McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge — Hotel in Kalama

The Good: As usual, things were immaculately decorated, and McMenamins always pays attention to details- even the pipes in the stairwells were painted. The immense amount of historical pictures and articles throughout the hotel are fun to read, and the there is something fun around every corner. The secret room is definitely worth the wander! The rooms are well kept and clean; and surprisingly quiet for how busy it was. Each deck has a partition that gives a little more privacy as well. The hotel being right on the river with accessible walking areas is SO NICE too. The staff were friendly and always helpful, even when it was busy.

The less than good: I won't say anything was BAD, but there were definitely some bumps. We were there during Oktoberfest and either there were a LOT more people than were expected, or they had not prepared well. They seemed to be extremely short staffed in the restaurants, and half of the items we tried to order they were out of. One night it took almost 90 minutes after ordering to get our food (luckily we weren't in a hurry, and our server was extremely apologetic). Also, every burger we had was burned. The rooms are pretty sparse for what they are charging. No microwave or mini fridge (which seems odd for a place with 4 bars/restaurants). No coffee maker in the room (hint, the coffee can be found in the back bar of the main restaurant- there were no signs or info in the lobby...also they were out of coffee when we went down- we had to bug the bartender as no one was monitoring the coffee station). The elevator is a bit finicky- it was out for several hours on our first day there, and we were hesitant to use it after that. Other than the bars/restaurants, there isn't much to the hotel- no pool/hot tub, no spa, no room service...again, a bit sparse for the price of the rooms.

The indifferent: It is right next to the train tracks- which goes through fast at night and can be a bit loud- it didn't bother me, but I imagine can be disturbing for light sleepers. The parking lot seems rather large, but since it is also next to a public park, parking can become sparse in the early to mid afternoon. There are no double queen bed options, and very limited double bed options at all. If you want one of those, plan way ahead becuse they seem to go fast. If there is a event of some kind, be prepared to wait behind people doing the various scavenger hunts - they tend to clog up in stairwells and hall ways while they have their eyes on their phone and wandering around aimlessly.

Overall it was a fine experience, and I wouldn't be opposed to...

We came here for the restaurant, not the hotel. I can only speak to the food experience. This place is huge! I walked around the outside first and admired all the plants. They have thornless raspberries growing on the lot side of the building!

Parking is plentiful and free. They sit a few yards from the Kalama market, also by the river. There are totem poles outside, by McMenamins, as well as on the second floor, inside the market building. They are both worth seeing.

There is patio seating for those with dogs. There are multiple stories, with a beautiful view from the rooftop patio, where we sat.

The restaurant has some games you can play at the tables. The inside is low-ceilinged and dark, so I was happy for the patio. When we arrived, it was also the only place with openings left. There was an approximate twenty-minute wait, on this Saturday afternoon, if we wanted to sit inside the first three levels.

We arrived knowing what we wanted, after perusing the menu online. I ordered the dry cider. It was on the sweet side for me, but it was the least sweet cider on the menu.

My husband ordered a bacon cheeseburger with regular tots (Cajun is a choice). I ordered the Mystic with a gluten-free bun, as I am dairy sensitive and celiac. I eat meat, but I am also a ominover and I wanted something different.

The Mystic Burger is vegan and gluten-free.I was impressed.by the vegan cheese on it. I think it tastes.better.than the usual, half-oil cheese on a burger. The vegan burger itself was juicy and flavorful. I asked for added mushrooms and it was a $2 upcharge, but they delivered. I was going to add grilled onions, but that would cost another $3. I couldn't justify the cost for a few slivers of onion.

I requested the black garlic aeoli. It was a bit strong on the garlic and needs some balancing flavor or texture that's missing.

Each of us had to have a pound of tots on the plate. Between the hefty burger and tots, neither of us could finish our food.

The service was friendly, helpful, and on top of refilling my water..sadly something to note.

Overall, I would return, considering the beauty of the setting and the food allergy options for those with gluten and dairy sensitivities. They are on the pricy side, as we were over seventy, after tip, for two burgers and tots, with gf buns, a cider, and a root beer We had no appetizer or dessert. For that reason, I wouldn't...

While traveling down I-5, on our way down to Portland, we decided to stop in and enjoy some river side food and brew at the McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge. Wow! What a beautiful building and a lovely view of the river to enjoy.

We had a simple entrance, calm seating process to seat ourselves, and decided to set up on the back of the building where they have a nice covered area with lots of tables, shade and some umbrella covered tables as well.

Right on the river bank! There is a super cool bar space inside with a really cool bamboo frame architecture over the bar where they mix up cool drinks and pour a nice variety of beers on tap, many of which are actually brewed here on location.

They have a nice happy hour, drink discounts, sliders, and a great happy hour smash burger.

We got a simple order in and a few drinks and proceeded to enjoy chillin’ with the nice weather of the day, sunny but not too hot and a nice breeze to enjoy and take the edge off.

Our server was helpful and nice, made good recommendations and got us a couple tastes of beer before we made our final decision.

Inside they have a super cool and comfortable lounge area at one end of the building on the bottom floor.

They also have a very well stocked gift shop right near the entrance where you can find cool gifts tailored to the area and the location. They also have a wide selection of the McMenamins in house distilled alcohols and liqueurs.

Should you be in need of a place to stay, they have many rooms for hire and can accommodate a large family or small group if needed.

There is a nice play structure and park next to the location, great for letting pets or your kids get a chance to run around and relax. There’s also an Amphitheater which hosts live shows and music twice weekly all summer long.

If you find yourself in the area and want to check out a super cool building to grab a bite and a brew, or a nice place to chill on a back patio area, I highly recommend a visit to the McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review and have a great time during your stop in or...