It's been a 20 year mainstay on N Williams and hasn't changed one bit - unlike a lot of places on the street that try to cater to a different audience than the neighbors and regulars. ALWAYS a good time. read more

Great little bar on N. Willams. Super big outdoor patio shaded by lovely tree canopies. A perfect spot to enjoy drinks and street tacos. They need more help however like most venue in town. read more

I really like Vendetta - I needed a stiff drink and they did not disappoint. Thank you

They keep raising their prices while not listing any prices on their drink menu/wall. It's pretty deceitful to customers and longtime regulars. Meanwhile the heaters break and the patio benches are falling apart. Two are a hazard and about to collapse. I wish they'd get it together. For now a lot of regulars are choosing to drink elsewhere in the neighborhood. Zero complaints about staff or drink quality. They're all awesome. read more

3.7, because it could have been better. I see how it can be a 4 star or even higher, but a couple key things were a little bit of a miss. 1. While customer service wasnt terrible. We were not acknowledged and husband had to go up and order our drinks, get a menu and he was the first to make an acknowledgment. It wasnt busy, so I think it could just be how it is. 2. Not really sure if there is a Happy Hour or not. The website says there is, but couldn't tell 3. Limited Draft Beers, but plenty of canned/bottled beer. This isn't necessarily their fault. It's a Portland Weird thing. Come in...we are the Draft Beer Kings in Oregon...get it together Portland. Your canned beers aren't a novelty for my generation, and FYI...my generation counts (40 somethings - 50 somethings) 4. Food was good, but it was a quesadilla and chips and salsa, so nothing too difficult, but it was good. Price was, ah, ok. Again $15 for a quesadilla and chips and salsa on medium dessert sized plates, not a great deal, but it hit the spot. 5. They appeal to all the game lovers, which I do like. Board Games(which we played), Pinball Machines, Pool Table, and Shuffleboard. So really, really cool they have these. 6. Large outside patio with plenty of seating, heaters and trees, so super cool. I'd like to say I'd come back with a group of friends, but I probably won't, because it's out of my way, and didnt deliver on some key points for me. BUT, if you live out this way, I would definitely check it out if I were you!! CHEERS!! read more

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A super chill bar with a nice big patio in the back. They also have outdoor tables with heat lamps over them. This is one of the bars I like coming to when in the North Williams area. The drinks address reasonable priced and the vibe is just right. They also have some tasty bar snacks to help with the munchies. Overall, a great place to check out and chill in the patio area. read more

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They are back open! While stopping in for a beer (and then some tacos) we felt that C19 precautions in place were sufficient. Outdoor tables are spread out, the back doors remained open to increase ventilation when inside ordering, and staff were masked and wiping tables down after use. The menu is limited, but they had 5 types of $3 tacos on the menu, 3 of which were vegetarian. While not the best tacos in town they don't skimp on the filling.. tons of meat and mushrooms! Would be here all the time if they allowed dogs on the patio, but glad to see they made it through the shut downs! read more

Vendetta - Patio seating - Lounges Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Just a good little bar at end of Williams. Plenty of space, drinks are good. Not much to say.

Read about Vendetta in Willamette Week and was excited to try it. The bartender did not seem to share my excitement, but maybe he has heard this story a lot. My cousin tried to order a double, but they do not serve doubles at this bar. Then when my cousin asked for extra plates for sharing the nachos we ordered (we were a party of five) the bartender said: "No, we are not really that kind of bar". I don't think I have ever been told that I couldn't have a plate. Buy more? Three stars because of these things, but if still go back! Great patio area. Great local. read more

Amazing staff and great place for cheap drinks! Excellent outdoor patio with lots of space!

I've been back after some years. They have made some adjustments with their service. It's gotten better, they are more prompt. The rocks/ gravel are far friendlier to my non-sober friends. There are shades available at the patio. read more

Stumbled upon this bar and was drawn in by the large sign that shuffleboard! Yay! Can't wait. There were was a pool table and pin ball machines too. Ordered a couple drinks from the grumpy bartender and when the pool table opened up I headed on over. Coins only, so I asked if I could add a dollar worth of coins to my tab that I just started. I got a firm but polite no. Went to the ATM, it's out of order. Asked the bartender if there was another one and he shook his head. "Is there anyway I could play pool tonight?" Another patron pointed across the street to the Chase bank. It's probably a fun place and but I didn't feel like anyone wanted me to stay. read more

I haven't been in quite awhile... But am planning to go soon. A very groovy, spacious, friendly & clean neighbohood bar. Excellent food, drinks & patio. They have shuffle board too read more

Strong pours, friendly staff, cool art, great beer garden, shuffleboard, pinball, pool, big buck hunter, killer soundtrack, and the best quesadilla in town (get the flat iron), what more can you want? read more

Vendetta - Lounges Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Food and drinks were fine but the staff wasn't very welcoming. Our server was very clearly annoyed with how much food we ordered (there were 6 of us) and let us know it. Really unprofessional and, despite enjoying Vendetta, the rude server soured us on this place. read more

They're back!!!! No shuffleboard or pool at the moment, but the Nachos are as good as I remember. Heads up: If their tables are full out back they will start to turn away people standing in line. read more

Fantastic owners, wonderful aesthetic, I love the exposed HVAC system. Simple and easy. It's all about the good times!! I cannot wait to comeback!! read more

They have a couple of pinball machines and a beautiful back patio. Nice everyday drink prices too! At first I thought their food menu was typical bar food, but the tofu sandwich I had was definitely better than average. The citrus cilantro marinated pan fried tofu by itself had a nice subtle flavor. The sandwich seemed to be missing the yummy sounding garlic habanero sauce, but a bite of pickled veggies (the side I chose) with each bite of sandwich really made it a treat. Plus, I realized that Vendetta carries the Radler Grapefruit beer that I discovered at a recent Beerfest - it's surprisingly refreshing. :) read more

Vendetta - Tofu Sandwich (Vegan) w/citrus & cilantro marinated pan fried tofu w/ garlic habanero sauce, and a side of pickled veggies. - Lounges Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Dark neighborhood bar that pours em strong. Shuffleboard table inside, and a couple pinball machines. There is a large patio with covered and uncovered seating. Lots of greenery and space to chill outside. Usually open outside until 11 or later. This is adjacent to houses and sound levels are taken into account. A fun casual place to drink and socialize. The have a dj spinning 80s or something else some nights and there is a digital jukebox that is usually playing good music. The pulled pork quesadilla is great and they do take out. Small food menu, and drink specials every day. read more

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Local dive bar. Bartenders ignored me for a good 15 minutes (while sitting at bar), and served other folks that were walking to it right next to me. Even after my friend showed up he was ignored for a good 10 minutes while bartender would walk in front of us while just talking to her coworker. Ordered the nachos, this is the type of joint that put shredded cheese on chips and throw whole plate in oven to melt it. Top of all chips was burnt to the point of bitter charcoal. It may have a decent patio with heaters (as it was still cold in the evenings), and while shuffle board is one of their "attractions" its fairly beat up. Service is really lacking. There if much better food a few feet away in any direction. read more

The sun is shining, check. Parking was easy and close-by, check. But it just goes downhill from there. One of the servers was downright mean & made me feel bad for taking up his precious time with my order; the other server seemed polite though. The menu was limited and unappealing (no mac n' cheese, but you can get yourself a 'loose burger')...and when I did order, my food was underwhelming. This is a place to drink, not eat. The patio's 'surface' constituted of rocks - which made walking impossible and sullied my favorite cute green summer shoes. Who thought that giving drunk people an extra challenge to walking straight was a good idea? Maybe the smug server who wants to laugh at all the customers?? In summary, I know why its actually called Vendetta...because now I have a vendetta against Vendetta (which I will choose not to pursue because I'm a peaceful sort). read more

A few things I like about Vendetta: A List by Matt - A huge patio with plenty of seating options. Wanna be covered? Plenty of tables with umbrellas for that. Want some sunshine? They've got you covered there too, cowboy! - Just stupid cheap beers. $6 pitchers of Rainier on Sundays Make day drinking economical! - The best bar game on the planet, Shuffleboard. - Great tunes. Seriously, what else could you want? I've found my new summer hangout. read more

I finally made it up to this den of hipsterdom up on N Williams, and needless to say, it was with much trepidation with which I began this journey. You see, there's a lot of myth and legend that surrounds this inaptly-named watering hole, and beyond the name alone, a lot of smack talking far and wide by those whose opinions I hold dear. When my friend scheduled a birthday get-together there, I cringed, but from loyalty grows willingness, and with a deep breath, I crossed the threshold. Upon exhaling and opening my eyes, I found that I was standing in a nice looking (yet dark) bar with some tables and chairs, a shuffleboard table along the wall (over which was hung an impressively large bee/wasp/whatever-inspired art piece), and a HUGE bangin' patio out back. The music was frenetic and at many times grating, but it wasn't loud enough to be overly offensive (at least a good 80% of the time). The staff at the bar was plenty friendly, and offered me up a 22oz bottle of Green Flash Imperial IPA for $7. Any bar (other than your standard ultra-beer-bar like CAH) that sells me a 22 and hands it to me to drink straight from the bottle gets a win in my book. Especially a DIPA. In fact, each time I approached the bar I was met with a smile and some prompt service. As far as selection, they offer a full bar, 5 taps (3 of which were micros, one was German, and one was a macrobrew), and a pretty decent bottle list for micros, including the list of special 22oz's on the front bar wall. Overall, it has enough variety to keep me entertained for a while. I didn't try the food, and my group was inside, so other than a quick walking tour, the patio was not a focus of my experience, but on a quick glance, I was sold. It was definitely crowded out there, but I could see myself showing up on a sunny weekday afternoon for some good, solid day drinking on that expansive veranda. Oh yes. I didn't get a chance to try the food, so I can't comment on that. The crowd? It was somewhat mellow and diverse (read - neighborhood crowd) when I showed up at 845 on a Saturday. Come 10:30, someone set off a keffiyeh bomb and the place was instantly packed with some tragic fashion choices and even more tragic hairstyles. As we vacated one of our tables (we had a group of about 20), a roving pack of denim-vest-clad folks quickly descended, snagging not only the table but batting clean-up on our appetizers (read - they finished our chips and salsa and whatever other food was on the table). We just watched, mesmerized. So this begs the question - do you rate a bar based on the bar itself (space, service, offerings)? Or do you rate it based on the people that hang out there? Well, it's obvious from some bars that they're actively and aggressively courting a certain clientele, and actively shunning others. Those I would rate based on the clientele. Here, I didn't quite get the notion that the bar itself was aiming for this level of hipster crowd. The offerings were well-crafted and not ironic. The art, again, was nice and neutral. The lack of 3 or 4 trendy (read - PBR) macros on tap showed that their focus was serving good beer, not attracting... well... the type of people that descended on our table. Overall, while the servers were hipster-ish looking, they were super nice to me, and tossed no attitude. I liked this place enough and would, at the right times, hang out there. I'd probably avoid prime time, but really, it's the patio+good beer selection that I'd be coming for anyway. While I wouldn't travel the distance across town to hang out inside, that patio is probably worth traveling for. And I'd definitely stop in if I were in the area. The only remaining question: the name? Why? What are you so vengeful about? read more

Sometimes when I'm in unfamiliar territory, I become abnormally focused on my surroundings. To my left: shuffleboard. Points. Behind me: stumbling drunk girl, invading my space, practically yelling in my ear. It's 7:30. Get a grip. In front of me: four sub-par beers on tap and decidedly unimpressive selections of other alcohol. Drunk girl behind me, honestly, how can you be that drunk, given these meager offerings? On the menu: how badly do I really want to know what a "loose burger" is? Meanwhile, quesadillas = tortilla + cheese + three pinto beans. Patio: actually rather lovely, but the gravel was a bad idea. It's hard enough to walk on it while sober. Basically, Vendetta: you get a star for the shuffleboard and the nice shrubbery in the patio area. read more

Whenever I walk into Vendetta I feel like there's some huge joke that I only barely understand and am clearly not hip enough for. I own no trucker hat, don't wear skinny jeans, and only dabble in irony. The bar is housed in what looks like an industrial warehouse from the outside. My theory is that they're hiding from the rest of the world, much like its patrons who wear their sunglasses (at night) indoors. I hear mixed reviews of the food, but they do have some vegan options here including a Sloppy Jane that looked fairly good from across the table. One gripe? No fries. Sorry, but when you've been drinking whiskey the whole night a plate of fries is pretty much required (but 5th Quadrant is within stumbling distance!) There's really very little character to this bar and nothing sticks out aside from the large hipster quotient - EXCEPT for the first experience I had when ordering a drink. My friend ordered a beer and I asked for a double whiskey and ginger. The bartender told me that they "didn't do doubles." I must have looked fairly incredulous, because she followed it up with "it would just be straight whiskey." Highly doubtful, sez I, but I took her at her word and ordered a single. Now, I don't especially like to curse in reviews (the only part of me that's family friendly) but HOLY FUCK, that drink knocked me on my ass. I watched her pour me a whiskey on the rocks and then add what amounted to a ginger float. These drinks are the only things that will keep me coming back to this bar - I had two and was done for the night. The bartenders are occasionally entertaining, too. I give them credit for still being able to laugh with their customers and at themselves at 1:00 in the morning. [insert joke about vendetta against my liver] read more

This place had potential. It let me down. The patio was a disappointment. Why in the world would you use loose gravel when people are drinking? That could certainly ruin a drunk person's night! The service is awfully slow. Even though there seemed to be several people working the food took ages to come out ot the people I was sitting with, the tables were hardly cleared of empties (when the other H. and I showed up there was only one open table littered with empty PBR cans. It took them another 20 or so minutes to come pick them up!), and you had to get several drinks from the bar at a time or else you could be waiting awhile. At least I gave it a shot! read more

We love Jamye! She made us feel at home the moment we walked in. First time in. We will definitely be back!

Really? What's with all the hate for this place? I mean, it's not the most special bar in town, but the hatin' seems a bit over the top. The patio is sprawling, which gets them bonus points in my eyes. Hate the gravel? Perhaps y'all need to summon your sense of balance and grace a 'lil bit. The other complaints, I'll say are justified: the small bar can get crowded and the bathrooms can make you do the peepee dance. But to keep it simple, it's a great place to go grab some $2 Olympias and throw some pucks across the gorgeous shuffleboard on a weeknight with friends. Maybe where they err is trying to be hipper than your average neighborhood bar, and missing the mark. But simply judged as a neighborhood bar, it certainly gets the job done. read more

Everyone on here keeps complaining about how this is a hipster bar. I never understand anti-hipster sentiment. Who cares? It's a fashion genre, and no more likeable or detestable than any other. Why does everyone need to have a chip on their shoulder about it? I don't care if this is a hipster place, although honestly it just looks to me like random young white people, same as most bars in the area. Vendetta manages to be a shitty bar regardless of its clientele. The staff is rude, the drinks are weak and overpriced. Top shelf vodka and soda in a bar with cinderblock walls and zero physical personality does not need to cost $7. At least make a gesture at decor or service for that amt. And a gravel patio, hazardous for anyone in heels let alone a drunk person, does not constitute decor. One extra star for the fun dance night called Cafeteria, which as I understand is put on by people who are not the owner and who are not paid well. Memo to Vendetta- if people are packing your bar with drinkers on a Thursday, you might want to entice them to keep doing so! read more

I live a few blocks up the street, so have probably been here at least 500 times over the several years I've lived on Williams. Here's a Yelp review, cause I'm bored. Booze: mostly beer. Good selection of rotating low volume microbrews, cheap Rainier pints always, cans and bottles of most commonly requested items. There's a smallish offering of key spirits and liquors sufficient to get a decent (and poured stuff) whiskey, or make a simple standard-ask cocktail. Not much of anything in the wine department, mostly there in case someone asks for it. Food: edible, to accompany the booze. Menu was recently augmented and situation has gotten better. Nachos and quesadillas are common orders and are well executed. Ambiance: inside, it is a converted garage -- simple, clean, low lighting, un-updated 2009-hip. Suggest sitting at the bar. Shuffleboard and pinball if you dig those vibes. Outside there is a big patio out back which gets fucking bonkers crazy in the summer. Not sure where all those people come from because they don't live in the neighborhood. If you're looking for a low key casual time it can sometimes be too much as the patio crowd transforms the cozy atmosphere into a high volume service destination. Staff: low turn over, appears to function as a well knit team, generally reasonable and friendly people with interesting stuff going on outside their bar gig. Owners are friendly and frequently stop in. Patronage: lots of neighborhood folks, occasional stop ins from local celebrities. Total fucking wild card on busy warm summer days when the patio is blowin off the chainz. Average age probably like 32. Various different styles of people copratriating, nothing too crazy. Use: suitable as a hang zone, and perhaps as a date destination depending on your budget / interest in the person. Friday and Saturday nights can get a little cray cray, and turn more into a standing room only thug nasty club times kinda vibe, so I recommend going during the week, or like, before 9pm. Overall, this is a stronghold of what North Portland used to be like (after it was already known to be cool, but before New Portland took off). And at this point a definitive staple bar in the neighborhood. Would certainly recommend a visit, if the above description matches that of a location you are seeking. read more

I've been to Vendetta several times, primarily for Geek Trivia on rotating Tuesday nights, over the past year. Every time, lines at the bar have been long, but drinks have been great and despite the very small size of the bar with not a lot of room for seating, it's got a cozy atmosphere. One female bartender has always been a bit surly when we've all been crammed in there, but we tip her as well as we can and try to enjoy the trivia. Several friends of ours after their last experience there swore they wouldn't go back (2 hours for a plate of nachos, aforementioned bartender screaming at patrons, they said), but as last Tuesday was sponsored by our pirate crew, PDXYar, we decided to go anyway to support and enjoy Geek Trivia. We got to the bar about 30 minutes early and the bar line was already backed up to the door (it seemed like the entire restaurant was in line) and the female bartender opened up another station and started screaming for the next person in line. *Shrieking.* When the next person started moving over though not fast enough for her liking, she then screamed, "Nobody wants beer? FINE THEN." She gave them drinks but berated them the entire time for not coming over to her faster. When we got up to her, I made sure to be very polite, order quickly, and then get out of the way. I also ordered food. It came within 15 minutes of me ordering it, and it was actually very good. I could have done without her slamming it down on the table and stomping away. When trivia started, there wasn't enough seating inside, so we sat nearest to the bar in their beautiful outdoor courtyard area. Another group of people sat behind us. We sent one of our team members into the bar to hear the questions and bring them to us for discussion. A member of the team behind us was asking for a repeat on a question and the same snotty bartender came out to yell at him and tell him to sit inside if he couldn't hear. She moved a table into the bar for them, but demanded that they sit at it rather than, you know, politely asking if they'd like to sit down. About ten minutes after Geek Trivia ended, we heard a loud crashing noise. "Job opening!" someone at our table joked as we thought it was an accidental drop. Nope. Short after, there was more crashing, and it continued for some time. The bartender was back at it, breaking bottles and other glassware loudly. It was actually so noisy we couldn't talk over it and had to wait for her to be done. A regular at the bar said to us that she just really didn't like serving. I was pretty dumbstruck because, well, then this isn't the job for you! Here's the breakdown: Pros: big beautiful gravel courtyard with open seating and heaters, lovely inside with dark woods but very limited seating, nice sound system, fantastic drinks, food's not bad though the menu's limited, and the chalkboards in the bathroom are win. Cons: service all around is not excellent, often have to stand in a substantial line to get a drink during peak hours, and downright horrific, rude service from the female bartender. If they fired that one bartender, my rating would immediately jump to a four. That's how awful she was, and I'm really sorry that she's ruined Vendetta for so many. read more

If you're curious, Vendetta still kinda blows. I went in yesterday and was immediately confronted by a line stretching damn near to the door. It's bad enough they make you walk to the bar in order to give them money but the two guys back there once you arrived were in no great hurry to get said money. But what really bugged the shit out of me was the unattended patio bar. Where all of the customers were! Sorry your customers are so inconvenient, Vendetta. read more

This was the third stop for the group on Saturday night. If this was in my neighborhood, I would be here all the time. Non-smoking - or at least it seemed that all the smokers were outside, stiff drinks, shufflboard, good music, friendly waitstaff. All components of a great local hangout. The two guys playing shuffleboard were very fun. They took the time to try to explain the rules of the game and didn't seem to get offended when we brought out the old high school cheerleader moves. Go Paul, you can do it! The outdoor area was nice with their overhead heaters and pea gravel with walking path to the far corner of the area. It was a bit too chilly to be standing outside the radiant warmth offered by the heaters, but we braved it just to check out everything the place had to offer. I will definitely come back here...and next time I'm trying the mac & cheese! read more

I'd driven by a couple of times & thought I should probably stop (as soon as I realized it was a bar, and figured out what its name was - a little too understated if they're trying to attract random patrons). So last Saturday, a group of girlfriends & I headed over to enjoy the sun and a few drinks on a gorgeous, gorgeous afternoon. I hadn't read any reviews of the place and didn't realize I was headed for a hipster paradise. I was a little nervous when I first walked in, but my worries were soon dispelled. However, they had some decent beers on tap (well, two that I was interested in - a Ninkasi IPA & the Lagunitas Secret Agent, etc.). They also had chex mix for $2/bowl (I'm not a fan, but my co-drinkers liked it). The chicken nachos were pretty tasty. Best of all? the outdoor space is fantastic. Umbrellas for those who need a little less sun. Picnic tables. A fire pit (which obviously wasn't on at 4 PM on a Saturday), and an outdoor bar (which sadly wasn't manned while there). The service was fine. Fast-ish & friendly-ish. The only thing really lacking was table service - that would've been nice. It wasn't expensive, either - I spent about $26 on the nachos, chex mix, and *mumble mumble* beers. It wasn't very busy at all for such a gorgeous day, and I'd like to go back again on a nice afternoon. It also wasn't too hipstery, and I could see myself enjoying it more often if it were walking distance (fortunately, I have Leisure & the Fixin' To for that). Overall? A great place for afternoon drinks. ETA - I am glad i didn't read any reviews before going, or I would've been a lot more nervous about walking around on the gravel. I am not known for my grace, and have occasionally tripped over nothing at all, so it's good that I wasn't going in preparing to bite it. And I didn't. Even with *mumble mumble* number of beers + flip flops! And if I can get drunk & walk through the gravel, there is hope for everyone! read more

I went to Vendetta with a large group and enjoyed their laid-back, but nice patio. Everyone seemed to enjoy their food and beer prices were great! One can get a bottle of Miller Highlife or a can of PBR or Oly for a mere $2.25. To top all this off, there's a shuffle board! For a relaxed, fun time I'd definitely recommend this place! read more

I don't know how it happened but Vendetta has quickly moved up on my list of favorite hangouts. I can't help that the cute bearded bartenders always pour a little extra love in to my vodka sodas. Or that their patio is so adorable that it makes me want to sit there until I get kicked out. Let's not forget the chalk board in the bathroom, available for me to write deviant little messages on after I have had a few. But the chalk board is not my favorite part! Vendetta serves a pretzel, peanut party mix for $2. A perfect accompaniment to 18 vodka sodas! If you are feeling ambitious you can get a giant order of chicken nachos that are sinfully delicious, or a sloppy Joe! This is no cafeteria sloppy Joe either! Their music is always cute, their shuffle board table is even cuter and according to my bank statement I frequent this place way more than I should. read more

I am a bit surprised by all the 2-star reviews, but I've always liked this place for three reasons: 1) Good vibe ; 2) Shuffleboard; 3) Non-smoking. The food is definitely mediocre and I wish were better, but I typically come here to slam a few back and play shuff. Now to the shuff ... not sure if they know how to take care of their great table, but it began playing SLOOOOOWWWWW sometime during the fall/winter ... to the point where it's almost not fun. Not sure if they over-waxed it or what. But you shouldn't have to muscle a puck down the board. Service is decent. The bathroom situation kinda blows with just two co-ed ones. Usually a line. Good place to practice your pee dance. Addition of jukebox was good as occasionally the workers' music selection was awful. Jukebox has a lot of great albums from many genres. And any place with Built to Spill on the juke (I'm from Idaho after-effing-all) gets my thumb pointing upwards. The owner is super nice ... he even let me in before they opened as I forgot my credit card from the night before. Der. Anyway, once PDX goes smokefree in January, I will be hanging out at other cool NoPo and NE spots like the Crow Bar or Alibi, but Vendetta has served my needs since it opened two summers ago. read more

I love a bar with a patio. And if it's in Nopo, even better. But...ehn. Lines at the bar get ridiculously long even when it's not all that packed. The addition of the cash only bar outside has helped some. I had nachos once that I thought were amazing, but the next time they were awful. Maybe I was drunk the first time. read more

I'm a girl who loves her homemade macaroni and cheese. And Portland bars and restaurants -- all, as far as local food folklorists can tell, inspired by the Montage -- are equally crazy about the stuff. I should also note that I make the stuff from scratch quite frequently, and I'm pretty thrilled with my recipe. So when I find a new place to get macaroni and cheese made from scratch, I'm both eager and suspicious. Vendetta's mac and cheese uses mostly ricotta and mozzarella. Which made for a wonderful, rich, creamy sauce that wasn't a white sauce (something too many mac and cheeses, including the Montage's, employ), but I felt it lacked a little something. Maybe another kind of cheese, or maybe even the addition of green onions on the top would have done it for me. Still, I scarfed the thing down in minutes, so I think they did something right. The side salad was pretty tasty, though they were less than generous with the dressing, which is served on the side by default. Companions ordered the sloppy joe (when was the last time you saw a sloppy joe on a menu?), which garnered a thumbs-up, and the tofu sandwich, which had to be substituted with turkey because they were out of tofu. In fact, though it was a weeknight, the place was fairly busy and staff seemed a bit overwhelmed. But I liked it enough to go back, and that's a good sign that I owe the place four stars. The chic, slick, post-industrial cleaned-up-warehouse atmosphere (there was a bullethole in the window near our table) isn't for everyone, and it isn't for every night, but the food and drinks are. (There isn't a whole lot on tap, if memory serves, but what they do have is good, and the cocktails do the trick.) read more

The first thing I love about this bar is that there's no sign. How do you know this bar is even called Vendetta? You don't. In fact, for all you know it could be called "Lucky's" or "The Watering Hole". But if you look at the food menu, you'll see in small print at the top: Vendetta. Oh, OK. Now I'm in the "IN" crowd that knows what this bar's name is. Brilliant. Other things I love about this bar: 1. 6 blocks from my digs. 2. One of the best patios in Portland 3. $1.50 Rainier pints on Sundays 4. Sloppy Janes 5. Large Jamesons = Lazy warm evenings playing scrabble with great friends on an amazing patio only to be able to stumble home well fed and tipsy. Puuurrrrrrrfect! Funny, I don't get a hipster vibe here. Oh no! Does that mean I'm turning into one? Has my NoPo hood started to finally rub off on me? Perhaps. I'm not all that broken up about it, I think...:) read more