Jason V.
Yelp
I've said it before, but this is probably my favorite bar in all of Portland. Sure, there are lots of fancy places with funky themes, sexy mood lighting, gourmet food, and pretentious patrons. Not Chopsticks. This place is may be simple by comparison, but it is also just pure, unadulterated fun!
That opening paragraph may seem a bit dismissive or belittling, so I want to be *very* clear that that is not my intent AT ALL. For starters, the Chinese food here is fantastic. The hot and spicy beef is so incredible, even when sober, but gets even better with a few drinks in ya. Everything we've ordered here has been wonderful, so you will have a hard time having a bad time here.
When it comes to the bar itself, I like to think of the interior as being a "high class" dive bar. You're not gonna get a good Old Fashioned here (I tried, and they were upfront about it), but any muddled mixed drink is going to be like Henry Cavill: tall and strong. Prices are very reasonable. Our most recent bartender was a trainee, and his teacher not only remembered but also imparted little details to his pupil, such as my wife preferring soda over tonic with her gin, and to include a straw, after a single drink order. That's professionalism and attention to detail.
Karaoke is not my jam. And yet, I think I've belted out more off-key tunes here than anywhere else, even my multiple visits to Japan, where it is practically required! The KJs are always friendly and professional, keep things organized and moving at a good clip, and don't clog up the line by interjecting themselves into the mix in a vain attempt to show off.
Although they only just reopened after COVID, it looks like utilized the downtime wisely, putting a lot of work into cleaning the place to a sparkling shine, replacing booths and upholstery, tables and chairs, and doing a little bit of in-house renovation. It really shows that they care. While things are still not 100% back to normal (for example, the pool tables and such are still cordoned off, and the food menu seems reduced), they're pretty much back to operating as normal, and that's a very welcome thing!
So, in short, Chopsticks has everything going for it: awesome food, inexpensive and strong drinks, fun atmosphere, and above all, a sense of community among the patrons and staff that cannot be replicated by fancy-pants cocktails and pretentious plateware. How can be?! Well, that's the way it should be.