Easily becoming one of my lowkey favorites!!! Location staff and vibe is definitely up my alley!!! Please go and support this local neighborhood bar!! Supporting local businesses and keeping things real ....This is one of if not thee local spots!! read more

Cats Paw Saloon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Never going back! Was there with friends and I was so nice to the bartender and she was nothing but rude back. I said (nicely) "Can I get a green tea shot?" and she responded "we don't have peach schnapps." to which i said "Oh haha no worries that's totally fine!" and she goes "well, it's gonna have to be." with an attitude. She was so rude off the bat. That was the one and only drink I have ever got there. I wouldn't even step back in after I was telling my friends outside what had happened and she walked outside and heard me mid story and caught another attitude with me. Me and my friends joke about it every time we walk past now, but in the moment it was a terrible experience. read more

The server was friendly and very welcoming. The decoration of the space was impressive, too!

If I could give this place zero stars, I would. The owner or bartender whoever runs this place, is unbelievably rude and aggressive for no reason. Had never been here before and was immediately met with hostility. Telling a first-time customer "speak when you're spoken to" is completely uncalled for. Then, after asking for ID, mocks me for taking a moment to pull it out, saying "why are you taking so long?" and proceeded to call me a "baby" because of my age, saying "that's why you're acting like that." This kind of behavior is grossly unprofessional and downright disrespectful. If you want to be treated like a human being, don't waste your time or money here. I'll never be coming back and I'd strongly suggest others do the same! read more

I had a good time at the bar. Great banter. I really liked the bartender Sarah. What great pizazz. Only thing to complain about is that they have no disaronno. read more

Stopped in with some friends while in the neighborhood and enjoyed plenty of adult slushies :) Chill vibe, good music and cute patio space! read more

What a great bar! My group and I walked Division and saw Cats Paw, so we decided to give it a try. I'm sure glad we did! Cats Paw has a great vibe. I feel they got the lighting juuuuust right. Between the inside area, front parklet, and the rear patio there are plenty of options to stand or sit. Whoever was on the bluetooth was playing good music. The bartender that evening was friendly and he poured very heavy. The tab was less than expected. 10/10 would recommend you give Cats Paw a try. read more

Not much to the story here, just a bad business so i'm just leaving a bad review. The bartender which all of these other 1 star reviews are for was the main problem. she had tattoos and looked like a toddler and actually had the same anger problem as one. when we arrive i tried to order a drink because it looked like she was waiting around but mid sentence she interrupts and says "speak when spoken to". Sorry but im not a dog or an animal, while she does portray a mole rat who's 5'0, hairy and disregards odor, you don't talk to anyone like that let alone to customers who are coming into YOUR rundown business. i can go on and on about what happened that night but she or the business is not worth my time. But just after i told this large woman her under the breath comments were something she should keep to her self, she escorted me out and got offended that i said that. Never come here and don't support this business, just save yourself some time and hit the other bar down the street if you're going around this area anyway. read more

Standard cocktail bar -- it's a little pricey in my opinion but the patio is great and they let you bring in food from nearby carts

Cats rules!! Amazing little neighborhood joint with sweet staff and a nice quiet patio. I wish there was food but who cares, there's plenty of places to get food around read more

Relaxed vibe. Friendly , but not overly boisterous fellow customers. Such a lovely bartender the night I was there 10/2/23 Makes all the difference. Thank you read more

Staff was unprofessional. Obviously hit or miss depending on the mood of the staff but my experience was terrible. Probably worst staff I have ever experienced in Portland. read more

I love this place. I left my glasses there after a couple beers (go figure ) and the owner Mickey personally reached out to me on IG and sent them to me by mail. above and beyond! read more

The gist: staff is not friendly, they play cat videos on a tv, mediocre drinks for an average price. Drinks: 2/5 Price: 3/5 Service: 1/5 Girl that works at the bar (only staff we interacted with) made us feel very unwelcome. As soon as we approached the bar, she says "ID". No hi or hello, or offering some water, just straight up "ID". Okay sure, I get that you need to card younger looking customers or maybe even all customers, but there's a way to do it that makes it seem like you at least want people coming to your spot. There's plenty of other places, we'll gladly choose any other spot. But whatever, that's only strike one. We order our drinks, I get the Roddy Piper. It's a blood Mary with smoked Tillamook cheddar cheese, a pepper stick, and assorted pickled veggies. I wanted to try an interesting drink and interesting was all it was. I was a fan of the cheese with the drink but couldn't care much for the rest. Our drinks were brought to us and we were given the bill. We didn't ask for the bill, so how does she know we're not gonna order more drinks? She doesn't even check in later to ask how the drinks she made are. Honestly it seemed like a subtle way of telling us to finish our drinks and get lost. Take your pick of any other bar on the street, I can't imagine any of them being worse. read more

Cats Paw Saloon - Bloody Mary menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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AVOID THIS BAR AT ALL COSTS!! Rudest bartender I have ever encountered in my life. Went there with a group of friends for my birthday and immediately she determined she hated us. Wouldn't serve some of us and would only serve some one drink and said they couldn't open a tab. Although we were being completely calm? She also told us we couldn't sit inside but had to stand out on the patio. There was literally two other customers inside (this was around 7pm on a Saturday). I was one of the few she allowed to keep a tab open but when I went to close it, she didn't give me my credit card back as if I would've forgotten that she kept it. I know she did this on purpose because she didn't give my friend their credit card back either. Not sure what her angle was with this, maybe she would've charged the cards all night after we left or was just trying to be annoying by not giving them back. Well when I asked for my card, she couldn't find it. It was on the floor by the door, not sure how it possibly could've gotten there from its original place by the register. I went to pick it up and told her it was unprofessional and then she asked for name and said I would be put on a list to not be allowed back. It's honestly laughable how ridiculous this was. Then herself and the two other customers went citizens arrest mode and shoved everyone out. Literally SHOVED my friends out the door with their drinks in their hands and spilled all over them and locked the door. You would've thought we did something absolutely obscene to receive this treatment but truly all we did was get a drink, go outside, and have fun amongst ourselves. No joke this was the most shocking situation. Never coming back. Worst bar experience I have ever had and it ruined everyone's night. Do not come here. Go to Real M Inn down the street instead (that's what we did and guess what! No issues at all). read more

Nice Dive Bar. Visited here from Dallas and came here with some local friends. Not too loud or busy, so just a great place to catch up among friends. Ambiance - 3/5 - It is a dive bar. Does have a patio in the back and with the weather during this time, this was a great time to be outdoors. Nice artwork. Staff - 5/5 - Excellent. Heavy pours and great recommendations. Drinks - 4/5 - Unique cocktail choices, but again, heavy pours. Overall, If I visited again and was in the area, I would stop by again. We did come here on a local night, so that is probably why it was a little slow. However, we weren't trying to get hammered, so this worked out! read more

My Tuesday Night spot. Friendly, prompt service. Ample seating outside, front and back. There is food across the street if you are hungry.

Cat's Paw! Before I start this review, I need to establish my credentials on the topic of drinking establishments. I've been around the world twice as a US Marine and more times than I can count as a consultant. I've drank in back alley bars in Mexico that serve beer for a quarter but antibiotics for $100. Smokey bars in Romania where the spirit of Stalin still whispers you gently to the gulag. Dance clubs in Thailand where the bass music simply reverberates the drinks through your skin. Expensive wine bars in NYC where you can still see cocaine residue on the toilet seats. Hell, one time my Marine squad split a sample pack of airplane liquor bottles in a burnt out cafe in Iraq on Christmas. Now, with all that experience, I can say that Cat's Paw is the best bar on the north side of Division . . . east of 35th . . . and west of whatever bar is east of Cat's Paw on Division. I first laid eyes on this place while having a lovely dinner and bottle of wine at the wine bar across the street. I gestured the server over and whispered in a conspiring tone "That . . . place, across the street. Is it reputable?" "Hell no!" she said. Well, I was in. I asked that server to slap the cork back on the Boone's Farm, put my bologna and gherkin jar in a box, and bring my check. The server leaned in and said "Sir, you carried that all here yourself and have refused to leave with your French Bulldog for the last hour. Please go." Well, I was still in and had most of my jar of pickles too! So I made my way across Division, dodging VW Vans, Tesla's, ebikes (thanks Barb!), and a woman perched precariously on the top of an eight foot tall unicycle made from straws removed from hapless aquatic creatures (she was passing out flyers). Well, I finally made it through the rain and burst through the door with my dog in tow and it was a marvelous sight. The back door wafts in smoke from an enclosed patio where patrons drink beer and discuss being "elbow deep in raw tuna". Inside, the patrons wish they were all making smoke from American Spirit cigarettes waft out the front door. This small, but cozy room is bathed in the red, neon Cat's Paw sign that hangs on the window. The other light come from fixtures from the first patron in the door who, in turn, stole from the abandoned factory they slept in last night, making the ambience . . . not awful. The music is . . . there. In the span of a pint and a pull of whiskey made in the boot of the bartender while he was wearing it last night, you'll hear Merle, Metallica, Aretha, bucket drums recorded on a Walkman in 1982, the guy in his apartment upstairs singing Megan Thee Stallion, and the sound of a guy playing a guitar with two strings, one of which is netting from a basketball hoop. Overlooking this all is a taxidermied bobcat. Perched precariously above the bar, paw outstretched, he serves as a reminder that patrons that do not close their bill will be shot in the ass by a drunken Hillsborough resident in a 2A shirt. The art adorning the wall is one part tattoo-shop-where-I-got-my-first-tattoo-for-25-dollars and one part how-do-you-even-build-a-unicycle-from-straws. The patrons are what makes this place work. We do live in a capitalist society after all, so this goes without saying, but I needed a segue. Young men in black, skinny jeans and leather, skinny jackets. The college sophomore who spent the year after high school in Asia but still complains about the rain. Her boyfriend, man bun Manfred who is part of the All Man Brother band who keeps playing that two string guitar for social justice. (He tells me I need an "Are" in his poetic band name. I tell him to get his own Yelp account). The two guys who bought their Harley Davidsons two days ago for cheap along with all their gear staring out at the drizzle wondering how they could have been fooled. The woman in her Lululemon gear wondering why she came in here, but chatting it up with another woman wearing a poodle skirt and corset with a tattoo that starts at her big toe and stops at her delicate chin. (Lulu knows she'll be back). The woman in a cardigan with a nervous chihuahua frantically chomping gum trying to get a glass of wine. (They serve wine from a box, as a proper bar should). And then there's me, holding down a table with a jar of pickles with my dog, Madam FatsNBurps. So come on in. Don't try to be cool, cause nobody here is, until you're here, and then we're all cool together. read more

What was initially a cool Portland dive bar has gone totally wrong - came in four times to meet friends with good recommendations to this relatively new Division St hipster bar and had good vibes, good drinks and hopes from times gone in a perfect spot for years now reimagined into a bar... yet as I sat alone this time, concerned about serious troubling news from family and local politics, I was suddenly and very rudely asked to leave by the woman behind the bar. I thought about the "Wonder Women" envisaged upon the doorway. And.... "Yea wow..." it made me feel horrible, had i done something "Un-American" or "Un-Feminan"? It was nearly 1:45 am and seven other much younger individuals filled the bar as I asked the owner why I was being asked to leave. She stated, "closing" and when asked about all others she had just begun serving she stated she was "handling all of them" and they can stay (after discussion I found all to be fellow restauranteurs, in the "industry"). Ok fine, but please be honest, and she wasn't, instead she struggled to cover up her discrimination against me. I can't imagine if i came in here as an international tourist, it (the business) seemed rather "nationalist" to me (I'd be especially scared if from afar). IMO - Tourists be warned, particularly if you're white and male and over 40 (and probably others but I can't speak to that). Cats Paw please note discriminating on the basis of a protected class, is by the way, against the law (ORS 659A.409). As you "displayed a communication (to me) that I would be denied the accommodations advantages facilities or services of the privately owned place of public accommodation on the basis my sex, race, national origin and/or age". Everyone being served was younger. It would have been wonderful if they had been thoughtful and mediated the situation with respect, concern, and compassion. This did not occur. When I said I felt I was discriminated against and this was hurtful she threatened to call the police. Hostility - pure mean and simple. IMO - This is not a good spot to feel comfortable, this is not a place to "meet locals", please look to other reviews to back up what is being said here... sadly the Cats Paw is true to its name, "clawing you in the eye..." perhaps a Portland hostile/passive aggressive thing if you're into that (lol)... Cats Paw is clearly confident to say "if you don't fit in, if we suspect we don't like you or your wallet just stay the hell out" thats the way discrimination stinks and it also stinks from the Cat's Paw ..... I recommend stay away. Here's my free legal advice to Cats Paw: your right to "refuse service to anyone" (as you stated to me) only extends so far as it cannot be applied to protected classes. You need to be more discriminating about who you discriminate against. Oh and also, you retaliated against me by denying services the second time I entered and you stated you remembered me and would refuse services based on my response to you that you discriminated against me. Retaliation (against one asserting their legal rights), is even easier to prove to the DA and BOLI. - I think you need to rethink your practices before you get into real trouble. That being said.... If any others face age or racial discrimination from this business as an employee or customer or member of the public please refer your complaint to the following: BOLI: www.oregon.gov/boli/CRD/Pages/C_Crcompl.aspx EEOC: https://www.eeoc.gov/federal/fed_employees/filing_complaint.cfm read more

I was aiming to go to my favorite bar, The Richmond, and because I was turned away due to seating, I came here. Cici was an absolute delight. Did not hover on me, make friends and customers laugh, the atmosphere is great, selection is right up my alley, size is moderate; I love there's a sun roof in the back; and there's a general positive vibe. Probably putting this down as my second fav. CC you rock! read more

This establishment rules! Great beer selection, great cocktails, great quesadillas, good vibes and great service. Samantha was a lot of fun and on point. read more

Cats Paw Saloon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This neighborhood has been in need of a bar like this! The atmosphere is amazing, chill, and the employees are SO friendly. The drinks are great, reasonably priced, and the food is good. Happy hour has some great deals too. Major bonus: a dog friendly patio! I've been here many times and would definitely recommend it. read more

Cats Paw Saloon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I really like this spot. The decor inside is very comfy and the artwork is really cool. Our bartender was super nice and friendly. She offered suggestions about some drinks on the menu. They only serve quesadilla's here but the bartender did say that if you wanted to order food from another place - we were welcome to bring it into the saloon. There is a place outside that has seating and a smoking area. The bathrooms were super clean which is always a plus in a saloon or bar type setting. It's definitely worth checking out if you're in the area. read more

Great vibe and ambiance, cool outdoor space with overhead heaters. Not a huge selection of booze. Bar options could be expanded a bit, many beers on tap, but the space is fairly new (I visited Sept, '17). Check it out. Lots of other places to visit close by as well. Boutique bar, cozy, warm, other nice patrons and the owner is a cool cat too. read more

Fun dive bar in the neighborhood. Not fancy but fun, good tunes and creative bartenders! I got a delicious mocktail and we all had fun!

Came in with friends on a Sunday and got the best service. Bartender was so sweet and patient with me. The decor and the swag and the music was also all dope. Excellent work everyone. read more

I'm going to keep writing posts like this until things change. Most of us are non-smokers. Why do all of your outdoor spots (both out front AND the patio out back), have smoking everywhere? This is so strange and disgusting to me... I thought Portland was a little more "woke" than that. Didn't stay because I don't want to eat cigarettes with my drink... nasty AF read more

I've been here once. Twice. Nine hundred times. What an amazing place. Amazing bartenders, killer environment, and good people. Spend your time here, man. Why are you wasting your time! Come! read more

Small but a local place for a drink. I just stopped in for a drink to support the Pups promotion they were having this day. Beer selection was small for a Portland Saloon. read more

Love this place, great bar tenders, great art work, great patio, great drinks. Definitely a go to place when visiting Portland.

For a bar that only has 15 reviews I don't think they should be refusing to make certain drinks. I know we're in Portland, but are we so hipster we can't make particular drinks? Your attitude tonight cost this bar. Definitely won't be recommending this bar to friends. Bar snob. Remember you work in hospitality. read more

Let me start with saying that Division Street has changed so much in the 12+ years I've lived in Portland. The moment I first walked into the Cat's Paw... I was taken straight back to the early days of Division. They built this bar within the original bones, windows, and walls of the building which happened to be an old cobbler called the Cat's Paw. Make sure to check out the hand painted signage on the windows next time you're there...it's the ORIGINAL signage from the old cobbler!! Another incredible detail is that custom made, crimson glowing neon sign!!!! Are your kidding me?! Not only is it beautiful, but it transforms the whole building into a radiant vignette of warm vibes. Top it off with their incredible service, this might just be one of Portland's best bars. read more

Best bar on Division, hands down. Super chill and comfy, not pretentious at all. Cheap and stiff pours. A good local dive by folks in the 'hood. read more

One of my favorite bars hands down! Bartenders are rad and they're quick to get you a drink! Whenever we have friends and family visit Cats is always the first spot. Do yourself a favor and stop by for a cold one! read more

Fantastic neighborhood bar. Quiet and intimate, but fun on the weekends. This is that whole in the wall, local bar where everyone knows your name, that you're searching for! read more

Neat little Portland dive bar. Small but cozy. Nothing fancy on the menu but sometimes you just want a beer or a shot of something strong. Kudos to them for having White Claw on the menu. Not sure why all the negative reviews - I don't expect or require stellar service at a small dive bar like this. read more

This place is great, and I think will be my new Division go-to. It's just that kind of casual, comfortable vibe that I like for my casual, comfortable meet-up-with-friends-for-drinks soirees. The food menu is pretty simple, but you're on Division with a million dinner options anyway. Come here and enjoy a drink or three! They make it nice and easy to order a whiskey shot with PBR, and that's what life is really all about. There is a bobcat (?) hovering over the bar, so, big points. And a sweet little patio. read more

This place is great and I feel relaxed when I'm there. Whether it's a great Gibson martini or a whiskey and coke my drinks are always done right. The art nights and atmosphere is always intellectual. I've made a few friends there and will continue to make this a permanent destination. read more

Kinda small cozy place. Didn't try food, but not much variation of beer and was just ok.

The space itself is great. I've never been to a bar where the bartenders were so consistently rude. I've been yelled at on multiple occasions. One being for standing next to a table that had just become available. The bartender yelled across the bar "You better not sit there before I clean that!" Another time, some friends and I had entered, a line to order was going all the way to the back patio. We head over to stand in line and are yelled at that the back is full. As we stand in line to order for 10-15 minutes, I make eye contact with the bartender multiple times. Bartender sees us and knows we see her. Bartender waits until we get to the front of the line to tell us, the bar is full and she won't serve us. These are some of my personal experiences from only coming to The Cat's Paw Saloon 5 times total. I've seen the bartenders frequently yell at other customers during these times. If you want to be treated like an idiot and go around walking on egg shells, this is the place for you. Having worked in the bar industry for 11 years, 8 of those as a bartender, I understand where these bartenders are coming from. I spent 11 years serving the college crowd, the most difficult crowd to deal with. It changes your attitude towards people, but that is no excuse to treat people the way Cat's Paw employees do. We work in the service industry, it is our job to make the customer happy and feel welcome. It's very apparent that the staff here is bitter and burnt out. It looks like it's time to throw in the towel, the industry is getting the best of you. read more