Good service. Large booth seats. Decent food. Good drinks. It feels like another Portland bar. Street barking.

Okay, it's a dive. But, it's a great dive! Lance is great and has a awesome sense of humor. Drinks are reasonable, there's usually a special and bonus for me...homemade soup. Chicken noodle last evening. Fun holiday vibes and a bit further down from the main Belmont strip, so parking is never a big issue. Lots of outdoor seating and inside is warm! Thanks for the excellent service and experience! read more

Bare Bones Cafe & Bar - Chicken soup! - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

Olivia really made my night!! They were Such a delight!!! Above and beyond!!! Can't wait to go back. read more

Bare Bones is not only good food and refreshments from coffee and espresso of all kinds but half of the place is a full bar and restaurant on both sides of the place most of the employees are very friendly and they are Animal lovers which is always a awesome quality!! They have this one employee Called Reanee and she's worked there for freaking ever so I'm taking it the boss is pretty cool ! Bare Bones also has a scannable menu to gaze at anytime.. The Food has never disappointed! I love the variety of food is phenomenal same as drinks.. Oh No I Almost left out the best sense of all "THE AMBIANCE " is really #Phenomenal I really suggest if looking for local Art of a unique astronomical style you should check it out!! Btw. The soup is amazing and they've got some kick ass rosemary potato salad even the burgers and breakfast sandwiches are to die for!! YUM!! read more

Simply put if you're not a local punk rocker or if you stumble upon this establishment as an African-American avoid this place at all cost!! How does this bar have a 4 Star rating??! I mean seriously!! Second time around and the food isn't anything special and the service is HORRIBLE. Take it from other reviews that aren't from the regulars! I should've. The energy in here is extremely weird to say the least. I walked in and said "hey, what's up how are you?", got a standoffish response from the bartender so I picked up a spare menu on the bar and handed it to my lady as I asked for an extra menu to look over myself. The same bartender with the tattoos on his arm and bald spot in the middle of his head responds by tossing a menu across the bar my direction like he's irritated. Mind you we've been polite and in between our interaction he greets every other punk rocker "local" by name with a polite smile and kind welcoming words. All while talking to his buddies and joking around oblivious to the fact that our drinks were empty for a good ten minutes plus. On top of the eye contact I made several times only to have this douche look away from us while continuing his meaningless conversations, I was holding out hope that he just had a bad night due to the earlier "incident" where a fight broke out that he continually discussed the majority of the time we waited patiently to be served again. Nope. Maybe those folks from earlier were "outsiders" and that's why he acted like we were an inconvenience even though we came in to support the business this guy works at? At the end of our visit I politely asked for the check when he gets a chance and he tosses my debit card back across the bar with the check avoiding eye contact in the process. It took everything in me to remain cordial since I could've easily made a point to check this fragile little man. Nonetheless I sincerely felt like this he stereotyped us due to our skin tones and nothing else but I took some solid advice and left this review instead. Drinks and food were subpar on top of it all! They use cheap ingredients in both the grilled cheese and quesadillas which are probably the most basic meals on the menu! At Bare Bones Cafe & Bar they're clearly used to serving only one demographic and if you're not a punk rocker they will go out their way to make you feel like you're not welcome! Again no idea how they have 4 stars unless they're deliberately deleting real reviews?! Dont waste your time and money on a place that doesn't welcome everyone equally. Making paying customers feel unwelcome is weird even if they're not a part of your normal crowd. I will visit again without my lady and we shall see if the same bartender is present with the attitude I encountered tonight so he and I can talk face to face about his customer service or lack thereof. read more

The food is absolutely phenomenal! I can't help but her a cup of soup as a side with and sandos I get- incredible fan of their classic Reuben, the Italian, and the phenomenal turkey (with shallot aioli!). This team seriously cares about their menu, and they know what they're doing. read more

I'd give BB a 3.5 for the food. Service was good so giving it a 4. Food is bare bones, and they have different hot sauces available on the tables. I like that you can build your own sandwich, and my fiancé said his was good. I asked about what coffees they can do, and they said iced lattes, not sure if there are other options, but it was good. Not very busy on a Monday at noon. Chill atmosphere. read more

See all

Old stomping grounds. Still great vibes. And eats. Great place to hang grab coffee and a bite with friends.

I live down the street and finally stopped in for a drink the other night to check it out. I love love loved all of the Halloween decorations. This place really went ALL out! There a candy bowl, spider webs and lots of creepy creatures around. I got a vanilla honey cider and it was phenomenal! I've never tried a cider that flavor but it was sweet, refreshing and mellow all at the same time. None of the flavors were overpowering and it had a cream soda type flavor. There's a really cool vending machine with adults supplies...overnight bag, accessories, and mystery bag which I bought. The picture shows everything that was inside and it was so fun to open and see all the random goodies! Such a great idea. read more

See all

Cool little dive bar, food was OK. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the staff was cool. I came during the day, but I'm sure nighttime is probably pretty fun given the decor. read more

Both breakfasts we tried here were solid. We came here on a whim, and it was a great choice. We loved that they had outdoor seating for our pup and fun Halloween candy. Come here if you want a laid back, no-frills brunch in Portland. read more

See all

Now I don't frequent this half of the establishment as much as I do the food half. I do enjoy the fact of bars that will spoehr's their food from the restaurants of their other half. I've always enjoyed the barebones food it is it anything above and beyond. It is always so home made and home style though.. Even a simple sandwich always seems to have care and thought put into each part of it and for the price this is uncommon. Now in addition to having the normal bar fares and normal bar prices. They have a great happy hour for food, a great breakfast, killer brunch, and a very friendly staff. If you're looking to be a little louder or for communicatively converse. Then I would check out this app as the other half tends to be very quiet and people studying, focusing, or working. PRO TIP : look for them on mercury papers 'mercperks' as they always have a 20 for 10 vouchers to buy!! read more

See all

I would give zero stars if I could. Absolutely zero respect for disabled humans. I came into your establishment last night. My friend was buying art at the market in your cafe. We went to the bar next door to grab a drink. I looked up at the screen menu on the was only their tap list. I'm not a drinker, so I asked for a menu. The bar tender responded telling me to use the QR code. I don't have the ability to do that on my phone, and as a neurodivergent person with learning disabilities, I struggle with technology immensely. I said out loud that I'm not able to view that menu. And all I got was a dismissive "oh sorry." And the bartender moved on to taking my friend's beer order. She looked at me and asked "do you know what you want?" "Well no, I haven't been able to look at a menu." "Sorry." She walks away to get my friend's beer. I turn to my friend and say "this is one of the most classist and ableist ways to view a menu that I have ever seen." At this point I'm bubbling with anxiety and close to an autistic meltdown inside a bar. The bartender got back with the friend's beer. The friend asked if they had any French fries (I was hungry... and again... sober.). "No we have like chips." I responded with "forget it. I don't need anything." As they were wrapping up the beer purchase... I asked if there was free soda for sober drivers at this bar. "What do you want? Actually, I don't think I should give you anything with how rude you've been." "I haven't been rude to you, I'm direct and _autistic_." Bartender doubles down on not being willing to serve me now... and I threw up my hands being so done with this disrespectful young woman. This was a young (20's maybe) thin white passing presumably cis woman. Short bob hair maybe. I think their was some green dye involved. Ah! My friend got her name. The outrageously rude bartender with no service skills was Olivia. Olivia could have easily been like "oh, so sorry you can't see that... we have...." Service is not for everyone, and as someone who has worked and hired in food and bev service industries... Olivia could use some help on her responses to struggling disabled folks. I left the bar heartbroken and seeing in yet another establishment that I won't be respected unless I wear a placard around my neck. I do intend to come back in today once the bar is open and speak with a manager now that I'm not having a neurodivergent meltdown based on your employee's behavior. This is truly putting an autistic person through a meat grinder. read more

It took over an hour for a bagel being ordered. Asking for it to be Togo after waiting it was a soggy non edible mess. I work service industry and would be embarrassed. The order wasn't even right. read more

Bare Bones Cafe & Bar - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This is my go to neighborhood cafe. Friendly staff, delicious comfort food and art for sale on the walls. Good people here. I have more experience on the cafe side, but have experienced the same excellent service on the bar side. A really relaxed place to relax and spend a late morning-early afternoon. read more

The food is even better than I remember. The huge front window was open with all the fresh spring air. I had the most delicious BLAT I've ever tasted. The toasted buttery bread seemed to have a hint of rosemary. The ingredients were very fresh. Literal foodgasm. The candied pecan blue cheese leafy green salad was also better than I recall and it was already perfect. The sherry vinaigrette dressing had a little spice to it. Just delicious. I can't wait to return! read more

See all

I adore Bare Bones. I think she has a fine selection of libations. She offers upfront dining, bar seating, outdoor seating, Oregon lottery, live bands, and pool. The owner is awesome and she knows how to build a menu. I've had her Gyro before and loved it. Today we munched on her Portabella and Olive Melt. It was oozing with bright flavors and goat cheese. The bread was crisp and buttery. We made a mess of it but enjoyed it to down to that last rogue sundried tomato. Bones has starters, breakfast, sandwiches, soups and salads with a few unique menu items thrown in. Prices will run you roughly $7.00-$11.00. If you're looking for the deep fryer, it's probably in the trash can. Food is fresh and fun. Very vegetarian and vegan friendly as well though she is kind to us carnivores too. Great thinly shaved Beef Sandwich slathered in cheese on a rich buttered bun. I'll keep coming back for the food, the unpretentious and casual atmosphere, and the food. Oh, and also the food. Food? Yes ma'am. read more

Bare Bones Cafe & Bar - Portabella and Olive Melt. A+ - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My husband got the Reuben and said it was the best he ever had! The tomato soup was great and so was the veggie grilled cheese. Basey who took our order was such a vibe polite and friendly read more

Bare Bones Cafe & Bar - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

I love the food. I like the ambience. I want to give this place 5 stars but I just can't. After the last year or so of terrible service, I just can't. The staff is horrible. Hip assholes. It is made very clear in every interaction that you are an uncool, dumb inconvenience to them. Bar tenders are rude. Cooking staff are rude. Cooks just drop food on the table with audible sigh and walk away. Sorry for ordering food (that is great) where you are PAID (and tipped well) to cook it. Final straw was not being served at the bar unless I got up and walked to the well. Made direct eye contact multiple times while giving the head nod and holding up cash. Guy made direct eye contact with me, walked right past me while giving me a smile and picked up an empty cup. To walk right past me again and lean against the bar. I finally stood up and walked all of 7 feet to the well where I get, "Did you want another drink?" YES. Attentive enough to chime in on our conversation but can't tell 3 people are trying to order drinks. He made all 3 of us stand up and walk a few bar stools over to the well each time we wanted a refill. He had no problem serving the few people at the other end of the bar. It was not busy. He just didn't want to serve us. I miss old Belmont. I miss old Portland. read more

Soooo good! I'm so close to this place that it's hard not to go over there everyday for brunch to order their wide favorite of delicious breakfast options. Super vegetarian friendly and all the food (especially sandwhichs) are made with care and very easy to eat without all the good stuff falling out! I'm not usually a Bloody Mary fan but something about that day had me saying "what the heck why not try one out again" and it actually did not disappoint! They made me a little to-go drink while I was waiting for the food to be ready and were very friendly doing so even though I didnt order it on my takeout order. Great local spot for a drink or bite to eat! read more

See all

Great espresso and quality baristas. eggs and bacon filled me up right. Lots of room.

Tasty brunch bar spot in the front, hole in the wall bar with pool, shuffleboard in the back. If I lived in Portland, this would totally be my kinda neighborhood spot! The food was delish. Got the salmon scramble with a bagel since I can't get enough salmon in PNW. Coffee was killer too. Biscuits n gravy were all kinds of savory and sloppy in a good way. Only weird part was that you bus your own table. So the dirty dish buckets were a kinda gross way to end an otherwise really awesome meal. read more

In spite of a screaming for no reason at all two to three year old that needed a good dose of reality, the pink haired do it all kept the remaining few customers on this afternoon content with their beverages and food. I was one of them on a fairly nice afternoon in the land of port. I know many have ended up here or the bar next door, but I chose here because of the windows and I wanted to be able to see outside. A bottle of Sessions and a marbled rye Reuben were the choices that looked appetizing to me. Combined, a little over $12. Not too bad for the area. The sandwich was pretty standard but how can one really get a Reuben wrong? Thousand Island, kraut, Corned beef and bread. This came with a choice of chips and I went for some jalapeño ones. It seems that breakfast is the main attraction for this place and I guess at some point I'll have to get back and give a breakfast sandwich a try. The food I had was pretty good and in spite of the little wailing banshee, I will still come back. Enjoy. read more

Bare Bones Cafe & Bar - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

Bare Bones is right down the street from my new place so I had to try it. I popped in one day and the person who chatted with me I believe was the cook, very cool and seemed to like the place, recommended a tasty sandwich. Well, I asked for something awesome and that's what I got. The Brisket sandwich was very tasty, collards in the mix for umami and texture. Meat wasn't overly salty and the bread was on point. Definitely a solid choice and affordable compared to sandwich places close by. Let's talk about the chips. Isn't it annoying when you get a 'side of chips' and it's a .05 Oz single serving container? Not here!! Bare Bones took the Five Guys school of potato generosity. In my togo box every fillable space had chips tucked in. Blessed. All in all: solid food, a little off the main drag but worth the extra couple blocks for some happy tummies. read more

Live in walking distance. Trying to find my go-to spot. Place rubbed me the wrong way. Vibe was quiet, no one seemed to be having fun. Bartender wasn't super friendly and asked if I wanted to leave my tab open, I said yes but he closed me out anyway. Took it as a hint. read more

We were bouncing around on a rainy Saturday afternoon, making our own pub crawl and we stumbled upon Bare Bones. The place seemed a little dark and very eclectic. It's furnishings (booths and tables) are someone "Diner" but it's very spacious. This is Portland and very much what a lot of people are looking for. In the back room there are pinball machines, a pool table, Foosball, shuffleboard, a photo machine and games and books in a nook (where obviously they expect people to hang out for a while). Advertised on a board behind the bar was a Hot Totty with whisky and muddled oranges. That sounded good so my friend and I ordered that. The bartender was bitchy about our request to muddle oranges into the drink (as the sign described it) after being handed glasses that looked like they contained nothing but hot water. We had stood there as she made them, and never saw her muddle the oranges, which is why we requested that she do so. Instead, she plopped an orange slice into each glass. My brave friend then asked again for "muddled" oranges "Like the board describes it". We got an eye roll from the bartender then but they did as requested and muddled the oranges and poured the juice into our glasses. After sitting down and taking a sip of our drinks, I complained to my friends that it now just tasted like hot water with a hint of orange, but I wasn't up for going back up to the bar to complain that I think she forgot to put the whisky in it (which we also did not see her do as we stood at the bar, waiting for them). That was a huge disappointment but at least it was only $5 and my other friends weer happy with their drinks. While my experience wasn't top notch, I actually can see why people (especially those who live in the neighborhood) would come here to hang out. I don't expect the best service from hipster bars (it's like a lot of those establishments train their staff to only be mediocre at best) so I wasn't surprised, but I was also not going to give 5 stars - even if lackadaisical and aloof is the customer service standard their management holds them to. read more

Wonderful spot! I got a sesame bagel with rosemary cream cheese for breakfast and it was delightful. My partner got the chicken fried steak & biscuit and said it was the best he's ever had. the coffee was great too! will definitely be back :) read more

BEST QUESADILLA EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But also I'm drunk rn so maybe my opinion is skewed

Great neighborhood "dive bar." We didn't have time to grab something to eat, but the cocktail at the bar was well made and well priced. Casual, relaxed, locals environment with a bit of an edge. Outside seating available. Parking is a bit tricky, but that's really not a negative. We'll be back and we'll try the food next time. Cheers! read more

A friend told me about Bare Bones just about a month ago, and I've already visited 3 times. I love this place! On my first visit, I enjoyed their tender, juicy and flavorful Lamb Gyro which was so absolutely delicious that I couldn't stop licking my fingers. At other restaurants and food carts, this usually ends up being on the dry side with little taste, but not here. During my second visit, the friendly waitperson steered me toward the Chicken Fried Steak and Biscuit which I absolutely devoured. I think the rich and creamy Rosemary Gravy, cheese and egg are wonderfully commentary to the traditional style of Chicken Fried Stead. And yes, the fiery Bloody Mary was also full of flavor and a little kick. Today I went back for another order of the Chicken Fried steak, which was just the boost I needed on a dreary rainy November like today. Their online ordering system couldn't be easier. The order was ready at the time they said it would be, and was handed to me by the nice guy at the cash register who ran my card. Heck, I even ended up getting a parking spot directly across from front door. It really couldn't have gone any smoother. During the 4-week freeze, I will likely be back there at least once a week. I definitely want them to be around when things get back to normal so I can check out the bar side to play some pool and check out their themed nights, while I work my way through the rest of their lengthy menu. read more

Great food, cozy atmosphere, good prices. 10/10 highly recommend. They also have an amazing seasonal pina colada

If you're looking for a good New York corner-store/bodega style egg and cheese. This is the place. Their egg and cheese and ciabatta sandwich can be customized to replace the ciabatta with a gabriel's bagel, and I swear it's the closest thing to a legit NY egg and cheese I've found here. Of course, the gabriel's bagel works more as a bun, not exactly a bagel bagel. But you get the point. Egg and cheese aside, their menu is just primo. The environment is chill. And they're super super quick! read more

This place is so great! I prefer the cafe side to the bar side, but that's just because I'm not a fan of when the bar side has sports playing on the TVs. The staff is awesome. There are food options for just about anyone, from full carnivore to a few vegan and gluten free things. The soups of the day are usually pretty yummy, and I'll often get grilled cheese with tomato soup there. The build your own breakfast sandwiches have a lot of different options, and they're usually ok with customizing whatever menu items are able to be customized. The buffalo chicken strip salad is pretty much to die for and now that I've gone veggie I'm missing it a lot. This place has a fairly chill, relaxed vibe, especially on the cafe side. It's a good place for relaxed dates, or just studying or writing by yourself. They often have local art hung up on the walls. The window seats on the cafe side are a great way to people watch. read more

Awesome food! Sal, the main girl, is awesome and so friendly!! Food was sooo good! It's our weekend treat! 10/10 recommend!

A very cute place! With some pretty exceptional sandwiches. I got the turkey sandwich - recommended by the lady who worked there - and my boyfriend got the buffalo chicken sandwich. They have a jalapeño chips or regular house chips option. I'm a spicy fanatic so I got the jalapeño ones, and they were pretty awesome. We got there during their happy hour so they had some appetizers for like $3-5! We got the hummus plate and it was good. There's never enough pita or celery sticks when you get those things lol. The beers were $2, can't go wrong with that. Definitely a great place for a quick lunch! read more

See all

I used to absolutely LOVR bare bones. I worked down the street so it was super convenient. The gf biscuits and gravy were my favorite and the customer service was always on point. First they took away the gf biscuits and gravy then I started to venture into the bar side. The usual small/thin bartender is absolutely awful. She clearly doesn't want to be at work and treats customers as an inconvenience instead of her income. If she's not at the bar with a sour attitude she's nowhere to be found, outside fitting with guys. For someone who works for tips, you'd think she would attempt to at least make an effort. But alas, she's still there because her behavior has been deemed acceptable by management. Sad! I keep coming back for the iced coffee and tuna items. There's some great things about this place but has for sure gone down hill in the last 5 years. read more

This vegan is impressed. Amazing vegan Bloody Mary. Food was top notch. I was hesitant because the menu doesn't really portray how actually vegan friendly they are. Just ask questions. You'll get what you need. Ginger was bartending and if she's not the owner... the owner should be very happy to have her on board. read more

The food was honestly not that good I got the tomato soup and grilled cheese and the tomato soup tasted like messed up spaghetti sauce and the service was TERRIBLE... had to wait in line for people to order to even get my drink refilled which I never even did:) wait never-mind I got my drink and it has a pube in it as pictured read more

Bare Bones Cafe & Bar - a knife in a bowl of ice - Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I stopped here for lunch a week or so back and was very pleased with the roast turkey sandwich (with a mucho delish aioli) and soup I requested. Though the day was cloudy, cold and drizzly, Bare Bones was warm and inviting on the inside. What I like too about Bare Bones is that it has a comfortable non-pretentious ambience. Kinda like Division was before all the construction (and resultant glitzification) began taking place. But I would guess it is just a matter of time before the same forces that are transforming Division seep (or barrel) into Belmont and do the same number. Let's keep Belmont Belmont. Plenty of tables (and electrical outlets!) for those wanting to bring their laptops and use Bare Bones as a coffee house. And if all the tables are taken, there's a bar where you can sit. Overall, I would have to say that for sandwiches, quality wise, Bare Bones is just as good as Meat Cheese Bread. read more

My favorite place to go, day or night. The staff is friendly and remembers you. The breakfast cafe is great, personally, I love to lounge at the breakfast bar and work up an appetite for breakfast while I enjoy a Bare Bones Bloody Mary. Everything on the menu is great and I love their build your own breakfast sandwiches, served all day! read more