Yukon Tavern

Okay - it's a dive bar. It's been around a long time. How many stars for a dive bar? Does it matter. I've been a few times. What you get on the good side. 1. Reasonably priced drinks. 2. Simple menu. 3. Bartenders who know their job and don't fuss over you just because you are drinking high end gin. 4. Decor - red velvet and the bar stools! 5. Easy parking in the neighborhood. What you have to turn a blind eye to: 1. Bathrooms are not pretty. 2. It's a local crowd feel and they'll get to you but take a load off and be patient. The grilled cheese is worth the order and the Bloody Mary was pretty good. If you are in sellwood there are two or three places like the Yukon and it's worth a visit to experience a certain vibe that doesn't exist in 98 percent of other bars.

I went in there last night and I was probably a little too drunk. I sat out side and thought I was making friends with a couple guys sitting outside with a dog who was very friendly. I asked if they smoked pot because a friend had given me some hash rosin which I didn't have a means to smoke so I asked if they wanted it and they did. Free of course. At one point as they had finished eating I motioned with my finger like IO was asking if I could take a french fry off one of the guy's plates. He must have misinterpreted me because he jumped up and threatened to slice my neck which seemed like a bit of an overreaction to me. I pushed a button obviously. I was in the wrong but a death threat??? The bartender then 86'd me. So if you go there not knowing anyone, behave! They might threaten to kill you there and the bartender backs their play.

Came on a Saturday evening and found street parking just across the street. Very typical standard bar atmosphere with shuffleboard and dim red lighting, but felt a bit cleaner. Two restrooms available. Seating inside and outside Service was good as they did warn us the food would take a while with the small crowd hanging out. The "chicken tendies" were SO GOOD. Three big pieces with the perfect crunch. I got franks hot sauce and blue cheese as the dip. I'll probably get two of Franks hot sauce next time. They tasted like quality chicken that was juicy and perfectly cooked. The fries came with it and they were on the salty side but not bad. Definitely would return for the chicken tenders! I believe it was around $12 but the pieces were big and just amazing to eat fresh and hot!

I've been wanting to go to this place for a long time, and it was really disappointing. We were in a really big group so they already kinda hated us when we walked in, it didnt help that we're all college kids, but we were all 21. The bartender was very aggressive. One of our friends didnt have his ID and he cursed him out calling him a little bitch. He was also really creepy to my girlfriend, when she asked for the shot (that she already paid for and he forgot to give to her) he said "big shot for little squirt." Gross. He was a chode too. We all decided to leave quickly after. It's a shame that the service was so bad since the interior of the bar is very nice and the clientele seems kind.

Yukon is definitely a Portland treasure. One of my favorite dive bars on the east side. I only wish they had a pool table but the shuffle board is pretty cool! The owners are awesome and Owen absolutely kicks-ass. Such a great dude.

Great list of taps. Awesome bartenders. Can't beat the price of food. Burger and tendies are good. Few old school arcade games inside as well.

Best grilled cheese sandwich I think I've ever had in my life. Great service, chill vibes. A true Sellwood gem. Strong recommend for good dive bars in Portland. Yukon is the best!

Hello, i came here today with Todd-Paul after dropping off my granddaughter at the piercing place down the street. She's getting her face pierced , again. It only helps that it's an improvement, as i think that it distracts from her actual face . The "piercer " said it would only take 45 minutes, so Todd-Paul and i walked to the Yukon, a place i used to frequent some 20-odd years ago . Not much has changed, but they have a computerized beer menu from which i ordered a fruity beer it was "berry " juicy! We ate some hot pickles. Todd-Paul liked them so much, i ordered two to go . I ate them in the car after i picked up my granddaughter, Todd-Paul say in the front seat. My granddaughter said she felt faint and i said "you shoulda ordered some fried pickles! " She said they smelled really good and i said they are . Thank you

Come to this place and behold the amazing vibe that is the Yukon tavern. Best tendies west of the Mississippi. Always a great movie on the TV, always a wonderful conversation to have with any of the bartenders on shift. I've never had a bad experience at this place, it's home. Come and visit, you won't regret it... but show your damn vax card when you come in! Love you guys.

Very friendly bar with a vintage aesthetic tied with an elevated Portland dive (just exceptionally cleaner). Love the assortment of pinball and had friendly bartenders.

The new owners are doing it right! This place is much cleaner than it used to be. Best tap list in the neighborhood, delicious food, and they always have the Blazers games on. Staff follows COVID guidelines. They recently built a nice outdoor covered hangout area, too. I also appreciate how the staff handles the occasional jerk. They don't put up with drunk idiots and seem committed to keeping the bar a positive and inclusive space. As a woman who frequents bars by herself, I very much appreciate this. They also make a fantastic Cuba libre (aka rum and coke).

Best pub in Westmoreland. The regular crowd here is extremely attractive and intelligent. The owners are very contentious, and handsome as well ! They show all the blazers and timbers matches as well as football and they will put your game on one of the TVs for you usually if you ask them. Solid no-frills bar menu. I prefer the grilled chicken sando and fries here to the two newer places up the road on Bybee. Always have a super solid tap list of local/PNW west-coast craft beers. The newer owners have done a great job keeping the spirit of the old place while improving it - solid old school pub.

The Yukon is super cool. Love the ambiance and style notably the red velvet wallpaper. Also the patio out front is cool.

such a really great bar to hang out at. one of the first places me and my friend went to when we moved up here and still is one of our favorites after bar hopping around. the owners are super nice and friendly and are always so nice in recommending drinks or mixing up something specials we ask for. i love that they always got a classic movie on their little tv and great music playing too. the food is also so great, it may just be bar food but it's still great!!

Great dive bar and I say that as a top Compliment. There is always an interesting cast of characters and Bartender is always on point. I can't comment on the food but what I saw looked great

This was the first bar I visited since moving to Portland/turning 21 and I love it so much! The bartenders/owners are so friendly and remembered us on our second/all subsequent visits. They check in frequently to make sure everything is going good and seem to genuinely care that their customers feel welcome regardless of demographic. The food is always so good too!

Great vibe. Good food. Bartender is professional and amicable in the best way. Would highly recommend if you're looking for a bar with minimal edge but still kinda divey.

First time there, GREAT atmosphere, service, and friendly staff. Planning on going every day while here and recommend all Portland get there.

Okay, the place is fairly run down inside but I didn't expect a lot from what I consider to be a dive bar. I usually don't grade a place by the looks I graded by the food, the service and the price. In my opinion we struck gold with all three at this location. My wife and I have been there 3 times after buying a Groupon. Groupons are a great way to get somebody into your business by the way. Then it's your job to keep them coming in. We have had nothing but good food good service and a smile on our face when we looked at the tab. Give it a try!

Stopped in for a quick beer for the first and last time. Just relocated to this side of town so I'm looking for a friendly new bar to occasionally have a beer or two. The beer wasn't cold, very little carbonation and the shot I ordered was meager. Not exactly a friendly vibe, the bartender and server seemed bored and annoyed to see a new face.

Love the Yukon. Just a great neighborhood dive, good food, good prices, nice people. What else matters?

This bar is lazy and have no motive, even by the owners.They're a failing businesses and don't even knowledge nothing!! Think you can just take over a bar and make money. These guys have zero clue on what they're doing!! Food sucks and can't even make a Cuba Libre smh

Any bad reviews of Yukon Tavern are given by anti-vaxxers--or even worse--libertarians! The rest of know that Yukon Tavern is one of the best neighborhood bars in Portland.

Yukon is more for the locals than it is the tourists. Typical simple dive bar with lots of tables. It looks a little sketch from the outside but I promise once you go in its perfectly normal and well lit. Lotto machines, pool table, and some video games. This is the bar to go to if you want cheap drinks. Their happy hour is on point $3.75 for microbrew drafts and $3 for well drinks They have a shot of the day. Lots of cheap fried food to soak up all those beers. $2 tater tots and French fries. $4 Chicken tenders . They also have burgers and sandwiches for under 10 bucks.

Stopped in for a drink since this place sounded interesting and was in walking distance. Michelle was our bartender and she's really funny and nice. We liked her right away. We are from South St. Louis and this is what MANY of the dive bars look like in the Midwest so we felt right at home. :) Michelle also made me a really good Rusty Nail. There was a guy there playing the guitar and singing named Steve. Others were playing pool and there is a shuffle board table and Ms. Pacman. :) We really liked the place.

Dive bar? Oh heck yes. Good escape to find locals both young and old....mostly old. The drinks are strong and they have free pool! In times that I have been there the music is decent and the staff has always been friendly. The drinks are priced fair and relatively cheap! PROS: Cheap, strong drinks. CONS: Question the cleanliness of this place at times, but come on. It's a Dive bar!

I really want to like the Yukon. It's my closest neighborhood bar, and sometimes it's fine. But I have to be honest and say I think the owner or manager is mailing it in with this place. At least half the time I've been there during happy hour there's one person working and they're tending bar and making the food. There's no way one person can do both those things well. You wind up waiting forever for a refill and/or to get your food. Also a good percentage of time the beer is totally flat. One time recently I brought a friend their and she got a Hefeweizen and it tasted really off, rancid even. So in an area of Portland where there's quite a few good pubs it's just not a place we got to anymore. It's got that vibe where there's a bunch of regulars who seem ok with the spotty service and beer and I guess they're cool with that. Too bad, it could be so much better with a little effort.

The Yukon Tavern, or "The Ol' Yuke" as my girlfriend and I affectionately refer to it, exudes dive-ness as James Dean exudes cool - effortlessly and with just enough disheveled insouciance to draw you in and keep you there. The Yuke, in other words, is the perfect expression of a dive bar, which means it's not trying to be a dive bar at all. Deliberateness - that age old enemy of authenticity - gets checked at the door right along with your ID, and from there on out you're in for a 100% genuine good time. From the sociable barkeeps who know many of the patrons by name to the worn-yet-functional shuffleboard table to the amiable, sometimes scruffy and oftentimes inebriated clientele, this place has just about everything you could ask for from a local watering hole. On top of all that, you also get a great beer selection (10-15 drafts on tap of local/craft and/or inexpensive brews) and the piece de resistance - PUDDING SHOTS! With the keen perception of heroine dealers, Yuke bartenders spot new customers who have not yet experienced this magic and then deliver pudding shots to them for free. FOR FREE. and then you become addicted to delicious pudding shots and make them for your friends at thanksgiving and then you all end up going to the Ol' Yuke on a nightly basis just to get your sweet, creamy fix. It helps that this place is walking distance to my apartment, but seriously, give this place a try. They even updated their menu recently with some non-fried options that go down easy with what's on tap (the fried stuff is predictably good too, especially the tots). Whether you want to catch The Big Game or just need a place to blow off some steam with your friends, the Yukon Tavern will take care of you. All you have to do is show up.

The bartender from Kay's came over and it has cleaned up a bit. Good value - HH goes until 7. Good tv's and much better than it was.

18 taps. Solid cheap bar menu. An older crowd mixes with younger locals at the bar while video poker makes noise off to the back. Late-night fried foods for a few dollars can be had to absorb the cheap drafts and whiskey shots that are plentiful at this neighborhood bar. It's not flashy or big but the service is fast. Really more of a local haunt than a destination for drinking, but if you're making a crawl around Sellwood it's a good second or third spot if you start north (at, say, the Bear Paw)and head south. Just make sure you get your fill of cheap fryer grease and booze, it gets p[rogressively more expensive as you approach 'downtown' sellwood, lol...

I think a "dive bar" should only have a rating of one star or two and this place gets a full TWO stars. The drinks are stiff and cheap. The tater tots are horrifyingly amazing and the bathroom has a dispenser for erotic items for only 50c. The atmosphere is completely --- "I want to come here to make bad choices." But, every time I'm here I meet people I want to be friends for life with. #truth

"Can I see your ID young lady?" Without doubt, although I frequent this place more than my own living room, I get ID'd. The bartender recognizes me but somehow me being under 65 requires my showing proof of age to drink my Little Sumpin' IPA from Lagunitas. Did I mention I come here for the really great selection of beer for REALLY cheap? The bar food is great if you love grease flavored _insert anything here_. However, the bar food is cheap and keeps a belly full while drinking the cheapest (which ultimately means TOO MUCH) booze in the neighborhood. The TV's rarely have good sports showing, rather some [was really good in the 90's] movie playing on TNT. But that's OK just play some pool, it's a great place to practice because it's only 50 cents/game and I always get better after tons of good IPA --- or at least I think so? If you want a good cheap buzz and are not trying to impress a girl go here. Otherwise see ya down the street :)

Great local dive. Good price on beer not much for food. But as for a good local dive bar it's an awesome place

I'll come back when I'm 62... is it really that difficult to fill a 16oz glass from the tap? Don't charge me 5 bucks for a lame ass Pilsner and not fill the damn cup! From the looks of things if you like a beer (from a can) and a shot of whiskey this is the place for you! If you're an old man who needs a local bar, this place if for you!

I love dive bars. The locals, bartenders, and overall atmosphere combine to be a greater experience than the apparent whole. These poorly lit and often dusty little gems can be as enjoyable and rewarding as those "fancy" joints. I have consumed amazing foods and beverages, forged lasting friendships and relationships, and have had many a bizarre and rewarding adventure start in these beloved dumps. This place, The Yukon, is almost always empty. Why? The prices are crazily cheap and the Yukon is located right in the middle of a densely populated neighborhood. Still, it remains an almost constant ghost town. How come? So what the fuck is wrong with the Yukon? Quickly, and off the top of my head - It is filthy, the lights are too damned bright, the food is greasy, they have some ancient behemoth of a television right in the fucking middle of the shuffleboard table, and the juke sucks. Lastly, the pool tables and sticks could use a major overhaul and refurbishing. Is all of that what makes the Yukon a craphole worth avoiding? Nope. It's the bartenders. They are a grumpy, unhelpful, surly, and gossipy bunch. A bad attitude only gets you so far in the real world. It gets you even less in the SERVICE industry. I understand that bartenders have a difficult job to do at times. We have to uphold house rules, local laws, and common sense guidelines all while maintaining an enjoyable atmosphere and providing SERVICE to our customers. It isn't easy on a good day and it isn't a job for everyone. The bartender's moods, feelings, hormone levels, opinions, or whatever are a distant second to the customer's. Period. Fucking period. SERVING the customer according to their needs and wants is paramount. It is the essential nature of a job in the SERVICE industry. When the CUSTOMER is happy, the bartender and the establishment make MORE MONEY. Isn't that the fucking point? A couple quotes from Robert Plotkin, President of the National Bar and Restaurant Association - "It is highly unprofessional to gossip, argue, gamble or lend money to the clientele. By any means possible, bartenders should also avoid becoming embroiled in inflammatory conversations. Taking sides in a heated debate exacts a heavy toll on gratuities." "On the flip side, a bartender who loses his cool, making the customers bear the brunt of his anger, is like a cold hard slap of reality. People get slapped around plenty in their day-to-day life without being subjected to it during "happy hour."

The Yukon is our "dive up the block" spot. We've only ever been for drinks, but they are served at dive prices, which is pretty nice. If they spent a few bucks to upgrade the place, which looks like it hasn't been changed since the 70s, it could be a premium establishment in a great location. But there are holes in the carpets and such. I guess that comes with the dive bar territory.

The Yuke sure is somethin'. One day I'll figure out what that somethin' is. I've gone here several times due to its proximity but its not really where I choose to go for the evening. Pros: Cheap drinks, two blocks from my house, free pool. Cons: really dark, rude bartenders, carpeted walls (some might consider this a pro)

I've lived in the neigbhorhood for 7 years and this is only the second time I've been in, although I drive by every day. This is an unrepentant, unpretensious, unholy Dive Bar. Nothing more, nothing Less. I love it. Outstanding selection of beer, ok cheap bar food... Shuffleboard, pool tables, and pinball... decent juke box selection. Gotta Love the halloween decorations... So... if you're in sellwood and looking to slum it and just have a few beers with your homies... try the yukon. they'll treat you nice.

$3.50 Jameson w/ a back, and there are many beers on tap. ~12-15? A great start to any night...or finish I guess. The decor reminds me of a Upper Peninsula (Michigan) bar...basically outdated (except for the giant tvs 5 feet in front of your face...awesome). Red velvet wallpaper, shrug carpet. That being said, 3.50 Jamesons!...WTF I really don't care what is up with this place or the crowd or any of the details if I can get a couple rounds of Jameson for 3.50 each. As for the crowd, if you ever have a friend dealing with trying to quit gambling this is the spot. Just sit for an hour or so and watch the people come in and play the video lottery. Wow. That is all.

great bit! excellent service from penny, as always! need sriracha chicken bites back please!!!

Get a tetanus shot as a precaution before visiting. There are two kinds of dive bars. Trendy ones that have a somewhat manufactured, low-brow feel and are populated by guys drinking PBR in tight jeans, retro glasses and t-shirts with ironic sayings on them. Then there are the working man's bars that have been going steadily downhill for 40 or 50 years. The Yukon is the latter. In a way, I guess that makes it the trendiest of dive bars--authentic. The decor is fascinating. Nevada chicken ranch style red velvet, everywhere. I do mean everywhere. A whole series of oil paintings hang over the bar of one particular naked lady. The paintings are definitely one of a kind. I'm thinking the wife of some long-ago owner perhaps? If you sit at the bar and they're cooking a burger you can see the flames licking the ceiling. I don't mean in a tasty, charbroiled kind of way but more like there might be something wrong with the gas valve on the grill, create a safety plan / exit strategy kind of way. The drinks are potent and cheap and the food should not be eaten until you have had 5+ drinks; at which point the burgers are quite good. I'm told they cook the hot dogs in a pint glass in the microwave. So, there you go. Dive bar haute cuisine. The regulars are friendly and range in age from 21 to people that can remember Eisenhower. I really should be giving it more stars than I am. The Yukon would never put on airs and pretend to be something it isn't and, for the category its in, it does a great job.

I gave a 4 star since the beer could be colder. The burger was soooo good, great smoky flavor, bar bitch fantastic with attitude love her. They have shuffleboard great feel place. If their beer was ice cold would give a 5. Great happy hour specials. Bathrooms need updated but nice friendly neighborhood good food bar

Not a bad little place for locals to hang. My only real complaint was the batter everything was fried in. It wasn't bad but I thought it was more of a tempura or fish batter and it was used on mozzarella sticks and chicken for their chicken salad. I would have preferred a different batter. That quirk aside, the staff were friendly and the pricing was much cheaper than expected (a rare but pleasant surprise). We went in expecting more of a diner feel than a bar feel (I was told it was more of an upscale burger joint), so I thought it was a bit dark and the food took longer than expected to come out, but if you know it's a bar, those shouldn't be a problem. Not a place I'd recommend people go as a must-try-it-out place, but an excellent bar to hang out at after work and play a little pool.

One of the better shuffleboard tables in the city and the staff is nice. Thats my criteria and they pass with flying colors.

Shoo, what's there to say about this place that hasn't already been said. This place is the king of dive bars. Cheap, strong drinks. The other night they had whiskey with PBR backs for $3. Then out of nowhere they came out with pudding shots for the entire bar. I'll never go back to Jello shots after that. With dive bars there's usually a trade off, either the service is terrible or the selection is mediocre or the venue itself is quite questionable. Yukon Tavern has none of these issues. They have several taps all featured on a new, fancy, easy to read digital monitor with more than enough information to help you make your decision. Our table was prontply cleared of empties on several occasions and the barback was even nice enough to grab us our next round so we didn't have to get off our lazy asses. Great service, great attitude. I guess maybe the one downside is the food, but honestly even that wasn't sooo bad. I've definitely had worse. Also on Monday's they have free bacon! FREE BACON.

I just wanted to let you know how I feel when I come into town and drop by to see Penny at the Yukon. I live out of town so I make it a point to come by every time I am in town just because Penny makes me feel so welcome. Its hard to stop someplace to have a bite and a drink when you are alone and I know I never have to worry when I see Penny and I also know I'm going to get my cheeseburger too. yum. That's why my friends and I have decided to have my birthday here this year. Can't wait.

When all else fails there is always The Yukon. This is the very definition of a dive bar. It is dark, cozy and the staff is super nice. The Happy Hour menu is so ridiculously awesome that you can get a few beers and decent bar food for less then 10 bucks. Not to mention Free Bacon Monday. If you love Dive Bars, you will love The Yukon.

Man, oh man....I've driven past this place 1,000 times and always been morbidly curious as to what of nature's forgotten nuances lie inside. It's the kind of place you anticipate has beer specials for the 7am crowd. More hilarious still is this business's paradoxical existence right next to a classy joint like Papa Haydens. Upon walking in, the decor is an orgy of wood paneling (obviously), red paint, leather, Halloween decorations that will likely stay up until the following Halloween, a shuffleboard set-up that looks like an Industrial Arts project at the local prison, seats with chunks of missing leather that were repaired with like-colored duct tape, and shoddy paintings of scantily clad women. The booze selection is surprisingly impressive, and I'm assuming it's because this bar services some legitimate, occasional meeting-attending alcoholics. There were beers on tap-a-plenty and the aged bartender was the sort that, after ordering my drink, she confided that she wears wifebeaters and no bra. Make that money, Gurrrrrrrl! Oh...and did I mention it's a dive bar?

Dive bar... Great in a pinch but could use a little interior lovin.