Yeah Dive Bars. Clean, reasonably priced and food was good, their Bao Buns hit the spot! The venue is mostly punkish but has variety. If you are at Saturday market downtown and want to raise your spirits it one of Pdx's great Dive Bars! read more

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I had a lot of fun May 1st at Shanghai Tunnel Bar: great weather, great friends, and great show. Started it off with some Jameson and ended it by watching Attention Earth Dwellers! read more

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I've lived in Portland for years and have never even heard of this place. It truly is a hole in the wall! I'm a speakeasy person. I like to get away from the crowds and the electronic music club vibe. This is a place where locals gather as well as the oddball members from the grunge band out of town. The drinks are cheap. I didn't try the food. There are pool tables. I would recommend it for a day or night when you want a no ducks given type of atmosphere. This place gives off "you're not important. have a cheap drink. blend in with the rest of nobody." In the best way possible. Hell yah Portland. I'm gonna do it again for sure! It's the most Portland type of Portland bar I've been to. read more

Went to a show on Friday and was really surprised how cool this place is! The staff were very nice and service was great. We ordered wings and they were surprisingly very good and spicy! The upgraded sound system was an added bonus. We will definitely be coming back. Ps the bathroom was super clean which is hard to find at a dive bar :) ha read more

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they let me throw a birthday party. they were so nice. i had a great time. let me choose the music. love that place. super cool venue. highly recommended. read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Food and service were outstanding ! Drank beer , it was ice cold ! Atmosphere was funky cool .

Great staff! The upstairs was pretty dead but the downstairs had a bunch of people. The bartender downstairs had a great attitude a strong pour. You don't usually find both of thise things in a downtown bar. They have a handful of pinball machines and a pool table. It was a great place to have some drinks and talk with friends. On our way out the bartender upstairs thanked us for coming in and told us to be safe. read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - the entrance to a subway station - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Amazing staff and amazing food :) atmosphere is one of a kind won't find it anywhere else in Portland !

We were excited this place had buns, when we ordered the buns looked smaller than pictured, we also ordered a plate of pork w/ rice and veggies but unfortunately it was super salty and tasted old! I was unable to finish my food! I would not come back to buy fork here sadly.. service was pretty fast.. and the place has a great variety of restaurants we can buy from.. read more

The vibes are still great at Shanghai Tunnel! Been trying to get back to the spot for a couple years, but the hours we're never correct. Finally got a back, the new owners are down to earth and give you the time of day. Will be back my next trip to PDX. read more

Natasha is an amazing guide! Hilarious and Informative tour. Highly recommend! The beer at the end and conversation is a real treat. read more

This bar has been around for as long as I can remember. It may look like nothing much on the outside, but is actually a chill bar with an open space on the bottom floor. It has a lot of history to it. It's a pretty chill place to have a drink and hangout with friends. I ordered a greyhound and it was made with fresh squeezed grapefruit. A good refreshing drink after eating greasy food. read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Fresh stiff greyhound - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Came here after sight seeing. This was a cool bar, dark but it was calming. Great drinks, friendly bartender that was very friendly. Food smelled amazing but we had already eaten. It got busy with a college to young adult crowd. We didn't stay long but they had plenty of space inside. Street parking. Central to a lot of things. Great place to come in and warm up on a cold February day. read more

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Bands, take note: THIS PLACE HAS A GEAR ELEVATOR. Super helpful. Kathy was so attentive and wonderful, she made the whole process extremely easy. Justin did a great job on sound, even with a five piece band with banjo (beyond the lamplight) which is not very easy. This place is a total gem, we will totally play here again! read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Hutchie (the band) being excited about the gear elevator). - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I thought it was really cool that this was written on the back of their business card: "Gone to pee... don't f*ck with my drink!!", which can be very useful. The business card design is great -- looks like a miniature bookmark and it can rest on the side of a glass filled with alcohol. Entrance is on street level and be ready to show some IDs. There's a small bar on the side with a big screen tv. The bouncer tells us to head downstairs. To be honest, I was confused and a bit nervous to go downstairs. The place was empty on a Sunday night, but it didn't stop me from getting a pint of PBR... only $2, baby! As I enjoyed my Pabst, I played some Video Poker/Lottery. Lost $5, but I didn't mind. The bar is decorated with beer metal and glass posters including Sopporo, Kirin and Pabst Blue Ribbon to name a few. Plenty of booths and small tables. Great lighting -- I really felt like I was underground in a tunnel because it was a bit chilly. Happy Hour is Monday - Friday from 5pm to 7pm: $1 Off All Draft Beers and $2 Off Well Liquor. Wow, that means that PBRs are only a buck, that's f'ing awesome! Would have totally given this place 5-STARS, but the bartender sucked -- she needs to check her attitude at the door and she could have been a lot nicer. A unique bar and a must-see again, but with the poor costumer service, I am not sure I'll return. We'll see. read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - 02.11.2007 - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place has a cool atmosphere BUT the bartender with two long hair braids and a beard can literally go FHS. We ordered two canned beers and planned on getting food but we wanted a drink while we decided on what to eat. A 6 dollars tab doesnt call for a fat tip. When my boyfriend went up to order food THE BARTENDER REFUSED TO SERVE US -BC WE DIDNT TIP ON THE FIRST ROUND. First of all that isnt a rule, secondly are you kidding me? Are you bending over backwards to get me a cold beer, crack it, and set it on the bar?? I dont think so honey, I work in food service and that's to be expected. I would have gladly grabbed my own beer. Big double braided toad, you are not deserving of a tip when u crack me a cold one. We were planning to give a tip for the food regardless.. If this employee has mental issues- you should rethink your hiring/employment bc that is unacceptable. They should be in the back sweating instead of treating customers like shit. cause I sure as hell havent come back. Hes rude and let's a nasty taste in my mouth. read more

Funky fun dive bar in a basement that has some interesting American history attached to it.

Big dive bar guy here. Bartender downstairs, long hair, long beard, was wearing an Indiana Jones hat. Literally a character out of Portlandia. First bar we pop into. We order a round of beers, take a shot with him, and are making small talk. I had already left 20% tip. Then we ask him where in Portland he likes to skate. He pulls our beers and begins yelling at us. "WOULD I COME INTO YOUR ESTABLISHMENT AND ASK WHAT YOU LIKE TO DO" At which point we ask him what he meant and try and deescalate the situation. Ive worked at dives before and know how to deal with ornery bartenders. He yells us out of the bar and threatens to not give me my phone back that was charging. We asked the bouncer what the deal was. He apologized and said he's got mental health problems or something. Loved the bar. Bartender was psycho. Fire his ass. read more

This place is dark and gritty. Just the way I like it. Located beneath the streets of Portland, it's fun to imagine the days they actually used the tunnels to smuggle whatever it is they smuggled. Full bar, pool table and plenty of seats. This is a must see while visiting Ptown read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

They say open till 2 am. Showed up at midnight after long day at work. Up stairs bar. I was told one and done? Downstairs bar. Lydia say hurry cuz I'm kicked you you out at 1. Got 3 min for a beer. ????? Ok thanks read more

Came here to celebrate my friends marriage. The doormen wouldn't allow the wedding party in and so we had to find another place for the after party. I have never witnessed less professionalism or courtesy. I do not recommend, especially if you are in a wedding dress. read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Newlyweds denied entry on their wedding night! - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Mixed feelings about this place. Sometimes cool, sometimes not. Great location and cool idea, but just not all that well implemented. I like the idea of sneaking downstairs on a slow afternoon/evening with someone frisky, hiding out in one of the back booths in the dark, and fooling around a bit. Not that I ever did that in my single days, but a couple tips if you do: - the booth seats move, but not the tables. So if you need a little extra room for what you are doing, keep that in mind - while the lights over the booth tables are not that bright, it might serve your purpose a little better if you reach up and unscrew the one over your table. A little darker = a little more privacy. So maybe you can Shanghai your favorite cutie and drag her/him down into the depths of the Shanghai Tunnel and experience the Portland Underground in your own special way. Service isn't always prompt, but then again if you want a little privacy, that could be a plus. And the seats in the booth are definitely well worn, but you may not even notice. So I like it there. It's never completely packed with the "trendy hip" crowd. I always prefer a little dive to my bars. And the menu isn't bad for a dive bar. So I'll still go here when I want to sneak away from the crowds and have a beer or maybe a little .... shanghai-ing read more

It's supposed to be open, but it's nearly 7pm on a Wednesday, and it's locked up tight as a drum. read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Storefront of Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This bar smells funny & the bathroom at this place is weird. Two toilets next to each other with a small wall type thing in the middle kinda awkward if you ask me. The main bar is downstairs & it is mostly rock music. Don't get me wrong I love rock music but it's just not my type of bar. Not coming back. read more

Make your way down the dark, creaky staircase to this basement bar and you will find a unique piece of Portland history. Around the 1850's or so, the trapdoors and tunnels under this part of the city were used by the unscrupulous ship captains to "shanghai" people here. Nowadays, just watch out for the super strong drinks along with some damn fine noodle dishes. I ordered my noodles with the tofu and I have never had better fried tofu in my life. Amuse yourself with pool, pinball or people watching. The vibe is just really cool and a little creepy if you stop and think about what used to go on there back in the day...some say the Shanghai Tunnels are HAUNTED... read more

My family and I came from California to visit one of Portland's famous tunnels. Came in on a Saturday. But before we bout our tickets, we decided to call to ask if we can just walk in or what . Well NO ONE answered . Figured they would be busy understandable . So as an FYI: The Shanghai Tunnels main entrance /bar is at a bar called Hoobs , or something like that you, you have to go in there and check in. Unfortunately, when we finally founded . The tour had already started. :( . But that same night we booked our tickets for Sunday, and the host was super nice . While you wait for the tour you are more than welcome to drink some shots of whiskey or tequila your choice. The tour takes about 1hr and 45mins. Amazing. I'm a believer in ghost and I felt them lurking around my camera actually shut of twice. I will post some pictures. Good luck everyone and have fun. Oh the tickets are $13. read more

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Shanghai Tunnel Bar is a dark, divey bar in the basement level, complete with the aroma of a basement, mixed with the scent of garlic fries. We went in on a Friday night, looking for somewhere a little quieter than Trsyt. We found what we were looking for - the basement wasn't too crowded. It was dark, with the red glow of lanterns. Drinks were reasonably priced for downtown. No hip, loud music or overly boisterous groups here. It was nice to be able to chat. They have a decent cocktail menu around $10 a pop. They also have taps and bottles/cans. I ordered a monkey brain (coffee, rum, Tia Maria). It was good, but they were out of the whipped cream, which would have made it better. The food menu looked good, but we were told they were only serving things from the fryer (around 1130pm). We would come earlier to have some bites with our drinks. read more

Boobie touch! I mean photo hunt. That's pretty much the only thing that redeems this place. The indiana jones pinball machine is nice too... Besides the games (you can always win a kid/me over with games), I really wouldn't care if I went here or not. I took my out of town friend here just to be a bit touristy/let him experience a dive bar at the best/worst. It was smoky (though no longer), crowded, and it took me forever to get the bartender's attention as they stood talking with each other. It was literally 15 minutes before they noticed me standing there. C'mon! I'm not THAT short! Fun for a unique experience, but go elsewhere if you want a drink or aren't into bar games. read more

Very polite and quiet bar to celebrate a quiet birthday. Check out their bigger bar downstairs after 5pm. read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Freshly squeezed juice was used to make my kamakazi and their fries (though uber greasy) are rather good. The bartenders make a good drink and most of the staff is pretty friendly and helpful. read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Shanghai Tunnels 2010 - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I saw someone on FB suggest this place to a friend that was coming to Portland, so I bookmarked it and decided to try it when I had family in town this week. We stopped in on a Tuesday night in the rain and the upstairs was completely empty...worrisome...but we ventured downstairs. Pretty quiet there too, but the bartender was welcoming (not rude at all like some of the reviews say) and we decided to chance it. The specialty drinks are amazing...try them! The food was so yummy! I was worried that they only had noodles, but nope, they have burders, veg burgers, mac n cheese (add toppings if you'd like) and a good selection of noodle types, toppings and sauces. There are so many great joints to try in Portland, but this one is one bookmarked to return too sooner rather than later. I loved it! read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Gan bay! - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

classic place that's stayed steady through all the new, special, hip bars and pubs. Drinks downstairs. I've never had an experience upstairs. Two sets of stairs to Bar, Booths, Pinball, Aquarium. No table service. 10 beers on tap, full bar, friendly service, dark, water station. Pre-show drink. Notable but not permanent: They were out of Chardonnay one Sunday. One of the ladies toilets was covered with a plastic bag. read more

Cool hidden downstairs bar in Portland. Definitely is more of a dive scene. Plenty of seating area and space. They offer food and basic cocktails. We came in the afternoon before we headed to dinner and had a couple of spirits and some conversation. I love visiting unique dive bars and experiencing how the locals interact and vibe on their down time. If you are looking for an unassuming place that offers a stiff drink and has a dungeon feel to it then this is your spot. Bartenders were friendly and not pushy. So I liked that as well. read more

This used to be my favorite dive bar but then they changed up the menu so they only serve hotdogs and veggie dogs and deep fried sides :( It's still a good place to drink but I'm pretty bummed because the food was great before. read more

I wish I wasn't shocked about the service, but Shanghai has fallen. If the service on an easy evening like this could speak anything,, iit would spit on your shoes, and encourage you to 'piss off' before you even hit the stairs. 'Was, formerly, my favorite bar in town, and perhaps, thank fuck, with the block set to be leveled less than 2 years from now, downtown can scour the memory of this lazy, useless cabal, reminiscing instead upon how fun and welcoming and grit-filled Shanghai used to be. I'll miss you Shanghai, I won't be sad to watch you die. read more

You know, for my first trip to Portland, this was the place I had to go twice and visit again before we left. I was so impressed the first time my wife and I visited that the second time we had a small dinner - which was surprisingly delicious - and had more drinks than our first visit. Honestly, we had two dinners and drinks and still walked out of there for under $50, which was - by far - our cheapest ticket during our whole visit of any place we visited in the area. Take the time to look up and read on the history of this place, as you'll be just as interested in how this place came to be as you will be with their drinks and atmosphere. Plus, if you get an itch to get up and move around, you can since there is ample room to walk and play some pinball or billiards if you so choose. All in all, this will be the cheapest you visit, stiffest drinks you will be served and most fun you'll have during your visit. Just take the Red Line (MAX) and walk across the Portland Saturday Market area, and you'll be there in no time. read more

I came here here a couple days ago in a group to get some drinks around 7pm. The bartender was so rude. When asked about one of the makers marks he had he seemed annoyed and replied with "I don't know never tried it." I feel like if your job is to bartend you'd have some knowledge on the liquor you were selling. Then later I ordered a vodka soda and he poured well when I already ordered 2 drinks with premium vodka and forced me to pay for a drink I didn't want. My friends and family will never be coming back and either will I. Worst service ever! read more

Came her me for happy hour on a Tuesday. PBR's were $2 each and the tacos were 3 for $5. I got the pork tacos and they were fantastic! read more

Shanghai Tunnel Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

What the hell happened to the Shanghai Tunnel? It's like once the smoking ban went into effect they said, "screw it why bother!" When I first moved to pdx, ST used to always be on my radar when I was downtown looking for a unique, divey place for a drink. With the strange mish-mash of gritty western culture (PBR tallboys or draught, quesadillas) juxtaposed against vaguely Pan-Asian cuisine, it seemed like the type of place Mal, Jayne, Zoe, and Wash would stop into for a taste of local culture (yes, I am a nerd). Eventually as I got less and less tolerant of perpetual smoke bomb in the basement, we visited less and less often; but last Saturday I met some friends here - the first time I've been in since the smoking ban - and I had high hopes. BIG disappointment! Yeah, being able to actually see the fire exits when you're in the basement IS an improvement - in the past the smoky haze was so thick I never even knew they had exits, and always had one eye on the stairs ready to jump over fools if a kitchen fire got out of hand. But if ST keeps sucking as hard as it did last time I was there, all those smoke averse new customers will quickly find somewhere else to go. I ordered a pint of PBR; I'm thinking, "not bad at $2". Then the bartender hands me a glass with, I $hit you not, two-thirds foam. I said, "uhhh, whoa, did you just change the keg?" He mumbles an apology, fills my glass a bit more (though still not a decent pour in my opinion). I leave him an extra George Washington, 'cuz I know the game: when paying cash, you tip for every drink on the first round even if service sucks; if it continues to suck, you reduce the tip accordingly. I returned to my seat and perused the menu. I've never eaten here before, but I'd heard their noodle bowls were grubbin'. I like how you pick the sauce and whether you want chicken, tofu, etc...but I don't like the price. They want $8 for just noodles, and $11 if you add chicken. I'm sorry, but that's a little steep for noodles in a dive like this. I didn't bother reading through the whole menu; maybe they have some cheaper stuff. So, we'd get food elsewhere, but at least there was entertainment. The guy "playing" pinball was straight up abusing that thing! He was beating on it like it had just defiled his sister. It was almost disturbing, and all conversation in the bar would silence at each of his outbursts. Anywho, when I get pint #2 he just fills it about 80% of the way...no excessive head (this is PBR after all) but seriously, can you fill the freaking glass? I make eye contact with him, slowly and deliberately look down at the pint, then back up and our eyes lock again. "That's two bucks," he says, as if daring me to call him out. I pay the man, but I'm thinking, "dude I hope you liked that tip I gave you because that's the last penny you're getting from me." Grrr...I gotta say, if you want to rip off your customers at LEAST try to be sly and start using those "cheater pints". Or just raise your prices; you seem to have no qualms charging top dollar for your food. Yeah, Shanghai Tunnel just dropped off my radar. It's a cool place...but not that cool read more

You know when you just want to get away from the sunshine? You're like "geez, it's ALWAYS beautiful here, Portland in the spring. I'm so bored with it, can a girl just get a break?" Oh you don't feel like that? Yeah, me neither, I hold on to those days for all they're worth. I gaze at bar patios dreaming of the day they'll open. But there's a time and a place that you want to get a little closer to the earth's core and sit and fucking hang out. No traces of daylight and all notions of time checked politely at the narrow staircase, you're left with your choice of classic rock or metal, old-school Portlander or frat-person-so-and-so, whiskey or beer (i'll take the formers) all richly steeped in cigarette smoke. You're welcome. This is what we do people! We. Hang. Out. And then you come out after what seems like hours and it's still light and sunny outside. So disgusting! p.s. the food is fairly delicious and if you're doing it right, wholly unhealthful. read more