What a great place to have an event, casual or formal. I've attended two galas here and really…read morelove the space, especially the acoustics. The actual physical space gets 4- stars but unfortunately the food wasn't very good and the wait staff was very un-organized and not well managed, so rating that 2.5 stars (assuming catering is in-house?) There is decent street parking and a small parking lot 1/2 block away.

This review is on the location versus the service…read more I did not have anything to do with renting the place so do not really know how that process went. I went for a Mardi Gras Ball. The place is very large and spacious. The location has a stage, restrooms with multiple stalls, and plenty of seats. For those wanting to get away from the majority of the noise, there is a balcony where you can sit. At the event there was a bar. It appeared to be part of the venue. These were in the back so did not get in the way of the dance floor. The location was clean and restrooms were functioning (very important). Basically, if I had to find a venue for an event, I would consider this place. There is public parking only a block away which is nice.

This is my first review. My friend had his wedding here, nice spot very spacious. Time spent well:)…read moreI Recommend you to check this place out

I came here for a workshop. It's a great venue with plenty of on street parking…read more Overall it felt cozy and a great venue for a workshop.

The place is very nice but dealing with these people are not. Do not consider this place for a…read morevenue for a wedding.

Not Wheelchair Accessible!! I traveled here from Seattle last month for a wedding and had to be…read morelifted up several steps from the sidewalk to the main floor for the ceremony. We had to miss the reception on the second floor up a long flight of stairs. No Elevator! None of this inaccessibility is noted on West End Ballroom's website. I called the contact number with a request for a call back. Never heard back...

I am professional wedding photographer in Portland, and I LOVE shooting at the West End Ballroom…read more The historic building is photo worthy itself, but when you add a love story it becomes pure magic! I have been photographing at the West End for years, and it has truly transformed. While it has always been beautiful, the recent renovations have made this venue one of my favorite places to photograph weddings. There are so many options with this space to fit a variety of weddings, big to small. From the fireplace room, to the grand ballroom and back alley way, this is one of the most visually inspiring venues I have photographed in my career. Aside from my love of the venue, the outstanding staff is what really makes the West End stand out. I have been privileged to work with Natalia Barwegen many times over the years and the experience is always memorable. She is the perfect balance between professional and FUN, which has put my couples at ease for their big day. I can't recommend the West End Ballroom enough!

I wrote a review for the sister business, CorksCru, and want to pass my sentiments on for…read moreKitchenCru as well because this space deserves to be discovered. I don't know if it is proper etiquette to give a 5 star review to a space I haven't actually utilized but the tour itself made me a starstruck fan! As far as I know, there isn't a place like this that exists in Portland. The "Food Network-ish" kitchen can be rented out by chefs, bakers or othe concoctioneers of edibles who need an industrial sized kitchen with all the bells and whistles to whip up their magic. Or you can hire a chef and plan a private party paired with the wines from next door. I took a tour of their kitchen yesterday and my alter ego, Chef TaMAra, drooled over the 3 six burner gas stoves, seemingly yards of shiny stainless steel countertop prep spaces and industrial sized refirgerators. No need to bring your own ANYTHING if you want to use this space. I imagined myself in my white apron, spinning like a whirling dervish while creating masterpieces to thrill my guests. Then the bubble popped and I realized I would much rather hire someone to do my kitchen slaving. They have a bar that seats 10 people where I envisioned the food critics of "Chopped" sitting and scratching their chins as they watched 4 contestants create a dish out of rattlesnake, chocolate nibs and rhubarb. This space has such potential. I will give it a proper review when I have actually used the space and you can bet your sweet patootie that I will be hosting an event here!

Clean, bright, very well-planned space for cooking or learning to cook. I took a class from the…read morePortland Meat Collective that met at KitchenCru, and it was a wonderful space. It's large enough that several groups can use space without getting in each others' way. Also has some off-street parking, a wonder in the Pearl District.

I had my wedding reception at The De Soto in August of 2010. Arrangements and catering for this…read morevenue are through The Art of Catering. I have reviewed them (5 stars) separately. This review is strictly on the De Soto venue itself. It was a lovely space. Large enough for our 100 guests plus a 4-person gypsy jazz band and a dancing area. The terrace has a wood deck. There are trellis' and plants in big pots. White chairs and sunbrellas are available for use. The terrace was looking good already and then was transformed into a magical place by my florist, Adria Sparhawk of Lavish. The rooftop is about 4 floors up. It has a nice view of trees in the north park blocks as well as some of downtown Portland. Looking to the west, you have to look over AC equipment on the roof in order to see the trees. Adria came up with a great solution to that eyesore - she made gates out of willow and decorated them with vines and ribbon and placed these along the western railing. Problem solved! We had temps in the 90s. The roof was very hot with the sun beating down until it set over the west hills around 7 pm. After that, the temperature was perfect. If it is going to be a hot day, I recommend renting tents to add shade. We rented one 20x20 foot tent to cover the eldest and youngest. It looked fine and we could have used an additional one. There is no indoor space. Keep that in mind. The bathrooms are on the bottom floor so your guests will be up and down the elevator but that didn't seem to be a problem for anyone. The roof is wheelchair accessible. The entrance to the rooftop is on a pleasant block that has nice character. I'm taking a star off because of the AC eyesore, lack of indoor space and location of the bathrooms. Of all the rooftops and outdoor spaces I explored in Portland proper, the De Soto was the only one that met all my requirements. Still, I give 5 stars only if it's perfect!

We had our wedding here last weekend and we couldn't be more pleased! Morgan was a breeze to work…read morewith and our event went off perfectly! I would recommend this venue a million times over. Plus it doesn't hurt to know that your hard earned money is going to a good cause!

What a gem we stumbled upon when we found The Village Ballroom!! Connected to The Oregon Public…read moreHouse, The Village Ballroom is a nonprofit event space where 100% of the profits are donated to a local charity!! Pair this with the fact that it ended up being the most reasonably priced venue in town, and my husband and I were absolutely sold. The space is beautiful, with very little need to decorate because it is so lovely on its own. The entire event staff was so helpful and responsive, getting us answers right away and clarifying with us along the way. All the costs were explained very clearly and they were up front with us in how cost might be affected whenever we wanted to add something or change something. For a very reasonable fee we opted to use their staff for bartending, as well as the purchase of non-alcoholic beverages. Additionally, we chose to pay their staff (again, a very modest fee) to take care of clean-up after the event, as we didn't want to burden our parents and friends with that task. The venue has very nice chairs to use as well as a good variety of tables of different sizes (included in your rental fee). They also have linens which can be rented through them, saving the hassle of renting from another company and paying for deliver/pickup fees. The venue coordinator even worked with my wedding coordinators, offering suggestion for ways to expedite setup and the flip (we did both ceremony and reception in the ballroom). I really feel like this space is an under-appreciated treasure, and can't imagine why more people haven't caught on. Because my husband and I met working with a homeless community, we felt so good about our choice to go with The Village Ballroom, considering their direct connection to social justice and giving back to the community. It was the absolute perfect setting for our perfect day.

Torchsong performances here are such a great time! The chairs are not friendly but they move, there…read moreare many options for places to be. The parking lot is a bit sketchy looking and there is only one ADA space so you will want to get there a bit early. Also, get there early for delicious snacks. They even had hard alcohol and mac and cheese which I did not expect at all or we would not have eaten so close to show time. They have great prices on concessions and a pretty great amount of options so support that! Most recently a friend and I went to see Something Wicked which was an 80s rocker interpretation of Macbeth. So much fun! Those costumes! I will say that the sound was a bit off - live band and quite a few of the actors were not seeming experienced with singing in this way so we could not understand their lyrics. They were so present though we were with them but it was odd only being able to hear the lyrics for half the songs. I know setting that many microphones can be tricky and their user can get paranoid if they get feedback squeals. But, for the audience - grab seats closer to the back if you struggle with hearing etc. There really are not bad seats here! The lighting was perfect. I also love that they say take pictures and video but to make sure to tag them. I have noticed at shows genuinely that the audience for these is really great. If people are snapping pictures, they are not being disruptive {which is what I really strive for myself}. I also appreciate that they do offer Arts for All and are so very kind to help get you ADA seating. Many places treat us terrible so feeling welcome is wonderful.

My experience with Samaritan Lodge has been in putting on live shows with a local theater company,…read morecalled Torchsong Entertainment. The content of the shows may not be everyone's cup of tea, but we sure have a good time! I have been utilizing this space since 2020. In that time, I've been able to see the potential in it, and the work the lodge's members are doing to help out the community. I even became a member myself as of January, 2024. The space is large and versatile, and the best part, it's very accessible- no stairs, comfortable seating, spacious bathrooms. The building is currently under remodel due to water damage from a roof leak several years ago, but the renovations will make the space better than ever! This is a lovely, affordable event space in the Portland area. Come check us out!