Bartini
2108 NW Glisan St
Portland, OR 97210 (503) 224-7919
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Best Nights: Wed, Thu, Sun
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
29 Reviews for Bartini
I've been here for Happy Hour 3x in the last week.. do I love it? Yes and no. I love the 1/2 price drinks but in all seriousness the day that I can drink 3-4 martini's and still walk a straight line (which happens every single time I go to bartini) means there ain't much alcohol in the drinks. BUT, having said that the drinks are like $3 so what should I expect?! The HH food menu is great and they have my new favorite.. POLENTA! Seriously, try it and love it.
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The martini prices aren't bad during happy hour, but they aren't very strong either (how do you make a weak martini?) Anyway, there is a huge variety of flavors to try, so you can try several and still be able to walk out. The food is OK. A couple of times my orders have been messed up, but overall it's not bad.
I sure miss the Brazen Bean. Their drinks were awesome, and I loved the space. My friends and I had to go on their last night
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When was the last time you went out with Andrew Jackson in your pocket and figured you'd be able to guzzle a trio of martini's AND order a pair of appetizers?
Including tip?
That's exactly what me and a friend did on a random Weds night at Bartini Happy Hour...
Highlights!
Outdoor seating: yeah there was plenty of people watching to be had (location, location, location). And we were able to grab a table for 2 without waiting. Thank you seating karma gods (side note - I ALSO got a good parking space! Nice!)
Polenta: get it - the mushrooms marinade/sauce that covers it is a nice compliment to warm cornmeal.
Tiramisu Martini - ok, this was my third, so maybe my taste buds were not all perfectly firing, but this DID taste like the dessert it is named for, and is almost as thick.
Low-lights!
Second Tiramisu martini was awful, WAY too much espresso, and signaled the end of our evening. Sigh. Gotta call it a night at 3?
The tuna tartar/sashimi was so small I laughed when it came out on the HUGE WHITE PLATE. It was like a smurf had climbed onto the table and cut up single 'normal' sized piece of tuna into three micro-sized pieces. Are they trying to tell me to eat less? do I look fat in these pants?! Heh.
All in all a good experience, and oh so easy on the wallet
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I'm really not into PDA. But I totally got a French Kiss at Bartini the other night...and it was kinda sexy.
Get your head out of the gutter! Am I the kind of person who would go around making out in public? Puhleeze!
The French Kiss [beverage] makes you feel just as slutty with a base of [FUC-you-up] Grey Goose, topped off with bubbling champagne, a luscious ring of strawberry puree that slowly integrates into the drink, and a floating strawberry. Sex...served tall.
I am obviously now publicly displaying my affection for this place.
I also dug the atmosphere that was great for late-night--black walls with hanging vases of foliage=love. Dim lights, candle lights, neon lights at the bar. The epitome of leather-daddy-goes-classy.
And there's nothing hotter than a happy hour menu that does it right! Half off drinks? Check. Cheap-as-dirt fare? Yes, yes, yes! The fondue was worth a try at only $5, but it wasn't nearly as good as I expected, and the bread was a little stale. And the burger wasn't anything special. Service rocked (especially coming from the slow-as-molasses 21st Avenue Bar & Grill), and the waitresses were courteous and quick.
I can't wait to go back for another fierce happy hour, and sip more sexy martinis.
PDA never tasted so good!
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The scene: Bartini.
Last Friday night.
Employee #1 = Are you here for our happy hour?
Us = Yep!
Employee #1 (to Employee #2) = Seat these folks over there. They're here for happy hour.
Employee #3 = (Brings menus to table) Here are the happy hour menus. I'll take your order when you're ready.
I ordered a surprisingly uninspired martini drink, and then another because I had to make sure I wasn't just imagining how totally weak the first one was. They're half price at happy hour, right? Two martinis made with store-bought mixers and almost no alcohol for the price of one, right?
Cut to... the bill. It's twice as much as it should be.
Us (to waitress) = Excuse us, aren't these half-price? It's happy hour, right?
Waitress = There's no happy hour on Friday nights.
We were totally duped! I'm giving Bartini only two stars because the velvet booths were comfortable and the music was low enough so that I could talk to my friends there without having to shout.
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I'm no James Bond. Meaning I don't drink my martinis 'shaken, not stirred'. I prefer the uber girlie martinis. You know, the ones that try not to taste like alcohol? Preferably with cream and chocolate.
For that reason I love Bartini! For Happy Hour. Half price drinks and $5 fondue, but mostly the half price drinks. I definitely only come after work or late night but always have a good time. Maybe someday I'll grow up and order a "real" martini... but until then I'll stick to the Snickertini.
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I agree with Chris M. It was a toss up between a 3 or a 4.
I went with 3 because it was good. Just good.
They do have a great happy hour but I feel like I definitely got a happy hour pour. I like my martinis to get me liquored up quick!
I didn't order food but my friends did and they said it was good but portions were on the tinier side. Again, happy hour price but happy hour portions....it's your call.
I like a place where you get everything you would normally get but cheaper! Like Serratto's happy hour burger. It's just as big and delicious as the dinner burger but half the price! Booyah!
So yeah, Bartini is good, not great. Since Brazen Bean just closed, I'm sure I'll stop by again this summer for some outdoor boozing. :) At $3.50 a martini, it's hard to say no.
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Rich, the bartender is great. The Polenta is great, when it's cooked right. The drinks are fun, the happy menu is yummy... but...
Service lately has fallen off (other than rich, and the super cool waitress with the blond hair), the happy hour food has been spotty... sometimes good, sometimes not.
There are so many other great places for happy hour and to eat in the area... I don't go back anymore because I never know what to expect. Bummer, because it was one of my favorites.
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I've been going to Bartini since the week it opened. They have seasonal martini's that are always a must try- cucumber martini? Yes please. Pumpkin martini? Definitely!
Their appetizer's are tasty, and not over priced. The drink selection is nice. Best value is during normal happy hour after work, or late night happy hour.
Comfy couches, intimate lighting and good drinks = a great evening!
Bet you can drink just one...
... because it will be all you have time for. Don't think you can come in at 5:30 and have a couple martinis before happy hour ends, because even only moderately full, the service will only allow for one drink before pre-closing time deadlines set in.
Having said that, I'd agree that most of the specialty martinis are pretty girly... but they do have a couple that will make even the most manly martini drinkers (is that an oxymoron?) grow hair on their chests. There's one (I believe called the Blue Sapphire) that mixes Pernod, Bombay Sapphire and blue cheese-stuffed olives...
On the food front, it's mixed. The fondue was good but the sausage was sort of overcooked on one side, resulting in little sausage chips that seemed more appropriate for table hockey than fondue dipping. The "black pepper chips and blue cheese sauce" seemed like it should have been more interesting than... well... black pepper chips and blue cheese dressing. And the New York strip skewers came doused with a generic, seemingly storebought brown gravy and "hollandaise" (cough) sauce that congealed quickly into a geletanous mess before I could eat it. On the plus side, the apples and pears that came as the fruit option with the fondue were lightly dusted with ground black pepper... and simply delicious.
I'd go back, definitely, but the Bean makes better martinis and Lucy's has better happy hour nosh...
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Me - What are you going to get?
Alice - I think I'll have the mango martini. What about you?
Me - I'll have the Lychee cosmo. And the $5.00 steak sandwich.
A little while later...
Me - How is your drink?
Alice - Excellent. Yours?
Me - Very good. And the sandwich as well. It looks like it would be tough, but it isn't. Too bad it's not after 9:00 on a weeknight. The drinks would be half off I'd be having another.
Alice - Oh, but even when it is not happy hour, the prices are quite reasonable.
Me - Oh yes, quite.
Alice - Have I mentioned I'm having immigration problems? I have to leave the country and then come back before next Friday.
Me - You're kidding! What are you going to do? I think I'm going to try the Thin Mint martini. You know, for dessert.
Alice - I guess I'll go to Canada for a day. Want to come?
Me - Sure. If we can go tomorrow.
Alice - How is the Thin Mint?
Me - Good! Normally I think alcohol and dairy mixed together is a food violation, but this is really good.
Alice - Okay, we'll rent a car and go to Vancouver for the night and then come back in and get my visa stamped.
Me - I hope we don't get a PT Cruiser.
Alice - Me too.
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My friends and I went there on St. Patty's and it was empty.
I was hoping this would help with the service issues, since I'd read all the reviews about how bad it can be.. The emptiness did help -- kind of. The bartender was really nice and complemented my green Chuck Ts and our waitress was really friendly and patient when we switched tables a bajillion times.
The food was good. We got the popcorn with truffle oil and Parmesan cheese -- thought it would be a little fancier -- it was pretty plain, the salmon mousse was more like cream cheese with a salmon flavoring -- I was expecting chunks o' fish -- but the drinks were delish! I had the strawberry shortcake, the sparkling mandarin cosmo and the cherry cosmo (I'm a sucker for a sugared rim -- well that sounds X rated...)
Here's the thing -- DO NOT ORDER THE FLATBREAD.
1st round it came out 20 minutes after the rest of the food
2nd round it came out an HOUR after we ordered. Luckily the waitress did not make us pay for the 2nd one, I mean someone in the group had already gotten two different plates in the time it took for the flat bread to come out.
The service other than that was good for us but I'm guessing its because we were the only guests.
ps: the cheddar fondue on the happy hour menu is super good -- but get it to share -- there is lots of it!
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It's a dichotomy. Ridiculously tasty martini's and snacks, disturbingly bad service.
Warning: the martini's are mostly frou-frou girly types, so if it threatens your manhood to sip on a carmel apple tini....
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it's a tough call whether to rate this a 3 or a 4. the drinks? fantastic, and fantastically expensive. the service? slow at best, though mostly friendly. the thing that makes it 4ish is the happy hour, when drinks are suddenly affordable (half price), and the happy hour menu is not unreasonably priced...in fact it is the only $5 fondue i've ever had, and it was totally worthwhile. the satay was decent as well.
but really, you go here for the drinks, which are creative and well done. and really, you should go at happy our, and order 2 rounds of drinks, and then move on down the street to cheaper spots to finish off the evening. unless you're trying to impress the lady and have a hundred bucks to drop for a couple hours of consumption.
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I absolutely love this place. It can be very busy at happy hour, so if you can check your ego at the door and accept the fact that you may not be the most important thing in the bar staff's life at that moment, you will have a good time! If you can get there early enough to get a seat in the back, it's the coziest place for a group of friends. The drinks are half price and the happy hour menu is well priced. I would highly recommend the fondue with fruit, bread, and sausage. I always bring my out of town guests to this place and they enjoy it. Definitely worth a trip to NW,
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Bartini has quickly become one of my favorite spots for late-night happy hour food and drink. I see a lot of people complaining about the service, and I can't really disagree....but I guess it doesn't really bother me too much. I definitely haven't encountered any rude service here, just slow. And I'm ok with that for the most part. Most of the time when I come here, my boyfriend and I are just relaxing and hanging out, and there's no rush.
I was a little unhappy with the service at first, but I've come to accept Bartini for what it is. No, it's not a good place for big parties. Yes, the service is slow. Yes, it's usually a little colder in there than I would prefer. But HAPPY FREAKIN' HOUR is where it's at, people. Delicious drinks for $3-4 a pop. Fondue, tomato basil soup and ahi tuna are good choices for food. I've ordered a couple martinis that I didn't really care for, but I've also established a few favorites that I often fantasize about. The ruby rose is my new favorite. My boyfriend says it tastes like grandma's perfume...I say it tastes like heaven. The Peach Bliss one is awesome too. They actually have some bad-ass 'manly' drinks, but my guy usually gets a spanish coffee, which they actually do really well. Bottom line? Go to the late night happy hour, come here knowing that the service might be slow, bring your significant other or a few close friends and indulge in some dirt cheap drinks. Just don't sweat the service-it's gonna take you awhile to peruse the extensive cocktail menu anyway.
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I was torn betwwen assigning 2 or 3 stars for this review. I have gone here a few times now: the food has been decent, and the service has been terrible every time. The food is fine but I always expect more than what I get in both quality and quantity. The most fulfilling menu item i've tried is the tomato soup which is very tasty. The most dissapointing was the grilled new york steak sandwhich. It was supposed to have carmelized onions and smoked tomato aioli. What I got was basically a steak burger though, with a single fat slice of charred white onion and some orange mayonaise. The fondue looks like it would be fun to try. Last time we were there our server tried her hardest to ignore us completely. She was busy: not with other tables but drinking and hanging out at the bar with the other employees. It took her over half an hour to get our food order and every time we wanted to order another drink we waited for 5 -10 minutes with empty glasses on the table, before awkwardly trying to wave her over. She was rude taking our orders, and finally to top it off 2 days later my roommate noticed that she charged her card twice. With 2 different amounts, neither of which were the amount of our tab before or after tip! What's up with that? Sorry for all those personal details but if I go so far as to call their service horrible I feel the need to back it up.
The 2 or 3 star conondrum lies in the drinks for me. The drinks have always been delicious, but extremely weak. I realize this might make me sound like a lush, but if my friends and I come in and order 5 multi-alchohol ingrediented cocktails each, we are obviously trying to get our buzz on! I Sadly, we weren't able to achieve this buzz until 2 cocktails later at brazen bean. Like I said I almost assigned an extra star just because their drinks are so tasty and creative, but ultimately we came in for grown-up drinks not some yummy juice.
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I went to Bartini on a rainy saturday afternoon to meet friends to kick off our night. I had the french kiss which was amazing and well priced for happy hour. I ate the seared ahi appetizer; another equally amazing dish.
The downside: They ignored me for almost 15 full minutes even though the bar was not busy. When they finally came to my table they acted like it was an inconvenience that I was there. The service was generally slow for drinks although the food was served quickly.
I would like to go back because I really hope this isn't how most nights are.
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Angela B's reference to the "Goth Bar" is spot on - the decor of Bartini is like the forgotten Disneyland ride "Goofy's Gothic Adventure." Phallic neon green lights hang above the one street facing window, thick black paint coats the walls, and the dark back corner offers adventures in black light bliss.
Yet however "Disney-fied" Bartini may be in its decor, it is accordingly the happiest-happy hour in Northwest Portland and this competitive advantage more than makes up for the off kilter interior decorating.
Let me illuminate -
During their 4-6:30 and 9-Close weeknight happy hour, every beverage on their extensive (120+) drink menu is half off. You would hope that the marketing genius who named the bar "Bartini" would not do so unless their Martini selection was up to par. Let me reassure you: Bartini doesn't disappoint.
A diverse and under $5 happy hour food menu complements the cocktails, including creative and local takes on salads, burgers, fondue, flatbread, shrimp skewers, chicken satay, ahi tuna...And the portions are decent for the price.
I'm an ambiance gal - but in some cases you give an inch to gain a foot...or something along those lines. Bartini is worth it. Trust me. If like in a Disneyland ride you find yourself fearfully thinking..."hmmm, I wonder what this place looks like when the lights are turned on," just take another swig of a refreshing martini or another dip of some delicious fondue and you will instantly remember exactly why you are sitting at the happiest happy hour in NW.
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The happy hour offerings are great but the service is consisently HORRIBLE!
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More like Barftini. (I know, how elementary school of me.)
One day I got all of my friends to leave work early and find parking in crowded NW just to come here. We had heard good things about it and wanted to try happy hour. What for? I'm still trying to figure that out.
Our server was extremely rude on top of ignoring us, though we were the largest party in the place. The drinks were mediocre at best and the happy hour menu leaves much to be desired. The duck tamale, is itty bitty, flavorless and dry. If I remember correctly, the cheese fondue is the only thing worth getting.
Avoid this place if you can. Chances are gulping a PBR while watching a Roseanne rerun would be more satisfying.
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I agree with Laura. The setting is kina freaky in a good way. My experience, however, was bad service, crowded, a vacant stoner dude checking IDs, and way overpriced food and drinks. I think they're reaping the "place to be" factor with out much to back it.
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My friends and I call Bartini the Goth Bar. The entire theme is black, black and more black. The walls, tables, and flooring are all...surprise...black! Typically black is sexy, but the color of Bartini is anything but and I find it completely annoying.
They have an extensive martini list with some creative concoctions that look pretty enticing on paper. However, order up when of those drinks and my experience is that many of them are way too sweet. If you stick with a classic drink, your chances are much better for getting a strong martini.
Order up the fondue from Bartini's menu and you are in for a treat. The fondue here is definitely worth it and makes up for where they are lacking when it comes to some of their drinks.
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yes, the service is spotty (i've had the best luck by sitting at the bar).
yes, the portions from the happy hour menu are on the small side.
but the craziness of half-priced martinis makes up for it!!
i've never gone during the early happy-hour because of the crowd that tends to gather. the place is typically empty once 9:30pm rolls around and, coincidentally, that's just when i'm ready for drinks. i'm alright with the small-ish apps that late at night. also, i think the size is appropriate to the price. my faves are the tomato bisque (ask for extra bread to dip in it) and the tuna tartare.
the space is dark and tiny (and often loud) so i don't recommend it for a group.
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I very much enjoyed this place -- go for Happy Hour! They have very good drink and food specials during this time. This place was very good for me because I love specialty martinis in theory, but in practice they almost always end up being just alcoholic brightly-colored sugar. Instead, Bartini has choices that involved crushed mint leaves and juniper or jasmine. Lovely flavor and aromatics, without all the sugary schnapps. However, don't worry if you like that stuff, because they definitely have an extensive enough menu to include all the sugar you can handle, too.
If you're trying the food, I highly recommend the cheese fondue -- excellent cheese!
The service wasn't super-speedy, but we were relaxing on a sunday evening, and it certainly wasn't neglectful enough to bother me.
Bartini has just about every martini combination you can think of. They do have tasty concoctions, but the service is awful. I've been here twice now and both times it has been so slow. The first was late at night and it was really busy, but just recently I went and the place was almost empty and it still took awhile. When you first sit down in it's almost to the point where you begin to wonder if there are actually waiters or if you are supposed to order at the bar. So don't be in a rush if you go to this bar.
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i don't know about "goth bar" but i liked this place!
ridiculously delicious drinks
almost too delicious
you forget there is alcohol involved
then realize you've been sitting there for 3 hours drinking
i was disspointed however that they did not have a drink named "Appletini."
we were looking forward to saying
"I'll take an Appletini, light on the 'tini"
then laughing at ourselves why no one else knew what we're talking about...
yes it's dark...
yes it's small...
yes drink cost $7-$8 (unless it's happy hour!)...
yes it took some time to first order our drinks
and yes i had to basically park on a tree 4 blocks away
but it was worth it
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A book full selection of martinis, cheese fondues, chocolate fondues -- all available till 1am -- this place is heavenly.
For us Indian people who can never make it to any place before 10 or 11pm, the food being served till 1am thing is ideal. I have never seen such an amazing spread of dipping items for chocolate fondue: aside from fresh fruits, they had cookie dough (two types), cheesecake, pound cake, cream puffs, macaroons, and some other things I can't even remember. Since it was my cousin's first time fondue-ing, we decided to stick with the basic chocolate, and got a tiramisu fondue as well. Both were amazing. And my rasberry truffle martini was like drinking a milkshake.
If I lived in Portland, I would visit this place all the time. Oh, parking's a b--- in that area though.
If Bartini were a prom, its theme would be "a night to remember." The walls are black with tall mirrors, the tables are black, the chairs are black, and I'm pretty sure the carpet is black. It's sort of like a cave, with strange green accents and tall ceilings. But whatever, because the martini list is an entire booklet and runs the gamut from fruits to spices and on to desserts like banana creme pie martini.
By the third you won't know if you're in Batman's lair or a black and white movie set, and you won't care.
It's quite small, so wouldn't suit tables of more than 5 very comfortably, but it's good for dates or foursomes. A very nice place to start a more formal date night (or the prom, whichever).
The adventurous drinkers are rewarded, particularly at happy hour, though it can get a little overwhelming to have the tastes of an entire snicker bar in a drink. Nuts? Chocolate? Caramel? It's too much even for me, and I have a serious sweet tooth. But there's many, many other things to choose from, so it works out.
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