Shine

"Shine Distillery and Grill was the only gay bar in Portland that made its own liquor." - Eater Staff

"This North Williams distillery-pub is one of Portland’s few queer spaces that welcomes minors, and its bi-level dining room and massive rooftop offer plenty of spots to enjoy a meal with friends. Folks of all ages can enjoy black tea-brined popcorn chicken and warm macadamia nut cookies, while adults sip on house-made mint vodka or pink hibiscus gin. Events include drag brunch buffets every first, third, and fifth Saturday and drag bingo every first and third Wednesday." - Conner Reed, Thom Hilton

"Since 2019, Shine has offered a full dining experience with cocktails fueled by in-house spirits and a menu of elevated pub food classics like fish and chips, smoked salmon Cobb salad, and fried green tomatoes. You won’t just taste Shine’s spirits in the drinks: Many dishes feature the brand’s liquors in their preparation. Shine’s bottlings include pink hibiscus gin, a tequila-style agave spirit, and a filtered vodka. Dine and sip in Shine’s handsome dining room, order takeout cocktails, or join the party for its frequent drag brunches and bingos. Shine is open Wednesday through Sunday, with both an early and late happy hour." - Adam Sawyer, Nathan Williams

"The sprawling, multi-story distillery and cocktail bar has its rooftop patio overlooking North Williams open and ready for diners to have some drinks out on." - Alex Frane

"Shine Distillery & Grill, a working distillery and restaurant, is coming to North Williams, delivering the classic brewery and restaurant experience with a focus on local craft spirits. “I spent 20 years working in local breweries,” says owner Jonathan Poteet, an Alameda Brewing alum. “I’m trying to copy what I call the brewpub formula... It’s not necessarily date night food; it’s Tuesday night food.” The space will have two levels of indoor seating and a rooftop patio, with an assortment of burgers, sandwiches, and salads served alongside house spirit flights and a wide assortment of Oregon-distilled liquors. On weekend mornings, prepare for simple brunch fare, including eggs Benedict, Denver omelets, and, of course, bloody marys. Poteet has a long personal history with distilling, though he’s careful as he discusses it. “Legal or not legal, it’s a bit of a family tradition,” Poteet says. “I might have learned it from my father maybe.” He brought on a guy with professional chops, however: fourth-generation distiller Matthew McLain, who spent time at Springfield’s Swallowtail Spirits before he moved north for Shine’s Master Distiller position. The distillery will sell bottles and cocktails of the house spirits, which will include basics like gin, vodka, whiskey, and rum, as well as seasonal specialties like brandy and infused rums and vodkas made with local blackberries. The distillery is tentatively set to open in mid-December." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden