Binks

Alberta Street has no shortage of fantastic restaurants and comfy bars, so its easy to get lost in the noise. I'm not sure how long Binks has been around, but somehow we just noticed it last week. We'd just had lunch further down the street, took a walk down the street afterward, and decided to pop in to Binks, both to get out of the heat, and enjoy a quick drink before heading home. Thank goodness for AC! At the time, the place was mostly empty, save for a couple people playing pool in an adjacent room, and some loiterers near the bar. The long bartender was friendly and welcoming, and cranked out our drink orders quickly. I'm used to paying over $10 for an Old Fashioned, so it was nice to find a place like this, with reasonable prices, and who know how to actually make one without muddling it, like a lot of dive bars do. It's not the most complicated cocktail in the world, and yet, it seems to be a struggle for a lot of bars to make, so I am thankful for any place that gets it right. Gives me confidence to come back and try other things! Our experience was brief and casual, and far removed from the rush of a Friday or Saturday night, but as far as I'm concerned, after this visit, I have no hesitation in recommending Binks for Drinks!

What a great little gem this was as we meandered down Alberta after cycling from Tabor. The vibe was super mellow (it was 2pm) and on a beautiful day it was really nice to have a great cocktail and beer to slake our thirst. We will be back for an evening session. I think you should too.

This place was one of our favorite stops. Stumbled upon this cool bar with an easy going vibe.. our bartender Megan was super friendly. Loved this spot. Also tried the spicy passion - house infused habanero vodka , with cilantro and passion fruit. It was sooo delicious I forgot to take a picture!!!

Cool neighborhood bar that has a front porch area and also outdoor seating. They also have a billards table and a small back room to hangout in. The drinks are fairly inexpensive and the bartender is quick to make your drinks. Good place to sit and chill.

Atmosphere and drinks are on point. I had the Raspberry Lime Rickey and my friend had the Alberta and we loved, loved, loved our drinks. We also ordered the garlic knots and they were a little garlic "not"s. So drinks great-food, eh.

Pints are only 12 oz. Tired of places ripping customers off. This appears to be yet another shorting each beer

Everything is awesome. Amazing service, lots of seating, drinks and food selection are plentiful.

Oh yes I stopped her for a late night snack. I want to say around 11 or 12 maybe. Anyways I ordered two personal pizzas. I didn't expect much, especially since there where only two people working that late one was taking orders and one was cooking. All this was happening at the bar. It did take awhile I think that was my only complaint I believe was a 45 minute wait. However she was making pizzas for the whole bar and there where about 15- 20 people there. To the point it was definitely worth the way oh my gosh those little pizza are amazing omg. I definitely recommend this on a late night when you don't want fast food!

Super cute bar located in the Alberta District. Met my childhood BFF here for drinks and a good time -- Binks delivered. We ordered several drinks, and small bites -- loved all of it. Our server was on point the entire night. She made sure our drinks were filled and snacks were satisfying. Would recommend any day.

I've been coming to Binks for over 20 years with no issues until December 25, 2022. My friends and I were enjoying drinks when I attempted to order a pizza. The bartender (who was there alone) told me they weren't serving food that evening. Even though it's illegal to serve liquor without serving food (per OLCC), I decided not to make a big deal out of it. A couple of hours passed, and I noticed she had made two pizzas for another customer (most likely a friend). When my friend asked why we couldn't get a pizza he could, she said he ordered it two hours ago, and she got really defensive, and things went south from there. At the end of the day, what she did was illegal (not serving food while serving alcohol) and discriminated against my party. I will file a formal complaint with OLCC. I have spent thousands at Binks over a twenty-year period but never again.

I was going to give Binks 4 stars because all the girls working were sad, but maybe that's just a Portland thing I don't understand. The queso and chips were amazing, they have a good selection of beers, and a crazy cocktail menu. The cilantro, vodka, and passion fruit drink blew my dang mind.

Nice NE neighborhood chill spot. Solid special cocktail menu and super friendly staff. I'd like to say the pizza is Dave Portnoy-worthy...thin, crispy, and no flop. They have one pool table and it's 50 cents a rack. Definitely will be back. It's funny too because my family nickname for me was Bink. I had a problem giving up the pacifier when I was younger lol

I had pizza and cocktails here a couple times literally over a decade ago and thought the jukebox had a nice selection. Bink's made enough of an impression on me that I've remembered it fondly all this time. I randomly came in tonight and the pizza was even better than I remember. WHO DOES THAT? If you like Swift, you'll probably like this place too. Great subdued vibe, comfortable seating, pleasantly dim, plenty of parking nearby. Worth the trip.

Typical dive bar kind of place. We did come late in the night but the place was far from empty. You have to order the drinks at the bar and find yourself a place then. we ordered a few couple drinks and the pizza along with the garlic knots and the chips and Queso. The food came in piping hot which was just what you need after a night of drinking. They have a pool table which never got free for the hour or so we sat there. There is a separate smoking area right inside and a juke box. Thankfully the crowd at the time had good taste and all of us did honestly enjoy the music ! Its kind of dark and weirdly furnished and maybe they could work on rearranging their furniture to set up a better seating area .

Cute little bar on Alberta. Went in a Friday night and it was pretty busy. They have a nice indoor/outdoor patio with a fireplace and heated seats! But people do smoke out there so it's not great for the non-smokers. They also have a little huts out front which is nice. Their cocktails are pretty good and then bartenders were pretty friendly though a little spacey. We ordered one of their pizzas which was just okay. I agreed it's almost watery and the dough has like zero flavor. Reminded me of a cheap frozen pizza you would eat as a teenager. Would come back for the drinks, not the food.

I've driven past this place dozens of times, but never stopped. A friend suggested we meet here for a drink and SO glad we did. First, the staff... they're just plain awesome! Fast, efficient, friendly. They made me feel like a long-time customer, even though it was my first time here. I tried a couple different drink specials off their board and they were strong and tasted great. There's one pool table here and several people in line waiting to play. I don't smoke, but I did peek into the (indoor) smoking area. They have a fireplace and heated stone seats. Surprisingly, even though the smoking area is adjacent to the pool room, the smell of smoke wasn't too strong. Music is on a juke box, which the staff generously loads with quarters, so that customers can select songs (nice!) It was quite an eclectic crowd, but all the music people chose was great. (Maybe the juke box only has good music choices?) Lots of funk, old R&B, rock, some rap (Beastie Boys, LMFAO) no complaints. Everyone suggested that I try the pizza, so I got one to go. It was overcooked (crust was very burnt) and not enough cheese. But for bar food it was okay.

Eek! The pizza needs to never be made again unless they get someone in here who knows how to make it edible. Somehow the pizza was very watery like I was biting in tres leche cake. Not a pleasant feeling if you get the reference. The drinks were blah. Will deter everyone I know from this place.

As someone who has worked in the service industry their entire life and had their first restaurant job as a bus boy when they were 15 years old, I can honestly say this was the worst service I have ever had in my entire life. The brunette waitress with a tattoo of a girl on her shoulder treated our entire group as if we were scum of the earth. She started by screaming at one of our group members for squeaking their shoes too loudly. Went on to scream at another one of our members for trying to order two drinks. Then she asked another one of our group members how we got there, and when he responded by saying we walked, she said "thank god". As a group we spent over $400 dollars and gave $80 in tips, yet for some reason every single person in our group felt horrible when they left.

Good food - good drinks & great vibe. Can't wait until they can open back up to their full potential. Happy to have a business like this open in the neighborhood & hope they can stay long

Stopped in here for a quick beer. Seemed like a typical bar. Lots of cocktail options as well a some good pale ale and IPA on tap. Didn't appreciate the fact that I was charged $15 dollars for a single beer.... because the bartender had "assumed" I had also ordered 2 shots of tequila while he had stepped away. The bartender took it off when I challenged the charge. I would recommend stopping in....but pay close attention to your bill

One of the bartenders was so rude. Disrespectful, rude, snotty. Haven't been here in a few months. Said they can't open the garage door because the ac was in but it was hot af in here. I had a pitbull but apparently pitbulls aren't allowed. Many other breeds of dogs there. But not pitbulls aren't allowed.

Came here on a holiday weekend for drinks. Great outdoor seating, can get full quickly, but there is also a small patio customers can sit at. There is a pool table at one end and a pinball machine at the other. They have pizza here, which is a plus for me. Bartender was friendly and the Paloma I had was fantastic.

Best pizza in town ! Fresh & crispy ... so many pizza places around but I find my self coming here for pizza . The place is cozy and dark, it's great for date night

Update to Owner: All in all the situation was handled unprofessionally and suspect. You clearly address the fact that we did come in and confront you directly. This review isn't a space to hide, but provide feedback to the public on quality of service. That's what YELP is. Yes, human error does happen. But there are multiple reviews on here highlighting how much of your staff seems like they are disengaged and under the influence at work. Have some agency and address issues head on in the moment. Getting combative, making excuses, then succumbing to a free round is not a mature way to react to getting called out on a suspect and obvious f*** up by your staff. My friends went to close out and was informed that the bartender gave their credit card to the wrong person. The bartender then said that the person left, but should bring it back that night (?) and they took down our phone number. An hour later the bar calls and says "Hey they brought your card back and I guess they racked up a couple hundred dollars. We're so sorry" So we go back to the bar to get the card and they act like nothing happened. We asked to talk to the owner and the bartenders exchanged a cheeky look with a man at the bar and then say "Oh we're sorry. The manager and owner are gone, but you should come back during the week". We let them know that the cardholder will come back to talk to the owner, but this is unacceptable. Next, the aforementioned man at the bar steps in to say he's the owner. He says that the bartender was joking about hundreds of dollars being racked up. This lead to a discussion about principal and nothing about this was cool. Then a lot of back and forth. Basically the bar gave a card away to a stranger, joked about them spending a ton of money, lied about the owner being there, and the owner jumped in to act like nothing happened and it was all a fun joke and we're an inconvenience. I don't know. This post is super long winded and I'm losing steam, but nobody gave a s*** and everything is super unprofessional. Everyone f** up and acted like we were crazy. Management is kindergarten level.

This was our first stop in the Alberta Arts district and HOLY VEGAN ORGANIC LOCALLY SOURCED COW. The drinks were expertly made and well balanced. My spicy pineapple margarita was made with fresh squeezed juice and wonderfully tasty (and not cloying as so many typically sweet drinks are). Best friend, who is also a nacho guru, declared the nachos here as the BEST EVER. I tried 'em and I have to agree with her. My pizza was delicious and all of my companions were pleased with their meals. I'm disappointed we weren't able to get back here a second time before leaving Portland.

Seating out front, pool tables and Little Lebowski in the bathroom. Can't get better than that. We rolled in with about 25 people on a pub crawl for a birthday. We brought our cash and patience and things moved along smoothly. Some of our gang were standing by the outside seating in front drinking. Staff reminded several folks a few times they needed to be seated if they were drinking. The atmosphere is dark and kinda seedy, staff surly and tattooed. Basically Portland service with a snarl. Could have been our large group though...

The music is way too loud and the bartenders border on rude. Not a fan.

Binks has the best hot toddy in all of Portland, possibly in all of the Pacific Northwest or even the entire world. It's got cayenne and fresh-grated ginger in it. They also have a lot of other great cocktails here. As someone who likes a spicy drink, they have at least 4 different legitimately spicy cocktails.

Oh boy do I love this place! I guess I will start with the drinks. They have everything from fresh squeezed greyhounds to cheap $2 PBRs. They usually crank the drinks out fast, even if the bar is busy. My second favorite thing is their smoking room. It has heated stone seats, along with a fire and high ceilings with skylights. Even if I wasn't a smoker, I wouldn't mind chilling in there. It is well ventilated. They have an old fashioned jukebox where you can play all your favorite songs. They have pool tables. They have pizza. It's just a quaint, chill spot. It can tend to get pretty crowded on the weekends and sometimes the tables are full, but definitely a place to stop by when you are on Alberta!

I really want to hate this place....sounds horrible, but I do. It's infested with hipster wannabe people flooding into the streets smoking their clove cigarettes and acting superior. But I am a sucker for good bartenders, jukeboxes, and fireplaces. Hints for a good experience here: 1. Visit in off hours. 2. Don't come for food. This is a drinks only place. 3. Feed the jukebox with your favorite tunes. 4. Steal the best seats in the house by the fireplace. 5. Enjoy.

Love love love Binks!!!!!!! Will order pizzas soon. So darn good. Wish you could deliver an Alberta (with Vodka) to my door! Team O'Brien

Omg. The he new pizza crust is AMAZING!!! so freaking good way better than the old awesome pizza ... Git here now!!!

Super cool little bar. There is an area just been sitting enjoying being around the bar it's kind of dark so if you have bad eyesight. Then there's a pool table room which is totally cool but kind of cramped so be careful of the pill pool cues and the drunk guys they might be hitting you in the head... I got whacked a few times not gonna lie. Inside of the pool room there is a long line, so there's a chalkboard to keep track of the line. Make sure not to step on anybody's toes and cut in line! The last room is super cool it's in the back and there is a it's open to the outside there's a bonfire everybody sitting around, and you just Kaina hang out and in the cool air smell in the fire. So cool excellent. Didn't interact with the bartenders much but there are a lot of drinks and there are a few specialty drinks up on the menu, that are pretty cheap and super tasty. I can't remember what the name of mine was but it had mint in it was citrusy and delicious!

Binks has a cool vibe, but the wine glass was dirty and the bartender, Jess, would rather eat her own meal and gossip with her coworker rather than take my order. Also watched her make the pizza with no gloves, cater to a group of older men instead of me (I was alone), and make me feel stupid for patiently waiting 45 minutes to order.

I love this bar! I've known the bartenders for a long time and they never disappoint! Even the ones I barely know, are great people. The snacks are on point, cheesy garlic bread? Yes please. Always good beers on tap. Best spicy margaritas in town. Yearly party with free food and cheap drinks, Hell yeah. I've honestly always had a good experience here. Any time someone hasn't, it's probably their own fault. It's a bar, go have a few drinks, eat some Food, and tip well. You won't be disappointed!

Hey so I was actually asked to write this.. Lol. The bartender was really nice about it. My party just didn't understand why we always get cutoff as a group. Neither did the other patrons. Lol. Anyways good looking out but we do have to throw this out there. One of our favorite places to swing by after a long shift. Especially when we usually bring groups of 4+ because there's a rotating pool table and the vibes are always great. One thing that concerns us is that we always get cut-off after 4 beers each. Weird. If 9:45 to 12:30 on 4 beers, specifically PBRs, is too much then I guess we just don't belong there. I mean those things go quick when you're enjoying the night. That's a light ass beer if you ask me though. I was the only one drinking IPA's so if anything you should be cutting me off only. Haha. What's stopping you from selling my party drinks though. Cutting off someone specific we get but we are constantly cutoff as a group. This part baffles us. Like the bartender said, no one was being disrespectful or rude. The vibes are always great between us and the other customers. As a matter of fact, we are all acquainted and have made many friends here because of the pool table and the smoking area. I suppose we just drank too much too fast within the 3 hours. Lol. We are always supportive of our neighboring businesses but this is getting out of hand. The amount of drinks we are served for the night is "highly" dependent on whose bartending too. It bothers me a bit that the other patrons are able to get a lot more drinks than us within a similar amount of time. Stop hating on the fun Asians next door. I'm a bartender too so it makes me question what's happening here. I guess my $2.50 tip on a $5.5 IPA (average) isn't working out. Lol. Haha. #saynotogroupcutoffs. #PositiveVibes #LiveLoveLaugh Seriously though. It's nearly 2020. Just cause we are lively and entertaining doesn't mean we don't deserve some more of that tasty beer. It would suck if you were treated any less at my business. I would hate that. So let's be friends here. Lol.

They have a nice outdoor sign. Bink's is fine. It just doesn't grab me, though, and I don't know why. The food is fine, they have beer and a pool table. I can't think of a thing wrong with it. It just doesn't stand out in any way, so I hardly ever go there. They have a nice sign, though.

we returned to binks for a drink masked up and sat outside in the sun...i had a pub beer, and my partner had the coconut mojito....it was so nice to kick back, people watch on this nice day, and take it all in after ...the bartender is so nice and funny...she has been great all during the pandemic....be sure to tip big during the pandemic, and thx so much!

I wish I'd know about this place back when it was within walking distance! Oh well. I'd already made my way from Hillsboro to near the airport when I got the dreaded "my flight is delayed" text. Well, hell, now what was I supposed to do with three hours? I drove down Alberta waiting for something to catch my eye -and Binks did just that. I decided to stop in for a pint. Considering it was about 1:30 on a weekday, there was just myself and the bartender - and a few regulars to boot. The bartender was super, super nice & chatty! We chatted about random things, including our favorite recent concerts & she even played a few songs on the jukebox from my favorite band! Made my time fly by. I didn't eat anything but they clearly have a great selection of food & a good looking happy hour to boot. Plus they had a great tap selection. The space itself is nice - outside seating, pool, tables and such. Very cool vibe this place has.

Just had the breadsticks last night. Worst ever! Cold tomato paste dip and nasty ranch stuff. Not breadsticks at all, more like pizza crust with nothing on it, super processed flavor. Do not order!!! Waste of $6. Don't go for the food... Go for the pool, drinks and chill regulars.

Dirty bar. The bartender with all the tattoos is extremely rude. My drink was mostly pineapple juice with a splash of alcohol. Would never recommend and won't be returning

Binks, how do you do what you do so well? The bartenders are amazing, the drinks are on point, and the pizza is friggin' delicious. This is one of those bars that has a lot of regulars, and for good reason! It's a really cool spot to hang out and play pool or just chat. Also, BONUS: there's an enclosed smoking patio with a fireplace. One of my favorite bars in Portland, hands down!

I love this little bar! It's become our new tradition to get seats early for shows at Alberta Rose Theater then head to Binks for a beverage by the fire before showtime. It's a fabulous bar with great drinks and great people. Always a fun time

Been here several times. Atmosphere is cool. Love the fireplace. But the blonde bartender was clearly on a stimulant. She was going a mile a minute and it was quite entertaining to all of us at the bar. In the 2 hours I was there i watched her make multiple pizzas, make drinks , handle money, hug people and eat her own food and not once did she wash her hands. The sink was literally within 3 feet of the pizza making area. She was grabbing toppings and pizza crust with these bare dirt disgusting hands. I also watched her take my money for my drink i bought and put my $11 in change in her tip jar thinking I wouldn't notice. Be careful at this place. You'll get robbed and some hepatitis B if your not watching.

This bar is one of my favorites on Alberta St. The atmosphere is always up-beat. Everyone is in a good mood. People are very friendly and talkative. Sometimes if it is a cold night they get the fireplace going. This adds great ambiance. The drinks are pretty standard except for some specials. The specials are served in a tall glass. They can be a bit pricey but have a lot of alcohol in them so you may not want to order more than two. The pizza is really good. It isn't expensive and they have it out to you pretty fast. There is a pool table in a room next to the bar. In the summer time they have this sort of "open air" to the outside. I recommend this to anyone in the neighborhood or those visiting the Alberta Arts district.

Limited Beer selection, small unique cocktails, and I didn't try any of their food, but going with the average, it was probably A-Ok. They had a nice fireplace and we were lucky enough to sit by it.....just whatever you do, don't SIT ON THE BENCH IN FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE. It's actually not a bench, it's just a table that looks like a bench that likes to trick people that it is a bench.... So, yeah it will wobble you and whatever drinks that your friends sat on the "bench"-thing. So, yeah let this be a cautionary table do not Sit there despite how inviting and comfy it looks.

Binks is definitely one of my favorite weekday hangouts in PDX. It's a wonderful little spot with walls that are typically open in the summer time and a pretty decent amount of outdoor seating. They even have a smoking room in the back of the place for those of you who enjoy the cigarettes. There's usually always a game of pool going and the jukebox has a wonderful selection of albums to choose from. They have a small menu if you're hungry and the happy hour isn't too bad either. My favourite thing about Binks are the house cocktails. When I tell you I've tried them all and they are delicious? I mean it. The bartenders are pretty friendly for the most part and make you feel pretty welcome. Every once in a while I'll run into someone who's having a bad day but that usually turns around fairly quickly after they realize I'm not a newbie to establishment. I've been coming to Binks for years and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. If you're ever in the neighborhood, check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Been here a few times over the years, and always had a good time. The sun happened to be shining and we decided to take the dogs out on a long walk that turned into sidewalk socially distant Bloody Marys. Best Bloody Mary I've had in so so so long. Affordable, friendly and they even have mason jars of draft beer to go!

I take back my earlier review. If the new bartenders are gracious enough to put down their cellphones, you can pay too much for a drink, but be sure to leave an expected tip. This is the last bar with an attitude on Alberta Street. The old staff has fled. Look up some of the new staff in the police logs (check other States) and see what you find. Or, perhaps you just know them from their previous jobs. There are better bars on the street.

What a cool ass spot! First time in Portland, and I stumbled upon this sweet place. The bartender was attentive and helpful and the drinks were delicious. This is a great spot for one drink or many, good music, pool and a cool outside sitting area!!