Black Water — Restaurant in Portland

8/8/2023 @ 9:30/10:00pm I have been here several times and have had wonderful service, but the server will long black hair that worked on the night of 8/8/23 was absolutely atrocious, impolite, bigoted, and ableist to my friend.

Before my friend who had a harmful experience got there I didn’t notice that the server was being rude to me or my other friend (however I will disclaim I’m usually less perceptive to attitudes of service workers, I don’t typically think of it unless they say something out of pocket.) but my friend who ordered with me and arrived with me said she noticed she was being rude to us as we were ordering. So just something to note.

When my friend arrived she was immediately told (not kindly) that she could not bring her dog into the establishment. After my friend stated that her dog was a service animal, the server then asked for her proof of documentation which is an ADA violation and discriminatory. THIS IS ILLEGAL. My friend didn’t have her dogs documentation on her because she has been there with her dog before and hasn’t had a problem. My friend decided to put her dog in her car (it was late and cool outside) to not press the issue. When she returned to order her food, the same server give her grief about her temporary Oregon license, saying that they cannot accept it without the large paper from the DMV it’s attached to (even though the paper ID itself says its a valid form of identification), She also presented her hole punched California license. She’s been to this exact bar with the same paper ID recently and hadn’t had any problems.

My friend rightfully got irritated, and took a deep breath because she wasn’t being treated fairly, as this server wasn’t behaving this way with other white patrons at the bar. My friend is a BIPOC woman, so she has every right to feel like she is being treated unfairly because of her race, gender, disability, or a combination of all. The server then told her she “doesn’t have to serve her” (by this time I had walked up to the bar to see what was going on) My friend got mad, put her IDs away and said some choice words to the server to explain her frustration (which happened to include some cussing) as she left the bar. The server then told her she on her way out, she wasn’t welcome back at the bar.

As I was grabbing my things from the booth we had sat our things down at, the server addressed me and said “your friend isn’t very nice” I threw my hands up because I was like “girl why you coming at me” but I know my friend who was accosted wouldn’t have been upset without a reasonable cause.

If you are BIPOC, disabled, or care at all about BIPOC people or disabled people, I would say DONT GO HERE!

I’m never going back, and I will be telling people I know to refrain from going. Inform your staff about ADA guidelines and how to not be...

I came through on a Thursday at 3PM with coworkers after a team building activity. I actually suggested this place because of such a fantastic experience I had previously, and one of my coworkers had mentioned vegan food (making me think she was vegan...but she wasn't).

I was really hoping to get an early dinner here, but it turned out the crowd was targeting more snacks and drinks. I ended up not drinking because I knew I'd be parking on the freeway very shortly afterward, but everyone else had a little libation. The folks that had flown in were impressed with the local brew they ordered (I didn't catch what they had), and another coworker had ordered a mimosa that was served in a pint glass!

For food, we ordered all the bar staples: wings (both bbq and buffalo), a big basket of fries, a big thing of tots, and nachos.

One of my coworkers hadn't had vegan food before (or maybe he had but just never wings before). When he dove in, he couldn't believe that it wasn't really chicken! I'm not sure what the "bone" for the wing is made from at this restaurant, but another coworker said it was some kind of sugar cane. I couldn't tell what it was myself, but it didn't seem like sugar cane.

The thing that really stood out to me was the nachos. I'm not vegan, but have issues with dairy, and it took me a bit to realize that I could have these. They are unbelievable! So good, and really you can't tell at all that you're missing anything from a non-vegan dish. They're piled high with "cheese", "meat" and they also have jalapeños on them.

The overall vibe of this place is typical Portland dark bar - the bathrooms are fully graffitied, and there's a music venue...

Racist and incredibly rude wait staff on the night of 8/8/23.

I’ve been here hundreds of times, with my dog.

I came to meet my friends for drinks around 9:30pm. I walked in with my dog on leash and the persin at the front asked if my dog was a service animal (he is) and then asked to see his permit (which is illegal to do.) Because I didn’t have one, she told me I needed to leave. I said I would put him in my car because it was late and cool outside and she responds “I don’t care, that’s your journey not mine…” Extremely condescending and disrespectful.

So after I put my little dog in my car outside I come back into the bar to order my drinks, and this person starts to give me a hard time about my temporary Oregon license, saying that they cannot accept it without the large paper from the DMV it’s attached to, even though it is scannable and I also had my hole punched California license with me as well. Mind you I have been to this exact bar with the EXACT same paper ID last week…

I took a big sigh because I could clearly tell that this person was picking on me for a nefarious reason, as I was being extremely kind and compliant and there was no reason to behave that way towards me. Then, this person tells me “I don’t have to serve you”

I finally snapped. I briefly cussed them out and politely left the bar as they mentioned I wouldn’t be welcomed back. As if I’d ever want to come back to such a place ever in my life…

My white friends that ate there tonight did not receive this treatment. Being racist or discriminatory isn’t punk rock. I am extremely...