Portland Oregon - A Canadian Abroad
posted April 4, 2011 9:00 AM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Fri April 15 at 5:30 PM, Bailey's Taproom
213 SW Broadway, Portland, OR, USA (Map & Directions)
Hi Portland Oregon - I will be in your fair city April 12-16 for a conference. I was hoping to meet a few of you for beers on the evening of the 15th.
I know you are also planning a meetup for the 22nd, but cortex assures me that you are a group that likes to get together for beers. I don't know Portland at all, so would appreciate any thoughts/suggestions on a location. I'm staying at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower, 921 SW Sixth Avenue.
posted by never used baby shoes to Meetup (63 comments total)

Get together for beers? Twist my arm... Downtown on a Friday evening can be tricky-- bars tend to fill up with... um, how to put this... people I usually don't drink with. Perhaps someone with a better sense of west side options can chime in with a suggestion. Tugboat maybe? How did that work out last time folks met up there? I dunno. Anyone?
posted by dersins at 1:00 PM on April 4, 2011


I know you are also planning a meetup for the 22nd, but cortex assures me that you are a group that likes to get together for beers.

That is correct.

The Bridgeport Brewpub seemed to work last time we met up there on a Friday. It is necessary, however, to make reservations once there is an approximate headcount.

Tug Boat was ok, but it's tiny and fills up fast. Probably not so great for a Friday evening.
posted by nickthetourist at 4:14 PM on April 4, 2011


Friday? Hmm. If we don't get lots of people, we could try the Leaky Roof! And then we could filll it up, because it holds about 30 people. There's got to be more bars along the Max line that don't suck. Anyone have any ideas?
posted by fiercekitten at 7:37 PM on April 4, 2011


Awesome - this is exciting! I just hope dersins would consider me a person he would usually drink with :)
posted by never used baby shoes at 8:06 PM on April 4, 2011


I'll come to this.
posted by maqsarian at 8:40 PM on April 4, 2011


Hey, you're on metafilter. I'm kind of surprised I haven't already drank with you...
posted by dersins at 11:34 PM on April 4, 2011


Beer?? Ewww! ...I'm in.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:05 AM on April 5, 2011


I've not been to Bailey's Taproom in a while. It's across the street from Tugboat.

Someday Lounge is listing a show at 9pm, but it's an okay place for an after-work drink.
posted by Prince_of_Cups at 8:16 AM on April 5, 2011


cortex assures me that you are a group that likes to get together for beers

Yes. We do. That statement is correct.
posted by spherical_perceptions at 10:33 AM on April 5, 2011


Did someone say beer? Will there be beer? Beer?
posted by Specklet at 12:30 PM on April 5, 2011


Beer!
posted by maqsarian at 1:10 PM on April 5, 2011


I'm kind of surprised I haven't already drank with you...

Well, we've probably been drinking at the same time, just not in the same location.

Did someone say beer? Will there be beer? Beer?

I sure hope so! Bad enough I'm out of the country when the NHL playoffs start, there better be beer! I have to say Bailey's Taproom sounds intriguing to me - I like to sample local beers when I am in a different place. But I will defer to the wisdom of the locals, who will know far better than I the places with the right atmosphere and are conducive to conversation.
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:24 PM on April 5, 2011


I think if folks are aiming for a "after work beer" around 5-6pm, TugBoat and Taproom would be a good bet. I wont have work starting this friday, so anytime works for me, if folks want to start drinking at 3 and claim tables as well.
posted by mrzarquon at 1:50 PM on April 5, 2011


My conference wraps up at 5, so I should be able to show up around 530ish I guess, depending on how far I have to go (and provided I don't get lost)
posted by never used baby shoes at 2:10 PM on April 5, 2011


If you get lost walking to Tugboat from your hotel, well, I don't know what to say.
posted by mrzarquon at 2:19 PM on April 5, 2011


That does look easy. I should have done my Google Maps work ahead of time :)
posted by never used baby shoes at 2:22 PM on April 5, 2011


BEER
posted by cortex at 2:37 PM on April 5, 2011


OK, let's get down to brass tacks - here is what I see as the options as presented:

1). The Tug Boat - sounds like it might be small and fill up on a Friday night

2). Bailey's Taproom - near the Tug Boat

3). Bridgeport Brewpub

4). The Leaky Roof


Having been to none of the above, I have no preference. I like the idea of the Tugboat or Taproom simply because they are very close by and if we are unable to get a table in one, we likely can get one in the other. The Bridgeport looks like a fair hike from my hotel. Can we agree on the Tugboat or Taproom?
posted by never used baby shoes at 2:46 PM on April 5, 2011


As I understand it, Bailey's Taproom does not have food, so we might want to take that into account if people feel like eating.
posted by maqsarian at 3:13 PM on April 5, 2011


I suppose if we get hungry we can always pick up and go somewhere else. Is there food nearby?
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:40 PM on April 5, 2011


Also, we'll have to plan a get-together at The Leaky Roof at some point or poor fiercekitten's going to, I dunno, explode or stamp her foot or climb up a clock tower with a high-powered rifle or something.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:45 PM on April 5, 2011


I think you should go to the Taproom, because I haven't been there yet and I would like to experience it vicariously.
posted by rtha at 7:26 AM on April 6, 2011


Hmmm. Looks like there are a few restaurants around - Sushi Ichiban up Broadway, Saucebox, El Gaucho, and it looks like the TugBoat might serve food (?). No idea if these restaurants are any good or what we are looking for.

Alternatively, we could go to the Leaky Roof and forestall fiercekitten's meltdown.
posted by never used baby shoes at 10:02 AM on April 6, 2011


Tugboat does have a pretty limited food menu.
posted by maqsarian at 10:28 AM on April 6, 2011


El Gaucho

On the plus side, if there's a NBA team in town visiting the Blazers chances are pretty good of seeing one or more of the players eating here. On the not-so-plus side, you pretty much need to be an NBA player to afford to eat there-- dinner for two can easily reach well north of $200...
posted by dersins at 11:19 AM on April 6, 2011


dinner for two can easily reach well north of $200...

But is it any good?
Or are you simply paying for the experience, and privilege to say "I went to dinner at El Gaucho last night, who wants to touch me?"
posted by nickthetourist at 11:50 AM on April 6, 2011


OK, a $200 plus meal is definitely not in my travel plans.
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:51 AM on April 6, 2011


And you guys can touch me without us going to El Gaucho.
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:52 AM on April 6, 2011


Now that I've creeped out the whole thread, let me ask if a meal/food is important to other folks planning to attend?

I'm open for anything - I really just want to meet some MeFites and have some beers with them. Food is nice, but I'm not stuck on it.

And I'm not really a creep in person, I just have a strange sense of humour that often comes out wrong over the interwebs.
posted by never used baby shoes at 7:19 PM on April 6, 2011


I am curious about this "Taproom" you speak of.
posted by fiercekitten at 8:07 PM on April 6, 2011


Aw, you didn't creep anybody out. That there was just a lull. I was amused.

We generally don't worry about food overly much for meetup purposes; it's nice to be sure once we've settled on a place that folks know what the food options are just so they can plan accordingly, but it's mostly about the beer and the hanging out and the beer. There's so much nearby downtown that anybody who is starving can make something work generally speaking.

I say we try aiming for Taproom, since it hasn't to my knowledge been a meetup destination before and that might be fun. Tugboat as a fallback and/or second stop. Friday night may just be sort of nutty crowd-wise no matter what so we can improvise a little from there if we need to.
posted by cortex at 8:18 PM on April 6, 2011


And the beer.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:47 PM on April 6, 2011


You can have food delivered to bailey's from the taqueria across the street. Which I know because I heart bailey's...
posted by momus_window at 8:48 PM on April 6, 2011


OK, Taproom it is. I am assured there is beer there, for those that might want beer. I'll put a start time of 5:30ish down, but I get the sense that earlier might be better - if I can duck out of my last session early, I will. Looking forward to meeting you all!

Aw, you didn't creep anybody out. That there was just a lull. I was amused.

Now I'm not sure if I need to try to be creepier or be amusing.
posted by never used baby shoes at 8:56 PM on April 6, 2011


Now I'm not sure if I need to try to be creepier or be amusing.

If you showed up dressed as a clown you would accomplish both.
posted by nickthetourist at 11:38 AM on April 7, 2011


I thought about writing "split the difference and molest a clown" last night, and then I thought better of it, and then I saw nick's comment, and that reminded me that I hadn't posted that, and I was pretty happy about that bit of responsible decision making, but then I typed this and hit Post Comment for some reason.
posted by cortex at 12:08 PM on April 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


Wore a clown suit to bed last night. Opinions on it varied - wife thought it was creepy, while I was amused.
posted by never used baby shoes at 10:49 AM on April 8, 2011


If we go to Tugboat, I think there's a reasonable chance cortex will spill a beer on you. I'm all for Baileys- because I always see it, and the taqueria, when I'm at tugboat, and wonder what they're like.

There are also a ton of foodcarts nearby, some of which will be open late night. We'll also be near voodoo donuts- so after a few beers, if the taqueria isn't providing suitable food (or doesn't fill the donut shelf) there could be a foodcart/donut excursion.
posted by Secretariat at 9:02 AM on April 9, 2011


Wore a clown suit to bed last night. Opinions on it varied - wife thought it was creepy, while I was amused.

Seeing as how you've got this creepy thing down, it might be time to brush on the amusing.


Anyway....Voodoo Doughnuts is a must. Haven't been there in months.
posted by nickthetourist at 12:13 PM on April 9, 2011


Sounds like fun - I haven't done a downtown food/donut excursion in too long!
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:34 PM on April 9, 2011


I am intrigued by your Voodoo Doughnuts and look forward to trying them
posted by never used baby shoes at 5:34 AM on April 11, 2011


Just make sure you stick with the standards. The crazy wacky goofy gimmicky ones sound hilarious, and are for about two bites, after which point they revert to just being yucky. Even the maple bacon bar gets pretty tiresome about a third of the way through, and I say that as a very strong proponent of bacon, maple and bars.
posted by dersins at 5:31 PM on April 11, 2011


Even the maple bacon bar gets pretty tiresome about a third of the way through

I will fight you.

Wait, better plan: I will eat the rest of your bacon maple bar.
posted by cortex at 5:39 PM on April 11, 2011


It's so nice to see Mefites working together to combat world hunger, instead of battling over resources!
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:10 PM on April 11, 2011


I never get tired of the bacon maple bar. Also, the Tang doughnut.
posted by maqsarian at 6:58 PM on April 11, 2011


I am intrigued by your Voodoo Doughnuts

Then feast your eyes on this: voodoodoughnut.com/menu.php

Additionally: I say, I am rather pleased we are calling them doughnuts rather than donuts. Carry on.
posted by spherical_perceptions at 7:21 PM on April 11, 2011


I believe I will invite the good people of Voodoo Doughnuts to set up shop in Canada. That menu looks awesome, and I will have to try the Maple Bacon Bar because my life will not be complete until I have.
posted by never used baby shoes at 9:00 PM on April 11, 2011


and I will have to try the Maple Bacon Bar because my life will not be complete until I have

Keep your fingers crossed that they're not sold out.
You may have to hit them up early, before you head home.
posted by nickthetourist at 10:33 PM on April 11, 2011


I have some downtime tomorrow morning so I will see what I can do to make sure I have the Maple Bacon Bar experience.
posted by never used baby shoes at 12:34 PM on April 12, 2011


I just read that the downtown voodoo location is closing for 5 weeks to enlarge their place after this weekend. So this is essentially the last chance to see the original voodoo. Not that the newer voodoo isn't awesome too.
posted by Secretariat at 10:08 PM on April 14, 2011


Went this morning. The maple bacon bar is good. Being right next to an X-rated theatre was amusing.
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:25 AM on April 15, 2011


And Tugboat/Taproom are a sneeze away from downtown stripclub landmark Mary's. You're getting Portland porn by osmosis this weekend.
posted by cortex at 11:35 AM on April 15, 2011


I won't be there at 5:30pm, but expect me sometime between 6:30-7pm.
posted by spherical_perceptions at 11:47 AM on April 15, 2011


I'm planning to be down a bit early, probably between 4:30 and 5:00.
posted by cortex at 11:54 AM on April 15, 2011


I got a feeling I'll be a lil early myself.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:35 PM on April 15, 2011


Well I myself will be late. Like 9ish late. If you guys crap out early or go elsewhere, please to drop a note in the thread...
posted by dersins at 4:44 PM on April 15, 2011


We're here, we're beer, get used to it.
posted by cortex at 5:12 PM on April 15, 2011


It is a very crowded space, we will annex tables as they get free.
posted by mrzarquon at 5:38 PM on April 15, 2011


I'm running behind (...stupid late-calling customers, mutter grumble...) but I'll be there around 6:45.
posted by Greg_Ace at 5:44 PM on April 15, 2011


We are slowly attempting to colonize the bar.
posted by cortex at 6:12 PM on April 15, 2011


Like mildew on an outdoor Bannister?
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:19 PM on April 15, 2011


In Vancouver, Canada on my way home. Lots of fun last night - thanks for coming out!
posted by never used baby shoes at 12:22 PM on April 16, 2011


In Vancouver, Canada

Thanks for specifying. You learn quickly!
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:20 PM on April 16, 2011



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