Katie Vaughan
Katie Vaughan is a writer and marketing coordinator living in Portland. Read More
Best Irish Pubs in Portland
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day any time of year at these beloved local Irish pubs.
Katie Vaughan
Katie Vaughan is a writer and marketing coordinator living in Portland. Read More
Know Before You Go
The events listed in this article may have been altered, postponed or canceled. For the most up-to-date information, please visit each event’s respective website.
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. Slainte!
Best Irish Pubs in Portland
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 stronger, 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 Irish beers at their Northwest Portland brewpub.
Paddy’s
Paddy’s Bar and Grill claims the distinction of being the oldest Irish bar in Portland. Opened in 1979 in the historic Powers Building, the bar features a wall filled with more than 600 kinds of liquor and humble Irish charm. Mainstays on the menu include bangers and mash, “Irish poutine” (fries topped with cheese curds, corned beef and onion gravy) and a creme brûlée (made with Bailey’s Irish Cream, of course). On tap you’ll find Guinness, Harp, Smithwick’s and Magner’s cider. For Paddy’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival , the street outside the pub gets packed with revelers enjoying live bands, Irish dancers, bagpipers and whiskey tastings.
T.C. O’Leary’s
If an Irishman moved to Portland and opened an Irish-style bar with a Pacific Northwest attitude, you’d have T.C. O’Leary’s. Thomas Christopher O’Leary designed the pub to perfectly blend Irish hospitality and Portland cool. 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: their vegan-friendly “Póg Mo Bówl” (which translates to “kiss my bowl”) features garlic-lemon barley, lentil and mushroom coconut curry, served with sauteed kale, caper vinaigrette, herb-roasted butternut squash and balsamic sherry shallots. In addition to hearty brunch on weekends, P. O’Leary’s also hosts live Irish music several days a week (check their websiteto see who’s playing).
The Rookery
Located inside the former hayloft of the historic Ladd Carriage House, The Rookery at Raven & Rose is a casual pub above the restaurant on the building’s second floor. Offering a full menu inspired by the British Isles, the bar features billiards, weekday happy hours and single-barrel cocktails, along with a regular live music program that frequently features traditional Irish sounds.
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 (check their calendar to see who’s playing), sports on screen and regular community events (such as a bring-your-own instrument “Irish Jam” on Thursday nights). Dig in to “Irish Chips” (fries topped with corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese) or the family-sized “Teacghlach Forage Board,” which comes with house-smoked meats, assorted cheeses, pickled vegetables, Tullamore bacon chutney, Irish soda bread and apple butter. Wash it 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!