The Bettie Ford Lounge
Honestly, the Bettie Ford is pretty lame. If you are looking for something down town, choose one of the dozens of other bars or clubs in the area. Over the past two years or so I have gone a handful of times and the place is just not worth your time or your money. Twice I have seen the bouncers do some pretty messed up shit to other patrons but I have never had any bad experiences personally. I’m not going to advertise for another establishment but if you look around you will find better “meat markets” in the down town area. Plus the drinks are pretty weak sauce.

I'll never go
but had to toss my 2 cents in on VIP list.

"VIP" means you skip the line. If you gotta wait in line you're not a VIP.

Asshole.

not fun
Bettie Ford is pretty lame. I thought it was going to be fun due to it's ironic name, but I was severely let down. By the way, "attitude" is spelt with t's not d's. Just another example of the quality of the employees at Bettie Ford

dancing
Well, I for one had the most fun dancing here, EVER! The place was super hopping on a Thursday night. The drinks were yummy. All of the beautiful people in Portland seemed to be there and it was a great place to dance. What more can you ask for? (I did think it was kind of funny how all of the guys seemed desperate to find someone to hook up with once the lights came on at the end of the night:)

Bettie Ford Lounge
As an employee of Bettie Ford Lounge, and after reading some of these reviews, I wanted to clarify a few things that some of you seem to be confused on.
1. Cover is $10, has been for a very long time.
2. We have a VIP list, but does not make you a VIP. It just means you get free cover and possibly a drink ticket good for one drink. If you show up and are on our VIP list, and you see a line, expect to wait.
3. Drink prices, yes, in comparison to some of our local "dive" bars, are going to seem expensive. Bettie Ford is not a dive, it's a night club.
4. We have a strong treat others as you would like to be treated additude. If you come in treating us like the scum of the earth, you in turn will be treated like the scum of the earth, period. We are not there to your personal bitch for the night, so get over it.

Front door service
As my husband and I waited to enter "Betty ford's", a bouncer came over to check our ID's. My husband made a funny comment about his ID picture, and the bouncer made a rude who cares comment. Now, this is your first chance to make a good impression to your customers. Customers should be greeted with a smile, and a "How is your night going?". My husband was taking me out for a date night, and he did not deserve to be treated like a second class citizen. Your bouncers should know the difference between people who really are going to cause trouble, or man who is taking his wife out for a good time. Your VIP area is a joke. You had the DJ using up half the room availible. Your front lounge should be VIP only, and move the bigger front bar to the back, make your joke of a VIP area just for the DJ, that way people can make requests. Your entrance should be where your smoking area is right now. Hopefully with your thoughtful consideration to the people of Portland Bettie Ford's will make some needed changes, and then maybe they won't have owners changing so many hands.

DO NOT GO HERE
WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. Unless you want to be treated as a second class citizen by the bouncers. After having 2 drinks watch out the bounders will get bored and start picking people out. The VIP area is a joke!!

AWFUL
I had an eerily similar experience to the poster below me.

I went "VIP" with some people last night. Things were fine, bartenders were serving me. I hit the dance floor and no later than 30 seconds am I asked to leave. I have NO IDEA what they are talking about. So, when 'escorted' outside I asked them what the reasoning was. "You are intoxicated."

At first I wanted to say "I hope so. This place sucks." But, instead I asked to speak to the man that wanted me removed. He couldn't give me any reason other than "I looked intoxicated." I didn't fall down, I didn't start a fight, I didn't yell at anyone.

When I continued talking to them they told me to leave the curb. One bouncer pushed me out of the way, to which I asked if I had touched him or said something threatening, because the use of force was not necessary. They then threated to get the cops to take me away.

Are you kidding me?????

First time I have EVER been kicked out of a restaurant, bar, club, whatever.

I am 25 years old and an educator. I am far from the worst thing going on at a club. It's a really sad, sad place to go.

Lets not even get into how poorly designed and managed it is.

Worst place in Portland. I will celebrate the day the doors finally close on this place.

bad bouncers
On feb 17 2008 i was invited vip to Bettie Ford Lounge club in portland from a phone call from the club who invited us .The night started off fine, we were celebrating my girlfriends birthday party there,we had a couple of drink and where laughing and joking with each other,Around the end of the night the bouncer came up to me in the vip room (the one they invited us to...)and said i was to intoxicated after i have done nothing to no one in any harm ,way, shape or form:(.Then he started physical removing me,i then told him to take his arm off of me , because i will escort my own self out... as soon as i said that he through me on the ground and called the seven other bouncer who came over and choked me and stepped on my knee cap and sprained my ankle oh ya i have picture of my abuse.then druge me out side because i couldnt walk from my injury and through me face down on the concrete which i have pic of and when i get them i we post them.To the owner of this buisness i to own a buisness and a couple of my friends own bars next to u and i want to let u know ur employees are a reflection of u and what u represent.On that note if u want to go to get beat up by bouncers go to bettie ford longe in portland. Oh ya i will be seeking legal action on this manner so hopefully i will be able to talk to the owner about this matter and get an answer for what took place,and also ur night club manager is most likely the problem so i would reorganized what he started.

its not all bad
bettie ford is THE SPOT on thursday nights. i have been to a few other places on thursdays and they've all been dead. i will admit that dance floor is pretty small and it gets hot as hell in there but i really like the 2 guy bartenders tyler and mikey that work downstairs on thursday nights, i don't see many other bartenders around portland that do the whole flare thing.

Once was enough
I felt like that was probably one of the biggest waste of 3 hours of my life. Service was "blah" and the beautiful (but boring) front area is not consistant with the shabby dance floor and "VIP" area in back. The music was boring and the DJ is above where they hide and have no desire to take requests. There were not many people there and I see why...

VIP....Whatever
I was a VIP...alas..that is nothing special at Bettie Fords (I have had a few VIP nights at the Viper Room and some other LAX area clubs, let me say VIP in LA is a kick in the pants experience, Portland, just isn't a VIP kind of town). Okay no problem, I will go mix with the regular Joes and Joesephines, I think to myself.
Well this bar out and out sucks. I have never been so annoyed, irritated and repulsed in a club before. The staff and customers for the most part were annoying assholes. The one drink I could manage to get up to the bar to order was tasty, some Martini concoction, $9.00 but well worth it and yummy. I could not get another, nor was there all that much drive to do so. I think this place is a magnet for douche bags and douche bag"ette"s. I will not return. On the upside, Scooters (just up the street) has excellent drinks and the coldest micros I have had in a hell of a long time.
peace my people.
~Edella

Yet another Big mouth...
I really think you should ask around before you start makin comments to/about anyone,let alone me you little fuck.Feel free to come find my ass anytime you want in the Barmuda Triangle on Hawthorne, which is where I hang on a weekly basis.Just ask for me by name and someone will know where I'm at and we can deal with this on a more personal level.Your not the first,nor will you be the last loud mouth with too much too say but not enough to back your words ass, I've had to deal with.As for your semi-elementary school comments...Your obviously one of those people who's got some "Small Man's Complex" going on,so rather then go off on that,I will simply leave you to embarass yourself.Bitch.

GraveyLegs what an Idiot
Let me see if I got this one.

Graveylegs is the guy that rolls up in his Honda with rims worth more then the car, a shitty sound system and a coffee can for a muffler he is 22 years old that shaves his head and wears a goatee. He also wears a wife beater, baggy pants from value village, Timberlands and a baseball crooked on his pointy little head. Fifteen years ago, while this guy was eating cat crap out of the litter box and inhaling second hand smoke from his prostitute mom, this dousche would have been called retard. Graveylegs ease up on the Fag references it's your girlfriend calling me Dick Mclovin and the next time I'm in your drive through line a KFC I'll try and speak slower.

Betty Fords is full of idiots like this that why it has become intolorable.

Alpha Gamma DUMBFUCK!
Nice name "Dick McLovin"?...hahaha..what a joke,knowing your wide range of name choices, your probably one of those wonderful pink polo,gap cargo shorts with the hemp belt and matching too tight baseball cap wearin frat boys that's come to ruin what was at one time a decent place to go.Pick on someone your own size "Cock McTake-it-in-the-ass",and leave the review to someone that actually wnats to give some input.

Bettie Ford out patient
For all you haters that are female you are probably over weight and can't find a guy and for all you haters that ar male you have no game. Believe it

Bad Service
We got a "VIP" room for a bachelorette party and it was a total ripoff. First, the door staff neglected to give our friends the proper wristbands, so the bouncer wouldn't let them into our area! I could see the sense of having a bouncer to keep people we *don't* want out, but preventing us from including our own friends didn't make sense--especially since we were expected to buy a minimum of $300 in booze and there were only six of us in the group. Second, the bar closed the VIP line at midnight, so the rest of our group got stuck in line and had to pay the cover--the opposite of what was promised.

The music was terrible, the people were cheesy, and the place isn't well laid out. There are too many bottlenecks and the bathrooms were in shitty shape. Yucky!

good and bad
first, vip morons - learn that vip stands for 'very important person' and is so grossly overused in the nightclub industry that it's ridiculous. second, learn grammar (case in point, 'bull-ogna posting about half-way down - it's 'except', not 'accept' - third grade would fix that). third - the reality is it's cool on the inside, the security guys are cool, and most of the barstaff is on the ball too. problem is it's owned by a tool with a bunch of partners who know nothing about the business. as a result, there's cheap ghetto music, no dress code (some street trash look like they bought pants from oprah they're so big), and they have no air conditioning. if you go there when it's less busy you should have a good time.

betty ford
the staff was very courteous to me after i urinated in my pants.....the doorman offered me his pants, i gratefully accepted....although they smelled like deuce as i was putting them on.......as my bladder became full again i urinated on the sidewalk, the VIP lady told me kindly to stop it....but you guys know, its very hard to stop once you start....so i continued....i snuck back in the VIP line farting as i passed to cover the pissy smell....after vomitting a couple of time in the front section of the bar....they forced me to leave and took my wallet and charged up outrageous credits on the video poker machine behind the "hiddden waterfountain"

RE: v.i.p. was not for me
Hilarious. We were there THAT night. The club was nearly empty inside and we kept wondering -- before we left -- why there was no one in the VIP room, which they had nicely prepped. The same security guards that kept you in line... with no one inside... almost stopped our group of 22 because one woman didn't bring her I.D.

She's 51. (FIFTY ONE)

Hello? Only when I threatened that our entire group would leave w/o her did they let us in.

never been there but
most bars i go to just run your card (with maybe a 15% tip)
and save the card behind the bar with the BTs.
have you just tried going to a BT there (or did the bar close)?

NEVER go to Betty Fords!!!
Terrible Customer Service!!!!

I left my card there 2 weeks ago... went back 3 times!!! during their "PUBLISHED" hours (website and phone voicemail) and NO ONE was there.... you can pass this message on to them.... fix their f*ing voicemail and website if thye arent going to be there during their "PUBLISHED" times and tell them to f*ing return peoples phone calls.

I will NEVER go there or take my friends there EVER again after this. In fact if anyone asks about that place I feel its my duty to send them far far away from there...

Its way too small and drinks are way overpriced for what you get....

There ive said what I needed to say.

Bettie Ford's SUCKS
Bettie Ford's has horrible staff and management. I went there with some friends, I was the DD. The VIP lady was a total witch and because she thought we were "making fun of her" even though we were 10 feet away and minding our own business, she had a friend and I thrown out of the bar. The bouncer that "escorted" my friend out of the bar dislocated her shoulder and sprained her wrist...we were completely minding our own business and having a good time. Meanwhile another friend of mine overheard the VIP girl bragging about having us kicked out. And when my boyfriend stepped out the front door to hand me my keys, one of the staff yanked his full drink out of his hand and dumped it out on the sidewalk....when my bf asked "why'd you do that?" he replied, "there's a bar inside, get another". This place is horribly unprofessional and I am sure the bouncer that assaulted my friend will be fired. I do not recommend this pretentious, L.A. wanna be club.

hell yah!!!!
I love this place..hottest male staff in town..

v.i.p. was not for me
my friend gets us all in, VIP, to the upper lounge area. i'd never been to bettie fords (having just recently turned 21, and just moved back to portland), and never been VIP so it sounded like a swanky thursday night idea to me. oh boy, was i wrong...

1. what bar makes their VIP -- ahem, need i repeat myself? V-I-P -- stand in line to get in? sure, we didn't have to pay the outrageous $20 cover, but VIP access lead me to believe i wouldn't have to brave the 20 degree weather for 10 minutes.

2. the interior design was great, a good look i thought, but the people were skanky as hell.

3. the drinks were weak, weak, weak and spendy, spendy, spendy.

4. the music was basically jammin' 95.5 on repeat all night. my friends and i felt like we were back in high school with the lame beats and the awful, awful dancing.

5. our VIP section was double booked, so there was no room to move. it was torture trying to get a drink, even when the bar was 20 feet away, at most.

6. us smokers basically had to corral ourselves around one single piece of shit outdoor heater in order to satisfy our cravings. it was freezing and since it's standing room only, inside a small length of rope, we had to leave our drinks on a shelf inside the club according to portland law. i can only imagine the amount of rohypnol going into those vulnerable drinks...

Word
I think Bettie's is a bar, don't forget that! People need to make money and thats what they do. The bartenders do their job, & then some, and so does the security. If you're too drunk or being an ass, of course they'd throw you're ass out. If your too pretentious or think that you're "privilidged" they'd throw your ass out. Remember, this is Portland, OR, not Vegas. We do things different around here...drunks get booted, and so do assholes. Try not to hate on something you agree on. Drinks do cost more when others make them, thats why its called "going out on the town" not "the town going out on you."

Overrated!!!
New Year's Eve party kicked off with a way overpriced cover and a fake upscale image. The small dance floor was well overcrowded to the point where it seemed more like a moch pit instead of a dance floor. The NYE decorations were extremely half-assed. Sprinkles of glitter on the floors mixed with the spilled drinks and broken glass everywhere just turned into shoe trashing mayhem. Music was nothing original than the typical hip-hop and dance favorites everyone is already sick of hearing and the bathrooms were very under equipped for the size of the crowd. On the plus side the drinks were good and you didn't have to go home smelling like an ash tray. All in all to have a good night out, its all about the people your with.

upscale people?
ok....first off, the doorguys are dicks, snooty at the very least...place looked cool as hell, but the people that work there make it very uncomfortable. then you have your crowd that hang there, these are the people I despise (cept for a small few, that actualy didnt care about status, and actualy had a great conversation with)...if being upscale requires you to be shallow, then have at it people. I intend on having a good time and make friends, not look down on others and try so hard to look cool and forget that im not being cool. ummm lets see, oh yeah, drinks were weak, and they are spendy! food not so great...hot chicks, but nothing meaningful. You know, Ive tried out different scenes, and this wasnt my favorite (obvious)...I would recommend Sabalas, if you want to see something cool....Dixies is fun, but spendy, Henrys is great, but not the so-called UPSCALE...and there are a few others, but im just going on and on.....Try bettie fords if your interested, lots of eye candy, but im afraid you might be dissapointed. I say fun and friends is where its at.

haters
you guys are cheap, five bucks is hardly a cover.

Bull-ogna
I went to Bettie Fords, to get one of their GO-GO dancer gigs, they posted on myspace. I even represented them on my space, (I should have gone there first) Not only did I never get to meet with any who could offer me a job, I was treated like nothing & put out @ the end of the night. I'm actually from Vegas, and they have nothing what so ever in common with Sin City accept that it's a sin to be there. Never in all my life have I been treated with such blatant disregard for a person in my entire life. I lost my coat & keys while there & not only would they not even bother to check behind the bar for me, they threw me out (like last weeks garbage) with no coat, no keys, and no way home. Not to mention how rude the male bartenders & security were & I am a young woman. I went back twice within the past week to find my keys, and on Sunday @ 7:30 & Wednesday @ 6:30 ( both times said to be open by phone message & signs on the door) after paying the $6.00 fee for parking, lo & behold it was closed. Needless to say, I will never be spending my free time there again. I'd rather hang out & a jack shack than that cause @ least there I would get a little attention & a lil sympathy when my things come up missing. Keep it local & be Safe.

fri night failure
Good atmosphere. loved the scene. staff treated me incredibly rude. Very snooty. not a friendly place. Will never bring my out of town friends here again. also, hours are toally unreliable. Not open whan marked on door, website or telephone. Drinks are pathetic and weak. Unhelpful and blatantly rude when one of my friends from out of portland lost jacket. I expect this treatment at DMV, not when I want to take some friends out on a friday night. Two thumbs down. Theres much better places in Portland than this.Stay away!

Bettie
As a Limousine Operator I take alot of my clients to Bettie Fords. They all seem to enjoy themselves and enjoy the enviroment as well. I personaly am well past the age where I would stand in line to get into the Bar. I am not lost with the Irony of Bettie Fords serving Alcohol while the real Betty Fords tries to get folks off of it. nice touch! Quit frankly Most of what I see is drunk People getting drunker and acting more stupid. Revel in your Youth because sooner or later you will see the folly when your in your 50's as I am and your just to dame Old to be HIP Anymore. I remember the 60's and 70's Bar scenes well and fondly remember dancing my ass off all night. I was never one to be drinking except perhaps one or two a night and always Loved a good Dance Bar. I still do but now adays with age comes some maturity and a few lessons learned. bars use to be a great gathering spots for friends to fellowship and dance and enjoy each other. Now its More about the business of Liquor than it is about Dancing and enjoying each other. Go Figure. Is your Generation actually more enlightened than mine was? Hardly! I still pick up Roaring drunks because Bartenders are more focused upon the earnings rather than the Safty of their clients but then thats what my Business is all about, Keeping you Safe whioe I do the driving and you do the drinking. thank you for that!

Gretchen and Gretchen's Nemesis
Bettie Fords is too chaotic. I liked the old Stephano's setup, when you had couches to sit on in an actual lounge area separate from the dance floor. I like clubs that can maintain a quieter lounge area along with the predictable DJ/dance floor location. Will any clubs figure out that you need versatility? The night I was there I felt it was a borderline fire code violation. Most clubs end up in this situation. Clubs in Portland need to tailor a combination of conversation friendly lounge areas if they want a consistent level of classy, intelligent people to frequent often.

Every new, "classy" club seems to do things right for up to three months then allow the knucklehead crowd to exponentially multiply and just make it a lame yet irritating environment to be in. You know, the original, early Lush had a great format. Someone needs to try that again.

Gretchen, are you a club promoter or a bar customer? Gretchen, give me more detailed examples of what the ideal club would offer you and your college graduate girlfriends.

VIP's some PDX clubs need to get it right

I am responding as somebody who has been a VIP member of several nightclubs in Portland over the years. As a "VIP", I would get a lot of perks depending on the club. My membership would get some or all of the benefits listed below.


1. The nightclubs would just give me a VIP card with my name on it. I would never buy one. The managers would explain that I was the type of person they wanted in their club.

2. NO COVER CHARGE for me and my guests. My name would be on the list, with +1 or more guest. This would include special events also. One night I walked into a club on New Years EVE with three guest. They where charging $20 a head and my friends and I where able to just walk right in for free.

3. NO WAITING IN LINE, cut right to the front or just walk right in.

4. 1/2 off bar tab, or even free drinks depending on the club.

In return the club would get me and my friends to show up almost every weekend ready to party, and no excuse to go anywhere else because they would treat us so good.

My response for gretchen's nemesis is there is nothing VIP about paying a cover charge or waiting in a so called "VIP line".

wanna be VIPs
This one's for Gretchen. How can you bitch about being VIP-caliber when: a. you get there early to avoid a $5 cover charge. b. you bitch about $5 being too much money on cover. c. Any decent establishment in any other decent city charges cover, but how would you know that if you just rolled down from the hills.
You a VIP? Come on!! VIPs don't freat about cover charge, regardless of the amount...

insulting
So apparently it's "cool" to mock recovering alcohlics who may actually need a real Betty Ford by opening a bar that just promotes further alcoholism. Classy.

Over Rated
The place was packed... Bad drinks, sleezy people...... If your going to have a cover charge, pour some liquor in the glass ! It's great if your looking to do some blow, and watch 25 year old whores grind on eachother. Go to voodoo, or Henrys.

I OWN BETTIE FORD AND IT SUCKS!!
Man, I am soooo cool. My daddy gave me some money to start another stupid club. I even got Brian from Realty Trust and a couple other local idiots to join in!! To top it all off, we have shitty drinks and dumbass workers. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF DUMB SLUTS THAT WORK HERE!! So cum check us out k?? You are guaranteed to get ripped off and treated like shit hehehe ;)

lame
bettie ford's was lame. lots of loser guys who seriously can't dance.

bad drinks
Thier are two bars. One in the a lounge type area, and one on a dance floor. I suggest getting a drink in the front, it is much faster.I went with a group of friends. When I tried to order a couple of drinks, I was denied. Apparently you can only purchase one drink at at a time. I explained that the three drinks were for three people, but the bartender was insistant that each person be at the bar.She made the drinks and held them while I went back to the dance floor to get my two friends.She kept appoligizing,I felt sorry for her.

On top of all that the five dollar wells, were minus any alcohol. Next we went back for shots of Patron chilled. Again fast service, she recognized me, remembered my name and took my order.I have yet to see this kind of shot in a small one ounce glass.

The music was generic to Aura, or Voodo Lounge.

I suggest you drink at home, or any were else for that matter, prior to your arrival.Or go to a twin club.

One of my friends is a retired waitress, and she explained it's the OLCC.

Frankly, I don't care if it's Peter Pan; Bettie ford is a rip off.

Don’t read my post…
…or anyone’s for that matter. Just go the Betty Ford’s and check it out for yourself. Eight friends and I all went on Saturday and here’s my first impression.

The line to get in moved rather quickly (arrived just before 11). Standard club line, not yet packed inside yet you still wait to get in? The $5 cover is more than reasonable. If you bitch about a cover that low you should just buy a six-pack and stay at home because that’s the way you roll.

Inside the place is cool looking – not too upscale and definitely not an average Portland bar atmosphere. Totally dig the way they have the lounge areas in the front and strictly the dance floor in the back. This way if you’re not in to dancing you really have no reason to be in the back area. Most of the people are hot and dressed well. I was a little surprised by the three or so “thugs” wearing caps and overly baggy jeans. You’d think this place would have a dress code that wouldn’t allow caps or excessively baggy pants. Hell, even Wichita’s in Tualatin doesn’t allow for excessively baggy pants. Although I haven’t been there in like 4 years.


I hated the wait for drinks. Each of the two bars had people lined up five deep. However, the bar tenders were moving so quickly they were breaking a sweat and made you forget about the wait. The staff was also very friendly and the service was great. The bartender I was running a tab with remembered my last name each time I would order – that’s amazing as this place was really happening.

Overall it was a great place – definitely generally a more upscale class of party goers. Also the average age wasn’t that of the kids who just got their first fake IDs. I’d guess it was late 20’s early 30’s. Now if you read all of this….why? Just go and check it out for yourself – it’s a lot of fun.

Don’t read my post…
…or anyone’s for that matter. Just go the Betty Ford’s and check it out for yourself. Eight friends and I all went on Saturday and here’s my first impression.

The line to get in moved rather quickly (arrived just before 11). Standard club line, not yet packed inside yet you still wait to get in? The $5 cover is more than reasonable. If you bitch about a cover that low you should just buy a six-pack and stay at home because that’s the way you roll.

Inside the place is cool looking – not too upscale and definitely not an average Portland bar atmosphere. Totally dig the way they have the lounge areas in the front and strictly the dance floor in the back. This way if you’re not in to dancing you really have no reason to be in the back area. Most of the people are hot and dressed well. I was a little surprised by the three or so “thugs” wearing caps and overly baggy jeans. You’d think this place would have a dress code that wouldn’t allow caps or excessively baggy pants. Hell, even Wichita’s in Tualatin doesn’t allow for excessively baggy pants. Although I haven’t been there in like 4 years.


I hated the wait for drinks. Each of the two bars had people lined up five deep. However, the bar tenders were moving so quickly they were breaking a sweat and made you forget about the wait. The staff was also very friendly and the service was great. The bartender I was running a tab with remembered my last name each time I would order – that’s amazing as this place was really happening.

Overall it was a great place – definitely generally a more upscale class of party goers. Also the average age wasn’t that of the kids who just got their first fake IDs. I’d guess it was late 20’s early 30’s. Now if you read all of this….why? Just go and check it out for yourself – it’s a lot of fun.

Pretentious People and Service
Okay, so I was so pysched to check this place out. Name was clever, looked like a slick new addition to some of the more upscale bars popping up....I went with a group of friends a month or two ago on a Friday night. First, a five dollar cover. Fuck that! We enter the main room, hear music, see a bunch of overly plastic-looking poseurs standing around. Finally get the bartenders attention (he was sooo busy, even tho it wasnt crowded), check out the hospital curtains...neat. Pay for overpriced drink. Watch lame people standing around in a really self-conscious manner. Finally make way to back room with a live DJ and dancefloor (Okay, I think, this might be worth 5 dollars...)

Um, a 13 year old boy could have played better music than this jackass spinning Jay-Z and top 40 hits "remixed" crap. And the attractive-from-afar but mess-up-close people were sort of dancing to the music, looking like overdressed people who couldnt bend their knees, swaying and trying to hit on each other. Now I like a dancefloor as much as the next person, and sometimes you have to get out there and shake it up, but nothing doing here. And the general vibe of the patrons (and jack-ass security guards who kept saying, don't sit on that bench like that!) was LAME. Was I too drunk? Were they not drunk enough? All I know is that my party and I high-tailed out of there leaving silly girls all dressed up and dudes with too much gel in their hair.

I don't mind Portland trying to bring in some different kinds of bars and "classing it up" or whatever, but seriously, maybe we should leave ventures like this to New York and LA, where people get off on this gimmicky crap. Long live the dive bar!

Bettie Boppers
Overrated. This club is very Vegas inspired, but from clubbers who know Vegas best, this doesn’t compare. It has a diverse sitting/lounge area which makes the club very relaxed (if you’re relaxed enough to wait an hour for a drink), but for those who are done relaxing can take it up a notch and shake their thang however they know how in the awkward dance area. For those up for a jammed packed club with a swanky interior, this is for you. For those who have slightly more mature tastes, move it to Henry’s.

Chaundra Rocks!
Gotta say I love Chaundra for her candor and (nerd that I am) spelling and grammar. Give the joint a chance hipsters!
As soon as Clinton took office in 1992 the Elephants were plotting his demise; i.e: Portland is an "open-minded" city; therefore if you espouse openmindedness go to Bettie Ford and get 'er done.

Good mix...right fit
I don't think Betty Ford is trying to be "L.A." or "Vegas"...because it's NOT L.A. or Vegas. They are simply setting a new scene and a new stylish venue to meet up with your friends, have some drinks and dance. I have to admit I'm not one to go to a small swanky joint..too snotty for me, and I'm cool on the bigger clubs full of fresh 21ers that are obscenely drunk. All in all Betty Ford is a great fit for 25-35 professionals. Not too small, not too big. Great decor, friendly staff, good music, and a fresh new spot to mingle. Me and my girls don't feel like we're in a meat market and we don't feel the uncomfort of the high-end stiffs surrounding you with their noses in the air. I'm happy there is finally a spot that's offering portland people a friendly medium!! I'm definately going back and bringin my friends:)

Cool spot on Fridays
I heard that BF started pulling in a more professional crowd on Friday nights and decided to check it out. Talk is cheap, but to my surprise I found the crowd to be more professional than most. That's great, especially since I am over 31 years old and get tired of being bumped into by frat boys and wanna be thugs.

Music:
Good mix of retro dance hits and new stuff.
Service:
The service was really good especially from my server in the lounge area, very tall and very beautiful. All that with out an attitude, sweet.
Menu:
Could use some help.

Did you say STINK?
Jason, did you have anything to do with this?

What is the stizank?
Been to the lounge twice now. First experience was a blast - stiff drinks, good music - lots of fun. Second time. Not so much. I understand bars CAN charge cover, so they DO. . . but god damn. . . While I was escorted to the ATM for lack of actual cash to make it in the door, it was discussed between myself and the 'escort' that she'd been making trips to the ATM all night. What a shocker. People actual use plastic now-a-days. Whatev. I'll bring my $5 bill next time.

Now. . . the stink. What the HELL was that shit-stained smell that would waft around every few minutes. Couldn't get away from it on the dance side of the establishment. All those I danced with remarked on it as well. Yuck.

Even though drinks were weak (4-count = 1oz) and the fact that everytime I wanted to order a round I had to point out each individual so as to keep me from getting blitzed in the corner by myself (I KNOW it's OLCC. . . but piss off), or that they don't serve doubles anymore, even the cover charge. . . I'd still go back. BUT. . . the stink is what will actually have me finding a new place to play.

This is a poor excuse for a lounge
I visited Bettie Ford last Saturday for the first time. Only because it was a good friends birthday and all her other friends were coming to join us. First of all there is no where to sit because all the tables are reserved for pachelorette parties. We got there at 9:15pm because cover starts at 10pm. To our disappointment the front door started charging cover early. We asked them why and they said "sometimes we just start charging early". We finally found a place up top to sit, turns out that's for VIP guests!?!?! We were the only people VIP qualified in the whole place. We were all business professionals working for well respected firms. Everyone else worked at Nordstrom in Brass Plum or tanning salons in Beaverton. I saw maybe 4 guys in the whole place and the rest were cheap chicks thinking this time would be their big break at scoring a rich handsome young guy who would turn their lives around and buy them expensive gifts and a new Coach bag to hide their wide but flat behinds. Keep dreaming girls. So I asked a so called manager what the deal was with charging cover early. It really bothers me when people don't keep their word. he said cover starts at 10pm and I should not have been charged. He talked to the girl who charged me early then hugged her and came over to tell me that sometimes they charge early. Well I won't go back there again and my friends know all about the Posers who manage such a cheap establishment.
Bettie Ford Lounge is for cheap trix and naive individuals who choose to spend their minimum wages on cover and poor service.
Good luck lost lazy souls of Portland for I hope you find the true meaning of life before you get to the bottom of your glass and closer to your expiration date. I give Bettie Ford two more months before they go bankrupt and try to copy another bar from LA where they actually know what a VIP is.

This place is great
Finally a nice place that you can get a drink. Even when it get crowded it is still easy to get to one of the three bars. Bettie Fords has a great atmosphere that is fun and safe. Many of the clubs in down town are filled with the people like the ones that have posted bad reviews on this page. They are angry when they go out, they get drunk and get more angry so no on talks to them. They get pissed off leave alone and then write a bad review about a perfectly good place. Go check out Bettie Fords you will not be disappointed. Good looking people, great drinks, and good music.

Haters
You gotta love the people that take stabs at a place they haven't even given a chance. Seems to me if you don't have a good time it's no one's fault but you're own. As far as the cookie cutter, frat boy, and scantily clad girlfriends....seems like the negative comments could be stemming from the fact that the clientel didn't offer to buy you a drink. The Portland night life is not going to improve until the people that make it up stop having such a piss-poor attitude about it and try having a good time and supporting the local scene; after all it's all we have.

I think Bettie Ford is exactly what was expected....a fun place to down some cocktails, enjoy the scenery, and see what happens.

No riff-raff, please
I think that the people who complain about this bar are the riff-raff crowd. If you just turned 21 and are looking for a cheap PBR, a hippie or if you think that "Baracuda" and "Bar 71" are great places, then this bar is not for you!!! Anyone with a bit of class (Not uber LA style crap) can easily mingle with the overwhelming hot chicks that pack this place every weekend.

Checkin Sober- Check out buzz
I loved it. I walked by a couple weeks ago and have been needing to go! I went with my boyfriend we were very impressed with the bartened AnnMarie, so nice and fun! Loved the drink selection, the decor, and the music was cool too. I heard Wednesday is their new "Family" & "SIN" time!

Weird Vibe
Drinks sucked, bouncers are rude *except for the nice guy in the suit and tie* and the atmosphere is odd. Upscale (if you say so) lounge, narrow hallway to a rave? what the hell? I think the club is trying to be another aura, just not going to happen.

blow
if i did blow i'd do it here. yes i would. the space rocks. the sweet bartender said if i wasn't into cloning that thursday night was the time to come. (i'll be the judge of that)the door guy and bartenter were ultra friendly. the drink on the other hand was weak. it's in a great spot. there weren't a lot of patrons on a tues night but i could see this being a fun early spot with your friends. i'll totally go back (not on the weekend)and give it another whirl.

The Shocker Reprise
Reactions and knowledge of the Shocker should be the preponderant premise of review. Sixty percent had knowledge and those who did - about ten percent would take/give it. Luke-warm accolades here. It can be a bastion of debaucherous devotion if you make it your cake and puddin', or you can go to church.

Get my name right
If you are going to quote Anchorman at least get it right. Its "Tits Magee".

Getting Laid!!!!
All I care about is getting laid.....

Upscale? No.
I don't understand what "The Game" is talking about -- there aren't any upscale clubs in Portland, Bettie Ford included. But I guess a kid that calls himself "The Game" wouldn't know. If you enjoy hanging out with dudes that refer to themselves by the name of pop-star rappers, maybe this is the club for you.

New Spot
It's really interesting to listen to these rejects talk bad about this club. It's a club! What are you expecting? If you don't like an upscale crowd, go back down to 2nd Ave and hang with your poindexter friends at Barracuda.

Great walking distance from Aura, Henry's, Vault and Blue Hour. People are friendly, also great seperation of club and bar. Cover is cheap and music scene is great. Thumbs up...

finally! a club that caters!
Since when is it a BAD thing to have a young hot bartender in a tight shirt?I wanted to wait until I'd been there more than once before posting a review.As a thirty something single woman, I think Bettie Ford has hit the mark by providing options for atmosphere: a dance club, an elevated VIP area with a birds eye view of the dance floor (perfect for the voyeur in all of us), and/or a super sleek lounge.The servers are friendly, engaging and happy to help. The eye candy is plentiful (I didn't realize Portland had so many pretty people in high fashion).Did I mention the amazing drink menu?I'm suddenly all for intervention (as long as it's at bettie ford!)

Bettie Ford = Lame
Despite the other fairly decent review, opening weekend seemed like a half-assed attempt to put a coat of glossy paint onto what is just another Vegas/L.A./New York wannabe club filled with frat boys and their scantily clad underage girlfriends and the 35-45 crowd trying to relive their nightclubbin' youth. The service was poor and the staff/management were rude. I have one tip for this place...if you have to market yourself as an exclusive VIP lounge, you're not actually an exclusive VIP lounge.

Good Opening
Despite the other poor review, opening weekend seemed like a hit. Place was packed with an upscale crowd. Staff was very friendly and service was good considering the full house and it was their first weekend. Dance floor was bumping.......

Should be a new hit.......

East County comes to downtown
Just another faux-VIP bar for the Silicon and Guido crowd (reminds me of a dance club in Gresham that I went to 5 or 6 years ago). The servers look tasty but don't know a french fry from a whiskey and coke. The manager actually kicked us out of our table so his buddies could sit there. You can take the bar out of East County, but you can't take the East County of the bar...