BarFly's Review of Reel 'm Inn
Appropriately angler-themed, much as ramshackle neighborhood dives attend to decor, with nets and mounted fish, but the bar's known for its ... chicken. The fried chicken, cooked at the bar (an open kitchen, we should say), and Jo-Jo's as big as your head are rightly-prized throughout southeast and help pull the cool kids from the Clinton nightspots. There's more tables, now, and mixed drinks, but a steadfast gang of older area regulars still plug endless sets of 80's rawk to the online jukebox and spin a starch'n'booze-fueled cheer.
Reader Reviews of Reel 'm Inn
Relax Detective Thorn
i used to live in this neighborhood so i was a regular here, Clinton St,
La Cruda and at the Night Light and this place was a decent bar. Wilson's
review is pretty spot on, the personality plus bartenders (Jess, Noel etc)
have left. the chicken & jojos *were* good but if the bartender is new/bad
the food could turn out the way Mr Heston reported
i used to live in this neighborhood so i was a regular here, Clinton St,La Cruda and at the Night Light and this place was a decent bar. Wilson's
review is pretty spot on, the personality plus bartenders (Jess, Noel etc)
have left. the chicken & jojos *were* good but if the bartender is new/bad
the food could turn out the way Mr Heston reported
jojo's is people!
Walking into this bar was like stepping into some weird amalgamation of what an old neighborhood bar would look like if built for a movie set...all the neon and fake wood paneling and ill fitting decor. I thought I was on a set of a poorly staged 80's music video...and I do not believe for one second that they are "renowned" for their fried chicken and jojo's. Even though they put it on their signage as a selling point! Taking a chicken breast and deep frying it until it is a hard dark brown lump (tasteless too, unless you consider grease a flavor) does not make for good eating. I may have been a little stoned when I visited the Reel'm Inn but the food genuinely freaked me out, it was scary...Eraserhead scary... I was convinced it was human flesh. It had no flavor and odd texture. The potatoes were dry, hard, and brown. I think the name of the bar is apt..reel the sucker fish customers in to make a couple bucks off them. This bar is so bizarro fake and only fun if you like being somewhere so badly contrived that it puts everything else in life on very firm footing. Never have I seen a bar with such a lack of self-awareness. It is an amazing place. Don't eat the food. It is evil! It is a TV version of a bar populated by people who don't live in this reality. Enjoy the madness.
Walking into this bar was like stepping into some weird amalgamation of what an old neighborhood bar would look like if built for a movie set...all the neon and fake wood paneling and ill fitting decor. I thought I was on a set of a poorly staged 80's music video...and I do not believe for one second that they are "renowned" for their fried chicken and jojo's. Even though they put it on their signage as a selling point! Taking a chicken breast and deep frying it until it is a hard dark brown lump (tasteless too, unless you consider grease a flavor) does not make for good eating. I may have been a little stoned when I visited the Reel'm Inn but the food genuinely freaked me out, it was scary...Eraserhead scary... I was convinced it was human flesh. It had no flavor and odd texture. The potatoes were dry, hard, and brown. I think the name of the bar is apt..reel the sucker fish customers in to make a couple bucks off them. This bar is so bizarro fake and only fun if you like being somewhere so badly contrived that it puts everything else in life on very firm footing. Never have I seen a bar with such a lack of self-awareness. It is an amazing place. Don't eat the food. It is evil! It is a TV version of a bar populated by people who don't live in this reality. Enjoy the madness.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by azha azha on February 8, 2007, 5:33 am
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Cool spot
Totally chill spot, laid back, super nice bartenders, even the occasional funny old time SE Portland'er meandering around. Suggest trying the deep fried Chicken and Jo's!
Totally chill spot, laid back, super nice bartenders, even the occasional funny old time SE Portland'er meandering around. Suggest trying the deep fried Chicken and Jo's!
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by Hipsta on December 9, 2006, 12:39 am
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Great place
Chicken and jojo's can't be beat . .. Bummer about Noel and Gina (gone) and increased prices on the chicken, but still a great deal. Classic Portland dive bar. Great place to see a few air guitars when listening to the expansive butt rock selection.
Chicken and jojo's can't be beat . .. Bummer about Noel and Gina (gone) and increased prices on the chicken, but still a great deal. Classic Portland dive bar. Great place to see a few air guitars when listening to the expansive butt rock selection.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by cjb on December 4, 2006, 1:24 pm
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OK place
Gina isn't there anymore and neither are Noel, Maizy and some of the other "Personality-plus" bartenders. Barfly needs to hit this place again. New manager has gotten hard liquor by filling every square inch with tables and chairs (for food service). The regulars come in shifts - you'll see the same people after work everyday, and you'll see the same late night people everytime. Everyone should try the chicken and jojos at least once. A place for the non-young in the neighborhood of Clinton St. Tavern, Nightlight, and Red & Black Cafe.
Gina isn't there anymore and neither are Noel, Maizy and some of the other "Personality-plus" bartenders. Barfly needs to hit this place again. New manager has gotten hard liquor by filling every square inch with tables and chairs (for food service). The regulars come in shifts - you'll see the same people after work everyday, and you'll see the same late night people everytime. Everyone should try the chicken and jojos at least once. A place for the non-young in the neighborhood of Clinton St. Tavern, Nightlight, and Red & Black Cafe.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by wilson on April 6, 2006, 2:07 pm
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