Tablet Magazine #100 - Columns - Portland Behind the Bars

Portland Behind the Bars

Sidney Bartends at CRUSH 1412 SE Morrison 503-235-8150 Happy Hour: 4:30-6pm daily $3 & $4 martinis, $2 beer.

After the recent Crush expansion, it has become the sexiest club in the SE Portland. Crush is a queer-friendly environment, featuring the hottest dance floor in the SE, separate smoking and non-smoking lounges, non-gender specific bathrooms, a gorgeous arty décor, a damn pretty crowd, and fabulous service. And the Mac & Cheese kicks ass!

The pretty, sexy queer crowd flocks to Crush. How did you so successfully make the hottest queer bar in SE Portland without being gay-specific? The owner is queer and wanted a non-discriminatory environment. We are continuing the SE movement of honoring people for who they are, not who they sleep with. The drinks at Crush feature exotic infusions, what are some of your faves? I love the Nelly Samarai—lavender vodka with lychee nectar and a touch of lime on the rocks. The Spicy Pear is another favorite—spiced brandy with pear nectar in a cinnamon-sugar rimmed martini glass with a slice of pear garnish. Now that Crush has a big dance floor, what kind of music do you have in the mix? We have DJs on Friday and Saturdays. We do a lot of benefit shows. We often have go-go dancers. There is always a variety of music ranging from breaks, punk, electroclash, hip hop to house. What is up with the “Sunday Tea Dance?” It’s a time for weekend recovery with dancing from 4pm to midnight every Sunday, including $2 citrus vodka with black or green tea and $1 PBR. Do the gender-free potties here encourage a lot of making out? I haven’t been monitoring close, but I’ve heard rumors. How is that for an ambiguous answer? Words and Image: Maria Perry

ALADDIN 3017 SE Milwauke Ave (503.233.1994)

ALESSANDRO'S 301 SW Morrison (503.222.3900)

ALEXANDER'S 921 SW Sixth Ave (503.220.1161)

THE ALIBI 4024 N Interstate (503.287.5335)

ASH STREET SALOON 225 SW Ash St (503.226.0430)

AURA 1022 W Burnside (503.597.2872)

BAR 71 71 SW 2nd (503.241.0938)

BERBATI'S PAN 231 SW Ankeny St (503.248.4579) — berbatis.com

BEULAHLAND 118 28th Ave (503.235.2794)

BIDDY MCGRAW'S 6000 NE Glisan St (503.233.1178)

BITTER END 1981 W Burnside Ave (503.517.0179) — bitterendpub.com

BOXXES 1035 SW Stark (503.226.4171)

BRASSERIE 626 SW Park (503.224.5552)

BRAZEN BEAN 2075 NW Glisan (503.294.0636)

THE BRIG 1035 SW Stark (503.226.4171)

BUSH GARDEN 900 SW Morrison (503.226.7181)

CANDLELIGHT CAFÈ & BAR 2032 SW 5th (503.222.3378)

CC SLAUGHTER'S BAR 219 NW Davis (503.248.9135)

THE COMMODORE 1601 S Morrison (503.224.0051)

CONAN'S PUB 3862 SE Hawthorne (503.234.7474) — conans-pub.com

CRYSTAL BALLROOM 1332 W Burnside (503.225.0047)

DANTE'S 1 SW 3rd (503.226.6630) — danteslive.com

DRIFTWOOD ROOM 729 SW 15th (503.223.6311)

THE DIRTY DUCK 439 NW 3rd (503.224.8446)

DUFF'S GARAGE 1635 7th Ave (503.234.BEER)

DV8 5021 SE Powell (503.772.2907) — ashstreetsaloon.com/dv8

EAGLE PDX 1300 W Burnside (503.241.0105)

EGYPTIAN ROOM 3701 SE Division (503.236.8689)

EMBERS 11 NW Broadway (503.222.3082)

FERNANDO'S HIDEAWAY 824 SW 1st (503.248.4709)

FEZ 316 SW 11th (503.221.7262) ext 41

GOODFOOT PUB & LOUNGE 2845 SE Stark (503.239.9292)

GREEN ROOM 2280 NW Thurman St (503.228.6178) — grpub.net

HOBO'S 120 NW 3rd (503.224.3285)

HOPPERS PUB & GRILL 11119 SE Division St (503.256.9521)

JASMINE TREE 401 SW Harrison (503.223.7956)

JAX 826 SW 2nd Ave (503.228.9128) — jaxbar.com

JOQ'S 2521 NE Broadway (503.287.4210)

KELLY'S OLYMPIAN 426 SW Washington (503.228.3669)

LAURELTHIRST PUBLIC HOUSE 2958 NE Glisan (503.232.1504)

LOLA'S ROOM 1332 W Burnside (503.225.0047)

LUSH 610 NW Couch (503.223.5874)

MADAME BUTTERFLY 425 SW Stark (503.525.0033)

MARY'S CLUB 129 SW Broadway (503.227.3023)

MEOW MEOW 320 SE 2nd (503.230.2111) — themeowmeow.com

MOMO BAR MAXIMO 725 SW 10th Ave (503.478.9600)

MOTHER'S 206 SW Stark (503.4641122)

MT TABOR THEATRE & PUB 4811 SE Hawthorne Blvd (503.238.1646)

OHM 31 NW 1st (503.223.9919)

OLD CHURCH 1422 SW 11th Ave (503.222.2031) — oldchurch.org

PANORAMA SW 10th & Stark (503.223.4171)

PORKY'S PUB 835 N Lombard (503.283.9734)

PRODUCE ROW CAFÈ 204 SE Oak (503.232.8355)

RABBIT HOLE 203 SE Grand Ave (503.231.2925)

RED CAP GARAGE 1035 SW Stark (503.221.7262)

SAUCEBOX 214 SW Broadway (503.241.3393)

SCANDALS 1038 SW Stark (503.227.5887)

SHANGHAI TUNNEL 211 SW Ankeny (503.220.4001)

SILVERADO 1217 SW Stark (503.224.4493)

SPACE ROOM 4800 SE Hawthorne (503.235.8303)

THREE SISTERS TAVERN 1125 SW Stark (503.228.0486)

TILLICUM CLUB 8585 SW Beaverton (503.292.1835)

TONIC LOUNGE 3100 NE Sandy Blvd (503.239.5154)

TUBE 18 NW Third (503.241.8823)

TWILIGHT CAFÈ AND BAR 1420 SW Powell (503.236.7668)

VIRGINIA CAFÈ 725 SW Park (503.227.0033)

XV 15 SW 2nd (503.790.9090)