On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Lounges, American (Traditional), Music Venues [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Lower Burnside, Northeast Portland, Central EastsideRent out the fireplace room for your intimate gathering. It is some of the highest profile good-valued real estate in PDX!
Announced 1 week agoMon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.
Loading...
There are so many great reviews here of Doug Fir, there is not much left to say. Doug Fir is a true taste of Portland and cannot be replicated. A great place to have dinner, a drink, and enjoy some great music.
If you come to Portland, you simply MUST experience the Doug Fir.
If you want me to try something -
just drop the word organic - and I'm sold (like 95 percent of the time)
Natural is just better.
When "attempting" to decorate my room - I've always stuck to organic woods - rather than sterile plastics or metals. When it comes to foods - fresh is better than preservatives. When it comes to clothes - soft organic cottons - are better than polyester (except if it's some killer polyester 70's romper). If I had a choice of staying in some uber modern hotel - or a quaint wood cabin - I'd pick the cabin.
So when I walked into Doug Fir - my heart beamed.
Doug Fir is a chic unique - and architecturally moving space - comprised of of big natural statuesque logs. It manages to reign in the natural - through stunning wood - while still keeping a modern feel. with sensual red lighting, and sexy low hanging lights.
It's genius surpasses more than it's construction though. As a venue it is all encompassing - with a hip outdoor area, an intimate acoustically beautiful concert space in it's basement - and a warm eating area upstairs. An eating area that serves up tasty cocktails, delicious pumpkin ravioli pasta, and my favorite - a crazy fabulous sounding breakfast menu (served day and night).
If this place existed in San Francisco it would be on.
Like Donkey Kong.
Doug Fir is what Bambuddha Lounge would be like on steroids - with a heavenly granola twist. No one looks out of place here. It's a spectacular and memorable space. For everyone.
Next time I come back to Portland I'm definitely getting the pancakes here, filling up on bellini's - while I kick back in their soft padded booths - and will make sure I catch a killer show. All enjoyed - with the sweet smell of organic wood everywhere around me
Trust.
Each time I've gone to Doug Fir, my personality is split right down the middle into two even bar-toting hemispheres.
There's one side that is, for some inexplicable reason, always reminded of Stephen King's "The Shining". Something about the immaculate douglas firs meticulously layered throughout the building rings true of a yuppy chateau. I feel a hankering to pull out my best turtle neck, raise my head high, and chuckle gleefully, champaigne in hand. This generally happens as I gaze upon the intimate dim-lighting of the main floor; the cozy corners, personal fireplace included; the slightly overpriced cocktail menu; and the chique, heavily mirrored, and sophisticated retro bathrooms.
Thankfully, the axe-wielding Johnny (played by a pre-Joker Jack Nicholson) is subdued, for the time being, once i venture down the stairs to the music venue locale. I have to proclaim that Doug Fir is one of the best local music venues: the architectural structures that combine cement ceilings, multi-height flooring, and douglas fir-paneled walls compliments the acoustics very pleasantly. The sound system is superb. And the lighting is at an optimal hue -- dim enough for one to be able to willingly bathe in the music, yet light enough to where one can actually find their $2 PBR and lovingly introduce it to one's mouth.
The shows Doug Fir books are generally quality and well worth the trip. But the average cost of $12 admission might be a factor that keeps me away more than it lures me in.
If you're looking for the perfect happy ending to an evening spent enjoying some good (local and global) bands downstairs, there's an adorable firepit out on the back patio. Even on chilly nights, the flames and interesting conversations will keep you warm. As will the nice views of Portland's wide open night sky.
A word to the wise: you can try joking around with the doormen, but they've pretty much decided they don't feel like smiling tonight. Or ever, for that matter.
Yet another of my favorite places to go for breakfast in Portland. It can get a bit noisy though, even at 10am... oh well!
The staff care about what they are doing, the food is made with a lot of locally made or grown products, and the look and feel of the place is relaxing.
The service may not be five-star, but it is far, far above the standard snotty Portland kid attitude you get a most places in town, and that I works for me.
The Doug Fir is a pretty awesome concert venue, because it combines the holy grail for good music listening - intimacy (the venue only fits 200-300 people), good sound quality, and ample sitting/standing choices. It's clean, beer is like $2-6, and the crowd is chill and pretty laid back.
I also ate at the restaurant upstairs. The portions were on the smaller side with food being a bit more expensive than I anticipated, but it doesn't hurt to eat a bit less. I had squash ravioli (mmm) and blackberry crumble (top wasn't crumble, but it was still good).
I'd totally come back here any time.
I didn't get to see a show here, but based the ambience and food, Doug Fir gets 5 stars. Our waiter recommended the Buffalo Burger, and it was fantastic. I'd never had Buffalo before, but I liked it more than beef. I paired with some tasty salmon chowder, which was another first for me. Unique food, awesome vibe. I'd love to come back and see a show here eventually.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? This place is Fantastic in every thing they do. I've eaten dinner, breakfast and late night here many times. I have been to numerous shows down in the lounge and It is in my top 5 best places to see a show. Just to brag on myself, that says a lot right there because A.) I am a total snob about music & venues. B.) I have been to many many many venues to see many shows and 3.) I just love to do that go from abc's to 123's or vice versa!
Go to the Doug Fir Lounge. You want to go to there! You will be happy when you go to there!
Cheers!
Okay, so I lied in my previous review... kind of.
There are actually five elements that all architecture can be based on, not four. While scholars have debated including the fifth for years, I realized after my most recent trip to Doug Fir that it needs to be mentioned here:
Pillars.
Well... columns technically, but regardless of what you call them, in construction they are the element that quite literally supports the whole building. And philosophically speaking, while the Doug Fir is pretty great, before my last trip here, I couldn't quite place my finger on what made the whole place work and what held it up when service was hit or miss. And then I figured it out:
The Venue.
My God.
The intimate performance hall underneath the main lounge is what really supports the entire Doug Fir experience. Located at the bottom of a long flight of stairs, it resembles the rest of the building with warm tones of red and green illuminating the timber walls and washing the exposed concrete ceiling and columns ever so softly. But light is about the only subtlety you'll find, as the rest of the experience is a total sensory overload.
Walking into the venue halfway through a set, and I couldn't believe my ears. If I ever get a chance, I'd like to shake the hand of the acoustician who worked on this place. The sound quality here is phenomenal, and easily as good as any major performance hall in the region. It's very rare that a band sounds as good in the front row as they do in the far corners, and they hardly ever sound decent before you even get into the room. Like most venues, the closer you are to the stage, the easier it is to see what's going on. However, the entry landing that you walk onto before heading to the stage serves as an additional spot to get above the crowd for a clear view of your favorite front man or woman.
I can wholeheartedly appreciate what it must take for a performance to go off without a hitch, and make sure everyone has good time in the process. And for that, the event staff that runs the place are pro. From the front door crew that gets you through the ID check and ticket line in a matter of seconds to the security guys who have to break up screaming and hair pulling chick fights after the encore, the entire team should be commended for job well done.
This has instantly become my favorite spot to see a show in town, and it's apparent that I'm not alone in that sentiment. So for the 5th Element, Doug Fir deserves 5 stars... and averaging that with the bar above makes it a sold 4 star place. After having attended one of the best shows I have ever seen, I can say that I will never turn down another opportunity to see a performance here again.
(and I'll try pretty hard not to lie to you either.)
I realize that one more review for Doug Fir is about as useful as one more for Powell's or Voodoo… Read more »
OMFG, best breakfast ever!
Fellow yelper Kathleen M and I were planning a hike on Mt. Hood and wanted a big, yummy breakfast to start our day off right. Doug Fir, FTW!
We showed up before 10am on a Saturday morning and were greeted and seated instantly. Two hot mugs of coffee showed up moments later. However, the word "seated" doesn't exactly do justice to how my hung-over ass felt in their sumptuous, cushioned booth surrounded by log cabin chic decor. "Enthroned" is more like it. My day was off to a perfect start.
After a quick confab with my yelpmate we decided on a plan of attack. We told our server we'd like to split the banana hazelnut pancakes and the satyricon scramble (a tangy blend of feta, tomatoes and kalamata olives with a side of golden fried potatoes). Almost five minutes later they brought our scrumptious feast out to us--split up onto four plates, which I was not expecting. They didn't even charge us a split plate fee, which I was expecting. The food was delicious and my coffee mug was kept filled and warm at all times. The atmosphere is fun and the service was simply stellar. I will make a point of returning next time I'm in Portland--and maybe catch a show too!
The Doug Fir has my vote. This is simply the best music venue in Portland.
Sitting over on East Burnside, and now a full 5 years old, the Doug Fir was founded in the year 2301 (or at least it looks like it) and designed by Portland's Skylab in a quasi-futuristic-retro-hunting-lodge-meets-60's-fi eld-rock-meets-crystal-moose-head style. I remember this place going in and wondering who the hell was building with life-sized Lincoln Logs. I sure as hell am so glad it's become such a fixture in Portland's music scene.
For me, the Fir is all about the venue and the bar upstairs. Yeah, the restaurant has those super awesome silver-ball light fixtures, cool puffy booths, and that classuc LA Diner-meets-Swingers style, but the fireplace room upstairs, the expansive porch with fire pit, and the downstairs venue are what shine for me.
Every show I have attended in the basement has been a treat. Nowhere in the venue (except for possibly the small area behind the bar and the small area behind the sound booth) has an obstructed view. Every spot in the house is a pretty damn good one. The sound more than fills the room (and how anyone can say the sound here sucks is beyond me... maybe an off night, but I've been in music for years... this sound is plenty fine). I have no idea how many people it holds, but even at capacity it's not a crushing crowd. They allow reentry, so you can go get fresh air any time during the show if you need.
Being this close to national and international acts is how I prefer to enjoy my live music. Once the venues get bigger than this, the sound is lost, the intimacy is lost, and, well, it's just too big.
The drinks are plenty strong and, as far as music venues go, not overpriced. The only downside (and this goes both ways) is that they won't let you run a tab downstairs. I understand the reasons for this, but I rarely roll with that much cash. Fortunately, the tenders are quick like lightning with the cards, so it's not that bad. Whatever. If that's my biggest complaint, I'm lucky.
Upstairs there are tons of little nooks and cozy corners to get lost in. The design and awesome soft yellow lighting make for some good gazing. It has a comfortable feel to it, unlike other bars with retina-burning CFL's or much-too-dark, dimmed halogens. It's plenty light in there, but no squinting. That's a detail I think gets too overlooked about this place. The lights are flattering.
Just like the Showbox in Seattle, the fact that a show is taking place at Doug Fir is an added bonus for me. I take out-of-towners here to see that Portland has some spots that dare to be written up in national magazines. And while the general bar crowd here is not necessarily my style, it's not as imposing as it was when it first opened.
Happy Birthday Fir. Keep it up.
I went to the Doug Fir Lounge for my birthday a few years back and I had a great time here. We sad in a booth and there were mirrors right behind us. We couldn't get that 80's song "Mirror in the Bathroom" out of our head, even though we were not in the bathroom. I thought the food was great, the decor was random, I think they have the old school vibe going. Great Portland place to visit.
I really really enjoyed this place -
Not only is the venue itself gorgeous (and perhaps a little kitschy) it draws a really laid back crowd. I went to see to the clumsy lovers a little pessimistically. I wasn't sure if the band was exactly my style, but figured why not and went. If the band lacked anything, I didn't notice - the crowd brought such a good energy that I think I would loved any band. The space itself really contributed to that vibe - it's all very open and it's hard not to get a good view from anywhere in the bar.
Plus, the drinks were made stiffly and the service was friendly. I would recommend it as a place to go hang out with a group or by yourself and whether you're there to see the band or not.
A woodsy themed venue with a googie, retro flare. Really, did they make this bar for me? Seriously.
Food was good, the drinks were great, and the staff was very friendly.
If I lived in Portland, I'd check this place out all the time.
I will certainly check it out on my next trip to Portland.
i'm writing more about the place as a venue than anything else. i mean, sure their beer isn't cheap and their tickets are about $10-20 depending on who's playing, but whooooo cares when one of your favorite bands/frontmen of all time (shall not disclose who at this moment) is playing at a very clean, not-so-crowded, but yet intimate venue where even a shawty like me can see the stage from anywhere (yes, ANYWHERE!) in the room! if you've been going to concerts and shows for as long as i have, you really can't ask for more (well, maybe cheaper beer). plus, the design is kinda cool and i still can't get over my favorite aspect of the place...IT'S CLEAN.
i still need to try out their happy hour menu seeing as i like moderately priced beer and food. oh, one day doug fir, one day.
Most of my friends are pretty hippied out, but I'm "bougie" as my friends say. So when I came to visit Portland--a city which has specialty stores to buy all of your new-age alter needs, a city whose population looks like 4 Non Blondes from that "What's going on?" video--I was craving some glamour. Doug Fir isn't South Beach, but thank god it's here.
The decor is posh lodge. The food is really fantastic. The drinks are great. And the place is jaw-droppingly cheap during happy hour. Only downside, from the lounge crowd (I haven't been to the concert venue), it's clearly post-peak. As in, the Saturday night I went it was 2/3 law and medical students and 1/3 not-hot chicks. I even heard the guy next to me tell a girl who looked like she cast spells "Please, I'm begging you to come sit over here." So the jeunesse dorée of Portland have probably moved on--like to California--but at least your chances of having an intellectual conversation are pretty good.
Sometimes, the ghosts of cities-I-have-lived-in past comes to visit me. I say things to it like, "nuh uh, ghost, not on my watch" or "get behind me, satan!" but it keeps on pestering me. It whispers evil things like "go...spend a lot of money...go to the land of the fancy...downtown...things will be great when you're...downtown".
BUT, I live on the east side of Portland now! I resist downtown to the best of my ability. On the streets, they call me "Ela "fighting the good fight (but only from the East Side) M." What's a girl like me to do when she wants to show off her gams and sip sippables at a super-sexy spot? Well, I'm going to the Doug Fir!
I usually preface any visit to the Doug Fir by looking at my friends and asking what our wallets hold and whether or not we need to feel super sexy. I never have to dress super-sexy but this place throws enough vibe to cover location AND my wardrobe. In a word? Daaaaaaaaang.
Go, make model pouty faces, drink a lot and walk into walls in the bathrooms (they're all mirror). Be sure to think about how hot you would have been in the 70's, go on, you'll like it.
Much as I lurrrve the transcendant accoustics & uninterrupted sight-lines in the space age log cabin music space, your ticketing policies just...suck. Not only does the box office only sell tickets for a show on the day of the show guaranteeing that you either have to buy your tickets online & get gouged or run the risk of the show selling out & then being gouged a lack-of-foresight-day-of-show-tax. But the final slap in the face? Apparently your minions are so listless that no one could be bothered to update your rambling recorded phone message from hell listing the lineup for the evening nor the show calendar webpage. That's right, despite checking both prior to going to the show, we didn't find out until we had already schlepped ourselves there that in fact there was no show due to cancellation. Oh, & thanks for configuring your infernal phone message so that it's impossible to speak to an actual human being. Now that's going the extra mile. Enjoy your lumps of coal this Xmas....
this space age cabin with great booking talent & lovely acoustics could be hipster hell but it… Read more »
Four Stars for Happy Hour! I think they got rid of the waiters? It makes sense, if there are no waiters then you know to get off your ass and walk to the bar to order. The bartender was very attentive and fast. The food was decent and the drinks were good. $3 wells, $3 food from 3-6. It truly is a happy 3 hours!
I give Doug Fir 5 stars for the excellent venue downstairs. The sound system is one of the best in… Read more »
Came here to see Ramona Falls while on vaca. Great venue: good sound, good sight lines, which is important for a shorty like me. Guy told me a couple times to clear the stairs, but people remained standing there, and so did I.
Maybe it was too loud to hear the bartender, but I didn't really notice any microbrews on tap, and saw a lot of people drinking PBR. Seriously, Portlanders -- PBR?? I love you anyway, but it's time to let that stuff go.
Great place to go out with friends or to watch music. Excellent bar tenders too!
If I lived here, I'd hang out here. The staff can seem distant; but they're all really cool.
Good beer, good food (and Happy Hour specials), great staff. Diverse crowd. Great performing space, and lineup. Big, outdoor patio. The beer selection is limited; but not embarrasing. They have a Lagunitas on tap; so, they respect the (high) ABV. Great if your looking for a $10 buzz.
Staying at the Jupiter while in town for the weekend birthday party for a friend. Hit the bar during happy hour last night, and limped in this morning after a rough night. Thoroughly impressed with both visits. Sat at the bar both times. Quality barkeeps-- friendly without being chatty, knowledgeable, and attentive.
Great bloody mary, and this morning's breakfast was a true life-saver. On it's own, the Jupiter Hotel leaves much to be desired, but the Doug Fir has certainly made up for any shortcomings on the hotel side.
Big fan.
Love this place, especially the fire pit and $2 strawberry cake. I would not go there with more than three to four friends, since seatings are hard to find, even outdoors.
The food and drinks are fair, but nothing to stop you on your tracks. Doug Fir is for music lovers, so if you're one, stop by.
It's a good place for a pit stop before heading out for the night.
I haven't been here in a long time. Not since I was around 21 I think. That time I sat in the restaurant section and drank frou frou drinks with my pinky out.
This time I came here on a Friday night around 10:30PM with my out of town cousin and his in town friends. We were looking for a low key kinda place. I haven't really gone out in Portland. I lived in Eugene during college and then moved to Seattle, so when it comes to finding low key places, I left it up to my accomplices. They were dead on.
There wasn't a lot of seating in the bar area, and the cool booth areas were all occupied. One thing they do have is a huge silver moosey head. It's on the way to the bathroom. If you are short like me, you might not notice it because it's just out of your peripheral vision. It's enormous. We sat outside. there is an area with picnic tables and benches and just a little beyond that is a fire pit. But it's not a pit as it's raised. Oh it felt so nice. Surrounded by chairs, benches, etc. this place gets really crowded. So, do like I do cut through the crowds to make it to the bathroom.
They have a small but tasty selection of beers ($4/pint) and the drinks were delicious, I'm told. Service was a little surly, but the girl singer from the Cardigans was there that night; I think any sort of celebrity sighting turns the douche factor up a few notches.
This place is also a good place to go for white boy eye candy. Thanks yous, Doug Fir. Thank you.
Don't go to the Doug Fir if its Tuesday night and you're looking to get hammered and listen to some good music, and possibly dance. This is not the right night for that. We went there on a tuesday because we didn't know better. Initially the music was good and then it wasn't. Around 12:30 or so bartender the genious that he is (sarcasm ladies and gentlemen) decided he is going to put on something you'd here in the middle of east bumblef**k nowhere. It sounded like Johnny Cash on heroin and E. This instantly killed my buzz and changed the mood as about 50 people left in a matter of minutes. When I question the bartenders choice in music he said that he wanted to change the mood and slow it down a little. He slowed it down alright, damn near shut the place down. This was my one bad experience at the fir and unfortunately for them I don't forget those. I'll go back again but not on a tuesday, and not after midnight, and not if that loser bartender who doesn't know good music if it bit him in the ass is still working there.
If you MUST have one thing on their menu for breakfast it should be the Laluna Scramble. For lunch/dinner it should be Cheese fries and their Blackberry Cosmo. Mmmmm cosmo!!!
The food is the bomb and Amy is one of the best bartenders in town. Every time I visit their joint, I am surrounded by awesome service providers that get it. Right on DF. Happy B'day. I was five once...
The Doug Fir is legendary in the indie rock world so I was very happy when I realized I would be able to catch a show here during my visit to PDX.
The actual performance space is downstairs - you definitely feel like you are walking into a log cabin. The bartenders were super friendly and poured them stiff.
The stage is at the opposite end of the bar - there are seating areas on the sides and a smallish floor in between the stage and the sound booth. Sound was awesome. (Also giving up props to the guy playing music between the sets - Mates of State, The Blow and Menomena. Awesome...)
A great vibe overall. Will most definitely be back here again on return trips to PDX.
I was immediately a little put off by the asshole door man but I let it go once I was greeted by the beautiful smiling hostesses in the restaurant area and the relaxing ambiance.
My boyfriend and I were seated in a huge round booth with a nice view of burnside. Our server was attentive and quick to come around with a big bottle of water and bread. I ordered the Mac and Cheese and am sad to report my disappointment. It was pretty much Alfredo sauce with pepper and cheese sprinkled on top. For a Mac and Cheese enthusiast such as myself, that just does not cut it. The dining experience itself was nice, I just wish the food would've followed suit.
After dinner we headed downstairs to see the show. I was really taken with the decor, it had a very warm feeling..I felt like I was in a hip cabin! There was ample seating and standing room and the acoustics were great. I plan on seeing more shows there...just maybe getting dinner someplace else.
A true story follows:
Two nights ago, after a solid few hours of scaling the walls at the Portland Rock Gym, my belay partner and I were in search of some tasty beverages. We felt a little underdressed for Noble Rot and were thwarted in our attempt to visit Farm Cafe (closed for expansion??) so we settled for the Doug Fir.
I was charmed by the decor in our corner of the bar - a cozy fire and comfortable areas to curl up with my frosty mug. They move up exactly one star (from zero) for the bathrooms - I nearly lost my balance (and sense of self) in there a few times - and NOT due to intoxication!
After a few drinks our conversation turned to the pair of pants my belay partner was wearing - a pair of knee-length army green wool breeches from Andy and Bax. Sadly, I was informed that A&B only stocked one size of the pants - the size my partner was wearing. Since he and I are about the same height, I was intrigued. Being told that he had bought two pairs and that I was welcome to the other pair if they fit, I was further intrigued. I suppose we normally would have waited until a future date to do a pants-fitting, but made the mistake of turning to me and jokingly saying "well, we COULD go to the men's room and change pants." Clearly I needed to make this happen.
We scurried into the bathroom and prompty switched pants. I donned his wool breeches (which fit despite being a few inches too big in the waist!) and he (with only a hint of embarrassment) put on my yoga pants. As I was twirling and admiring my reflection in the wall, a security guard threw open the door of the stall and ordered us out.
Still laughing, we went to gather our things. When we paused momentarily, he angrily informed us that we "CAN'T STAY. GET OUT."
And so we did. Willingly.
So many questions remain, though!
- What were we supposedly guilty of doing? Drugs? Having sex? I find both ideas alarming since the guard walked in right when I was saying "they're great, but the ass sags a bit."
- Of all the questionable characters that frequent the Doug Fir, we were the ones to get in trouble? I was in yoga pants and toting a gym bag! (Clearly packed with bricks of cocaine.)
As we walked out the front door I heard the guard say to the bartender "They tried to tell me they were switching pants."
It's okay, Doug Fir. You'll never get another penny of my money, but I got a sweet pair of pants out of the deal. They're keeping me toasty right now as I write this review.
The Doug Fir. Everyone loves it or hates it. I love it. I've always had good food and decent customer service. Everyone thinks that this place is a hipster hangout. Guess what? It's Portland and you can say that about Applebee's in this town.
I like the decor and the food options. The basement is great for shows and they have good national acts that come through. I've not been treated wrong at the Fir. It gets my 5 star rating.
P.S. - I'm not a hipster or an employee of the fir.
I've been to Portland a few times and always wanted to check this place out. My friends and I wandered in here late on a Saturday afternoon and were stoked to find that they were having happy hour, on the weekend!
Everything on the menu was $3 and the food was decent. I definitely recommend ordering their burger, but stay away from the organic tomato soup. It pretty much tasted like they poured a can of Ragu into a bowl and called it soup, gross.
Other than the soup everything else was great. Really cool atmosphere and patio, nice bartenders, and good service. And, they sell cigarettes!! That really sealed the deal for me!
While staying at Hotel Jupiter for a couple days, I was able to have a couple meals at the Doug Fir Restaurant. I have eaten here a couple times and the things to order here are the sandwiches and burgers.
I had the Beef Fir Burger w/ pepper jack. It was pretty decent, your average gourmet burger. Nothing stuck out to me at all about this burger. You have a couple different options with toppings, cheeses and meat selection. So depending on how you build it, it could be pretty good. The beef was juicy, but was smaller than the bun, which I found annoying.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I had the Bossanova Scramble one morning. Scrambled eggs with ton's of pesto in them with some tomatoes and parmesan cheese. This was decent but kinda grossed me out a little with all the pesto and parmesan. The other breakfast items look good here.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
3 stars for the food
5 stars for the design and atmosphere
This is a very cool place and worth have lunch or seeing some live music at.
This place has great food. It also has some of the coolest design you will ever see. The mood set… Read more »
I stayed at the Jupiter Hotel recently for business. It was kind of refreshing to not have to order room service or eat in a depressing hotel restaurant. Breakfast was simple, delicious and cheap! I really dug the retro vibe and styling of the restaurant and lounge. Almost felt like I was in Twin Peaks!
I know that if I lived in Portland I would a regular of this bar. I have not one negative thing to say about it! The meal I ate here was delicious. And our server was awesome!
The atmosphere of this place is amazing. I love it. I am sad that we didn't go sooner in our vacation, but it's probably for the best. Otherwise we may not have seen much else.
Gosh I like it here. Especially for shows that are undersold. You can crowd up or hang back. Drink... or not... sit by the glowy cubes in the corners and chat a little. The ambience and design is all great. The prices are typically great. The crowd is typically low key....
I can't wait to sometime do a Jupiter Hotel overnight stay/DF Lounge rock and roll overnighter.
+ The fire pit is great
+ out door seating
- they serve wine in a cup? HUUUUH!?! (that is just dumb)
- food is average
+ acoustics in the venu are very good
- the venue downstairs is to clean and bright... If you spill your drink at a show it seems like everyone will notice... I like dark, crowded venues... A place where you can jump up and down like crazy and now one will notice
3.5
Cool Venue!
Great Service!
Decent food.
I brought a friend visiting me from Los Angeles here since I felt the venue accurately represents Portland. Modern Log Cabin is something I would never have thought of.
One side is a cool diner feel and the other is a cool lounge feel which leads to a large patio. Downstairs is where they have live bands play... a great P-Town Place to check out.
I had the almond crusted halibut with mango salsa and rice rice pilaf, which was quite good and a very large portion. The fish was a little on the dry side but the salsa made up for it.
My friend had the Scottish Salmon which the portion was much smaller in size a bit more bland that expected since it was described as glazed but still quite good.
We also had the crab cakes as well which were made with a lot of crab but I felt that it was a little on the dry side.
Our rice pudding bread was very dry so we had to send it back but I am taking into consideration that is was a late Thursday night. Next time I go I'll try to check out the live bands downstairs:-)
NEG:
Street Parking!
I don't think I would come here during the weekend because of this.
food:
why all the rules, fir, why?! rules about onion rings, i mean. yes, really.
first, let it be said, these are some amazing onion rings, and well worth jumping through some proverbial hoops (pardon the sort-of form-based pun). however, you cannot order them in the bar, ever, and there are only particular hours you can order them in the dining area. apparently if you're staying at the jupiter, you can order them just about any time you damn well please, but taking up permanent residence at the jupiter to do so does seem a bit nutty...before you've tried the onion rings, that is...
drink:
average; some 'cute' signature cocktails, moderate prices, decent pours.
show:
not sure why but i took my damn time seeing a show at this venue and oh, what i was missing...the scale of the place is simply great. not so tiny you feel claustrophobic, but not so big you feel miles away from the stage. it's also pretty great that there's some seating to be scored along the edges if you get there early enough. we saw the ting-tings here a few months ago and it was a ridiculous amount of fun. ...even before our random new russian friend bought us 3 rounds of vodka shots. in what felt like 10 minutes.
scene:
portland is hipster-infested, so that critique is a moot point. yes, there are hipsters, and punks, and those too cool to ever look up from their iphones, and whatever else, but it's the typical portland crowd of part apathetic-part friendly-mostly drunk that somehow fits all sorts.
design:
high five, skylab architects! yeah, it's kitsch, a bit contrived, but clever, enduring surprisingly well, and with some fantastic details - the giant wood beam above the upstairs bar, the stacked-timbers of the downstairs bar, and oh, that awesome light-up floor.
I went to talk with the general manager in person (Tuesday, 4 days after first lunch). It turned out to be the same person with which I spoke on the phone on Saturday morning. He was extremely apologetic and showed me the credit card transaction report showing the second charge marked as 'not for payment' on the transaction ID. What's interesting is the second charge, which was rang 6 minutes after, was listed as $43.50 on their report ($52.20 = $43.50 + 20% gratuity). There was nothing that really can be done by either party at this time, but he did graciously offer to buy my lunch, which I declined.
There are a few things I find most interesting about this experience:
1) The waitress came to the table and asked if we were on separate checks before ringing and obtaining payment... however, she still rang my card for my lunch... then on the same check number (Doug Fir's credit card report confirms this) rang the total amount for my table. This is almost certainly a server/training error. One which has cost me time, money and a *considerable* amount of frustration.
2) In person, the manager was helpful and concerned. He genuinely seemed troubled by this incident. Especially when I mentioned the Yelp review. I did not mention it to 'throw weight around' or 'scare' him, only that I used this forum as a sounding board for what step to take next and if anyone else had experienced trouble in the past with either the Doug Fir or other restaurants.
Update: I received my refund on Wednesday, 5 days after the first lunch. The manager called me later that morning to ensure that I received it. While I still feel this is a staffing/training issue and unacceptable, I'm going to call this case closed, with a satisfactory handling of an unfortunate incident.
So, I'm not sure what to do here. I had lunch at the Doug Fir for the first time yesterday with… Read more »
I am one of those people that don't go to shows. Once a year I go to something random or something I really, really want to see.
I've been upstairs for a fruity martini a couple times and sat at the cherished seats outside, but I didn't make it to a show until this past weekend to see Margot and the Nuclear So & Sos (woo, yelp win!) - finally, I went to a show at the Doug Fir after 5 years in Portland!
My friend and I arrived about 15 minutes before the first act. All the seats along the wall were taken, but there were available chairs at most tables and we grabbed seats on the stairs and remained their through the first act. We technically could have stayed there longer comfortably, but after a couple beers (albeit $4 for a plastic cup of microbrew, can't really complain at a show - but the bottle of pabst was $3, lame) we moved to the front of the room.
Both the room and the stage had a laid back vibe, nothing intimidating. Who knew I'd enjoy myself downstairs at the Doug Fir?
Oh wait, everyone else in Portland....
Neighborhood: Southeast Portland
Category: Cajun/Creole
Neighborhood: Northeast Portland
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Mississippi
Category: Music Venues
Neighborhood: Lower Burnside
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Northeast Portland
Category: Hotels
It's a little unnerving to write so many 5 star…
i love this little gem on the willamette, but mama…
Places that have resulted in me becoming deaf,…
Some of my favorite places around the country to…
Eat at these places at your own peril! You've…
This is certainly no exhaustive list of Portland…
When bands come to town I am compelled to see them…
When I'm in lovely Portland, Oregon, you'll find…
