Bible Club PDX — Restaurant in Portland

So, this place is a super cute little speakeasy straight from the prohibition era. From the outside, you would have no clue that just beyond stepping in the front door you enter a secretive, pre-prohibition cocktail bar in which EVERYTHING (all the furniture, actual silver silverware, crystal glassware and all aesthetics, including the ceiling) predates the 1930s. They also have a huge, beautiful cash register from the early 1900s that they still use! Once you walk in the door, your ears are graced with sounds of jazz coming from a gorgeous, vintage phonograph in the corner of the room.

Now onto the libations. I can truly say, this place is one of our favorite cocktail places in the Portland area. There is so much more that goes into a well crafted drink than just alcohol. Not only do they invent all their own recipes, but they hand make all their syrups/bitters, and their cocktail crafting is a true form of art. There is a very big difference between a Bartender and a Mixologist. If you want to know the difference between the two, check this place out. They do change the drink menu every few months, so don't get too stuck on one drink. I will say, we have tasted through multiple menu changes (Bible Club is now in our list of bars to frequent-even though it take us 25min to get there) and we have yet to be disappointed in their cocktails. They even know how to make a perfect penicillin if you want to order off menu.

Now, on to the provisions. Even though, you are probably just attending for the libations, their food menu does not disappoint at all. The pulled pork is amazing! The flavor in the sauces and the texture is just perfect. It does not come with any bread, so it is perfect for anyone gluten-free. If you are not gluten-free, the homemade pretzel board with pimento cheese is a fantastic choice. I also recommend the Smoked formaggio (which is drool-worthy) and I promise you will not go wrong with the grilled cheese. I recommend getting a few provisions to share with whoever you are with!

The only other thing I will say...they have an area out back that they will sometimes do live music at and you may be tempted to order drinks while waiting for a table inside. The drinks are not crafted the same at all and are VERY disappointing. I would hesitate to recommend ordering drinks at their outdoor bar. Just wait till you can sit inside...It is worth it!

Now remember...this is a speakeasy....so keep it...

I don't think you will find a better place to have a great cocktail in Portland.

My wife and I sat at the bar and enjoyed five different drinks. They were all very nice, and while I wasn't a huge fan of those my wife ordered I will attest that they were high caliber beverages, just not my style. The two drinks I ordered were excellent and were exactly what I was looking for that evening.

Don't know what you want, or what to order? Ask one of their two creative bartenders. A gentleman sitting next to me didn't know what to order so our tender asked him 4 or 5 questions and made him up a drink. It was something of the bar mans own design, but off menu, and the patron said it was amazing.

I also like the fact that their drink list is composed of unique cocktails created by the two bar specialists. The two individuals behind the bar are active mixologists, constantly tasting new spirits and coming up with new drink ideas. Additionally, I love the fact that their menu is expected to change regularly, while they are more than happy to go off menu at any time, as previously mentioned.

The area where the Bible Club can improve is the food menu. We had the meat and cheese board and it was decent but not great. We also ordered bread, which was perfectly acceptable, but the reason we ordered it was that their was nothing more substantial on the menu. I would never expect this type of establishment to offer main courses or larger plates, but I would like to see one or two items that offer a little to chew on than what is on the current menu. Knowing some of the chef's recent history I expect that the menu will improve with time.

Ultimately my wife and I have added this place to our list of go-to spots. Unfortunately for us I expect that everyone else will be adding the Bible Club to their go-to list and it will soon be difficult to get in to this...

Without a doubt one of my favorite whiskey bars of all time! Prior to tonight had saved this as my “favorite whiskey bar” after having lived in Portland for 5 years. But tonight will go down as one of my favorite memories going out for a drink ever. Megan was our bartender and the service was OUTSTANDING. Not only were the drinks incredible, but we had fun discussions regarding different whiskeys and her knowledge and recommendations were top notch. My father was visiting from out of state, so getting to enjoy a quality drink out was a big deal and Bible Club and our bartender Megan made it a night we will never forget.

I had the 23 Skidoo (Union Mezcal, Campari, Lemon, Ginger Syrup, Fire Water) and Remember The Maine (James E. Pepper 1776 Rye, Carpano Antica, Cherry Heering, Absinthe Rinse) and both were excellent. My father stuck with his favorite, the Rusty Nail.

We finished off with a pour of Lagavulin 25, which to date is the best whiskey I have ever tasted.

I cannot understate the quality of service and drink that we had tonight. Incredibly thankful to the staff at BC PDX, specially Megan who took good care of us! We will always remember our visit and cannot recommend this place highly enough to anyone looking for a cocktail in...