I like the new setup. Easy to move between bar and show and merch. Leroy from the North was fire! Sound was surprisingly better than I recall but I don't think I've been here since Covid. Did *not* like the female who two-handed straight shoved my friend into the front row just because we dared to fill in empty space. It wasn't even showtime yet! she got beer all over the people in front of us! I think she got kicked out, because security was on it as soon as we made them aware. Uncalled for aggression and entitlement. Thanks for reminding me what it's like in 'Murica right now. Sad to see such behavior in Portland that reinforces stereotypes of outlaw country fans. Thumbs up Wonder Ballroom. Thumbs down that female. read more

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Long time show-goer, but first time at Wonder and won't be back. Arrived a few minutes after the doors opened, we're talking almost an hour before showtime. There were all of 20 people in the venue when we arrived and we COULD have been right at the stage but since we don't like to stand we wandered up to the balcony. There was an employee up there but he didn't say a word. Got balcony seats, bought our beverages, balcony fills up, show starts. Did you get that? We are half way through the FIRST SONG and THEN management starts pulling people out of the balcony (which was full by now) telling us it was RESERVED. What the absolute fuck. Not a single sign, no ropes, nothing. You've got, what, 60-80 plus people up there and you wait until THE SHOW STARTS??? Where were all the people with reservations for the balcony? No sign of a single one. So I'm asking, why wasn't there a sign on the stairs or at the entrance to the balcony? Why didn't the guy who was WORKING the upstairs say anything? And if, as the "manager" told me, we needed to have purchased balcony tickets, why wasn't there anything on the website that said "Balcony is sold out, these tix you are buying mean no seats." It was an absolute cluster fuck and it left me so angry that I felt like I was going to puke. So we left. Sorry Bertha, the Grateful Drag band. I bet you were a good time. We got one song. And Wonder Ballroom, fuck you. read more

Loveeeee how small this venue is. We came from out of town go see EDEN. Had VIP and it was a great experience. So cute in here!! Such an intimate show and the room makes it feel like you're one of the only people there. It was FREEZING in that venue though. The only thing not giving 5 stars. We all said maybe it was a pre-chill before the people pile in but I never warmed up. Keep that in mind before you go! Even EDEN had a coat on read more

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As far as small concert venues go, this place was much better than other local spots. I liked how safe and clean the venue felt. They had water stations on the floor and ample bathrooms. I love how it wasn't 1000 degrees even with it being packed out. They must have decent air conditioning. The balcony bar is a fantastic spot to hang out and enjoy the show if you're over 21 and don't want to be squished down on the floor. I'll definitely see concerts here again! read more

Wonder Ballroom - Interior - Music Venues Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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My first Portland club show and it was raining; how perfect! Wonder cap is 778 but feels more like 500. Great views pretty much anywhere, though balcony feels quieter and muffled. Missed half of Kontravoid's set due to umbrellas being checked by security and people unable to write their name on the tape prior to checking in. Mildly annoying but staff was friendly so no biggie. Sound is pretty good. Drinks were priced nice, cool to not be in LA anymore, getting ripped off. Cold Cave arrived and sounded spectacular. Are Portland crowds all this polite or is it just the zen darkwave romanticism of Wesley and Co making everyone super chill? I look forward to more shows at Wonder and if you need a pre game bite hit up Tamale Boy. Thanks to the staff for a memorable night out. read more

Just saw Kara Jackson, Allison Russel and the Rainbow Coalition at the Wonder Ballroom! What an incredible music venue! We were running behind, totally our fault, and the staff was incredibly accommodating making sure that I made it in safely and had a place to sit. Did have food or drinks because it was quite a busy concert, so we just stayed put until after the show ended. read more

Great venue! It's centrally located, easy to get to, and has everything you need for a smooth, enjoyable experience. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful from start to finish. Definitely a place I'd recommend and would happily visit again! read more

we saw Steel Pulse it was so fun!!! Had a blast made some new friends!!!! Drinks expensive, but that's to be expected at a venue. Everybody was super nice. Had a wonderful time.Time read more

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Visiting Portland from KY and came to see the Goonsax & Snail Mail. I see lots of shows and a variety of venues, so I was eager to visit this venue. I reviewed the venue website ahead of time and brought the necessary vax record, and had no issues. The lines into the show were smooth and flowed well. Security was friendly and polite and helpful. Alcohol is easy and plentiful to purchase: There's a bar on the main floor, also upstairs, and also one downstairs. That's positive: many venues don't have three bars so its slow going grabbing a beer, but not at Wonder. Theres a couple of rows of seats on the upstairs balcony if you need to sit. There's seats downstairs and a video screen if you need some quiet time, and also a patio for smokers outside. The sound was absolutely on par for a venue this size, as in good, along with good sight lines-not a bad spot in the house. There were clean bathrooms, and a coat check. If you are hungry, a bar on the bottom floor serves food show goers can order. I recommend the smoked fried chicken sandwich with bacon aioli and the tots. Delicious. read more

Harassed by a CJ "security" who were making an assumption. They scolded me for holding a can of CBD soda. Assuming only black people drink booze? I was of course highly offended and told CJ they had no right to approach me aggressively as he did. I could smell his breath. Mind you I was minding my own business and standing in the sidewalk. This was NOT on Wonderball property and NOT in front of it. You don't own the sidewalk. How should I react to a man, at night who I do not know, acting as if he owns the sidewalk invading my personal space, demanding to read a can label? I am talking to my mother. Me knowing my rights must have hurt his fragile ego. When I arrived in line to see the show 15 minutes or so later. I was told by Faye his coworker. How CJ said I am banned. I asked why? He basically reiterated that I should have complied earlier. With what?! Minding my business? Power trip much?! All you had to do was show us the can they said. After several minutes of Faye tripping over his story and had to audacity to suggest I dig through the garbage and return to prove it. Prove what? Gtfoh. Mind you everyone in line is watching this shit show and they've ruined my night. read more

Wonder Ballroom - Racially profiled and a recipient of a sad ego trip. - Music Venues Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Loved this smaller, intimate venue. It was nice not having a huge crowd to fight through to see/hear the band we were watching. The whole space was close enough to the stage that it felt like you were front row. I would definitely look for more concerts at this venue! read more

First time here for a show. I was surprised how big it was and never saw a sectioned off spot for 21+. Didn't get any food and the drinks were basic rail drinks. Service was quick if the line wasn't long. read more

Wonder Ballroom - Music Venues Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I thought the venue was good, the sound was great, and the staff were nice. Because of these things I leaned towards a higher rating. However, the mere fact that there are not restrooms for women made me want to give this venue one star. I totally get the need and desire to provide unisex bathrooms and think it is great to be inclusive. However, things no longer remain inclusive if you exclude private bathrooms for women too. I was very uncomfortable having to go to the bathroom amongst men, especially considering my stall door didn't even lock. The Wonder Ballroom needs to make safe spaces for women to go to the bathroom. If you care about inclusivity, you should provide female, male, and unisex bathrooms. read more

I'm going to preface this review by saying: I haven't been to many shows in Portland, AT ALL, so I don't have much to compare this place to. Having said that: I really, really dug this place. It's cozy; it feels like you're in someone's house...albeit a very large house. They let me bring my camera in as long as I promised not to use flash (I find flash to be gross, so it was easy to comply). This is REFRESHING for a concert venue. Usually I'm treated like a terrorist if I have my DSLR at a show. I'm either asked to check it in with a shady character, or worse, refused entrance. The beer: they don't have much of it, but they had a decent enough selection that I still could find a favorite. I ended up drinking Caldera IPA, in the can (for those of you not privy, beer actually tastes better from a can than from a bottle...the stigma of "cheap-o trailer park canned beer" is gradually being overcome, even with the forces of PBR working against it). It was $4. That's a respectable price at any sort of bar. For a concert venue, that's DIRT CHEAP. Concert venues, like movie theatres, are often an oracle foretelling what food and drink will cost 20 years from now. Only reason I can't give this place 5-stars is because it's CASH ONLY. I almost never carry cash on me; luckily this was a rare occasion when I had some green on me (money people, not the other thing sometimes used in temporary barter economies that spring up at music festivals). Had it been any other time I would've been left HIGH and DRY. Just thought of another annoyance: if you want to get close to the stage, you have to surrender your beer. The non-beer section is for TEENS and you can't be corrupting young minds with your hedonistic beer-slurping ways. Here is a diagram of what the layout is like: ************STAGE*********** TEENSTEENSTEENSTEENS TEENSTEENSTEENSTEENS TEENSTEENS BEERBEER TEENSTEENS BEERBEER TEENSTEENS BEERBEER TEENSTEENS BEERBEER TEENSTEENS BEERBEER ********BALCONY**STAIRS BEERBEERBEERBEERBEER BEERBEERBEERBEERBEER As far as sound quality, I'm probably the worst person to ask. But it sounded pretty damn good to me. (I saw Ben Gibbard and Jay Ferrar for those that care/want to judge me) read more

got kicked out because i helped my partner out of an uber, they said we were drunk and a "liability". when we went to go figure out what to do next in a nearby parking lot, management accused us of smoking pot (it was a cigarette) always have had horrible treatment here but tonight was exceptionally horrible. not to mention, they will not allow you to bring an empty water bottle to simply hydrate yourself. what a pity for what used to be a great establishment read more

Phenomenal venue to see a Concert! I saw Suki Waterhouse perform (she was incredible btw and one of my favorite artists') and it was one of the best concert experiences I've been too. The staff was super friendly, the seating was nice to have, and the floor plan is more intimate seeing the artist. This spot is better than Crystal Ballroom and Hawthorne Theater! Highly recommend to anyone in Portland to see a show here. read more

A great time when I was there, venue is not that big but they definitely brought the flavor and great entrance. Service was friendly as well. read more

I am young, and physically disabled! as in I can dance for some of the time but I definitely need a chair and I use a cane to get around. the first time I went here I was offered seating but found some before the show started. this (the Bad Suns concert 10/10/22) is my second time here and there were no seating options available so not only did they offer to help me with the elevator, they brought me and my companion chairs in the front row so we could see past the standing people. they also handed out free water bottles to the crowd. from just having a terrible time at the Moda center just days ago, i'm feeling spoiled!! thank you Tyson (especially!!) for accommodating me and making me feel so welcome. read more

What a great show! I saw Peter Hook & The light here with my friend Eric, and we had a blast. Too bad the band didn't sell any signed vinyl records. I would have bought some! The acoustics were great, but getting to the front of the stage was kind of a mess. It was an all-age show, so they had divided the adults that can drink alcohol, and the underage in the back. The restrooms were in the back, so getting back to your spot was kind of a challenge since you have to go around the dividers. Other than that, we had a great time. read more

Wonder Ballroom - Music Venues Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I had a great experience with someone going the extra mile. Saw a show back in December and had to leave my mace with the security detail with the promise it would be available for pickup after the set. Of course went home straight afterwards and for almost two months kept missing the opportunity to pick it up (if it was even still there). Finally last week I called the box office expecting some disinterested person not caring that it was important I retrieve it. Not only was she super pleasant to speak with, she offered to leave it down at the bar, Cliffs, to pick up at my convenience. It probably cost me the price of the mace in gas mileage but knowing she took the time to package it and write a nice note to the bartender that "Kim will pick up" was worth it! Thanks, Wonder Ballroom! read more

Wonder Ballroom - Music Venues Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great space. Good drinks that don't break the bank. Some benches or stools to sit on would be welcome but I had a great time here anyway. read more

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My favorite indoor venue in Portland, I've seen three shows here and every one of them was so memorable.

If you're looking for a smaller, more intimate show venue, this one beats them all. Of the artist talent I've experienced at this location: bat for lashes, radical face, ladytron, aquabats, fm84, k.flay, strfkr, jai wolf, tycho, cibo matto, grimes, carly rae jepsen I always loved the lights and sound in this spot. I never seem to have more than a 2 min wait on drinks. Crowd control is great, and the seated area upstairs is comforting to watch. I really like they have an outside area to go to between shows as well as food counter to order something while not missing the show as there's a direct feed right by the line. Merch here is nicely tucked in the back too and quite a few times the artists have come back for autographs and photos. Wonder Ballroom, keep the music coming! read more

Came to see the death cab show and the venue hasn't changed much. The main floor was full of the usual pushy people dropping drinks and being annoying but death cab made up for it! We ended up hanging out on the balcony and had an awesome time. Serving staff was on it like no other! However, felt a little redic the extravagant security measures and the constant mask policing by the staff. If you have to be vaxxed, or be covid neg to get in, and there is a mask policy, and social distancing is it really needed to watch people as they drink to make sure they don't talk to their neighbor while their mask is down? Maybe it is? Still had a great time and can't wait to be back on Tuesday for Sleigh Bells. read more

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DO NOT order whisky and X. I had a few and at most I had about 1/2 a shot and at worst at most 1/4 of a shot. I swear the bar tender barely tipped in any whisky. I went to the three different bars and all were the weakest drinks I have ever had. I will REALLY have to like the band before coming back to this venue. When three different bar tenders gave me the same weak ass drink, not even 1/2 a shot, it has to be a policy of the place to overcharge and under serve. read more

Seen a bunch of fun shows here. One of my favorite venues. I prefer the set up for 21+ shows, but that wouldn't slow me down for getting tickets to some of my favorite live acts in Portland. read more

Pretty shitty to not let people know of the venue changes. Didn't have a clue until we showed up last night for Larkinpoe. Fortunately we were early and found where it was relocated to. Seems that an email wouldn't be that difficult. read more

There was a fire and they didn't bother to put relocated event details. Luckily the bartender at Cliffs knew how to direct us

NYE 2017: Love this venue. It's not big which makes it intimate, the sound system is just right, the restrooms are clean, there are water dispensers, top floor has lesser crowds and last the biggest plus is that people actually line up at the bar. The bartenders will let u know to go to the back of the line. This was so organized we got our drinks in a timely manner. It was like magic. Lol. Upstairs there are also seating, reserved of course for the night. It was amazingly awesome! I believe there's a downstairs too but didn't make our way there as the spot we have upstairs was perfect. No trouble here read more

Cool venue and lots of history in this place dating back to the 20's - actually used to be a low income daycare center for decades up until recently. It's your pretty standard open venue with the stage though they do have a limited balcony seating section you should be able to snag a seat in if you get there a little early - though it's a giant pain in the ass when people keep getting up for more drinks or having to pee every 5 mins - having said that cool staff--not the nicest people in fact they're kind of grumpy lol but i guess they need to keep the peace that way - be prepared to be patted down by a metal detector. The drinks are average and priced a little above bar market pricing - about 7 bucks for a mixed drink but they're good! read more

I would like to express gratitude for the exceptional care provided to both my son with disabilities and me and my wife. For instances they escorted us through the security line up to the elevator.they escorted us to an area close to the stage brought us chairs to seat on, with such attentiveness, empathy, and understanding. This young man which I forgot his name , kept coming by asking if we needed anything .This positive contribution contributed to our overall satisfaction could further emphasize the commendable service received.Great staff , plus the entertainment was Great also, Thank you. read more

Back in 2001, I had only been living in Texas for a few months and I got my first opportunity to see a show at one of the clubs down in Deep Ellum (Downtown Dallas). A band that I had seen twice in New York City (Nashville Pu**y) was opening for a band that I had never seen but only heard about, The Reverend Horton Heat. Texas Legends. Two great bands and some really cool music. It was the first of many shows and the first of now seven times I have seen the Rev. Fast forward to 2013 and I just moved to Portland and guess who is on a tour and coming through to the Wonder Ballroom? The Reverend Horton Heat. This time with a different opening act, and a band I've wanted to see for some time, The Nec-romantix. Great show and I even got to get a photo with Jimbo from Reverend Horton Heat. The place itself was pretty cool. There's a balcony for those that don't want to deal with the mosh pit crowd. There's a lower level and an upper level with bars and an outside area for the smokers. The place has a good design and the art on the walls was cool. The audio quality was pretty good too and I look forward to more shows here. The only thing that sucked, which doesn't really apply to the Wonder, was that by the time the show was over busses had already stopped for the night. Cabs were few and far between and I ended up walking home to Buckman from up there. 45 minute walk. Yeah, not too fun. Thankfully it wasn't a bad night out. read more

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The Art Of Live Music As a Musician myself sometimes the band is only as good as the sound system and venue we perform at. The Wonder Ballroom is one of the better venues in Portland to listen to live music or to play as an artist. Sound~very full and balanced, absolutely no dead spots and due to the high ceiling and the hardwood floors the sound can change slightly depending on where you're standing. So, if it's too Bass heavy where you're standing try moving 10-15 feet away horizontally, this might adjust to your liking. I tried this a couple of days ago, but it was the guitar that was really overpowering the band and so I moved and it was way better. (main floor is standing only) thought I would mention this. The morning after..No, not the walk of shame. I am talking about the ear ringing. I had NO ear ringing and it was loud, but balanced, that's really important. I do however bring a pair of ear plugs just in case. I didn't need them this time. You can get a pair from the Wonder or try asking the sound man. Yes, there are lots of places to eat and drink within walking distance, but I wanted to focus this review on the sound. Thank God for live music ! read more

Wonder Ballroom - Music Venues Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I really dislike this venue. It's a beautiful place but the staff suck. Robocops are outside ready to wand you and act like you are there just to piss them off. Bartenders are aloof and unfriendly. The security by the stairs that lead downstairs is poorly trained and a total nut job. It's poorly roped off downstairs and there are no signs giving directions. We wanted to go sit downstairs and chill for a minute. The security guy screamed at us and got crazy eyes when we attempted to. Again no signs. They just need to retrain the entire staff. read more

I've been here quite a few times. I'm old as crap apparently and the best seats in the house are actual seats. There's not very many. If you're lucky or really if you just show up early and line sit then you can get in early and grab one of the seats upstairs. Theres only two rows and if I have to guess theres only about 30 seats or so. Theres also a bar upstairs. Oh yeah and it's on the 21+ up side so I hope you've gone through puberty and all that already. We saw Devotchka and the sound quality and visual effects were sexy. Drinks were cheap and the bartenders were nice. Bathrooms weren't lighted very well but maybe I didnt really want to see what was in there. Just kidding I used the light on my phone and it was decent. Imma give this specific experience 5 stars. read more

Wonder Ballroom - Music Venues Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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My boyfriend wasn't feeling well as we awaited a show we'd been anticipating for over a year. Staff made sure to situate him in a comfortable spot away from the rest of the crowd and brought him the most delicious fries known to man to help him get through his nerves. I've never felt so cared for in a difficult situation. Thank you for taking care of us! read more

I go here for concerts. So not really a place I am going to judge based on drink prices, social scene, or any kind of aesthetic. I find the sound here to be solid, good acoustics. It's easy to get there and parking is pretty chill in the area. Tickets are generally reasonably priced, like in the $20s for awesome rock shows. I'm a fan. read more

**WC** I'm sold! I get so freaked out when I'm going to a show... I should probably say when I want to go to a show. My question is where is it at, and then... Can I actually get in and out? Because honestly you would be surprised at the number of venues I cannot get in and out of in a wheelchair. Very few venues have enough chairs, even if I show up early, that I can grab. The Wonder, for instance, has no chairs upstairs. If you need to take a load off in between bands or go smoke you need to go downstairs. There are a ton of tables, a bar, and outside patio area... Etc etc. I was especially nervous because I had never been here before in the wheelchair, and I haven't been to this venue in many years. Their website did say"ADA"and mentioned wheelchair accessibility so, I figured it was a go. Right from the start the really nice lady working the ticket booth made me a priority which was really shocking but nice. Their very friendly staff came out to help me and led me through to their lift which was super easy going up and down. I honestly mostly stayed towards the stage after the band's started playing. I had water and everything I needed. But I feel like I if I needed to go downstairs, it was an option period at the end of the show The Crew seriously dropped everything to help me back downstairs and was super friendly about it. I almost felt completely normal. Their stage really is fantastic. Same thing with their sound and Lighting. I've seen a lot of bands here over the years, had a lot of friends bands play here over the years and I've been to a few events here. This is such a staple venue to Portland. read more

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It occurred to me last Friday night in the middle of the headline musician's set that out of the dozen shows I've attended at this venue I couldn't remember having a good time at any of them. I think a lot of it has to do with the demands they have to meet from the OLCC in order to have all-ages shows. All of this paired with new completely over-the-top security screening processes combine to create a general bummer of a venue. No matter how great the acts they book, management is still forced to chop up this beautiful, historic venue and rope off poorly-planned sections for the sake of keeping the sober children safe from the booze-addled. If your response to this complaint is that "this is just how venues in Portland are," I'd point to the Doug Fir Lounge and say B.S. (even though you'd be mostly right). Split up your all ages and your 21+ crowds for early/late shows. Or just turn the kids away to shows that appeal to an older audience. How many kids under 21 actually showed up to see a bunch of sad tall dudes stand around and listen Bill Callahan last Friday? And how many weapons got confiscated? Hey cool bands: play elsewhere! read more

Three/four stars for the venue, five stars for the bands. I think their booking is really on point, they have all the indie names that come to Portland on their calendar. I had been in previous years, then I came back twice in a month this fall to see Alex G and Pinback. Completely different crowds but great gigs, in both cases. Prices were affordable-ish. My problem with it is that the main room is split in two by the stairs, which makes it kinda awkward and cramped, because there's the non-drinking area on the left and the drinking area on the right, which have to stay separate. Also the bar downstairs is OK, but they could make it so much better, more decorated... and have more choice of drinks, and, you know, pay a second person to serve the drinks... read more