I enjoy their food but have never been treated worse by any bartender then here. Step it up and treat people like they are worth your time.
(2)
Tom B.
Hate the gentrification of Portland - won't be here a lot longer. However Club 21 - "The Club" to me - is a delightful exception to the trendy craze. Has the best burgers in town, cooked any way you want. You can pay more, sometimes a lot more, and get some trendy description - "made from virgin cows who only listen to soothing music and drink bottled water ..." The food is very good, drinks cheap and good and the staff friendly - please tip well. The only thing keeping form 5 stars is sometimes hard to find a seat outside and a bit too much smoking for my taste.
(4)
Vani O.
It was not my choice to come to this establishment, but I wanted to try out the hippy-dippy, new age Portland spirit, so I said "flup it"! But boy was I in for a treat when I walked into this dingy, barely lit, and foul place that might have been a good place to film a scene for one of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. Again, I was trying to put my hippy, free love and peace pants on, but the final nail was the nasty female bartender. Apparently that type of attitude is normal to North Portlanders, but the broad acted like she was doing me a favor by gracing me with her presence. Pfft, as if, not even the dirt cheap beers ($2, excellent price) could convince me to come back to this place. So yeah, if you like textbook dive bars with shitty service and tables covered in hair and unidentifiable filth (must be why it's so dark), you will certainly love this place! Otherwise, steer far, far away.
(1)
Deanna N.
Ok, so I went here on an interwebs date. He picked it. The moment I walked in, I was like "hell yeah" I am back in Los Angeles. The building alone with the Spanish style turette you walk through, I was like score. Then come to find they have build your own burger. You literally mark the menu with all the condiments you want like ordering sushi. Their burger was amazing as was the side caeser salad. And I loved the antler decor inside. Seriously, this is a new it list for me. I miss LA, this brings me back to my time running around in my 20's being a hipsterrette along Sunset with my best gal pals.
(5)
Tres B.
This bar exemplifys Portland. Quriky, odd, pinballmachines. Its in an ardoable old storybook house c1930. dimly lit and with friendly bartenders, its a dive bar with an slightly jaunty tip to its hat. Lots ofof "regualrs" and a good selection of local and national beers.
(4)
Matt E.
OK, it might not be the craftiest of cocktail bars to grace Portlandia with its presence. But on the dive bar scale? Club 21 is tops. Inside you've got a small, dark and cozy space primarily lit by a line of kick-ass pinball games (Walking Dead pinball? Yes please!), and decor that I could only describe as made by the coolest taxidermist on Etsy. Stuffed animals intermingle with odd dioramas and vintage beer signs also enjoy prominent placement. Everywhere your eye lands, there's something interesting to check out. Club 21 is clearly old and some would say that it's in need of a remodel, but I think it's perfect. And the fact that whomever had control of the jukebox was on a serious David Bowie kick? The icing on the cake. Outside there's a decent sized patio that really isn't much more than a bunch of tables. That's ok, because the people watching is top notch, and there were a ton of dogs joining in on the fun. Dog friendly patios are the best, and this one seems to be about the friendliest. There are tables of various sizes, so whether it's just you and your lover or a whole a group of friends, there's a table that fits your needs! The beer selection isn't huge, but it is decent and affordable. I didn't try to drink anything other than a couple of different drafts, but it is a full bar. Not sure if they have any sort of specials of which you should be aware. The food is great! We did both the tots and the french fries, and both came out in orders that could only be described as irresponsibly large. Fortunately, I'm irresponsible and we ate them all! The burgers are highly customizable and delicious. I'll definitely be back soon for brunch, because they have breakfast tacos. Who doesn't want a dive bar breakfast taco? I know that I sure do. I love drinking, and I love doing it in Portland. But sometimes the "EVERYTHING IS HIGHLY CONCEPTED AND OH-SO-COOL" vibe can get not only tiring but expensive. I'm so glad that I was introduced to a laid back, fun and pretension free dive bar so close to my apartment. I'll be back!
(5)
Chan M.
Burger week 2015. Thursday night and got there around 10:15. Not sold out on the special and, what's more? Great whiskey lemonade cocktail for burger week. Sure, had to wait - but well worth it. Loved the burger, particularly the cole slaw topping. Great music, nice staff, total dive. Love it.
(5)
Megan S.
They were so rude to us we went alway from beaverton with bus for burger week and they denied us Service because my friend is 18 rude bartender
(1)
Kristen M.
What do you think of when you hear "Club 21"? A - Awesome service B - Build it yourself burgers C - Cheap HH beers! D - Drinks are stiff E - All of the above Answer: All of the Above! Since you like "all of the above" I think you should check out Club 21! You may think Club 21 is a strip club/nudie bar/etc. BUT I'm sorry to inform you that it isn't. It's just another hole-in-the-wall local neighborhood bar serving up burgers, fries, tater tots and the most importantly, ALCOHOL! Can't find it? Find this = yelp.com/biz_photos/club… [atmosphere] Very dark, grungy and dive-y. There are seats at the bar, tables and booths which are good for groups or a couple of friends. Once you walk in, there's a modern electronic juke box, where you can type in the name of the song you'd like to play in the whole bar. There are about 2 flat screen televisions where you can watch the latest sports game or request a show from the bartender that you'd like to see. There are also a few old school pinball machines lined up on the side of the wall. Next to that is an outdoor patio (which I didn't really check out). Bathrooms were kinda old, dingy and run down. Something you'd expect from a dive-y place. [devour] BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER ($6, **4 STARS**) What I love about the build your own burger is that you can customize everything! You pretty much use a marker and check off the items you'd like to build your own burger. It's very personalized and they cook the burgers medium-rare as I like it! 1. Meat options = Free Range Oregon Beef, Top Sirloin Steak, Grilled Chicken, Fried Chicken, Bratwurst or Veggie Burger 2. Bread options = burger bun, whole wheat, Texas Toast, English Muffin or Hoagie Roll 3. Spices = sea salt & peppercorn, smoky pepper, 12 spice BBQ, bayou cajun and/or habanero fire 4. Sauce = Bourbon BBQ, Pineapple Teriyaki, Buffalo, Asian BBQ, Jamaican Jerk, or Tequila Lime 5. Cheese ($1/each) = American, Tillamook Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, Swiss, Provolone, Blue, Pepperjack and/or Sharp White Cheddar 6. Toppings = Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, pepperoncini, jalapenos 7. Condiments = house sauce, ketchup, mayo, mustard, dijon, A-1, sweet & spicy relish, ranch, roasted garlic mayo, or sriracha mayo 8. Extras ($1/each) = bacon, Anaheim peppers, fried egg, caramelized onion, onion straws, sauteed mushrooms, pickled habanero, avocado, tomato bacon jam and/or chorizo 9. Pick 1 side ($1) = fries, onion rings, tater tots, green salad or Caesar salad What did I get? yelp.com/biz_photos/club… A Free Range Oregon Beef Burger on a Whole Wheat bun with sea salt & peppercorn spices, buffalo sauce with Tillamook Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, pepperocini, ketchup, and mayo. TATER TOTS yelp.com/biz_photos/club… I had heard they had yummy tots, but I thought they were just your typical run-of-the-mill tots. Nothing to go OMG about, but decent for what it is. I did actually prefer the tots over trying one of my friends' garlic fries. (**3 STARS**) [imbibe] Rainier beer on draft ($1.50 HH price) yelp.com/biz_photos/club… I don't think you can beat that price for a pint other than it being free! The Rainier beer was light and refreshing! It wasn't too hoppy for me and so it went just right with my burger and tots! (**4 STARS**) [service] Awesome! For HH, you pretty much place your orders at the bar and you'll be given playing card-type stand so your food will be delivered to you once you find a place to sit. From ordering my grub, it took a good 10-15 minutes until the food was served. Water glasses were always filled and they were always bussing the tables when we completed some of our dishes. No complaints here! Overall, a great place for HH grub, a personalized burger and cheap drinks! Yelp 2013 100 for 100 Challenge - Review #42
(4)
Kristina K.
A place named Club 21 in Portland has got to be a strip club or dance place, right? Turns out, neither. Club 21 is a well-liked neighborhood dive bar with no windows and a bright outdoor space. We joined a dozen Portlander to try Club 21's take on Portland Burger Week (Painted Hills ground chuck, bacon, smoked Gouda, lettuce, tomato-bacon jam, & topped with an onion ring). Club 21 cooks their burgers on an outdoor grill, probably one of the few burger participants that do! Unfortunately, the char didn't overtake the minor flaws. The burger was good in theory but not all there in execution. The patty was noticeably smaller than the bun. I wished the layer of tomato-bacon jam was thicker in order to lend much needed moisture to the dry patty and bun filled bites. Overall, okay burger, service and space.
(3)
DizzyIzzy D.
This is the best dive bar in NE Portland. The build your own burger menu is expansive, but not expensive. The food is surprisingly super good. I would have given it 5 stars except you have to order and pre-pay at the bar.
(4)
Sarah C.
When I first became aware of Build-A-Bear I thought it was the neatest idea for my nieces to make their very own bear the way they wanted it. Club 21 has Build-A-Burger ($6) where adults can create their own burger the way they want it. I love it. I can mark up a laminate menu, which contains over 50 ingredients to make a burger, & about 15-20 minutes later my creation will appear before me. The side tots (add $1) were crispy on the outside, soft in the inside & they were fantastic. They give you a lot, too. The side caesar salad (add $1) had a significant about of lemon squeeze & dressing but turned out to be a great tasting salad. Their HH is M-F 3pm-7pm. $1 off all food items, $1 off wine, & $0.50 cents off drafts & wells. HH that runs this late is great especially when we have to work later than expected or coming from a distance. The wells were stiff, the beers on tap (Double Mountain Vaporizer, Boneyard RPM, & Ninkasi Sleigh'r) were good, & the Blazers were playing on the big projector screen & so all of this made for a fun night before heading to the Hollywood to watch a movie. Another plus was their cozy fireplace. It kept us warm when the doors to the bar & also the doors to the outdoor, covered, heated patio were swung open, which happened quite often. Check out Club 21 for HH, to watch a game, to play pool, use their dingy bathroom, or whatever but just know this, you're going to love it when you do.
(4)
Paige H.
I love dive bars. More so, I love dive bars with good food! I've driven past this place before, but kind of always assumed it was a strip club based on the name and the fact that the outside looks like a tacky little castle. On a quest for affordable dinner options, this place come up as being close and affordable with high ratings so we decided to give it a go. I'm so glad we did! The food is good - we built our burgers; fried chicken on texas toast for the man and beef on texas toast with the works for me - and the beer is cold. They are set up like a poor man's Dave and Busters with arcade games everywhere in some sort of hunting lodge/castle thing, but somehow it works. It definitely has personality. The service is friendly too! This will be my new hole in the wall (sort of) go-to bar. Well done, guys!
(4)
Michelle L.
Let me walk you through this joint. First off, the name "Club 21" makes me think of someplace in Cancun that caters to underage suburb kids who order kamikaze shots. But then you get there and behold the castle-like facade. From the outside it looks like a reject Medieval Times. I'm thinking whole roasted chicken eaten with bare hands and jousting out back. Then you walk under the arch through the front door and the decor is more like a hunter's lodge occupied by a schizophrenic. Wood paneled walls, mounted deer heads, creepy dolls, weird velvet paintings of naked chicks and gladiators. At this point I gave up and just went with the randomness of it all. Did I think I was going to get one of the best burgers I've ever had at a place like this? Nope, but there is the beauty in it. Even better, the menu is laminated and you mark off exactly what you want. For reference I get grass fed beef seasoned with s&p, burger bun, sharp white cheddar, lettuce, tomato, caramelized whiskey onions, and their club sauce which is thousand islandy. Every time. Can't help it. My man usually orders something different because he's a sane person and accepts the fact that there is probably more than one good thing on the menu. So I know the veggie burger is delicious, as well as other combinations of burger awesomeness. So many options and all really good. Other things I love about Club 21- they are always playing great music. Good selection of pinball machines, like Demolition Man and Judge Dredd. Usually chill people in attendance, although we normally go on weekdays. Things to know - apparently this is a popular place to go to for Blazers games, so it gets packed. And when it's packed it can take a while to order/get a drink at the bar because usually it's just one person behind there. My favorite cook is the guy with longish blonde hair and a burly beard. His burger game is on point. Nice, heated outdoor area. Long bathroom lines if it's hoppin'. Sometimes a bartender hates your guts for no reason, but that's pretty much every bar. We've been to this place like a million times in the 5 months we've lived in Portland, and it will forever hold a place in our hearts because not only did we discover it pretty early, but because it's too weird not to love.
(4)
Patrick S.
what!?! i said, this is an amazing fucking burger! yeah it is! what!?! shut up and gimme some hot sauce. i love the fries... tots too! that's nice. what!?! mmmmm... burger.
(4)
Patrick M.
I could possibly live here. Super yummy fried pickles, friendly staff, cheap drinks. I love the quirky decor and especially the raised tables near the back of the place. A great spot to catch up with a friend on a cold, crummy Portland day. Don't let the outside fool you- the interior has it all. I would love to go back for a bottomless mimosa day on the weekends or one of their special events they post on Facebook.
(4)
Robb D.
My kind of place. Looks like an old lodge inside. Nice and dive-y. Free shows, decent burgers, cheap beer, NO KIDS(and stay out!) and good times. One of my favorite stops in town.
(5)
Ainsley D.
Closest bar to my house and has delicious homemade veggie burgers (a little pricey, but anywhere you can order a fried egg on top is a winner to me). This place kind of reminds me of an Irish Pub, that's basically the gist I get. Don't let the name or outside deter you.
(4)
matthew s.
You do a great job at what you do. So happy to have you in the neighborhood. Food is great for a bar. Drinks are cheap and service is great also. No bad comments. Can't wait to go back
(4)
Tim B.
Dive bar with great service, nice patio, pin ball, full bar, and great food. Had a burger with fries today and it was really awesome, particularly for $7. They also have shows and support awesome local music. If you suck, you will hate it, so don't come here and complain about it. In fact, this place sucks, don't come here.
(5)
Steve H.
Make no mistake. Club 21 is a dive, a dark, windowless dive in every wonderful way that portends. If you live in Portland but have never been there, surely you've driven by and seen it. One look at the building and you realize that it's essentially "The Inn of The Prancing Pony" where Frodo Baggins, checking in under the assumed name "Mr. Underhill" to avoid attention of the Nazgûl, meets a Ranger going by the name of Strider, but who is actually Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and the deposed 16th Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North. No shit! That's what the place looks like from the outside, with it's medieval elvish peaks and towers. Once inside the place, though, you realize that this is a dive bar. There is no innkeep named Barliman Butterbur, but rather just a normal Portland bartender. The decor borrows more from punk rock than middle earth. Just an open space with a big screen TV and tables and chairs, and usually some loud music leaning towards the metal edge of 'rock and roll'. Sometimes there's a DJ in there spinning vinyl. There are multiple taps and a full bar, and the drinks are fairly stiff and cheap. They also serve food. Perhaps the most novel thing about their menu is the construct-a-burger thing. The menu is laminated, and you grab a little dry erase marker, and the burger page is a custom burger paradise. Choose your meat, your bun style, your toppings, your cheese, your sauce (teriyaki? barbecue?), and so forth by simply checking boxes on the menu. They turn that menu into the bartender. Truth be told, I really want to like the burgers more than they merit, because the idea is brilliant. But the execution isn't quite right and the burger is slightly off somehow. But whatever. It's a DIVE BAR! There is an enclosed patio out back if you like sucking second hand smoke (or if you have the nicotine monkey on your back). All in all it's got much of what you seek in a magnificent shithole bar. By the way, this is my 100th review for 2013--fullfilling my 100 Review Challenge. Yee-Haw!
(4)
Michael G.
The building has a cool, unpolished 70's-Portland vibe, the drinks are cheap-ish, and they host shows on the metal-rock side of the spectrum - all of which makes 'em a good candidate for classic dive-bar status. Sadly, their consistently slow & indifferent service makes ordering drinks a bit of a chore. Worse, their food is terrible. I know, I know: who goes to a dive for the food? However, they make a big deal out of their burgers offering natural Oregon Country beef (cool) and a long deli-style menu of topping options (including avo, bacon, pickled veg and fried egg!) to choose from a la cart. I've ordered said burger twice. The first time I was a little disappointed in an oh well maybe they're having an off night kind of way. The second time was terrible; each time cost me around $12 with fries. The last time the burger was tiny & way overcooked (i.e. past well done) and the bun was somehow toasted AND ice cold. Had been toasted then stored in the freezer? Idk. The toppings were likewise skimpy and oddly bland. My companion's burger was marginally bigger but otherwise just as bad. I won't be ordering another.
(2)
Chad C.
I've been here twice. Once while it was incredibly busy and once when completely empty. The building is terribly under-air conditioned and there are not enough open windows/doors to support the interior not feeling muggy and disgusting when busy. However, my second trip I was advised of this concept known as "Build a Burger." Ingredients are fresh, nearly any combination of things imaginable (buns, bread, meats, non-meats, sauces) and most are included for the base price that I can't quite recall at the moment. For late night burgers that are really, really good, I can't think of another place to go.
(4)
Jim C.
I've driven by this place for years and never gave it any thought, then I saw on Pinball Map that they have four pinball tables, so I stopped by. The place is pretty small, but loaded with character. Full of 70s knick-knacks, retro-stuff and oddities in a building that looks like a castle. It was lunchtime, so I ordered a Bloody Mary and a hamburger. The Bloody Mary was very well mixed and slightly spicy. The hamburger appeared hand-formed. It was cooked juicy medium-well and served on a bakery hamburger bun instead of the spongy, mass-produced bun that most places serve. Some of the fries were nice and crispy, but some were kind of limp. Overall, the food was very good, though, and above average for a bar. I'll definitely be back to try more food here and play pinball again.
(4)
Jessi G.
This place is so rad there was an album put out to prove it. 21 bands (that frequent The Club) and 21 songs about (duh) Club 21. "The Mercury office is in no man's land as far as dining options go. For as many great mom 'n' pop markets, delis, and restaurants as this city has, we're stuck amid soda bottling warehouses, the KATU building, and a lot of houses. Thank god, then, for Club 21 with its stiff drinks, loveable servers, and great food. A longtime Mercury favorite, the Club is also popular with Portland music-makers..Fuck yeah. indeed..." Adam Gnade myspace.com/clubtwentyone Drinks = Yes please Bartenders = Fuck ya!
(5)
Christy H.
Diggity Divey dive this place. Just a little off the beaten path. This little wonder can be missed but if you happen to find it and stop on in, you won't be disappointed. This place has some serious character. It reminds me of an old church or a European ski lodge. They have a ton of super cool old school vintage beer signs all over the inside. Some are some real originals I have never seen before. They have a nice pull down screen for blazers games. The bar itself has a few seating. There are tables and booth options as well. There are 4 pinball machines and one video lottery game. This place is small so it can fill up fast. Sometimes the line at the bar can get a little crazy if a lot of people are ordering food. The bartender serves the food sometimes as well so just be a little patient. The happy hour menu rocks. I ordered the burger and fries basket. Total was $6. The patty was super thick and cooked medium rare. Awesome! More than I expected for a happy hour menu choice. Fries were thick cut and lightly salted. I was very impressed by the food. The happy hour drink prices are good as well. I drank Jamison neat. $5.50 a glass. Not bad.
Solid dive bar: - Cheap drinks - Cheap and tasty food - Good happy hour - Games (both arcade and pinball) - No windows Makes the list.
(4)
Christopher P.
The veggie burger here is one of the best veggie burgers I've had in town and I've tried a LOT of them. The topping/cheese/spice choices are great and the onion rings were thick and tasty. I can't wait to go back! It's so nice to find good vegetarian food in this area!
(4)
Alena C.
I love Club 21! The bartenders are always great. The Patio is nice on sunny days, and the food list has a lot of meatless options. The veggie burger is soo cheesy and good, you won't miss the meat! The interior is very woodsman and cozy, with a game or two. Come and stay a bit!
(4)
Rachael S.
Old School punk bar at it's finest. The night we came in, they had live music. Good crowd, LOUD. Kitchy old bar decor. We came to wake a family member who's favorite bar was this one. Very fitting send off for him. There was plenty of room for us to sit as we came in at the tail end of happy hour. They did kick us out of our tables when the band set up. They clear off the top section of everything to put the band up. Then all the tables go away in the section of the bar nearest the "stage". The bouncer was nice and gave us a 30 minute warning so we could finish up our food and move. Stiff drinks doesn't even touch it! Think 5/6 gin, 1/6 tonic. Burger was good, tots were good. House sauce is of course, thousand island. Plenty of it. Good old flat top greasy burger. I would come eat here again! No cocktail waitress, get up and order your own drink. It did get quite crowded when the folks there to see the band started filing up to the bar to order. Would have been nice if they had more than one bar tender at that point. Overall, nice people, friendly service.
(4)
Alyssa C.
I came here for Portland Burger Week out of curiosity to try this unique looking Perkin burger, which was sort of a burger meets french dip style concoction I'd heard good things about. I was surprised when I pulled up because it looked like a strip club on the outside, but I thought hey - let's give this thing a whirl (namely, all the other burger joints were sold out and I was freaking starving! There was a line to order at the bar, which I totally understand because hey - it's Burger Week! Portlanders take their burgers seriously. I ordered our burgers (fries or onion rings were only $1 to add on which was awesome!) - it wasn't until after I had my beer (boneyard IPA for the win!) that she told us it'd be an hour wait. Damn! I was so hungry I wish I'd known before she'd poured my beer, but we went ahead and waited. True to form, it was exactly one hour by the time we got our food, but the server was so polite and nice despite the rush, it was all good. The burger was actually super yummy! (or maybe I was just really hungry?) But I probably wouldn't go back here, which is why I give it 3 stars. It's a dive bar, and we couldn't sit on the patio because there were so many people smoking up a storm. It's super dark and small and full of ash trays and video poker, which just isn't my style. But if that's your style - definitely check this place out! While I liked the burger, I don't know if I'd ever order it again - I think I'll opt for the more traditional burger and then get a french dip when I'm feeling it - rather than combine the two.
(3)
Bruno D.
I've come to this place often and usually I've had a great time but I just had two experiences that made me feel awful/angry and have me questioning if I'll ever come back. No, I'm not a person who freaks out over every petty little thing. Apparently, you're not allowed to use the phone here. I went to Club 21 for dinner tonight after work, ordered some food and a beer and started eating/drinking. Then my mother called me. I started talking to her while sitting at the bar and everything was fine...Until after about 15 minutes, the bartender came over and asked me if I wanted to close out, which of course is fine. She then said, "You can't sit at the bar and be on the phone. It's rude! You're not going to be served if you sit at the bar on the phone" loudly enough for other patrons (and my mother) to hear. I said nothing, paid my check and left her a tip because I don't believe in not tipping people, even if stuff like this happens. The other night, the same bartender yelled at me for walking into the bar while on the phone with my girlfriend. I had not even ordered. I just left at that point. I'm honestly infuriated about the whole thing (really, you can't talk on the phone here?!) and I don't want to go back. I know there are some great people working at this place but these experiences have really left me with a bad taste in my mouth to say the least.
(1)
Jeremy L.
Open late, drink prices are okay, and the patio is great an a warm Summer night. Decent little neighborhood bar.
(3)
Benjamin P.
Went there on a saturday lunchtime for Burger week, delicious burger, nice patio! Will come back to see ehat it is like at night.
(4)
Hungrylone W.
Went here today for Portland Burger week. The staff was doing a good job of keeping up on orders despite how busy the place was. The outside patio is nice. This is a nice little dive bar, and the burger was very good.
(4)
Jennelle B.
I went here for burger week. The burger was better than some of the other fancier places I've been to. It's a nice big dive bar with a sweet patio. As far as dives go, this one take the cake. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Matt L.
I want to say it's not my scene, because that seems like the sort of thing people say, but the truth is it doesn't matter. The drinks are good - like, real good and stiff. The food is pretty good. The fenced-in outside seating is pretty great. There are usually random movies showing inside - sometimes two movies, even. It's really not a bad place to be, if you're in the neighborhood. Don't let the faux-castle-exterior fool you.
(4)
Adrienne I.
We clearly have to start this review by saying that Club 21 appears from the outside like some crazy castle. When you go inside its dark and nasty with a kind of 70's vibe. It was empty the night I went but the bartender was really nice. Most of the patrons were busy with the video poker machines. This place mostly made me feel sad. I will report that I have had friends tell me this place got a new booker for shows and the music isnt bad. Unfortunately, I don't live to far by and I have never heard anything but really bad cover bands.
(2)
Chrisi B.
I've driven past this decades-old place a hundred times and never knew what to make of it. Earlier this year my guy started a new job nearby and we decided to investigate further. It's not a strip club. It's not a castle. Contrary to the big sign on the roof, there are no steaks served, "for your enjoyment" or otherwise. Inside, it's dark and divey, decorated ala 1970's bachelor basement, complete with wood paneling, retro beer signs, a creepy snake hide on the wall and a bunch of pinball machines. Blech, you say? Turns out, Club 21 is the place to go for a freakin' awesome burger. They make perfect tater tots. And there's RC Cola on tap. YES!! I'm kind of a tater tot junkie, and on the first visit to 21, we were trying to decide whether to sub tots for fries along with our burgers, or order an extra side of them. The cook overheard our debate, and the baskets arrived Overflowing with tots. Seriously--I ate until I was stuffed. I took more than half of them home, which I dug into at dinnertime. I scrambled some with eggs the next morning. And there were still tots left. I was hooked. Then I discovered what could be the best burger in Portland. The Club 21 burger comes with bacon, an onion ring, lettuce, tomato bacon jam, and a slab of smoked gouda almost as thick as the meat. It's enormous, fantastic, and only $8 (a buck less during happy hour, which goes til 7PM every day). It can be difficult to wrangle and difficult to finish, but you will want to eat every last bite. Creative folks should order the Build-A-Burger. Each table has a laminated menu and dry erase marker for you to construct your meaty masterpiece. Choose from 53(!) ingredient options, including: type of meat, bread, spices, sauce, cheese, veggies, condiments and extras such as grilled pineapple, fried egg, roasted red peppers or maple ham. Add to this one of the six side options, and you won't be hungry again for a week. There are other sandwiches on the menu, including a monte cristo, pulled pork, chicken parm and a mushroom swiss veggie burger. I will confess that I have never tried any of them; I get a burger and tots every time. They're too good to pass up. Club 21 also has friendly bartenders who know their stuff, a digital jukebox loaded with tunes ranging from The Violent Femmes to Johnny Cash, and a decent-sized patio tucked behind a privacy wall, with umbrellas and heaters. What more could you want?
(5)
Jess P.
This place is seedy. I like it! Poorly lit, a plethora of pinball machines, half-cleared tables. Of course, true to Portland, this bar proves that bar food can be something close to spectacular. The menu hosts your staples- wings, burgers, and greasy fried things. But it gets creative. There's fun sauces, there's a build your own section, there's ranier-battered onion rings. Vegheads- the veggie burger is outstanding. Anaheim peppers, chipotle mayo, pepperjack- wow. For the meat eaters- even more choices, I'm sure you'll walk away quite pleased. The wait for our food was fairly atrocious, but it is a bar... and it was oddly crowded for a Tuesday night. I don't think I'll be venturing over just to eat their food. But if I'm in the neighborhood (climbing at the Circuit, most likely), I have no objection to stopping by.
(3)
Ann O.
A grand drinking destination and a pleasant unexpected surprise. Best spanish coffee I've ever had.
(5)
Andrew H.
I love this place! This is quickly becoming one of my favorite bars. It really has it all: Good beer: not an insane amount of taps but what they do have on tap is usually ALL-GOOD. Boneyard and Double Mountain are always represented. Good food: this almost warrants its own separate review. If you're an indecisive person, I suggest you NEVER get a burger here. If, however, you love having FREEDOM OF CHOICE...the burger options here are insane. Your life is not long enough to try every burger that you could make here. The options her aren't like "do you want that to come with pickles/lettuce/onion?", they are like what kind of MEAT? Ok. Now, what kind of BUN? Ok. Now, what kind of seasonings! (seriously, you get to dictate how THEY season YOUR meat, pretty cool huh?) The best part of this? You don't have to nervously try to remember all your options and then hurriedly tell them to the waitress before you forget. Oh no, you get a laminated menu and you can just sit back and tick all the boxes that you want. It's like a Meyers-Brigs survey, and we're going to find out what kind of BURGER you are at the the end. Oh, and they are CHEAP. Everything starts at a reassuring $6 (it's becoming hard to get a non-slider burger for six bucks in this town, a disturbing trend) I know what you're thinking though "yeah, six bucks sounds good Andrew, but what about all those options? Are they all a dollar each? Is this going to be wallet-death-by-ala-cart? Is this burger going to escalate to THIRTEEN BUCKS*?!" To that I can confidently say: "no." The more deluxe options might cost you a dollar, but the vast majority of options/ingredients/toppings do not. Good atmosphere: it's quirky. But in sort of a genuine, endearing way. Not in the "I just moved to Portland from Ohio, I got a pad on Hawthorne, I bought skinny jeans, a Chrome® iPad case, and some horn-rimmed glasses, I'm just so qUirkY"-way. The feel kind of reminds me of...I don't know, like a hunter's lodge, in Minnesota, in the 70's. It kind of has an old, rustic, kitschy sort of feel. I like it. There is almost always some weird-ass cult movie playing or some weird-ass cult music, playing. Oh, and on the outside it very very much looks like a Gentleman's Club...the name even sounds like it. And you park IN BACK OF IT, so as to shield your car...again, just like that *other* type of club. It also kind of reminds me of a "Steak-and-Ale" restaurant (whatever happened to those?). Good service: the people here are genuine, and talkative, and nice. Other: by the reviews I'm guessing this place went through a radical transformation lately and is the same as the former "Club 21" in name only. I'm glad. The version of this place that existed a couple years ago sounds scary and dirty. And not the good kind. Other:Other: if you are a fan of hot foods (like me) you can make yourself an extremely hot burger here if you choose your toppings wisely, it's awesome.
(5)
Thelonious F.
After our original bartender bailed on us, shoo in a male bartender who was appalled the original bartender bailed early. I was ready to cash out, but had to wait for him to stop cussing behind the bar. I tipped and ran out the door. After checking my bank statement today, someone added 2 dollars to the total. They lost a loyal customer.
(1)
Corrie H.
This is a great dive bar (cozy, kitschy, friendly) with an added bonus: a build-your-own-burger menu. You take the laminate menu and mark what you want. Want a Smoky Pepper Barbecue Chicken Burger? They can do that. Want a Pineapple Teriyaki Jalapeño Veggie Burger? They can do that. Want a Tomato Bacon Jam Beef Burger with a Fried Egg, Onion Straws and Blue Cheese? They can do that. Faced with so many options, we wimped out, and ordered two readymade items: the Philly Cheese Steak and the Original Perkin Burger (with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, club sauce, and au jus). Both were yummy, but the Philly was outstanding. Our total, for both sandwiches and 4 beers? 30 dollars. Nice! One other thing to note: this place is crowded, and you order at the bar. So there may not be a table, even at 7pm on a weekday night, and you may wait a while for your beer refills. But the staff are friendly and efficient.
(4)
Mark B.
Under new ownership [well, since September of 2011], by the people who own Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne. Dive bar at it's finest. Live bands [great acoustics in the building], cheap ass beer, nice patio. See this" endhits.portlandmercury.…
(4)
Julie T.
Wow, just like a backwoods bar of my Oregonian youth. This place is truly a dive-y gem. The breakfast was solid, the bloody mary was spicy-fantastic and had plenty of kick, and I laughed my ass off at the comedy breakfast show. Places like this are what make Portland so awesome.
(4)
Tim P.
Yeah it's a hobbit house, that's what the bartender called it. Small but perfect draught craft brew selection. Club 21 burger was messy drippy awesome washed down with vaporizer ipa. Good music on the juke and eye candy behind the bar. That's what a 5 star joint is all about.
(5)
Sarah D.
They have the best burgers! Onion rings were good too. Inexpensive, delicious and a cool, better then a dive bar atmosphere. We'll be back for sure. Bartender was also sweet and charming.
(5)
Mark B.
I liked the atmosphere and the drink. I would definitely go again
(4)
kelly s.
No, it's not a strip club, but it's almost as awesome as one! Club 21 is an oft overlooked weirdo on the corner which once inside, has a nice amount of quirky dive to love. Drinks are cheap, service is friendly, there is a good assortment of classic pinball, at least 3 machines, but there might be a fourth I'm forgetting. For the smokers of the world, or those who just like a good bar patio, your needs are served too on the back porch. Best feature of all you ask??!! THE BURGER MENU: You get a little laminated form with a dry erase pen and about a million prospective ingredients to build your own burger with, and yes, it is delicious. Cheap, delicious, and build your own burger menus with dry erase markers... what's not to love? OOH I almost forgot, pretty good hip hop assortment playing through the not so shabby acoustics in here add to the fun.
(4)
Elle L.
Even with a great band and a lively crowd, nothing can rectify finding a fingernail clipping in one's drink. EDITED TO ADD: My sister just relayed to me that her food order was incorrect, she ate two bites anyway, then promptly vomited it up. Mind you, she wasn't even drunk, because her vodka-cranberry drink had little/no alcohol in it.
(1)
Stephen L.
Club 21 is right by our office, so I've been here a number of times. Mostly go for lunch, and since it's kind of dark inside, it feels a bit odd to be in this dark bar at lunchtime. But the extensive burger options always provides a new combination of flavors so it never gets boring. Then to mix it up sometimes, I'll get the fried chicken sandwich. The burgers are cooked to order, the meat is good quality, and the toppings are fresh. One tip would be to not go overboard with all the options on the menu... things get kinda messy if you choose stuff from each category. The fries are also nice and crisp, and I love nice and crispy fries with a little ketchup mixed with Sriracha. Yum. You know it's a good joint because they have several bottles of Sriracha around. Have also been there for beers on the patio, which is fantastic when the sun is out. The tap selection isn't extensive but I can always find something that I'm happy with. I would recommend Club 21 to anyone looking for a good burger, fries, and something on tap. Don't be scared off by the dark interior... the staff is always friendly and brightens the place up. Or just wait until summer and sit outside.
(4)
Zastruga Z.
Burger week. I feel I should cut them some slack because they were unusually slammed.... That being said, The Original Perkin Burger was amazing. Service so/so but they are a 'dive' bar and its burger week! The bartender knew a lot of people's names which always impresses me but was a bit short and dismissive with new comers. Didn't bother me because the food was good and the beer was on time but the couple standing next to me didn't love it and decided to go somewhere else. I have a feeling it would take about 3 times before they had my name down too. Over all I would come back.
(4)
meganoodle z.
Great veggie burger, covered in a whole green chile and avocado! Yum! Burger costs $7. Cheap beer is cold. Location is convenient.
(4)
Hannah E.
Nice updates without changing the vibe of the dive bar. It feels like a dive bar, but super clean and new. Same owners as the Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne, but completely different vibe. However, knowing this you could see the similarities between the two. Good food. We had the Build Your Own Burger, for only 6 Bucks it was a good deal. Beef, White Cheddar, Avocado, Bacon, House Sauce, Garlic Mayo, Veggies. It was HUGE! Meat wasn't overly impressive like Serrato or Slow Bar, but a definite step up from your average burger. You get a choice of side, we got tots. We also got a side salad, which was huge and fresh. And Jalepeno Poppers, which were quite impressive. Huge and had good batter. All in all we would return. But I may prefer the Gold Dust over this place- even if it is a bit too hip and crowded for my liking. 4 stars for the Vibe and the Food. The food wasn't Great, but it was darn good for a dive bar. And I love the atmosphere. Service was good.
(4)
Mac M.
You get 4 stars automatically if you're unapologetic about being a prototypical dive bar with dubious "food" choices and no windows. "You get what you pay for." - that's never been a truer statement when it comes to Club 21. If you want a place to stop along the road of drunkenness, don't want to be hassled, and you aren't very hungry - this is the spot for you.
(4)
Zachary S.
I'm really glad this is my neighborhood bar, great burgers, good cheap beer.
(5)
Laura C.
My friend has made it her mission to try every burger in town that been raved about (by friends, papers or online reviews) and she'd heard Club 21 had a good one. That was an understatement. It was phenomenal! We had soo much fun picking our topping and marking them on the laminated card. We also loved the options of sauces and high end cheeses. Only problem is, you still have it in your head that you are buying a $6 burger, but most sides are a dollar extra. Even so, you'd probably pay $12 for a burger at Red Robin, so if you're going to spend that kind of money, buy it at Club 21. As for the decor, it's dive-y. There's a stripper pole, but no stage. That was a relief. The beer is cheap and there's a giant movie sized screen to watch football or the Blazers on. We had a great time, but felt sick from how much we ate (it was all so good we finished off everything). That was a good thing.
(5)
Cassidy D.
Stiff drinks at average prices keep this place on my radar, but the lack of *any* vegan options and no table service irks me. I'll generally only go if my carnivore friends beg.
(3)
Kristine P.
Perfect dive bar meets hamburger joint. Stiff drinks, low price, and delicious burgers and tots. Oh yeah, they've got tots. Great place to meet with friends for happy hour.
(4)
Ann L.
Don't go to this place. More for me.
(5)
jen h.
A great neighborhood dive bar at it finest. This is always the place I want to go when when feeling low key and just want to grab a drink, get some food and chill. The burgers and sandwiches are consistently great, they use the good free range meat too, not the cheap stuff. The home made veggie burger is awesome, it has fresh avocado, and roasted Anaheim chilies. Yum! And their french fries...um yes please. I haven't done their build a burger yet, since their chefs know what their doing, and I hate making that many decisions. They have good pinball games, a huge patio that they heat(sometimes) in the winter, and they show movies or the Blazer game on a big screen. Oh, they have bottomless mimosas during weekend brunch, for like ten bucks! The staff is good, Amy is awesome and always smiling, and her drink specials can get dangerously delicious. Sometimes the music gets a little too metal for me, and I tend to stay away on the weekends when they have shows, because this place gets packed!
(4)
Liz R.
DELICIOUS. The patio is fantastic. The bartenders have a heavy hand and the Sunday brunch has bottom-less mimoas. All good things. Though I fret about the winter and lack of patio addition of rain. Time will tell. The boyfriend and I love this place.
(5)
Colleen B.
This is totally my kind of bar! They have a good bar food menu (chicken fingers, tots, fries, hummus, etc), super cheap drinks and a good vibe. There is a nice sized enclosed patio for your outdoor pleasure. Big huge bonus for Jackie the bartender, she is amazing...apparently she's into the mixology so don't fear asking her for a concoction of the fruity variety.
(4)
Ann D.
Oh, Club 21. Where to start? First, I've lived within stumbling distance of this place for over three years. If you're gonna drink here, that's important. Either that, or have a cab company's number memorized. You will be drunk when you leave here. In every sense of the word this place is a dive. The crowd is "eclectic" to say the least. You will find everyone from hipsters to blue collar workers from the dairy here. You will see old ladies chainsmoking and playing video poker here. A good mix. The bar is always brightly lit, and since the bartenders pour some seriously stiff drinks in this place, this isn't always good. The drinks are strong and cheap!!! The bar tends to get a little too smokey for my taste, which sucks in the winter, but they have a patio to sit on which is a great way to escape the smoke and get some fresh air. I wanted to give Club 21 5 stars, but I can't because bartender Dave has left town! He made this place more enjoyable for me. An aging rocker who had to wear bifocals to read the credit cards. Too cute. Plus he remembered our drinks after only going there once. That's a great bartender. Club 21 is still divealicious, but it's not quite the same without Dave.
(4)
Lauren G.
You guys, they put starlight mints in the video poker tray where change would fall if you were in Vegas! I love that! If there's one thing (besides the mints) this bar is; it's well-lit. I have big plans to come here and read a book. If there's a second thing, it's that it's supremely awesome. It's called Club 21 and it looks like a tiny castle. What on earth more could I ask for?
(4)
Kimberly V.
Proud sign on the roof says "Steaks for your enjoyment." It doesn't mention the lung cancer. Club 21 gives you both plus booze. JB says the steaks are good. I would corroborate, but I can't taste a damn thing. P.S. It is also located in the parking lot across from an office I used to work in where two women in my former department managed to get knocked up within the last year. NOT ME. In your face, fate!
(4)
Richard B.
love this f'n place, one of my top dive bars (not that i frequent other types of bars) only reason it doesn't get five stars is the poker machines always lure my drunk ass in, but it's all good still love you, be drunk in the castle again soon.
(4)
Colin P.
The ol' C21, it's my favorite Sandy dive. The drinks are cheap and stiff, it's dark and smokey, and the fryer oil hasn't been changed for decades. With the Sandy Hut in the immediate vicinity, Club 21 experienced quite an explosion of white belts and converse during my regular visits, but it never reached the intolerable level of obnoxiousness that seems prevalent across the street. Quintessential Portland hole with plenty of lottery and an internet juke.
(5)
heidi l.
i am in love with amy and her weekend creations! my boyfriend and i bike a little over four miles just so i can have her chicken fried steak in homemade gravy. i love that she has specials and switches things up, however i cant stray from the chicken fried steak. what a perfect breakfast spot with no wait, cheap mimosas, awesome food and bad movies (bad in a good way). i think the only thing that could make it better is if it was closer to home, but then i wouldn't be able to burn off my breakfast...
(5)
Jenny H.
I just spent a good 45 minutes (paid for by my employer. Thanks, boss!) falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole reading up on the definitions/origins of "dive bar" and "hipster." Don't do it now. It'll exhaust you. But I've been intrigued by Yelpers throwing the two terms around all over the place to describe anything involving smoky atmospheres and white belts (do hipsters even wear white belts anymore?), and I wanted to see what actually applies. Let's get back to basics, friends. And while I'm not going to attempt to dissect the anatomical make-up of a heepster, I would like to put what I presume to be a dive bar, Club 21, to the Wikipedia definition of "dive bar" Official Test: "Downmarket drinking establishment servicing a working-class clientele." CHECK So the Wikipedia page for "dive bar" was actually really disappointing. But my dive bar Official Test calls for half-assed interior decorating that usually includes a dim atmosphere with the occasional handmade sign and a liberal amount of dust/ash, a veritable cornucopia of clientele (old men! Workers! Alcoholics! Maybe a dash of the eye-lined and well styled fleet of you-know-who!), video lottery, and maybe uninspired yet reliable drinks; and Club 21 indeed fits that bill. Please don't change, Club 21. You're there when we need you, like when it gets too rowdy at the Slut or I get a mean hankering of tots after midnight. Your lumpy booths are charming, and I can't get over the wee flat-screen TVs now installed at each booth (!!). Also I like that you sound vaguely strip-clubby and look like an enchanted castle in the middle of a parking lot.
(3)
Eva J.
cheap drinks woot woot! Ok besides the fact that when you walk in the overwhelming smell of greasy fried double fried triple fried fries. The crowd is quite eclectic. I saw your standard toothless, dirty hot mess sitting at the bar playing some game, another table of hipsters, another table of mid-30's couples that were quite toasty and some singles that were all enjoying themselves. So besides the grease stink and as obvious that this place is a dive, everyone was a regular and they were drinking. Which is precisely what you do at dives. This place is hardly about pretense. Just go for the cheap drinks and cheap eats without concern for what you are actually digesting.
(3)
Josh L.
If you like dive bars, this is a good one to start at. Nothing on the walls, poor lighting, and a sketchy bathroom is all part of the charm of this nice little bar.
(4)
Hazel G.
Tired of waiting in line for weekend breakfast? Club 21 has awesome breakfast specials on Saturday and Sunday. Add drink specials and good movies and you've got a great way to spend an afternoon.
(5)
Tom B.
Hate the gentrification of Portland - won't be here a lot longer. However Club 21 - "The Club" to me - is a delightful exception to the trendy craze. Has the best burgers in town, cooked any way you want. You can pay more, sometimes a lot more, and get some trendy description - "made from virgin cows who only listen to soothing music and drink bottled water ..." The food is very good, drinks cheap and good and the staff friendly - please tip well. The only thing keeping form 5 stars is sometimes hard to find a seat outside and a bit too much smoking for my taste.
(4)
Vani O.
It was not my choice to come to this establishment, but I wanted to try out the hippy-dippy, new age Portland spirit, so I said "flup it"! But boy was I in for a treat when I walked into this dingy, barely lit, and foul place that might have been a good place to film a scene for one of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. Again, I was trying to put my hippy, free love and peace pants on, but the final nail was the nasty female bartender. Apparently that type of attitude is normal to North Portlanders, but the broad acted like she was doing me a favor by gracing me with her presence. Pfft, as if, not even the dirt cheap beers ($2, excellent price) could convince me to come back to this place. So yeah, if you like textbook dive bars with shitty service and tables covered in hair and unidentifiable filth (must be why it's so dark), you will certainly love this place! Otherwise, steer far, far away.
(1)
Matt E.
OK, it might not be the craftiest of cocktail bars to grace Portlandia with its presence. But on the dive bar scale? Club 21 is tops. Inside you've got a small, dark and cozy space primarily lit by a line of kick-ass pinball games (Walking Dead pinball? Yes please!), and decor that I could only describe as made by the coolest taxidermist on Etsy. Stuffed animals intermingle with odd dioramas and vintage beer signs also enjoy prominent placement. Everywhere your eye lands, there's something interesting to check out. Club 21 is clearly old and some would say that it's in need of a remodel, but I think it's perfect. And the fact that whomever had control of the jukebox was on a serious David Bowie kick? The icing on the cake. Outside there's a decent sized patio that really isn't much more than a bunch of tables. That's ok, because the people watching is top notch, and there were a ton of dogs joining in on the fun. Dog friendly patios are the best, and this one seems to be about the friendliest. There are tables of various sizes, so whether it's just you and your lover or a whole a group of friends, there's a table that fits your needs! The beer selection isn't huge, but it is decent and affordable. I didn't try to drink anything other than a couple of different drafts, but it is a full bar. Not sure if they have any sort of specials of which you should be aware. The food is great! We did both the tots and the french fries, and both came out in orders that could only be described as irresponsibly large. Fortunately, I'm irresponsible and we ate them all! The burgers are highly customizable and delicious. I'll definitely be back soon for brunch, because they have breakfast tacos. Who doesn't want a dive bar breakfast taco? I know that I sure do. I love drinking, and I love doing it in Portland. But sometimes the "EVERYTHING IS HIGHLY CONCEPTED AND OH-SO-COOL" vibe can get not only tiring but expensive. I'm so glad that I was introduced to a laid back, fun and pretension free dive bar so close to my apartment. I'll be back!
(5)
Chan M.
Burger week 2015. Thursday night and got there around 10:15. Not sold out on the special and, what's more? Great whiskey lemonade cocktail for burger week. Sure, had to wait - but well worth it. Loved the burger, particularly the cole slaw topping. Great music, nice staff, total dive. Love it.
(5)
Megan S.
They were so rude to us we went alway from beaverton with bus for burger week and they denied us Service because my friend is 18 rude bartender
(1)
Tres B.
This bar exemplifys Portland. Quriky, odd, pinballmachines. Its in an ardoable old storybook house c1930. dimly lit and with friendly bartenders, its a dive bar with an slightly jaunty tip to its hat. Lots ofof "regualrs" and a good selection of local and national beers.
(4)
Deanna N.
Ok, so I went here on an interwebs date. He picked it. The moment I walked in, I was like "hell yeah" I am back in Los Angeles. The building alone with the Spanish style turette you walk through, I was like score. Then come to find they have build your own burger. You literally mark the menu with all the condiments you want like ordering sushi. Their burger was amazing as was the side caeser salad. And I loved the antler decor inside. Seriously, this is a new it list for me. I miss LA, this brings me back to my time running around in my 20's being a hipsterrette along Sunset with my best gal pals.
(5)
Kristina K.
A place named Club 21 in Portland has got to be a strip club or dance place, right? Turns out, neither. Club 21 is a well-liked neighborhood dive bar with no windows and a bright outdoor space. We joined a dozen Portlander to try Club 21's take on Portland Burger Week (Painted Hills ground chuck, bacon, smoked Gouda, lettuce, tomato-bacon jam, & topped with an onion ring). Club 21 cooks their burgers on an outdoor grill, probably one of the few burger participants that do! Unfortunately, the char didn't overtake the minor flaws. The burger was good in theory but not all there in execution. The patty was noticeably smaller than the bun. I wished the layer of tomato-bacon jam was thicker in order to lend much needed moisture to the dry patty and bun filled bites. Overall, okay burger, service and space.
(3)
DizzyIzzy D.
This is the best dive bar in NE Portland. The build your own burger menu is expansive, but not expensive. The food is surprisingly super good. I would have given it 5 stars except you have to order and pre-pay at the bar.
(4)
Sarah A.
I enjoy their food but have never been treated worse by any bartender then here. Step it up and treat people like they are worth your time.
(2)
Christopher P.
The veggie burger here is one of the best veggie burgers I've had in town and I've tried a LOT of them. The topping/cheese/spice choices are great and the onion rings were thick and tasty. I can't wait to go back! It's so nice to find good vegetarian food in this area!
(4)
Alena C.
I love Club 21! The bartenders are always great. The Patio is nice on sunny days, and the food list has a lot of meatless options. The veggie burger is soo cheesy and good, you won't miss the meat! The interior is very woodsman and cozy, with a game or two. Come and stay a bit!
(4)
Sarah C.
When I first became aware of Build-A-Bear I thought it was the neatest idea for my nieces to make their very own bear the way they wanted it. Club 21 has Build-A-Burger ($6) where adults can create their own burger the way they want it. I love it. I can mark up a laminate menu, which contains over 50 ingredients to make a burger, & about 15-20 minutes later my creation will appear before me. The side tots (add $1) were crispy on the outside, soft in the inside & they were fantastic. They give you a lot, too. The side caesar salad (add $1) had a significant about of lemon squeeze & dressing but turned out to be a great tasting salad. Their HH is M-F 3pm-7pm. $1 off all food items, $1 off wine, & $0.50 cents off drafts & wells. HH that runs this late is great especially when we have to work later than expected or coming from a distance. The wells were stiff, the beers on tap (Double Mountain Vaporizer, Boneyard RPM, & Ninkasi Sleigh'r) were good, & the Blazers were playing on the big projector screen & so all of this made for a fun night before heading to the Hollywood to watch a movie. Another plus was their cozy fireplace. It kept us warm when the doors to the bar & also the doors to the outdoor, covered, heated patio were swung open, which happened quite often. Check out Club 21 for HH, to watch a game, to play pool, use their dingy bathroom, or whatever but just know this, you're going to love it when you do.
(4)
Paige H.
I love dive bars. More so, I love dive bars with good food! I've driven past this place before, but kind of always assumed it was a strip club based on the name and the fact that the outside looks like a tacky little castle. On a quest for affordable dinner options, this place come up as being close and affordable with high ratings so we decided to give it a go. I'm so glad we did! The food is good - we built our burgers; fried chicken on texas toast for the man and beef on texas toast with the works for me - and the beer is cold. They are set up like a poor man's Dave and Busters with arcade games everywhere in some sort of hunting lodge/castle thing, but somehow it works. It definitely has personality. The service is friendly too! This will be my new hole in the wall (sort of) go-to bar. Well done, guys!
(4)
matthew s.
You do a great job at what you do. So happy to have you in the neighborhood. Food is great for a bar. Drinks are cheap and service is great also. No bad comments. Can't wait to go back
(4)
Tim B.
Dive bar with great service, nice patio, pin ball, full bar, and great food. Had a burger with fries today and it was really awesome, particularly for $7. They also have shows and support awesome local music. If you suck, you will hate it, so don't come here and complain about it. In fact, this place sucks, don't come here.
(5)
Chad C.
I've been here twice. Once while it was incredibly busy and once when completely empty. The building is terribly under-air conditioned and there are not enough open windows/doors to support the interior not feeling muggy and disgusting when busy. However, my second trip I was advised of this concept known as "Build a Burger." Ingredients are fresh, nearly any combination of things imaginable (buns, bread, meats, non-meats, sauces) and most are included for the base price that I can't quite recall at the moment. For late night burgers that are really, really good, I can't think of another place to go.
(4)
Michelle L.
Let me walk you through this joint. First off, the name "Club 21" makes me think of someplace in Cancun that caters to underage suburb kids who order kamikaze shots. But then you get there and behold the castle-like facade. From the outside it looks like a reject Medieval Times. I'm thinking whole roasted chicken eaten with bare hands and jousting out back. Then you walk under the arch through the front door and the decor is more like a hunter's lodge occupied by a schizophrenic. Wood paneled walls, mounted deer heads, creepy dolls, weird velvet paintings of naked chicks and gladiators. At this point I gave up and just went with the randomness of it all. Did I think I was going to get one of the best burgers I've ever had at a place like this? Nope, but there is the beauty in it. Even better, the menu is laminated and you mark off exactly what you want. For reference I get grass fed beef seasoned with s&p, burger bun, sharp white cheddar, lettuce, tomato, caramelized whiskey onions, and their club sauce which is thousand islandy. Every time. Can't help it. My man usually orders something different because he's a sane person and accepts the fact that there is probably more than one good thing on the menu. So I know the veggie burger is delicious, as well as other combinations of burger awesomeness. So many options and all really good. Other things I love about Club 21- they are always playing great music. Good selection of pinball machines, like Demolition Man and Judge Dredd. Usually chill people in attendance, although we normally go on weekdays. Things to know - apparently this is a popular place to go to for Blazers games, so it gets packed. And when it's packed it can take a while to order/get a drink at the bar because usually it's just one person behind there. My favorite cook is the guy with longish blonde hair and a burly beard. His burger game is on point. Nice, heated outdoor area. Long bathroom lines if it's hoppin'. Sometimes a bartender hates your guts for no reason, but that's pretty much every bar. We've been to this place like a million times in the 5 months we've lived in Portland, and it will forever hold a place in our hearts because not only did we discover it pretty early, but because it's too weird not to love.
(4)
Patrick S.
what!?! i said, this is an amazing fucking burger! yeah it is! what!?! shut up and gimme some hot sauce. i love the fries... tots too! that's nice. what!?! mmmmm... burger.
(4)
Patrick M.
I could possibly live here. Super yummy fried pickles, friendly staff, cheap drinks. I love the quirky decor and especially the raised tables near the back of the place. A great spot to catch up with a friend on a cold, crummy Portland day. Don't let the outside fool you- the interior has it all. I would love to go back for a bottomless mimosa day on the weekends or one of their special events they post on Facebook.
(4)
Robb D.
My kind of place. Looks like an old lodge inside. Nice and dive-y. Free shows, decent burgers, cheap beer, NO KIDS(and stay out!) and good times. One of my favorite stops in town.
(5)
Ainsley D.
Closest bar to my house and has delicious homemade veggie burgers (a little pricey, but anywhere you can order a fried egg on top is a winner to me). This place kind of reminds me of an Irish Pub, that's basically the gist I get. Don't let the name or outside deter you.
(4)
Steve H.
Make no mistake. Club 21 is a dive, a dark, windowless dive in every wonderful way that portends. If you live in Portland but have never been there, surely you've driven by and seen it. One look at the building and you realize that it's essentially "The Inn of The Prancing Pony" where Frodo Baggins, checking in under the assumed name "Mr. Underhill" to avoid attention of the Nazgûl, meets a Ranger going by the name of Strider, but who is actually Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and the deposed 16th Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North. No shit! That's what the place looks like from the outside, with it's medieval elvish peaks and towers. Once inside the place, though, you realize that this is a dive bar. There is no innkeep named Barliman Butterbur, but rather just a normal Portland bartender. The decor borrows more from punk rock than middle earth. Just an open space with a big screen TV and tables and chairs, and usually some loud music leaning towards the metal edge of 'rock and roll'. Sometimes there's a DJ in there spinning vinyl. There are multiple taps and a full bar, and the drinks are fairly stiff and cheap. They also serve food. Perhaps the most novel thing about their menu is the construct-a-burger thing. The menu is laminated, and you grab a little dry erase marker, and the burger page is a custom burger paradise. Choose your meat, your bun style, your toppings, your cheese, your sauce (teriyaki? barbecue?), and so forth by simply checking boxes on the menu. They turn that menu into the bartender. Truth be told, I really want to like the burgers more than they merit, because the idea is brilliant. But the execution isn't quite right and the burger is slightly off somehow. But whatever. It's a DIVE BAR! There is an enclosed patio out back if you like sucking second hand smoke (or if you have the nicotine monkey on your back). All in all it's got much of what you seek in a magnificent shithole bar. By the way, this is my 100th review for 2013--fullfilling my 100 Review Challenge. Yee-Haw!
(4)
Michael G.
The building has a cool, unpolished 70's-Portland vibe, the drinks are cheap-ish, and they host shows on the metal-rock side of the spectrum - all of which makes 'em a good candidate for classic dive-bar status. Sadly, their consistently slow & indifferent service makes ordering drinks a bit of a chore. Worse, their food is terrible. I know, I know: who goes to a dive for the food? However, they make a big deal out of their burgers offering natural Oregon Country beef (cool) and a long deli-style menu of topping options (including avo, bacon, pickled veg and fried egg!) to choose from a la cart. I've ordered said burger twice. The first time I was a little disappointed in an oh well maybe they're having an off night kind of way. The second time was terrible; each time cost me around $12 with fries. The last time the burger was tiny & way overcooked (i.e. past well done) and the bun was somehow toasted AND ice cold. Had been toasted then stored in the freezer? Idk. The toppings were likewise skimpy and oddly bland. My companion's burger was marginally bigger but otherwise just as bad. I won't be ordering another.
(2)
Jim C.
I've driven by this place for years and never gave it any thought, then I saw on Pinball Map that they have four pinball tables, so I stopped by. The place is pretty small, but loaded with character. Full of 70s knick-knacks, retro-stuff and oddities in a building that looks like a castle. It was lunchtime, so I ordered a Bloody Mary and a hamburger. The Bloody Mary was very well mixed and slightly spicy. The hamburger appeared hand-formed. It was cooked juicy medium-well and served on a bakery hamburger bun instead of the spongy, mass-produced bun that most places serve. Some of the fries were nice and crispy, but some were kind of limp. Overall, the food was very good, though, and above average for a bar. I'll definitely be back to try more food here and play pinball again.
(4)
Christy H.
Diggity Divey dive this place. Just a little off the beaten path. This little wonder can be missed but if you happen to find it and stop on in, you won't be disappointed. This place has some serious character. It reminds me of an old church or a European ski lodge. They have a ton of super cool old school vintage beer signs all over the inside. Some are some real originals I have never seen before. They have a nice pull down screen for blazers games. The bar itself has a few seating. There are tables and booth options as well. There are 4 pinball machines and one video lottery game. This place is small so it can fill up fast. Sometimes the line at the bar can get a little crazy if a lot of people are ordering food. The bartender serves the food sometimes as well so just be a little patient. The happy hour menu rocks. I ordered the burger and fries basket. Total was $6. The patty was super thick and cooked medium rare. Awesome! More than I expected for a happy hour menu choice. Fries were thick cut and lightly salted. I was very impressed by the food. The happy hour drink prices are good as well. I drank Jamison neat. $5.50 a glass. Not bad.
Solid dive bar: - Cheap drinks - Cheap and tasty food - Good happy hour - Games (both arcade and pinball) - No windows Makes the list.
(4)
Rachael S.
Old School punk bar at it's finest. The night we came in, they had live music. Good crowd, LOUD. Kitchy old bar decor. We came to wake a family member who's favorite bar was this one. Very fitting send off for him. There was plenty of room for us to sit as we came in at the tail end of happy hour. They did kick us out of our tables when the band set up. They clear off the top section of everything to put the band up. Then all the tables go away in the section of the bar nearest the "stage". The bouncer was nice and gave us a 30 minute warning so we could finish up our food and move. Stiff drinks doesn't even touch it! Think 5/6 gin, 1/6 tonic. Burger was good, tots were good. House sauce is of course, thousand island. Plenty of it. Good old flat top greasy burger. I would come eat here again! No cocktail waitress, get up and order your own drink. It did get quite crowded when the folks there to see the band started filing up to the bar to order. Would have been nice if they had more than one bar tender at that point. Overall, nice people, friendly service.
(4)
Alyssa C.
I came here for Portland Burger Week out of curiosity to try this unique looking Perkin burger, which was sort of a burger meets french dip style concoction I'd heard good things about. I was surprised when I pulled up because it looked like a strip club on the outside, but I thought hey - let's give this thing a whirl (namely, all the other burger joints were sold out and I was freaking starving! There was a line to order at the bar, which I totally understand because hey - it's Burger Week! Portlanders take their burgers seriously. I ordered our burgers (fries or onion rings were only $1 to add on which was awesome!) - it wasn't until after I had my beer (boneyard IPA for the win!) that she told us it'd be an hour wait. Damn! I was so hungry I wish I'd known before she'd poured my beer, but we went ahead and waited. True to form, it was exactly one hour by the time we got our food, but the server was so polite and nice despite the rush, it was all good. The burger was actually super yummy! (or maybe I was just really hungry?) But I probably wouldn't go back here, which is why I give it 3 stars. It's a dive bar, and we couldn't sit on the patio because there were so many people smoking up a storm. It's super dark and small and full of ash trays and video poker, which just isn't my style. But if that's your style - definitely check this place out! While I liked the burger, I don't know if I'd ever order it again - I think I'll opt for the more traditional burger and then get a french dip when I'm feeling it - rather than combine the two.
(3)
Jessi G.
This place is so rad there was an album put out to prove it. 21 bands (that frequent The Club) and 21 songs about (duh) Club 21. "The Mercury office is in no man's land as far as dining options go. For as many great mom 'n' pop markets, delis, and restaurants as this city has, we're stuck amid soda bottling warehouses, the KATU building, and a lot of houses. Thank god, then, for Club 21 with its stiff drinks, loveable servers, and great food. A longtime Mercury favorite, the Club is also popular with Portland music-makers..Fuck yeah. indeed..." Adam Gnade myspace.com/clubtwentyone Drinks = Yes please Bartenders = Fuck ya!
(5)
Bruno D.
I've come to this place often and usually I've had a great time but I just had two experiences that made me feel awful/angry and have me questioning if I'll ever come back. No, I'm not a person who freaks out over every petty little thing. Apparently, you're not allowed to use the phone here. I went to Club 21 for dinner tonight after work, ordered some food and a beer and started eating/drinking. Then my mother called me. I started talking to her while sitting at the bar and everything was fine...Until after about 15 minutes, the bartender came over and asked me if I wanted to close out, which of course is fine. She then said, "You can't sit at the bar and be on the phone. It's rude! You're not going to be served if you sit at the bar on the phone" loudly enough for other patrons (and my mother) to hear. I said nothing, paid my check and left her a tip because I don't believe in not tipping people, even if stuff like this happens. The other night, the same bartender yelled at me for walking into the bar while on the phone with my girlfriend. I had not even ordered. I just left at that point. I'm honestly infuriated about the whole thing (really, you can't talk on the phone here?!) and I don't want to go back. I know there are some great people working at this place but these experiences have really left me with a bad taste in my mouth to say the least.
(1)
Jeremy L.
Open late, drink prices are okay, and the patio is great an a warm Summer night. Decent little neighborhood bar.
(3)
Benjamin P.
Went there on a saturday lunchtime for Burger week, delicious burger, nice patio! Will come back to see ehat it is like at night.
(4)
Hungrylone W.
Went here today for Portland Burger week. The staff was doing a good job of keeping up on orders despite how busy the place was. The outside patio is nice. This is a nice little dive bar, and the burger was very good.
(4)
Jennelle B.
I went here for burger week. The burger was better than some of the other fancier places I've been to. It's a nice big dive bar with a sweet patio. As far as dives go, this one take the cake. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Matt L.
I want to say it's not my scene, because that seems like the sort of thing people say, but the truth is it doesn't matter. The drinks are good - like, real good and stiff. The food is pretty good. The fenced-in outside seating is pretty great. There are usually random movies showing inside - sometimes two movies, even. It's really not a bad place to be, if you're in the neighborhood. Don't let the faux-castle-exterior fool you.
(4)
Adrienne I.
We clearly have to start this review by saying that Club 21 appears from the outside like some crazy castle. When you go inside its dark and nasty with a kind of 70's vibe. It was empty the night I went but the bartender was really nice. Most of the patrons were busy with the video poker machines. This place mostly made me feel sad. I will report that I have had friends tell me this place got a new booker for shows and the music isnt bad. Unfortunately, I don't live to far by and I have never heard anything but really bad cover bands.
(2)
Zachary S.
I'm really glad this is my neighborhood bar, great burgers, good cheap beer.
(5)
Elle L.
Even with a great band and a lively crowd, nothing can rectify finding a fingernail clipping in one's drink. EDITED TO ADD: My sister just relayed to me that her food order was incorrect, she ate two bites anyway, then promptly vomited it up. Mind you, she wasn't even drunk, because her vodka-cranberry drink had little/no alcohol in it.
(1)
Chrisi B.
I've driven past this decades-old place a hundred times and never knew what to make of it. Earlier this year my guy started a new job nearby and we decided to investigate further. It's not a strip club. It's not a castle. Contrary to the big sign on the roof, there are no steaks served, "for your enjoyment" or otherwise. Inside, it's dark and divey, decorated ala 1970's bachelor basement, complete with wood paneling, retro beer signs, a creepy snake hide on the wall and a bunch of pinball machines. Blech, you say? Turns out, Club 21 is the place to go for a freakin' awesome burger. They make perfect tater tots. And there's RC Cola on tap. YES!! I'm kind of a tater tot junkie, and on the first visit to 21, we were trying to decide whether to sub tots for fries along with our burgers, or order an extra side of them. The cook overheard our debate, and the baskets arrived Overflowing with tots. Seriously--I ate until I was stuffed. I took more than half of them home, which I dug into at dinnertime. I scrambled some with eggs the next morning. And there were still tots left. I was hooked. Then I discovered what could be the best burger in Portland. The Club 21 burger comes with bacon, an onion ring, lettuce, tomato bacon jam, and a slab of smoked gouda almost as thick as the meat. It's enormous, fantastic, and only $8 (a buck less during happy hour, which goes til 7PM every day). It can be difficult to wrangle and difficult to finish, but you will want to eat every last bite. Creative folks should order the Build-A-Burger. Each table has a laminated menu and dry erase marker for you to construct your meaty masterpiece. Choose from 53(!) ingredient options, including: type of meat, bread, spices, sauce, cheese, veggies, condiments and extras such as grilled pineapple, fried egg, roasted red peppers or maple ham. Add to this one of the six side options, and you won't be hungry again for a week. There are other sandwiches on the menu, including a monte cristo, pulled pork, chicken parm and a mushroom swiss veggie burger. I will confess that I have never tried any of them; I get a burger and tots every time. They're too good to pass up. Club 21 also has friendly bartenders who know their stuff, a digital jukebox loaded with tunes ranging from The Violent Femmes to Johnny Cash, and a decent-sized patio tucked behind a privacy wall, with umbrellas and heaters. What more could you want?
(5)
Jess P.
This place is seedy. I like it! Poorly lit, a plethora of pinball machines, half-cleared tables. Of course, true to Portland, this bar proves that bar food can be something close to spectacular. The menu hosts your staples- wings, burgers, and greasy fried things. But it gets creative. There's fun sauces, there's a build your own section, there's ranier-battered onion rings. Vegheads- the veggie burger is outstanding. Anaheim peppers, chipotle mayo, pepperjack- wow. For the meat eaters- even more choices, I'm sure you'll walk away quite pleased. The wait for our food was fairly atrocious, but it is a bar... and it was oddly crowded for a Tuesday night. I don't think I'll be venturing over just to eat their food. But if I'm in the neighborhood (climbing at the Circuit, most likely), I have no objection to stopping by.
(3)
Ann O.
A grand drinking destination and a pleasant unexpected surprise. Best spanish coffee I've ever had.
(5)
Kristen M.
What do you think of when you hear "Club 21"? A - Awesome service B - Build it yourself burgers C - Cheap HH beers! D - Drinks are stiff E - All of the above Answer: All of the Above! Since you like "all of the above" I think you should check out Club 21! You may think Club 21 is a strip club/nudie bar/etc. BUT I'm sorry to inform you that it isn't. It's just another hole-in-the-wall local neighborhood bar serving up burgers, fries, tater tots and the most importantly, ALCOHOL! Can't find it? Find this = yelp.com/biz_photos/club… [atmosphere] Very dark, grungy and dive-y. There are seats at the bar, tables and booths which are good for groups or a couple of friends. Once you walk in, there's a modern electronic juke box, where you can type in the name of the song you'd like to play in the whole bar. There are about 2 flat screen televisions where you can watch the latest sports game or request a show from the bartender that you'd like to see. There are also a few old school pinball machines lined up on the side of the wall. Next to that is an outdoor patio (which I didn't really check out). Bathrooms were kinda old, dingy and run down. Something you'd expect from a dive-y place. [devour] BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER ($6, **4 STARS**) What I love about the build your own burger is that you can customize everything! You pretty much use a marker and check off the items you'd like to build your own burger. It's very personalized and they cook the burgers medium-rare as I like it! 1. Meat options = Free Range Oregon Beef, Top Sirloin Steak, Grilled Chicken, Fried Chicken, Bratwurst or Veggie Burger 2. Bread options = burger bun, whole wheat, Texas Toast, English Muffin or Hoagie Roll 3. Spices = sea salt & peppercorn, smoky pepper, 12 spice BBQ, bayou cajun and/or habanero fire 4. Sauce = Bourbon BBQ, Pineapple Teriyaki, Buffalo, Asian BBQ, Jamaican Jerk, or Tequila Lime 5. Cheese ($1/each) = American, Tillamook Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, Swiss, Provolone, Blue, Pepperjack and/or Sharp White Cheddar 6. Toppings = Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, pepperoncini, jalapenos 7. Condiments = house sauce, ketchup, mayo, mustard, dijon, A-1, sweet & spicy relish, ranch, roasted garlic mayo, or sriracha mayo 8. Extras ($1/each) = bacon, Anaheim peppers, fried egg, caramelized onion, onion straws, sauteed mushrooms, pickled habanero, avocado, tomato bacon jam and/or chorizo 9. Pick 1 side ($1) = fries, onion rings, tater tots, green salad or Caesar salad What did I get? yelp.com/biz_photos/club… A Free Range Oregon Beef Burger on a Whole Wheat bun with sea salt & peppercorn spices, buffalo sauce with Tillamook Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, pepperocini, ketchup, and mayo. TATER TOTS yelp.com/biz_photos/club… I had heard they had yummy tots, but I thought they were just your typical run-of-the-mill tots. Nothing to go OMG about, but decent for what it is. I did actually prefer the tots over trying one of my friends' garlic fries. (**3 STARS**) [imbibe] Rainier beer on draft ($1.50 HH price) yelp.com/biz_photos/club… I don't think you can beat that price for a pint other than it being free! The Rainier beer was light and refreshing! It wasn't too hoppy for me and so it went just right with my burger and tots! (**4 STARS**) [service] Awesome! For HH, you pretty much place your orders at the bar and you'll be given playing card-type stand so your food will be delivered to you once you find a place to sit. From ordering my grub, it took a good 10-15 minutes until the food was served. Water glasses were always filled and they were always bussing the tables when we completed some of our dishes. No complaints here! Overall, a great place for HH grub, a personalized burger and cheap drinks! Yelp 2013 100 for 100 Challenge - Review #42
(4)
Andrew H.
I love this place! This is quickly becoming one of my favorite bars. It really has it all: Good beer: not an insane amount of taps but what they do have on tap is usually ALL-GOOD. Boneyard and Double Mountain are always represented. Good food: this almost warrants its own separate review. If you're an indecisive person, I suggest you NEVER get a burger here. If, however, you love having FREEDOM OF CHOICE...the burger options here are insane. Your life is not long enough to try every burger that you could make here. The options her aren't like "do you want that to come with pickles/lettuce/onion?", they are like what kind of MEAT? Ok. Now, what kind of BUN? Ok. Now, what kind of seasonings! (seriously, you get to dictate how THEY season YOUR meat, pretty cool huh?) The best part of this? You don't have to nervously try to remember all your options and then hurriedly tell them to the waitress before you forget. Oh no, you get a laminated menu and you can just sit back and tick all the boxes that you want. It's like a Meyers-Brigs survey, and we're going to find out what kind of BURGER you are at the the end. Oh, and they are CHEAP. Everything starts at a reassuring $6 (it's becoming hard to get a non-slider burger for six bucks in this town, a disturbing trend) I know what you're thinking though "yeah, six bucks sounds good Andrew, but what about all those options? Are they all a dollar each? Is this going to be wallet-death-by-ala-cart? Is this burger going to escalate to THIRTEEN BUCKS*?!" To that I can confidently say: "no." The more deluxe options might cost you a dollar, but the vast majority of options/ingredients/toppings do not. Good atmosphere: it's quirky. But in sort of a genuine, endearing way. Not in the "I just moved to Portland from Ohio, I got a pad on Hawthorne, I bought skinny jeans, a Chrome® iPad case, and some horn-rimmed glasses, I'm just so qUirkY"-way. The feel kind of reminds me of...I don't know, like a hunter's lodge, in Minnesota, in the 70's. It kind of has an old, rustic, kitschy sort of feel. I like it. There is almost always some weird-ass cult movie playing or some weird-ass cult music, playing. Oh, and on the outside it very very much looks like a Gentleman's Club...the name even sounds like it. And you park IN BACK OF IT, so as to shield your car...again, just like that *other* type of club. It also kind of reminds me of a "Steak-and-Ale" restaurant (whatever happened to those?). Good service: the people here are genuine, and talkative, and nice. Other: by the reviews I'm guessing this place went through a radical transformation lately and is the same as the former "Club 21" in name only. I'm glad. The version of this place that existed a couple years ago sounds scary and dirty. And not the good kind. Other:Other: if you are a fan of hot foods (like me) you can make yourself an extremely hot burger here if you choose your toppings wisely, it's awesome.
(5)
Thelonious F.
After our original bartender bailed on us, shoo in a male bartender who was appalled the original bartender bailed early. I was ready to cash out, but had to wait for him to stop cussing behind the bar. I tipped and ran out the door. After checking my bank statement today, someone added 2 dollars to the total. They lost a loyal customer.
(1)
Corrie H.
This is a great dive bar (cozy, kitschy, friendly) with an added bonus: a build-your-own-burger menu. You take the laminate menu and mark what you want. Want a Smoky Pepper Barbecue Chicken Burger? They can do that. Want a Pineapple Teriyaki Jalapeño Veggie Burger? They can do that. Want a Tomato Bacon Jam Beef Burger with a Fried Egg, Onion Straws and Blue Cheese? They can do that. Faced with so many options, we wimped out, and ordered two readymade items: the Philly Cheese Steak and the Original Perkin Burger (with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, club sauce, and au jus). Both were yummy, but the Philly was outstanding. Our total, for both sandwiches and 4 beers? 30 dollars. Nice! One other thing to note: this place is crowded, and you order at the bar. So there may not be a table, even at 7pm on a weekday night, and you may wait a while for your beer refills. But the staff are friendly and efficient.
(4)
Mark B.
Under new ownership [well, since September of 2011], by the people who own Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne. Dive bar at it's finest. Live bands [great acoustics in the building], cheap ass beer, nice patio. See this" endhits.portlandmercury.…
(4)
Julie T.
Wow, just like a backwoods bar of my Oregonian youth. This place is truly a dive-y gem. The breakfast was solid, the bloody mary was spicy-fantastic and had plenty of kick, and I laughed my ass off at the comedy breakfast show. Places like this are what make Portland so awesome.
(4)
Tim P.
Yeah it's a hobbit house, that's what the bartender called it. Small but perfect draught craft brew selection. Club 21 burger was messy drippy awesome washed down with vaporizer ipa. Good music on the juke and eye candy behind the bar. That's what a 5 star joint is all about.
(5)
Sarah D.
They have the best burgers! Onion rings were good too. Inexpensive, delicious and a cool, better then a dive bar atmosphere. We'll be back for sure. Bartender was also sweet and charming.
(5)
Mark B.
I liked the atmosphere and the drink. I would definitely go again
(4)
kelly s.
No, it's not a strip club, but it's almost as awesome as one! Club 21 is an oft overlooked weirdo on the corner which once inside, has a nice amount of quirky dive to love. Drinks are cheap, service is friendly, there is a good assortment of classic pinball, at least 3 machines, but there might be a fourth I'm forgetting. For the smokers of the world, or those who just like a good bar patio, your needs are served too on the back porch. Best feature of all you ask??!! THE BURGER MENU: You get a little laminated form with a dry erase pen and about a million prospective ingredients to build your own burger with, and yes, it is delicious. Cheap, delicious, and build your own burger menus with dry erase markers... what's not to love? OOH I almost forgot, pretty good hip hop assortment playing through the not so shabby acoustics in here add to the fun.
(4)
Stephen L.
Club 21 is right by our office, so I've been here a number of times. Mostly go for lunch, and since it's kind of dark inside, it feels a bit odd to be in this dark bar at lunchtime. But the extensive burger options always provides a new combination of flavors so it never gets boring. Then to mix it up sometimes, I'll get the fried chicken sandwich. The burgers are cooked to order, the meat is good quality, and the toppings are fresh. One tip would be to not go overboard with all the options on the menu... things get kinda messy if you choose stuff from each category. The fries are also nice and crisp, and I love nice and crispy fries with a little ketchup mixed with Sriracha. Yum. You know it's a good joint because they have several bottles of Sriracha around. Have also been there for beers on the patio, which is fantastic when the sun is out. The tap selection isn't extensive but I can always find something that I'm happy with. I would recommend Club 21 to anyone looking for a good burger, fries, and something on tap. Don't be scared off by the dark interior... the staff is always friendly and brightens the place up. Or just wait until summer and sit outside.
(4)
Zastruga Z.
Burger week. I feel I should cut them some slack because they were unusually slammed.... That being said, The Original Perkin Burger was amazing. Service so/so but they are a 'dive' bar and its burger week! The bartender knew a lot of people's names which always impresses me but was a bit short and dismissive with new comers. Didn't bother me because the food was good and the beer was on time but the couple standing next to me didn't love it and decided to go somewhere else. I have a feeling it would take about 3 times before they had my name down too. Over all I would come back.
(4)
meganoodle z.
Great veggie burger, covered in a whole green chile and avocado! Yum! Burger costs $7. Cheap beer is cold. Location is convenient.
(4)
Hannah E.
Nice updates without changing the vibe of the dive bar. It feels like a dive bar, but super clean and new. Same owners as the Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne, but completely different vibe. However, knowing this you could see the similarities between the two. Good food. We had the Build Your Own Burger, for only 6 Bucks it was a good deal. Beef, White Cheddar, Avocado, Bacon, House Sauce, Garlic Mayo, Veggies. It was HUGE! Meat wasn't overly impressive like Serrato or Slow Bar, but a definite step up from your average burger. You get a choice of side, we got tots. We also got a side salad, which was huge and fresh. And Jalepeno Poppers, which were quite impressive. Huge and had good batter. All in all we would return. But I may prefer the Gold Dust over this place- even if it is a bit too hip and crowded for my liking. 4 stars for the Vibe and the Food. The food wasn't Great, but it was darn good for a dive bar. And I love the atmosphere. Service was good.
(4)
Mac M.
You get 4 stars automatically if you're unapologetic about being a prototypical dive bar with dubious "food" choices and no windows. "You get what you pay for." - that's never been a truer statement when it comes to Club 21. If you want a place to stop along the road of drunkenness, don't want to be hassled, and you aren't very hungry - this is the spot for you.
(4)
Laura C.
My friend has made it her mission to try every burger in town that been raved about (by friends, papers or online reviews) and she'd heard Club 21 had a good one. That was an understatement. It was phenomenal! We had soo much fun picking our topping and marking them on the laminated card. We also loved the options of sauces and high end cheeses. Only problem is, you still have it in your head that you are buying a $6 burger, but most sides are a dollar extra. Even so, you'd probably pay $12 for a burger at Red Robin, so if you're going to spend that kind of money, buy it at Club 21. As for the decor, it's dive-y. There's a stripper pole, but no stage. That was a relief. The beer is cheap and there's a giant movie sized screen to watch football or the Blazers on. We had a great time, but felt sick from how much we ate (it was all so good we finished off everything). That was a good thing.
(5)
Cassidy D.
Stiff drinks at average prices keep this place on my radar, but the lack of *any* vegan options and no table service irks me. I'll generally only go if my carnivore friends beg.
(3)
Kristine P.
Perfect dive bar meets hamburger joint. Stiff drinks, low price, and delicious burgers and tots. Oh yeah, they've got tots. Great place to meet with friends for happy hour.
(4)
Ann L.
Don't go to this place. More for me.
(5)
jen h.
A great neighborhood dive bar at it finest. This is always the place I want to go when when feeling low key and just want to grab a drink, get some food and chill. The burgers and sandwiches are consistently great, they use the good free range meat too, not the cheap stuff. The home made veggie burger is awesome, it has fresh avocado, and roasted Anaheim chilies. Yum! And their french fries...um yes please. I haven't done their build a burger yet, since their chefs know what their doing, and I hate making that many decisions. They have good pinball games, a huge patio that they heat(sometimes) in the winter, and they show movies or the Blazer game on a big screen. Oh, they have bottomless mimosas during weekend brunch, for like ten bucks! The staff is good, Amy is awesome and always smiling, and her drink specials can get dangerously delicious. Sometimes the music gets a little too metal for me, and I tend to stay away on the weekends when they have shows, because this place gets packed!
(4)
Liz R.
DELICIOUS. The patio is fantastic. The bartenders have a heavy hand and the Sunday brunch has bottom-less mimoas. All good things. Though I fret about the winter and lack of patio addition of rain. Time will tell. The boyfriend and I love this place.
(5)
Colleen B.
This is totally my kind of bar! They have a good bar food menu (chicken fingers, tots, fries, hummus, etc), super cheap drinks and a good vibe. There is a nice sized enclosed patio for your outdoor pleasure. Big huge bonus for Jackie the bartender, she is amazing...apparently she's into the mixology so don't fear asking her for a concoction of the fruity variety.
(4)
Ann D.
Oh, Club 21. Where to start? First, I've lived within stumbling distance of this place for over three years. If you're gonna drink here, that's important. Either that, or have a cab company's number memorized. You will be drunk when you leave here. In every sense of the word this place is a dive. The crowd is "eclectic" to say the least. You will find everyone from hipsters to blue collar workers from the dairy here. You will see old ladies chainsmoking and playing video poker here. A good mix. The bar is always brightly lit, and since the bartenders pour some seriously stiff drinks in this place, this isn't always good. The drinks are strong and cheap!!! The bar tends to get a little too smokey for my taste, which sucks in the winter, but they have a patio to sit on which is a great way to escape the smoke and get some fresh air. I wanted to give Club 21 5 stars, but I can't because bartender Dave has left town! He made this place more enjoyable for me. An aging rocker who had to wear bifocals to read the credit cards. Too cute. Plus he remembered our drinks after only going there once. That's a great bartender. Club 21 is still divealicious, but it's not quite the same without Dave.
(4)
Lauren G.
You guys, they put starlight mints in the video poker tray where change would fall if you were in Vegas! I love that! If there's one thing (besides the mints) this bar is; it's well-lit. I have big plans to come here and read a book. If there's a second thing, it's that it's supremely awesome. It's called Club 21 and it looks like a tiny castle. What on earth more could I ask for?
(4)
Kimberly V.
Proud sign on the roof says "Steaks for your enjoyment." It doesn't mention the lung cancer. Club 21 gives you both plus booze. JB says the steaks are good. I would corroborate, but I can't taste a damn thing. P.S. It is also located in the parking lot across from an office I used to work in where two women in my former department managed to get knocked up within the last year. NOT ME. In your face, fate!
(4)
Richard B.
love this f'n place, one of my top dive bars (not that i frequent other types of bars) only reason it doesn't get five stars is the poker machines always lure my drunk ass in, but it's all good still love you, be drunk in the castle again soon.
(4)
Colin P.
The ol' C21, it's my favorite Sandy dive. The drinks are cheap and stiff, it's dark and smokey, and the fryer oil hasn't been changed for decades. With the Sandy Hut in the immediate vicinity, Club 21 experienced quite an explosion of white belts and converse during my regular visits, but it never reached the intolerable level of obnoxiousness that seems prevalent across the street. Quintessential Portland hole with plenty of lottery and an internet juke.
(5)
Jenny H.
I just spent a good 45 minutes (paid for by my employer. Thanks, boss!) falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole reading up on the definitions/origins of "dive bar" and "hipster." Don't do it now. It'll exhaust you. But I've been intrigued by Yelpers throwing the two terms around all over the place to describe anything involving smoky atmospheres and white belts (do hipsters even wear white belts anymore?), and I wanted to see what actually applies. Let's get back to basics, friends. And while I'm not going to attempt to dissect the anatomical make-up of a heepster, I would like to put what I presume to be a dive bar, Club 21, to the Wikipedia definition of "dive bar" Official Test: "Downmarket drinking establishment servicing a working-class clientele." CHECK So the Wikipedia page for "dive bar" was actually really disappointing. But my dive bar Official Test calls for half-assed interior decorating that usually includes a dim atmosphere with the occasional handmade sign and a liberal amount of dust/ash, a veritable cornucopia of clientele (old men! Workers! Alcoholics! Maybe a dash of the eye-lined and well styled fleet of you-know-who!), video lottery, and maybe uninspired yet reliable drinks; and Club 21 indeed fits that bill. Please don't change, Club 21. You're there when we need you, like when it gets too rowdy at the Slut or I get a mean hankering of tots after midnight. Your lumpy booths are charming, and I can't get over the wee flat-screen TVs now installed at each booth (!!). Also I like that you sound vaguely strip-clubby and look like an enchanted castle in the middle of a parking lot.
(3)
Eva J.
cheap drinks woot woot! Ok besides the fact that when you walk in the overwhelming smell of greasy fried double fried triple fried fries. The crowd is quite eclectic. I saw your standard toothless, dirty hot mess sitting at the bar playing some game, another table of hipsters, another table of mid-30's couples that were quite toasty and some singles that were all enjoying themselves. So besides the grease stink and as obvious that this place is a dive, everyone was a regular and they were drinking. Which is precisely what you do at dives. This place is hardly about pretense. Just go for the cheap drinks and cheap eats without concern for what you are actually digesting.
(3)
Josh L.
If you like dive bars, this is a good one to start at. Nothing on the walls, poor lighting, and a sketchy bathroom is all part of the charm of this nice little bar.
(4)
heidi l.
i am in love with amy and her weekend creations! my boyfriend and i bike a little over four miles just so i can have her chicken fried steak in homemade gravy. i love that she has specials and switches things up, however i cant stray from the chicken fried steak. what a perfect breakfast spot with no wait, cheap mimosas, awesome food and bad movies (bad in a good way). i think the only thing that could make it better is if it was closer to home, but then i wouldn't be able to burn off my breakfast...
(5)
Hazel G.
Tired of waiting in line for weekend breakfast? Club 21 has awesome breakfast specials on Saturday and Sunday. Add drink specials and good movies and you've got a great way to spend an afternoon.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch, Dinner, Late Night Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey Noise Level : Average Music : Juke Box Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : No Caters : No
Sarah A.
I enjoy their food but have never been treated worse by any bartender then here. Step it up and treat people like they are worth your time.
(2)Tom B.
Hate the gentrification of Portland - won't be here a lot longer. However Club 21 - "The Club" to me - is a delightful exception to the trendy craze. Has the best burgers in town, cooked any way you want. You can pay more, sometimes a lot more, and get some trendy description - "made from virgin cows who only listen to soothing music and drink bottled water ..." The food is very good, drinks cheap and good and the staff friendly - please tip well. The only thing keeping form 5 stars is sometimes hard to find a seat outside and a bit too much smoking for my taste.
(4)Vani O.
It was not my choice to come to this establishment, but I wanted to try out the hippy-dippy, new age Portland spirit, so I said "flup it"! But boy was I in for a treat when I walked into this dingy, barely lit, and foul place that might have been a good place to film a scene for one of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. Again, I was trying to put my hippy, free love and peace pants on, but the final nail was the nasty female bartender. Apparently that type of attitude is normal to North Portlanders, but the broad acted like she was doing me a favor by gracing me with her presence. Pfft, as if, not even the dirt cheap beers ($2, excellent price) could convince me to come back to this place. So yeah, if you like textbook dive bars with shitty service and tables covered in hair and unidentifiable filth (must be why it's so dark), you will certainly love this place! Otherwise, steer far, far away.
(1)Deanna N.
Ok, so I went here on an interwebs date. He picked it. The moment I walked in, I was like "hell yeah" I am back in Los Angeles. The building alone with the Spanish style turette you walk through, I was like score. Then come to find they have build your own burger. You literally mark the menu with all the condiments you want like ordering sushi. Their burger was amazing as was the side caeser salad. And I loved the antler decor inside. Seriously, this is a new it list for me. I miss LA, this brings me back to my time running around in my 20's being a hipsterrette along Sunset with my best gal pals.
(5)Tres B.
This bar exemplifys Portland. Quriky, odd, pinballmachines. Its in an ardoable old storybook house c1930. dimly lit and with friendly bartenders, its a dive bar with an slightly jaunty tip to its hat. Lots ofof "regualrs" and a good selection of local and national beers.
(4)Matt E.
OK, it might not be the craftiest of cocktail bars to grace Portlandia with its presence. But on the dive bar scale? Club 21 is tops. Inside you've got a small, dark and cozy space primarily lit by a line of kick-ass pinball games (Walking Dead pinball? Yes please!), and decor that I could only describe as made by the coolest taxidermist on Etsy. Stuffed animals intermingle with odd dioramas and vintage beer signs also enjoy prominent placement. Everywhere your eye lands, there's something interesting to check out. Club 21 is clearly old and some would say that it's in need of a remodel, but I think it's perfect. And the fact that whomever had control of the jukebox was on a serious David Bowie kick? The icing on the cake. Outside there's a decent sized patio that really isn't much more than a bunch of tables. That's ok, because the people watching is top notch, and there were a ton of dogs joining in on the fun. Dog friendly patios are the best, and this one seems to be about the friendliest. There are tables of various sizes, so whether it's just you and your lover or a whole a group of friends, there's a table that fits your needs! The beer selection isn't huge, but it is decent and affordable. I didn't try to drink anything other than a couple of different drafts, but it is a full bar. Not sure if they have any sort of specials of which you should be aware. The food is great! We did both the tots and the french fries, and both came out in orders that could only be described as irresponsibly large. Fortunately, I'm irresponsible and we ate them all! The burgers are highly customizable and delicious. I'll definitely be back soon for brunch, because they have breakfast tacos. Who doesn't want a dive bar breakfast taco? I know that I sure do. I love drinking, and I love doing it in Portland. But sometimes the "EVERYTHING IS HIGHLY CONCEPTED AND OH-SO-COOL" vibe can get not only tiring but expensive. I'm so glad that I was introduced to a laid back, fun and pretension free dive bar so close to my apartment. I'll be back!
(5)Chan M.
Burger week 2015. Thursday night and got there around 10:15. Not sold out on the special and, what's more? Great whiskey lemonade cocktail for burger week. Sure, had to wait - but well worth it. Loved the burger, particularly the cole slaw topping. Great music, nice staff, total dive. Love it.
(5)Megan S.
They were so rude to us we went alway from beaverton with bus for burger week and they denied us Service because my friend is 18 rude bartender
(1)Kristen M.
What do you think of when you hear "Club 21"? A - Awesome service B - Build it yourself burgers C - Cheap HH beers! D - Drinks are stiff E - All of the above Answer: All of the Above! Since you like "all of the above" I think you should check out Club 21! You may think Club 21 is a strip club/nudie bar/etc. BUT I'm sorry to inform you that it isn't. It's just another hole-in-the-wall local neighborhood bar serving up burgers, fries, tater tots and the most importantly, ALCOHOL! Can't find it? Find this = yelp.com/biz_photos/club… [atmosphere] Very dark, grungy and dive-y. There are seats at the bar, tables and booths which are good for groups or a couple of friends. Once you walk in, there's a modern electronic juke box, where you can type in the name of the song you'd like to play in the whole bar. There are about 2 flat screen televisions where you can watch the latest sports game or request a show from the bartender that you'd like to see. There are also a few old school pinball machines lined up on the side of the wall. Next to that is an outdoor patio (which I didn't really check out). Bathrooms were kinda old, dingy and run down. Something you'd expect from a dive-y place. [devour] BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER ($6, **4 STARS**) What I love about the build your own burger is that you can customize everything! You pretty much use a marker and check off the items you'd like to build your own burger. It's very personalized and they cook the burgers medium-rare as I like it! 1. Meat options = Free Range Oregon Beef, Top Sirloin Steak, Grilled Chicken, Fried Chicken, Bratwurst or Veggie Burger 2. Bread options = burger bun, whole wheat, Texas Toast, English Muffin or Hoagie Roll 3. Spices = sea salt & peppercorn, smoky pepper, 12 spice BBQ, bayou cajun and/or habanero fire 4. Sauce = Bourbon BBQ, Pineapple Teriyaki, Buffalo, Asian BBQ, Jamaican Jerk, or Tequila Lime 5. Cheese ($1/each) = American, Tillamook Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, Swiss, Provolone, Blue, Pepperjack and/or Sharp White Cheddar 6. Toppings = Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, pepperoncini, jalapenos 7. Condiments = house sauce, ketchup, mayo, mustard, dijon, A-1, sweet & spicy relish, ranch, roasted garlic mayo, or sriracha mayo 8. Extras ($1/each) = bacon, Anaheim peppers, fried egg, caramelized onion, onion straws, sauteed mushrooms, pickled habanero, avocado, tomato bacon jam and/or chorizo 9. Pick 1 side ($1) = fries, onion rings, tater tots, green salad or Caesar salad What did I get? yelp.com/biz_photos/club… A Free Range Oregon Beef Burger on a Whole Wheat bun with sea salt & peppercorn spices, buffalo sauce with Tillamook Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, pepperocini, ketchup, and mayo. TATER TOTS yelp.com/biz_photos/club… I had heard they had yummy tots, but I thought they were just your typical run-of-the-mill tots. Nothing to go OMG about, but decent for what it is. I did actually prefer the tots over trying one of my friends' garlic fries. (**3 STARS**) [imbibe] Rainier beer on draft ($1.50 HH price) yelp.com/biz_photos/club… I don't think you can beat that price for a pint other than it being free! The Rainier beer was light and refreshing! It wasn't too hoppy for me and so it went just right with my burger and tots! (**4 STARS**) [service] Awesome! For HH, you pretty much place your orders at the bar and you'll be given playing card-type stand so your food will be delivered to you once you find a place to sit. From ordering my grub, it took a good 10-15 minutes until the food was served. Water glasses were always filled and they were always bussing the tables when we completed some of our dishes. No complaints here! Overall, a great place for HH grub, a personalized burger and cheap drinks! Yelp 2013 100 for 100 Challenge - Review #42
(4)Kristina K.
A place named Club 21 in Portland has got to be a strip club or dance place, right? Turns out, neither. Club 21 is a well-liked neighborhood dive bar with no windows and a bright outdoor space. We joined a dozen Portlander to try Club 21's take on Portland Burger Week (Painted Hills ground chuck, bacon, smoked Gouda, lettuce, tomato-bacon jam, & topped with an onion ring). Club 21 cooks their burgers on an outdoor grill, probably one of the few burger participants that do! Unfortunately, the char didn't overtake the minor flaws. The burger was good in theory but not all there in execution. The patty was noticeably smaller than the bun. I wished the layer of tomato-bacon jam was thicker in order to lend much needed moisture to the dry patty and bun filled bites. Overall, okay burger, service and space.
(3)DizzyIzzy D.
This is the best dive bar in NE Portland. The build your own burger menu is expansive, but not expensive. The food is surprisingly super good. I would have given it 5 stars except you have to order and pre-pay at the bar.
(4)Sarah C.
When I first became aware of Build-A-Bear I thought it was the neatest idea for my nieces to make their very own bear the way they wanted it. Club 21 has Build-A-Burger ($6) where adults can create their own burger the way they want it. I love it. I can mark up a laminate menu, which contains over 50 ingredients to make a burger, & about 15-20 minutes later my creation will appear before me. The side tots (add $1) were crispy on the outside, soft in the inside & they were fantastic. They give you a lot, too. The side caesar salad (add $1) had a significant about of lemon squeeze & dressing but turned out to be a great tasting salad. Their HH is M-F 3pm-7pm. $1 off all food items, $1 off wine, & $0.50 cents off drafts & wells. HH that runs this late is great especially when we have to work later than expected or coming from a distance. The wells were stiff, the beers on tap (Double Mountain Vaporizer, Boneyard RPM, & Ninkasi Sleigh'r) were good, & the Blazers were playing on the big projector screen & so all of this made for a fun night before heading to the Hollywood to watch a movie. Another plus was their cozy fireplace. It kept us warm when the doors to the bar & also the doors to the outdoor, covered, heated patio were swung open, which happened quite often. Check out Club 21 for HH, to watch a game, to play pool, use their dingy bathroom, or whatever but just know this, you're going to love it when you do.
(4)Paige H.
I love dive bars. More so, I love dive bars with good food! I've driven past this place before, but kind of always assumed it was a strip club based on the name and the fact that the outside looks like a tacky little castle. On a quest for affordable dinner options, this place come up as being close and affordable with high ratings so we decided to give it a go. I'm so glad we did! The food is good - we built our burgers; fried chicken on texas toast for the man and beef on texas toast with the works for me - and the beer is cold. They are set up like a poor man's Dave and Busters with arcade games everywhere in some sort of hunting lodge/castle thing, but somehow it works. It definitely has personality. The service is friendly too! This will be my new hole in the wall (sort of) go-to bar. Well done, guys!
(4)Michelle L.
Let me walk you through this joint. First off, the name "Club 21" makes me think of someplace in Cancun that caters to underage suburb kids who order kamikaze shots. But then you get there and behold the castle-like facade. From the outside it looks like a reject Medieval Times. I'm thinking whole roasted chicken eaten with bare hands and jousting out back. Then you walk under the arch through the front door and the decor is more like a hunter's lodge occupied by a schizophrenic. Wood paneled walls, mounted deer heads, creepy dolls, weird velvet paintings of naked chicks and gladiators. At this point I gave up and just went with the randomness of it all. Did I think I was going to get one of the best burgers I've ever had at a place like this? Nope, but there is the beauty in it. Even better, the menu is laminated and you mark off exactly what you want. For reference I get grass fed beef seasoned with s&p, burger bun, sharp white cheddar, lettuce, tomato, caramelized whiskey onions, and their club sauce which is thousand islandy. Every time. Can't help it. My man usually orders something different because he's a sane person and accepts the fact that there is probably more than one good thing on the menu. So I know the veggie burger is delicious, as well as other combinations of burger awesomeness. So many options and all really good. Other things I love about Club 21- they are always playing great music. Good selection of pinball machines, like Demolition Man and Judge Dredd. Usually chill people in attendance, although we normally go on weekdays. Things to know - apparently this is a popular place to go to for Blazers games, so it gets packed. And when it's packed it can take a while to order/get a drink at the bar because usually it's just one person behind there. My favorite cook is the guy with longish blonde hair and a burly beard. His burger game is on point. Nice, heated outdoor area. Long bathroom lines if it's hoppin'. Sometimes a bartender hates your guts for no reason, but that's pretty much every bar. We've been to this place like a million times in the 5 months we've lived in Portland, and it will forever hold a place in our hearts because not only did we discover it pretty early, but because it's too weird not to love.
(4)Patrick S.
what!?! i said, this is an amazing fucking burger! yeah it is! what!?! shut up and gimme some hot sauce. i love the fries... tots too! that's nice. what!?! mmmmm... burger.
(4)Patrick M.
I could possibly live here. Super yummy fried pickles, friendly staff, cheap drinks. I love the quirky decor and especially the raised tables near the back of the place. A great spot to catch up with a friend on a cold, crummy Portland day. Don't let the outside fool you- the interior has it all. I would love to go back for a bottomless mimosa day on the weekends or one of their special events they post on Facebook.
(4)Robb D.
My kind of place. Looks like an old lodge inside. Nice and dive-y. Free shows, decent burgers, cheap beer, NO KIDS(and stay out!) and good times. One of my favorite stops in town.
(5)Ainsley D.
Closest bar to my house and has delicious homemade veggie burgers (a little pricey, but anywhere you can order a fried egg on top is a winner to me). This place kind of reminds me of an Irish Pub, that's basically the gist I get. Don't let the name or outside deter you.
(4)matthew s.
You do a great job at what you do. So happy to have you in the neighborhood. Food is great for a bar. Drinks are cheap and service is great also. No bad comments. Can't wait to go back
(4)Tim B.
Dive bar with great service, nice patio, pin ball, full bar, and great food. Had a burger with fries today and it was really awesome, particularly for $7. They also have shows and support awesome local music. If you suck, you will hate it, so don't come here and complain about it. In fact, this place sucks, don't come here.
(5)Steve H.
Make no mistake. Club 21 is a dive, a dark, windowless dive in every wonderful way that portends. If you live in Portland but have never been there, surely you've driven by and seen it. One look at the building and you realize that it's essentially "The Inn of The Prancing Pony" where Frodo Baggins, checking in under the assumed name "Mr. Underhill" to avoid attention of the Nazgûl, meets a Ranger going by the name of Strider, but who is actually Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and the deposed 16th Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North. No shit! That's what the place looks like from the outside, with it's medieval elvish peaks and towers. Once inside the place, though, you realize that this is a dive bar. There is no innkeep named Barliman Butterbur, but rather just a normal Portland bartender. The decor borrows more from punk rock than middle earth. Just an open space with a big screen TV and tables and chairs, and usually some loud music leaning towards the metal edge of 'rock and roll'. Sometimes there's a DJ in there spinning vinyl. There are multiple taps and a full bar, and the drinks are fairly stiff and cheap. They also serve food. Perhaps the most novel thing about their menu is the construct-a-burger thing. The menu is laminated, and you grab a little dry erase marker, and the burger page is a custom burger paradise. Choose your meat, your bun style, your toppings, your cheese, your sauce (teriyaki? barbecue?), and so forth by simply checking boxes on the menu. They turn that menu into the bartender. Truth be told, I really want to like the burgers more than they merit, because the idea is brilliant. But the execution isn't quite right and the burger is slightly off somehow. But whatever. It's a DIVE BAR! There is an enclosed patio out back if you like sucking second hand smoke (or if you have the nicotine monkey on your back). All in all it's got much of what you seek in a magnificent shithole bar. By the way, this is my 100th review for 2013--fullfilling my 100 Review Challenge. Yee-Haw!
(4)Michael G.
The building has a cool, unpolished 70's-Portland vibe, the drinks are cheap-ish, and they host shows on the metal-rock side of the spectrum - all of which makes 'em a good candidate for classic dive-bar status. Sadly, their consistently slow & indifferent service makes ordering drinks a bit of a chore. Worse, their food is terrible. I know, I know: who goes to a dive for the food? However, they make a big deal out of their burgers offering natural Oregon Country beef (cool) and a long deli-style menu of topping options (including avo, bacon, pickled veg and fried egg!) to choose from a la cart. I've ordered said burger twice. The first time I was a little disappointed in an oh well maybe they're having an off night kind of way. The second time was terrible; each time cost me around $12 with fries. The last time the burger was tiny & way overcooked (i.e. past well done) and the bun was somehow toasted AND ice cold. Had been toasted then stored in the freezer? Idk. The toppings were likewise skimpy and oddly bland. My companion's burger was marginally bigger but otherwise just as bad. I won't be ordering another.
(2)Chad C.
I've been here twice. Once while it was incredibly busy and once when completely empty. The building is terribly under-air conditioned and there are not enough open windows/doors to support the interior not feeling muggy and disgusting when busy. However, my second trip I was advised of this concept known as "Build a Burger." Ingredients are fresh, nearly any combination of things imaginable (buns, bread, meats, non-meats, sauces) and most are included for the base price that I can't quite recall at the moment. For late night burgers that are really, really good, I can't think of another place to go.
(4)Jim C.
I've driven by this place for years and never gave it any thought, then I saw on Pinball Map that they have four pinball tables, so I stopped by. The place is pretty small, but loaded with character. Full of 70s knick-knacks, retro-stuff and oddities in a building that looks like a castle. It was lunchtime, so I ordered a Bloody Mary and a hamburger. The Bloody Mary was very well mixed and slightly spicy. The hamburger appeared hand-formed. It was cooked juicy medium-well and served on a bakery hamburger bun instead of the spongy, mass-produced bun that most places serve. Some of the fries were nice and crispy, but some were kind of limp. Overall, the food was very good, though, and above average for a bar. I'll definitely be back to try more food here and play pinball again.
(4)Jessi G.
This place is so rad there was an album put out to prove it. 21 bands (that frequent The Club) and 21 songs about (duh) Club 21. "The Mercury office is in no man's land as far as dining options go. For as many great mom 'n' pop markets, delis, and restaurants as this city has, we're stuck amid soda bottling warehouses, the KATU building, and a lot of houses. Thank god, then, for Club 21 with its stiff drinks, loveable servers, and great food. A longtime Mercury favorite, the Club is also popular with Portland music-makers..Fuck yeah. indeed..." Adam Gnade myspace.com/clubtwentyone Drinks = Yes please Bartenders = Fuck ya!
(5)Christy H.
Diggity Divey dive this place. Just a little off the beaten path. This little wonder can be missed but if you happen to find it and stop on in, you won't be disappointed. This place has some serious character. It reminds me of an old church or a European ski lodge. They have a ton of super cool old school vintage beer signs all over the inside. Some are some real originals I have never seen before. They have a nice pull down screen for blazers games. The bar itself has a few seating. There are tables and booth options as well. There are 4 pinball machines and one video lottery game. This place is small so it can fill up fast. Sometimes the line at the bar can get a little crazy if a lot of people are ordering food. The bartender serves the food sometimes as well so just be a little patient. The happy hour menu rocks. I ordered the burger and fries basket. Total was $6. The patty was super thick and cooked medium rare. Awesome! More than I expected for a happy hour menu choice. Fries were thick cut and lightly salted. I was very impressed by the food. The happy hour drink prices are good as well. I drank Jamison neat. $5.50 a glass. Not bad.
(4)UJ W.
Yummmmyyyyy burgers!!!! They have a way cool build-your-own-burger menu with a dry erase marker. You pick out everything, starting with Natural Oregon Beef, then all kinds of sauces including some seriously hot ghost sauce...uh thank goodness I ordered this on the side because unlike most restaurants - when they said "hot", they actually meant "F-ing HOT"...like I could only try a taste. Then you add one of many cheeses, avocado, various varieties of onions, you name it -- basically whatever you might dream of on your burger and Voila! Yumminess!!!! Drinks were super good too and the price was certainly decent. Also, my boyfriend loved his BLT sandwich. Ok - the down sides - I can't take stars away for the clientele, but it got a little over hipster-ish a little over early. Not that there's anything wrong with hipsters. Hell, I hope to be one someday! But the line at the bar got a bit long. The ambiance and/or décor is super old -- like from before PDX was referred to as PDX and was just a city nobody had really heard of -- which makes me really happy because I lived here back then and it made me feel like I was sneaking into a bar before I was 21. There was a deer head mounted on the wall wearing some kind of glitter boa and some really old light fixtures. I kinda loved them both. I also loved the bartender/waitress. She was very friendly and helpful. Anyway, I can't wait to go back...early.
(5)Bullwinkle J.
Solid dive bar: - Cheap drinks - Cheap and tasty food - Good happy hour - Games (both arcade and pinball) - No windows Makes the list.
(4)Christopher P.
The veggie burger here is one of the best veggie burgers I've had in town and I've tried a LOT of them. The topping/cheese/spice choices are great and the onion rings were thick and tasty. I can't wait to go back! It's so nice to find good vegetarian food in this area!
(4)Alena C.
I love Club 21! The bartenders are always great. The Patio is nice on sunny days, and the food list has a lot of meatless options. The veggie burger is soo cheesy and good, you won't miss the meat! The interior is very woodsman and cozy, with a game or two. Come and stay a bit!
(4)Rachael S.
Old School punk bar at it's finest. The night we came in, they had live music. Good crowd, LOUD. Kitchy old bar decor. We came to wake a family member who's favorite bar was this one. Very fitting send off for him. There was plenty of room for us to sit as we came in at the tail end of happy hour. They did kick us out of our tables when the band set up. They clear off the top section of everything to put the band up. Then all the tables go away in the section of the bar nearest the "stage". The bouncer was nice and gave us a 30 minute warning so we could finish up our food and move. Stiff drinks doesn't even touch it! Think 5/6 gin, 1/6 tonic. Burger was good, tots were good. House sauce is of course, thousand island. Plenty of it. Good old flat top greasy burger. I would come eat here again! No cocktail waitress, get up and order your own drink. It did get quite crowded when the folks there to see the band started filing up to the bar to order. Would have been nice if they had more than one bar tender at that point. Overall, nice people, friendly service.
(4)Alyssa C.
I came here for Portland Burger Week out of curiosity to try this unique looking Perkin burger, which was sort of a burger meets french dip style concoction I'd heard good things about. I was surprised when I pulled up because it looked like a strip club on the outside, but I thought hey - let's give this thing a whirl (namely, all the other burger joints were sold out and I was freaking starving! There was a line to order at the bar, which I totally understand because hey - it's Burger Week! Portlanders take their burgers seriously. I ordered our burgers (fries or onion rings were only $1 to add on which was awesome!) - it wasn't until after I had my beer (boneyard IPA for the win!) that she told us it'd be an hour wait. Damn! I was so hungry I wish I'd known before she'd poured my beer, but we went ahead and waited. True to form, it was exactly one hour by the time we got our food, but the server was so polite and nice despite the rush, it was all good. The burger was actually super yummy! (or maybe I was just really hungry?) But I probably wouldn't go back here, which is why I give it 3 stars. It's a dive bar, and we couldn't sit on the patio because there were so many people smoking up a storm. It's super dark and small and full of ash trays and video poker, which just isn't my style. But if that's your style - definitely check this place out! While I liked the burger, I don't know if I'd ever order it again - I think I'll opt for the more traditional burger and then get a french dip when I'm feeling it - rather than combine the two.
(3)Bruno D.
I've come to this place often and usually I've had a great time but I just had two experiences that made me feel awful/angry and have me questioning if I'll ever come back. No, I'm not a person who freaks out over every petty little thing. Apparently, you're not allowed to use the phone here. I went to Club 21 for dinner tonight after work, ordered some food and a beer and started eating/drinking. Then my mother called me. I started talking to her while sitting at the bar and everything was fine...Until after about 15 minutes, the bartender came over and asked me if I wanted to close out, which of course is fine. She then said, "You can't sit at the bar and be on the phone. It's rude! You're not going to be served if you sit at the bar on the phone" loudly enough for other patrons (and my mother) to hear. I said nothing, paid my check and left her a tip because I don't believe in not tipping people, even if stuff like this happens. The other night, the same bartender yelled at me for walking into the bar while on the phone with my girlfriend. I had not even ordered. I just left at that point. I'm honestly infuriated about the whole thing (really, you can't talk on the phone here?!) and I don't want to go back. I know there are some great people working at this place but these experiences have really left me with a bad taste in my mouth to say the least.
(1)Jeremy L.
Open late, drink prices are okay, and the patio is great an a warm Summer night. Decent little neighborhood bar.
(3)Benjamin P.
Went there on a saturday lunchtime for Burger week, delicious burger, nice patio! Will come back to see ehat it is like at night.
(4)Hungrylone W.
Went here today for Portland Burger week. The staff was doing a good job of keeping up on orders despite how busy the place was. The outside patio is nice. This is a nice little dive bar, and the burger was very good.
(4)Jennelle B.
I went here for burger week. The burger was better than some of the other fancier places I've been to. It's a nice big dive bar with a sweet patio. As far as dives go, this one take the cake. I will definitely be back.
(5)Matt L.
I want to say it's not my scene, because that seems like the sort of thing people say, but the truth is it doesn't matter. The drinks are good - like, real good and stiff. The food is pretty good. The fenced-in outside seating is pretty great. There are usually random movies showing inside - sometimes two movies, even. It's really not a bad place to be, if you're in the neighborhood. Don't let the faux-castle-exterior fool you.
(4)Adrienne I.
We clearly have to start this review by saying that Club 21 appears from the outside like some crazy castle. When you go inside its dark and nasty with a kind of 70's vibe. It was empty the night I went but the bartender was really nice. Most of the patrons were busy with the video poker machines. This place mostly made me feel sad. I will report that I have had friends tell me this place got a new booker for shows and the music isnt bad. Unfortunately, I don't live to far by and I have never heard anything but really bad cover bands.
(2)Chrisi B.
I've driven past this decades-old place a hundred times and never knew what to make of it. Earlier this year my guy started a new job nearby and we decided to investigate further. It's not a strip club. It's not a castle. Contrary to the big sign on the roof, there are no steaks served, "for your enjoyment" or otherwise. Inside, it's dark and divey, decorated ala 1970's bachelor basement, complete with wood paneling, retro beer signs, a creepy snake hide on the wall and a bunch of pinball machines. Blech, you say? Turns out, Club 21 is the place to go for a freakin' awesome burger. They make perfect tater tots. And there's RC Cola on tap. YES!! I'm kind of a tater tot junkie, and on the first visit to 21, we were trying to decide whether to sub tots for fries along with our burgers, or order an extra side of them. The cook overheard our debate, and the baskets arrived Overflowing with tots. Seriously--I ate until I was stuffed. I took more than half of them home, which I dug into at dinnertime. I scrambled some with eggs the next morning. And there were still tots left. I was hooked. Then I discovered what could be the best burger in Portland. The Club 21 burger comes with bacon, an onion ring, lettuce, tomato bacon jam, and a slab of smoked gouda almost as thick as the meat. It's enormous, fantastic, and only $8 (a buck less during happy hour, which goes til 7PM every day). It can be difficult to wrangle and difficult to finish, but you will want to eat every last bite. Creative folks should order the Build-A-Burger. Each table has a laminated menu and dry erase marker for you to construct your meaty masterpiece. Choose from 53(!) ingredient options, including: type of meat, bread, spices, sauce, cheese, veggies, condiments and extras such as grilled pineapple, fried egg, roasted red peppers or maple ham. Add to this one of the six side options, and you won't be hungry again for a week. There are other sandwiches on the menu, including a monte cristo, pulled pork, chicken parm and a mushroom swiss veggie burger. I will confess that I have never tried any of them; I get a burger and tots every time. They're too good to pass up. Club 21 also has friendly bartenders who know their stuff, a digital jukebox loaded with tunes ranging from The Violent Femmes to Johnny Cash, and a decent-sized patio tucked behind a privacy wall, with umbrellas and heaters. What more could you want?
(5)Jess P.
This place is seedy. I like it! Poorly lit, a plethora of pinball machines, half-cleared tables. Of course, true to Portland, this bar proves that bar food can be something close to spectacular. The menu hosts your staples- wings, burgers, and greasy fried things. But it gets creative. There's fun sauces, there's a build your own section, there's ranier-battered onion rings. Vegheads- the veggie burger is outstanding. Anaheim peppers, chipotle mayo, pepperjack- wow. For the meat eaters- even more choices, I'm sure you'll walk away quite pleased. The wait for our food was fairly atrocious, but it is a bar... and it was oddly crowded for a Tuesday night. I don't think I'll be venturing over just to eat their food. But if I'm in the neighborhood (climbing at the Circuit, most likely), I have no objection to stopping by.
(3)Ann O.
A grand drinking destination and a pleasant unexpected surprise. Best spanish coffee I've ever had.
(5)Andrew H.
I love this place! This is quickly becoming one of my favorite bars. It really has it all: Good beer: not an insane amount of taps but what they do have on tap is usually ALL-GOOD. Boneyard and Double Mountain are always represented. Good food: this almost warrants its own separate review. If you're an indecisive person, I suggest you NEVER get a burger here. If, however, you love having FREEDOM OF CHOICE...the burger options here are insane. Your life is not long enough to try every burger that you could make here. The options her aren't like "do you want that to come with pickles/lettuce/onion?", they are like what kind of MEAT? Ok. Now, what kind of BUN? Ok. Now, what kind of seasonings! (seriously, you get to dictate how THEY season YOUR meat, pretty cool huh?) The best part of this? You don't have to nervously try to remember all your options and then hurriedly tell them to the waitress before you forget. Oh no, you get a laminated menu and you can just sit back and tick all the boxes that you want. It's like a Meyers-Brigs survey, and we're going to find out what kind of BURGER you are at the the end. Oh, and they are CHEAP. Everything starts at a reassuring $6 (it's becoming hard to get a non-slider burger for six bucks in this town, a disturbing trend) I know what you're thinking though "yeah, six bucks sounds good Andrew, but what about all those options? Are they all a dollar each? Is this going to be wallet-death-by-ala-cart? Is this burger going to escalate to THIRTEEN BUCKS*?!" To that I can confidently say: "no." The more deluxe options might cost you a dollar, but the vast majority of options/ingredients/toppings do not. Good atmosphere: it's quirky. But in sort of a genuine, endearing way. Not in the "I just moved to Portland from Ohio, I got a pad on Hawthorne, I bought skinny jeans, a Chrome® iPad case, and some horn-rimmed glasses, I'm just so qUirkY"-way. The feel kind of reminds me of...I don't know, like a hunter's lodge, in Minnesota, in the 70's. It kind of has an old, rustic, kitschy sort of feel. I like it. There is almost always some weird-ass cult movie playing or some weird-ass cult music, playing. Oh, and on the outside it very very much looks like a Gentleman's Club...the name even sounds like it. And you park IN BACK OF IT, so as to shield your car...again, just like that *other* type of club. It also kind of reminds me of a "Steak-and-Ale" restaurant (whatever happened to those?). Good service: the people here are genuine, and talkative, and nice. Other: by the reviews I'm guessing this place went through a radical transformation lately and is the same as the former "Club 21" in name only. I'm glad. The version of this place that existed a couple years ago sounds scary and dirty. And not the good kind. Other:Other: if you are a fan of hot foods (like me) you can make yourself an extremely hot burger here if you choose your toppings wisely, it's awesome.
(5)Thelonious F.
After our original bartender bailed on us, shoo in a male bartender who was appalled the original bartender bailed early. I was ready to cash out, but had to wait for him to stop cussing behind the bar. I tipped and ran out the door. After checking my bank statement today, someone added 2 dollars to the total. They lost a loyal customer.
(1)Corrie H.
This is a great dive bar (cozy, kitschy, friendly) with an added bonus: a build-your-own-burger menu. You take the laminate menu and mark what you want. Want a Smoky Pepper Barbecue Chicken Burger? They can do that. Want a Pineapple Teriyaki Jalapeño Veggie Burger? They can do that. Want a Tomato Bacon Jam Beef Burger with a Fried Egg, Onion Straws and Blue Cheese? They can do that. Faced with so many options, we wimped out, and ordered two readymade items: the Philly Cheese Steak and the Original Perkin Burger (with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, club sauce, and au jus). Both were yummy, but the Philly was outstanding. Our total, for both sandwiches and 4 beers? 30 dollars. Nice! One other thing to note: this place is crowded, and you order at the bar. So there may not be a table, even at 7pm on a weekday night, and you may wait a while for your beer refills. But the staff are friendly and efficient.
(4)Mark B.
Under new ownership [well, since September of 2011], by the people who own Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne. Dive bar at it's finest. Live bands [great acoustics in the building], cheap ass beer, nice patio. See this" endhits.portlandmercury.…
(4)Julie T.
Wow, just like a backwoods bar of my Oregonian youth. This place is truly a dive-y gem. The breakfast was solid, the bloody mary was spicy-fantastic and had plenty of kick, and I laughed my ass off at the comedy breakfast show. Places like this are what make Portland so awesome.
(4)Tim P.
Yeah it's a hobbit house, that's what the bartender called it. Small but perfect draught craft brew selection. Club 21 burger was messy drippy awesome washed down with vaporizer ipa. Good music on the juke and eye candy behind the bar. That's what a 5 star joint is all about.
(5)Sarah D.
They have the best burgers! Onion rings were good too. Inexpensive, delicious and a cool, better then a dive bar atmosphere. We'll be back for sure. Bartender was also sweet and charming.
(5)Mark B.
I liked the atmosphere and the drink. I would definitely go again
(4)kelly s.
No, it's not a strip club, but it's almost as awesome as one! Club 21 is an oft overlooked weirdo on the corner which once inside, has a nice amount of quirky dive to love. Drinks are cheap, service is friendly, there is a good assortment of classic pinball, at least 3 machines, but there might be a fourth I'm forgetting. For the smokers of the world, or those who just like a good bar patio, your needs are served too on the back porch. Best feature of all you ask??!! THE BURGER MENU: You get a little laminated form with a dry erase pen and about a million prospective ingredients to build your own burger with, and yes, it is delicious. Cheap, delicious, and build your own burger menus with dry erase markers... what's not to love? OOH I almost forgot, pretty good hip hop assortment playing through the not so shabby acoustics in here add to the fun.
(4)Elle L.
Even with a great band and a lively crowd, nothing can rectify finding a fingernail clipping in one's drink. EDITED TO ADD: My sister just relayed to me that her food order was incorrect, she ate two bites anyway, then promptly vomited it up. Mind you, she wasn't even drunk, because her vodka-cranberry drink had little/no alcohol in it.
(1)Stephen L.
Club 21 is right by our office, so I've been here a number of times. Mostly go for lunch, and since it's kind of dark inside, it feels a bit odd to be in this dark bar at lunchtime. But the extensive burger options always provides a new combination of flavors so it never gets boring. Then to mix it up sometimes, I'll get the fried chicken sandwich. The burgers are cooked to order, the meat is good quality, and the toppings are fresh. One tip would be to not go overboard with all the options on the menu... things get kinda messy if you choose stuff from each category. The fries are also nice and crisp, and I love nice and crispy fries with a little ketchup mixed with Sriracha. Yum. You know it's a good joint because they have several bottles of Sriracha around. Have also been there for beers on the patio, which is fantastic when the sun is out. The tap selection isn't extensive but I can always find something that I'm happy with. I would recommend Club 21 to anyone looking for a good burger, fries, and something on tap. Don't be scared off by the dark interior... the staff is always friendly and brightens the place up. Or just wait until summer and sit outside.
(4)Zastruga Z.
Burger week. I feel I should cut them some slack because they were unusually slammed.... That being said, The Original Perkin Burger was amazing. Service so/so but they are a 'dive' bar and its burger week! The bartender knew a lot of people's names which always impresses me but was a bit short and dismissive with new comers. Didn't bother me because the food was good and the beer was on time but the couple standing next to me didn't love it and decided to go somewhere else. I have a feeling it would take about 3 times before they had my name down too. Over all I would come back.
(4)meganoodle z.
Great veggie burger, covered in a whole green chile and avocado! Yum! Burger costs $7. Cheap beer is cold. Location is convenient.
(4)Hannah E.
Nice updates without changing the vibe of the dive bar. It feels like a dive bar, but super clean and new. Same owners as the Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne, but completely different vibe. However, knowing this you could see the similarities between the two. Good food. We had the Build Your Own Burger, for only 6 Bucks it was a good deal. Beef, White Cheddar, Avocado, Bacon, House Sauce, Garlic Mayo, Veggies. It was HUGE! Meat wasn't overly impressive like Serrato or Slow Bar, but a definite step up from your average burger. You get a choice of side, we got tots. We also got a side salad, which was huge and fresh. And Jalepeno Poppers, which were quite impressive. Huge and had good batter. All in all we would return. But I may prefer the Gold Dust over this place- even if it is a bit too hip and crowded for my liking. 4 stars for the Vibe and the Food. The food wasn't Great, but it was darn good for a dive bar. And I love the atmosphere. Service was good.
(4)Mac M.
You get 4 stars automatically if you're unapologetic about being a prototypical dive bar with dubious "food" choices and no windows. "You get what you pay for." - that's never been a truer statement when it comes to Club 21. If you want a place to stop along the road of drunkenness, don't want to be hassled, and you aren't very hungry - this is the spot for you.
(4)Zachary S.
I'm really glad this is my neighborhood bar, great burgers, good cheap beer.
(5)Laura C.
My friend has made it her mission to try every burger in town that been raved about (by friends, papers or online reviews) and she'd heard Club 21 had a good one. That was an understatement. It was phenomenal! We had soo much fun picking our topping and marking them on the laminated card. We also loved the options of sauces and high end cheeses. Only problem is, you still have it in your head that you are buying a $6 burger, but most sides are a dollar extra. Even so, you'd probably pay $12 for a burger at Red Robin, so if you're going to spend that kind of money, buy it at Club 21. As for the decor, it's dive-y. There's a stripper pole, but no stage. That was a relief. The beer is cheap and there's a giant movie sized screen to watch football or the Blazers on. We had a great time, but felt sick from how much we ate (it was all so good we finished off everything). That was a good thing.
(5)Cassidy D.
Stiff drinks at average prices keep this place on my radar, but the lack of *any* vegan options and no table service irks me. I'll generally only go if my carnivore friends beg.
(3)Kristine P.
Perfect dive bar meets hamburger joint. Stiff drinks, low price, and delicious burgers and tots. Oh yeah, they've got tots. Great place to meet with friends for happy hour.
(4)Ann L.
Don't go to this place. More for me.
(5)jen h.
A great neighborhood dive bar at it finest. This is always the place I want to go when when feeling low key and just want to grab a drink, get some food and chill. The burgers and sandwiches are consistently great, they use the good free range meat too, not the cheap stuff. The home made veggie burger is awesome, it has fresh avocado, and roasted Anaheim chilies. Yum! And their french fries...um yes please. I haven't done their build a burger yet, since their chefs know what their doing, and I hate making that many decisions. They have good pinball games, a huge patio that they heat(sometimes) in the winter, and they show movies or the Blazer game on a big screen. Oh, they have bottomless mimosas during weekend brunch, for like ten bucks! The staff is good, Amy is awesome and always smiling, and her drink specials can get dangerously delicious. Sometimes the music gets a little too metal for me, and I tend to stay away on the weekends when they have shows, because this place gets packed!
(4)Liz R.
DELICIOUS. The patio is fantastic. The bartenders have a heavy hand and the Sunday brunch has bottom-less mimoas. All good things. Though I fret about the winter and lack of patio addition of rain. Time will tell. The boyfriend and I love this place.
(5)Colleen B.
This is totally my kind of bar! They have a good bar food menu (chicken fingers, tots, fries, hummus, etc), super cheap drinks and a good vibe. There is a nice sized enclosed patio for your outdoor pleasure. Big huge bonus for Jackie the bartender, she is amazing...apparently she's into the mixology so don't fear asking her for a concoction of the fruity variety.
(4)Ann D.
Oh, Club 21. Where to start? First, I've lived within stumbling distance of this place for over three years. If you're gonna drink here, that's important. Either that, or have a cab company's number memorized. You will be drunk when you leave here. In every sense of the word this place is a dive. The crowd is "eclectic" to say the least. You will find everyone from hipsters to blue collar workers from the dairy here. You will see old ladies chainsmoking and playing video poker here. A good mix. The bar is always brightly lit, and since the bartenders pour some seriously stiff drinks in this place, this isn't always good. The drinks are strong and cheap!!! The bar tends to get a little too smokey for my taste, which sucks in the winter, but they have a patio to sit on which is a great way to escape the smoke and get some fresh air. I wanted to give Club 21 5 stars, but I can't because bartender Dave has left town! He made this place more enjoyable for me. An aging rocker who had to wear bifocals to read the credit cards. Too cute. Plus he remembered our drinks after only going there once. That's a great bartender. Club 21 is still divealicious, but it's not quite the same without Dave.
(4)Lauren G.
You guys, they put starlight mints in the video poker tray where change would fall if you were in Vegas! I love that! If there's one thing (besides the mints) this bar is; it's well-lit. I have big plans to come here and read a book. If there's a second thing, it's that it's supremely awesome. It's called Club 21 and it looks like a tiny castle. What on earth more could I ask for?
(4)Kimberly V.
Proud sign on the roof says "Steaks for your enjoyment." It doesn't mention the lung cancer. Club 21 gives you both plus booze. JB says the steaks are good. I would corroborate, but I can't taste a damn thing. P.S. It is also located in the parking lot across from an office I used to work in where two women in my former department managed to get knocked up within the last year. NOT ME. In your face, fate!
(4)Richard B.
love this f'n place, one of my top dive bars (not that i frequent other types of bars) only reason it doesn't get five stars is the poker machines always lure my drunk ass in, but it's all good still love you, be drunk in the castle again soon.
(4)Colin P.
The ol' C21, it's my favorite Sandy dive. The drinks are cheap and stiff, it's dark and smokey, and the fryer oil hasn't been changed for decades. With the Sandy Hut in the immediate vicinity, Club 21 experienced quite an explosion of white belts and converse during my regular visits, but it never reached the intolerable level of obnoxiousness that seems prevalent across the street. Quintessential Portland hole with plenty of lottery and an internet juke.
(5)heidi l.
i am in love with amy and her weekend creations! my boyfriend and i bike a little over four miles just so i can have her chicken fried steak in homemade gravy. i love that she has specials and switches things up, however i cant stray from the chicken fried steak. what a perfect breakfast spot with no wait, cheap mimosas, awesome food and bad movies (bad in a good way). i think the only thing that could make it better is if it was closer to home, but then i wouldn't be able to burn off my breakfast...
(5)Jenny H.
I just spent a good 45 minutes (paid for by my employer. Thanks, boss!) falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole reading up on the definitions/origins of "dive bar" and "hipster." Don't do it now. It'll exhaust you. But I've been intrigued by Yelpers throwing the two terms around all over the place to describe anything involving smoky atmospheres and white belts (do hipsters even wear white belts anymore?), and I wanted to see what actually applies. Let's get back to basics, friends. And while I'm not going to attempt to dissect the anatomical make-up of a heepster, I would like to put what I presume to be a dive bar, Club 21, to the Wikipedia definition of "dive bar" Official Test: "Downmarket drinking establishment servicing a working-class clientele." CHECK So the Wikipedia page for "dive bar" was actually really disappointing. But my dive bar Official Test calls for half-assed interior decorating that usually includes a dim atmosphere with the occasional handmade sign and a liberal amount of dust/ash, a veritable cornucopia of clientele (old men! Workers! Alcoholics! Maybe a dash of the eye-lined and well styled fleet of you-know-who!), video lottery, and maybe uninspired yet reliable drinks; and Club 21 indeed fits that bill. Please don't change, Club 21. You're there when we need you, like when it gets too rowdy at the Slut or I get a mean hankering of tots after midnight. Your lumpy booths are charming, and I can't get over the wee flat-screen TVs now installed at each booth (!!). Also I like that you sound vaguely strip-clubby and look like an enchanted castle in the middle of a parking lot.
(3)Eva J.
cheap drinks woot woot! Ok besides the fact that when you walk in the overwhelming smell of greasy fried double fried triple fried fries. The crowd is quite eclectic. I saw your standard toothless, dirty hot mess sitting at the bar playing some game, another table of hipsters, another table of mid-30's couples that were quite toasty and some singles that were all enjoying themselves. So besides the grease stink and as obvious that this place is a dive, everyone was a regular and they were drinking. Which is precisely what you do at dives. This place is hardly about pretense. Just go for the cheap drinks and cheap eats without concern for what you are actually digesting.
(3)Josh L.
If you like dive bars, this is a good one to start at. Nothing on the walls, poor lighting, and a sketchy bathroom is all part of the charm of this nice little bar.
(4)Hazel G.
Tired of waiting in line for weekend breakfast? Club 21 has awesome breakfast specials on Saturday and Sunday. Add drink specials and good movies and you've got a great way to spend an afternoon.
(5)Tom B.
Hate the gentrification of Portland - won't be here a lot longer. However Club 21 - "The Club" to me - is a delightful exception to the trendy craze. Has the best burgers in town, cooked any way you want. You can pay more, sometimes a lot more, and get some trendy description - "made from virgin cows who only listen to soothing music and drink bottled water ..." The food is very good, drinks cheap and good and the staff friendly - please tip well. The only thing keeping form 5 stars is sometimes hard to find a seat outside and a bit too much smoking for my taste.
(4)Vani O.
It was not my choice to come to this establishment, but I wanted to try out the hippy-dippy, new age Portland spirit, so I said "flup it"! But boy was I in for a treat when I walked into this dingy, barely lit, and foul place that might have been a good place to film a scene for one of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. Again, I was trying to put my hippy, free love and peace pants on, but the final nail was the nasty female bartender. Apparently that type of attitude is normal to North Portlanders, but the broad acted like she was doing me a favor by gracing me with her presence. Pfft, as if, not even the dirt cheap beers ($2, excellent price) could convince me to come back to this place. So yeah, if you like textbook dive bars with shitty service and tables covered in hair and unidentifiable filth (must be why it's so dark), you will certainly love this place! Otherwise, steer far, far away.
(1)Matt E.
OK, it might not be the craftiest of cocktail bars to grace Portlandia with its presence. But on the dive bar scale? Club 21 is tops. Inside you've got a small, dark and cozy space primarily lit by a line of kick-ass pinball games (Walking Dead pinball? Yes please!), and decor that I could only describe as made by the coolest taxidermist on Etsy. Stuffed animals intermingle with odd dioramas and vintage beer signs also enjoy prominent placement. Everywhere your eye lands, there's something interesting to check out. Club 21 is clearly old and some would say that it's in need of a remodel, but I think it's perfect. And the fact that whomever had control of the jukebox was on a serious David Bowie kick? The icing on the cake. Outside there's a decent sized patio that really isn't much more than a bunch of tables. That's ok, because the people watching is top notch, and there were a ton of dogs joining in on the fun. Dog friendly patios are the best, and this one seems to be about the friendliest. There are tables of various sizes, so whether it's just you and your lover or a whole a group of friends, there's a table that fits your needs! The beer selection isn't huge, but it is decent and affordable. I didn't try to drink anything other than a couple of different drafts, but it is a full bar. Not sure if they have any sort of specials of which you should be aware. The food is great! We did both the tots and the french fries, and both came out in orders that could only be described as irresponsibly large. Fortunately, I'm irresponsible and we ate them all! The burgers are highly customizable and delicious. I'll definitely be back soon for brunch, because they have breakfast tacos. Who doesn't want a dive bar breakfast taco? I know that I sure do. I love drinking, and I love doing it in Portland. But sometimes the "EVERYTHING IS HIGHLY CONCEPTED AND OH-SO-COOL" vibe can get not only tiring but expensive. I'm so glad that I was introduced to a laid back, fun and pretension free dive bar so close to my apartment. I'll be back!
(5)Chan M.
Burger week 2015. Thursday night and got there around 10:15. Not sold out on the special and, what's more? Great whiskey lemonade cocktail for burger week. Sure, had to wait - but well worth it. Loved the burger, particularly the cole slaw topping. Great music, nice staff, total dive. Love it.
(5)Megan S.
They were so rude to us we went alway from beaverton with bus for burger week and they denied us Service because my friend is 18 rude bartender
(1)Tres B.
This bar exemplifys Portland. Quriky, odd, pinballmachines. Its in an ardoable old storybook house c1930. dimly lit and with friendly bartenders, its a dive bar with an slightly jaunty tip to its hat. Lots ofof "regualrs" and a good selection of local and national beers.
(4)Deanna N.
Ok, so I went here on an interwebs date. He picked it. The moment I walked in, I was like "hell yeah" I am back in Los Angeles. The building alone with the Spanish style turette you walk through, I was like score. Then come to find they have build your own burger. You literally mark the menu with all the condiments you want like ordering sushi. Their burger was amazing as was the side caeser salad. And I loved the antler decor inside. Seriously, this is a new it list for me. I miss LA, this brings me back to my time running around in my 20's being a hipsterrette along Sunset with my best gal pals.
(5)Kristina K.
A place named Club 21 in Portland has got to be a strip club or dance place, right? Turns out, neither. Club 21 is a well-liked neighborhood dive bar with no windows and a bright outdoor space. We joined a dozen Portlander to try Club 21's take on Portland Burger Week (Painted Hills ground chuck, bacon, smoked Gouda, lettuce, tomato-bacon jam, & topped with an onion ring). Club 21 cooks their burgers on an outdoor grill, probably one of the few burger participants that do! Unfortunately, the char didn't overtake the minor flaws. The burger was good in theory but not all there in execution. The patty was noticeably smaller than the bun. I wished the layer of tomato-bacon jam was thicker in order to lend much needed moisture to the dry patty and bun filled bites. Overall, okay burger, service and space.
(3)DizzyIzzy D.
This is the best dive bar in NE Portland. The build your own burger menu is expansive, but not expensive. The food is surprisingly super good. I would have given it 5 stars except you have to order and pre-pay at the bar.
(4)Sarah A.
I enjoy their food but have never been treated worse by any bartender then here. Step it up and treat people like they are worth your time.
(2)Christopher P.
The veggie burger here is one of the best veggie burgers I've had in town and I've tried a LOT of them. The topping/cheese/spice choices are great and the onion rings were thick and tasty. I can't wait to go back! It's so nice to find good vegetarian food in this area!
(4)Alena C.
I love Club 21! The bartenders are always great. The Patio is nice on sunny days, and the food list has a lot of meatless options. The veggie burger is soo cheesy and good, you won't miss the meat! The interior is very woodsman and cozy, with a game or two. Come and stay a bit!
(4)Sarah C.
When I first became aware of Build-A-Bear I thought it was the neatest idea for my nieces to make their very own bear the way they wanted it. Club 21 has Build-A-Burger ($6) where adults can create their own burger the way they want it. I love it. I can mark up a laminate menu, which contains over 50 ingredients to make a burger, & about 15-20 minutes later my creation will appear before me. The side tots (add $1) were crispy on the outside, soft in the inside & they were fantastic. They give you a lot, too. The side caesar salad (add $1) had a significant about of lemon squeeze & dressing but turned out to be a great tasting salad. Their HH is M-F 3pm-7pm. $1 off all food items, $1 off wine, & $0.50 cents off drafts & wells. HH that runs this late is great especially when we have to work later than expected or coming from a distance. The wells were stiff, the beers on tap (Double Mountain Vaporizer, Boneyard RPM, & Ninkasi Sleigh'r) were good, & the Blazers were playing on the big projector screen & so all of this made for a fun night before heading to the Hollywood to watch a movie. Another plus was their cozy fireplace. It kept us warm when the doors to the bar & also the doors to the outdoor, covered, heated patio were swung open, which happened quite often. Check out Club 21 for HH, to watch a game, to play pool, use their dingy bathroom, or whatever but just know this, you're going to love it when you do.
(4)Paige H.
I love dive bars. More so, I love dive bars with good food! I've driven past this place before, but kind of always assumed it was a strip club based on the name and the fact that the outside looks like a tacky little castle. On a quest for affordable dinner options, this place come up as being close and affordable with high ratings so we decided to give it a go. I'm so glad we did! The food is good - we built our burgers; fried chicken on texas toast for the man and beef on texas toast with the works for me - and the beer is cold. They are set up like a poor man's Dave and Busters with arcade games everywhere in some sort of hunting lodge/castle thing, but somehow it works. It definitely has personality. The service is friendly too! This will be my new hole in the wall (sort of) go-to bar. Well done, guys!
(4)matthew s.
You do a great job at what you do. So happy to have you in the neighborhood. Food is great for a bar. Drinks are cheap and service is great also. No bad comments. Can't wait to go back
(4)Tim B.
Dive bar with great service, nice patio, pin ball, full bar, and great food. Had a burger with fries today and it was really awesome, particularly for $7. They also have shows and support awesome local music. If you suck, you will hate it, so don't come here and complain about it. In fact, this place sucks, don't come here.
(5)Chad C.
I've been here twice. Once while it was incredibly busy and once when completely empty. The building is terribly under-air conditioned and there are not enough open windows/doors to support the interior not feeling muggy and disgusting when busy. However, my second trip I was advised of this concept known as "Build a Burger." Ingredients are fresh, nearly any combination of things imaginable (buns, bread, meats, non-meats, sauces) and most are included for the base price that I can't quite recall at the moment. For late night burgers that are really, really good, I can't think of another place to go.
(4)Michelle L.
Let me walk you through this joint. First off, the name "Club 21" makes me think of someplace in Cancun that caters to underage suburb kids who order kamikaze shots. But then you get there and behold the castle-like facade. From the outside it looks like a reject Medieval Times. I'm thinking whole roasted chicken eaten with bare hands and jousting out back. Then you walk under the arch through the front door and the decor is more like a hunter's lodge occupied by a schizophrenic. Wood paneled walls, mounted deer heads, creepy dolls, weird velvet paintings of naked chicks and gladiators. At this point I gave up and just went with the randomness of it all. Did I think I was going to get one of the best burgers I've ever had at a place like this? Nope, but there is the beauty in it. Even better, the menu is laminated and you mark off exactly what you want. For reference I get grass fed beef seasoned with s&p, burger bun, sharp white cheddar, lettuce, tomato, caramelized whiskey onions, and their club sauce which is thousand islandy. Every time. Can't help it. My man usually orders something different because he's a sane person and accepts the fact that there is probably more than one good thing on the menu. So I know the veggie burger is delicious, as well as other combinations of burger awesomeness. So many options and all really good. Other things I love about Club 21- they are always playing great music. Good selection of pinball machines, like Demolition Man and Judge Dredd. Usually chill people in attendance, although we normally go on weekdays. Things to know - apparently this is a popular place to go to for Blazers games, so it gets packed. And when it's packed it can take a while to order/get a drink at the bar because usually it's just one person behind there. My favorite cook is the guy with longish blonde hair and a burly beard. His burger game is on point. Nice, heated outdoor area. Long bathroom lines if it's hoppin'. Sometimes a bartender hates your guts for no reason, but that's pretty much every bar. We've been to this place like a million times in the 5 months we've lived in Portland, and it will forever hold a place in our hearts because not only did we discover it pretty early, but because it's too weird not to love.
(4)Patrick S.
what!?! i said, this is an amazing fucking burger! yeah it is! what!?! shut up and gimme some hot sauce. i love the fries... tots too! that's nice. what!?! mmmmm... burger.
(4)Patrick M.
I could possibly live here. Super yummy fried pickles, friendly staff, cheap drinks. I love the quirky decor and especially the raised tables near the back of the place. A great spot to catch up with a friend on a cold, crummy Portland day. Don't let the outside fool you- the interior has it all. I would love to go back for a bottomless mimosa day on the weekends or one of their special events they post on Facebook.
(4)Robb D.
My kind of place. Looks like an old lodge inside. Nice and dive-y. Free shows, decent burgers, cheap beer, NO KIDS(and stay out!) and good times. One of my favorite stops in town.
(5)Ainsley D.
Closest bar to my house and has delicious homemade veggie burgers (a little pricey, but anywhere you can order a fried egg on top is a winner to me). This place kind of reminds me of an Irish Pub, that's basically the gist I get. Don't let the name or outside deter you.
(4)Steve H.
Make no mistake. Club 21 is a dive, a dark, windowless dive in every wonderful way that portends. If you live in Portland but have never been there, surely you've driven by and seen it. One look at the building and you realize that it's essentially "The Inn of The Prancing Pony" where Frodo Baggins, checking in under the assumed name "Mr. Underhill" to avoid attention of the Nazgûl, meets a Ranger going by the name of Strider, but who is actually Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and the deposed 16th Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North. No shit! That's what the place looks like from the outside, with it's medieval elvish peaks and towers. Once inside the place, though, you realize that this is a dive bar. There is no innkeep named Barliman Butterbur, but rather just a normal Portland bartender. The decor borrows more from punk rock than middle earth. Just an open space with a big screen TV and tables and chairs, and usually some loud music leaning towards the metal edge of 'rock and roll'. Sometimes there's a DJ in there spinning vinyl. There are multiple taps and a full bar, and the drinks are fairly stiff and cheap. They also serve food. Perhaps the most novel thing about their menu is the construct-a-burger thing. The menu is laminated, and you grab a little dry erase marker, and the burger page is a custom burger paradise. Choose your meat, your bun style, your toppings, your cheese, your sauce (teriyaki? barbecue?), and so forth by simply checking boxes on the menu. They turn that menu into the bartender. Truth be told, I really want to like the burgers more than they merit, because the idea is brilliant. But the execution isn't quite right and the burger is slightly off somehow. But whatever. It's a DIVE BAR! There is an enclosed patio out back if you like sucking second hand smoke (or if you have the nicotine monkey on your back). All in all it's got much of what you seek in a magnificent shithole bar. By the way, this is my 100th review for 2013--fullfilling my 100 Review Challenge. Yee-Haw!
(4)Michael G.
The building has a cool, unpolished 70's-Portland vibe, the drinks are cheap-ish, and they host shows on the metal-rock side of the spectrum - all of which makes 'em a good candidate for classic dive-bar status. Sadly, their consistently slow & indifferent service makes ordering drinks a bit of a chore. Worse, their food is terrible. I know, I know: who goes to a dive for the food? However, they make a big deal out of their burgers offering natural Oregon Country beef (cool) and a long deli-style menu of topping options (including avo, bacon, pickled veg and fried egg!) to choose from a la cart. I've ordered said burger twice. The first time I was a little disappointed in an oh well maybe they're having an off night kind of way. The second time was terrible; each time cost me around $12 with fries. The last time the burger was tiny & way overcooked (i.e. past well done) and the bun was somehow toasted AND ice cold. Had been toasted then stored in the freezer? Idk. The toppings were likewise skimpy and oddly bland. My companion's burger was marginally bigger but otherwise just as bad. I won't be ordering another.
(2)Jim C.
I've driven by this place for years and never gave it any thought, then I saw on Pinball Map that they have four pinball tables, so I stopped by. The place is pretty small, but loaded with character. Full of 70s knick-knacks, retro-stuff and oddities in a building that looks like a castle. It was lunchtime, so I ordered a Bloody Mary and a hamburger. The Bloody Mary was very well mixed and slightly spicy. The hamburger appeared hand-formed. It was cooked juicy medium-well and served on a bakery hamburger bun instead of the spongy, mass-produced bun that most places serve. Some of the fries were nice and crispy, but some were kind of limp. Overall, the food was very good, though, and above average for a bar. I'll definitely be back to try more food here and play pinball again.
(4)Christy H.
Diggity Divey dive this place. Just a little off the beaten path. This little wonder can be missed but if you happen to find it and stop on in, you won't be disappointed. This place has some serious character. It reminds me of an old church or a European ski lodge. They have a ton of super cool old school vintage beer signs all over the inside. Some are some real originals I have never seen before. They have a nice pull down screen for blazers games. The bar itself has a few seating. There are tables and booth options as well. There are 4 pinball machines and one video lottery game. This place is small so it can fill up fast. Sometimes the line at the bar can get a little crazy if a lot of people are ordering food. The bartender serves the food sometimes as well so just be a little patient. The happy hour menu rocks. I ordered the burger and fries basket. Total was $6. The patty was super thick and cooked medium rare. Awesome! More than I expected for a happy hour menu choice. Fries were thick cut and lightly salted. I was very impressed by the food. The happy hour drink prices are good as well. I drank Jamison neat. $5.50 a glass. Not bad.
(4)UJ W.
Yummmmyyyyy burgers!!!! They have a way cool build-your-own-burger menu with a dry erase marker. You pick out everything, starting with Natural Oregon Beef, then all kinds of sauces including some seriously hot ghost sauce...uh thank goodness I ordered this on the side because unlike most restaurants - when they said "hot", they actually meant "F-ing HOT"...like I could only try a taste. Then you add one of many cheeses, avocado, various varieties of onions, you name it -- basically whatever you might dream of on your burger and Voila! Yumminess!!!! Drinks were super good too and the price was certainly decent. Also, my boyfriend loved his BLT sandwich. Ok - the down sides - I can't take stars away for the clientele, but it got a little over hipster-ish a little over early. Not that there's anything wrong with hipsters. Hell, I hope to be one someday! But the line at the bar got a bit long. The ambiance and/or décor is super old -- like from before PDX was referred to as PDX and was just a city nobody had really heard of -- which makes me really happy because I lived here back then and it made me feel like I was sneaking into a bar before I was 21. There was a deer head mounted on the wall wearing some kind of glitter boa and some really old light fixtures. I kinda loved them both. I also loved the bartender/waitress. She was very friendly and helpful. Anyway, I can't wait to go back...early.
(5)Bullwinkle J.
Solid dive bar: - Cheap drinks - Cheap and tasty food - Good happy hour - Games (both arcade and pinball) - No windows Makes the list.
(4)Rachael S.
Old School punk bar at it's finest. The night we came in, they had live music. Good crowd, LOUD. Kitchy old bar decor. We came to wake a family member who's favorite bar was this one. Very fitting send off for him. There was plenty of room for us to sit as we came in at the tail end of happy hour. They did kick us out of our tables when the band set up. They clear off the top section of everything to put the band up. Then all the tables go away in the section of the bar nearest the "stage". The bouncer was nice and gave us a 30 minute warning so we could finish up our food and move. Stiff drinks doesn't even touch it! Think 5/6 gin, 1/6 tonic. Burger was good, tots were good. House sauce is of course, thousand island. Plenty of it. Good old flat top greasy burger. I would come eat here again! No cocktail waitress, get up and order your own drink. It did get quite crowded when the folks there to see the band started filing up to the bar to order. Would have been nice if they had more than one bar tender at that point. Overall, nice people, friendly service.
(4)Alyssa C.
I came here for Portland Burger Week out of curiosity to try this unique looking Perkin burger, which was sort of a burger meets french dip style concoction I'd heard good things about. I was surprised when I pulled up because it looked like a strip club on the outside, but I thought hey - let's give this thing a whirl (namely, all the other burger joints were sold out and I was freaking starving! There was a line to order at the bar, which I totally understand because hey - it's Burger Week! Portlanders take their burgers seriously. I ordered our burgers (fries or onion rings were only $1 to add on which was awesome!) - it wasn't until after I had my beer (boneyard IPA for the win!) that she told us it'd be an hour wait. Damn! I was so hungry I wish I'd known before she'd poured my beer, but we went ahead and waited. True to form, it was exactly one hour by the time we got our food, but the server was so polite and nice despite the rush, it was all good. The burger was actually super yummy! (or maybe I was just really hungry?) But I probably wouldn't go back here, which is why I give it 3 stars. It's a dive bar, and we couldn't sit on the patio because there were so many people smoking up a storm. It's super dark and small and full of ash trays and video poker, which just isn't my style. But if that's your style - definitely check this place out! While I liked the burger, I don't know if I'd ever order it again - I think I'll opt for the more traditional burger and then get a french dip when I'm feeling it - rather than combine the two.
(3)Jessi G.
This place is so rad there was an album put out to prove it. 21 bands (that frequent The Club) and 21 songs about (duh) Club 21. "The Mercury office is in no man's land as far as dining options go. For as many great mom 'n' pop markets, delis, and restaurants as this city has, we're stuck amid soda bottling warehouses, the KATU building, and a lot of houses. Thank god, then, for Club 21 with its stiff drinks, loveable servers, and great food. A longtime Mercury favorite, the Club is also popular with Portland music-makers..Fuck yeah. indeed..." Adam Gnade myspace.com/clubtwentyone Drinks = Yes please Bartenders = Fuck ya!
(5)Bruno D.
I've come to this place often and usually I've had a great time but I just had two experiences that made me feel awful/angry and have me questioning if I'll ever come back. No, I'm not a person who freaks out over every petty little thing. Apparently, you're not allowed to use the phone here. I went to Club 21 for dinner tonight after work, ordered some food and a beer and started eating/drinking. Then my mother called me. I started talking to her while sitting at the bar and everything was fine...Until after about 15 minutes, the bartender came over and asked me if I wanted to close out, which of course is fine. She then said, "You can't sit at the bar and be on the phone. It's rude! You're not going to be served if you sit at the bar on the phone" loudly enough for other patrons (and my mother) to hear. I said nothing, paid my check and left her a tip because I don't believe in not tipping people, even if stuff like this happens. The other night, the same bartender yelled at me for walking into the bar while on the phone with my girlfriend. I had not even ordered. I just left at that point. I'm honestly infuriated about the whole thing (really, you can't talk on the phone here?!) and I don't want to go back. I know there are some great people working at this place but these experiences have really left me with a bad taste in my mouth to say the least.
(1)Jeremy L.
Open late, drink prices are okay, and the patio is great an a warm Summer night. Decent little neighborhood bar.
(3)Benjamin P.
Went there on a saturday lunchtime for Burger week, delicious burger, nice patio! Will come back to see ehat it is like at night.
(4)Hungrylone W.
Went here today for Portland Burger week. The staff was doing a good job of keeping up on orders despite how busy the place was. The outside patio is nice. This is a nice little dive bar, and the burger was very good.
(4)Jennelle B.
I went here for burger week. The burger was better than some of the other fancier places I've been to. It's a nice big dive bar with a sweet patio. As far as dives go, this one take the cake. I will definitely be back.
(5)Matt L.
I want to say it's not my scene, because that seems like the sort of thing people say, but the truth is it doesn't matter. The drinks are good - like, real good and stiff. The food is pretty good. The fenced-in outside seating is pretty great. There are usually random movies showing inside - sometimes two movies, even. It's really not a bad place to be, if you're in the neighborhood. Don't let the faux-castle-exterior fool you.
(4)Adrienne I.
We clearly have to start this review by saying that Club 21 appears from the outside like some crazy castle. When you go inside its dark and nasty with a kind of 70's vibe. It was empty the night I went but the bartender was really nice. Most of the patrons were busy with the video poker machines. This place mostly made me feel sad. I will report that I have had friends tell me this place got a new booker for shows and the music isnt bad. Unfortunately, I don't live to far by and I have never heard anything but really bad cover bands.
(2)Zachary S.
I'm really glad this is my neighborhood bar, great burgers, good cheap beer.
(5)Elle L.
Even with a great band and a lively crowd, nothing can rectify finding a fingernail clipping in one's drink. EDITED TO ADD: My sister just relayed to me that her food order was incorrect, she ate two bites anyway, then promptly vomited it up. Mind you, she wasn't even drunk, because her vodka-cranberry drink had little/no alcohol in it.
(1)Chrisi B.
I've driven past this decades-old place a hundred times and never knew what to make of it. Earlier this year my guy started a new job nearby and we decided to investigate further. It's not a strip club. It's not a castle. Contrary to the big sign on the roof, there are no steaks served, "for your enjoyment" or otherwise. Inside, it's dark and divey, decorated ala 1970's bachelor basement, complete with wood paneling, retro beer signs, a creepy snake hide on the wall and a bunch of pinball machines. Blech, you say? Turns out, Club 21 is the place to go for a freakin' awesome burger. They make perfect tater tots. And there's RC Cola on tap. YES!! I'm kind of a tater tot junkie, and on the first visit to 21, we were trying to decide whether to sub tots for fries along with our burgers, or order an extra side of them. The cook overheard our debate, and the baskets arrived Overflowing with tots. Seriously--I ate until I was stuffed. I took more than half of them home, which I dug into at dinnertime. I scrambled some with eggs the next morning. And there were still tots left. I was hooked. Then I discovered what could be the best burger in Portland. The Club 21 burger comes with bacon, an onion ring, lettuce, tomato bacon jam, and a slab of smoked gouda almost as thick as the meat. It's enormous, fantastic, and only $8 (a buck less during happy hour, which goes til 7PM every day). It can be difficult to wrangle and difficult to finish, but you will want to eat every last bite. Creative folks should order the Build-A-Burger. Each table has a laminated menu and dry erase marker for you to construct your meaty masterpiece. Choose from 53(!) ingredient options, including: type of meat, bread, spices, sauce, cheese, veggies, condiments and extras such as grilled pineapple, fried egg, roasted red peppers or maple ham. Add to this one of the six side options, and you won't be hungry again for a week. There are other sandwiches on the menu, including a monte cristo, pulled pork, chicken parm and a mushroom swiss veggie burger. I will confess that I have never tried any of them; I get a burger and tots every time. They're too good to pass up. Club 21 also has friendly bartenders who know their stuff, a digital jukebox loaded with tunes ranging from The Violent Femmes to Johnny Cash, and a decent-sized patio tucked behind a privacy wall, with umbrellas and heaters. What more could you want?
(5)Jess P.
This place is seedy. I like it! Poorly lit, a plethora of pinball machines, half-cleared tables. Of course, true to Portland, this bar proves that bar food can be something close to spectacular. The menu hosts your staples- wings, burgers, and greasy fried things. But it gets creative. There's fun sauces, there's a build your own section, there's ranier-battered onion rings. Vegheads- the veggie burger is outstanding. Anaheim peppers, chipotle mayo, pepperjack- wow. For the meat eaters- even more choices, I'm sure you'll walk away quite pleased. The wait for our food was fairly atrocious, but it is a bar... and it was oddly crowded for a Tuesday night. I don't think I'll be venturing over just to eat their food. But if I'm in the neighborhood (climbing at the Circuit, most likely), I have no objection to stopping by.
(3)Ann O.
A grand drinking destination and a pleasant unexpected surprise. Best spanish coffee I've ever had.
(5)Kristen M.
What do you think of when you hear "Club 21"? A - Awesome service B - Build it yourself burgers C - Cheap HH beers! D - Drinks are stiff E - All of the above Answer: All of the Above! Since you like "all of the above" I think you should check out Club 21! You may think Club 21 is a strip club/nudie bar/etc. BUT I'm sorry to inform you that it isn't. It's just another hole-in-the-wall local neighborhood bar serving up burgers, fries, tater tots and the most importantly, ALCOHOL! Can't find it? Find this = yelp.com/biz_photos/club… [atmosphere] Very dark, grungy and dive-y. There are seats at the bar, tables and booths which are good for groups or a couple of friends. Once you walk in, there's a modern electronic juke box, where you can type in the name of the song you'd like to play in the whole bar. There are about 2 flat screen televisions where you can watch the latest sports game or request a show from the bartender that you'd like to see. There are also a few old school pinball machines lined up on the side of the wall. Next to that is an outdoor patio (which I didn't really check out). Bathrooms were kinda old, dingy and run down. Something you'd expect from a dive-y place. [devour] BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER ($6, **4 STARS**) What I love about the build your own burger is that you can customize everything! You pretty much use a marker and check off the items you'd like to build your own burger. It's very personalized and they cook the burgers medium-rare as I like it! 1. Meat options = Free Range Oregon Beef, Top Sirloin Steak, Grilled Chicken, Fried Chicken, Bratwurst or Veggie Burger 2. Bread options = burger bun, whole wheat, Texas Toast, English Muffin or Hoagie Roll 3. Spices = sea salt & peppercorn, smoky pepper, 12 spice BBQ, bayou cajun and/or habanero fire 4. Sauce = Bourbon BBQ, Pineapple Teriyaki, Buffalo, Asian BBQ, Jamaican Jerk, or Tequila Lime 5. Cheese ($1/each) = American, Tillamook Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, Swiss, Provolone, Blue, Pepperjack and/or Sharp White Cheddar 6. Toppings = Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, pepperoncini, jalapenos 7. Condiments = house sauce, ketchup, mayo, mustard, dijon, A-1, sweet & spicy relish, ranch, roasted garlic mayo, or sriracha mayo 8. Extras ($1/each) = bacon, Anaheim peppers, fried egg, caramelized onion, onion straws, sauteed mushrooms, pickled habanero, avocado, tomato bacon jam and/or chorizo 9. Pick 1 side ($1) = fries, onion rings, tater tots, green salad or Caesar salad What did I get? yelp.com/biz_photos/club… A Free Range Oregon Beef Burger on a Whole Wheat bun with sea salt & peppercorn spices, buffalo sauce with Tillamook Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, pepperocini, ketchup, and mayo. TATER TOTS yelp.com/biz_photos/club… I had heard they had yummy tots, but I thought they were just your typical run-of-the-mill tots. Nothing to go OMG about, but decent for what it is. I did actually prefer the tots over trying one of my friends' garlic fries. (**3 STARS**) [imbibe] Rainier beer on draft ($1.50 HH price) yelp.com/biz_photos/club… I don't think you can beat that price for a pint other than it being free! The Rainier beer was light and refreshing! It wasn't too hoppy for me and so it went just right with my burger and tots! (**4 STARS**) [service] Awesome! For HH, you pretty much place your orders at the bar and you'll be given playing card-type stand so your food will be delivered to you once you find a place to sit. From ordering my grub, it took a good 10-15 minutes until the food was served. Water glasses were always filled and they were always bussing the tables when we completed some of our dishes. No complaints here! Overall, a great place for HH grub, a personalized burger and cheap drinks! Yelp 2013 100 for 100 Challenge - Review #42
(4)Andrew H.
I love this place! This is quickly becoming one of my favorite bars. It really has it all: Good beer: not an insane amount of taps but what they do have on tap is usually ALL-GOOD. Boneyard and Double Mountain are always represented. Good food: this almost warrants its own separate review. If you're an indecisive person, I suggest you NEVER get a burger here. If, however, you love having FREEDOM OF CHOICE...the burger options here are insane. Your life is not long enough to try every burger that you could make here. The options her aren't like "do you want that to come with pickles/lettuce/onion?", they are like what kind of MEAT? Ok. Now, what kind of BUN? Ok. Now, what kind of seasonings! (seriously, you get to dictate how THEY season YOUR meat, pretty cool huh?) The best part of this? You don't have to nervously try to remember all your options and then hurriedly tell them to the waitress before you forget. Oh no, you get a laminated menu and you can just sit back and tick all the boxes that you want. It's like a Meyers-Brigs survey, and we're going to find out what kind of BURGER you are at the the end. Oh, and they are CHEAP. Everything starts at a reassuring $6 (it's becoming hard to get a non-slider burger for six bucks in this town, a disturbing trend) I know what you're thinking though "yeah, six bucks sounds good Andrew, but what about all those options? Are they all a dollar each? Is this going to be wallet-death-by-ala-cart? Is this burger going to escalate to THIRTEEN BUCKS*?!" To that I can confidently say: "no." The more deluxe options might cost you a dollar, but the vast majority of options/ingredients/toppings do not. Good atmosphere: it's quirky. But in sort of a genuine, endearing way. Not in the "I just moved to Portland from Ohio, I got a pad on Hawthorne, I bought skinny jeans, a Chrome® iPad case, and some horn-rimmed glasses, I'm just so qUirkY"-way. The feel kind of reminds me of...I don't know, like a hunter's lodge, in Minnesota, in the 70's. It kind of has an old, rustic, kitschy sort of feel. I like it. There is almost always some weird-ass cult movie playing or some weird-ass cult music, playing. Oh, and on the outside it very very much looks like a Gentleman's Club...the name even sounds like it. And you park IN BACK OF IT, so as to shield your car...again, just like that *other* type of club. It also kind of reminds me of a "Steak-and-Ale" restaurant (whatever happened to those?). Good service: the people here are genuine, and talkative, and nice. Other: by the reviews I'm guessing this place went through a radical transformation lately and is the same as the former "Club 21" in name only. I'm glad. The version of this place that existed a couple years ago sounds scary and dirty. And not the good kind. Other:Other: if you are a fan of hot foods (like me) you can make yourself an extremely hot burger here if you choose your toppings wisely, it's awesome.
(5)Thelonious F.
After our original bartender bailed on us, shoo in a male bartender who was appalled the original bartender bailed early. I was ready to cash out, but had to wait for him to stop cussing behind the bar. I tipped and ran out the door. After checking my bank statement today, someone added 2 dollars to the total. They lost a loyal customer.
(1)Corrie H.
This is a great dive bar (cozy, kitschy, friendly) with an added bonus: a build-your-own-burger menu. You take the laminate menu and mark what you want. Want a Smoky Pepper Barbecue Chicken Burger? They can do that. Want a Pineapple Teriyaki Jalapeño Veggie Burger? They can do that. Want a Tomato Bacon Jam Beef Burger with a Fried Egg, Onion Straws and Blue Cheese? They can do that. Faced with so many options, we wimped out, and ordered two readymade items: the Philly Cheese Steak and the Original Perkin Burger (with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, club sauce, and au jus). Both were yummy, but the Philly was outstanding. Our total, for both sandwiches and 4 beers? 30 dollars. Nice! One other thing to note: this place is crowded, and you order at the bar. So there may not be a table, even at 7pm on a weekday night, and you may wait a while for your beer refills. But the staff are friendly and efficient.
(4)Mark B.
Under new ownership [well, since September of 2011], by the people who own Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne. Dive bar at it's finest. Live bands [great acoustics in the building], cheap ass beer, nice patio. See this" endhits.portlandmercury.…
(4)Julie T.
Wow, just like a backwoods bar of my Oregonian youth. This place is truly a dive-y gem. The breakfast was solid, the bloody mary was spicy-fantastic and had plenty of kick, and I laughed my ass off at the comedy breakfast show. Places like this are what make Portland so awesome.
(4)Tim P.
Yeah it's a hobbit house, that's what the bartender called it. Small but perfect draught craft brew selection. Club 21 burger was messy drippy awesome washed down with vaporizer ipa. Good music on the juke and eye candy behind the bar. That's what a 5 star joint is all about.
(5)Sarah D.
They have the best burgers! Onion rings were good too. Inexpensive, delicious and a cool, better then a dive bar atmosphere. We'll be back for sure. Bartender was also sweet and charming.
(5)Mark B.
I liked the atmosphere and the drink. I would definitely go again
(4)kelly s.
No, it's not a strip club, but it's almost as awesome as one! Club 21 is an oft overlooked weirdo on the corner which once inside, has a nice amount of quirky dive to love. Drinks are cheap, service is friendly, there is a good assortment of classic pinball, at least 3 machines, but there might be a fourth I'm forgetting. For the smokers of the world, or those who just like a good bar patio, your needs are served too on the back porch. Best feature of all you ask??!! THE BURGER MENU: You get a little laminated form with a dry erase pen and about a million prospective ingredients to build your own burger with, and yes, it is delicious. Cheap, delicious, and build your own burger menus with dry erase markers... what's not to love? OOH I almost forgot, pretty good hip hop assortment playing through the not so shabby acoustics in here add to the fun.
(4)Stephen L.
Club 21 is right by our office, so I've been here a number of times. Mostly go for lunch, and since it's kind of dark inside, it feels a bit odd to be in this dark bar at lunchtime. But the extensive burger options always provides a new combination of flavors so it never gets boring. Then to mix it up sometimes, I'll get the fried chicken sandwich. The burgers are cooked to order, the meat is good quality, and the toppings are fresh. One tip would be to not go overboard with all the options on the menu... things get kinda messy if you choose stuff from each category. The fries are also nice and crisp, and I love nice and crispy fries with a little ketchup mixed with Sriracha. Yum. You know it's a good joint because they have several bottles of Sriracha around. Have also been there for beers on the patio, which is fantastic when the sun is out. The tap selection isn't extensive but I can always find something that I'm happy with. I would recommend Club 21 to anyone looking for a good burger, fries, and something on tap. Don't be scared off by the dark interior... the staff is always friendly and brightens the place up. Or just wait until summer and sit outside.
(4)Zastruga Z.
Burger week. I feel I should cut them some slack because they were unusually slammed.... That being said, The Original Perkin Burger was amazing. Service so/so but they are a 'dive' bar and its burger week! The bartender knew a lot of people's names which always impresses me but was a bit short and dismissive with new comers. Didn't bother me because the food was good and the beer was on time but the couple standing next to me didn't love it and decided to go somewhere else. I have a feeling it would take about 3 times before they had my name down too. Over all I would come back.
(4)meganoodle z.
Great veggie burger, covered in a whole green chile and avocado! Yum! Burger costs $7. Cheap beer is cold. Location is convenient.
(4)Hannah E.
Nice updates without changing the vibe of the dive bar. It feels like a dive bar, but super clean and new. Same owners as the Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne, but completely different vibe. However, knowing this you could see the similarities between the two. Good food. We had the Build Your Own Burger, for only 6 Bucks it was a good deal. Beef, White Cheddar, Avocado, Bacon, House Sauce, Garlic Mayo, Veggies. It was HUGE! Meat wasn't overly impressive like Serrato or Slow Bar, but a definite step up from your average burger. You get a choice of side, we got tots. We also got a side salad, which was huge and fresh. And Jalepeno Poppers, which were quite impressive. Huge and had good batter. All in all we would return. But I may prefer the Gold Dust over this place- even if it is a bit too hip and crowded for my liking. 4 stars for the Vibe and the Food. The food wasn't Great, but it was darn good for a dive bar. And I love the atmosphere. Service was good.
(4)Mac M.
You get 4 stars automatically if you're unapologetic about being a prototypical dive bar with dubious "food" choices and no windows. "You get what you pay for." - that's never been a truer statement when it comes to Club 21. If you want a place to stop along the road of drunkenness, don't want to be hassled, and you aren't very hungry - this is the spot for you.
(4)Laura C.
My friend has made it her mission to try every burger in town that been raved about (by friends, papers or online reviews) and she'd heard Club 21 had a good one. That was an understatement. It was phenomenal! We had soo much fun picking our topping and marking them on the laminated card. We also loved the options of sauces and high end cheeses. Only problem is, you still have it in your head that you are buying a $6 burger, but most sides are a dollar extra. Even so, you'd probably pay $12 for a burger at Red Robin, so if you're going to spend that kind of money, buy it at Club 21. As for the decor, it's dive-y. There's a stripper pole, but no stage. That was a relief. The beer is cheap and there's a giant movie sized screen to watch football or the Blazers on. We had a great time, but felt sick from how much we ate (it was all so good we finished off everything). That was a good thing.
(5)Cassidy D.
Stiff drinks at average prices keep this place on my radar, but the lack of *any* vegan options and no table service irks me. I'll generally only go if my carnivore friends beg.
(3)Kristine P.
Perfect dive bar meets hamburger joint. Stiff drinks, low price, and delicious burgers and tots. Oh yeah, they've got tots. Great place to meet with friends for happy hour.
(4)Ann L.
Don't go to this place. More for me.
(5)jen h.
A great neighborhood dive bar at it finest. This is always the place I want to go when when feeling low key and just want to grab a drink, get some food and chill. The burgers and sandwiches are consistently great, they use the good free range meat too, not the cheap stuff. The home made veggie burger is awesome, it has fresh avocado, and roasted Anaheim chilies. Yum! And their french fries...um yes please. I haven't done their build a burger yet, since their chefs know what their doing, and I hate making that many decisions. They have good pinball games, a huge patio that they heat(sometimes) in the winter, and they show movies or the Blazer game on a big screen. Oh, they have bottomless mimosas during weekend brunch, for like ten bucks! The staff is good, Amy is awesome and always smiling, and her drink specials can get dangerously delicious. Sometimes the music gets a little too metal for me, and I tend to stay away on the weekends when they have shows, because this place gets packed!
(4)Liz R.
DELICIOUS. The patio is fantastic. The bartenders have a heavy hand and the Sunday brunch has bottom-less mimoas. All good things. Though I fret about the winter and lack of patio addition of rain. Time will tell. The boyfriend and I love this place.
(5)Colleen B.
This is totally my kind of bar! They have a good bar food menu (chicken fingers, tots, fries, hummus, etc), super cheap drinks and a good vibe. There is a nice sized enclosed patio for your outdoor pleasure. Big huge bonus for Jackie the bartender, she is amazing...apparently she's into the mixology so don't fear asking her for a concoction of the fruity variety.
(4)Ann D.
Oh, Club 21. Where to start? First, I've lived within stumbling distance of this place for over three years. If you're gonna drink here, that's important. Either that, or have a cab company's number memorized. You will be drunk when you leave here. In every sense of the word this place is a dive. The crowd is "eclectic" to say the least. You will find everyone from hipsters to blue collar workers from the dairy here. You will see old ladies chainsmoking and playing video poker here. A good mix. The bar is always brightly lit, and since the bartenders pour some seriously stiff drinks in this place, this isn't always good. The drinks are strong and cheap!!! The bar tends to get a little too smokey for my taste, which sucks in the winter, but they have a patio to sit on which is a great way to escape the smoke and get some fresh air. I wanted to give Club 21 5 stars, but I can't because bartender Dave has left town! He made this place more enjoyable for me. An aging rocker who had to wear bifocals to read the credit cards. Too cute. Plus he remembered our drinks after only going there once. That's a great bartender. Club 21 is still divealicious, but it's not quite the same without Dave.
(4)Lauren G.
You guys, they put starlight mints in the video poker tray where change would fall if you were in Vegas! I love that! If there's one thing (besides the mints) this bar is; it's well-lit. I have big plans to come here and read a book. If there's a second thing, it's that it's supremely awesome. It's called Club 21 and it looks like a tiny castle. What on earth more could I ask for?
(4)Kimberly V.
Proud sign on the roof says "Steaks for your enjoyment." It doesn't mention the lung cancer. Club 21 gives you both plus booze. JB says the steaks are good. I would corroborate, but I can't taste a damn thing. P.S. It is also located in the parking lot across from an office I used to work in where two women in my former department managed to get knocked up within the last year. NOT ME. In your face, fate!
(4)Richard B.
love this f'n place, one of my top dive bars (not that i frequent other types of bars) only reason it doesn't get five stars is the poker machines always lure my drunk ass in, but it's all good still love you, be drunk in the castle again soon.
(4)Colin P.
The ol' C21, it's my favorite Sandy dive. The drinks are cheap and stiff, it's dark and smokey, and the fryer oil hasn't been changed for decades. With the Sandy Hut in the immediate vicinity, Club 21 experienced quite an explosion of white belts and converse during my regular visits, but it never reached the intolerable level of obnoxiousness that seems prevalent across the street. Quintessential Portland hole with plenty of lottery and an internet juke.
(5)Jenny H.
I just spent a good 45 minutes (paid for by my employer. Thanks, boss!) falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole reading up on the definitions/origins of "dive bar" and "hipster." Don't do it now. It'll exhaust you. But I've been intrigued by Yelpers throwing the two terms around all over the place to describe anything involving smoky atmospheres and white belts (do hipsters even wear white belts anymore?), and I wanted to see what actually applies. Let's get back to basics, friends. And while I'm not going to attempt to dissect the anatomical make-up of a heepster, I would like to put what I presume to be a dive bar, Club 21, to the Wikipedia definition of "dive bar" Official Test: "Downmarket drinking establishment servicing a working-class clientele." CHECK So the Wikipedia page for "dive bar" was actually really disappointing. But my dive bar Official Test calls for half-assed interior decorating that usually includes a dim atmosphere with the occasional handmade sign and a liberal amount of dust/ash, a veritable cornucopia of clientele (old men! Workers! Alcoholics! Maybe a dash of the eye-lined and well styled fleet of you-know-who!), video lottery, and maybe uninspired yet reliable drinks; and Club 21 indeed fits that bill. Please don't change, Club 21. You're there when we need you, like when it gets too rowdy at the Slut or I get a mean hankering of tots after midnight. Your lumpy booths are charming, and I can't get over the wee flat-screen TVs now installed at each booth (!!). Also I like that you sound vaguely strip-clubby and look like an enchanted castle in the middle of a parking lot.
(3)Eva J.
cheap drinks woot woot! Ok besides the fact that when you walk in the overwhelming smell of greasy fried double fried triple fried fries. The crowd is quite eclectic. I saw your standard toothless, dirty hot mess sitting at the bar playing some game, another table of hipsters, another table of mid-30's couples that were quite toasty and some singles that were all enjoying themselves. So besides the grease stink and as obvious that this place is a dive, everyone was a regular and they were drinking. Which is precisely what you do at dives. This place is hardly about pretense. Just go for the cheap drinks and cheap eats without concern for what you are actually digesting.
(3)Josh L.
If you like dive bars, this is a good one to start at. Nothing on the walls, poor lighting, and a sketchy bathroom is all part of the charm of this nice little bar.
(4)heidi l.
i am in love with amy and her weekend creations! my boyfriend and i bike a little over four miles just so i can have her chicken fried steak in homemade gravy. i love that she has specials and switches things up, however i cant stray from the chicken fried steak. what a perfect breakfast spot with no wait, cheap mimosas, awesome food and bad movies (bad in a good way). i think the only thing that could make it better is if it was closer to home, but then i wouldn't be able to burn off my breakfast...
(5)Hazel G.
Tired of waiting in line for weekend breakfast? Club 21 has awesome breakfast specials on Saturday and Sunday. Add drink specials and good movies and you've got a great way to spend an afternoon.
(5)