Amanda B.
Yelp
For me Howie's Pub is five stars... all the way. I consider myself a connoisseur of dive bars. Although, you may think that's an oxymoronic statement, I think if you've traveled to enough dirty bars throughout this country to get a sense of a "good" dive bar and "bad" dive bar, then, you too, are a connoisseur.
Howie's has it all, cheap food that's made with love, an owner who cares about keeping his place authentic, all-night-long cheap cocktails, beer, and well drinks.
The other thing I love about this bar is that it is so close to downtown Portland and (cross my fingers that it stays this way) it doesn't have even one element of a hipster vibe. It's old-school Portland at its best. Hard-working people stopping in for beers and food after a long day. I love it!
Howie, the owner is there frequently, and doesn't put up with any crap. He creates his own trivia on Tuesday nights which packs the house.
Don't even get me started on the drinks. Cocktails are about $4 to 6, on the high-end. They have landshark and Michelob Ultra cans for two dollars, all the time. It's cash only, but there's an ATM inside.
The one thing that you need to be aware of is the parking situation. This place looks like it is located on a walk up area just off the 295 exit, which it is. To park you need to go around to one of the back streets and walk in through the back entrance. This is what kept me from this bar for so many years before I had a friend say, "Hey, let's meet at Howie's!" I quickly replied, "How do you get in that bar?" And then I learned the secret of the back entrance.
So please, don't tell all your friends about Howie's. Keep it a little bit of a secret, because that is the only way this place can stay as "Portland" as it is.