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LOVE THIS PLACE. To have your tastebuds sparkling with something new and wonderful is what the Teardrop is all about. Each time you go into this place it's basically a new drink list and another new mouthwatering adventure. The bartenders here definitely have some skills and the owner is almost always around working his butt off while tossing out ridiculous concoctions.
I recommend the Coupe de Jour.
Teardrop was the third stop of the night for Kathleen and I on our Pearl district restaurant crawl. We had heard they have the best cocktails in Portland (actually, our impish bartender at Clyde Common said second best), so we were anxious to try them out.
I have mixed feelings about Teardrop, hence the three stars. On the one hand, I was impressed with the dapper bar staff and the enormous array of house-made bitters and other ingredients. Every cocktail is crafted with skill and care at this establishment. On the other hand, I thought their menu of cocktails was so complicated as to be confusing.
There were numerous drinks with ingredients I couldn't place--and in the end was left guessing which cocktails I thought we would be most likely to enjoy. Turns out I guessed well for Kathleen and poorly for myself. She enjoyed the "garden variety," which was Nova Loca cachaca, strawberries, balsalmic, basil, Benedictine, lime, egg white and bitters. I thought it looked like a murky brown and tasted a bit like grapefruit. I chose the "high hat," which was a blend of Four Roses bourbon, the house's own sweet vermouth, house amer, green chartreuse and house bitters. It was much more bitter than I like and a bit of a let-down.
The real problem though was that I honestly had a hard time navigating the menu. I think I'd be hard pressed to find something else I want to try. If I return, I would stick to a more traditional order--like a manhattan, which would undoubtedly be of top quality.
We weren't too hungry but wanted a little something to munch on, so we split an order of spiced edamame. It was a tasty and light snack--exactly what we needed. I enjoyed the spices too, as it made it a little more zesty and interesting than usual.
Teardrop is an excellent bar and I would definitely return, but it may be too sophisticated for me to fully appreciate.
I need to get used to the Pearl District/Portland bar scene.
I'm used to going out to places in Boston- waiting in line, paying a cover charge, entering to noise, loud music, flashing lights, being pushed around by boisterous Sox fans, shoving my way to the bar, shouting my drink order, and paying $25 for 2 drinks.
This is not the scene out here. It's quite the culture shock. We went to Teardrop Cocktail Lounge for the first time the other night. The place is cute, intimate, and classy. The bar is absolutely beautiful and the bartenders were hard workers who knew what they were doing.
While they are a full bar, I was sort of disappointed in their specialty cocktail list. The list wasn't very extensive and didn't really have what I would consider "lady cocktails" or dessert cocktails on the list. I feel like it was more tailored to the guys with more of a focus on bourbons and gins. I think a specialty cosmo or espresso martini would make such a splash on their list, especially for ladies such as myself. Also their menu wasn't very extensive at all and featured more organic, elegant snacks vs. the light late-night generic snack. Something like a light spinach and artichoke dip would be appropriate for their menu and tailor to the needs of those who aren't looking for something that fancy.
We went to the Teardrop on advice from our hotel bartender. We wanted traditional made cocktails and a laid back atmosphere. Upon walking into the Teardrop it was a bit awkward. The wonderfully inviting open windows in the front lead you into a very cold industrial interior with mis-directed lighting on the walls and in the rafters. There is wonderfully exposed wooden beams in the ceiling that if the light was focused on, would give a nice warm feeling to the place. But I digress.
The service was exceptionally slow and appeared agitated when we asked questions about the drinks. The extensive choices of bitters was great to behold and wanted to try creative concoctions highlighting them. However what I received was a mish-mash of flavors that never really blended together. Maybe the bartender was off that night or that is how it is supposed to taste, but I sent it back as it was undrinkable.
My boyfriend had the Jasmine and it was superb and not listed on the menu, it was something the bartender suggested. I ended up with the punch and it was good, the herbed ice cubes were a fun addition to the drink.
Overall I was disappointed with the place. They were cool about changing out my drink and not charging me for the one I didn't like, that's why I gave them 3-stars. I'd gladly go back and give it another chance, as so many others had a great experience with this place.
When I go out to eat or drink I want something different. I have enough liquor in my cabinet so just ordering a gin and tonic is kind of a waste, I tend to go for the exotic.
This is why I like Teardrop.
Atmosphere is very similar to me as most of the pearl district lounges. Service is nice and fast with engaging information about the drinks. She was nice enough to bring me a sample of their homemade tonic. The bar uses a lot of bitters and they even make some in house (points for that).
Both drinks I ordered I had the same experience.
The first drink was an ode to the weather changing - a a hot buttered rum, which for a little more they would add some foie gras butter. Which I was curious enough to try. I know, I know I shouldn't be eating that, but we will save the ethical talk for another time.
The second drink I ordered was a gin and a homemade tonic. The reviews on both drinks are actually the same. I liked what they were trying to do... but I wouldn't order either of them again.
I gave it a solid 4 for service and creativity, I will return on a later date to try other drinks on their menu. I wouldn't be surprised if I jump it up another star.
I like what they are doing they have a great idea. Bringing classic mixology techniques and knowledge to modern times. The bartenders are very knowledgeable and the food was good. From hearing so many good things about the cocktails and being a fan of a well made drink I was really curious. But I was a little let down in the way that the drinks weren't balanced well. Extremely original but something was always overpowering or lacking or a little off kilter. the bartenders were really nice though. Be patient when waiting for your drinks, they take time to prepare.
Teardrop is a nice little escape on a rainy day - yes it's on the foo-foo side but the drinks are luscious. The cocktail menu is inventive yet without needing dictionary dot com to look up every ingredient. Surprisingly good bites to go with the cocktails as well, and service was good. I'm not a big fan of a lot of places in the Pearl, but will definitely keep coming back to Teardrop.
What a fun concept. Bryan (Brian?) was super helpful, so nice, modest, and very knowledgeable (as we all know- none of which are pre-reqs for a bartender). He catered to us while we were short of barking orders for new drinks to try and make this, and we like this... yes. the boys were like kids in a candy store. The drinks are inventive and well worth the money to just watch, none the less try. Eggwhites and starfruit and god knows what else? yeah sounds really too weird, but it tastes much simpler than the ingredients in it. Everyone should at least try it once :)
Oh and they have a pretty darn decent sake list that I partook in as well.
Because I've raved about SF bars: The Alembic and Rickhouse, I've gotten recommendations to check out Teardrop (including a rec from the beverage director of Rickhouse) from a couple folks. Went in on a Thursday night, the place wasn't busy. There were some dressed up folks and a lot of older men with skimpily-clad women...honestly, the crowd reminded me of bars in Santana Row in San Jose, CA (with the exception of some older dude who looked like he was wearing crocs with PJ bottoms with a necktie and a t-shirt).
Luckily the bartender/server was pretty nice and helpful with his drink suggestions. There were some seasonal cocktails and I ordered one that he described basically as an alcoholic version of Orange Julius, complete with foam on top (courtesy of egg white) which I happen to love. The drink was pretty good, and I think it would be better on a hot day because it was so refreshing.
Though I only give it a 3, I thought my drinks were good and the music was great too...just a 3 because of the crowd.
Sometimes Im just in the mood for a good beer. Other times Im up for a crazy alcoholic concoction. Luckily, I was up for the latter this particular evening. I can really appreciate a bar with bartenders who actually know what they're doing. Well made, well balanced drinks. I couldnt even taste the liquor in one of my drinks, but it was there alright! A lot of care goes into the drinks here and you can really tell as you watch the bartenders prepare them. Just like a culinary creation, these drinks are an art.
I only dock a star because the place itself lacked a good crowd or any kind of real vibe the night we were there. Although I imagine on a crowded night, getting a drink here might be tough considering the amount of time that goes into each drink.
Sweet Jesus. Finally. A bar for the rest of us.
When I say the rest of us I mean people with an acquired taste. I love craft cocktails. I hate drinks that try to mask the taste of the alcohol by dumping a bunch of sugary shit in my cup. I love alcohol. More importantly, I love the side effects of alcohol.
These men are alchemists. Think mad scientists with a divine love for the cause and solution to all of life's problems. Awesome, right?
These cocktails blow my mind. The menu changes frequently which means they're constantly experimenting and their commitment to the craft makes me grateful that I live in Portland. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see their elaborate collection of house made bitters and tinctures. It's nice to see a bar take so much pride in what they offer. I highly doubt it'll end here. Craft cocktails seem to be a trend picking up all over the city, and I couldn't be happier about it.
Since these drinks pack a punch I only need about three to do me in. It's been a blessing for my pocketbook.
They also feature guest bartenders from out of town, and one night I was lucky enough to stumble in there when they had a bartender from Brooklyn. Holy shit were his drinks good.
Now my only hope is that people catch on and stop drinking crap like Scooby Snacks and Long Island Iced Teas. Those drinks suck. If that's your thing then this bar isn't for you.
Great mixes, be prepared to pay a premium - $8 to $12 per drink. I liked the rock garden in the corner of the restaurant that gave the inside an outdoor modern feel.
They had a special mixologist from New Orleans the night I visited that was making new drinks I had never seen. Didn't get a chance to try any food, maybe next time.
Get dressed up and come here with friends for a date with some of Portland's finest cocktails.
Eclectic crowd, very nice staff, very interesting and appetizing drinks.
The eclectic crowd part probably needs to be explained.... we saw people in suits, people in flip flops and shorts, people in pajamas with neck ties (i kid you not!), people on birthday celebrations with dates who they appeared to have just met that evening and other people who danced by themselves to almost non-existent music.
That said the window on the side of the bar is this amazing sliding collapsable thing and it really caught my somewhat intoxicated eye.
The drinks are made with care and the bartender and waiters are all very knowledgeable about what they serve so don't hesitate to query them or ask for a suggestion. This is a place where your cocktail may take ten minutes in the making and it will be worth every second of the wait.
We were visiting Portland recently and instead of clouds and rain, we had blazing sun and temps in the 90's, so we decided that all of our drinking and eating for the weekend needed to be outdoors.
Out first stop was Teardrop Lounge. Great tables on the sidewalk and amazing cocktails and sangrias. The staff is friendly and efficient. The prices reasonable. The space is modern and sleek.
We hope that our next trip to P-town brings the same weather. If it does, we'll be spending the weekend at a sidewalk table at Teardrop.
To be fair to this place, we only had one drink while we were there. We didn't really think anything on the seasonal drink menu would be any good, but we ordered Love in the Afternoon, made with their homemade Basil soda. My wife described it as umm, "interesting". Her friend described it as nasty...LOL.
Maybe their other drinks taste better, who knows. We'll have to give this place another try sometime.
I've only been here once and it's my new favorite place. Or it would be if I were rich.
I spent the early afternoon at the International Beer Fest with some friends, and when we left we were just tipsy enough to decide it was a good idea to go out for cocktails at 4 pm. Why not, right? It was 5 o'clock in Idaho, after all. There were only a few people there so we basically got to monopolize the bartender and talk fancy booze with him. When we had questions about what something on the menu was, he would pour a little in a shot glass so we could try it. My friend Max and I both requested the Coupe de Jour, which is whatever the bartender feels like. I ended up with a cocktail made with fresh strawberries and gin, and Max's was made with cherries, rum and chocolate. I don't think I have had a better cocktail in Portland. Max and I shared another Coupe de Jour afterward and I have no idea what was in it but it was delicious.
I am not really an alcohol snob-- I'll drink vodka and tonics made with well vodka at Sandy Hut any day-- but after going to Teardrop, I might have to become one.
I read about this lounge in a NYTimes article about how mixology has come into vogue, honorably mentioning Portland as one of the hot-spots in the nation for this new trend.
Glancing at the cocktail list, I knew maybe 10% of the ingredients. Amaro Nonino? Green Chartreuse? I was stumped.
The mixologists were very, very helpful with our questions, using big words like "austere" (which my friend, having only a vague idea of what it meant, asked me to define for her once the mixologist left our side).
Each of our cocktails came in different glasses. Mine looked miniscule, but packed a punch. Three-quarters of the way into it I felt its effects (but that might've been attributed to the absinthe in it).
If I came back here, it would be during happy hour when the cocktails are a bit more affordable.
What a great place to have cocktails with friends! Not too big of a crowd the night I was there, but it was perfect. The drinks were to die for! The bartenders definitely know their stuff, amazing!
Spectacular drinks. I don't think I've ever said a $9 cocktail was worth every penny before, but every drink I've tried here is just based on the alcohol content alone. The fact that the drinks are interesting, delicious and fun to watch being made is just icing on the cake.
A great find in Portland! This place features a circular bar with plenty of seating though it is a small space.
The drink menu is an interesting read, having the most unique and strange mixtures! I don't quite remember the drinks we ordered, but mine was a timeline of how gin has transformed over the years. I loved the server's quick history on my drink too.
The Teardrop Lounge is not necessarily for your Dixie regular whose poison of choice is the vodka cran - sloshed into a heavy glass with manicured hands, stirred thrice to the rhythm of the silicone-breasted "bartender" wearing a fluorescent shade of lipstick called "neon vixen." It is for someone who can differentiate between carefully-selected ingredients in a cocktail, or at least appreciate the unidentified; someone who prefers innovation and perfection, and most importantly, who doesn't mind paying $9+ for a cocktail of which they might not know half of the ingredients, who loves to throw around the term 'pre-prohibition.'
Shaped like a Teardrop, a piece of plexiglass suspended from the ceiling holds a selection of fine liquors and mixers, some of which are perfected by the "mixologists" at Teardrop (i.e., their house-made tonic). High bar stools surround the visual centerpiece, while long/low cushy seating hugs the window that opens out onto Everett on warmer days. Two rows of seats line the periphery, making this small lounge seat decent numbers for its size. The simplicity is reflective of the elemental philosophy that make their drinks delicious; individual, unique parts to create a cohesive whole.
Happy hour doesn't give the same price cut as other places, but that's because unlike other places, happy hour is not a sacrifice of quality. It's a gesture, to cheapoorasses like myself, that we too can enjoy Portland's dedication to craft spirits. Food is scant, but worth trying. We shared delicious biscuits that I remember as being just the right amount of crispness and heartiness, even if they did take awhile to come out. My cocktail of choice was a gin sling. It was refreshing and complex, classic yet subtly inventive. Bartenders, excuse me, mixologists are knowledgable, friendly and unpretentious (well, most of them).
This is not the place to go to get drunk, unless you have deep pockets, but instead to savour a meticulously crafted cocktail in pleasant and refined company. I wish that for every bad bartender interaction I had, every tank top and push-up bra trollope or inattentive, ugly-mustachioed jerkoff, I could have a cleverly-named, brilliantly-conceived drink from Teardrop to remind me that there are still people in the world who care; who possess the skills and knowledge necessary to make something truly spectacular.
Portland, Oregon... meet Craft Cocktails.
Now that we've made the introductions, let's get down to business.
Teardrop is a place I have been longing to check out since it opened, but I have been avoiding like the plague because, well, it's in the Pearl, and I know what a place like this attracts in a place like the Pearl.
That said, I finally got a chance to wander in at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon, and I found exactly what I was looking for. A nice, mostly-empty bar with a decent atmosphere and 2 hot-shot bartenders pouring amazing cocktails. These are the kind of cocktails that get me excited. Both traditional and updated recipes, niche liquors, house made bitters of all flavors. These guys aren't just mixologists, they are alchemists. They turn base ingredients into gold.
I did what I always do at places like this, and ignore the menu. I turn to the bartender and ask him what his best drink is. When he picks up the menu, I tell him to put it down and tell me what HIS best drink is - the one he loves to make and thinks it is his best creation. 6 times out of 10 I get an amazing drink. The other 4 times, I get a pissed off bartender... and then an amazing drink.
On this occasion, I ended up with a traditional Sazerac made with Cognac. I was impressed that the bartender who was pouring was not only from the south, but knew all about the history of the drink he was making me and why it was traditionally made from Cognac. So of course, once i quaffed my delicious cocktail (the world's oldest, you know), I told them to make me a different drink, bartender's choice. I ended up with some delicious drink made of bourbon, juice (I normally hate drinks made with juice) and egg white foam, and it tasted like a fresh, dewey North Carolina morning. So amazingly good.
Now had I entered this place when packed to the gills with Pearl types, I probably would have bolted. Well, I would have tried at least one cocktail. Then I would have come back for happy hour. That's when the bartenders can take the time to not only make your drink like a true craftsman, but to talk to you about what they are up to.
Don B... Meet your new favorite craft cocktail joint on the west coast.
This time I was a little disappointed...
We had the lady server and she seemed to be a little on arrogant side.
When we requested specific alcohol and they didn't have it she was a little snide saying they had better alternatives.
It was fine to offer alternatives but she didn't need to be snide about it.
My friend I just wondered in earlier tonight. I was pleasantly surprised how hip yet quaint it was… Read more »
The rumors of high-brow mixology are all true. I spent half the time surreptitiously looking things up on my iPhone. Totally stumped. The exceptionally mindful bartender provided me with questions to attempt to divine my truest cocktail-ness. It wasn't corny, he asked rather erudite questions that I might have expected from a sommelier.
What resulted were two words that will haunt my days:
Burro Punsch
I will confess, gentle reader, that my initial impulse to sample this devilish concoction stemmed from less than genteel amusement at the name. How droll. As it happens, this is a fiendishly delicious cocktail. Utterly original in every painstakingly beautiful detail. I have entered a world that is both sacred and profane, and I shall never be the same.
Whether the wizard who prepared it surmised my adolescent motives or not, he remained warm, friendly and non-judgmental. He even went so far as to show me the bottle of every single ingredient, tell me where they could be purchased, told me the history of it and let me shoot snapshots of each label with my phone. He seemed sincerely and genuinely pleased that he could facilitate.
One gets the distinct impression that these are people who love what they do and derive real pleasure from doing it. That makes this place very special.
We'll be back. Mark my words, we WILL be back.
This is hands down my favorite bar on the west side of Portland, and my second favorite in the whole city (first being Mint/820).
WTF is pistachio gastrique? Why does it blend so well with foie gras argmanac? There is not one drink on the menu (martini flight aside) that I know for a fact what each ingredient is. And really, that's half the fun of this place: you never know quite what you're going to get a taste of the first time you order something here.
The food is GREAT, though I usually don't come here to eat. I've stopped in with friends for happy hour a few times though, and the small plates are cheap and perfect for sharing. And, I am happy to say, I usually can confidently identify the main ingredients in the dish. Gold star for me, 5 stars for Teardrop.
Modern, upscale place. I was wandering around with a bit of time to kill on a sunny, Saturday afternoon, and saw this place.
A large circular bar, with maybe 15-20 seats, liquor bottles on a large teardrop-shaped, clear, plexiglass shelf hanging from the high ceilings.
The place was pretty empty when I wandered in, with 3 people outside, and myself the only one at the bar.
My cocktail of choice is a gin-and-tonic, and the bartender recommended the local Ransom gin, offering me a taster of it. I took a sip, and knew that's what I wanted. He then asked if I wanted their house tonic, which is made in house and offered me another taster. The tonic, like the gin, had some coloration to it, so I asked what was in it - while he didn't know off the top of his head, he went and got me the answer, and the list included peppercorns, juniper, red pepper, etc. I loved it, and the gin-and-tonic I had was delicious.
I also tried their poblano peppers, stuffed with mushrooms and feta, and topped with a cilantro/jalapeno relish. Definitely not what I would have ordered, since I couldn't imagine that list of ingredients going together well at all, but recommend to me by the manager (I think?).
Anyway, the peppers were delicious, with the feta and mushrooms providing a great contrast to the mild pepper. (The relish didn't do much for me though).
Wouldn't be a regular watering-hole for me, as the above set me back $18, but the knowledgeable staff, fantastic selection of premium liquors, and interesting menu would definitely make me visit again . . .
Mixed reviews about this place.
Great decor, wide open spaces, and enough tables and bar space for several groups. However, they had interesting drink specials that didn't necessarily work. It seemed like all the drinks on the menu given to us had brown liquor in it. Wierd.
Salad days- yuck. It tasted really bad like a woodsy earth drink in your mouth.
Original- A watery fruit punch. A little better.
Flowing Bowl- eh. The cognac overpowered everything else in the mix.
It is an okay place if you order away from their menu, which seemed experimental because the flavors did not work and were a little overpriced in my opinion. There were probably only 3 happy hour food on their menu, but at $3 each, a good excuse to try them. A good place for the adventurous group with a palate for the usual combination of ingredients.
All of the bartenders here are very serious about their craft, and on the cutting edge of the New Cocktail movement. They're equally at home putting together the best classic cocktail you've ever had, or challenging your tastebuds with creative new approaches. If you're trying something new off their list, pay attention to what is included in it; they're very good about identifying the ingredients and very open about explaining unfamiliar (or house-made) ingredients. Not every drink works for everyone, so be prepared for the occasional misfiring. And the best advice anyone has provided: sit at the bar and watch them work.
The only dings: it gets crazy crowded (good for them) and I seriously hate the loud music. But your mileage may vary.
They have food? I never would have guessed.
After a night at Teardrop Lounge, I have been given an entire new appreciation of the craft of bar tending.
The overseer of the bar program, Daniel, does NOT eff around. His expertise is evident in his careful preparation of every cocktail; from the squeezing of fresh juice, careful measurement of particular alcohols, use of spices/bitters/flavors, and his incredible overall creativity, I am farely confident that no one can be more of a professional and knowledgeable than he.
Jeff from Clyde Common suggested I take a trip to Teardrop. I ate at Bluehour beforehand, so I cannot comment on the food, although the menu looked limited. It's apparent the emphasis is on the DRINK, as it should be.
The interior itself is gorgeous. Smaller than I would have thought, but never overwhelmingly crowded. In fact, even though I was there way into the night, I waited no longer than 3 minutes for a beautifully hand-crafted and innovative cocktail. The main focus is the large circular bar in the middle of the room. Overall, the interior is somewhat industrial, but keeps a welcoming yet slick feeling with the warm with the use of gray, warm wood, and orange/red accents. In one corner of the ceiling, a large piece of drapery is hung, playing black and white old school movies all night. The music is audible, but low enough to be able to carry a conversation easily.
I was blown away by Barbara Lynch's new "innovative" cocktail venue, Drink, in Boston. Teardrop is 10 times better than Drink for the following reasons: they squeeze the juice immediately as you order your drink, have at least 30 different kinds of bitters, makes their own tonic, club soda, ginger beer, etc., has a fantastic drink menu as well as the ability to ask the bartender to improvise, and displays their alcohol, as opposed to keeping it hidden behind the bar.
One of the COOLEST things they do at Teardrop Lounge is that they physically crush their ice. As in, put a ton of ice blocks into a hemp bag and beat the crap out of it with a wooden paddle. I kid you not! However, if your drink calls for full ice cubes or a legitimate "ice spear" (the bartender decides based on what you're ordering) those are available as well.
I had Daniel improv for me the entire night, and he came up with some of the most delicious, beautiful cocktails I've ever had. The drinks I had ranged from a Singapore Sling with a twist, to Daniel's take on my request of a "Gingery Mojito". I asked and attempted to write down exactly what he was putting in my drinks... one has a combination of Martinique Rum, ice spear, house ginger beer, Jamaican bitters, cloves, vanilla, fresh lime juice, cloves, and all spice! WOW!
Honestly, this place is THE place to go in Portland for cocktails. I know Portland is a beer city, but give Teardrop a shot. You won't be disappointed. If you don't believe me, read about them in Food and Drink Magazine, any numerous blogs, or in literally every Portland magazine in existence.
This place is heaven and I'd be more than happy to die here.
I walked by this place for months before ever going in. It just seemed too "Pearl Bar" for me, you know? I expected it to be one of those places where they'd put anything in a martini glass and call it a tini. "Soy-tini anyone? It's soy sauce and vodka garnished with a California Roll! So delish!"
So, I begrudgingly met some friends there for happy hour on the perfect day for me to discover Teardrop, Repeal Day. I'm not sure what I had, but it was the color of a lavender blossom and tasted of awesome sauce.
This is the spot for classic cocktails with a DIY Portland twist. The owners infuse booze, make their own bitters and stock some stuff I'm pretty sure you can't even find in the liquor store.
I have two words for you--Happy hour. 4-7pm mon to sat I believe. 5$ cocktails for some of the most amazing drinksI have ever had. They make other bars look like liquour stores.
If you are in a group or just wanna splurge the sangria--sake, pino grigio, spices, and fruit juice, is amazing. A great place to celebrate.
I don't even want to yelp this place.
Seriously.
I don't want anyone else to go here and I definitely don't want an infestation of cheese balls and cougars and possums to ruin this wonderland of old time cocktails packed with brilliant levels of soul, love and kick.
I don't want the masses to know.
I just don't.
But because I love it that much, I have decided to yelp it as a way to tell the cool, the genuine and the real cocktail enthusiasts about it before it's too late.
So Go.
Go now.
Save yourself a seat at the bar.
Let Evan make you what ever his bartenderly-gifted little heart desires and drink it with sheer satisfaction and adoration.
Order the Corpse Reviver #2.
Be tempted by the Venial Sin.
Throw caution to the wind with an Aperol Fizz
Get dizzy on a Jerez Swizzle
And stick that martini glass holding pinky out as you treat your senses to a Pink Lady.
Do it.
Do it now, people. Before it is too late and I'll be saying I told you so.
"Teardrop is..."
I started writing a review for Teardrop two weeks ago and only got as far as "Teardrop is." I couldn't think of anything to follow up with, and I think it's because Teardrop struck me as pretty mediocre for a trendy bar with 12-dollar cocktails (which all taste like those mixtures you made as a teenager using a little bit of everything from your parents' liquor cabinet).
I noticed a pretty strict dress code at Teardrop. Men in their early 30's, congregating around each other celebrating the closing of the Atkins account, silk ties slackened around beefy necks. Girls are significantly younger and decked out in their sexiest halter dresses, hair pushed up and back into bouffants. My boyfriend and I were terribly under-dressed, and if that weren't bad enough, he had to ask the bartender WHAT BEERS THEY HAD ON TAP. I died inside, then promptly ordered the most expensive thing on the menu to remedy the situation.
It tasted like diarrhea. Diarrhea with a habanero-infused green tea bitters finish.
But the bartenders are cheerful and attentive, and the space has a chic industrial vibe, so I choked down my muddy cocktail with minimal grimacing. I'm sure if I had a more "refined palette" I'd enjoy the drinks more, but for now I'll shy away from the place until I get a more affluent sugar daddy.
(and P.S., Yelp is trying to tell me that "habanero" isn't a word. THAT'S RACIST, YELP.)
This place is really Pearl-like, so I've been told, but I moved from LA, sooo trendy it's pretty much the norm. Trendy places in LA tend to deliver mediocrity when it comes to food and service. That wasn't really the case here.
It's cute and quaint & the bartenders are ultra attentive and patient (I always have issues ordering cocktails). They made me drinks I had never heard of before and each one was made with care.
I started w/ one that was earthy, one that had anise notes (from the absinthe), and ended on a citrusy one (yes, I had to go lighter as both my asianness and girlness kicked in).
The liquor is set on a teardrop shaped hanging glass shelf in the middle of the lounge. They have 3 rows of tiny blue bottles full of various oils and essences.
The crowd here ranged from a little artsy weird to fancily dressed.
The nibbles menu on the site hasn't been updated for Fall yet, but we had a shredded chicken on a sope with red mole and figs in a blanket which were figs stuffed w/ mozz? in a puff pastry in a balsamic caramel sauce. My coworker was all over the protein & I loved the balsamic caramel figs (double dipping was def involved).
As long as the snoots stay away, I'll be back for sure.
Teardrop is hotter than a fresh faced Fox News weather girl.
The cocktails were spot on, although I could not identify even one of the multiple ingredients. The bartenders were truly dynamic -- somehow both equally attentive and industrious. (read: HOT.) And for crying out loud, Heat was showing on an exposed concrete wall.
In fact, it seems that the only downfall Teardrop suffers from is over population from its own press and popularity. Quite the paradox, no? Many evenings, it can only be as hot as the hot pants Pearl clientele it attracts.
I'd return in a heartbeat.
For the food anyway. I ordered the rissotto and lamb kefta (meatballs). The risotto came with sausage, shrimp and chicken. It was a good sized portion for $6. The meatballs came on a long plate and the harrisa sauce was pretty good. It was worth the $8.
As for their specialty cocktails, I tried the $9 "Sometimes A Great Potion" and it came in a beautiful glass. The bourbon was pretty good but why the fig balsamic gastrique in it? What the hell is even gastrique? Or cynar? It smelled a bit funky declared another yelper. I just smelled the "hellfire" bitters they used.
I also tried their house tonic with vodka and I can't say I'd order this again. I am pretty sure I will not get malaria from the amount of quinine in the tonic.
Two others at the table didn't like their drinks at all. And another stuck to rum and diets. I guess it's hard to mess up a two-ingredient drink like that.
Service was pretty friendly. The lounge is comfortable and the restroom was clean.
As for the well cocktails, they are more reasonably priced at $5 (though my vodka tonic was $8 since it was "special").
This might be the sort of place though to sit at the bar and chat up the bartenders to truly get that individualized cocktail experience.
2.5, rounded down mainly because the expensive "sophisticated" drinks weren't that great.
[update]
I looked up gastrique which is essentially a thick sauce.
And cynar is an apertif...with at least 13 ingredients including artichoke. Huh? Holly hell, no wonder my drink was crazy.
The drinks at this place are awesome, there is some serious mixology going down behind the bar. House made tonic, drinks that blow your mind. I don't know what goes into the drinks or how to pronounce it, but it think its pronounced DELICIOUS!!
Wow. My visit to Teardrop last week has made me regret all the time I spent in other, lesser drinking establishments in Portland. Okay, sometimes you just want a nice local brown ale and some cheese fries, but when I think of all the cocktails and all the happy hours I could have been drinking at Teardrop instead... well, I need to drown my sorrows. Preferably in one of their amazing hand-crafted cocktails.
Perhaps the best way to describe the cocktails at Teardrop is to compare them to excellent wine. The only time I've experienced this level of complexity, fragrance, and sheer deliciousness has been with a nice glass of Ridge Geyserville zinfandel, or an $80 club-member-only bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. Did you know that a scotch-based cocktail could taste like a mai-tai, except more delicious? Neither did I.
It's too late for me to regain all the evenings spent drinking inferior martinis, but at least I can save you. Go. Go to Teardrop, now, before it's too late.
Talk about, another, love-hate relationship!
I really love the cocktails at Teardrop. They are delicious, inventive, and fresh. They make their own ginger beer, tonic water, and tinctures... That's right, plural! They have a whole rack of them and they are all awesome.
I also love how much the bartender, David, loves Campari. He has made several special Campari cocktails for me, along with an excellent negroni.
I really enjoyed my spicy edamame. Yum!
What did not love was the decor... It just shouts, "I'm in the Pearl and I try too hard." Ugh. The blue-swirly horseshoe-shaped bar is not nice. I could go on... But, you get the picture.
And, what is with the videos?!?!
Also, I did not like the looks of the rest of the food menu..
The worst is that, at least last night, the Teardrop Cocktail Lounge was douche-bag central! With the leader of the douche-bags present!! Really, really painful!
To sum it up: Cocktails? amazing!!!! "vibe"? Not so much!
we went for the happy hour and i would definitely go back and try it out for dinner. the bartenders were out of this world. SO nice and fun to watch. visions of high school chemistry class came back to me as i watched the two create some amazing libations. my sister and i took my mother who rarely finishes A drink...we talked to the bartender about mom's love for spice and her disdain for sweets and he whipped up some amazing concoction that had ginger in it and that's all i recall now. mom drank it up.
we also tried the poached yellowfin with green bean salad topped w/olive tapanade. YUMMO!
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