Bar of the Gods — Restaurant in Portland

“The weight of Ann Taylor Loft Dscourse” 🧙🍺👨🏻‍🎤🧗

SE Portland hums around me—traffic lights and neon buzz. Skateboards clatter past on cracked concrete. I lean against the brick, cigarette glowing, headphones humming my chosen world. I take them down from my ears.

She’s talking—rambling, really—about all the corporate chains she loves at the mall. You know, any mall that somehow stands “thriving” at the end of the world. She tells me. I say “as if” in my head.

Cheesecake Factory, Sephora, Bath & Body Works like they’re constellations only she can see.

Her boyfriend arrives, all eagerness and inertia. She pivots, starts the whole litany over, same cadence, different audience. He nods along. I pull the headphones snug, tune out. The smoke curls upward, carrying my silence with it.

One cigarette later, I pull the headphones down. She hasn’t missed a beat. “Ann Taylor Loft,” she says, with reverence usually reserved for gods, or graves. He nods again, dutiful acolyte in the cult of chain retail.

And me? I’ve already passed the test. The mall won’t swallow me. The spiral won’t take me. I stub the cigarette, pocket my headphones, and step back into the night. Portland’s waiting—messy, loud, uncurated. The real story’s not in the mall.

She and I did connect over a recent gift to my goddaughter: a Clair’s gift card. The banter was unexpectedly sweet.

This place has a great patio, better bartenders, sidewalk seating, and plays Me First and the...

I love this place, to be completely honest. Not really a barfly these days but the machines are known on occasion to rob me of a little sense followed by a lot of dollars and this is one of my faves. It can feel pretty young but often times if u look around you'll find its a fairly broad age range w even a couple of the tenders looking old enough for permanent molars...the staff is, of course' what makes a bar and there are no short straws in this bunch. The twin beauties on the weekend balance the art of the professional Flirt w some surprisingly down to earth personalities and a slightly disorienting sort of kindness that might leave one struggling a bit for words. Being one who spends far more time in my head than out of my house I am fiercely loyal to anywhere that offers what BOG consistently gives me; good service, comfortable environment, and a great bunch working, absolutely no exceptions. If I had to choose, BOG would be my choice for best...

Been to this bar a number of times and always had a good time. Nice beer selection; reasonably priced beers and mixed drinks; good music and lively patrons. Why the one star? Shady bartender and poor management. Was there on April 15, 2016 with a friend. Decided to start a tab. The total bill came to $13 for 2 IPA's & 2 PBR's.. Decided to tip $3. My credit card company ironically notified me when they received a charge for $5 tip on the bill. The bartender decided to add $2 more to the tip I was leaving. I called the bar and the owner, who refused to confirm his name, responded by telling me to take it up with the bartender. Poor management and questionable employees to say the least. If you're going to visit this bar, do yourself a favor and pay as you drink with cash. I personally will never step foot in the bar again and this post is letting others know what you're dealing with.. Sad price to pay...