McMenamins Crystal Ballroom

Crystal Ballroom is the most iconic McMenamins venue in Portland. Famous for the wooden floor that 'moves' with the crowd, chandeliers and marquee walls adorned with the illustrations McMenamins is so loved for - this venue never fails to impress. Concerts here are always so damn fun. Recent improvements with the sound system have made the acoustics even better. With 2 bars in the main area and one on the balcony, their staff is well equipped to serve libations without having much of a wait. The balcony has a few rows of seats, I believe you have to purchase those specifically as they're not included with GA. The balcony view is partially obstructed from some areas by the massive chandelier, so choose your spot wisely. I always enjoy this venue and appreciate the restaurants and bars McMenamins places so well in their locations.

I've seen many concerts here and it's always a friendly crowd. It's a little awkward how the over 21 and under 21 is split. I was there seeing my favorite old band Social Distortion. And when people jump the floor kind of sways and has a bounce to it because it was originally built with some kind of suspension system. Somehow the staff kept the beer flowing and even though it was crowded everyone was polite. Don't miss an opportunity to attend a concert here. Such great old bones that are reminiscent of what would seem like a more civilized time.

We were extremely impressed with the Crystal Ballroom's ada accommodations! We saw They Might be Giants this time (they were phenomenal!!!!!). Staff was really on it! We thought we'd have to wait until the venue cleared out to exit, but they totally cleared a path to the elevator. We were also offered cold water during the show, so we didn't have to leave the area to get a drink.

The bouncy floors are really nice and help soften the impact on your joints from jumping around at shows. The staff are incredibly kind and helpful, too! My boyfriend lost his keys in the mosh pit last night and the staff helped us look for them once people started clearing out. I also find that the audience the Crystal Ballroom tend to be incredible friendly and genuinely nice people. I highly recommend this venue!

SECURITY WARNING: This property appears to have significant structural concerns with the ballroom floor. The floor feels highly unstable — for example, the table and the water in your glass visibly sway when even a small child walks by. Given the age of the building, a thorough inspection is strongly recommended. I sincerely hope the owners address this issue promptly to prevent any potential catastrophe.

Absolutely love this venue, but do not get the balcony sitting with obstructed view. The PA was not the best during the recent Social Distortion show. Still strongly recommended this place.

We were celebrating my friend's birthday. We had a fabulous time. Everybody that worked there was absolutely awesome from Becca and the night crew to James to the other gentleman who was so kind at the restaurant. Loved the spirit in 217. From the moment we arrived, they kept playing with the lights while we were getting ready to go out! Love the history of the building and ambiance. Thank you so much for a great weekend. And the hospitality of the kind people who worked while we stayed! Mel & Rhi

Went to the Amity Affliction show at the Crystal Ballroom. Staff was very friendly. Security was spot on. Music sounded great. Wonderful experience. Would see more shows there in the future

I recently went to the Set It Off concert at the Crystal ballroom with my wife and teenage daughter and we had a BLAST! We did the VIP Meet and Greet and the thing that really stood out to me was how fantastic literally every staff member was that I talked to. From the people coming down the line to check tickets, to the security check inside, to the people working the food stands in the venue, the Crystal Ballroom's employees made it a smooth and very pleasant experience. ALSO, about halfway through the show, they started handing out free water bottles to the people in the front part of GA that couldn't leave to get water from the station in the back. They really just wanted to make sure everyone was staying hydrated and was ok and that was really cool. (The band, of course, put on one of the best shows I think I've ever been to. Highly recommended.) The architecture of the place is very atmospheric and emanates a vibe of "this is cool", and bouncy floor is fun. All in all, great experience. 10/10 would go again.

The zany worker patting down peoples at the door are WILD I never make yelped but everyone I've told the story too say think it's PEEK Portland(am make visit east coast) My wife had to run back to the car and was make wait I notice people being saying what to telled to them and then some was throwing away what I think was circle long printer inks or something. What is weird makes the third worker by the trash would shine a light in said can and reach in. One guy tried to come up and look in the trash and the worker got VERY upsets about him even looking in the trash. Not sure what they're doing but it's strange to Gintars to reach for trash. THE Woman's was OK. Much peoples dance and have fun. I'll never make forget the skinny "security" and their trash can Gintars gives 5/5 Keeps Portland's Weerd!!!!

I've been meaning to catch a show here and finally grabbed tickets. Was not expecting how slow and long the line was to get inside. I guess they haven't figured a way out to get people in faster. Once inside, the chandeliers and paintings are cool. One side of the venue is no alcohol and the other side had a rope and a wrist band to get an alcoholic drink. Headed to that side and grabbed one of the signature vodka cocktails of the evening. I only had the one; wasn't very good. No chairs and standing room only. Ok, except it seemed the crowd was exceptionally tall that evening. I was with 3 men over 6 feet and they also commented how tall the crowd was. So, I had a peek-a-boo view between people. Also, the floor boards were very creaky. And had to hope that it was supporting everyone's weight. Not sure I'll come back if standing room only.

We came for the Drive By Truckers show tonight and have been met with nothing but rude (at least) and disrespectful (at best) service. No one to answer venue questions, full pat down and search of my belongings, and no visible rules about entry. Concert hall is nice. Hotel rooms are super small and oddly shaped. Shared bathroom/shower isn't as bad as it could be as there are a few on our floor. Wouldn't return if I had a choice.

Came here for a live music show. The interior was super cool, just as most McMenamins are. There were several bars to choose from (however limited the offerings were) and the ciders/beers were tasty as usual although I can't speak to the food since we don't not order anything. The service was alright, nothing to write home about. I do love the Lola Room on the second floor, there were plenty of seating areas and tables/chairs to sit down at, and enjoy the show on a big flatscreen (if going to a concert but not really going is your thing. I mean, suit yourself). The main area was pretty sweet, a couple of bars to choose from (almost the same offerings as the others), and the dance floor was huge. The stage was off to the corner, which is a little strange but whatevs (not like I have a better ballroom at home). I thought the staff were friendly enough, the venue was great, the drinks were not priced outrageously (although you should mind the card readers as they suggest high tip percentages, I believe I saw 25 which was like, whaaaaaaat, for pouring me a beer? No maam. You do not get 25%.) and the sound system was sweet! I'll be back for sure!

We came to the Crystal Ballroom to see Tennis! The ticket pricing for the Crystal Ballroom is really inexpensive which made it a great spot to go to with our friends when visiting Portland. The space is a lot bigger than I expected from the outside, but the staff did a great job of ensuring safety and making sure everyone was checked in timely. The line for drinks was fairly long, but it looked like the bartenders were on top of keeping everyone happy. I also liked how they had water dispensers for everyone else too. There are a lot of stairs in this location, so beware if that is a dealbreaker for you. It's not a lot of flights of stairs, but multiple-short, stairs that go upward. Overall, this location was a great size for the crowd who attended the Tennis show. It was divided by a runway, which was a lot of fun, but my biggest complaint is the sound at this location. I think the audio technology could be upgraded for a better experience from every corner of the room instead of the wall closer to the stage getting the best experience. Otherwise, if that could be changed in the future - this location is worth taking a visit to. I had an awesome time at the show and the performance was incredible. It was easily one of the best nights we had in Portland.

I had a terrible experience tonight at the Crystal Ballroom. Saw Magic City Hippies. Great band wonderful tunes. I have a weak knee and sat for a moment at the crowd started to disburse at the end of the concert. A gray haired woman who was with the usher service yelled at me to stand up. I asked her for ten seconds just while the stairs cleared from the balcony so I could leave to my car quickly. I explained to her that I have a bad knee. She yelled at me and threatened to call security on me. She continued to yell and berate my date and I until I limped to the stairs. I won't be back.

Fun place to see a show! I've been here a few times and overall enjoyed it. It is the only venue I can think of that the stage is tucked in the corner of the room rather than front and center, which sometimes makes for not the best views. Also note that the balcony section in the room is FAR back away, so don't expect any sort of close up view. Pro tip, their is a bar and bathrooms up in balcony that are way more private!

The Crystal Ballroom continues to be one of the worst venues in town. The worst flow for attendees, terrible sound and a generally poor experience for people who pay for tickets. The security staff is painfully unprofessional, terrible at their job and did everything they could to make a bad night worse. I will never attend another show there. I hope they put more effort to think about the people who pay for these shows in the future

Love seeing shows here. Last couple shows I have been in front row and I just want to say the security working last night at the Sleater-Kinney show did a great job. He had long hair and camo cargo pants. He was on top of things and actually tried to keep the show pleasant for everyone. Props to someone who is really good at their job!

Be ware for their is a strict Covid procedure to follow at this venue. The information is all over their website. The process starts with standing in line for at least an hour, showing your vaccination card and identification card and having your hand stamped. The staff at the entrance were friendlier then I expected - they looked super intense and unapproachable before speaking to them. The folks checking purses vary in their approach - my purse was completely violated while my daughters purse was barely glanced at with a flashlight. Inside, the venue is impressive to look at with its vaulted ceiling's, grand chandelier, floor to ceiling windows and impressive balcony seating. The "famous" floating dance floor was intense, especially since I was standing on a bench for the headliner Remi Wolf - kinda felt like a mini earthquake. I had to cling to the drapes for dear life when everyone was jumping up and down. One thing that I found odd and a bit annoying was that the opening performer was late by over 30 minutes. I wasn't annoyed at the performer, but I would've appreciated some communication from management regarding this delay. Luckily, my annoyance quickly faded because Grace Ives was fantastically talented and so much fun!! I heard people complaining about the acoustic's and how chatty everyone was, but I enjoyed the music immensely (Remi Wolf was so upbeat, funky and so much fun), I and would return in the future.

Epic epic epic fail. Had tickets to Skinny Puppy and Paul Barker. Got to venue over an hour early, but somehow their door staff was so ridiculously terrible we were all left out in the rain as the most PAINFULLY slow door process caused most of us to miss Paul Barker entirely and all of us were completely soaked. It's like they've never had a concert here before. I've never witnessed a level on ineptitude like I witnessed here at this show. I don't care how much I like a particular band; I will never step foot in this venue again.

No Air Conditioning in a concert venue? Seriously?! Went to the Sabertooth festival a few years back, was really looking forward to it, wasn't really worried about getting too hot because it's a concert venue, and of course a concert venue would have air conditioning. Right? They'd be insane not to right?! I was wrong. I ended up getting pretty hot during the concert, and I wasn't even moving around that much either. After the Holy Grove set ended, my friend and I went down to get something to eat at the Ringlers resteraunt I felt like crap and, Had no appetite at all and couldn't even eat my food I ordered! Felt like I was going to throw up too. It wasn't until a few hours later after I had to leave the venue when my appetite finally came back, that I realized I had had heat nausea. Haven't been there since. Hopefully they have AC now, since we're living in the 21st century.

A great concert venue!! It's kinda small, but so beautiful. It has a very unique feel too it and decorated beautiful. Has an old, historical feel

This was our first concert at Crystal Ballroom and it will be one of many. We couldn't believe how intimate and close we were to the stage!! There was no air conditioning, and even though it was a SUPER hot day outside, it wasn't at all uncomfortable. The music was great and I couldn't believe how close we were!! We sat in Lola's Bar until after the first act, because you can watch everything on the multiple TV's in the bar, then went up to the ballroom. We got two PBR's which were $9 for 24oz. Seriously not a bad price! The staff were all kind and friendly, the bartender was great, it was clean, bathrooms were easily accessible, a 5 star Mcmenamins concert event!

Terrible venue everything overpriced, falling apart, and rude owners. If you want to go to a dirty old shaky venue with no air flow or crowd control come to this place.

I have a million problems with McMenamins in general, the beer is mediocre at best, and highly priced at shows, it always seems they oversell and pack the crap out of their venues for music, maybe as a native Portlander the uniqueness has long worn off on me. But I am giving them 5 stars because every member of their staff, especially at the crystal ballroom, from the servers to the door/security folks are super awesome, nice, and overly accommodating, so much so that it makes me ignore the beer prices or the fact that you have to mix two of their beers together to make it decent tasting. A plus 5 stars for the staff that keeps me coming back.

I attended the Gracie Abrams concert at the Crystal Ballroom. Tickets were easy to purchase online through their ticketing partner and redeem in person. Parking is easy to find with a number of parking garages and street parking nearby. Entry was very well organized for this event as their was regular and VIP entry. We had balcony seats, and the usher upstairs was a combination of careless and lazy. He never checked our seats and lazily told us hopefully no one was in our seats. Otherwise, it was our job to ask them to move. I've been attending concerts for over 25 years and have never heard an usher be so careless. The seats were old and not the most comfortable. They have a variety of beverages and pizza they serve during events. It was a great show, but I wish the usher took greater pride in his job. Thankfully, we didn't have to confront anyone for sitting in our seats, but his carelessness was very disappointing.

Great music venue in Portland! Lots of room for dancing and places to sit down and rest.

*I absolutely enjoyed who I went to see... thankfully the little snatch that ruined our night didn't start shit until after...I will send you a email with specifics, thank you.* Worst staff ever. Hopefully musicians look at all these one star reviews before booking shows here. 4 of us went to a show last night and will never be back..

Was in Portland and love going to concerts so the idea of seeing a band that I know outs on a good show at a historic venue sounded fun. It wasn't. Crystall Ballroom was built in 1914. They havent added air conditioning. When you cam 1500 people in a small space it gets styling fast. It's hard to get in a good spot for a view of the stage in the corner unless you arrive early. Still late comers were constantly pushing their way to the front. The staff dis nothing to control the crowd. Even the over 21 section was out of control. Sure weed is legal in Oregon but bring edibles. Multiple people were sparking up joints standing all around us. That's inconsiderate in a tight space. The crowd was wild and rude. I've been to over 300 concerts including to see th band we were there for. The people in the crowd didn't care about anyone else. When a big guy behind me shoved a 50 year old woman causing her beer to fly all over her and me and laughed that was bad enough. Then he shoved me and another woman in the back causing her to hit the floor and me to slam into my wife. The jerk was laughing. Inshoved him back and we left just 3 songs into the main act. Staff was just feet away and said nothing. They also didn't help a young woman who collapsed multiple times. Likely on something and dehydrated. If you're a local and like things out of control by all means go. If you aren't up for sweating your ass off and getting pushed around then don't go. No wonder bands always say when they play St Louis that they're amazed at how great the crowds are.

How many concerts have I attended at the Crystal Ballroom over the last two decades? More than a dozen, for sure, maybe close to 20. Out of all the event venues in Portland, this one is probably my favorite, but that condition comes with a caveat, but one that has little to do with the actual venue itself, so I don't it against them. I'm a huge metalhead, and when I see a band or artist live, I *have* to be in the front row, or damned close to it. If not, the experience is just not the same for me. I despise lawn concerts and amphitheaters. I'm envious of the photographers behind the partitions separating the crowd and the stage. Heck, the ONLY reason I really like the Hawthorne Theater is that there is almost never any buffer between you and the band. If I can't crowd surf, get thrown on stage, and then stage dive back into the crowd, I won't like your venue much. The Crystal Ballroom falls into the above category for those same reasons, but since most of my favorite bands don't come to the Crystal, I haven't held it against them...yet. Still, when I come here for a concert, I get here early, and make a bee-line for the front row after climbing a labyrinth of stairs and cramming/queueing up in claustrophobic hallways. Hesitate, and you'll be among the masses ordering craft beers and settling for seats or standing room at the back. Fortunately, since this is a McMenamins, you're going to be in good company, both with regards to food, beverages and fellow patrons. People (attendees AND staff) tend to be more polite and respectful here, and you won't be overcharged just because you're a captive audience: prices are the same here as in any of their restaurants of hotels. Best of both worlds. Everyone comments on the bouncy floor. Yep, it bounces! Good for headbangers, thrashers and mosh-pitters, too! The interior, wedge-shaped space is a little awkward due to the form factor of the building and the streets that cradle it, but once you're in the mix, you stop noticing. Speaking of the mix, this is one venue that gets the sound levels right, all the time. Probably at least partially due to the acoustics of the building's unusual shape, but I've never had vocals or solos drowned out by bass saturation; the volume is loud but never offensively so, and lyrics can usually be understood clear enough to follow along. That's hard to do in any arena. Everything else about the Crystal, with regards to concerts, is fairly industry standard: no re-entry, tiny bathrooms with long queues, etc. The unavoidables of cramming several hundred people in a confined space for several hours. If your complaint revolves around any of these things, stick to Edgefield or Sunlight Amphitheater, and leave the Crystal and other intimate (aka "meat grinder") venues for us metalheads. We're used to the blood, sweat and tears!

The Crystal Ballroom is a 1500 capacity venue in downtown Portland. There's a lot of talk about the dance floor, and it is a unique part of the ambience. My experience at the Crystal is for concert attendance. The good part of the venue happens when the venue is 21+. When they attempt to hold all ages events the floor gets chopped up and things are overall not good. A couple things the venue could do to help the concert experience include: Raising the stage height about one got to improve sight lines. Keep the volume at a level the venue can handle. When volume is too loud, the room gets muddy quickly. I know this is probably controlled by the artist, but a warning to the artist might be taken and implemented. When attending a sold out event, I pass. The Crystal is not worth being in during a sold out event no matter who is playing. You won't be able to see the stage unless you are 6'4" or taller. I've walked out of numerous shows early due to conditions inside. The staff is pretty chill. The entrance is swift, even with a metal detector in place. In the case where one of my favorite bands books into the Crystal, I have to really think about how bad do I want to see this band, and then pray for a full house, not a sold out show.

Cool venue with great history! As it is part of the McMenamins universe, it is themed out to the max and right next to a few McMenamins restaurants/bars. The flow tends to get pretty sticky with spilled drinks, so don't wear open toed shoes or ones you don't want to get dirty. Pro tip, if you get there early they usually put posters of that nights show all up throughout the venue, so if you're lucky you can snag one.

I've been to spoken word shows here and it's been fine. Came to my first concert to see Citizen Cope and the sound quality was horrific. The music was muffled and sounded horrible!!! I definitely will not be returning to see any music acts at this venue.

While most of the experience was wonderful; security & bar staff were friendly and professional, the coat check employee ruined the experience. When I checked my coat he seemed overwhelmed and confused, which is odd considering there weren't even 2 full racks of items, but at the end of the night he handed me the wrong item. When I said" that's not mine, its the black one next to it with the purple scarf in the pocket", no comment, whoops, sorry, or even the light back here is terrible would have been acceptable. What was not acceptable is "Mam, it doesn't matter what you say, I have to go by the tag". Before he looked at the tag a second time & gave me my coat.

Sound is awful, terrible stage layout, and humid venue. It takes wayyy too long to enter as lines often wrap around the venue. Box office is hard to hear.

Huge shoutout to the staff last night! I was so impressed by the team at this sold out Barbie Rave Party! The bartenders were all very friendly and fast. There were long lines but they moved at a good speed. Security even helped us to get earplugs.

Writing this review because of the excellent service I received from Chris Hallen! My fiancé and I are flying into to Portland this Thursday to see Sabrina Claudio. There was a change in the VIP package and I was upset at first. But it was McMenamins fault, the Sabrina Claudio team had to exclude an item from the VIP package. I immediately emailed McMenamins and Chris responded promptly. Not only did he respond promptly after my first email but continued helping me with all of my questions! Bottom line: I'm happy with the outcome and as a manager myself Chris deserves HUGE kudos on his customer service skills. Again, he is the only reason I'm writing this review. THANK YOU, CHRIS! We can't wait to see Sabrina on Thursday!

Pretty venue, but they didn't turn on the air at a packed show. People were sweating profusely, and I had to leave early (pregnant + overheating is dangerous). A staff member offered to let me go outside to cool off and come back in. That's nice...but 4 flights of stairs twice in a very hot venue? The stairs on the balcony were also not lit or taped/visible, and I almost fell. There are some serious problems with this venue that seem easily fixable...turn on the air, tape the stairs so people don't get hurt.

they took my jello insisting it was a jell-o shot and i needed it because i'm diabetic to control my sugar levels.

Attended The Peter Hook show last night....bought 3 beers and got charged for 5...what is up? Venue is nice enough....but at 9 dollars a beer you'd think they make enough money without ripping people off.

I seemed to be the only person with my vape pen taken away while every other patrons around were openly allowed to smoke within the crowd. We left early to request it back. Upon asking for it they informed me they threw it away. Terrible how they treat their customers. I will not be returning.

transphobic staff regarding bathrooms ........ are we serious? it's 2022 do better for ur own sake ugh

It's been many years since I last came here for an event. Lucked out on street parking just s couple blocks away. They have a good system to check tickets at the door or pick up at will call. The event itself is on the top floor (4th?) which you have to climb stairs to get to. One bouncer checks your ID there before proceeding to the line at the bar. Or if you're under 21 you stay on the left side. It was pretty crowded already during the openers. The show we saw was supposed to start at 8 (doors opened at 630). But the main singer didn't appear until 915! And it ended at 1015. Glad we ended the night early. There's seating up in the balcony in the back but probably first come first serve. No big bags are allowed but I'm really glad I brought my fanny pack! 3.5 stars avg. Bouncy floors. Standing room mainly. Only limited bench seating on the side by the bar. Sound system is lacking. It was a fun night out but Will stay away from big events from here on out.. practice social distancing!

I am homeless but was blessed with two tickets to the Crystal Ballroom, May 19 to see Mr. Bungle and The Melvins (Geek tour) after juggling for three hours in an attempt to attract attention of anyone with extra tickets.. the lady at the door asked for my phone and keys..I gave the doorlady my phone, while a manager frantically charged up to the door, creating the impression that an incident was occuring..it was; the manager had seen me entering with only one shoelace and pants that were too short.. he kicked me out, refusing to let the doorlady honor my $70 tickets.. this is an insult to the generous rock fan who had to give up his tickets for a family emergency, and to make my plight neverending - cannot even escape with a Melvins sludgerock show that people like me cannot afford to attend, but the man with tix didn't sell them, he saw that I was a fan..the management of Crystal ballroom only saw that I'm homeless.would have been my third Crystal Ballroom show, but instead

I quite like this venue! I've only been once so far, but I have tickets for another show in a couple of weeks that I'm really looking forward to. I bought tickets in person at the box office a few weeks before the event and they even told me the exact number of tickets left for the show. Cool! My husband was unsure if he wanted to go since the night before the concert we were flying back from Europe, so he was afraid of jetlag. He was right; he was well asleep before the concert started, so it's good we didn't get him a ticket. TIP: Buy your ticket at the box office to save on fees. I had to buy my tickets online for an upcoming show since I wasn't in town and I knew it'd sell out, and for the pair of tickets, it cost an extra $25. When I arrived for the show, the staff were nice. Security moved quickly (but I did show up right before the headliner), but I had to go through a metal detector and have my bag searched. I was a bit surprised by the metal detector, but I suppose it's good for everyone's safety. Then, I was instructed to head up a flight of stairs. I'm not sure if this place is handicapped accessible? I imagine they have an elevator, but I didn't see it. I got to the second floor, but I was confused where to go. This floor just seemed to have merch, so up another flight of stairs I went. Finally, on the third floor, I could hear a crowd, so I headed in. I was confused on the layout, but I tried to head to the right to a slightly elevated section, but I got ID'd. So, I showed my ID and was let in, but then I realized I'm just by the bar. So, then I turned back around and headed left. The stage is set up at an angle and there's a big aisle dividing the floor. LAYOUT: I figured it out; to the right is the section for 21+ and to the left is all ages. I headed to the left to see if I could get closer to the stage since it looked more spacious and less crowded, but I ended up too far left and the sound was awful. I didn't care which section I was in, I just wanted to be centered so the sound would be best. Thankfully, I was able to make it to the barricade fence by the aisle in the left section. This was the perfect spot because the sound was good, I was close enough the stage to see well, and I could rest my arm on the fence. Plus, when the crowd got pushy, I had a place to latch onto to keep my place. The size of the venue isn't too big either. The show felt small and intimate-ish. The historic ballroom is gorgeous too! Take the time to look up and around the room for the beautiful architectural details. Overall, I was pretty happy with my experience here and I'm looking forward to the next concert I see here. And I'm definitely going to try to secure my position by the barricade fence again!

they took my friends Jell-O insisting it was a shot even though she was trying to balance her sugar levels because of her diabetes?

This is super belated (like more than a year late), but I'm hoping the owners will read this and take this suggestion under advisement. There's a ton of pros for the Crystal Ballroom. For one, it's absolutely gorgeous, the acoustics were decent, and there's usually a pretty good lineup. I would also say, the idea of separating the drinking section from the non-drinkers is smart in concept. It's safer and less sweaty. Unfortunately, that didn't help at my last visit. We opted to stay on the non-drinking side since 1) we don't drink and 2) it was jam-packed on the 21+ side which gave us a little claustrophobia. Almost instantly, we realized how hot it was and that there was no A/C beyond a fan waaaay at the back. As soon as everyone started dancing, the room heated up exponentially. I started to feel pretty faint, but the room was so packed, I couldn't crouch or sit down, I could only make my way out. Unfortunately, the lobby was packed as well so feeling faint (and not thinking too clearly), I stupidly tried to quickly get outside and cool off. Of course, making my way down several flights of stairs while suffering from heat exhaustion only exacerbated the problem and as soon as I stepped outside, I passed out. When I regained consciousness, some people had carried me to the front door (I guess I tumbled into the street?) where my husband found me. Even worse, I broke my glasses when I fainted, leading to a hospital visit and 16 stitches. If that wasn't enough, pretty much every employee in the front area tried to gaslight me and they insisted I came in drunk and possibly on something more. No matter how many times I (and my husband) explained that we hadn't had drinks at all that night. So...all I got was 1/4 of a concert and a $400 hospital bill. And a little bit of PTSD whenever I hear certain music now. Look, I'm not saying it's anyone's fault, we chose to go and I chose to run out blindly. But if you have a huge room with hundreds of people all dancing together with no A/C and no free water AND it's at the top of 3 flights of stairs...things become very dangerous. I think the staff was nervous I'd press charges or something, but when a girl is bleeding from her head and waiting for an ambulance, don't accuse her of being drunk and say it's her fault for a pretty severe and painful injury. In short, get a freaking A/C, add some fans, and stop overstuffing the ballroom. It was a heatstroke for me, but it could be something far more serious in the future.

The venue was great, the staff was super friendly but be aware that when you pay for reserved mezzanine seating, it is not enforced. I paid extra money to have reserved seats because my wife is unable to stand for long periods of time. The entire night, those of us who paid for reserved seating had to deal with people without tickets standing in front of us and blocking our view of the show. One patron who proudly stated she did not have a ticket and didn't care, thought it was funny and encouraged others to come down and stand in front of those of us who paid for seating. Needless to say, it made enjoying the show difficult. One other thing to be aware of is that the stairs that lead down to the mezzanine seats are not lit, and multiple people (including my wife) tripped and fell walking down them. A simple white strip of gaffer tape at the edge of each stair tread would solve this. While it is a great venue to see a show, if you are going to charge extra for reserved seating, there needs to be enforcement who can access the seats.

BRING EARPLUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRING EARPLUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRING EARPLUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot stress this enough. Crystal Ballroom seems to be stuck in the early 80s mindset that "louder is better". It is not, it is just painful and detracts from intelligibility of the music and singing. Even with earplugs, the bass is uncomfortably loud. Crystal Ballroom as a concert venue is pretty dismal. It is a big, open, flat ballroom with a short stage. This means that if you want to actually SEE the performers, you have three choices: 1. Stand at the foot of the stage and get crushed by the masses behind you. 2. Stand on one of the handfuls of benches against the walls. 3. Go to the balcony (if you're over 21). All of these shortcomings would be more tolerable if it weren't for the other fatal flaws: The bar downstairs blares its music so loud that it can be heard between songs. They turn the music up so loud (no exaggeration) that people on the street outside of the venue have to shout at each other to converse (so if you want to hear the concert for free, just hang around outside). Yes, the floor is bouncy, but this is no way enhances any concert experience.

I am sad to say that my once favorite venue in PDX is now a complete s*** show. The security staff at the entrances were completely unprofessional. I was searched twice while several other patrons (all men and I'm a 5'1 middle aged disabled woman) were given complete freedom of re-entry. I chose to go outside after the 1st act out of respect for the venue. After being told by 1 staff member to "just go vape in the bathroom". I stood within security's vision for less than 10 mins before returning inside for the show. The door guy didn't ask for ID or my ticket again since I had already gone through security and did not leave the premises. He was the only person who treated me with respect. The new (younger) hires, however, made me go through the entire process again, kept me waiting, telling me contradictory information and then gaslighting me to try and avoid accountability for their actions. They threw out my medicine, my vape, and completely ruined my experience. I had nothing illegal on me, I was sober, and had asked before stepping outside if I would have to go through it all again because I was worried about missing some of the show I'd been looking forward to since the day tickets went on sale. While this was happening, I watched every other patron go smoke and come back without so much as a 2nd glance from security. Crystal ballroom, this disrespect and unprofessional treatment is the reason why I will not be purchasing tickets for any of the several shows I was going to attend this fall. I had never had a negative experience there before, in fact security had always been friendly and helpful in the past. Last night changed everything. I intend to tell everyone only to go to Crystal ballroom if they want to be harassed and robbed.

Got kicked out for smoking a joint outside of the venue on New Years Eve. Bro said he wouldn't let me back inside, I was legit just standing down the street by myself minding my own business. Don't come here if you wanna have a good time.

**ADA** I broke my ankle a month ago. I really wanted to see a band here and honestly was thinking it would be impossible since I have never been here in an ADA situation so last minute a friend who used to work here told me to go and that the manager should hook me up etc. Basically I have a crutch and a cast which is a real nightmare in crowds because the average person could care less and just crashes into you mindlessly, no joke. If you like people and don't want to...get stuck dealing with ADA for a day. I spent a large portion of 2017 in a wheelchair and then was stuck walking with a cane for months when I was still working on relearning to walk. During that time I went to quite a few venues in the city but never made it to the Crystal Ballroom. I did not know they are a place you apparently really are supposed to call ahead. My friends who worked their before did not say that to me or I would have tried to do so. I tried to get tickets to the show months prior but they were sold out. I posted about it online saying that I was at my doctor getting more x-rays done and JUST got notice that they were releasing a few tickets so suddenly I could go BUT I now have a broken freaking ankle and how frustrated and sad I was. That's when my friends encouraged me to go saying surely the venue would give me ADA seating etc. So, even when I was wheelchair bound I hated feeling like a burden...being in pain and having such a nightmare time getting around is so frustrating on its own. I walked up to the front of the Crystal...well, hobbled up.... A sweet couple kept telling me that I should just walk right up around the line but I am not like that so I just moved through the line like everyone else which took forever. I went through the metal detector and then I told the security guy that I needed someone because I was ADA and needed the elevator (which is what my friend told me to say). So, a nice guy came over and asked if I called ahead. I said no because I just even found a ticket later afternoon. He asked what I needed and I said I just need somewhere I can sit so I could see. He brought me up the elevator with other people. I actually do not need the 21+ area because I do not drink at shows normally but also I have to take pain pills so double nope...especially when he pretty much pointed across a crowded floor saying I could go look to see if there was space on the back wall for some bench to sit on - ummm...seriously? FYI - most people go to the benches because they stand on them during the shows. He pointed to the bench right where we were at the back of the all ages section asking if that was ok seeming anxious to get going. There was space so sure... I am really glad I went because the show was great and it was my favorite band from back in the day but I really paid the price. So, two different guys took turns standing right in front of me and they were tall as hell so even though I was forced to stand all night I still could barely see a damned thing. I also kept having to dodge drunk people because that bench is close enough to where people go in and out of the 21+ area. After the show I did the usual I have to do at anything I go to and wait for the crowd to go so that I can hobble without having people slam into me. Even when I waited a long time and all the people seemed to be gone I ended up almost really hurting myself. Some drunk guy came running out of no where, slipped and fell right in front of me so he almost knocked me over acting like a nutcase and then I had to almost jump backwards when he basically threw himself on the ground in front of me. Just wow... I am not sure what happens if you call in advance but apparently if you are going to be ADA you need to let them know upfront....actually getting to see the show though, that's a whole other story but at least they have an elevator if you have a chair or something preventing you from stair climbing.

This review is for the ballroom/brewery tour only. We attended the ballroom/brewery tour that takes place daily at 2pm. It's a great way to get multiple stamps in your passports! We're Tripsters 3 times over but there has been issues with the tour each time we've attended over the years. Which we didn't mind skipping the tour before but I'm really glad we got to see it all this time around. Our tour guild was very friendly, up beat, and knowledgeable as she lead us through the floors. The brewery isn't as interesting as I thought it might be but the stories and information we heard made it worth the stop. The ballrooms were by far the most fascinating part of the tour. Both dance floors had that awesome bounce to them and the chandeliers were amazing! I know the McMenamins love their lighting and those chandeliers fit right into their MO. Our guide told us history and stories about each room and directed us to the photos and murals on the walls for reference as she spoke. We learned a lot and throughly enjoyed the tour and our guide. Thanks for the history lesson and nice stroll through.

They don't tell you this beforehand but if you eat at the restaurant before the show you get priority entrance. We were third in line but got a spot about 5 rows back because of the sheer amount of people who had priority for eating at the restaurant, they also all got there ~30 minutes before doors and didn't have hardly any wait. Also, there is no coat check. If we knew this beforehand we could have gotten there an hour or so before doors opened and eaten at the restaurant. That would have given us a better spot than the one we earned after waiting in line all day, and we wouldn't have had to carry our raincoats around.

I didn't yoga at the Crystal Ballroom and it was pretty awesome. The place is a classic the staff is cool and the food and drinks are always well prepared. I forget this place is a concert venue often. Feels like I should have on a gown and dancing the fox trot. If you have never been you should. The floors are beautiful and the wall art is some of the best Mcmenamins has to offer.

Yeah . I paid $300 for everclear tickets . Passed the vaccination check , went to enter ant the security guy said he seen my wife stumble and wouldn't let us in . So we walked two blocks got some water came back , he lets us in after missing half the show .As we enter up stairs there's a guy passed out drunk in a chair propped up against the wall . Gimme a break

It's been a bit since I have been to a show here. I will not be going back. The staff was rude and unfriendly. The venue is fine. The bars and restaurants are overpriced. Couple that with the crap behavior from the staff-no damn way.

I had a great time at this venue. It's almost life a maze with the main lobby, upstairs dance floor and then upstairs from that there's a balcony! Getting inside was easy but I was surprised to see metal detectors. I get it though, stupid people ruin it for everyone else! The staff I interacted with was nice and there are two sets of bathrooms (balcony and lobby). Yes, the floor does seem to bounce. I felt it more towards the back of the dance floor but didn't notice it after a while. The sound wasn't be best I've heard but the vibe was good, the production crew did an amazing job and I had a fun time. I Ubered here so I didn't have to deal with parking. The one thing I will say is there is NO smoking are or ins and outs. Once you are in you are IN!