Slabtown
1033 NW 16th AvePortland, OR 97209
503/ 223.0099
Located in: Northwest Portland & near Pearl District - Visit Website
BarFly's Review of Slabtown
(formerly Cal-Sport) Divey lounge opens up garage-style to the front sidewalk, allowing for considerably more daylight to filter in, and smoke to filter out. Sweet game room in back laden with ping pong and pinball - no coincidence, as among the new owners are the big brains behind "Multiball", renowned pinball zine. Eclectic live music line-up trends toward garage rock & punk. Open 3pm-2:30am everyday.
Air Hockey, pool and darts, too.
Wednesdays and Sundays: Free pool.
Slabtown Calendar
been here a couple times since the new owners took over. the bartenders are cool and know their shit. when my band played they treated us great.
Write Your Own Review »
I have been to Slabtown several time now since the bar has changed hands and have always enjoyed myself. I thought it was a great bar before and I have concluded it is still a fun place to hang. The drinks are still pretty nice and the food is much better now. The table was better when it was down below because now you can barely use it since they have it jammed in a little area much too small for pool. All in all, I think it still worth checking out, especially on a nice sunny day. Not nearly as nice as Yurs, however, which is right up the street.
On arrival in Portland, I asked someone for directions to the closest bar. They just reached up and pointed at the big Slabtown sign down the block.
The place has changed hands in the past year, and changed a lot - opened up the back as a game room, earlier hours, improved the menu. The new owners are doing a great job - Slabtown will probably be my regular stop as long as I live in the area.
I was in Slabtown the other day and had a great time. They have added a bunch of new games like ping-pong and Guitar Hero. The atmosphere was super laid-back, not too pretentious, although there was a good amount of hot looking hipster girls. I had the burger, which was pretty good, but my date had the mac and cheese, which was easily the best we have both had in Portland. The new booths by the window were great because it was a sunny afternoon. I had been in a couple of weeks prior on a Friday night. The place was packed and the music was great, it did get pretty smokey though. I think the new owners have done some great things with it, and I think it is nice to have a good rock club in the neighborhood.
Write Your Own Review »
Slobtown just isnt the same. No cool happy hour, and dumb food. The old bartenders were the shit, although Melody was there last time and thats just swell. Now its filled wanna-be rockers and a shit ton of rockabilly pricks. Although the consistent shows are great, i will sadly move on to a new dive.
Write Your Own Review »
I was a regular at Slabtown for as long as I've lived in Portland (a few years) but after the remodel the bar has lost a lot of its flare. No one keeps the music going like Alan used to do so you can actually sit in silence for half an hour before someone coughs up some change for the jukebox. They expanded the place but didn't buy any new furniture, so it feels awkwardly empty with all of the tables spread out, and lacks the old ad hoc feel it used to have. I was shocked when one of the bartenders actually had to ask my name three times in a two hour period, keep in mind I was one of eight people in the enitire place, three of whom were the owners! That kind of stuff never would have happened in the slabtown days of yore. I should give them some credit for improving the menu and cleanliness, but I just don't know that it makes up for the dead energy in the place. If you want to see what slabtown was, I recommend walking down the street two blocks to Yurs... you'll find all the Slabbie regulars you used to love, most of them complaining to each other about how they want their slabtown back!
Write Your Own Review »
This place is perfect except for the women who complain constantly about beer. These titless wonders are seriously harshin' my pajamas. The end.
Write Your Own Review »
This place pretty much looks the same, so that is cool. Except they expaned the back and added a pool table complete with fun house mirrors, awesome redneck video games, a foos ball table, and a ping pong table. They have really cool booths back there. That sounds stupid. But for some reason I dig...
Write Your Own Review »
me and a lady friend went to slabtown last and we havent been there in a bout two weeks. not only did she remember us but she remembered the drinks we ordered. not sure her name but she is a great bartender and i will go back again and again despite the gorrible dj on monday nights
Write Your Own Review »
Write Your Own Review »
Basically this place is the hang-out of the sorry ass Dandy Warhols and all the losers that suck up to them. These know it all 30 somethings seem to believe their in the cenyer of the rock universe when in reality nobody has ever heard of them in this country.
Write Your Own Review »
Write Your Own Review »
If you wnat to know who the Dandy Worhals are, do an internet search. You are on a computer after all! Or is it that you just like to ask stupid questions and see them in print? I thought this place was okay. Not very good service and crappy tasting beer. maybe get your taps cleaned once in a while. I won't be returning.
I was not around in the eighties. Who are these Danny Warhols you speak of? Are they supposed to be famous or something? I have never heard of them.
When those fur coat wearing fellas come in I get the feeling they own the place, or at least that is what they say.
What is with the bomber jacket brigade? Military stuff is not fashionable right now, dig?
The overall vibe from the bar, and from the bands -- the one that I get is a good one. Hippies rule the roost. Check out those beautiful hippy chicks and beautiful people in general. Nice looking crowd - I'd say.
Write Your Own Review »
Wow. Somebody needs a nap. J to the Izzo seems to have touched a raw nerve. When The Man was The Boy, did the other Boys and Girls tease you for having no vibe? Is this why you're a little tender?
Write Your Own Review »
j to the izzo is an idiot. The people running the place are trying to make money. That is the purpose of the 'Bar Business'. Generally speaking, that is The Point of all "Business", to make money -- right?
Ask the bartenders if they are making more tips and tip income. (??) Scums don't tip. Your loser influnce sounds as if you are 'tearing up', do you need a good cry?
Cheers will host your dumbass! How about Yur's. You will fit right-in.
Write Your Own Review »
i liked it FAR better when it was dark and semi-gross. it's turning into some weird gay sports bar (not that there's anything wrong w/that) it's just so different from before (before meaning even 2.5 months ago) even the bartender commented that everytime he goes in he barely recognizes it. it's bright w/a big screen, they moved the pool table and i'm just not feelin it. granted the drinks are stiff and the service is awesome but it's all in the vibe baby. the vibe. PLEASE i beg you, bring back the rock n roll!!
Write Your Own Review »
They are great here. Cheap (but good) food and drinks. It's better than it use to be. I wouldn't go there to meet someone but it's a fun place to hang out with friends. Allen rocks!
Write Your Own Review »
Write Your Own Review »
Service, what service?? It took about 5 minutes to get the bartender to even come take our order and we were sitting at the bar with only two other people. He stood around talking to guys that came up to the other end of the bar and basically paid no attention to the cute girls at the opposite end. Then he started to clean some glasses. I'm guessing he decided he should come see if we wanted to order when he saw the look of horrid disbelief on our faces. Our first impression was that maybe we were in a gay bar judging by the bartender's actions (which is okay when you're not hoping to find nice boys to meet) . But, after checking out the rest of the patrons, we decided it wasn't. If it wasn't for the nice man sitting behind us that came and put coasters under our drinks and asked how we were doing, we would have written the place off. But, it was a cool other than the bartender and we hope for next time to be better…. I'll give it one more chance.
Write Your Own Review »
I went with some friends and saw a couple of bands....dirty harriet was good and the next band was good....the one man band would have been better if his amp was turned down a little....too much ringing in the ears...drinks were good...no cute guys though
jen
Write Your Own Review »
Write Your Own Review »
The reason that the bar went downhill recently is because the guy who ran the place was "forced out" because of some questionable practices (or so the rumor goes), and all the "beautiful people" that used to go there (in other words, The Dandy Warhols and their friends) left at the same time. Sort of a protest and not wanting to support the place that got rid of the guy. The full story is longer, and is very opinionated, but regardless, withtout the old crowd there, it isn't worth your time. They made the place what it was. And they switched from Widmer Heff to some other brand and it sucked.
Write Your Own Review »
no fun anymore. no vibe anymore. good looking people seem to be gone. can anyone tell me what the @#$% happend?
Write Your Own Review »
i came here w/a friend close to closing time. i was on my way to drunken throwing things rowdiness when we ordered a pbr. as we began to sip, the bartender informed us we had 5 min. to closing-so of course we ordered another. he informed us we had to have both finished in 3 or he'd take it away. we chugged and chugged. there's nothing better than racing your friend to the finish line and ending up w/a beer adrenaline rush. it brought back memories of good beer bonging times. i can't tell you much about the bar itself since i only had eyes for my beer.I would however, go a little earlier and give it another whirl. until next time...
Write Your Own Review »
The connection rocks here. Great people, food and drink. Play some pool. Surf the binary nector. Lick the salt off the sea of excess. The smell is in the water.
Write Your Own Review »
Max's Kansas City West aka Slabtown has real corn tortillas. No I'm not being corny, but a great rock club with good tortillas and the patrons seem to know all the rules to all the games. Well you know you hit gold!
Write Your Own Review »

