Bars, Nightclubs & Dance Clubs in Portland, Oregon

When the sun goes down, Portland lights up with an array of nightlife activities. In addition to the options below, be sure to visit the pages on cocktail bars and live music venues.

Brew ‘n’ View Movie Theaters

If you’ve ever wished you could sip a microbrew in the movie theater, you’ve come to the right town. Portland’s beloved “brew ‘n’ view” theaters run the gamut from funky to swanky, serving up all manner of brews, food and flicks.

Grand Central Bowl

At southeast Portland’s Grand Central Bowl, the term “upscale bowling” isn’t an oxymoron. This luxe lounge features cushy couches overlooking ultra-modern lanes with HDTVs showing music videos and sporting events above the pins. It also packs an extensive gourmet menu, with items such as a pear and Gorgonzola salad, spicy tuna rolls and garlic prawns. Standard alley fare like beer-battered onion rings proves that Grand Central hasn’t forgotten how to roll old-style.

Karaoke

Portland is home to many karaoke bars where you can be the star. The Alibi (4024 N. Interstate Ave.; 503.287.5335; no website), on the MAX Yellow Line, is a classic tiki bar that serves strong drinks and boisterous karaoke seven nights a week. At the Pearl District’s Voicebox Karaoke Lounge, Asian-style private singing rooms are the draw. And wannabe rock-stars can kick the electronic music machine to the curb with Karaoke From Hell, a live band with a 500-song repertoire that plays two nights a week.

Portland Spelling Bee

Test your talents against Portland’s best spellers during the Monday-night spelling bee at the Mississippi Pizza Pub. This adults-only competition is sprinkled with comedy, audience participation, prizes and amazing feats of phonetics. Even if you don’t make it to the final round, Mississippi’s menu of traditional, create-your-own and gluten-free pizzas will make your evening a winner.

Video and Arcade Games

Kids at heart, pack your pockets with nickels and head to the Wunderland Avalon arcade and theater on Southeast Belmont Street. A small admission fee grants you access to two rooms full of video games, pinball machines and the nostalgic skee ball, all costing just a few nickels per play.

In Old Town, Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade has two floors of vintage video games and pinball tables, as well as a beer and wine bar, live music on weekends and a steady stream of joystick-related events.