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 Apr. 27, 2021 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. 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 Magners 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 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!