Crow Bar
3954 N. Mississippi Ave Portland, OR 97227Phone: (503) 280.7099
Located in: North Portland - Visit Website
BarFly's Review of Crow Bar
Now under new ownership. Long, wavy bar extends to a pool table in the rear of this lanky, railroad-style speakeasy. Frequented by neighborhood hipsters and local rockstars, looking good in the candlelit dark. Often quite crowded. Excellent juke!
Kaustic Karaoke w/ Bettie Mayhem (KJ) Thursdays - 10pm-close
Pinball x1. Open 3pm-2am everyday.
| Crow Bar's Happy Hours | |
|---|---|
| Monday | $1.50 PBR, $2.50 micros 3-8pm |
| Tuesday | $1.50 PBR, $2.50 micros 3-8pm |
| Wednesday | $1.50 PBR, $2.50 micros 3-8pm |
| Thursday | $1.50 PBR, $2.50 micros 3-8pm |
| Friday | $1.50 PBR, $2.50 micros 3-8pm |
| Saturday | $1.50 PBR, $2.50 micros 3-8pm |
| Sunday | $1.50 PBR, $2.50 micros 3-8pm |
Amnesia Brewing, Casa Naranja, Lupa Wine, Miss Delta, Mississippi Station, Mississippi Studios, Moloko Plus, Prost!, XOSA
Way too many middle-aged people in there!!! What has happened to NE?! They took over Vendetta too! Noooooooo!
The new owners seem cool. The new clientele seems do have dropped in age about 10-12 years in the last month. The new TV's are nice. The new layout of the tables sucks, seriously. (It was already difficult to play pool in there and now it's damn near impossible w/o shoving your ass into someones face...and not in the good way.) The happy hour prices are great and so is industry night on Sundays. It should be interesting to see what new artwork goes up. That is all.
I know the mississippi locals are dissapointed with this place, but for awhile there, It thought it was cool - the perfect blend of casual, hip and dark atmosphere. The bartenders were always freindly, generous with the booze, and the food was good. But I didn't find any of that last night. I got a skimpily poured glass of wine, and a small plate of nachos for 8 dollars that were no where near worth that much. The menu has changed a bit - gone is the yummy brie/sausage plate and turkey panini. They've gone less freindly on vegatarian items, and added some pork dishes that, although sounded good, were way overpriced. It was the worst 13 bucks I ever spent. I should have gone to the Florida Room.
But the worst was the crowd. Less hipter 30 somethings (whom I never minded), and too many more 21 year olds, crowding in front of the entrance to smoke, playing pinball, and drinking the dollar PBR's that are now available all day and night. This was by far, the worst move this place has ever made. The ambiance has been totally ruined. I won't be going back, not even for their good happy hour.
I lived and worked in the Mississippi Ave neighborhood when it was still hoody. This whole hood is in the last stage of it own collapse. Its crime lowered rent, attracted artists who made it hip/cool, who in turn attracted souless condo people. Nice one. Now what made this hood awesome can't afford to live or operate their businesses anymore.
first time venturing on Mississippi in a long time...fun bar but if you are over 32 you are WAY over the hill for this place. Why do so many young people smoke? Especially men? Yuk.
Dear Katie,
"Can this neighborhood seriously get a decent bar?"
Well, I guess that all depends on what yr definition of "good" is. If it means a place filled with lots o' people who all look and generally seem to act the same, consider themselves "artists", love listening to the "great" jukebox that is strikingly similar to ones in bars of the ilk around town, and spend as much time looking around the joint as they do drinking, it's fucking great.
If it means a place that has a somewhat diverse crowd, and an atmosphere where anyone can feel comfortable, then no. But then, what do you expect on Mississippi? Homogenous hood, homogenous bar.
The crow does usually have some great beers on tap and does a good job of rotating them..
Maybe better to head up Interstate and hit George's or the Nite Hawk. They may not be "cool" but they have a different crowd for sure.
The smoke is bad. Really bad. But they have nice bartenders, plus a really hot and really nice lesbian one right now. She served me drinks while watching me hit on a lovely guy 10 years my junior who eventually took me home. More respect to bartenders -- they deal with drunken assholes all the time and keep your secrets. Crow bar is OK by me.
Hipsters on Mississippi? Of course, you idiots. Complaining about people that make up the hood is like complaining about the white trash element in a Gresham bar. Here's the deal. Everyone in the Crow knows each other. Read that again. So when you talk shit about someone you can expect that person to be informed of your heresay judgement in under 15 minutes. Hence the go-fuck-yourself attitude(s).
Can this neighborhood seriously get a decent bar? The Lame Bar needs an overall face lift and not to mention staff! I live only a few blocks away and feel cheated that there are NO half way cool bars w/out having to deal with ridiculous hipster bullshit......The happy hour is ok and probably the only thing it has going for it.....I want to give it a chance but................
The crow is one of my regular haunts, mostly because of its close proximity to my digs on Mississippi. As a regular I can't really give an unbiased view of the help, but they are always friendly and happy to serve up my booze. With few bars on this street ready to serve up cheap beer on the lean weeks I usually head here first. As with the rest of this god damned street the hipster and boho element is usually out in force, so be aware. I've never had much trouble though, and with a little preening it is possible to pull some decent wool here. In short, its a nice dark little cave to escape the foul world for awhile, with a decent juke, pool table, and liquor if you need it. Personally though, I avoid the place on the weekend, its a fucking cacophony in there, not to mention crowded later at night.
I live around the corner from here. I've been there a handfull of times. I've tried it mid week, weekend, happy hour.. whatever. Its pretty much the same thing. Lots of too-hip-for-you kids and generally very, crowded. I do enjoy a popular bar, but ya know.. this is the only place within walking distance (I mean, like less then 10 minutes from my house) that I can go to until 2am (unless you count the 12-22, and uh, I don't think I'd be let into that place even if I wanted to go). The prices are fair, and they do have a good selection of beers on tap. The best solution to make this place better is to stop serving Pabst. Too many of the neighborhood kids and hipsters go into a perfectly decent bar with a mega-fuck-ton of things to drink and all they get is the 2$ tallboy. Some of us actually enjoy drinking quality alcohol and would like to frequent bars that would do that. When I go in there, I get the Caladara Red and a shot of Jack. THAT my friends, is what you order at a bar. Pabst is something you buy at Plaid Pantry. Anyway, I do enjoy the bar, its not the best, but it is one of the only options after midnight in my neighborhood.
Both times I went to Crow Bar, they struck out. I haven't even gone back for a 3rd try I was so put off. The people that work there need to understand that it's not WHAT you're saying, it's HOW you say it!! First night, was midnight on my 21er and the bartender (who frequent visitors had never seen before) was a psycho about saying I had to leave and come back the next day. Then on my actual birthday, even though it was my freakin' 21st birthday, the mofo bartender (a different one) decided I shouldn't be served another drink, and not only is he rude about it but he makes my friend his drink anyway, even though we were SO not interested in staying at that point. The people that work there need to get some manners!!
This place sucks - and what I really can't believe is that when I was in there a week or so ago there was another girl in there saying that she had been double-charged, just like "just another girl" in 2006 (see below)!!
The bartenders act like they're doing you a favor to even talk to you, and I saw them cut off the guy next to me because he ordered his 6th beer. Six beers for Gods sake! I had six beers for breakfast this morning.
Rockabilly wannabe place and not worth the time. Fire all the staff and start over, I say.
Love to hang out here. Cozy, old-school feel with good service. AWESOME jukebox. But just too damn smokey for my tasets. I will still drink here but much more often once we pass a freakin' smoking ban.
Been going to the Crow Bar for a while, and I like it lots. Friendly staff, although at times so busy you might not know. Unfortunately it has become more and more crowded, and more hip, and less of a cool neighborhood bar. This is what happens to any cool place in Portland though. Starts off cool, and gets over run by obnoxious suburb kids with chips on their shoulders. Still like the bar, but stay away on weekends. and no- it's not a wine bar, but it may have that feel to a certain extent. Graffiti in the bathrooms? Sure, but who give a shit. It's a room you pee in for godsakes.
when i started going to the crow bar a little over a year ago i LOVED it, and proclaimed it my favorite bar in portland. for one, it was never too crowded (then), the service was fast and friendly, the drinks were cheap, and the food was great, different from other bars. most of that is still true, except now it has become just another trendy joint in an up and coming neighborhood. i've never had a problem going there until the last couple of times. the first time i was charged double on my credit card. i was in the middle of a pool game when the check came to me so i didn't pay attention to the total, but the next day when i went through my receipts i tallied up what i had purchased and it was way less than what i paid for. i called the bar and they said they tended to go with their sober waitstaff rather than thier drunk patrons... it sucks, but fair enough, they could get scammed if they didn't have some kind of standard. anyway, the next time i went there and used my card, i went to the bar to close my tab only to be told someone had already paid it, when i looked confused and asked for clarification, the server announces with hand gestures as if i'm a complete idiot, "ok, let's start over, "SOMEONE - ALREADY - PAID -YOUR -TAB!" i was still confused because i didn't know who had done it, but was embarrassed by the tone she took with me and when i asked for my card, she pointed to the end of the bar, where NO ONE was sitting. she had just left it in the middle of the bar for anyone to come along and take. Why? i have no idea. the point to all this is: go to the crow bar, but pay cash!
The Crow Bar sucks. Smokey as hell. The service is bad - major attitude. I like dark, but this place is like a cave. No mixed drinks. I lived down the street but only went there twice and vowed to never go again. A friend of mine had a good point - in a neighborhood where gentrification is king, Crow Bar is not the best name for a white-owned and frequented pub. Jim Crow. Get it?
Please move the pinball machine (Bride of PinBot!) away from the windows, the glare is horrible. Also you should be a little less gready and hire more than one employee for the evenings, that way the nice lady bartender doesn't need to worry so much about getting jumped at closing time. Additionally I find the little male bartender with the faux-hawk and belly to be quite annoying.
I haven't been to the crow bar for a while but I noticed one thing. If I was swling coke I could make a killing
Please, if yout think the crowbar is a wine bar - stay tf away. It's just a great place with a great atmosphere - people have no problem with you just coming over, sitting down and shooting the shinola. It's always full, so if you're looking for a gloss factory, go somewhere else.
I'm not sure what the stiffness rating is supposed to be used for... this shit is alright, The Crow Bar, better than walking into the pasta place next door, thats for sure. I don't know, its alright, atmosphere is cool, struck me as kind of a cocky hipster joint, for arrogant hipster type fellows, maybe it was just the dude I caught walking in, arrogant and hip as he was... overall the place is pretty cool.
I am from Cali and it looks like a wine bar to me. They have a helluva lot of wine. I do not like the Grafitti, YES it is Smokey and OMG the service sucks. I think I will stick with downtown when I think of the Wine and Nice atmosphere and let NoPo do what NoPo does best....DIVES!
Sorry,I was not impressed.Although it would be a great place to frag hipsters...
It looks trashy! Just like the skanky Jockey was! I think they should paint over it and lose the tagger clientele. They are the jackasses that destroy bars. Let em go hang out where the Jockey used to sit. They are jerk offs anyway! I leave when I see a gang of them hangin out anywhere
I like the Graffitti, Some makes me laugh, Some pisses me off. What kind of overhaul or paint job could inspire Such emotions, Huh? Besides, the Graf kids are used to it this way. They would Tag the shit out of fresh, clean paint.
It is NOT hip to leave a bunch of grafitti in the bathroom. Looks way trashy. The bar is done up nice then that ugly grafitti. I think you are lowering yourself to less than a skanky strip bar atmosphere with that.
i think i'm jerome now, doesn't seem to be anyone around. i think i'm jerome now the beating of my heart is the only sound....
i like this bar. it is nice. i like beer. i like this bar. it is nice.
no hardies though. that is what i desired. off to the alibi we go...
The Crowbar is my new favorite neighborhood bar, and I don't live in the neighborhood. A friend and I went the day before New Years Eve 2004 for an afternoon cocktail and fell in love with the place. I couldn't wait to take my roommates. We went back the next night, NYE. It was great. Not too crowded and so much fun. And, to schow how cool they really are, they donated 100% of their proceeds that evening to the Tsunami Relief Effort. Very Awesome. It made me want to drink more. Everyone was getting along great. Not a pretentious person in sight. Also, they had the best food, a free buffet at 11:00 for all the drinkers. I haven't even mentioned the great beer and wine selections. $2.50 beers at happy hour and free pool from 3-6. The look and feel of the place is great. Oh, I could go on, but I think you should go experience it for yourself...