Katie Vaughan

Katie Vaughan is a writer and marketing coordinator living in Portland. Read More

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Kells Irish Pub has been a Portland institution since 1983.

Credit: Courtesy of Kells Irish Pub

Best Irish Pubs in Portland

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day any time of year at these beloved local Irish pubs.

Updated Feb. 3, 2023 3 min read

Katie Vaughan

Katie Vaughan is a writer and marketing coordinator living in Portland. Read More

Portland may be thousands of miles from the Emerald Isle, but you can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day year-round here. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly pub, live music or a pint of Guinness, check out these Irish pubs in Portland. Sláinte!

Kells Irish Pub

A local chain founded in Seattle by an Irishman, Kells Irish Pub is a Northwest Celtic institution. In addition to hosting the city’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration, the bar attracts flocks of international sports fans. Stop by to watch a variety of rugby and soccer (or should we say football?) matches on the big screen. Cheer on your team while sipping a draft Guinness and tucking into hearty fare like lamb stew, sausage rolls, shepherd’s pie or corned beef and cabbage. (For something more potent, check out the pub’s snug cigar lounge, which offers the largest selection of single-malt Scotch in the Northwest.) Kells also brews their own beer at their Northwest Portland brewpub.

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Paddy’s

Paddy’s Bar and Grill claims the distinction of being the oldest Irish bar in Portland. Opened in 1979 in the historic Ira F. Powers Building, Paddy’s offers humble Irish charm and a massive selection of spirits — the bar’s ceiling-high back wall is stocked with more than 600 kinds of liquor. Mainstays on the menu include bangers and mash, “Irish poutine” (fries topped with cheese curds, corned beef and onion gravy) and a crème brûlée (made with Baileys Irish Cream, of course). On tap you’ll find Guinness, Harp, Smithwick’s and Magners cider. For Paddy’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival, the street outside the pub fills up with revelers enjoying live bands, Irish dancers, bagpipers and whiskey tastings. Before leaving the waterfront, take a short walk to the world’s smallest park. Mill Ends Park, in the median of Southwest Naito Parkway, is fabled to be the only place leprechauns gather west of Ireland.

T.C. O’Leary’s

Thomas Christopher O’Leary designed T.C. O’Leary’s to perfectly blend Irish hospitality and Portland cool — it’s an Irish-style bar with a Pacific Northwest attitude. Alongside draft Guinness and Irish coffee made with Tullamore Dew, you’ll find Oregon wines and cocktails rivaling any local mixologist’s creations. The Irish appreciate farm-fresh ingredients as much as Portlanders, and that’s reflected in classic Irish dishes made with local ingredients. In addition to hearty brunch on weekends, T.C. O’Leary’s also hosts live Irish music several days a week.

Whelan’s Irish Pub

Since 2017, Whelan’s Irish Pub has provided Southeast Portland with family-friendly fun, live Irish music and perfectly poured Guinness. If you’re craving Irish-inspired fare, they have you covered — order up classics like shepherd’s pie or bangers and mash. Other offerings include pub favorites like chicken wings, burgers, sandwiches and salads; everything on the menu is made from scratch with quality ingredients. Whelan’s has a classic Irish bar atmosphere — think friendly service, soccer on the screens and an impressive whiskey selection.

The Dullahan Irish Pub

Just south of Portland in the suburb of Lake Oswego, you’ll find an enclave of Irish charm at The Dullahan Irish Pub. This family-friendly spot boasts a spacious outdoor patio, live music, sports on-screen and regular community events (such as a bring-your-own instrument Irish Jam on Thursday nights). Dig into Irish chips (fries topped with corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese) or the Guinness Irish stew with sirloin beef, potatoes and fresh vegetables; an order of Irish soda bread comes on the side. Wash it all down with Irish beer or cider on tap, or sample from the long list of Irish whiskeys (including aged and single malts) with a generous whiskey flight.

Erin go bragh!

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