Kelly's Olympian — Restaurant in Portland

It’s sometime in January and my love and I are on our way to see the 10pm burlesque show at Dante’s Inferno. The last month of our relationship has been hard in a new way and I feel the panic that’s been hard to shake rise up in my chest on the drive over.

We arrive, walk into the club and I instantly feel ten times worse. The music is too loud, there are too many people way too close to me, and I can’t stop thinking that maybe this is it, maybe this is where we end. I’m trying my best not to let it all show but I’ve never been good at hiding my emotions and she’s always been good at knowing when I’m seconds away from exploding. She nods her head towards the door and I’m crying before we hit the street. Going home feels like a failure of a night so instead, we google nearby bars and find a promising, quieter option.

A few minutes later, we walk through the doors of Kelly’s Olympian and I feel a sense of calm come back into my body. With the neon lights, kitschy motorcycle decor, and ambient atmosphere, it’s hard not to feel like I’ve just found a bit of respite from the outside world. I’ve never never been so glad to be anywhere but Dante’s Inferno. We take two seats at the bar, she orders an IPA and I get a glass of water. After attempting to regain my grasp on reality we start talking and it feels like falling in love all over again. We know nothing is as it used to be, that our relationship has changed in new and hard ways, and that making it work won’t be easy. But neither of us are here for easy, we’re here for each other. While we’re talking a nearby customer walks up to us and says, “the way you look at each other is beautiful, there’s so much love,” and walks away.

I think of Audre Lorde saying, “difference must be not merely tolerated, but seen as a fund of necessary polarities between which our creativity can spark like a dialectic.” I think of the differences between the two of us, about how, yes, they can make being in a relationship difficult, but really they’re a space for us to come together, to connect, and to create a new language of partnership.

Lorde goes on to say, “community must not mean a shedding of our differences, nor the pathetic pretense that these differences do not exist,” and I settle into the fact that loving someone means holding difference up to the light, inspecting it from all angles, and allowing it to be the building blocks of a deep dedication to each other.

Sometime later, I’m reading about the history of Kelly’s Olympian and learn that it’s been around for over a hundred years. There are stories of supernatural sightings and ghosts of past customers and employees coming back to visit and I can’t help but think that on that chilly night in January, a ghost of Kelly’s Olympian found me crying on the sidewalk a few blocks over, and lured me back to the bar knowing the space was what me and my love needed to find our way back to each other. If you too want to stare longingly into your partner's eyes under a ceiling full of motorcycles, I suggest you give this...

A super cute old Motorsports themed bar with music venue. Bright red neon lights, full sized motorcycles hanging from the ceiling await you! My experience was super friendly staff, from the security guy who checked my ID, every bartender, the lady who sold me a ticket to the performance. I was so impressed I bought two shirts and stayed a lot longer than I normally would. Even the patrons were super nice. I can also recommend the steak quesadilla, it was cooked to perfection. Being from Texas, it’s hard to enjoy Tex mex anywhere else but they really nailed down a great flavor here, the bartender agreed that it was the best thing on the menu. The meat wasn’t cooked too long or chewy like most places do. I had a mule (fantastic) and a Paloma (meh) from the bar, and the bartender I had took his time to make genuine small talk. I never felt rushed or he was unhappy about being at work. It wasn’t a busy night though, either. I really felt comfy at a bar and later at the show as a single female patron, in what I was told by a local was in the “sketchiest part of Portland.” I can’t tell you how amazing that was, in of itself. Houston has a lot to learn! They have a working photo booth, a non working pinball machine, lots of comfy bar seating and regular tables and booths for such a small place. I didn’t have to turn sideways anywhere. The bathrooms and stalls were also a nice size. Very diverse line up for talen on stage, we had rap, folk rock and indie alt rock. The write ups of the bands that night were really done well and they had three different groups. Several of us in the crowd were talking about how the website showed Girlfriend on the Moon playing at 8 pm, but they were the headliners and didn’t start until 9 pm. It wasn’t a big deal but we were all a little confused at the lineup vs. time listed on the website. It served as an interesting talking point 🤷. Serious homeless population right outside, so be sure to leave nothing visible in your car, not even a phone cable. There were tents literally across the street from the bar. They didn’t bother me or my car but you will be in close proximity to the homeless population pretty much anywhere you go in Portland proper. Don’t let the homeless detract you from coming to this area. I had no problem walking around at 10 pm by myself, and I saw several other women doing the same in the...

Stop in at Kelly's Olympian Pub for a few MINUTES? No Way! I'll see you in a few HOURS! No Joke. Talk about some folks that really have it together. From several Big TV Screens throughout the place to the many tables and seating areas galore, this downtown local eating and drinking establishment is wonderful. The lighting is just right, not too bright, not too dim and the music is perfect in both selection and volume as well. Whether you're by yourself or out on a date with others, Kelly's Olympian Pub is so comfortable, tasteful and I must say, a lot of fun. I have eaten there a few times in the past and the food was not your simple "Tavern" sort of fare, but some pretty well thought out dishes such as salads, steaks, sandwiches and desserts too. Very fresh and extremely reasonable in their prices. The drinks are generously made by some very helpful, nice and genuinely friendly bartenders. These people treat you as though they really are glad you have stopped in and they really do hope to see you again! The place is very clean and fresh looking and smelling throughout. I really enjoyed playing some Oregon Lottery Games toward the back of the Pub. I was even able to walk out of there tonight with a few extra coins in my pockets. Please stop in and check out Kelly's Olympian Pub in Downtown Portland, Oregon. You'll be surprised at what a nice and enjoyable time you'll have there. My name is Dennis J. Warren and I give Kelly's Olympian Pub 4 out of 5 stars. Just keeping it real folks! Portland, you've got yourself another winner of a business in the downtown area. Great...