I'll be in Portland, OR - what's your recommendation

[herdingcats]

I'll be in Portland, OR this coming weekend. Can any of you make a recommendation for a few places I might take my wife for a nice cigar lounge? She'll be drinking wine or cocktails, so it would need to be a bar of some kind, and I guess it would need to be a place with seating (rather than some of the standing-only places I've heard about).

We'll be staying in downtown Portland, so somewhere in downtown or within 20 minutes drive would make the most sense.

Thanks!

 

[KPP]

El Gaucho Steak house has a nice cigar lounge...

or there's Kell's Irish Pub that also has a cigar bar downstairs. Much more dark & dungeon like though...

El Gaucho is by far the best bet for downtown IMO.....and you can also eat in the cigar lounge as well....and the menu is much more economical than eating in the regular dining area. It's more limited, but you shouldn't have a problem finding something you'd enjoy. Seeing as you're from Seattle I'd guess you're familiar with El Gaucho already though...

 

[herdingcats]

Oh yea, I know El Gaucho here in Seattle. I remember the days of kicking back with cigars there once upon a time. Good recommendations. The EG option sounds like a little more our speed. Thanks!

 

[smelvis]

Shilo Inn by the airport, there is another one just google the site, I use the one by the airport and it is nice not as nice as El Gaucho but a lot less money.

 

[costacoug]

El Gaucho is the place to go if you will be downtown. They have a great happy hour 5-7 on Friday or 10-close on Saturday. Be sure to take your own cigars because their selection is limited and waaay over priced.

 

[Sin]

I met up with some BOTLs at the Shilo in Beaverton (only a few minutes from downtown Portland) and was really impressed. No cutting charge, great service, and awesome happy hour with a great mojito. To be more clear, its actually the Mark that is within the Shilo.

 

[herdingcats]

I met up with some BOTLs at the Shilo in Beaverton (only a few minutes from downtown Portland) and was really impressed. No cutting charge, great service, and awesome happy hour with a great mojito. To be more clear, its actually the Mark that is within the Shilo.

I'm hearing (by message) some good things about the Mark. It sounds like it may be a good balance of what I'm looking for.

Does anyone know anything about the Detention Bar at the McMenamins Kennedy School (about 20 minutes from downtown Portland)? I talked to them and they did verify that the Detention bar is a cigar bar. It looks small from the pics I'm seeing, but it also looks very cool. That's what my wife has picked from the bunch. Does anyone know any reason we shouldn't go there?

 

[Sin]

I'm hearing (by message) some good things about the Mark. It sounds like it may be a good balance of what I'm looking for.

Does anyone know anything about the Detention Bar at the McMenamins Kennedy School (about 20 minutes from downtown Portland)? I talked to them and they did verify that the Detention bar is a cigar bar. It looks small from the pics I'm seeing, but it also looks very cool. That's what my wife has picked from the bunch. Does anyone know any reason we shouldn't go there?

I actually met someone in Portland through a friend a week ago that frequents that bar. I myself have never been there but the next time I am around, I will make a stop. This thread kind of peaked my curiosity so I searched around and found this: http://cigarplaces.com/city/portland-cigars.aspx

Hope it will be of some use to you brother. Let us know how your trip goes. A month ago, I never knew there was a public place in OR that allowed cigars. :cbig:

 

[herdingcats]

Cool. Thanks for the link. It seems like there are a surprising number of places to go. Nice to see.

I'll definitely report back no matter where we end up going. Thanks for all the input!

 

[NickThePyro]

No knowledge of the cigar lounges down there but I will HIGHLY recommend stopping at Voodoo Donuts before you leave Portland. Great snack before or after smoking.

 

[hdroadglide]

ooohh, they have the bacon donuts!!!

 

[CigarNut]

The Shilo in Beaverton (The Mark) is a great place. Nice drinks, food, and plenty of room for people and their cigars.

El Gaucho is also nice, but they recently changed (removed) their ventilation, and it get's quite stuffy and the room is pretty small. Nice place to meet local celebs though

I believe that the Detention Bar at McMenamins has closed.

If you know when you are going to be here I will see if we can get a herf together. I have a cold and hope to be better by the weekend

 

[CWS]

Do it. I will be in Vancouver/Portland all week as well.

 

[Sin]

I'll try to make it up to Portland as well.

 

[herdingcats]

We're going to be in town this weekend... on our Anniversary. So I'd love to join the fun, but I'm going to pass on the Herf this time. I've got someone much cuter to hang out with... :lady:

I'll try to make it to Portland again soon. I can see I have some BOTLs to meet!

 

[Sin]

Sounds good, this weekend wouldn't have worked out for me.

 

[costacoug]

I'm hearing (by message) some good things about the Mark. It sounds like it may be a good balance of what I'm looking for.

Does anyone know anything about the Detention Bar at the McMenamins Kennedy School (about 20 minutes from downtown Portland)? I talked to them and they did verify that the Detention bar is a cigar bar. It looks small from the pics I'm seeing, but it also looks very cool. That's what my wife has picked from the bunch. Does anyone know any reason we shouldn't go there?

The three spots you are looking at are all very different and depend on what you like. Detention Bar is at the McMennimins Kennedy School and is very Portland funky. The bar is small and smoky but has the most "character." The clients at the Kennedy school are definitely your young hipsters. The Mark is the largest of the three and is a sports bar meets old style cigar lounge. It has six big screen tvs, leather chairs and then chess and backgammon games available. Here you are going to rub elbows with all sorts. Lastly El Gaucho is the swanky of the three. There is a cigar steward the will cut and light your cigar for you if you wish and the clientele will be local businessmen to Portland Trailblazers.

The Mark is my local smoke spot and I love it (I'll be there this weekend to watch the masters), but I recommended El Gaucho for these reasons;

Location Location Location
El Gaucho is right downtown and if you are looking for something to do before or after you have everything downtown and the Pearl district within blocks.
The Mark is about 15 minutes from downtown but it is in suburban Beaverton and there is nothing around it except strip malls and strip clubs
The Kennedy School is on the east side and it can be very confusing to get to. There are other places close by but again it is a 15 minute drive from downtown.

The Food
If you are looking for some eats with your cigar the food at El Gaucho is top notch. You really cant go wrong with anything on the menu. I suggest the Steak Diablo bites, Ahi Tuna or any of the flaming swords to share.
The Mark has pretty good food as well but a couple notches below the Gaucho.

Hope this helps.

Costa

 

[herdingcats]

Great detail costacoug... thanks! It's looking more and more clear that we're going to give the Detention bar a try at McMenamins Kennedy School. I'll let you fellas know how that goes.

 

[herdingcats]

We went to the the Detention bar at the McMenamins Kennedy School. It's small, but very welcoming to the cigar smoker. My wife had her very first cigar. Cool. Here's a pic.