Shanghai Steakery (CLOSED)
16 NW Broadway Portland, OR 97209Phone: (503) 228.9325
Located in: Northwest Portland & near Downtown Portland
BarFly's Review of Shanghai Steakery (CLOSED)
Closed. Review left for posterity.
Superfriendly little place, sort of an unofficial green room for queens performing at Embers. Drinks so stiff they might kill you, especially on Sunday when it's happy hour all day.
Backspace, Bailey's Taproom, Benson Hotel, Blitz Pearl, Bo Restobar, Boxxes, Brig, Cabaret Lounge, Candy, Captain Ankeny's Well, Casey's Nightclub & Lounge, Club Rouge, Couture Ultra Lounge, Darcelle XV, Davis Street Tavern, Dirty, Dixie Tavern, East Chinatown Lounge, El Gaucho, Embers, Gilt Club, Hamburger Mary's, Hobo's, Invasion Cafe, Isabel's Cantina, Jimmy Mak's, Kincaid's Fish Chop and Steak House, Life of Riley Tavern, Living Room Theater, Magic Gardens, Mary's Club, Mucho Grande, Pazzo, Pizza Vita PDX, Portland City Grill, Portland Prime, Red Cap Garage, Republic, Roseland, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Santeria, Saucebox, Silver Dollar Pizza II, Silverado, Someday Lounge, Star Theater, Sweet Masterpiece, ten 01, The Barrel Room, Rockin' Show Bar, The Crown Room, The Original, Tiger Bar, Tube, Tugboat Brewing Company, Urban Studio, Yes and No, YOLO Lounge
Glad they're closed. Fuck 'em. Shanghai had Rockstar Energy Drink paraphernalia all over the place but didn't care that the company was founded and is run by an anti-gay family, namely that of radio personality Michael Savage.
dirt cheap... let's talk about what a FILTHY environment it was inside. That place is a complete DIVE (and not in a good way) - all I have to say is GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD RUBBISH... The people that hung out here were mostly castoffs from Silverado who have been cut off or thrown out of most other Portland bars at one time or another...and some of the UGLIEST drag queens who have ever gone out in public. I thank my lucky stars that someone had the decency to close this fire trap down before we had to endure another "ugly fest" at Gay Pride. I'm all for adult entertainment.. but some of their clientelle would come out and show off their cocks and other lewd things during the parade. There are CHILDREN out there for chrissakes. They just had no decorum and just because they OVERSERVE their cheap ass Hood River booze and serve it for under $2 - doesn't mean they're wonderful people. No one liked it when Embers got busted by the olcc and started having to use a "gun" to pour drinks and started having to use shitty plastic cups because glass hurt more when you had some hetero throw a glass at your head to start a fight... but we all lived with it. The people at the steakery let drunks run their establishment and it's their own fault that they've been shut down. "ohh my ... I've said to much..." lol.
Walked by yesterday and saw that OLCC has shut them down for a month, and I'm not very confident they'll reopen. Now who the fuck was the bartender who served the undercover minor? I'd like to tie you to a chair and wire your eyes open Clockwork Orange style and force you to watch graphic lesbian porn this whole month just to avenge the very kind owner. I've gotten OLCC sting minors twice that I know of, once at the Steakery, and these people are very young looking, not even close to looking "about 30", he didn't even look 20 which is what it read on his license. Any retard would know to card one of these people and kick them out, why didn't you? What, you thought he was hot? Well was it worth it? Asshole.
If you'd kindly unfuck your sentence I'd be able understand what you are talking about.
Two whole dollars for a beer? Do you want to borrow my hanky? And you're bellyaching over paying $4.50 for a drink? Have you seen the pours? That would easily cost $9 and up anywhere else. That place is always dirt cheap even after the prices go up. I'll bet my right hand you don't tip either. This was what infuriated me when I worked there: You pour good, strong drinks, give it to them at a ridiculously low price, and THEY DON'T FRIGGIN TIP!!! Any of the bartenders! Ungrateful tightwads. Yes, the place attracts people who barely get by, but if you want to drink in a bar, tipping is part of it. Can't afford to tip? Buy yourself a bottle and get your broke ass drunk at home. Yes, Skidmore Bridge counts.
I think it's sad that beer is now 2 (2.50 after 8) and that well drinks shoot way the hell up to 4.50 after 8 2.175 all other times... though they are strong.
How come there isn't a category for Dugo's? It is the A-number-one biggest, scariest dive in PDX. It makes the Ash St. look like the friggin' Benson. It's even worse than the Shanghai Steakery, I know because I used to work there. All the people who got 86'd from from the Shanghai(and that's HARD to do)go there instead. You know those upstanding folks who hang out at the corner of 4th and Burnside? That's where they go. I bet we can get some interesting reviews from the brave souls who've tried that place, especially on a weekend night. Or any night, if the smell of urine doesn't repel you.
The Shanghai never fails to draw the freakiest, creepiest, scuzziest, weirdest drunks downtown has to offer. I once stood on the stage with my pants around my ankles, screaming "Miss Shanghai 2006!" while two friends shoved dollar bills in my tighty whities. I have blacked out here more than I have at any other bar, due to the ridiculously strong drinks, although Jay has been light-handed since he took over as bar manager. The other bartenders still poor 'em plenty stiff, and after seeing Jay in action on the security cameras during the robbery last week, we can at least feel safe in his presence.
I just realized the last two reviews are by my friend and myself. I totally don't remember writing that.
The Shanghai is the only bar in Portland that isn't full of shitheads. The drinks are stiff as diesel and cheap; you can kill yourself here for twenty dollars.
Think back to the Mos Eisley Cantina, in the original Star Wars. Replace the aliens with drag queens and old Bears. That's the Shanghai.
Most people probably can't stomach this place. Most people are assholes.
This is one of my very favorite Portland joints. The Shanghai is one of the reasons I am a barfly, consistently returning to the same, familiar old sticky puddle. If I were to describe this place with two words, they would be "stiff" and "loose."
Don't miss Pooky, especially when they give him a fucking microphone. Bend over and prepare to be Shanghai'd!
P.S. Although it may seem hip, please don't come here if you're not at least 25% gay and easily persuaded when drunk, unless you've got a couple of sexy young fags dragging your ignorant ass in. Cheers!