Porthole Pub Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Ocean Shores

I ordered a bloody Mary and a steak sandwich just before 6pm on a Monday. It was a ONE STAR experience for me because four (I am assuming drunk) local misogynists who were sitting at the bar when I arrived, moved to the table right next to me when my dinner arrived. They kept making very loud crude sexual comments directed at the female bartender/waiter. And I felt like the male bar manager encouraged the behavior. He even called across the bar to them, saying "how odd it is that Jehovah's witnesses don't like Halloween". I objected out loud to the table of guys and to the manager that I didn't want to hear to their sexual remarks or the religious jokes --and how did they know by looking at me whether I was a Jehovah Witness? The men brilliantly reminded me this wasn't a church, it was a sports bar. I was then berated for not being a local, as they so proudly were. I asked these grown men (40-70s) why that made them feel entitled to act like pigs and make sexual remarks about women. I was treated to the spectacular comeback of "well we were here first!" And that if I didn't want to hear it, I really should have stayed home. I put my steak sandwich aside and asked for my check at that point. One guy at the table asked if he could eat the rest of it. I told them shame on you and demanded my check, shaking and nearly in tears. The manager came over to apologize and to tell me I didn't have to pay. So I left. I called Porthole after I got to my condo because I realized I hadn't paid for my drink and asked if I needed to come back. Manager said he was glad I called because it would have bothered him all night, and no charge still, and he apologized profusely for the bad experience. He said his name is David and that he's managed a bar for 14 years and he just likes to make people laugh and have a good time, yada yada. He made some excuses that he knows the guys, they're locals, they're good guys, etc., etc., (and all likelihood, they probably are) and that he hoped I would come back again and give the business another try. I explained to David I understand the importance of local support in a tourist town, but the sexual harassment of the one female bartender was just not acceptable. It's not 1950s. And then making it out to be my fault for coming into a pub for dinner at 6pm was just not acceptable.

FWIW, the steak sandwich tasted really good; and Margarite's service was excellent. It was only the experience that was rotten. So if I decide to come back to Porthole for dinner and if I have a better experience, I will update the review. That seems fair. My lesson learned: don't go to Porthole for dinner alone. Go in a group....

The bar itself is a nice dive bar. Seems like regulars come here more than visitors but we decided to come in and check it out while on vacation. Loved the place, they need new bartenders though.

The service started "ok" a heavy set girl with curly hair was polite enough to get our drinks started and then flipped like a switch as the night went one. She visibly looked miserable and her service backed that up. I asked for quarters and her dead pan facial expression, like it was an inconvenience, shouldve been enough to leave. But honestly I'm not intimidated by miserable people. Mind you, it wasnt busy for it to be an inconvenience.

Then, my boyfriend went to the bathroom & asked me to get another round. Heavy lady was busy so I saw another bartender. I said "excuse me" he walked past, ok fine. He mightve been busy. Then he clearly wasnt, I said it again and he looks at me then keeps walking. This happened on multiple occassions with the burnt ginger guy who looks like he lives at a truck stop. (Never received service from him, let alone a word spoken out of his mouth. But he sure did help a white dude sitting next to me)

The ONLY good bartender was a younger kid wearing a hat & glasses. He was incredible. Got all our remaining drinks and serviced us the rest of the night. When heavy lady gave us our bill we were unsure who the tip was going to go to. So we signed a fat 0 to her and slipped cash to the younger guy.

As I previously mentioned, the bar atmosphere was great but slightly racist. When i tried playing music the people there of course changed it when a black artist played, it was changed twice. And no, I didnt play rap or anything to throw off the initial music playing.

As a bar manager myself, the place has potential. But the staff besides the younger kid need to go, shower, come back with a better attitude and realize this place doesnt hold capacity like most jobs and should be grateful they have one in a small place like this.

Obviously cant control racist guests but they definitely overserved a guy who had a mustache that stuck up like he was on a broadway show way too much. That couldve been corrected. Because that same overserved guest tried to start a fight with my boyfriend over the pool table which prompted us to leave. Rant over....

The clam chowder was DELICIOUS. I wish I had the recipe. Wife’s country fried steak with gravy was also delicious. Mainly the gravy. The mushroom burger was pretty good, but nothing amazing.

We drove 30 min just after 9p on a Saturday because there was nothing close to our camp site at Pacific Beach that wasn’t getting ready to close. Porthole Pub is a dive bar. There was karaoke in the corner and drinks were coming off the bar like an assembly line. Most people were there to drink and have a good time, but we came for a warm meal that didn’t require me to make a campfire in the rain. We were pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. I always try to taste clam chowder everywhere I go, and this was one of my all time favorites. The bartender said it better be because they won some award for it. I was not surprised to hear that.

Great job to the kitchen!

The one improvement I would make to the business is to close the back door permanently and have patrons walk around to front door. Then move the gentleman at the back door from simply checking IDs, to serving patrons inside. We only wanted food, but had to compete with those at the bar ordering mostly drinks. Would’ve been nice to have a server coming around. I also would’ve left a bigger tip if my order was taken at the table. I didn’t understand why there were two entrances, requiring two door staff members, for such a small building.

The overall, we were VERY happy and pleasantly...