Can I say I am a fan??? This was our first visit trying out anything with the Proletariat Butchery. Needless to say, the last Friday of the month will be now on my calendar for Burger night. We arrived in the rain, it is November in Portland. So the first thing I noticed while waiting In the line outside in the rain, was everyone was super nice and asked if I had attended before. When I said no, folks said I would not be disappointed. Additionally, there was a nice older gentlemen who independently (on Halloween) was walking down the line and offering candy. Thanks for the mini snickers bite! We had a group of 7 of us last evening as we discussed "would this be worth it" as we slowly inched our way to the cashier to place our order. It is important to note, however, that while waiting in line the butcher shop walked the line (often starting at the end which was super considerate) offering slices of grilled sausages and probably some of the best toasted bread I have had. We made it - and placed our order for two burgers and potato salad. While waiting we checked out the shop - and while small, it is cozy and I can see why their classes and dinners draw in folks. They also had wine, beer and other items for sale to drink as well as a lovely self of bottles of wine. The BURGER!!! OMG - Heck yes!!!! Did I mention at the beginning I will be waiting in line on the last Friday of every month. I believe it was a brioche roll, garlic aoli, pickles and chopped onion with the best fresh, grilled on a fire hamburger patty I have had. Oh - and I am a total food snob. I can say this - those were big burgers and two of the guys in our group went back and ordered a second burger to eat. My husband also then raided their freezer for meats for us to bring home and prep ourselves. One of those was a beautiful Tomahawk and I cannot wait to cook it to perfection. I promise I will "not F it up." While I don't want the lines to get longer, I cannot deny my role as a Yelp Elite is to proactively share great experiences for others. So I kindly do this although this is one that I would prefer to keep a secret. Next up - I am signing up for classes!!! It's been a while since my time in CA where I learned to butcher a pig and make sausage. I saw that Proletariat Butchery offer bacon making classes. SCORE!!! read more

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What an amazing place! We went to last Friday Burger Night. We waited inline in the rain hoping for a good burger and OH MAN!!! This was one of the best burgers I've ever had the chance of devouring. They have a process of cooking about 10 burgers at a time so be patient. The burger is worth the time. The flavor melts off the burger into your mouth. The freezer was picked through and a lot of the meat was gone. However we found a Tomahawk, some sausage and they were able to grab us some hamburger patties from the refrigerator. Great, friendly and helpful staff. I will be back again and again. read more

Coming soon... golden ticket salami! The last Friday of the month Butcher's Burger was a great stop on my Portland culinary Bingo card. The line is rather insane, and even arriving on the early side, we had at least an hour wait. Fortunately it was a sunny day. The atmosphere is kinda fun if you know what you are getting yourself into. Many people had a friend hold space in line, so as others joined their party it was a slow creep to the ordering kiosk. Come prepared to stand on the sidewalk of Foster Road while cars wave and honk and you listen to music blaring from an old school boom box. It helped to get periodic sausage samples while in line. The $13 Butcher's Burger is simple and complex with fresh-ground beef seared on a wood-fired grill, basted in beef tallow, and served squishy bun with house mayo and pickles. Not how I would normally order my burger, but there are no substitutions here and don't even think of asking for cheese. The tallow provides ample fat and it was tasty. While we snagged a couple seats at a community table inside, the owner mentioned that soon they will offer 'golden ticket' salami. If you buy a salami while in line, you might be the lucky recipient of a golden ticket in the wrapping which entitles you to skip the line. That is quite the prize. They offer beer and wine and you can buy some of their sausages while you wait. Would I do this every month? No. But, it sure was fun especially if your company in line is good. read more

Proletariat Butchery - The Butcher's Burger - Butcher Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place was recommended by one of our friends that lives in the area and their renowned burger night. It's a bit out of the way for me but I was in the area one month and i'm so glad I stopped by! I was driving by and there was already a line down the block so I was worried they would sell out but fortunately for us the line goes pretty quickly and was able to nab two burgers. The line took about 15-20 mins which wasn't too bad given that you can order beers inside and then take them outside to wait until you order. They have music bumping and you can see them grilling your burgers fresh. They are also so sweet to give some sausage and bread samples to people waiting in the line so you have some snacks until you get to the front. Once it's your time to order you can see their menu is no frills and does't allow changes so you can enjoy it exactly how they made it to be. Once you order it's probs another 10 minutes before you get your burger so pay attention when they call out numbers. The burger itself is a solid size. The meat is tasty and has a nice grill (slightly a little salty to my liking) but it is balanced out with the sauce/toppings. Definitely a juicy burger so it's good that the bread they pair it with absorbs the juices so you can enjoy it with each bite. The burger night is an experience itself so be sure to check it out one time and don't let the line scare you away! read more

Zeph crafts great sausages and is an amazing teacher and r terrines. I recommend the bacon making class.

Zeph and his wife Emily and his team are warm, inviting, knowledgeable and top notch. I have attended a butchery class and bought meat from them (not to mention a butchers burger) all of which are incredible. Support the local and Proletariat. read more

Proletariat Butchery - Lamb Roast - Butcher Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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First time here. The line looked a little daunting but it moved reasonably fast. Mellow crowd and most were sipping beer or wine and chatting with others waiting. Prices on beer or wine I thought were reasonable. Sausage samples were fun and tasty. Zeph is quite properly proud of his sausages and hamburgers and seems to enjoy interacting with his customers. The burgers! Wow! First bite really was 'mind blowing' to use an old overworked phrase. I like, if not love, hamburgers of all sorts of variations (okay...I am not into those six plus inches of all sorts of stuff stacked on a bun...if you have to unhinge your jaw to try and fail to take a bite...not sure that is a real 'hamburger'...?) but Zeph and his crew (Asscher?) have made the meat...the basic component of a good hamburger...the center point...the star of the show AS IT SHOULD BE!! Maybe it is kind of deconstructing the hamburger and then building it back up, making a basic but elegant and very tasty hamburger. It needs nothing! The components are simple (kind of...the meat is complex in taste) and they work together so the sum really is greater than the parts. I am an old guy (72) and I've had a lot of hamburgers (and I make a pretty good one myself) but this is something else. Sometimes you are fortunate enough to experience a food that you have been having for years but then you get to enjoy how it has somehow it has been reduced to basics but in a way that the result is simple but elegant and reminds you of why you love a particular food (like the food stalls in SE Asia...they make one or two items but they are fantastic). The first bite was fantastic...simply fantastic. I didn't say a word to Bimbi, my wife, because I wanted to hear her response from her first bite with no chance of a comment from me to influence her feelings. Bims loved it!!! This really was transcendental...a rush of the senses reaching back in memory of burgers past to remind one why you have loved a food for years and show you just how fantastic that a hamburger can be when it is made with care while using simple, kind of basic ingredients but of superlative quality. This seems to be in my opinion certainly the best hamburger of this style certainly in Portland, maybe Oregon...I'd love to try one that might be better but I'm not at all sure I will be so fortunate to ever experience a better hamburger than this one. I know I've already marked my calendar for next month! read more

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I almost don't wnat to post, because the line is getting longer each month. I am not a burger connoisseur, but holy moly this butcher burger is something sent straight down from heaven. I must write this, as Zeph and crew deserve all the kudos for this awesome culinary experience, as well as the awesome community vibe he brings to my neighborhood. What a beautiful thing to experience, from the smell and taste of the best burger ever created, to the atmosphere of camaraderie and good neighbor vibes :) This is a must have burger. Seriously, it IS that good. Thank you Proletariat!! read more

Emily and Zeph provided an amazing experience at last night's Albariza Wine Bar! Thoughtfully curated wine list paired with artisanal sausages, salumi, butcher's butter grilled toast, and perfectly grilled steak! You've made believers of us and we will be attending these events, regularly. Terrific mix of interesting folks to mingle and chat with, made the evening that much more enjoyable! Saluté! read more

Went for the fourth-Friday "Butcher's Burger," which a friend had strongly recommended, said it was the best burger ever. Even on a cold November night, there was a line winding outside. You wait in the line (it took about 10 minutes outdoors and another 10 inside) until you get to the counter to order. A friendly woman (who turns out to be the wife of the owner/butcher) takes your order, which is from a very limited menu: burger. That's the only food item, and you don't get any choices about how it's cooked or what's on it. I asked if I could get mine rare and was told that they come medium rare. It's fresh local beef, ground on the scene. It costs $10. You also can order canned beer -- there was a pilsner and an IPA, both from Ft George, served in the can and reasonably priced; or a glass of fancy wine for about three times as much. You get a number and wait. You pick up the burgers from a counter. They get cooked out in front of the place, on a steel griddle over a wood fire. They call them "charred." It comes on a potato bun, with mayo and a pickle slice. The point is supposed to be that the meat is so good and fresh, you don't need to worry about anything else. There was one big problem though: the burgers were well done. That is, cooked all the way through, no pink. Not medium rare, and certainly not rare. To me (and to many other burger enthusiasts), that's a crime, especially when you start with great ground beef. The friend who had recommended the place was also disappointed that hers was overcooked. She said that's not how it was on her previous visit, when it was indeed pink in the middle. So maybe it depends who's at the grill. Of five of us at my table, three were dissatisfied with the thorough cooking. One said hers was also cooked very thoroughly "but that's how I like burgers." The fifth said "Mine is not overcooked" but did not elaborate on his preferences. I'm giving this place three stars even though I did not enjoy my meal. Because I liked the place, the mom-and-pop management (a couple of their kids were helping out too). And the concept of a local, high-quality butcher shop that also serves food and good wine once in awhile and is frequented by neighbors, that's cool. I also like that there is covered outdoor seating. And that you can watch your food being cooked outside as you wait. And the owner walks around handing out tastes of the housemade sausage (which you can buy to take home, as you can the ground beef and various other meats). It's a fun scene. But if they're trying to make it a primo burger experience they got to cook them less, or better yet offer a choice. read more

Still fuming. Overpriced and not worth it. I would give negative stars if I could. So to start, the farm where I bought the pig from chose this butcher. The price for butchering the animal was WAY TOO HIGH. I feel totally ripped off and embarrassed. My partner had a half a cow butchered for less than a third of the price. I paid almost 4 times (!!!) what I paid previously for a pig using a different butcher. As far as the products. The bacon is not like normal bacon, it's supposed to be shelf stable or whatever. So it comes in big slabs of meat that you need to cut yourself; which hasn't been super easy and the flavor is just ok. The breakfast sausage seasoning is NOT to my liking, whatever spice they used is way over powering and ruins it for me. My partner can at least choke it down. It's so bad I've GIVEN away this overpriced meat just to see if anyone likes it enough to buy it. The other seasoned sausages are just ok. I haven't tried much of the other stuff, but hopefully the unaltered meat cuts are ok. As for the business side, they are a little disorganized and I'm not sure I got the animal I paid for. They messed up one of the hams by not curing it. Also, I had to go back 3 different times to get things sorted. For the price I paid, the problems I had and the quality/taste of the cured/processed meats I would not recommend them for butchering. read more

Stellar! Not to be missed Emily's wine knowledge only serves to compliment the amazing meats coming out of this kitchen!! read more

I really like the community vibe of this place. Will be taking one of their classes at some point. The burgers at their Friday event are... 6/10? They should at least toast the buns. It's a very 'friends and family' feeling place and I look forward to trying the sausages. read more

Proletariat Butchery - Burger night - Butcher Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I went to the burger Friday thing, took about 2 hours but was fun thing to do. Unfortunately after 2 hours I got a raw burger. I mean 90% totally raw ground beef that had to go right in the trash. I didn't bother saying anything because the staff was rather cranky and short with people. In a funny/cute way at first but actually kind of harsh by the end. read more

I have watched Zef at two separate events, over the last few years and his unique approach, not only brings in the crowds, he creates a outdoor culinary experience that's enjoyed by those that appreciate an outdoor grill, friends/family, good times, and grilled flavorful meats. read more

Just the best. Zeph is amazing, he butchered my elk, and will continued to butcher my game animals. Amazing classing, and the burgers are amazing. Simple and amazing 10 out of 10 read more

Prosciutto Making: Zeph Shepard is just the right kind of instructor. Affable and engaging, his depth of knowledge in all facets of butchery and the curing of meat make it possible to understand the steps of preparing your pig leg. This class is very hands-on with a break for salad and a sausage sandwich that was simple and delicious. You will head home with a pig leg that is well on it's way to becoming a prosciutto. Zeph will surpass your expectations. A charcutier right here in Portland! read more

Proletariat Butchery - a piece of meat on a wire rack - Butcher Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Went to the bacon makin' class with some work friends and had the best time! Zeph is the perfect combination of food scientist, butcher, cook, and host. Looking forward to more butcher classes - especially the guanciale. Bring some champagne and Zeph will show you how to open it saber style! read more

One New Year's Eve, a friend of mine made a resolution to keep all of her drunken promises, and she's been trying to honor that ever since. Lucky, lucky me. This same friend declared, one sangria-soaked night, that my upcoming birthday party (themed Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves) would afford the PERFECT opportunity to roast a pig! I totally agreed. Yes! we cheered. We'll roast a pig! But the next morning, I was like... did I dream that conversation? did I agree to roast a pig? and um... where do you get a pig? and then, like... howwww...??? True to her resolutions, my faithful friend followed through. She had a coworker with some connections, so was able to get the ball rolling, but a lot of the process still seemed sort of intimidating, and in some cases downright scary. There was something called butterflying. There was talk of a pig in a black plastic bag spending the night in our bathtub. I began to reconsider. Just a couple of weeks before the event, another friend randomly posted some pictures of a roast she'd just attended, and referenced Zeph at Proletariat. My eyes grew wide. I sent a message to the friend immediately. She gave Proletariat a glowing recommendation and said if even if I had plans already, I should "ditch them and go with Zeph!" Given the referral, my roasting co-schemer called him up and agreed: Proletariat was our hero. Here's a sampling of what Proletariat Butchery can provide: - Butchery classes - Full butchering services - Provision of quality local meat And for our purposes... - Pig roasts! From pork to fork. We wanted to do a bunch of the stuff ourselves, and Zeph was the perfect coach. He brought the hog to our house the day of the event, already butterflied (trust me, it's much nicer to have this part done), and talked us through the process of getting miss piggy on the rack and over the coals. Once we had it going, he left us to it, and it seemed pretty darn easy. We fed probably about 50ish people at the party, including myself, and I heard nothing but great feedback on the piggy's general deliciousness. There's much more I could say, but let's leave it at this: if you're the type of person whose drunken promises tend to lead to you an imminent need for quality meat, get Proletariat on your speed dial. You'll be glad you did. read more

Proletariat Butchery - Butcher Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Zeph helped me with a pig roast (175lb!). I procured the pig and had it delivered to Proletariat. Zeph brined the beast and broke it down. He brought it over along with a roasting box. He gave me the instructions on the roasting process (which I did on my own for our 60 person party) and even called me the morning of to ask how it went. He was SUPER helpful! Stefan read more

I've taken four classes at Proletariat Butchery -- Classes on making bacon, sausage, guanciale and a class on pork butchery. Zeph's knowledge of the animal's anatomy and understanding of salting and curing meat is outstanding. He is incredibly patient and engaging with the crowd at his classes. He gets everybody involved -- and cooks up scrumptious sausages for snacking on at his classes. I never in my life thought I would butcher a pig but working with Zeph has made me confidant in my abilities working with animals. I can't wait to take lamb butchery and continue learning about the processes that come with meat preservation. And if you're looking to buy meat, he works with local farmers + is reasonable priced + the meat is truly the best! You can't go wrong with these classes + his fresh and cured meats! read more

I took the pork butchery class from Zeph and it was really fun. It was very educational and I enjoyed hearing his philosophy on animals and butchery. The best part? The bacon tastes amazing!!! read more

Attended an event at Domaine Roy that featured Zeph and Proletariat Butchery. If you think you know how to grill a steak... you don't. Techniques that I have never seen and was engaged with the guests while perfectly preparing steak for a large group. Not to mention desert of chocolate chip cookies made over an open flame. Can't recommend enough. read more

Highly disappointed. My husband and I signed up for the Pancetta making class that was supposed to happen tonight. We waited 30 minutes outside of his store before throwing in the towel & coming to the conclusion that he stood us all up (there were 3 other people waiting with us). We never received notification that he was cancelling the class, and he did not respond to my phone calls, text messages or emails about the no show. If I could give negative stars, I would. So unprofessional. read more

Took then pancetta making class from Zeph. Was very informative beyond pancetta and a lot of fun (drinking wine at noon is always a bonus) and the sausages he cooked up for us were quite delish! We appreciate Zeph's nose-to-tail butchery mentality, and bought the pig jowls while we were there, also ordered a 1/4 lamb that we picked up later, day after it was butchered! Talk about fresh! Highly recommend taking a class and buying meat from this local business. read more

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A few months back I cured my own bacon. Later that week I met Zeph at the Original Nomad party in PDX. Somehow, the stars aligned and my newfound interest in meat preservation landed me in front of a true artisan butcher. I can only say that the sausage I sampled at the party made me an instant believer in Proletariat and I was embarrassed by my remedial task of cured bacon, but inspired to keep my efforts moving forward. Try the Camapgne sausage. Rich, sweet and nutty, and highly palatable. My kids raved over this at dinner this week and I am a customer for life. Just good, real, wholesome food from a true craftsman. read more

Met Zeph at a bacon night at Seravesa. He was super friendly and knowledgeable about his craft, and the bacon and ham we sampled was incredible. We bought some and look forward to making at home. read more

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Zeph's knowledge and crowd engagement while roasting a pig and chicken's at our Function for 50+ people was fantastic! He is very outgoing and doesn't hesitate to get guests involved! Working with Zeph was easy and enjoyable not to mention the meat turned out Amazing!! Want to wow your guests!? Serving the roasted pig was definitely as much of a show as it was dinner! Will be using him again soon! read more

Total fiasco! My farmer thought Zeph would do a good job butchering our pig - which went okay. But he doesn't respond to email or texts or phone calls, so I had to drive by ( maybe 10 times) to catch him when he was in the shop. Eventually I was able to collect some sausage and bacon, but gave up ever seeing the leg of prosciutto and lomo. The farmer no longer refers his customers to Zeph. My recommendation- don't go near this place read more

I took the bacon curing class and it was so much fun and really interesting. Zeph is a great teacher with a passion for meat and butchery. I completely recommend his classes. You won't be disappointed. read more

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Amazing presentation last night at Woven Wineworks. I really enjoyed the education on butchery and curing meat. Zeph knows his meats. Thank you for the entertainment read more

I love that I can count on Zeph to always deliver great quality meat! I know that whatever I get from him - from sausage, to bacon, to a portion of an animal - will be well-sourced and high quality. Zeph makes buying a quarter of a cow or pig a fun and easy personal experience - he was really great at helping me to figure out what cuts of meat would best fit my needs! read more

I went to Proletariat Butchery's sausage making class in September because I have been making my own sausage for a few years I thought I could pick up a few tips on how to do it better. The owner, Zeph Shepard, is very personable and knowledgeable about butchery and sausage making. His shop is clean and organized though pretty spartan. He does not have a big meat case to sell meat for walk in service. Instead you order what you want and he will cut or make what you want with about a week's notice. If you want something special I think with his knowledge and skills he can cut or make whatever meat you want. He has a big emphasis on healthy and sustainable products and services. For the class Zeph began by explaining what we were going to learn and introduced us to four recipes that we could pick from to make our own 2 1/2 lbs of sausage to take home. I picked the breakfast sausage and when I cooked it up it was great. We used fresh spices and sage right out of his garden. There were nine students and we all seemed to enjoy the class and get motivated to make our own sausage. I highly recommend the class as something fun and interesting to do as well as learn to make tasty and healthier sausage. read more

The wife and I were trying to plan our wedding, and I was more or less in charge of food and drinks. The idea of overpaying some random catering company exorbitant amounts of money for a few bits of chicken and some salad seemed like a poor choice, and we began trying to explore other options. The idea of having a whole roasted pig at our wedding really appealed to us (not so much the mother-in-law at the time, but she's a total convert now!) and we began searching and asking around. We heard about Proletariat Butchery, and its head honcho Zeph, from a friend. During the initial call to just get an idea of what Proletariat was capable of doing and try and get a quote, I ended up in a wonderful conversation with Zeph about pigs, and pork, and meat, and cooking, and booze, and all the wonderful things in life. I could immediately tell that he really knew about and loved what he was doing. The wife gave the final "okay" and we hired him to cook us up a marital pig. Zeph has built this transportable magical metal box that is capable of cooking whole hogs in it without leaving a trace evidence (i.e. a giant pit in the ground). Spending all day cooking, tending the coals, flipping the delicious, delicious beast, chatting it up with our family and friends, telling them about the process. He's as good a showman as he is a butcher... and he's a ****ing awesome butcher. During the wedding reception, while my bride and I were getting our drink on, he kept on dropping by our table with the tastiest bits. 10/10 -- Would get remarried just to get this roasted pig again. read more

Just met Zeph at a winery event where Proletariat was cooking up a ton of their awesome steaks, bacon, guanciale and sausages. He was super cool and laid back (and the great wine definitely helped). Meat was amazing...great bacon and sausages especially. This NYC'er will be back. Can't wait for the "Men Who Like Meat" class. I will make a trip to Portland just for that!! read more