I like the venue but had a comically rude interaction with the woman bartender with brown hair and glasses. I was at the water station drinking water and hear her come up behind me out of nowhere yelling "coming through! coming through!" with a keg over her head. Mumbled something as she passes me and then continues to the main bar area and proceeds to rip me and call me profanities in front of the other bartenders and patrons. Claims she told me to move "30 times" as she blows past me in 2 seconds lol. Total wack job. Other bartenders were nice. read more

Never have I dealt with staff that were so gleeful in singling me out and treating me like a subhuman. It started as I was waiting in line and the security guy with the flat cap and the gross matted beard came out to have a look at how the line was progressing. He talked to someone else in an extremely condescending manner about something so trivial as a face mask. He then threw me the most disgusted, most repulsed look you could ever give someone. This man fully locked eyes with me and looked at me like I had leprosy. Then when I finally got the front of the line, they told me I couldn't bring my weed pens in. Fair enough but they explicitly told me I would have to restart all the way at the back of the line (a line I had waited in for over an hour in the freezing cold, and it was even longer now). Of course there's literally no information anywhere about what kinds of things you're allowed to bring with you, so you just have to guess, and if you guess wrong you gotta start all the way at the back of the line and miss the performers. Absolutely and utterly deplorable setup and the chauvinistic security makes It that much worse read more

Metal show | Nice venue with food options nearby We've seen a couple of metal shows here before and have enjoyed our experiences so far. Most recent performance we saw was Angelmaker with openers like Carcosa and Vulvodynia. So, it was a very heavy show with a big attendance. I know they have food at this venue but there are also other options nearby, which is nice if you get hungry. We didn't order anything at the bar, but we stood in that area next to GA on the floor and the seated table area. Try and get those seats early when they're available because those go quick! There is also seating upstairs. Standing next to the bar means we're close to the left speakers. Overall, the sound was alright. It would probably be better if you were more center and it would depend on the sound mixing. I did like that there was water available at the bar. I always look for water stations (and fans). I think this place is a little bigger than the Hawthorne and smaller than the Roseland. Security was quick. They just searched your purse. I like coming here to see artists at smaller venues. read more

went here to see a CG5 concert with my dad and I just want to say that I loved every part of it! The whole place was just great, it was super nice and awesome. I didn't feel like I was squished which was great and the sound was super high quality! I would definitely recommend this place no matter what you want to see! 10 out of 10 read more

See all

Huge shout out to the bartender Connor working when Attack Attack was there! He was super attentive and so nice! Hands down one of the most amazing bartenders I've met at a venue. read more

This ballroom kind of reminded me of Hawthorne, Roseland, and then the other typical ballroom like this for smaller than used to play but Corey Feldman been inside this room was very unique, and out of the ordinary has is his music choice of being an artist and entertainer outside of Hollywood, film and TV... that being said, it was a very great experience, and I giggled a little bit as you would but at least I can say I saw Corey Feldman and even chatted with him a few times on Instagram and exchanged a few laughs here and there together. read more

Bossanova Ballroom - Corey Feldman - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

My wife and I drove from Seattle to see Alien Ant Farm and Glass Skulls. Security was thorough; all of us got into and out of the venue in a timely manner. They also let us wait it out to meet each of the bands briefly before escorting everyone out. The drinks were great, my wife got a mojito she couldn't finish and I thought it was awesome. on the smaller side of course which makes crowd control less of a concern. General housekeeping was fair and the bathrooms were well kept. read more

Opened doors an hour late, comically oversold, waited three hours in line and didn't get in. Some people we talked to in line had traveled so so far to get there I felt horrible for them. Really hoping they refund us and everyone else who waited to no avail all night tonight. Heard security was also looking through people's wallets card by card too?? Bizarre behavior and overbooking like that is poor management at best, shady at worst read more

My partner and I went to see the Femtanyl show amongst other openers on August 16th. The show was supposed to start at 8, doors opened at 7. We showed up at 7:30 and weren't let in until 11:03. We missed the first two openers, and were exhausted by the last and only show that we could watch. We stood in line for almost four hours and no staff members were coming out to tell us why we were still in line. It was unorganized and unprofessional and I almost feel like I need compensation!! I'm so mad that I didn't get to see the openers, and I'm sure the opening bands had a weak crowd because the rest of their crowd was wrapped around the building for hours!!! They said the reason that we were waiting so long was because patreons had drugs or vapes that they were finding in bags and had to confiscate. When I got up to the line finally the security guard HARDLY looked me over yet I was still standing still for about 6-8 minutes. There was no leadership and the workers were using their time poorly it seemed. They also said that the band was late but that was just an excuse because the last band was waiting for the rest of the people in line to come in. When we finally got in we ordered 4 shots of well vodka that came out to $36. I think the bartender spilled more vodka than we had in our shot glasses. We had one full shot and 3 shots filled to whatever. But whatever. At least I got to see one of the bands that I paid for, and mosh out all of my frustrations Unfortunately based off of this experience I never want to come to the boassnova ballroom again. I hope that the memory of the band and dancing soon overtakes the memory of frustration/anger of standing in line for so long. read more

There really is a lot to dig about this old time venue. The space is large and even better, has multiple levels. So, you can hang with the main crowd downstairs in the middle of the action with the bar, merch and feel it. Or you can climb another set of stairs to yet another bar which is a bit of chill that also leads you into a balcony area to watch the band and stage from above. I hadn't been there in years so it was a treat to see the Dead Kennedy's here towards the end of last year. At the time I was a bit unsteady on my feet having recently been able to leave my cane at home. I did not want to take a risk going to a punk show in the pit...I ain't that crazy! Being able to be in the balcony and see all the downstairs action in the pit made me wish I was ready for that level of action!! Great view from everywhere in the place and so someone like myself can actually watch a great show! I wanted to attend another show when I was in a wheelchair and though I ultimately was unable to go, the venue not just answered my inquiry but made it very clear they were happy to help me out. I love places that try to help us all out with a smile like that so bravo! read more

See all

This place is garbage. The bathrooms are dirty, the servers/bartenders are rude. They aren't considerate and they ignore their customers. Do not recommend. We tried to have friends come and the 40 year old bartender wouldn't serve them because they came 30 minutes before closing. read more

We came here for a show we knew would likely get rowdy, so we were a bit on edge a bit, especially as we decided to bring our young daughter to her first concert. All worries quickly dissipated when we met the manager/owner of the venue. She was very kind, and made us feel seen. She let us know to get her for anything and that we were a priority. We knew a few people related to one of the opening acts, which is how we got the tickets. There were tables at the back for these opening acts to sit at, and when we joined the table for the artist we knew, no one had any issues. I truly felt taken care of and felt my daughter was looked after not just by me and my wife, but by the event staff responsible for the night as well. From what I heard from employees, the place has deep family ties, and seems like genuine people trying to make a genuine living in the city. I could not be more proud and thankful. read more

Bossanova Ballroom, To say last night was a disaster on your behalf is an understatement. I have been to your venue before, several times, and never was treated with the level of disrespect that I and a literal hundred of other concertgoers experienced. Your security staff was overzealous, invasive, rude, and held up the line of paying attendees for hours on end, all while the artists who we PAID for were playing inside to a barely filled room until the very end of the show. One of the artists had to extend her set because of your staff not letting paying customers inside in a timely manner, something I've never seen at any professionally run concert. It would seem when you hired your security, you hired amateurs with a seemingly personal vendetta against everyone trying to GET INTO THE CONCERT THEY PAID FOR. As for your staff not knowing what they were doing: One of my friends had her NON-NARCOTIC prescription hormones taken from her. I have never seen this before. Furthermore, your staff somehow found it appropriate to look through people's wallets, card by card, without gloves: that's a health violation! This was an invasion of personal privacy and a total waste of everyone's time. I'm all for concert safety but there comes to a point where you need a far more effective system than giving TSA a run for their money. You didn't prevent anything unsafe, you just made what could've been a great night into a nightmare of thuggish bureaucracy. I expect the majority of the attendees last night will not return to your venue, myself included. Provide refunds. Sincerely, A disgruntled attendee of the Femtanyl show. read more

We rushed back from Salem to attend a concert recently. For over 2 1/2 hours we listened to people we never would have paid to hear while we waited for the featured artists to show up. It was very disappointing. We haven't received any communication about a refund yet but hopefully... read more

Old-ass building. Their recent changes to the layout to accommodate all ages shows made it even more awkward to get around. So much wasted space and unnecessary table placement. Got some douche vibes from the dude working the bar last night. Their beer selection is weak af. It's just another venue. Nothing special. I'll keep going back because they get good tours, but I won't like it. read more

The Bossanova Ballroom was purchased by a new management team as of spring 2014. They have taken the Yelp & FaceBook reviews into consideration when remodeling and restructuring the company. New: - A/C - Sound System - Coat Check - Security Personnel Soon to be improved: - Drink Menu - Dining Menu read more

Just another cool venue for me to go to now. I've been to several shows now around the town. The Wonder, The Star, The Alhambra and I haven't found a bad place to see great music. NOW, when you are seeing a legendary band such as the Skatalites....well it was nice that I was right there at the front of the stage to see them at work. Great sound, nice acoustics and the alcohol wasn't too bad on the price. Can't wait to see what other shows will be there. I'll be back for more great music. read more

For what it is, Bossanova is a pretty cool space, but I don't mean that literally so don't take it that way. If you plan on an event here in the summer you also need to plan on sweating... a lot! You would think they could spend the money to invest in air conditioning. There are better venues in the city for summer events if you need to do that. Another detraction is all the stair-climbing. If you're out of shape, this might not be the place because you will be huffing and puffing by the time you get to the top. It's fine, a little on the smaller side, and I've been to some great parties here. Just know what you're getting into before you rent it or attend an event. read more

Great place to see a show. The ladies bathroom is so well lit that we had our photo taken twice when we were there (by strangers, unsolicited). So yeah, as a fan of music venues in general this one has lots of room, two levels and tons of sweet outdoor hangs. Murals all over the outside when you take your break in between bands. read more

See all

This is a very unique music venue. One of the things I enjoyed about the show I went to were the use of space by artists who were painting while the music was going on. The space also had a lot of other activities that made it uniquely Portland. The sound was great for the show and the bars were fast and efficient. Over all it was a space I would enjoy going back to. The space was easy to move through and much better organised than some of the other locations in town. read more

The layout of this place makes it a great venue for smaller shows. It it actually a pretty cool place. The only problem is after a half dozen or more shows I have learned they cannot get good sound quality. It is bordering on awful. If you want to just party with loud white noise in the background then perfect. If you want to enjoy the band and are into music I would wait until they play at a different venue. This place will ruin a band for you. (If the guys working the doors have not already pissed you off acting like total DB's). read more

They slid in rating with me after last night. We were part of the Barfly NYE Party bus event and our final stop was the Bosanova Ballroom. The place was packed so we thought we'd get faster service upstairs. Wrong. They only had one server. That was fine though; that was to be expected. However; they had menu's out with 5 select food items. We ordered the sliders. The bartender told us it would be a 20 minute wait. 20 minutes later, the bartender told us that the order hadn't even been turned in yet and it might be another 45 minutes. She also did not order a refund. We weren't sticking round another 45 minutes so we left angry and hungry. That ended our NYE on a low note. read more

Fantastic venue and a great slew of performers. If you're not there, you're nowhere.

Too. Dang. Hot. Was here for an event. But left early because I was melting. Need water... Aside from the heat, this place is small. There were a couple hundred people mingling in here. I would not want any more than that. Could be good for a small birthday or reception. I don't think I'll be attending anymore events here unless it is in the winter. read more

I like the venue, it looks like a spectacle from upstairs, however they can still use some upgrades to make it fancy. Things to improve - A/c or fans, it does get really hot and sweaty with a ton of people there. Sound system - need some decent amplifiers and speakers. A bigger bar - so reduce the lines of people. Parking is always a challenge in that neighborhood for some big events. read more

Nice old school venue that reminded me of the 80s show scene. Security could have been a little tighter at the door but all in all a great place to catch a punk show. read more

saw spider gang for the second time here, incredible concert & very uncomplicated set up. before the show even began there was someone who had to be removed & whether that was the venues security or spidergangs, it was handled quickly and as calmly as the situation allowed. entry was easy, stage is on the second floor which was cool. water was extremely accessible & the concession staff was above & beyond. the gender neutral bathrooms were also a plus. read more

The owner (also house engineer) is a complete jerk. I was performing there and merely plugging in my stomp box ruffled his ego and he was mad I touched his mic cable, even though I brought my own (a Mogami XLR) he insisted on plugging it in himself. When I came back from grabbing a beer before the show he handed me my cable back, although it wasn't my cable it was a knockoff brand cable he replaced with mine. When I asked for it back he denied having it. He doesn't like hip hop, and will treat anyone who is there to perform or watch hip hop as less than. This is extremely typical of bitter old musicians who don't want to deal with the 'hip hop crowd' but need our money to make rent. Three separate interactions with this guy lead me to this post, it wasn't a one time occurrence. read more

I've been here more then 10 times in a year and one of my favorite venues. The space is very nice for metal shows but I'm not aware of the other events. Usually has great moshpits and have a friendship with most of the crowd. I'm 16 years old and their bag storage is in the 21+ area which meant I couldn't even put away my merch/sweater so I had to carry it the whole time which is why I give it a 4. They need to make it more accessible. I love the feeling of running up those stairs getting excited to hear what band is playing. read more

I want to like this place. It has all the potential of greatness. The location is fantastic, the venue is gorgeous, everything about the space is wonderful, even the layout. But then you stick people in it. Not patron people, but management. I'm sure the place is expensive, and I'm sure it is difficult to deal with the expense, but from my perspective as a patron, the management should be invisible to the events. A few friends of mine put on a weekly event there, that then moved to monthly, or every other week, or something. To be honest, I couldn't keep track because the management kept bumping their event around. So, the event failed (that may not be the causal agent, but it didn't help). Regular events need stability to stabilise attendance--if management interferes with that for a one-off, they're shooting themselves in the foot. Either commit or don't, but don't act as a rental and then bump people for a more profitable rental. If they pay the fee, they get the spot. Similarly, the bartenders, generally, seem a bit surly; it is probably because they don't have a regular income. At Zombie Prom, I got one that was good, but I was at another event where there were quite a few people distributed all over the place (200 or so... the place is expansive, so that's kind of hard, I know), and they closed down the upstairs bar, even though all the booths were full and there were people playing pool. I've been at other events where they closed the downstairs bar at 11 (before people really even show up), and had even tried to work with event organisers to use the stage, which wasn't going to sell for that night. But it would have cost event organisers an additional 500$ to have my band draw in people to the event (and my friends are drunk$). I would love to play this venue (when the time is right), but under its current scheme, I have to throw up my finger-crosses and avoid it. Like I said, I love the space--hell it is walking distance from my house--and I know the almighty dollar rules all, especially when running a club, but you have to make it profitable for your events as well. Charging your events for the venue is reasonable (although abnormal); but if you have a regular club night there, the way it usually works is the event gets door and the venue gets the bar, which is by far the better end of the deal. Like I said, I understand it must be an expensive place to run, but sometimes, especially in Portland, you have to give a little. Essentially, the current business model sucks. This is a small town, and reputation is big. It's not LA where you can just count your ducketts and screw over everyone in your path. If just a couple events are unhappy with you, they won't return, and they'll tell their other organiser friends like me to avoid the place. So I have. And it sucks because I love that venue. read more

Things That Make You Go Hmmm.........while watching a burlesque show at Bossanova Ballroom: A burlesque show with a live "orchestra"? Phucking awesome! These burlesque dancers make me feel so short. And fat. And old. And so well-endowed. The itty bitty titty committee has entered the building. That sure is a lot of waxing. Ouch. That sure is some cool ink. Ouch. When is someone going to whip their titty tassels? I'm waiting. And waiting. Damn, it's hot in here. Is it time to take off all our clothes? And waiting. I didn't know they made g-strings in that size. Finally, some titty tassel action. Even skinny girls have cellulite. Thank you, jeebus. read more

The old Viscount Ballroom space is now a venue for hire. Though the owner could really invest a few bucks into the place. Basic things really. Locks for all of the bathroom doors. A fresh coat of paint. Toilet paper. The space has so much character, nostalgia and effing potential that it saddens me to see it fall into such a state of disrepair. You walk up the stairs into a little foyer followed directly by the main room. The stage is visible from the bar. There's an out-of-the-way bar area for mingling/flirting and an upstairs smoke hole. The bathrooms are spacious and funky, but again, need some updating. Come on people - PIMP MY BALLROOM! read more

I took half the family here to watch my stepson's first fight at the Valhalla Gala 8 Kickboxing event. I'd never been to the Bossanova Ballroom before, although I've driven past it at least a zillion times. First things first, I'm an old guy with bad knees and an achy back. I don't do well in venues where-in the spectators are expected to stand during the duration of the event. I'm all bust up and need a chair, okay? Luckily, we were almost at the head of the line to get into the place. We found a spot against a wall and I was able to lean semi-comfortably against said wall during the fights. I am glad I wore my steel toe boots--I barely noticed all those other feet stomping on mine. I'll break out the pros v. cons for the rest of my review because I'm tired and need to get to bed. Pros: 1) Full bar 2) Decent security 3) Reasonably clean and tidy 4) Stripper ring girls Cons: 1) Standing room only 2) Lots of stairs 3) No food 4) Stripper ring girls when you're there with your daughters My kid did not win his fight, but he put on quite a show. Brought a tear to my eye watching him kick that other fellow repeatedly in the face. We all had to leave immediately after his fight was over because the event was 21+ and the boy is only 19. That's okay, we took him on a well-deserved trip through the Taco Bell drive-thru on the way home. Would I go back to this place for a concert or other to-doings? Probably not. To watch the fights again? Sure thing. read more

So they've really made some significant updates to the space and I've since been to some really fun events in here (mostly private events). The management has made a few changes that are also positive. I said I'd dole out the 5th star for updates, and there have been quite a few. While this venue is somewhat specific, meaning that its setup is unique and is more well-suited for some events than others, for the events I have attended, and those that I've thrown here, the space is pretty much perfect. Dig it. read more

I was here for Blow Pony on 11/23/19. I like this venue, but the fliers for this event said the event would go until 3am, which was not accurate. Come 2am they kicked everyone out with aggressive speed and efficiency. Staff were not friendly. False advertising. PS. I guess my last review offended someone, so posting again with different language. read more

I have worked with the Bossanova many times over the years and it has always been a great experience. It's an awesome location and a very unique venue for a variety of events but what has always made this place awesome is the staff. The security, bar staff and management are always friendly and genuinely seem to enjoy working with each other. From help and ideas with event planning, marketing and execution the staff has always went above and beyond to make sure any event there is successful. Much cooler than the Roseland Theater and they have free pool! read more

WHY DID I GO BACK HERE!!? Well, I did, because a friend was DJing and the place was, sadly, empty. This time we did not have the bartender from hell, but instead when we went to go pay our tab, we were informed that they were not able to process credit cards, and then told us to pull money out of the ATM that charged a $3 fee. Yea, no. Stupid place, stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid!! I will SO NOT GO BACK HERE AGAIN. ever. read more

Went last night for NYE event. The entertainment and music were great. I really enjoyed the layout of the place, and appreciated they plentiful water supply. Getting in was a pain--as another reviewer mentioned their scanner was broken. If you pre-purchased tickets, you had to wait outside in the freezing cold. They had folks wait on the sidewalk instead of snaking them in the warmer long hallway. It doesn't make sense to treat your customers this way. Second issue was coat check. Maybe everyone was new, they were understaffed, or management didn't delegate correctly, but it was terrible. Twenty minutes to check our coats. When we tried to head out early we waited a full hour to get our coats back. It appears as though at some point they stopped keeping the coats in number order. Yikes, guys. If they figure out their coat check situation, I'm happy to return. Or I'll come back when it's warmer. read more

OMRRA had is annual Road Bash here last night. Overall the place was cool and a nice venue to hold something like this. The BIG complaint was from Amy who said that considering how much we paid to rent the place the women's bathroom should probably have more than 1 working toilet. I guess the other 3 had issues with their flush handle and the doors. That is pretty low class. read more

This venue is really a charmer. I love the old Portland buildings with their feel and personality. It's also a great setup with the upstairs balcony looking over the floor below, and of course bars on both levels. But what really makes this place great for whatever you want to do or see is the people. I've worked with the staff on numerous events and will continue to in the future because of their tremendous support not only with planning, but also marketing and other areas of putting on a show. From weddings to burlesque to kickboxing shows, this is the place to be! read more