My Father's Place
523 SE Grand Ave Portland, OR 97214 Southeast Portland(503) 235.5494
Update this Bar - Review/Comment on this Bar
BarFly's Review of My Father's Place
Spiritual home to Portland rock stars since before that was a recognizable career choice, My Father's Place (commonly refered to as MFP) has remained resolutely unchanged through generations of talented wastrels.
Layers of grime, scarred booths, stained carpets, bathrooms best avoided, seemingly scary barflies one wouldn't want to spill a drink against, and a menu (with separate restaurant catering to teenagers and the elderly) specializing in unvarnished hangover food used to ward off indie weekenders. Not anymore.
It's not the friendliest of dives, but the kids will table-hop, and the game room's continually in use. Never dead, never crowded, with roughly the same crowds New Year's Eve and Easter Sunday, MFP's grizzled, whiskey-breathed, ineffably-powerful tough love enables all sorts of poor behavior.
Hell has frozen over - there is now a vegan menu, not to mention, a cocktail menu featuring completely MFP-incongruous delights, like "hibiscus-infused" gin, etc. End-times are now, folks!
Smattering of sidewalk smoking/drinking tables.
$2 select domestic and $3 well, regularly.
$2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday.
2x pool, 6x pinball, video golf, lots of board games!
Open 6am-2:30am, every day, all 365!
My Father's Place's Happy Hours
Monday | 4pm-6pm $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. 10pm-12am $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. |
Tuesday | 4pm-6pm $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. 10pm-12am $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. |
Wednesday | 4pm-6pm $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. 10pm-12am $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. |
Thursday | 4pm-6pm $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. 10pm-12am $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. |
Friday | 4pm-6pm $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. 10pm-12am $2.75+ menu, $1.50 select dom, $3 micros, $1 off whiskey (except well), 4-6pm, and 10pm-12am, Monday-Friday. |
Saturday | No happy hour info available. |
Sunday | No happy hour info available. |
Getting to My Father's Place
Nearby Bars
Reader Reviews
Add your own review or commentA few years back I attended the pool tables at mfp and drank my way through many a rack. The women seemed sexually advanced, televised Blazers games were popular, the African drug dealer I shot pool with had a cultivated British accent and manner, but alas, I had to part from the amount of alcohol required to get through such moments as when I'm beating the dealer at eight ball and the dealer's crew is standing around the table. I live within view of this establishment, so the thrill of slumming in it is way over. But if I lived in the suburbs and was lookin for some strange, this could be it.
I've been going to MFP for years. Food has always been decent but they decided to raise their prices recently for no apparent reason. Sorry, but you lost my business.
I love cheap meat & potatoes type of food, interesting people, servers that can taylor fit your meal if needed. Employees take the time to greet regulars, and disgourage some loafers. I don't like the outside seating. Drifters make it difficult to savor the meal.
this place is great. stiff drinks, good food. the service could use some help sometimes, but if you order at the bar service is always great. why? because its a dive bar!
you aren't going to portland city grill. you can't just sit at a table and expect to be waited on hand and foot. get over it. if you want to order a drink, get up off your pretentious lazy ass, and order one at the bar like everyone else!!!
if you want a great dive bar with honest drinks and good food, mfp is the place to go.
Dollar beers on Sunday and Tuesday nights. One of the few places besides my own house that I'm comfortable sitting and getting shitfaced in. Pleasantly dark. Plenty of entertainment from the mentally ill. Highly accommodating to the hardcore maintenance alcoholic.
Unfriendly service I can handle. But what got me peeved was coming in close to closing time, and not being told that ordering drinks would have them yanked out of my hands in ten more minutes. They were still happy to *charge* for the unfinished drinks, of course. When other customers were leaving, the entire crew ganged up on me and my friend to hurry up and finish our food already so they could close. We were nearly done, and didn't need the prompting. Things escalated from there, but I won't recreate it here. The MFP staff made my night shitty. Their food is cheap, but not worth my regretting not coming back.
This place is great. We eat here often as a family or with friends. We have a large family and we can walk out with a bill less than $35 and we are stuffed. That is for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The food is greasy but the chicken wraps are to die for. You can't beat it!!!!!! (be patient because some of the servers need a attitude check, but there are some that are great!!!)
Rocket, I generally like your reviews, but MFP? Saying nothing that isn't known and has been said a million times by a million hipsters? Strive, please!
Thank you.
And I hope to see you perform soon.
I keep forgetting to review this place. This is one of the first bars I went to when I moved to PDX 7 years ago, and I keep going back. Large, comfy booths...pool table...videogames, and pretty strong drinks. The food is average, nothing special, but that's not why I go there. It can get pretty crowded in here on a busy night, but there is plenty of seating. A good place to meet up with friends. In my experience servers/bartenders have been nice and attentive.
I just moved to PDX from the Yamhill County-area...guess that makes me a Yamhill-billy!!! And, though I am fascinated and excited by the culture-shock of it all, "Dad's" is the cat's meow! It's the jumpinest juke joint this side of Stillwater, OK (been there, done that- got the T-shirt). 'Nuff can never be said to praise the staff, and their professionalism, their courtesy, and their style. This is Class. Just ask me- I'LL tell ya all'bout it...
Used to go to Father's Place way back in 1996, and it's great to hear that it's still the same kind of place. Non-pretentious place where you can fill up on standard American fare and do some serious drinking. What a combo! Keep the faith! Braaaappppp!
and you will be richly rewarded- should you choose correctly. go during peak hours? ie; drunkard hours, and off duty wait staff hours- roughly the same, unless you're over 35 and then all bets are off. the things i eat- the wraps, as yuppie as that sounds, and the chicken fry delight will save you much like a dip in a cold pool in july does. the bloody mary, general filth, smart ass waitresses- all things it took me a long time to appreciate. this is like the roxy- love it or hate it. It may just make3 a hungover day in winter okay. now that SE is "upgrading" let's just hope we can keep it like it is.
As an avid drinker, I'm always looking for a great bloody mary. We've been to my father's place a couple of times since we moved to the east side. The service was always slow, yet cheerful and the food has been okay. They have a great blt. Today, however, I decided to try the bloody mary, and unfortunately was not impressed. I ordered the mimosa instead and asked the waitress to take the drink back. When our check came the drink was still on the bill, when we asked her to remove it considering I had only had one drink from it, she flatly stated thAt was not an option. We were then told we should speak with the manager about the situation. Who was rude and unhelpful. We will never go here again. I will personally tell all of my friends about this experience, in hopes that no one else will suffer from my father's place.
My Fathers Place should be made a national moneument.....you walk in and you get nothing but a good time great breakfast.Stiff drinks great staff and awesome jukebox.Be sure to check out Bud a great bartender.Dont forget about Linda the owner Sara the bar manager and the best waitress around Ms.D I love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!
has anyone else heard the rumor about a cook cumming on the grill at this place? when I first lived in portland 4 years ago someone told me about it and when I came back here just a few months ago I heard the rumor again... its the strangest thing tho, everyone I hear it from loves going there! just goes to show how great this place is that people who believe this rumor still go there and often!
I lived in Portland for about 8 months in '03. This place served as both a base of operations and a home I didn't have. It's a long story, but I basically lived here and it was one of the best times of my life. Bud and all the other bartenders were great, and Darryl, the Manager, was always helpful. I love this place and will defend it to the grave. Thank you for being there. My life was pathetic, but you guys made it all right.
as a person who used to bartend, when you ask for your change and you say you want 2 dollars back, thats all you're going to get. If you had said "could I also get 2 dollars in quarters" you would have been short changed. but you didn't. so maybe you should stop being an idiot.
Save your money, even though have a good margarita and chicken fried steak on Sunday mornings, and avoid those uncomfortable situations with low life second string bartenders. I was at My Father's Place on 11/26/06 between 7:00 and 7:10pm. I ordered a couple of shots, Sambuka being one. $10.50 was the total and I gave the man $15.00. Asked for $2.00 in quaters to play games with the girlfriend and that was all I got in return. I guess the long haired bartender thought he was providing such a good service he could keep what he thought was appropriate for a tip. He was going to get $2.00 for a tip but now I will save the $100.00-$120.00 I dump there every six months to avoid associating with them. Nothing worse than a short changing bartender, there not rock stars just drink servers.
I was told that if you wanted a great bloody mary that you should check out My Fathers Place, and boy, were they right. I also had my first chicken fried steak and eggs here and they have yet to be beaten.
I really love this place. I'm there almost every wednesday. Or Thursday, or Friday. I just love the place.
This is my comfort zone of bars. Been going here for about 4 years. stiff and cheap drinks. Don't worry, Bud the bartender is just trying to be funny. $1.00 Pabst Tall boy monday is my favorite. It deserves a 10 as far as dive bars are concerned.
wow this place literally stinks, the food was gross, the service is super slow and not very friendly, and unless you order a shot or a beer they dont seem to know how to make a cocktail. dont think ill ever go back.
I love this place. Great drinks that I can afford. Kitchen's open till 2am most nights. Great Juke Box!! Never seen a wider range of people co-existing in peace. I definatly recomend MFP!!!
Abandon all hope, yee who enter here. The basement is haunted and if you take a closer look, you can see that everyone else is aspiring to be their very own ghost. The chasms below lead to the belly of Hades. PBRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!
Been going to this place for years and is completely unchanged. Always had a good juke but even better now. I thing they cleaned all the smelly old stuff that adorns the place some time ago. Once a century ought to do it! You still get a strange smell in your clothes when you leave though. Decent food at decent prices during the day. It's a rock & roll greasy spoon.
My Father's Place Rocks! I haven't been there for awhile but the place rarely changes. Where else can you find funny looking Hipsters, a waitress with a tatoo tear (yeah, like that Tom Waits song) and the shakes, and a sweet bartender who has to use a step ladder to reach the bottles on the top shelf. Good place for breakfast too if you don't mind crowds and cigarette smoke. I'd take my father there.
i don't know the scene here on weekends but i do know that i love cheap beer, and throwing beer bottles of the 2nd floor. I've only had good times, good times.
Subject
Overall Rating of My Father's Place
What You Think:
Yes, these CAPTCHAs suck, but they are a necessary evil. Typing the words you see below proves you are a human.
Before hitting that submit button, please read the following guidelines:
-
Owners/Managers/Employees: Please do not make up a name to shill for yourself or bad mouth competitors because we WILL catch you. We have been known to "out" repeat offenders. It's fine to plug your own biz, or to reply to other reader's comments, just identify yourself as the owner/manager/employee you are. Trust us, it works to do it that way. It's great PR, our readers love it, we love it, and your business will love it.
Want to update the info in this listing? Please do not submit your info via a reader reviews. Instead, please click here to update this listing.
-
Libel ain't cool, man. Naming names in an undeservedly negative or totally false review? That's libel. However, if you truly had a bad experience, please share it. If it's true, it ain't libel!
-
Were you 86ed for being a complete douchebag? Are you the perpetually unsatisfied bitch? The bartender's psycho ex? Are you copying & pasting the same review from/to Yelp, Facebook, etc.? Then you're undermining the value of our reader reviews. Don't waste your time posting.
-
The First Amendment covers your right to say whatever you want, and our right to choose whether or not to publish it. All reader reviews must be approved by BarFly staff, prior to being made live on the site.
- By clicking submit, you authorize us to release details about your review(s), including your IP address, email, name, and any other contact info, if we are required to by "the authorities." Again, take your libel elsewhere.
Now, if you think your review will pass muster, click the submit button.