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    Rose City Book Pub

    4.3 (110 reviews)
    ModerateBars
    Closed 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Rose City Book Pub Photos

    Business Info

    ROSE CITY BOOK PUB ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Rose City Book Pub

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    Seating and food
    Jumpy T.

    Walked 15 mins in the rain after a show for some drinks. The guy there was super nice and we got some fries. Very cozy place and we waited for someone to pick us up close to closing and he let us stay. Super friendly, super cozy!

    Waylette T.

    When I walked in, the space was unwelcoming it literally gave "why are you here, are you lost". The menu was super basic and I literally did not want to spend money on something I had no taste for. I wont complain about a $9 drink compared to what I usually pay in other cities.... It was O K Ok let me start over, I had an event here I arrived late. I stayed due to the fact I was surrounded by books, I love books. I am currently writing a poetry book and needed the inspo.... The place could use a nice deep cleaning, the floors could be mopped and the tables a good wipe down. Over all I def love the entire concept.

    Sue C.

    Looks like the owner responded to my review, and what she is saying is not true. 1. She was not polite at all. She raised her voice and told me that she wanted me to feel bad. This isn't how you run a business, and this isn't how civilized human beings behave. My friends witnessed it; go ahead and read NG's and Rachel's reviews. Hopefully, she'll realize that lying does little to protect her reputation when her abhorrent behavior is on full display. 2. I did not know that they had this rule on their site (I never came across it). If I had known, I wouldn't have brought a sandwich with me. 3. I feel no guilt or shame because I didn't do anything wrong. She is lying about our conversation. I made an innocent mistake. We never talked about my so-called guilt/shame. I did tell her that I have diabetes. She said that I should have called them in advance. She conveniently left out all these details in her response. 4. The sandwich sat on my table for 20 minutes. She could have asked me to put it away sooner. Also, I literally left my sandwich out in the open. If I knew I was "breaking her rules," wouldn't I be more discreet about it? I specifically told her that people make mistakes, and I didn't like the way she spoke to me, and she said that she wanted me to feel bad. 5. She is saying that it is bold to bring a sandwich to an establishment that has six sandwiches on its menu. I told her SEVERAL times that I have diabetes, and it is not like she can change her menu for me. She doesn't list out the calories/macros on her menu (which is fine), but that doesn't work for me and my dietitian. As you can see, she has no empathy whatsoever for my condition. Extremely unprofessional behavior from the owner. This is a factual account of my experience. I used to come here for my meet-up events, but I won't be returning. I can no longer recommend it to others. What happened left me stunned. For context, I organize a monthly event. We always purchase something--teas, snacks, even books--to support this small business. I've personally bought their tea, charcuterie, and I even purchased a book last month that I was genuinely excited to read. I came in as usual and purchased their tea. I had a long day and brought a wrapped sandwich from a different vendor that I didn't get to eat. I set it on the table while reading with the group. About 20 minutes later, I unwrapped it and took a single bite. That's when the owner came over immediately and snapped. She rudely said, "Don't eat that in here--for health and safety issues. It's also rude." Her tone was unnecessarily hostile. I told her it was fine if outside food wasn't allowed, but there was no need to speak to me like that or call me rude. Then she said something that truly shocked me: "I was being rude because I wanted you to feel bad." Yes, the business owner admitted she was deliberately being rude (with the intent of making me feel bad). When I tried to express that I didn't appreciate being spoken to that way and that I've never experienced this before, she cut me off and loudly said, "Other establishments probably don't say anything to you or others because this is Portland!" That was a weird comment, and I felt like she was putting Portlanders down. That's insane because her customers are Portlanders. She is taking advantage of our kindness. She continued raising her voice, saying she didn't appreciate how I had food from a different establishment, and she did not take any responsibility for the way she handled the situation. I was trying to tell her that other establishments will nicely tell their customers to put away their food or drinks from other establishments, but she was not interested in hearing me out. Let me be clear: It's completely valid for a business to have a "no-outside-food" policy. It is NOT valid to speak to paying customers or any person, for that matter, with condescension and contempt. She could have kindly asked me to put my sandwich away, and I would have done so without hesitation. Instead, she escalated a non-issue into a hostile confrontation--all over a sandwich--and took pride in trying to make a customer feel bad. That's not just unprofessional and uncivilized. That's repugnant behavior for someone who owns a customer-facing business. People often let this kind of behavior slide, but I won't. I believe in supporting small businesses, but I can't support a business when its owner disrespects the people who help keep its doors open and its lights on. I'm done supporting a place where the owner feels justified in bullying patrons to feel superior. She clearly does not respect her customers. The way business owners treat you when they enforce their policies tells you everything you need to know about them. There are plenty of other local spots that treat people with decency and dignity. I'll be taking my business elsewhere. It is remarkable all of this happened over a sandwich.

    Fig + Fowl sammich (turkey & fog spread) w/ tomato soup $14
    Sean R.

    Wow, what a portland place, and for the first time I mean that in a good way. It's like browsing thru your grandmas dusty attic looking thru old weird books but you can also order a beer or sandwich and tomato soup while doing so. They've got some tables spread throughout the place with some cool nooks and booths, and a little back patio. They have some events all the time here too like book clubs & live music. Fun place to hangout for a while to either browse books or study/work, & w/ surprisingly good comfort food like sandwiches, pastas, and a delicious artichoke dip.

    Jooy C.

    Very cool concept, I wish I could bring this to my home city! The name of the place says it all - this book pub provides a space for people to drink, eat, read books, and support local artists all in one place. When there is no live music the pub is very quiet and intimate like a library, and would make a great place to study or work. The staff is very nice and once you order you seat yourself. I ordered some delicious fried Brussels sprouts and beer on draft. There is a community selection of games you can play. We picked up Mindtrap and had a great time hanging out here.

    Bookshelf
    Jenna W.

    Books, cozy couches and booths, wine, puzzles, art, and food. This is the place I've been looking for my entire life. Why aren't there twenty places like this in every city? I want to live here. If I wanted to impress a date, this is where I'd take them. If I want to get lost in my own or someone else's thoughts, this is where I will come from now on. I was able to come in the afternoon during a weekday off from work, but there isn't a ton of seating so I'm worried about how busy this place might be in the evenings or weekends, but I suppose I will find out.

    Brittney K.

    Very cool looking place inside, I loved the private nooks in the corner and the books everywhere! Games as well. I didn't stay because there wasn't any space anywhere, also it wasn't very welcoming either. Not sure it's a spot for people of color but who knows. I wasn't greeted when I was at the counter and the people inside looked at me like they were confused that a black person was walking in. 3 stars because it's just a cool looking hang out, and I hope my experience isn't everyone else's experience... nice study spot. Also oregon is different like that... you may not feel welcomed and that's just how certain areas are it's Portland. I wouldn't go back ever but glad I got to check it out. Proof of Vaccination is required.

    Nico B.

    I feel absolutely ashamed this amazing book pub has been open in Portland for so long, and I'm just now finding out about it! What kind of bibliophile am I?! I've made a point of exploring the city more, of late, in an effort to find new-to-me businesses I can share with friends and family. I stumbled upon Rose City Book Pub on a Friday night during one of their open mic events. What a great crowd, with so many talented writers! It's so wonderful to find vibrant communities like this are gathering together once more, especially since covid made it impossible for so long. The pub has a great selection of food and beverage, offers convenient evening and weekend hours, and is as cute as a button! Portland is very lucky to have this wonderful business.

    Meet up: food, coffee and knitting.
    Yolanda R.

    Delightful in a shabby chic type of way with lots of books and places to sit. I ate a bowl of tomato and basil soup with a grilled cheese sandwich and an appetizer of (4) stuffed mushrooms with delicious cheese and meat. The service was pleasantly delivered by someone by the name of Rachael. I hung out for four hours with a friend of mine, we knitted and chatted and never felt rushed to leave. Oh, and the coffee and pumpkin pie were delish too!!

    Books for sale
    Kyra B.

    Cute little spot! Wait for food took a minute, but I love the concept! The fries were amazing as well as the unphotographed brussel sprouts as the phone did, in fact, not eat first. This spot was very busy on a Thursday night which I did not anticipate, but would go again!

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    18 hours ago

    Delightful and tasty bites, as well as yummy drinks. Super chill vibes will be back!!

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    1 year ago

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    This is not true.

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    2 years ago

    Perfect for getting a little more work done, but forcing yourself away from work by having hard cider.

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    Ask the Community - Rose City Book Pub

    What time does the kitchen close?

    Kitchen stays open until the pub closes.

    Is it still vax required?

    Yes, as of October 2022

    Is it computer work friendly? I am mainly asking about accessibility to outlets to charge a computer while I work.

    We have free outlets at all of the booths and along the bar. We also have one outlet on the back patio.

    Is there coffee available?

    Yes; so far as I can tell, just drip.

    Is there a full bar or just beer/wine?

    We have a few local spirits and a limited cocktail list. We don't have a lot of mixers, so we can't make all cocktails, but we will make whatever we have ingredients for.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Rose City Book Pub

    I had a yen for spagetti, and lo and behold, Elise cooked the most wonderful homemade tasting puttanesca...

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Pool and pinball area
    Fried Lasagna
    Fried Lasagna
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    Rose City Book Pub - bars - Updated July 2026

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