Gemini Lounge

Even having only ever come to the Gemini to gig with my band, I can still say that this is one of the best bars in Portland, and one of my favorite places to play. The dedication to quality in the food and drink is obvious as the bar staff fresh-squeezes the citrus for your killer whisky sour as you wait for one of the twelve different slider plates that crowns their menu - one for each sign of the zodiac. The fancy burgers, the option of truffle oil or sweet potato fries and the sultry decor would seem to be indicative of a Portland establishment with a more aloof attitude, but the owner Richie is more than happy to talk you through their reasonable draft list or rotating selection of house-infused liquors. He poured me an apple cinnamon whisky and then took me back through the kitchen to check out the vanilla bean vodka on deck for later this month. Great place, great people, great food. Couldn't recommend it more.

Along the Foster diagonal, this place doesn't look like much from the outside, but like the Millennium Falcon, she's got it where it counts. Live shows some nights, cucumber added to the large vat of water for flavoring (why doesn't EVERYWHERE have self serve water?), free apple chips, a bartender you can talk hockey with, this place is just simply "cool". I wouldn't say this place is remarkably "Portland" in any kind of way, but maybe that's its draw? This whole Portlandia thing is fun, but can get tiring after a while...