Shanghai Tunnel
211 SW Ankeny Portland, OR 97204Phone: (503) 220.4001
Located in: Downtown Portland - Visit Website
BarFly's Review of Shanghai Tunnel
The actual Shanghai tunnels, the legendary series of underground labyrinths built to convey roofied (or whichever) boozehounds to the waterfront for press-ganged service on steamers bound for parts East, always seemed best left to those Discovery Channel-obsessives who'd waste a Scotland jaunt hunting Nessie, but, descending the stairs of Shanghai Tunnel: The Bar, Chinoiserie and gutterpunk flourishes within intricately-ramshackle design imagineering a well-appointed and recently-excavated opium den, hard not to be swept along. The Shang (or, preferably, the Tun) has managed to maintain a loyal core of hipster/rocker/professionally-cool regulars even while attracting (as ground zero for the weekend douche parade staggering tween Barracuda and Kells) the more well-behaved nightclubber.
Fresh-squeezed, reasonably-priced cocktails help, of course, as does an excellent menu boasting late night noodle-bowls and a gardenburger genuinely better and less healthy than the alternative, but, more than the servers' casual dignity or top volume rawk or barely-lit interiors, we believe tourists are largely dissuaded by that swirling aura suggesting lives and activities perhaps dangerous, certainly not understood, and very much Old Portland.
Pool x1. $1 off beer, $2 off well, $3+ menu 5-7pm everyday
| Shanghai Tunnel's Happy Hours | |
|---|---|
| Monday | $1 off beer, $2 off well, $3+ menu 5-7pm everyday |
| Tuesday | $1 off beer, $2 off well, $3+ menu 5-7pm everyday |
| Wednesday | $1 off beer, $2 off well, $3+ menu 5-7pm everyday |
| Thursday | $1 off beer, $2 off well, $3+ menu 5-7pm everyday |
| Friday | $1 off beer, $2 off well, $3+ menu 5-7pm everyday |
| Saturday | $1 off beer, $2 off well, $3+ menu 5-7pm everyday |
| Sunday | $1 off beer, $2 off well, $3+ menu 5-7pm everyday |
15 (fifteen), Alexis, Ash Street Saloon, Barracuda, Beauty Bar, Berbati's, Berbati's Pan, Boiler Room, C.C. Slaughter's, Cabaret Lounge, Captain Ankeny's Well, City Sports Bar, Club Rouge, Couture Ultra Lounge, Dan & Louis's Shucking Room, Dante's, Darcelle XV, Davis Street Tavern, Dirty, Dixie Tavern, East Chinatown Lounge, Fifteen, Fox and Hounds, Ground Kontrol, Hobo's, Huber's, Invasion Cafe, Kells Irish, Kelly's Olympian, Kincaid's Fish Chop and Steak House, Magic Gardens, McFadden's, Mother's, Mucho Grande, Ohm, Old Town Pizza, Pala Fashion Lounge, Pasha, Portland City Grill, Qube, Republic, Roseland, Silverado, Someday Lounge, Spyce, The Crown Room, Thirsty Lion Pub, Tube, Valentine's, Whiskey Bar & Lounge, XV, Yes and No
Awesome atmosphere, cool staff, fellow patrons don't eavesdrop, Linda rocks my world. Guess you could say I like this place.
Kind of found this place by accident. Glad I did, This place was filth, smokey,dim lit but I loved it anyways. The drink prices were great compared to the corporate bars that surround it. They play good music. From the looks of the kitchen I was afraid to order any food there but this place its a great place to get a descent if not cheap drink and meets some cool people.
This bar is a great place to hideout when the streets of portland start to get crowded with young screaming drunks on the weekends. The bartenders here have always been very friendly. Over the years I have seen the tenders change many times however they always have provided great service even when the bar is fucking packed on the weekends. The drinks aren't typically the strongest, but good for downtown, no doubt. It is even nicer there now since they added an air conditioner. It used to get unbearably hot downstairs.
Bartender/lawyer Richard is the only man alive who makes a mustache look cool. Go check it out before he gets a real job and quits!
Awesome drinks, and they tasted like lemonade also the guy carded me and said it's because I look under age, not just because he had to. And did I mention good drinks? Man, they tasted like lemonade but they were lemon drops. The best I ever tasted. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yreah. Yeah. Yeah.
There is a new doorguy @ Shanghai Tunnels from Ga. "ya'll". GRRRRREAT!!! Dreaded kid who's easy on the eye, smart, witty and will hug and thank you for coming by. The bartenders are great too. Drinks, smiles and all around jovial moods makes Shanghai a winner!!!
The Shanghai Tunnel was one of the first bars I wandered into when I moved to Portland, and it quickly became a favorite. Cheap happy hour, funky atmosphere and friendly but not "weird, too happy and bubbly" folks behind the bar. Haven't tried anything but appetizers so far...the nachos are great! The basement does get a bit crowded on the weekends, but during the week, it's a great place to bring friends.
Yeah, Shanghai used to be great years ago but it's still an okay place to hang, has good beer and the staff are chill. oh, and Phil didn't fire everyone, Sid still works there and she rocks.
This has got to be one of the best places in Downtown PDX to get a good bite to eat and listen to some great music. Very dark atmosphere, as if you've just walked into a bar in the movie "Bladerunner." Great food, service is a bit slow, but extremely friendly. I love this place, and it's within walking distance if you live downtown (you mean you don't?? HAHAHA lame-o's)
I don't know what you guys are talking about. I think this place is great. The upstairs bar has a hot new bartender that provides excellent service and drinks. It will be the perfect spot to people watch this summer. There are tables on the sidewalk and the windows open up to the passers-by. The food is yummy,try the Zappata. Mmmm
we do not understand everyone's fascination with the service at the shanghai. how can one complain about 1.50 rainers and 1.75 session beers?? for those of you who like your bum licked, head over to some overstaffed trendy establishment where you can pay out your bum (which is presently being licked) for your drinks.
One of my favorite bars in town. The biggest drawbacks - smokey as hell and always crowded, thus the service is pretty slow. Also, bad for parking since it's in the downtown club zone. But love the atmosphere. Eery and cozy at the same time.
went there a few nights ago, and immediately liked the underground idea and the dim lights. The feeling soon came to a hault with the service. I ordered a drink that was soon followed with "are you going to be ordering anything else?"...I left within 5 minutes and spent my money elsewhere
Got drinks at ST last night, and had magnificent service from the lovely, charming Daphne. With classic southern charm, she served up a barfull of flies, managing to give everyone her full attention while carrying on a conversation about our native dixieland with yours truly. A few more bartenders like Daphne scattered around Portland might transform our town's notoriety for shitty service.
Food is bland and overpriced. The bowls are 99% rice, not even enough sauce, much less protein. Service is mediocre at best. Drinks are stiff, but also too spendy. Not recommended.
this bar has shifted from being a great place to a fratty meathead bar. it started when they fired the entire staff a year or two back. bummed.
This place is unique because once you go inside the building you have to go around the corner, downstairs, around the corner & downstairs again, and then you're are smack down underneath Portland's street---Very different. And the drinks at Shanghai are worth the price, because they are very stiff.
untill phil fired everyone. just full of turds on both sides of the bar. just like 15 nad berbattie.... pfft
In order to get the WiFi to work you'll need to use this code for excryption: 5038675309
The downside is the slow router and excryption slows it down even more. The place still rocks.
I think she's ultra fine, and reasonably friendly. And they pour Guinness in 20 oz pints for 4 bucks. And the udon General bowls are freakin' awesome.
We agree with you, D.V. Since Scorch was fired and the girl with glasses works there it's turned to shit.
it's dark and seedy enough in their that women don't thrust their heaving bossoms at me and beg me to bang them so it's a nice place to drink a few Olympia Pounders and pour hot wax from the unmanicured candles all over myself.
This has to be my favorite watering hole in town. Even after happy hour the beers are cheap. I also like the low light the chinese candles give off. If you're looking for ambience then this is the place. They often play a good mix of Indie music. They just added a bar upstairs, but I usually just park it downstairs at the bar. Potstickers and dollar pabst are a must.
