiting for your bill, but I like to think it's because they're sad to see you go. Other than that, don't be surprised if your waitress/waiter sits down next to you and describes the finer points of their more exotic fare. Do joke around with them, and do compliment their outfits, and you'll be chums before you leave.
The Atmosphere: Rad rad rad artwork all over the side room. They've got an art night that you should check out if you're so inclined, and keep going to if you're so inspired. Old school videogames (Tetris, though communistic, still reigns) abound, and there used to be - keyword USED - a very fine pool table. Bar Carlo, if you read this, please bring back the pool table, I'm getting rusty!
All in all, I love the damn place. Go there tonight!
This place is really really close to my house, so I keep giving Bar Carlo more chances in the hope that it will be worth it. It's so hit or miss. Either the food is bad and the service is good, or the service is bad and the food is good.
Today was the former. The corned beef in my Reuben was so tough that I couldn't even bite through it, I had to saw through it with my knife and finally gave up and just pulled the meat off and dipped the bread in my soup. At least the server was nice. I still had to wait 13 minutes for a menu though.
The breakfast is solid and quite tasty, I will say that. But I don't think I'll be going back any time soon.
Love Bar Carlo. A lot. It's the best breakfast in Portland. Oh wait. I don't want to deal with lines....so no don't come it's not worth it. :P
The three out of four times I have been to Bar Carlo the service has been abysmal. The food is mediocre, but I keep going out of hunger and the hope that maybe this time it won't be so bad.
Never going back.
If you haven't been here for breakfast... good don't come. Because the line keeps growing and I hate waiting in line for DELICIOUS BREAKFAST YUMMIES. If you haven't been here for EVENING DELIGHTS you ought too!!!! It's just as great. The menu and drinks are superb. If you live in the Fo-Po, inner Se, or SE and don't want to venture to Hawthorne, Clinton, Belmont, etc. Come visit the 64th and Foster area. BAR CARLO has the MOST CLASS than all the other dives on the block but after a few drink here you might work up the courage to walk into Bob and Alice's or Browns (now Renos). The staff is super friendly, good music, pool table, outdoor seating, sometimes movies in the evening and have I mentioned that the drinks are fricken fantabulous! Check it out...I'm willing to share my new secret treasure.
