Especially since it's so close by and this stretch of Hawthorne is a fucking wasteland for good bars. I can't believe that with all of the creativity in this town people are ripping off the look and feel of other bars. This bar is great if you're a hipster idiot that loves martini's with a 1/4 oz of booze and 6 ounces of organic fruit juice. They *do* have a decent selection of bourbon and whiskey which mostly saves them from totally blowing. Despite the atrocious bar menu of champagne-tinis and shitty beer selection, the bar keeps are generally pretty nice. I heard Tom Waits on the last time I was in there but could only think about how much he'd want to kick everyone's ass in that place. Whiny, pricey, lame.

I love this place. The mid-century modern space is v. pleasant, the service is v. good despite the fact that the wait staff are attractive and hip (which usually means that the service sucks), the drinks are cheap and the mac & cheese is the best in Portland.

I'd peeked inside this place during the daytime once, and it piqued my curiosity. It seemed to promise the kind of friendly, slick cocktail bar that my grandad might have enjoyed in his youth.

I didn't stop in that day, but after seeing a write up in Willamette Week recently, I was reminded of it and furnished with the exact address.

This is a fun place that has a nice energy and vibe from what I could tell. The architecture and design of the space is remarkable. It could almost be a cousin to the Doug Fir basement bar, only slightly more streamlined, more subtle and brighter.

There was a country band playing on the Wed. night I went, and there was no cover. The band was great and a pleasing surprise to happen upon. I forget their name, but the singer had a June Cash reminiscent voice. They also covered one of the slower, sadder songs by the Pogues, which was very well done.

The fun quotient balanced out any high falutin' airs. Cool place. Good date spot.

I have lived on the strip for 15 years and many things have come and gone. I must say that aside from the space room of 1993 this is the very best place to hit hawthorne in some time. swanky booths, stiff drinks, and the easiness of meeting new friends, this place is rad! happy hour till 8pm, and outdoor seating??? I havent really been to other places since this opened.

The Gold Dust Meridian is just an ok bar. The patrons seem to be there to party hard (and loudly) and it lacks the classy atmosphere it is trying to pull off. It is not non-smoking as indicated here, but seems like it should be. It has great potential, but it lacks that certain something.

Relaxed jazzy atmosphere with very attentive staff. Comfy booths, bar table and dining tables. Not a large space, but pretty good. Can get loud, not that smoky, small portions of food, good drinks. All in all, I'll probably go back.