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  • Attractions
    • View All Attractions
    • Attractions Open Now
    • Museums & History
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • View All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • View All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • View All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • View All Plan
    • Maps
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • International Resources
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
Portland bar Bible Club is adorned with American flags and vintage Prohibition signs. Portland bar Bible Club is adorned with American flags and vintage Prohibition signs.
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Portland bar Bible Club is adorned with American flags and vintage Prohibition signs.
Credit: Ryk Maverick
Culture / Food

Portland’s Best Themed Bars

From Hawaiian hideaways to clownish cantinas, these drinking destinations are guaranteed to entertain.

Updated Nov. 5, 2020 2 min read

Ambiance can be just as important to a bar’s appeal as its menu, and sometimes you want more than just a drink — you want a full-blown immersive experience. Take a break from the real world with the help of these themed bars in Portland.

Hale Pele

Whatever the weather outside, you can step into a tropical paradise at Hale Pele, where the tiki drinks range from creamy and fruity to tangy and literally on fire. A volcano rating system denotes how close each drink will get you to blowing your top, and though it’s tempting to start strong, sipping a mild piña colada while taking in the ambiance (we’re talking floor-to-ceiling Hawaiian island theme, complete with periodic “thunderstorms”) will have you swaying like a palm tree in a warm breeze. As a delightful touch, the whole place smells of baking spices and burnt rum, thanks to liberal use of cinnamon on top of their fiery drinks, which launch sparkling flames high enough to tickle the faux-thatched ceiling.

Funhouse Lounge

If you’ve ever dreamed of running away with the circus, Funhouse Lounge is your bar. Nightly main-stage entertainment runs the gamut of “fringe” theater and includes burlesque shows, stand-up comedy, improv performances and live game shows. In the adjoining Bar and Clown Room, grab a beer or a shot and admire the dozens upon dozens of (semi-creepy) clown portraits that line the walls.

The Lovecraft

Tighten your corset, lace up your boots and get ready to dance at The Lovecraft Bar, Portland’s premier horror-themed bar. Live and DJ-ed goth, industrial, new wave, EBM and electro music fills the eerily lit space, which is centered around a small dance floor. Surrounded by paintings of Cthulhu, H.P. Lovecraft’s tentacled beast, child-sized coffins and voodoo shrines on all sides, the bar serves cocktails, beer, an impressive tea list and seitan sandwiches from local company Snackrilege.

Ground Kontrol

Nothing beats making friends over a game of four-way Pac-Man. Like a living museum of ‘80s and ‘90s arcade games, Ground Kontrol combines your favorite thing about being a kid (gaming) with your favorite thing about being an adult (drinking). Have an argument to settle? Pop a couple quarters into the Marvel versus Capcom machine and let Wolverine do the talking.

Related

Speakeasy-Style Bars in Portland

Get a taste of Prohibition-era cocktails (legally, of course) at speakeasy-style bars in Portland.

Read more

Bible Club

As much a Southern, pre-Prohibition-era museum as it is a bar, the Bible Club takes vintage Americana to a whole new level; almost everything in it was made in the U.S.A. at least 80 years ago; even the nondescript yellow house in which it sits dates back to 1922. The bar has a low-key, speakeasy vibe, serving beautifully crafted cocktails on lace doilies so precious that your grandma would shout “Amen!”

Craft Spirits, Weird

Other Bar Bests

More craft spirits
Migration Brewing promises locally brewed pints and plenty of patio space.

Portland’s Best Patio Bars

Enjoy your favorite summer beverage at one of Portland's rooftop bars or outdoor patios.

Noble Rot\'s rooftop garden lends a new meaning to \"eat local.\"

Portland’s Best Rooftop Bars

When warm weather arrives, nothing beats a cold drink on the patio! Pair breathtaking views with the city’s best drinks at these Portland rooftop bars.

Bartenders whip up craft cocktail creations at hotel bars around the city.

Portland’s Best Hotel Bars

Some of Portland’s most destination-worthy bars just happen to be attached to some of the coolest hotels in town. Here’s where to check in for the night.

Sip your way through a flight of fresh local beers at Base Camp.

Portland’s Best Boozy Flights

Sip your way through budget-friendly tasting flights of local wines, beers, ciders and spirits.

Plan a nerdy date at arcade-bar Ground Kontrol.

Date Night Ideas in Portland

Planning a romantic evening in Portland? We have date night ideas for couples with all sorts of interests.

Enjoy delicious bites by sous chef Jordon Wilson at Portland\'s Ex Novo Brewing.

Best Brewery Food in Portland

If you’re in the mood for great beer and a fantastic meal, these spots serve the best pub food in Portland.

Sip $2 pints from vintage Trail Blazers glasses at the Old Gold.

Portland Sports Bars

Whether you're cheering on our trusty Timbers or Trail Blazers or rooting for your own hometown heroes, here's where to watch sports in Portland.

Try a creative tequila cocktail at The Knock Back on Northeast Alberta.

Portland’s Best Tequila Spots

Gear up for warm weather with Portland’s top tequila offerings.

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