Low Brow Lounge

I’ve been here three times, and I have to say, it’s always a friendly and relaxing place. This is a very unpretentious bar, it doesn’t really have a “crowd”, you just get all kinds of different people. All the bartenders have been nice and the other customers are friendly. The decor is awesome, it’s a mixture of all kinds of funky things.

Probably one of the best bars in America, the atmosphere; the staff; the music; the people; the realness. Many try to fake it—Low Brow is for every scoundrel looking for shelter in storm.

Really enjoyed it here. Beers were reasonably priced, interesting artwork throughout. Had a great night. 👍 would recommend to anyone visiting.

This place is awesome! I'm here having super late lunch and a drink after a long train ride, and I couldn't feel more relaxed right now! Also, get the fish and chips! They are 🔥 definitely come hang if you're in Portland:)

A staple of the neighborhood. It’s a low key unpretentious dive bar with good ambiance and great food. The burger deserves special attention. It’s a great spot for some beers and a burger and chat with some of the regulars. The staff is friendly too.

Sufficiently Gritty, scratches the itch. “Everyone is welcome, but it’s not for everyone”. The art on the wall is like an acid flashback. 10/10/10, can recommend

Super chill vibe, attentive bartenders, great beer and fried pickles.

I came here in the 90s and moved away in the aughts. When I returned a decade later, I was eager to revisit my old stomping grounds. It had swanked up a bit, or at least that was my impression: definite hipster vibe. Flash forward another decade-ish and I’m wandering in again. It’s got that not-quite-dive meets neighborhood gem thing going again, and I like it. Drinks are solid, crowd is friendly. My only criticism is the POS from the last century. The bartender/barback are working way too hard to keep up with demand and the wrecknology they have to use to record sales makes it that much harder on them. Business is definitely good - there were a dozen+ tabs lined up on the back bar while I was there - but the amount of time they spend looking for a tab to manually add a drink/s to with every order meant fewer drinks consumed per visit or fewer tables turned quickly. Give them the tools to do better and everyone wins. The $10-20/person I spend could have easily become $20-30 per if they’d have been able to pump the drinks out faster before we had to leave.

If I only had one word to sum up this bar, it would be RELIABLE Pros: Open Monday-Saturday until 2:30 Drinks are good and reasonably priced Fried pickles are bomb, and while pretty much everything is fried, there are vegan options like fried cauliflower It's dark, and good for conversation, music isn't blaring Cons: It's a dive, so you might need to take your food and drink experience into your own hands and go to the bar for service. You'll never really know if there's a waitstaff person unless they show up at your table, often after you've gone to the bar for a few rounds, so be flexible They have that nasty pink soap in the bathrooms

Great dark, quintessential American dive bar and has been for decades. Worst drinks I d ever had. Stick to beer or wine. Bartender poured the 3 worst drinks we ever had. Old fashioned- maybe 1/2 oz of booze. Cherry and orange peel sat atop the ice not touching the drink because it didn't even fill halfway with ice. Two different G&Ts made with a wisp of alcohol. All 3 of us were astounded watching him make it and my friend asked "are you going to put any alcohol in there" under his breath. $26.50 before tip (still tipped 20% in the hope their bartender use that money to get Wi-Fi and google "how to mix drinks." 5 different visits to out table in 30 min times by 4 different employees asking if we needed more ice (they said drinks but the evidence in our glass was to the contrary). Love the spot but truly embarrassing bartending and staff.

Chill and no frills spot to get drinks. Inside is dimly lit and eclectically decorated. Bartenders were nice. Drinks were alright but prices were amazing!

Love Low Brow! Dark, friendly staff, real chill, good music. Perfect when you want ONE more drink. Bar food is surprisingly tasty, although fairly fried and unhealthy lol - def better bar food than average though. Lovely neighborhood spot for me.

Love the Low Brow - good drinks, great pickle chips, good not-too-dark lighting inside. There are plenty of places to grab a seat, including at the cavernous bar. The only downside is that a big group of obnoxious people squeezes the life out of the place. That's when it's nice that they have heaters in the area outside.

Meh... not so much to say about this place. Although their green tea shot was amazing. But not much to it.

Have never been here earlier than 10pm! It's usually where we stop after we've had dinner and drinks somewhere else and want a nightcap. It's dark, divey and perfect for a late night drink. Plus they are open until 2:30am Monday - Saturday and there are few places that can claim those hours. Don't expect a fancy wine or even a legit wine glass. You're here for the pour and everything else just goes with the territory. Same with beer, this is your Bud, Miller, Coors Light, Pabst kind of beer, not 25 artisanal brews on tap, but they do have a few. Plus a hard cider. Food is exactly what you'd expect, lots of fried appetizers, burgers, tots, fried chicken sandwiches, fish and chips, nachos. Some vegan options Like cauliflower bites and a vegan chicken sandwich. They have HH from 5-7 with $6 wine and $1 off well drinks and beers. They keep it simple and do what they do, day after day, year after year.

Look, it's a cool spot to hang out and have a drink or two. I had a White Russian with just a bit too much cream but it was still good of course. But the chicken patty on the burger was tinyy. It didn't even cover the whole bun. No one wants to eat a burger where some of it is just bread. Also TOSS your patty in buffalo sauce. Don't just drizzle it on top of the patty Lmaoo. It actually made me laugh but other than that, not too shabby of a spot.

Great place to meet locals and the bartenders are great. I found this place and it was a great dive bar but they were very friendly to out of towners as well. They gave me great recommendations of what to see in the city both the staff and the customers.

Love this place!! I have referred to this place so many times. I stumbled upon it one night just for some late drinks and snacks: I was extremely surprised at the vegetarian options -- after ordering, I had to tell everyone about it as they were AMAZING! The service is great and the ambiance is a dark, fun, dive bar! Highly recommend!

Dark little dive bar with tents and tables outside as well so lots of places to sit. Have been here a few times, service has been always quick and friendly. Have never eaten any food here, but it's probably pretty typical dive bar food here. Worth coming here for a casual hang out and a couple of drinks, especially if you like dive bars. And it is pretty dark inside - just warning you.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AT LOW BROW IF YOU WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE A REAL HUMAN!... Wow! I was in town for business, this place was recommended to me by some locals... NEVER AGAIN! The staff at Low Brow were some of the WORST I'VE EVER INTERACTED WITH. Go to a place, chat with some people, the bartenders, then have ONE BEER, and get told to leave by the bartender for NO REASON! The staff are straight assh*les! No explanation given! I feel like he just decided they're were too many people in front of him, so the non-local needed to leave...? The bartender VERY RUDELY told me to pay my tab and leave after ONE beer... I asked what the reasoning was and he refused to answer ! I treat everyone I encounter with the utmost respect, like I've known them forever, ALWAYS. I've worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years and this has NEVER happened to me!!! I treat every bartender and server like they're family... always! Because I know how difficult things can be in this industry. But these people decided to treat me like I was a piece of TRASH! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!

Not a bad spot! Came here with my best friend and her cousin for a few drinks to relax and unwind. Pretty decent dive bar vibe which I was digging. Very attentive staff with great customer service. You can tell they are busy and they do hustle to stay up with the crowds. They have outdoor seating with smoking area and indoor seating as well. I saw them actively checking ID's. Food was good. It's your typical bar food and the chips are homemade and fresh. We really had a great time for it being my official first time out to relax since moving here a few weeks ago. I will come here again.

Exploring downtown Portland and stumbled upon this place looking for a nice cocktail. If you are looking for a dive bar this is the place for you! It has a dark and grungy feel to it. Multiple beers on draft, wine, and an assortment of liquors. They serve a multitude of snacks all fried!

I'm visiting Portland for work a stopped by Low Brow Lounge for dinner. The bar tender was very friendly and attentive, the local regular folks near me were great to talk to and the vibe of the bar is very cool. I had a West Coast IPA, Chicken sandwich, and a shot of Wild Turkey 101. It wasn't fancy, but it was delicious. I'll go again.

Always super good vibes here. The bartenders are great and super attentive. Stiff drinks and a good price. I haven't had too much food here except some snack foods but it's a dive bar so don't expect it to be out of this world. There is some outdoor seating in the front right off the sidewalk, nothing fancy but a place to people watch and have a smoke. I THINK there might be one small tv in the back room but I am not 100% so if you're looking to watch a game, I would not come here. This is a great little spot and probably my favorite on the West side.

This bar has a filthy feel, the bar tender kicked out someone right in front of the whole bar for being disabled, the bartender was screaming obscenities at the customer, for no apparent reason other than the customer having a visible disability. I will never go back here again, this was my first time and my last time.

The best service and employees this side of the river. Love coming here as my local bar! Don't come here if you aren't tipping what the bartenders deserve

Happy to have found a dive bar downtown. Friendly and attentive staff. They have a vegan fried chicken sandwich.

Low Brow Lounge is a chill low key bar that's good to just grab a few drinks with friends. perhaps a bite, and kick it with the friends. We swung by a Fri night and place was decently popping, with the bar side much rowdier and the seated half offered a nice quieter alternative. Drinks are decently priced so easy to just get drunk here. The bathroom situation can be a mess - the women's bathroom was out so everyone had to share the men's bathroom.

I love this bar. It's our local watering hole, a weekly stop for us due to its fun atmosphere, friendly/attentive staff, and tasty food and drinks. They have indoor and outdoor seating, a lot of good vegan options, and cool art work inside and outside. One thing I also love about this bar is how the bartenders look out for their customers and really take the time to get to know them. Excellent customer service.

This is my kind of a bar. Divey, vibey, friendly(ish), stiff cocktails, bar food, and quite simply, the kind of place that I'd like in my neighborhood. Seeing that some San Diego transplants turned Portland locals took me here on my most recent visit, they clearly knew my taste in nightly hangs. We grabbed a small table by the main bar and chatted till almost closing time. The bill barely hurt and the greasy grub was surely the reason why my head wasn't pounding (as) hard in the morning before catching my flight. So, here's the question, Low Brow: do you have a sister? If you do, does she live anywhere close to San Diego? I'd love to meet her!

low Brow, a true Portland staple. Great laid back dive bar atmosphere. The people who work here are as much of a PDX staple as this place. Happy to see them opening back up with limited hours in this "post panny" world. The additional outdoor seating is perfect for my comfort level but i have to admit i miss hiding in the dark corners of this bar.

Great vibes, laid back, and a great hangout spot. My fiancé, myself, and her friend all felt comfortable and the employees were great. Trying the blue balls are a must!

Grateful places like this still exist. A classic dark bar with great service and cool, edgey vibe. And the local art is superb!

I was looking forward to trying the happy hour here and stopped by today just before it ended at 7. When I asked if it was still happy hour I was told no, because it was 7:01 on their clock. I looked at my phone and it was 6:55. There is only one valid time, and if you say your happy hour ends at 7, it should end at 7.

Dark and divey with cheap drinks and loud music. Interesting wall art. The bathroom was clean. Not quite my style, but I can see why a lot of Portland folks would like it. I have a few friends who would LOVE it here.

I'm always a fan of a dive bar, and the fact that this place can survive in the Pearl is nothing short of a miracle. As everything else with even a hint of grit is being removed, Low Brow Lounge seems to thrive. It's always a reliably good time. The food is pretty standard. The drink is pretty standard. The vibe is pretty standard... dark and chill and maybe a hint of shady. But don't get me wrong: these are all thing that I appreciate. Low Brow Lounge is a pretty ideal place to go with a couple of friends, drink some cheap drinks, play some Buck Hunter (the best bar game ever), and have a low-key good time. I'm so happy this place exists, and the developers better not come for it!

The Low Brow is a true dive, a slice of dirty, industrial 90s that's still hanging on by a thread. Its existence is a giant middle finger to the tourists, yuppies, and transplants who've steadily eroded the character of Portland, and it's absolutely magical. The negative reviews explain the magic as much as the positive ones. It's dimly lit, half the seats are about ready to fall off, the bathroom is covered in graffiti, and the decor is all over the map. The bartenders will sling you a mean drink, but aren't going to treat you like you're at Applebee's. You may not get the warmest reception if you're carrying out of state ID, bring in a wedding group or bachelor party, or want to sit around with your laptop talking about your startup. If you like places like Brix and The Big Legrowslki, this is not the bar for you. In short, it's dark, cozy, a bit dingy, and one of the few remaining places downtown that truly makes me want to sink into a booth with my friends, get a bunch of tots, and drink the night away. Love it!

I would like to take a moment and thank Low Brow for "keeping the Pearl Safe For The Rest Of Us". Seriously. That's their motto. Keeping us safe from what you may ask? High, exaggerated prices? Is that what you are saving us from? Thank you for charging an extra dollar if you want salsa on your nachos. That is correct, there is actually a place in the Pearl District that charges for the salsa that should come with the nachos - Low Brow to the rescue. Really, I thank you for that. Thank you for the fish and chips at $9.00, you know those processed, frozen little triangle things that you deep fry? The kind of little frozen things that no matter what you dip them in they are still really disgusting? Yes, those. Thank you. Now for the good. The drinks are good. Thank you. Just don't get hungry. You'll thank me. 2014 - Review # 83

I love dive bars and low brow lounge didn't disappoint. This place was a little busy on a Thursday night but no worries we easily had a place to sit at the bar. We both enjoyed our drinks and the people watching. The bartender was quite friendly and a bit of a smart ass. I would definitely recommend to stop in for a drink or two.

This is a great dive bar. I've been twice and enjoyed the drinks I've ordered both times. The first time I had a dry cider which was really good, and tonight I had a Pilsner that was great. I've only ordered food once ( jalapeño popppers) and they were pretty good. I like the ambiance here and the lighting!

Nice dive bar, great beer on tap, very attentive bartenders. Enjoyed my visit here. But boy it's so loud.

Fun neighborhood bar that carries Patron silver tequila! Has a jukebox, friendly service and fun crowd. This place is a cool spot where a good time and great drink is waiting for you. They have a parking lot immediately next for the designated drivers to park. And there's street parking that doesn't fill up. This bar is located in the heart of the Pearl District that is safer than the other areas nearby.

The place is run by pretentious whimsical bartenders... I was booted out for questioning my tab.. As archaic it may sound, I was used to paying with cash and I was new to credit card tabs... They took offense to me questioning my tab, even though they do not provide (at least in my case) itemized bill... I have seen them boot out random innocuous patrons, just because they were wearing Santa Claus costumes... I recently found that one of the newest addition to their crew is a bartender, that used to work at the bar next door to my place, and who by far is the vilest, crudest and cruelest individual I have ever met... This individual routinely bullied me, and the details are so graphic that I cannot post them here... I guess this is one of those YMMV places...You might have a very different experience than mine...

There was a male bartender with blonde hair that lashed out at female patrons. I was incredibly offended by his behavior and will not be returning. If the owner or manger of this business would like more information , I would be happy to provide it.

Great place, good vibes and good service. The employees are always attentive and nice! Highly recommend if you're looking for a classic dive bar in Portland!

Super chill spot. The bartender was very down to earth, and the old fashion infused with cbd was smooth. I'm from out of state, but if I ever visit Portland again, this will definitely be my go-to spot to relax comfortably for a bit. Side note: the potato chip fries that came with the burger were surprisingly delicious.. they should market those more.

I'm gonna use "dive bar" in the most complimentary way to describe this place! Perfect lighting, never too crowded, and drinks made strong enough to taste but not too strong to drink and want another. They're Late Night menu has some solid options, too. My gf and I have been coming here for about a year and it's been our go-to whenever we've wanted a night out or we're trying to think of a place to end the night. Give it a try!

Went here with a few friends for some drinks. Drinks and food were ok for a dive bar. One of our friends moved the doorstop to the door because she was cold. A bartender then proceeded to accuse our table of stealing the doorstop. He did not have a mask on and appeared to be somewhat intoxicated. He then kicked the entire group out even though all of us were sober. Proceeded to yell at our group saying it was his bar. All over someone closing a door?? It was a situation that was unnecessary escalated by the bar tender. He also called our group bitches and threw away someone's personal mask and didn't not care. Safe to say we wont return. Be aware for bar tenders who overreact over minimal issues.

Cool spot. All are welcome. Friendly vibe with good music. A Portland gem. Highly recommend to everyone looking for a chill vibe without pretenses.

Making your way in the world today takes everything you got. Taking a break from all your worries, It sure would help a lot. Wouldn't you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. You want to be where you can see the troubles are all the same. You want to be where everybody knows your name. You want to go where people know the people are all the same. You want to go where everybody knows your name.

Four stars for a dive bar. Friendly service, good selection of beers, and creepy as eff! But that's the way I like it, and the neighborhood around it seems pretty safe. Differently a cool, grudge-y dive bar that I'd recommend for a drink or two.

Loved this place. This is a nice bar to spend some quality time with your friends and loved ones. Quality pours from friendly people; what more do you want? The jager wall is fantastic as is the wall art and tchotchkes at the bar. There you go.

A hole-in-the wall bar? I'm in! Maybe it's me, but I'm tired of these overpriced, velvet rope, artistic fire display, $10 a water downed drink bars. Why do we need them? Yes I enjoy good beer, and in this town, how can you not? But do I need to pay $8 bucks for one and or a cover just to enter to drink said eight buck beer? No, I shouldn't have to and thankfully there are still plenty of places I can go that I don't have to worry about that BS. Low Brow is exactly what it states. You pay $8 for a beer and you're getting an app with it as well. A buck fifty for a PBR, sure why not. I don't always have to drink the good dark beers that I usually enjoy. Which they do have. The place is dark and has an interesting layout that winds around. Oh, if you use a card there is a $10 minimum on one. I did think the "wine bottle" wall was cool. Nice place, I'd go back if it wasn't out of the way for me.

If I could rate zero stars I would. Tonight my friend and I went to Low Brow after our company holiday party. We were with a group of 8 people, the majority of whom were allowed to order without any problem. My friend and I went to the bar to order a drink and were denied service. We were both wearing Santa-themed jackets. When asked why we were denied service the staff said it was because of what we were wearing. The two of us were not inebriated nor were we disturbing any other patrons. There was absolutely nothing offensive about our attire or behavior yet we were denied service and promptly asked to leave. Regardless of how you slice it, it is discrimination. We were denied service strictly because of our attire. Not because of our behavior or our actions but solely on what we chose to wear. My only hope is that those who choose to read this make the right choice to patron another bar, one that is inclusive of all kinds of people.

Dimly lit and dark place to go in the Pearl district with stiff drinks.

I've only been here for Yelp after parties but MAN. I regret coming here all the time. I've always woken up a mess. Meaning, I LOVE it. This place is the dark, dank, poorly lit bar you can't not love. Nice decor (for darkness), great service and cheap drinks. If you look there's a decor intent, sparse but well placed lighting and even the damn bathrooms are art. Basically, it's got a good name, a good rep and I'm sure I'll be back here for more Yelp after parties and life in general.

If there was 0 rating I would give that too.. shitty bar with rude staff.. I bought a drink and the guy charged me for tip as well.. He drained my drink saying they were closing but there was still time left before closing time. He dint let me finish my drink..