Alberta Rose Theatre

An awesome intimate theater for shows. Four stars because there is no actual reserved seating. "Reserved" seating is worth the extra money but it isn't actually reserved seats, just a reserved general section. Worth it for the closest seats but get there early to get the really good ones. The unreserved seats can be painfully uncomfortable. Overall though I love this theater and especially The Nowhere Band who plays there several times a year. Don't miss them!

The Fourteen Year Old and I got to be Stage Crew (for Video) at the Cascade Blues Association Fundraiser. This is her first time volunteering on a video project. She got her own lanyard and everything. Some of these performers were amazing by the way. That’s Tevis Hodge Jr. doing a sound check. Highly recommend. Thankful for this opportunity.

This is a nice, small venue. Past reviews highlight poor seating. I don't think that's an issue anymore. The seats appear to have been rebuilt and/or reupholstered. There are two ticket categories: regular and premium. Both are unreserved, festival-style seating, but the premium ticket section is a more desirable location.

Wonderful venue. Professional and nice employees. Clean bathrooms. Loved the show we went to. Great sound. We easily found parking in the neighborhood that was just a block from the venue. They have non alcoholic drinks, snacks and coffee/hot cocoa.

Saw the Rose City Circus perform the White Album Christmas Party. AMAZING SHOW at a historic venue

Another candlelight concert in the books hosted by this cute little theater. A friendly team is there to greet you. Food and drink options are available. We attended a ballet this evening. I love the intimacy of this vintage theater.

We went for Science Pub Night, and I was super fun! They have nice new seats! Oddly, I fell coming into the theatre and they helped me bandage my knee, and had an ice pack for my ankle that I turned! They had good supplies, like gauze and even down to silicone tape! Very kind and supportive!

Saw the Kruger Brothers, sound system was really nice. It was a little cold inside, and I found the seats to be a little scratchy. I’d recommend pants for anyone thinking of going.

I was given two complementary VIP tickets to a burlesque show. I was excited because I've never been to this venue before. Street parking is available around the Alberta art District. So just know that you may have to look a little bit harder to find a spot when it's busier. It's nice though since parking is free in this area. The overall staff this venue were really nice and helpful. There is food and drinks available and prices are typical of theaters. The theater itself is quite large inside. The seats are roomy with legroom available.

I was assaulted during a show at the Alberta Rose, and the staff did nothing to insure my safety and let my assaulter continue to watch the show in peace and even kept her from speaking with the police, who wanted to question her. This was a show that I'd been looking forward to for 4.5 months, since I'd bought the tickets then, and spent over $100 on them. The assaulter/woman, was seated at least two feet behind me said clearly "this woman's hair is all over in my space". Then I heard a rip and sharp pain, and my hair had been torn out. A big huge part of it, to where I was bleeding and bald in a patch. I told her she ripped out my hair, and she said "your hair was in my space; it was an accident". My husband heard this too. The staff at Alberta Rose knowing I was bleeding and hurt, gave me an ice pack and moved my husband and I outside the theater area to stools in the bar, which is outside the theater area. That's all they were willing to do. The woman who assaulted me was free to watch the show in peace. I called the police, but the staff of Alberta Rose kept reinforcing to them that the woman who assaulted me and her friends had a different story. The friends and my assaulter said my hair got caught in my seat; there was no assault. Hearing this, as well as there are no cameras in the theater, the police didn't even bother to speak with the women, or her friends. If the Alberta Rose Theater staff had brought out the assaulter, as the police had initially asked, before the staff was so dismissive, everyone would've clearly seen that the area of my hair that was pulled out, is a layered area, and it's only about a foot-long. It is impossible for it to have gotten caught in my seat. I was too upset to realize and point this out at the time. The police did get a picture of my bloody head, and were taking this situation and assault seriously prior to the staff being so dismissive. Besides the shock and pain, another reason I was so upset is that the woman who attacked me was still in the theater, behind my family, who I was no longer able to sit or be with. Even worse the staff wouldn't even let me back in to see my family after the show was done. I didn't even see the show, and the artist I hold so dearly in my heart, at all after the assault. She's literally of my favorite artists. This was my fourth show at The Alberta Rose, in so many months. I'm still in a lot of pain nearly 2 hours later. And my assaulter was just allowed to walk away. Alberta rose has been one of my favorite places in Portland. Now I'm sitting in my driveway at home in tears over what happened to me, without their keeping me safe, or defending me in any kind of way.

All of the employees I interacted with had terrible attitudes and were extremely condescending. Even the person in line behind me agreed that the employees were being rude for no reason. Why be so disrespectful and dismissive to me and others when we are asking simple questions that you clearly know the answers to? All the employees acted like I was inconveniencing them asking them to do something that is literally just a part of their job. I will not be back.

This was glorified community theater and really a sad experience for someone introducing their partner to ballet for the first time. The seat I was in was so worn in and collapsed that I couldn't even see the stage.

Came here for the first time for a concert and the staff was great! Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Small venue with a little bar and small snacks. Drinks were small and a little spendy, as well as the snacks. It's all street parking and there is 2 bathrooms, 1 on each side of the bar.

Easy to get in. Plenty of good seating available. Great service at the bar. Old time charm and ambiance! Did not purchase any food or snacks.

The Fourteen Year Old and I got to be Stage Crew (for Video) at the Cascade Blues Association Fundraiser. This is her first time volunteering on a video project. She got her own lanyard and everything. Some of these performers were amazing by the way. That's Tevis Hodge Jr. doing a sound check. Highly recommend. Thankful for this opportunity.

It is time to update my review a I really have grown to truly love this venue. The shows I see here are well curated an there is a definite reason that Henry Rollins chose it for the two shows he used for his Showtime special. This theater is clearly cared for and is always very clean where the staff is constantly moving about to make certain things are cleaned up. The area can be tricky for parking and require some up and down side street driving to find one. I went to two things in a week and both times for parking right across the street pretty close to show time but I have a small car. This is not a good area to park for you folks who drive trucks or SUVs that are ridiculously big. It is a pretty great drop off for ride share though because they can tuck in a side street so you can safely pop out. I love what they do for us ADA folks because seriously, ADA is a pain...literally... I can't 'cram' in and walking sideways can sometimes be pretty hard. Some days I move better but it is dangerous for me to be up against people due to my tendons so people trying to leap around or over me is a big problem...trying to help but they end up stepping on me or running into me. I went to an event last night with another ADA friend. When I walked up they had two rows out of the way roped off for ADA reserved. I made an inquiry and the staff member said it was time to release those seats so I was able to grab some great space for me and my friend. There really and truly is not a bad seat in the whole theater. The stage is set so beautifully and the regular seats are pretty wide even though they are older. This is my favorite venue for aerial performance because the stage is so open so you miss nothing. I love that the venue is so open so people are able to get drinks or use the restroom with minimal distraction to the rest of the audience and that you can come in late if traffic is tragic. It has a much more easy going and non stuffy feel. I had been here for classic music, comedy, circus performance, drag shows.... a whole lot... They even have some snacks at the bar. My friend is a vegan so she was pretty happy to get potato chips and vegan cookies with an RC. I still don't understand Portland's obsession with RC but there are much worse sodas and at least RC is carbonated whereas A LOT of the artsy sodas are practically flat so *sigh* fine....

Friendly staff, and I have enjoyed comedy shows here in the past where the view wasn't important. I hadn't been in years, and didn't remember much about the view- for a dance performance last week, I was very disappointed. The seats are not staggered enough, so the person in front blocks so much of the view both my friend and I were unable to see half the stage due to the heads in front of us. We couldn't see the bottom half of the performers at all, which for a dance performance, was disappointing. The lines for drinks and the bathroom were also so long, after waiting for the bathroom, we ran out of time to get a drink. I'd return for comedy shows or things where the view doesn't matter, and have drinks before/after but wouldn't return for anything where a view is important.

I came to this theater for a conference by Teal Swan. The size of the place was perfect for how many people attended. The sound was good, too.

Drinks were reasonably priced, it was quite warm inside the theater, due to the amount of people but maybe throw on some air flow. The seating is a bit difficult to see if you're short, I luckily am quite tall but I can imagine the people behind me struggled to see the stage! I was also seated in a regular chair like restaurant chair, not the movie theater recline type that majority were so I was immediately 1/2 a foot taller on that!

We love this venue...it's cozy the sound is great and I love the vintage vibe of the theater

Saw a burlesque performance here. The hot bartender with the shaved head is my favorite. The staff was very directive and polite.

Uncomfortable, hard chairs in back of theater. AC blasted entire time on us making it difficult to enjoy a good concert.

It seems that whenever there's something that sounds interesting, it is often happening at the Alberta Rose. Whether it's a great local band, a fundraising show, or a specialty performance, it tends to show up here. The location can't be beat - lots of wonderful food nearby for pre-show meals, and nice choices for food and drink to be found inside the theater itself. Seating is comfortable, both the seats themselves and the legroom - unusual in an old theater building, so it's doubly welcome. I do not live in this part of town, and it seems to me that the Alberta Rose is one of the destinations that most frequently makes a drive across town worthwhile.

Just got back from Elton Dan the only thing that I have to say is "why do you hate women so much Dan? You're okay if a women are getting the crowd to get off their seats to dance and excite your mediocre show. Mind you only the time the crowd was engaged was when Debbie, the back up singer, was front and center. Perhaps a time for a reality check. It's really a shame that all I wanted was to talk to Dan about giving Deb a bit of recognition for her contribution to the band, since you couldn't manage that in your VIP session. What ended up happening is that he had his security guy, man handle me out of the venue. You're such a manly man Dan. I don't appreciate your attitude and plan on never coming or recommending your show to anyone .

Great place, if you are snobby and uptight, don't go. The seats are gross and for skinny people, it gets hot and stuffy, and the bathroom line can get long. Well, that's part of the fun of going to a show in Portland. Saw the Evil Dead musical tonight. The door was cool and informative. We got there late, so the seating was limited, but that was our bad. We still had a fantastic time kudos, Bravo to the Evil Dead cast and production. Didn't go to the bar. The line was long, but from what I noticed the bartenders seemed to have it handled and getting people through. Love the venue, loved the event, fantastic job all around!!!

This venue is very uncomfortable. 400 people in a small space with no apparent air conditioning or air movement. The seats are dilapidated and miserable. I could only find one tiny restroom with a huge line. After visiting their website, they mention more bathrooms near the entry? Here's an idea: post a sign to that effect! Management can do SO much better. Funky is ok, but subjecting guests to a substandard space is not ok. The ticket taker had no idea what the artist meet and greet was and just shrugged. The bar staff were very friendly and helpful. C'mon management, you can do better!

I can't believe I've never reviewed the Alberta Rose Theater before. I've been there probably 30 times in the past three years. Alberta Rose is a small theater that used to be a movie theater, and is now a concert venue. It is my favorite concert venue in Oregon. They host lots of local performers and performances, as well as big-name national acts. The upkeep is top-notch, the staff are all amazingly friendly and courteous. The PA sounds good, and the volume level (with one rare exception) is never too loud. As most of the shows hosted here are family shows (lots of kids), earplugs are available for sale at the concession stand if you need them. As an example of the incredible staff, I asked the concession clerk if any of the chocolates they had for sale contained nuts. The clerk pulled out the ingredient sheet, and verified that they didn't have any, so I purchased a few. I'd also purchased a peanut butter brownie (my son's allergic to tree nuts, but not peanuts) a cookie, and a few cans of kombucha. After I returned to my seat, the same clerk from the very busy concession stand came directly to my seat to warn me that the brownie had peanuts in it! This level of caring for patrons' health and well-being was completely unexpected and was supremely appreciated. Prices are very, very good, and there are TONS of great dining establishments on Alberta street, so it is easy to make an evening out of dinner and a show.

Love this place. They have name artists as well as less well known musicians. The ticket prices can't be beat for the value it the entertainment. And their concession stand offers enough variety to satisfy most people.

I can't believe we've lived here for this long and just started going to the Alberta. We just returned from a fabulous night of Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon. Before this, we saw Elton Dan, and Elton John tribute. And we began with White Album Christmas, which was one of the best theater experiences of my life. The Alberta is full of insanely, creative, talented people. Only an evil genius artist could come up with drag queen hosting a Christmas show of Beatles music with Circus people performing, I am amazed at how much I loved it! We are Hooked! The sense of Community and Joy is just the culture of this venue. Come and have fun!

Thank you to Adam who provided the best customer service when I called ahead for ADA accommodations. We were treated with the utmost respect when we arrived and we were able to enjoy the show, very impressed!

Great historic concert/show venue. Live wire! Dolly Hoot! Lots of live music and tribute shows and off beat and creative shows...check it out. Also, booked my tickets for the wrong night for a show and a they were awesome about switching them.

What a miserable venue. Bathrooms are not so great and only 3 (one has two stalls the others are single use). The bar charges $14 for an awful, small drink in a flimsy tiny cup and unless you are in the first couple of rows good luck seeing what is happening on stage. Oh, forgot to mention the beat up super uncomfy chairs. We all decided we would NEVER see anything here again.

Do not go here for a dance performance. This may be a lovely place for music, but it was criminal to book a flamenco performance here. I spent 90 minutes watching the upper halves of dancers move about and listened to what I can only assume was the sound of their shoes. I never saw legs or feet. Alberta 5heater wasted my money, time and patience.

Great place to see a concert. One of my favorite venues in the Portland area. Have not tried the food but there are lots of little restaurants in the surrounding area to chose from.

Classic theater - overall the sound is good, the atmosphere feels pretty intimate. It looks larger that it is, I thought there was an upper balcony - but no. All seats have a good view, but they aren't the most comfy seats. Then again, for a classic theater, I think you'd have to expect seating that's a little cozy. This is a good venue to come hear some live music, or a show - it feels really intimate and cozy.

This is a warm and cozy music venue in Northwest Portland. A haven for baby boomers, it hosts '60's and '70's folk and rock groups and tribute groups. They have a bar, food, a friendly atmosphere and reasonable ticket prices. I had a blast!

The acoustics were good and the place is small so it's easy to get a great seat but the people that work here do not treat their customers very well.

Wow. Beautifully remodeled old classic theater, Ninkasi beer on tap for $4.50 (at a music venue!), Radeburger pils on tap, inexpensive local eats, and pretty decent sound. I'm very impressed. I finally had a chance to stop in to Alberta Rose to meet some friends for a concert and the whole time I was there I couldn't stop mentioning to everyone I was with how impressed I was with the cleanliness of the space. Usually these renovated old theaters are full of dirt and grime. Often you can tell the owners just slapped a new coat of paint on and reopened. Everything here is clean and sparkling. New carpet, new bar, new paint, new sound... it's all here. While I haven't been drawn up here by any of the acts booked so far, this is the kind of venue where, if I'm on the fence about a band or act, the quality of the venue would help push me to go.

"Your molecular structure is really somethin' fine, A first-rate example of functional design, Those cosmic undulations are steady comin' thru, Your molecular structure baby, me and you." Mose Allison doesn't tour anymore, but I betcha he'd open with that song if he ever played the Alberta Rose. For a concert Alberta Rose is just dandy . Reasonably priced drinks, and a very friendly staff too! C'mon Mose, you're only 88. 88. Piano keys. Mose Allison and Alberta Rose. What a couple!

Got to check out this theater when I attended the mystery box show and I must say this place has some class. The decor is really nice, the staff is really helpful and friendly, and the concession serves quality booze and Elegant Pastries & chocolates. To top it all off, this place is located in the really nice Portland neighborhood of Alberta. Basically, the Alberta Rose Theatre serves as an example of how Portland is bountiful in quality theaters.

Way to go, Joe! Place looks great! We've been here a couple times now (to see our very favorite, the lovely Tracy Grammer) and it's so delightfully set up and comfortable. Joe (owner) is super friendly, totally service-oriented too. I would really love to see Livewire here- that's the goal!

Late Post. I visited Oregon and was able to attend a show at this location. Historical site all I can say. Very nice venue. Area is awesome.

Old theatre seats are tight small. The area it self is a bit pricey! $6 for a glass of beer and $9 for a margarita?! Dang!

Part of the appeal of this theatre is its location. There are so many food and drink options for before and after a show that it can't help but add to the experience. Although the seating is comprised of individual chairs (not the most comfortable), the setting is very intimate. That means you won't ever feel too far from the stage. If you're sitting off to the side and near the front, you may develop some neck craning issues. So I'd recommend arriving early to queue up for general admission shows or try to get your neighbors to all agree to rotate the chairs slightly. Again, since the seating is all individual chairs, they're more freely movable. There are also two unisex restrooms at opposite ends of the bar service area. Expect lines before and after the show.

Alberta Rose Theatre is cozy and intimate with a lot of fun, smart and quirky offerings. The atmosphere is usually festive and communal. We have seen comedy, concerts and special events here - always a treat!

Update: I left a similar review on Facebook and their management responded with sarcasm and a middle finger emoji. I've lowered my rating accordingly. Too bad they don't care to address honest feedback. Several reviews mention uncomfortable seating. Oh well, plenty of other places to spend our entertainment dollars. --------------------------------------------------- I really want to like this place but I just find the seats too uncomfortable. I see interesting events listed here but then think back to previous visits and decide to skip it. If they upgraded the seats I'd be happy to return.

My first time here and I am very pleased! We came to see the show mortified and it was hilarious! We got in a little early but I'm glad we did as seats filled up fast! The food bar was great although I thought the wine was a little high for such a small amount they give. But the pies made up for it! It's interesting how they have different size chairs throughout but I thought maybe that was done for this event only. Great sound and awesome show! I'm excited to see another here

I wish could give the Alberta Rose 4 (or even 5) stars. Positive aspects of this theater: It's lovely and old, they offer a decent variety of alchaholic beferages, it's fairly easy to see the show from anywhere, tickets are not too pricey. And the beautiful purple velvet curtains near the lobby were made by my dear friend Naomi. I've been here twice now - both events around sex... hmmm. I see a pattern emerging. And while I may return if the show of my choosing is only available here - I will wish I doidnt have to. WHY, you ask... The seating I hate the seats. Half theater and half joined party chairs. My ass is killing me within 30 minutes. It really makes the whole thing hard to enjoy even when it's so worthy of it. There's little order/sense to the bar area/line serving deal and it's always super packed in and right next to the huge bathroom line. And the front door sign lights up "exit" - but you can't go that way. Ok - I just felt silly there so I'm taking it out on you! But mostly, it's the seats.

The Alberta Rose Theater is such a magical place! The best, most unique and interesting acts perform here. The sound is great, the theater is intimate, and the seats are comfortable. I love coming here! It's always such a fun adventure.

I love Alberta Rose Theater. I give them 5 stars for the variety and calibre of shows and it drops down to 4 only because some of the seats aren't so easy on the butt :).

Alberta Rose is a great mid-sized performance venue on NE Alberta. As with any venue of this sort, the experience is largely dependent on the event that you're there for. I'll try to give an overview of the pros and cons of this space, divorced from my experiences that were unique to particular shows. PROS: +Most of the theater is filled with comfortable seating, with a very small amount of standing room in the back. I've never understood the desire to stand at concerts. In my mind, plentiful and comfortable seating is a clear selling point. +A variety of Ninkasi and New Belgium beers on tap at a good price. Also cider and wine and snacks. +Friendly, efficient staff. I've always been impressed by everyone here from ticket checkers to hand stampers to bartenders. Great staff makes waiting in long lines more bearable. CON: -Despite being a fairly large venue, the Alberta Rose has a grand total of TWO unisex single stall bathrooms. WHAT!? Are you kidding me? I've never been to a show here that didn't feature huge restroom lines at intermission and after the show. If you're smart, you'll empty your bladder before showing up and drink in moderation throughout the night. That's pretty much the story of the Alberta Rose. If they have a show that you want to see, by all means go. If they don't, there's no reason to go out of your way to see something here.

The second new music venue (new for me that is) that I visited last weekend was the Alberta Rose Theatre. This is a beautiful space to see some live music in a part of town that didn't really have much going on musically aside from just going to see bands at bars before this place opened. The Alberta Rose reminds me a bit of the Aladdin Theater. A smaller version, but a very similar set up. Food and drinks in the back of the room, separated by a partial wall that blocks that area from the seats and stage. It is about as classic a set up as one can get. I look forward to keeping my eyes on the show list and hope to get back here again soon.

We went to see Lizz Winstead do her topical stand-up at the Alberta Rose Theater tonight. We were witness to the renovation of this place when we first moved onto the block. This is the first time we've attended an event here, however, and I must say they did a very nice job on the remodel. I don't know what kind of shape the theater was in before, but it certainly is a wonderful venue for comedy--and I suspect it is equally well-suited for musical acts. They had Ninkasi beer on tap at the snack bar. Awesome. And some Dovetail Bakery cookies. Yay. I like that they got their goodies from a local shop right down the street. It can't get much more fresh than that. The show was sold out and the house was packed. We had a great time. The fact that we only had to walk half a block to get home made it all the better. We'll definitely be back for future shows. What a great addition to the neighborhood.

These folks are the bomb! When it comes to booking a place for my event, these folks were awesome to work with. (awesome people with whom to work) Clarity, quick response, and a complete lack of attitude were served up in big doses. Even though circumstances forced me to pick another venue, Adam was among the best folks I'd encountered.

If you are looking for fine entertainment in a cozy setting (not a bad seat in the house) with delightful bar maids serving brews and wine for any palate, then Alberta Rose Theatre is your place. Nothing to do? Try Noah and his funny band merrymakers known as the Wonderlust Circus or a riotious night of Dolly Parton improves. My personal favorite is the Christmas-time concert that brings together folks from all over Portland to play, note-for-note The Beatles' White Album. The group of musicians and singers have been doing this for about a decade now. You will not be disappointed. Only one downfall I know of is the parking. But if you use TriMet, it's across from the stop at 30th & Alberta.

I traveled to Portland by myself for a soul-searching trip one weekend and decided last minute to see a show here. It was a very memorable experience - the venue was great (they had gluten-free food!) and the show itself was excellent.

Went to a sold-out show at the Alberta Rose last night, so I got to see how this place operates at full capacity. Staff was PRO -- very friendly & efficient the whole night. Concessions were really awesome. They had a nice selection of good beers + wines plus treats like Moonstruck hot chocolate & hand pies. The downside to this place is that there were only two bathrooms that both had long waits for most of the evening and the theater chairs were uncomfortable. The floors where my friends and I sat were sticky & the whole area had a funky smell. Overall, though, the venue & experience were both great. Would see a show here again for sure.