Interstate Lounge
4234 N Interstate Ave Portland, OR 97217Phone: (503) 287.9740
Located in: North Portland - Visit Website
BarFly's Review of Interstate Lounge
A short walk from the newly (and some might say overly) gentrified Mississippi district, and tucked onto Interstate between the dazzling neons that blink over motels long past their heyday and glittering tiki lights draped over more compelling nightspots is this aptly, if banally, named bar and grill.
The customers range from grizzled to hot – and in that NoPo kind of way, some of them accomplishing both at the same time – and the vibe in this squatty orange sheetrock palace of decades past can be described the same way.
DJs and live music on the weekends (dance music from the 70, 80s and 90s, and… easy listening?) and a free jukebox the rest of the time ensures that the rare screams and gunshots outside will be muffled, plus its close proximity to the MAX and the residential neighborhoods encompassing means that brave locals are free to stumble home without feeling compelled to drive beyond their ability.
Cheap drinks mixed strong offset the unsurprisingly meager beer and wine selection, and the standard greasy spoon fare is exactly what you’d expect. Reservations are taken, but it’s doubtful they’ll ever be needed.
We walked in on a weekend night (fall 2007) and got treated to the old metal detector security wand thing by the doorman. How's that for N / NE authenticity? The main bar room has some pool tables, seating and a slew of video crack. The clientele were a real mixed bag-- mostly older working class folks playing lotto and pool. Through the door into the side bar was the old Karaoke scene from the Paragon club, complete with punk / goth / glbt flavor. Compared to the main room, it was practically another universe.
