Bar of the Gods

“The weight of Ann Taylor Loft Dscourse” 🧙🍺👨🏻‍🎤🧗 SE Portland hums around me—traffic lights and neon buzz. Skateboards clatter past on cracked concrete. I lean against the brick, cigarette glowing, headphones humming my chosen world. I take them down from my ears. She’s talking—rambling, really—about all the corporate chains she loves at the mall. You know, any mall that somehow stands “thriving” at the end of the world. She tells me. I say “as if” in my head. Cheesecake Factory, Sephora, Bath & Body Works like they’re constellations only she can see. Her boyfriend arrives, all eagerness and inertia. She pivots, starts the whole litany over, same cadence, different audience. He nods along. I pull the headphones snug, tune out. The smoke curls upward, carrying my silence with it. One cigarette later, I pull the headphones down. She hasn’t missed a beat. “Ann Taylor Loft,” she says, with reverence usually reserved for gods, or graves. He nods again, dutiful acolyte in the cult of chain retail. And me? I’ve already passed the test. The mall won’t swallow me. The spiral won’t take me. I stub the cigarette, pocket my headphones, and step back into the night. Portland’s waiting—messy, loud, uncurated. The real story’s not in the mall. She and I did connect over a recent gift to my goddaughter: a Clair’s gift card. The banter was unexpectedly sweet. This place has a great patio, better bartenders, sidewalk seating, and plays Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies.

Just moved to Portland went with some friends that live here. Bartender Grant was very cool and nice made jokes with us and held conversation.. the vibe is fun and dark but it's definitely a place I'd go back also a pool table if that's your thing

Most luxurious looking dive bar I’ve been to. Habanero margarita was amazing.

Absolutely one of the most underrated bar food spots in Portland! The menu delivers way beyond typical bar fare it's reasonably priced and served up with consistently great service. I’d come back here any day of the week!

Classic dive bar, all dark and disgruntled. IDK something didn't seem quite right, not bad just off? Random weeknight visit so who knows. I'd still drink here regularly, no drama type of bar. They got a pool table and some digital distractions.

This is a fun dive bar with great drinks. The bartender was great at giving drink suggestions. Love the vibe of this place. Give this place a try!

Be aware Europeans, your ID or driving licence is not accepted here so they won’t let you in. Just literally got told by the bouncer at the door that my foreign ID is not valid there.

Great local watering hole with stiff drinks, decent tap list and friendly staff. They didn't mind that we brought in a pizza from Apizza Scholls. An easy place to get your barfly on.

Kipptopher is the best bartender. He always remembers my drink, puts on the spots ball I want, and is always making sure his guests are taken care of. My drink of choice is the Kentucky Mule

A neighborhood treat! What's better than a good happy hour?!? Add sports and generally good music playing. Great staff and bar food I'm sold! Long live BOG

Every time I have been here I'm pretty hammered but seemed a/ok and my friends like to come here. Standard dive bar for the most part

Best bartenders in Portland hands down! Solid blend of music. Best vibes in SouthEast Portland

The pool table is a vibe for sure. Steak quesadillas were really good but the mozzarella sticks were a bit iffy

Pretty interesting dive bar with concepts of gods and goddesses. This place can be quite loud but for a dive bar, it is not really rowdy or dirty - most things are well maintained and clean, aside from the intended grungy ambience. I personally got the strawberry margarita slush and it was solid for $8 before tip. I couldn't even finish it, and I can drink a lot of alcohol! The culprit could be the drink is grossly sweet, but I still enjoyed the vibes of the bar. There is a pool table and a bunch of arcades inside if you wish to partake. Maybe coming a bit later at night may be busier and you can socialize, but we mostly chilled and got a quick drink before our next stop.

this is one of my favorite bars in all of Portland, and Jenny is the absolute sweetest! I always get the best service here.

Fantastic spot with good food, drinks, and atmosphere. Try the veggie rice bowl. One pool table, beautiful indoor and outdoor seating.

Well, I hate to do it because I don't want to share, but I love BOG. While you might walk in and think, "ah, typical dive bar," you would be wrong. Unlike lots of spots that might seem similar at first blush, BOG has great food options (best chicken wings in PDX, and some very tasty vegetarian options too); attentive and friendly staff; chill, loyal clientele; and a cool, dark vibe. The owners have a ton of personal investment, which is reflected in the funky decor choices and the evolving food specials. I don't really want y'all taking over my neighborhood spot, but I do want folks to appreciate how awesome BOG is. #shoutouttokip

I can literally never go back here again -- went with friends and the bartender was amazing, the food was great, and it was actually super cute. Perfect "dive bar" vibe without being dirty or poorly run. The drinks were great especially for the price, which is why I will never be able to come back, because I got so drunk. 10/10 would recommend to anyone!!

Great drink selection, good burgers and small out outdoor patio with fire. Had a good time playing pool, everyone was nice and the servers were funny as well. Good atmosphere not loud so that's a plus!

I've lived, laughed, and loved at the BOG. There's always a friendly face behind the counter, and the drinks are *chef's kiss* delicious. A chill vibe inside, and two patios, if you feel like switching it up. Best bar around

New to this area everyone has been very nice to me even as i have been by myself and others on this block have been not so kind. It's been nice to feel welcomed

Been going here for years, always a great place to hang out and talk to people or just minding you own business. Will be coming here for years to come. The staff always professional.

I have been going to this establishment since 2004 and only come here maybe once a month now, but tonight was almost traumatizing . I got a drink, it's new years eve, I think that relatively speaking, it was a quiet night . I went outside to have a cigarette, the door person/security guy was literally on my bum and I thought I saw someone I knew walked a half a step past the tables. I hadn't set my drink down yet. he became inflamed , getting in my face telling me threateningly you know you're " on the books!" I'm like huh? . I said ok ," thats crazy pants . " He snapped, grabbed my drink and said you're 86'd !! I'm like what??? What are you talking about ? For what. He just kept saying you're 86d I went in , the bartender gave me literally e $3 or $4 dollars and said she supports her staff . ???? I walked away feeling super confused, harrased and extremely disappointed . Like what just happened? I did nothing wrong , I was not crazily intoxicated, rude, mean, even talking to anyone else or anything that would warrant such a thing . A hey , you have to have your drink on the table , reminder would have sufficed . I had just come out for a second to be on my own in the quiet and it turned into harassment. Shame on that dude

Visiting from Cali and doing a bit of bar hoping. Totally chill place and not only were the bartenders chill so we're the people. Needed 3 seats at the bar so I offered to buy the drink for a person so that we could all sit together and he refused my drink and offer to buy me one. So o re-refused his drink and made him move and bought him two The bartenders were great helping us order the local stuff and the experience was awesome. Can't wait to go back and just chill out.

I was thoroughly surprised by this little neighborhood bar. I really like the name and that's what made me stop in. It's kinda dark but what bar isn't. The big plus is these guys have AC which is especially nice when it's 100 degrees outside and you live in a town where people have an aversion to deodorant. They have pinball, a few lottery games, and a pool table. There is a tiny little sign on the table that says to order at the bar. I didn't see it so after a bit the bartender came over and let me know. He then proceeded to take my order which was very nice of him. I ordered a house salad with chicken. It. Was. AMAZING. I've had my fair share of chicken at other restaurants but this was different. This chicken was seasoned and cooked in a way that it was flavorful, moist, and juicy. I loved it. They have a nice happy hour that goes from 3(?) To 7pm. I'd absolutely stop in for another one of those salads and some drinks.

Hands down the best bar in Portland. Great people, drinks, food and staff. Everyone loves the BOG.

Location: It is located in the heart of Hawthorne district. A great area to pass by and grab a drink. Relative to other places in Hawthorne, this area has one of the highest concentrations of restaurants and bars. Bartender: There are certain characteristics that make a great bartender: (1) knowledgeable about drinks; (2) maintains cleanliness; (3) good customer service skills; (4) great time management and memory; and (5) situational awareness. - Lucky, the bartender on Monday night possessed all five qualities. She was very knowledgeable about drinks, and I took her recommendations on drinks based on my subjective preferences, she had solid recommendations. She maintained the bar super clean, even though it was quite busy. She did not have "good" customer service skills, she had "great" customer service skills, she gave 5 star service to everyone at the bar. She had great time management and memory, she sharply recalled both previous conversations, and previous drinks. And, sharply on point with situational awareness. Furthermore, as an added bonus, of all the bartenders I have to talked to in Portland (which was quite a list), she was the one that I had the most intellectual stimulating and intuitive conversation with. A top notch bartender! Upshot: A great spot to grab some drinks with friends (or even by oneself). They have a few games, a pool table, and good conversations. There is nothing this bar lacks. Will definitely check it out again on my next trip.

First time and I met some really great people. Good conversations and laughs, done to earth place. Pours were generous and price was fair.

Fun pool hang out space. Food is ok. Bartender very nice. It's a good spot for the money.

Hole in the wall in every respect. Video gambling...Check Pool Table...Check (aged sticks and billiard top - yep) Games...Check (Trivial Pursuit is about 20 years old and not sure if Domino set is complete Clean glasses...hmmmmm (The waitress had to look at 5 pint glasses to find a clean one when a patron at the bar ordered a beer. Inside dark and grungy....check Old beer signs all over the walls...check This is a small, dark, intimate bar with a few video gambling games, a single pool table, small outdoor area and some booths. If you want to escape life, this is a pretty good place to do that. If you want a clean tidy bar environment, we recommend another spot.

Welcome to this place sometime notice how unsanitary it is. The owner himself handles money and then he cuts lemons and limes put them in his drink then touches your straw. The drinks are definitely overpriced. The crowd is Hit or Miss sometimes they're cool other times they're prudes. The bathroom stinks. And I think the reason it's so dark in there is because they don't want you to see the pathogens that abound. Resist going in here because it's a dive bar that looks good on the surface instead find a place where they practice sanitary habits.

Ok for a dive bar I'm impressed ! Didn't expect much when I came in kinda knowing what to expect when I walked in based off pictures and just looking for chill place to meet a friend . BUT the guy who bartended set the bar high ! I only wish I caught his name so I could praise him. I think he was bald ? Had hat ? Anyhow he had amazing customer service . I was greeted promptly when I sat at bar top . He made me a delicious customized coffee drink and checked on me often. My good came out quickly delicious. Then when my friend joined , the promptness continued and we never were left hanging and waiting on drinks : the prices were good and so were the drinks . This place had an awesome laid back vibe , was walking distance to bunch of other bars and restaurants which is always a perk since parking is as expected for this neighborhood lol . I'd definitely come back

I can totally not actually complain that my from-the-menu gin drink was too strong because it was MY fault for already being hammered on too many gin and tonics from the Hawthorne Theater. Their drinks contain an acceptable amount of alcohol. And are delicious. I'd like to start a night here one day.

Just came here for a beer and I got some chips and salsa the chips were freshly made and Delicious The salsa was pretty good too also had some quesadillas which were pretty good really surprised over all

This. Bar. Has. everything! Jennie is amazing even though she is kinda old. Johnny the cook is super hot. The door guy has great jokes. But this is one guys opinion. Figure it out yourself. Yelp fucking sucks.v

Everyone has been so nice to us so far including the owner and the staff. The bar is divided into two sections one section that is dark and has some video games, and the other section is much brighter and has a pool table. They also have a small patio that you can smoke there. The music is not too loud. The place had nice relaxing feeling.

Ah, BOG. BOG, BOG, BOG. I don't normally do nostalgia and it's still nice to see little bits of old Portland continue to be awesome. I met a former coworker here a few days ago. We hung out on the patio, which is no longer heated nor covered thanks to the uptight killjoys in the oregon health department (those asshats deserve no capitalization), for a while, then went inside. After a couple of beers I was hungry. The Totchos called out to me as they always do but I opted for the burger. Bacon? Cheese? Okay, fine, upsell me to a bacon cheeseburger. Fine. Damn was this a good burger. I got tots on the side, also great. They were, I dunno, dry for lack of a better word. Except dry makes them sound bad, they weren't bad, as I said they were great. They just weren't the slightly greasy tots I also love. There's TVs but they were playing music videos when I came in. Old Heart at first, then some 90s stuff (NIN followed by NIN, awesome). Shots were had, they were not for the faint of heart. Speaking of awesome bartenders, I left my coat and hat at the bar when I first went to the patio. I got them later and upon ordering my next drink the bartender remembered the hat and made sure I'd retrieved it. In all my decades of wearing hats that has never happened. I don't think I tipped that guy enough.

The homemade tortilla chips were bomb .. but the ladies in the bar were kinda rude . And the soda was flat .

I've been to this bar a few times in the past and always had a great time but I recently moved into the neighbourhood and I have had the pleasure of getting to spend more time here getting to know the bartenders and the regulars. Just a really awesome local dive with solid, affordable drinks, friendly but relaxed bartenders who don't take themselves too seriously and consistently good music. I have been surprised to find that the food is also excellent and very decently priced for the portions. Solid vegan options too! The bartender Lucky, in particular, has been super sweet and accommodating recently and has made me feel pretty enthusiastic about finding a new spot to be a regular in the neighbourhood. Highly recommend for locals and for visitors looking for someplace high quality with some of the real Old Portland flavour.

Very cool bar. Lots of rock and roll. I really enjoyed that part. What I didn't enjoy was the snobbish customer base with too much politics on there minds. Come on people, talking about drinking. Politics doesn't fit the bar

great spot for casual drinks! friendly staff, cool environment. recommend it to all my friends passing through pdx!

Bar of the Gods unfortunately doesn't live up to its name. The music is all over the place seemingly flippant between a variety of top 40, there is pool and other gaming machines but no pinball unfortunately. When I went there were only 6 brews on tap and a limited food menu (yes this is during covid so good menu was restricted but the beer wasn't). Overall I just didn't vibe with the place, had a few beers and went my merry way.

My boyfriend and I had a great time here. This was our last stop in Oregon before we left back to California, and it was more than amazing. Nice staff, delicious food, and bomb drinks! What more could you ask for?! We definitely admired the decor inside, esp since my boyfriend's hobby is motorcycles/bikes. We'll remember this spot for our next visit!

This is a local cool dive bar. It's been around for years and is part of what my friends called The "Bermuda Triangle" That is no longer a thing because Sewickly's is now closed but The Space Room and BOG are still around so I'll have to think of a new reference when I come to PDX next. With all of the nostalgia out of the way just go to BOG and have a beer and hang with some cool locals.

This is my favorite bar in Portland. The drinks are inexpensive (and strong) the food is amazing (and they have plenty of vegetarian options!) - The patio is really great place to sit, read and have a drink - or talk with people. And the bartenders are beyond friendly! If i was to recommend one bar in Portland, this would be it!

Only gave 4 stars because of the lack of craft beer selection.. everything else is excellent! Fun staff, great atmosphere, super fun decor. If you're a beer fan this may not be your place but if you love fun and eclectic bars this is your new fave spot!

Awesome ! One of the great Portland bars still standing . Cal and Kip at the bar always ensure A great time out. Great atmosphere good bar food and happy hour

The. Best. Dive. My first and favoritre regular bar after moving to Portland, and I still go back to visit even though I don't live in the 'hood any more. Secretly great food (try the soups!), great bartenders, and a sweet back patio. I would normally hate to hype up my fave spot, but it's already busy all the time anyway. Dive in.

It's been a long time since I've had such a strong attraction for a bar from the get-go. It's a simple equation I have to determine how i feel about a bar. Generally speaking, my affection for them is directly related to how many drinks I've had...somewhere in there I equate price/babes/music but that all varies in importance. All out the window - Immediately upon entering Bar of the Gods, or more affectionately BOG, I knew we were on the horizon of something beautiful. The bar tender was a man of little words but what was said was Angelic: " Want to make it a double for $2 " and " Would you like that fried ? " YES and YES! As I've been getting better acquainted with the Portland bar scene I have noticed a few key things. One, is that Portland does not like mixed shots. If I had a dollar for every dirty look a bar tender has given me for trying to order a jager bomb I would have enough to buy us all a round of them. BOG has a shot LIST (see picture) which includes but is not limited to a 1.50$ Jello Shot..YES! The beer list is nothing to scoff at either. STRONGBOW $3! Lets face it food is nothing special but they'e got the basics covered. With things like .75 PBR Thursdays, 5$ Mojitos, and daily cheap Happy Hour...who cares about food.

While Bar of the Gods is a lofty name for any establishment, I found my short time here worth the wait for the pizza joint next door, and definitely worth a revisit. We bellied up to the bar, and being the Bloody Mary fiend that I am, I order one...granted it was 7ish, and they were on their very last pour of housemade mix. This dive bar makes a mean Bloody Mary, y'all. Perfect as an "appetizer in a glass" before our meal next door. I know this might sound silly but it was epic that their pool table took dollars AND quarters, and instead of one game it gave you a certain amount of time. We perched up in the back here for quite some time shooting pool. The decor is quirky with Bacchus-esque grapes dangling from the ceiling and a Creation of Adam meets PBR light up sign that I wanted to stealthily remove from the wall and take back to New Orleans, alas, I just stared at it for about 5 minutes. I noticed people enjoying a sit-down meal in the bar, so I'll have to come back for some grub when I hit up Portland again to see how they fare!

This place is all you want out of a whole in the wall bar! Great drinks, great atmosphere, accompanied by accommodating bar tenders. Will be back!

Best bar in the hood. I have seen the following cinematic offerings during my interludes with The Gods: Megashark...(syfy original?): kindergarten cop Role models Grapes on the ceiling. Good little cocktail menu in the pics if you look. $1 jello shots. Pretty good selection of beverages. And lots of special nights. $.75 pbr Thursdays. Tacos on Tuesdays for, what, $1? Nice staff. Generally knowledgeable and friendly. Pretty normal bathrooms. OK bar food. Weird music. IPod or jukebox seems randomized each time I go in. One night it was all Kanye. One night we heard a flurry of Metallica. Maybe full albums from someone's iPod. Good place. Worth checking out.

Some of my favorite bar food comes from this place. And there's usually a surplus of decent-looking guys here too, for some reason. Never been there on Thursdays for cheap PBR; we like to go early in the week like Sunday-Tuesday. A lightly occupied, dimly lit bar that is halfway between my place and a good girlfriends, and that suits us just fine.

All roads lead to BoG. BOG is Gob spelled backwards, nuff said...but if ya want more words: This place is an extension of my living room, my Cheers so to speak...it's the perfect balance of dive bar and psychedelic Vineyard in Greece, because glowing grape vines. Strong pours, fair prices and the greatest staff in portland. Though I could do without that Kip guy... just Kipping! Love this place!

I've been standing here for twenty minutes and the two bartenders have been ignoring me. I really want to talk, maybe I really want to complain... maybe I want to congratulate.

Beware the bartender who assumes your change is his tip. Strange atmosphere. Came for the pool table. Stayed for the pool table. Might return for the pool table.

God of neighborhood pubs Bar of the Gods is the ideal neighborhood pub with a couple of added twists --- they show random movies and serve gourmet food. I knew it would be good night when a beer and a cocktail came to only $6. Then we ordered some food, which was hardly pub grub. Definitely try the calamari and pulled pork sandwich. Both were extremely yummy. The only drawback about this place is the smoke, which is a big one for me. Just about everyone was smoking, so it was hard to find any fresh air. I know that smoking in pubs is a hot debate, but I wish places that did allow it had better ventilation systems. Tip: There's a cute, little patio in the back, but it's hard to find. The door is hidden behind the pool table.