tapstrebor

Tucked away downtown

Not even a block south of SW Burside between 20th and 21st and hiding behind the big red door of the Pennoyer building lies a throwback to a different time. The not too distant past saw small, hole-in-the-wall venues like this scattered around town. Dark, smoky, and not entirely friendly yet oddly intriguing. There isn't a bad seat in the small space (assuming you can find a table or booth) to be had. Tickets are almost always covered by a Hamilton with local and national acts filling the bill. Sure you can have your clean air with big name bands, but this little dive reeks of character and is a great place to hide from the world for a few hours.

Home to such festivities as Noon Tunes, Tuba Christmas, and Flix on the Bricks, the square is the center of downtown Portland and the perfect place for people watching. Grab a cup of liquid energy from Starbucks and take in the businessmen, street kids, tourists, and anyone else stepping off of Max or just wandering through. It truly is the pulse of Portland.

Flicks, food, and brews

The combo can't be beat and though Mc Menamins has plenty of cinema pubs, this one is in the great 'hood of Hawthorne and has phenomenal interior and exterior architecture. If you like that kind of thing. The food is solid, the beers are extraordinary (Hammerhead Ale = perfection by the pint), and $3 is the right price for a movie if you can wait for it to leave the megaplexes. Oh yeah, the popcorn is tasty and free soda refills are a bonus.

Best music venue in P-Town

The Doug's excellent acoustics and cozy environment (thank you log-covered walls) make for one of the finest concert-going experiences in town. The bookers get local and national acts. There is live music downstairs almost every night. Upstairs is a restaurant that feels like a Twilight Zone version of Denny's. Sorry - no Moon Over My Hammy on the menu. Add to that a huge outside patio and a dimly lit nook inside to throw down some tasty libations and you have a great all around place to hang, hipsters and squares alike. Plus you can always crash at the Jupiter Hotel across the way if you really enjoy your libations. What more could you ask for?