Time to decide! June MeetUp!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

I promised an Eastside DU'er that we would meet on her end of town this time... we have been remiss!

Here are my picks from the WW Yearly list (thanks Organism! :) )

Add you own, or vote on these. All have outdoor seating and access to Tri-met.

:bounce:

Billy Ray's Neighborhood Dive 2216 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 287-7254. Daily-nightly.
CHEERS: 22-ounce mugs of draft beer.
JEERS: No hard liquor.
Aptly named, you can easily picture Henry Chinaski at the bar, toasting "to all my frieeends." Regulars can get drafts in their own personally decorated mugs, kept behind the bar, as they enjoy the killer jukebox. A little searching reveals a comfy game room upstairs (pinball and pool), and a surprisingly spacious deck out back, where you can gaze at a slice of downtown while waiting for your turn at the Ping-Pong table. So unassumingly cool, so Portland. HAPPY HOUR, OUTDOOR SEATING, GAMES, VIDEO POKER, TV, JUKEBOX. (JL)
Served by bus #6


County Cork 1329 NE Fremont St., 284-4805. Daily-nightly.
CHEERS: Pleasant nouveau-Irish feel, including the spring-fresh air.
JEERS: Service is super-friendly but frequently overwhelmed.
OK, so it's not Cheers. But somehow, in a relatively short span of time, this Northeast Fremont Street favorite has become the epitome of a neighborhood pub. Beer swillers of all ages rub elbows in this wide-open space with tables that encourage you to meet the folks nearby. Better yet, it's the kind of place where you can gather with soccer pals at the bar but still feel fine bringing the whole friggin' family. Excellent rotating beer list, with two cask pours and above-average pub grub. HAPPY HOUR, OUTDOOR SEATING, LIVE MUSIC (WEEKEND NIGHTS), DARTS, SMOKE-FREE (SMOKING ON PATIO). (JW)
served by buses #6 and #8


LaurelThirst Public House 2958 NE Glisan St., 232-1504. Daily-nightly.
CHEERS: The house band, Kung Pao Chickens. Besides their almighty moniker, Kung Pao rocks Monday nights with a heavy dose of '30s-style gypsy jazz.
JEERS: Your eardrums need to know: Sometimes, when Kung Pao isn't playing, the speakers are sometimes seized by really crappy death metal.
Cash goes a long way at this frumpy little pub. Most of the 21 microbrews on tap are $4 a pint—and that's not even the "special" price (that would be $3, 9 am to 5 pm daily). In fact, there are discounts aplenty; there's also free pool from 9 to 5, no cover until 9 pm (except Thursdays and Saturdays). The cozy bar also doubles as a breakfast joint every day until 3 pm, with its salsa-licious breakfast burrito in the starring role. HAPPY HOUR, FOOD & DRINK SPECIALS, OUTDOOR SEATING, LIVE MUSIC, POOL. (LS)
served by buses #12 and #19


Produce Row Cafe 204 SE Oak St., 232-8355. Daily-nightly Monday-Saturday.
CHEERS: Host of imported beers make it a great place to hang out.
JEERS: Expect to hang out for awhile, since the service is so laid-back.
Tucked into an industrial pocket of the inner eastside, in a hiding spot near the train tracks, Produce Row couldn't be any more homey and hard to find. This perfect post-work kick-up-your-feet-and-drink pub isn't for the fancypants crowd. With a "holy shit" selection of American brews and imports from every place you can think of (try Brazil's Xingu or India's Kingfisher), sweet outdoor patio, open mic nights and live music almost every day of the week, the Row is a beer lover's showcase and then some. Cheers to that. HAPPY HOUR, OUTDOOR SEATING, LIVE MUSIC, OPEN MIC, POOL, TV. (EB)
served by bus #6


:beer: :beer: :beer:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. Hey! It's 3 days away! Anybody care????

:shrug:

[Reader Rabbit]

2. I care!

And I'm up for any of those. I figured I wouldn't chime in until someone else had spoken, since I don't have a strong opinion on our options.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. Oh good!

I thought I had fallen into the twilight zone! :scared:

I'm leaning towards the LaurelThirst (cute name and cheap beers) and the Produce Row Cafe ("holy shit" selection of brews) for those reasons. :)

I haven't been to any of them, so it will be an adventure. :D

[swag]

10. Produce Row is a great spot.

Have you decided yet?

Let me know when you do, and I'll kick the Lounge Thread on the subject.

[swag]

4. County Cork is great.

Very roomy, friendly help.

But they're all great spots.

Laurelthirst sounds good too.

I will try with all my might to make it this time, but it's a birthday weekend, so things could get complicated.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. the elusive swag!

Someday you'll make it. :P

Next month is Blues Fest, and we're trying to put together a meetup on the Waterfront, next to the beer garden. :D

[swag]

7. June 3, right?

Saturday June 3, like at 4 or something?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

8. yep.

and we don't usually break it up till 7 or 8. Depending on how good the beer is. :)

[Tom Kitten]

6. County Cork or Laurelthirst sound good to me

But Produce Row is cool too.

I'm planning on coming this time! Sorry I've been away for awhile (since the March gettogether) and haven't been posting either, but I've been through a rather traumatic time lately...my roommate and I were letting a woman who was down on her luck stay with us the past seven months...well she became psychotic and assaulted me.

It's been on my mind a lot lately!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. bummer luck!

I'll save a :hug: for you.

[swag]

11. auto-redacted.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

12. I'm throwing the bottom three into a hat and picking Friday morning...

and I'll put the thread up in the lounge.



Chime in now if you have a vote!

[0rganism]

13. Ya know, Produce Row is looking good for some reason

LaurelThirst and the Cork are both really great, but I've never been to Produce Row or Billy Ray's, and I get over to the eastside so rarely since being suburbanized... Something about a laid-back spot near the trainyard appeals to me. But any of those places is fine by me.

[swag]

14. The selection is an embarrasment of riches.

Not a bad pub on the docket.

Can't wait to see what she picks.

p.s. - Starlight Parade is downtown Sat night at 8:30, in case that effects anybody's travel plans. It's not the most obstructive parade.

Fireworks tonight at 9:45, they say. Wonder if that will be a washout.

Does anybody else hate the Rose Festival?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

15. Okay Everybody... It's the Produce Row Cafe

:beer: :beer: :beer:

The Produce Row Cafe
204 S. E. Oak, Portland, Oregon
(eastside of the river - Not downtown)
4pm


Beer:
29 taps; offerings include beers from most area craft breweries, as well as a couple of imports. 200 bottled beers.

Food:
This is the original home of McMenamins-style pub grub, mostly sandwiches with chips, and some snacks. Popular items include the House Special (a sort of steak sandwich) and the Stormin' Norman. For folks on a budget, a large sandwich will easily feed two.

Atmosphere:
For over 20 years, the Produce Row has provided funky, simple premises for lovers of a variety of good beer. The place is divided into three rooms: the main front room and bar, a smaller side room, and a back room with a pool table. There's also a fine deck out back with plenty of picnic-table seating, simply wonderful on fine spring and summer days. The Produce Row's interior is humble and unpretentious, and that's just fine, because here, the beer's what matters here. Clientele is just about anyone who likes good beer, from college folks to middle- aged folks from the east-side neighbourhoods. The cabinets on the side of the main entry room have a vintage collection of beer bottles and cans, some of which have been in there for nearly twenty years. Your Humble Author can point out some of the items he has contributed to this collection, should you and he have the chance to sip a pint or three here. That's the Row for you - good beer, a fine place to have it, and historical continuity. May it live on forever.
Speaking of historical continuity, one of the original owners of the Produce Row went on to co-found the McMenamins empire. In a sense, the Produce Row is the cornerstone of the entire McMenamins pub group, even if the McMenamins no longer own or run the place.

Parking:
Parking is available on-street and is usually easily found. Pub's location is in a warehouse / industrial district. Note that this is on the eastern side of the Willamette River - not in downtown Portland!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

16. Official thread is posted, please help keep it kicked!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1336511

:bounce:

[0rganism]

17. D'oh! -- I have to go to a wedding on Saturday at 4

Looks like I've been overbooked. :grr: I'm probably a no-show this month. :banghead:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

18. well, that sucks

I hear we're going to have Newbies. :)