Awesome. Amazing. Fancy! Low-key. This place has everything I want. A nice interior that is modern and comfy, outdoor benches for fancy days. Wonderful cocktails. The Agave ($8) and The May ($8) knocked it out of the park. Great tapas inspired menu. I had two oysters. Just limey and spicy enought ($2 each) Portion of white rice ($1) Dungeness Crab, chili dressing, wakame, nigella sesame ($10) was great with rice, light, spicy and left me wanting more. I will be back for dinner.
(5)
Lily S.
You've got to be kidding me. This place is AMAZEBALLS. Case in point: Candied peanuts Kimchi Fried kale (HOLY SHIT) Chicken noodle soup (and no, not the kind you have when you're sick) Oxtail curry with scotch bonnet sauce, which, btw, about burned my face off b/c it was THAT spicy...but damn, so worth it Bartenders that know what a Toronto and/or a Vieux Carre are Wait staff that give a damn and will actually speak with you vs AT you Beautiful space in the Beaumont neighbourhood Fabulous movies on a big screen while you eat and drink ("Taxi Driver" - are you joking?? AWESOME) Everything we had was so so SO good...but next time we will only order the fried kale and oxtail curry - b/c what we ordered was a lot of food for two people - plus everything had a distinct flavour. SO YUMMY! My only complaint is that their food is a bit on the overly seasoned/salty side. Kale doesn't need to be salted b/c it's already somewhat salty by itself. Otherwise, EXCELLENT. We'll be back for sure. DEEEEELISH.
(5)
Windy S.
Sat at the bar and had a few nibbles and cocktails. Food was good. Not great, but good. I found a common theme of saltiness in the 3 dishes we ordered. Cocktails were... okay as well. I would definitely like to go back and experiment with more of the menu, probably with a small group so we can justify tasting more dishes. First impression and experience was a little underwhelming.
(3)
Heather S.
Delicious and inventive food, high prices, great cocktails, mod/nice atmosphere, and very attentive service. Sums up my experience at Barwares.
(4)
Kristen M.
BARWARES [ b ] beer! - loved their asahi beer draft! (local oregonian beers and asian beers available) [ a ] avant garde motif [ r ] red, white, grey, black colors highlight the room [ w ] wines offered from europe, cali and local oregon wineries [ a ] amore - a great place for a date or just to hang out with friends [ r ] reservations not needed, you can casually eat and drink at the bar [ e ] eye-catching employees who are polite, friendly, and attentive [ s ] sake is also an option! Check out Barwares! It's the bar of Smallwares and you can also order the food from the Smallwares menu at Barwares. Parking is located on the street and nearby neighborhood. Definitely a place to visit! Yelp 2013 100 for 100 Challenge - Review #22
(4)
Ross M.
The lemongrass pork sandwich hits all the right notes. Their cocktails are a little fancy for my taste, but they also have a nice selection of beers. (Sake too) We sat in the bar, seemed like there was a good mix of ages and styles and everyone was enjoying themselves. The staff was very attentive and friendly. The Mighty Ducks playing on the big screen was a bit distracting, but I guess it could be worse . Bottom line, this place is cool. I'm looking forward to trying their full menu.
(4)
Delly K.
Somehow I plan on going to Smallwares and end up here. No problem however, since my experiences at Barwares have been really pleasant. The tv is a bit hipster-ish for my taste and distracting (although I did find myself glued to the set watching Point Break in its entirety at one in the morning once). On my most recent visit, I can recommend the scallop sashimi, spicy ramen and 6 min. fried egg--all delish. the delicacy of the scallop sashimi was a nice compliment to the bold ramen and egg flavors. We also got the brussel sprouts, but I found them overall, too salty. What also made my recent visit delightful was our bartender. In a nutshell, he was rad! I'd have to agree with the reviewer Angela S. He provided us with good drinks, was low-key attentive (no lurking) and just seemed like a nice guy. I ordered the Whiskey which I liked and feeling feisty, asked him to make several drinks not on the menu. He delivered with drinks that exceeded my expectations. Would I go there again? Raise your hands folks and give me a hell yes (OK, maybe that's going overboard but when you're feeling it, go with it)!
(5)
Jenny M.
Let me say a few things first off. This is a review about customer service. I'm sad to write this review as I love barwares/smallwares and their food. The food is amazing! Go there, try it, love it. The customer service experience I just had made me sad as this is a place I love. I ordered a second Rum for the night, a drink I have probably had there over 30 times. The proportions were wrong, the drink tasted off and I didn't drink more than a taste between me and my boyfriend who confirmed it was off. When we were closing, I tried to tell our waitress (whom had made the second drink but not the first) that it was off and something was wrong. Politely giving her an out that one of the ingredients was at the end or going bad. Not an accusation, just more of an fyi. I wasn't even expecting the drink to be comp'd as I had tasted it and let the boyfriend taste it too. As I was siting at the bar, not five feet away the waitress and the other bartender (who made my first amazing Rum drink) proceeded to dispute (within earshot of me) about whether I had 2 Rums, whether I drank the first, whether I liked the first, and who made the second drink. The waitress concluded that it was the same drink the only difference was she made it. The waitress came back, and I offered to pay for the rum when I realized they comp'd it, my intention was only that they know something was wrong with it. I even offered her an out that maybe one of the ingredients was at the end and I just got back a snarky, you didn't like it so you don't have to pay for it. I think the whole conversation about the drinks between the 2 staff shouldn't have taken place within earshot of the customer. That's my only gripe about the whole thing. I'm not even upset about the bad drink, just didnt want someone else to get it too. We all have bad days and make mistakes. Just don't air it out in front of the customer. On a happy note, the tuna raw bar was delicious.
(4)
Carl R.
I'm... just not sure what happened. The atmosphere is good, this is a cute little bar area. Walk in and it's yuppster-ville, but hey what can you do. Got some oysters, they were decent but seemed a little salty. $18 for 6 salty oysters, okay whatever. (they do have a Monday $1 oyster night, so probably the way to go). Next comes out a fried kale... something. It was recommended as a specialty. The only thing special about it is the amount of salt. Now don't get me wrong, I love salt. Love salty snacks, all day long. But damn! This thing was so salty I could only take 2 bites and gave up. Then comes a chicken pot pie, about the size of two silver dollars together. I was so hungry at this point I didn't care. Gobbled it up, but it was so salty it almost hurt to eat. It was gone in two bites, though, so it didn't matter. The only saving grace was a pancake thing, which was actually pleasantly seasoned and nicely prepared, although a little soggy. The kale sat uneaten, should have sent it back, but whatever - I will pay for the mistake this time. Didn't box it to go. After the meal, we sat for a good 20-25 mins without anyone checking on us at all. At least 4-5 employees walked by without a simple "Hey, how were things". I get it, it was busy kinda, but it's not like there were 100 people there. Either way, walked out with a $50 tab where 3/4ths of the items were way over-salted. I think management and kitchen staff need to step up their game if they want to charge high prices for dismal food. Come for the drinks and ambiance, not the small plates.
(3)
Jon Y.
Two sazeracs, three session lagers, two pork sandwiches, three pickle plates, two chicken lollipops, three 6 minute eggs, one tequila drink, one diet soda, and overall a fantastic night! Thanks Conrad for the great service! I would recommend this place to anyone! Cheers!
(5)
.Alan Y.
Twin Peaks on the TV, roll-up garage door decor, dim lighting, great service and mediocre to poor fusion Asian cuisine. That's all you really need to know. To expand, I believe good fusion food begins when the chef has first mastered the parent cuisines. Bad fusion food is when you take two disparate ideas, and ram them together like two trains traveling head-on, using the same railroad track. I have strong doubts that the chef at Smallwares/Barwares has a strong pedigree in Asian cuisine. All of the food here is intensely over seasoned. Salt and kochujang appear to be the main flavors here, with all dishes overly salty or overly sweet. These guys make their kimchee using kochujang, that's not fusion. It's just wrong. Chicken "lollipops" felt undercooked, but it was so dark I couldn't see the color of the food I was eating. Pork skin ragout. More like a bolognese sauce meets undercooked ddeokbokki. The cooks here might want to lay off the salt and kochuchang. A bit of subtlety here would have made the food way better.
(2)
Angela S.
Had The Rum and The O.G Whiskey - both were delicious! Opted for couch seating and Twister was on the screen. Cool vibe, low-key, attentive and helpful wait staff. I'd recommend Barwares to a friend
(5)
Latifa S.
Super cute, super fun bar hidden away behind the smallwares restaurant. $4 sake, $5 chicken lollipops, moscow mule, six minutes fried egg in a super low key and chill atmosphere. Going back next weekend! :)
(4)
Ashley B.
This was my first time stopping into the newly added Barwares (the bar located in the back of Smallwares). I will definitely be coming back. The service, the drinks, the food...everything was awesome and delicious. The drinks are casually named after the liquor they're made with: The Whiskey, The Vodka, The Agave, etc. I started off with The Whiskey and was extremely happy with my choice, it was slightly sweet, nothing too fancy, and perfectly stiff. I ended up moving on to sake (as they have an awesome sake selection) which was also perfectly chilled and delicious. Now. The food. OH GOD the food. Their bar menu has 6 or 7 super tasty choices ranging from $2 to $4; the food is "tapas" small plate style, so I highly recommend trying as many as you can. The pork and kimchi pancakes were out of this world, I easily could have eaten 2 or 3 more orders and their chicken lollipops with sriracha sauce were absolutely melt in your mouth yummy. Our bartender was really on top of it. Never annoying, never pushy, and none of the typical Portland-snobby-bartender attitude that is far too common these days. I will definitely be back. I'm craving those pancakes already.
(5)
Hannah H.
I love love LOVE this place. Even in the middle of a neighborhood the ambiance is very cool (not the 'too cool for you' that often pops up around Portland). It's inviting and you want to hang out. A couch in front of a projection screen always playing some random movie (seriously random, old karate movies, Close Encounter). I've gone in on several occasions with friends and thus have had the opportunity to taste almost all of the house cocktails - delish. And cocktails are not my typical go to, but I find myself gravitating toward them here. Which could be because my go to, draught beer, is limited here. They have two taps in the bar, but the bartenders will gladly (and with no attitude! in Portland!) run to the front restaurant (smallwares) and grab you a different beer from there if you prefer those taps. The food leaves you wanting more. The bar menu is very reasonably priced ($2-4) for small bites - which you'll end up wanting to order 10 plates of and stuffing yourself because the food is seriously out. of. this. world. You can also order off of the smallwares small plates menu ($8-$17 or so). Over the 6-8 things I've tried here, there hasn't been one that I didn't want more of (yes, I get it - calling over eaters anonymous just after this review). So atmosphere = awesome, drinks = awesome, food = outstanding. Go, you'll be so very glad you did.
(5)
Devon D.
Cool vibe, killer cocktails, bombastic cuisine, user-friendly menus. I'd choose Barwares for any occasion, from sultry evening date spot by the fire to a [not too] rowdy birthday bash. Highly recommend the mapo dofu--my kryptonite--fried kale, and hanger steak to munch on (though one really can't go wrong with this menu) and "The Whiskey:" a jaw-dropping potion of liquor and garam masala. Super-savory-senses--ACTIVATE!
(5)
Karen M.
First caution - YELP has the hours wrong for Barwares. It doesn't open until 5 which is why my friend and I were stuck out in the rain for 20 minutes waiting for them to open. And believe me they could have cared less about our plight. So... the waitress was nice but service overall I would rate very low. Food - the kale thing was incredibly good. The chicken "pops" were uninspiring at best and the drinks weren't really as awesome as they sounded on paper. There's a big tv over the fireplace which for some unexplicable reason was playing the Godfather. I guess it was supposed to be hip or cool or something. I will give this place another chance to be sure but my first experience definately left a lot to be desired.
(3)
Chuck N.
From drinks, to plates to service...Barwares hit a 1,000% for us. The bartender made a special drink based on a description of my "likes" that was fantastic (had two). The food stood up to scrutiny, especially the little "bahn mi" type sandwich. We will return again soon. And to think this type of excellence is occurring on old Fremont Street!!!
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Best Nights : Thu, Sat, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : Yes
Alena C.
Awesome. Amazing. Fancy! Low-key. This place has everything I want. A nice interior that is modern and comfy, outdoor benches for fancy days. Wonderful cocktails. The Agave ($8) and The May ($8) knocked it out of the park. Great tapas inspired menu. I had two oysters. Just limey and spicy enought ($2 each) Portion of white rice ($1) Dungeness Crab, chili dressing, wakame, nigella sesame ($10) was great with rice, light, spicy and left me wanting more. I will be back for dinner.
(5)Lily S.
You've got to be kidding me. This place is AMAZEBALLS. Case in point: Candied peanuts Kimchi Fried kale (HOLY SHIT) Chicken noodle soup (and no, not the kind you have when you're sick) Oxtail curry with scotch bonnet sauce, which, btw, about burned my face off b/c it was THAT spicy...but damn, so worth it Bartenders that know what a Toronto and/or a Vieux Carre are Wait staff that give a damn and will actually speak with you vs AT you Beautiful space in the Beaumont neighbourhood Fabulous movies on a big screen while you eat and drink ("Taxi Driver" - are you joking?? AWESOME) Everything we had was so so SO good...but next time we will only order the fried kale and oxtail curry - b/c what we ordered was a lot of food for two people - plus everything had a distinct flavour. SO YUMMY! My only complaint is that their food is a bit on the overly seasoned/salty side. Kale doesn't need to be salted b/c it's already somewhat salty by itself. Otherwise, EXCELLENT. We'll be back for sure. DEEEEELISH.
(5)Windy S.
Sat at the bar and had a few nibbles and cocktails. Food was good. Not great, but good. I found a common theme of saltiness in the 3 dishes we ordered. Cocktails were... okay as well. I would definitely like to go back and experiment with more of the menu, probably with a small group so we can justify tasting more dishes. First impression and experience was a little underwhelming.
(3)Heather S.
Delicious and inventive food, high prices, great cocktails, mod/nice atmosphere, and very attentive service. Sums up my experience at Barwares.
(4)Kristen M.
BARWARES [ b ] beer! - loved their asahi beer draft! (local oregonian beers and asian beers available) [ a ] avant garde motif [ r ] red, white, grey, black colors highlight the room [ w ] wines offered from europe, cali and local oregon wineries [ a ] amore - a great place for a date or just to hang out with friends [ r ] reservations not needed, you can casually eat and drink at the bar [ e ] eye-catching employees who are polite, friendly, and attentive [ s ] sake is also an option! Check out Barwares! It's the bar of Smallwares and you can also order the food from the Smallwares menu at Barwares. Parking is located on the street and nearby neighborhood. Definitely a place to visit! Yelp 2013 100 for 100 Challenge - Review #22
(4)Ross M.
The lemongrass pork sandwich hits all the right notes. Their cocktails are a little fancy for my taste, but they also have a nice selection of beers. (Sake too) We sat in the bar, seemed like there was a good mix of ages and styles and everyone was enjoying themselves. The staff was very attentive and friendly. The Mighty Ducks playing on the big screen was a bit distracting, but I guess it could be worse . Bottom line, this place is cool. I'm looking forward to trying their full menu.
(4)Delly K.
Somehow I plan on going to Smallwares and end up here. No problem however, since my experiences at Barwares have been really pleasant. The tv is a bit hipster-ish for my taste and distracting (although I did find myself glued to the set watching Point Break in its entirety at one in the morning once). On my most recent visit, I can recommend the scallop sashimi, spicy ramen and 6 min. fried egg--all delish. the delicacy of the scallop sashimi was a nice compliment to the bold ramen and egg flavors. We also got the brussel sprouts, but I found them overall, too salty. What also made my recent visit delightful was our bartender. In a nutshell, he was rad! I'd have to agree with the reviewer Angela S. He provided us with good drinks, was low-key attentive (no lurking) and just seemed like a nice guy. I ordered the Whiskey which I liked and feeling feisty, asked him to make several drinks not on the menu. He delivered with drinks that exceeded my expectations. Would I go there again? Raise your hands folks and give me a hell yes (OK, maybe that's going overboard but when you're feeling it, go with it)!
(5)Jenny M.
Let me say a few things first off. This is a review about customer service. I'm sad to write this review as I love barwares/smallwares and their food. The food is amazing! Go there, try it, love it. The customer service experience I just had made me sad as this is a place I love. I ordered a second Rum for the night, a drink I have probably had there over 30 times. The proportions were wrong, the drink tasted off and I didn't drink more than a taste between me and my boyfriend who confirmed it was off. When we were closing, I tried to tell our waitress (whom had made the second drink but not the first) that it was off and something was wrong. Politely giving her an out that one of the ingredients was at the end or going bad. Not an accusation, just more of an fyi. I wasn't even expecting the drink to be comp'd as I had tasted it and let the boyfriend taste it too. As I was siting at the bar, not five feet away the waitress and the other bartender (who made my first amazing Rum drink) proceeded to dispute (within earshot of me) about whether I had 2 Rums, whether I drank the first, whether I liked the first, and who made the second drink. The waitress concluded that it was the same drink the only difference was she made it. The waitress came back, and I offered to pay for the rum when I realized they comp'd it, my intention was only that they know something was wrong with it. I even offered her an out that maybe one of the ingredients was at the end and I just got back a snarky, you didn't like it so you don't have to pay for it. I think the whole conversation about the drinks between the 2 staff shouldn't have taken place within earshot of the customer. That's my only gripe about the whole thing. I'm not even upset about the bad drink, just didnt want someone else to get it too. We all have bad days and make mistakes. Just don't air it out in front of the customer. On a happy note, the tuna raw bar was delicious.
(4)Carl R.
I'm... just not sure what happened. The atmosphere is good, this is a cute little bar area. Walk in and it's yuppster-ville, but hey what can you do. Got some oysters, they were decent but seemed a little salty. $18 for 6 salty oysters, okay whatever. (they do have a Monday $1 oyster night, so probably the way to go). Next comes out a fried kale... something. It was recommended as a specialty. The only thing special about it is the amount of salt. Now don't get me wrong, I love salt. Love salty snacks, all day long. But damn! This thing was so salty I could only take 2 bites and gave up. Then comes a chicken pot pie, about the size of two silver dollars together. I was so hungry at this point I didn't care. Gobbled it up, but it was so salty it almost hurt to eat. It was gone in two bites, though, so it didn't matter. The only saving grace was a pancake thing, which was actually pleasantly seasoned and nicely prepared, although a little soggy. The kale sat uneaten, should have sent it back, but whatever - I will pay for the mistake this time. Didn't box it to go. After the meal, we sat for a good 20-25 mins without anyone checking on us at all. At least 4-5 employees walked by without a simple "Hey, how were things". I get it, it was busy kinda, but it's not like there were 100 people there. Either way, walked out with a $50 tab where 3/4ths of the items were way over-salted. I think management and kitchen staff need to step up their game if they want to charge high prices for dismal food. Come for the drinks and ambiance, not the small plates.
(3)Jon Y.
Two sazeracs, three session lagers, two pork sandwiches, three pickle plates, two chicken lollipops, three 6 minute eggs, one tequila drink, one diet soda, and overall a fantastic night! Thanks Conrad for the great service! I would recommend this place to anyone! Cheers!
(5).Alan Y.
Twin Peaks on the TV, roll-up garage door decor, dim lighting, great service and mediocre to poor fusion Asian cuisine. That's all you really need to know. To expand, I believe good fusion food begins when the chef has first mastered the parent cuisines. Bad fusion food is when you take two disparate ideas, and ram them together like two trains traveling head-on, using the same railroad track. I have strong doubts that the chef at Smallwares/Barwares has a strong pedigree in Asian cuisine. All of the food here is intensely over seasoned. Salt and kochujang appear to be the main flavors here, with all dishes overly salty or overly sweet. These guys make their kimchee using kochujang, that's not fusion. It's just wrong. Chicken "lollipops" felt undercooked, but it was so dark I couldn't see the color of the food I was eating. Pork skin ragout. More like a bolognese sauce meets undercooked ddeokbokki. The cooks here might want to lay off the salt and kochuchang. A bit of subtlety here would have made the food way better.
(2)Angela S.
Had The Rum and The O.G Whiskey - both were delicious! Opted for couch seating and Twister was on the screen. Cool vibe, low-key, attentive and helpful wait staff. I'd recommend Barwares to a friend
(5)Latifa S.
Super cute, super fun bar hidden away behind the smallwares restaurant. $4 sake, $5 chicken lollipops, moscow mule, six minutes fried egg in a super low key and chill atmosphere. Going back next weekend! :)
(4)Ashley B.
This was my first time stopping into the newly added Barwares (the bar located in the back of Smallwares). I will definitely be coming back. The service, the drinks, the food...everything was awesome and delicious. The drinks are casually named after the liquor they're made with: The Whiskey, The Vodka, The Agave, etc. I started off with The Whiskey and was extremely happy with my choice, it was slightly sweet, nothing too fancy, and perfectly stiff. I ended up moving on to sake (as they have an awesome sake selection) which was also perfectly chilled and delicious. Now. The food. OH GOD the food. Their bar menu has 6 or 7 super tasty choices ranging from $2 to $4; the food is "tapas" small plate style, so I highly recommend trying as many as you can. The pork and kimchi pancakes were out of this world, I easily could have eaten 2 or 3 more orders and their chicken lollipops with sriracha sauce were absolutely melt in your mouth yummy. Our bartender was really on top of it. Never annoying, never pushy, and none of the typical Portland-snobby-bartender attitude that is far too common these days. I will definitely be back. I'm craving those pancakes already.
(5)Hannah H.
I love love LOVE this place. Even in the middle of a neighborhood the ambiance is very cool (not the 'too cool for you' that often pops up around Portland). It's inviting and you want to hang out. A couch in front of a projection screen always playing some random movie (seriously random, old karate movies, Close Encounter). I've gone in on several occasions with friends and thus have had the opportunity to taste almost all of the house cocktails - delish. And cocktails are not my typical go to, but I find myself gravitating toward them here. Which could be because my go to, draught beer, is limited here. They have two taps in the bar, but the bartenders will gladly (and with no attitude! in Portland!) run to the front restaurant (smallwares) and grab you a different beer from there if you prefer those taps. The food leaves you wanting more. The bar menu is very reasonably priced ($2-4) for small bites - which you'll end up wanting to order 10 plates of and stuffing yourself because the food is seriously out. of. this. world. You can also order off of the smallwares small plates menu ($8-$17 or so). Over the 6-8 things I've tried here, there hasn't been one that I didn't want more of (yes, I get it - calling over eaters anonymous just after this review). So atmosphere = awesome, drinks = awesome, food = outstanding. Go, you'll be so very glad you did.
(5)Devon D.
Cool vibe, killer cocktails, bombastic cuisine, user-friendly menus. I'd choose Barwares for any occasion, from sultry evening date spot by the fire to a [not too] rowdy birthday bash. Highly recommend the mapo dofu--my kryptonite--fried kale, and hanger steak to munch on (though one really can't go wrong with this menu) and "The Whiskey:" a jaw-dropping potion of liquor and garam masala. Super-savory-senses--ACTIVATE!
(5)Karen M.
First caution - YELP has the hours wrong for Barwares. It doesn't open until 5 which is why my friend and I were stuck out in the rain for 20 minutes waiting for them to open. And believe me they could have cared less about our plight. So... the waitress was nice but service overall I would rate very low. Food - the kale thing was incredibly good. The chicken "pops" were uninspiring at best and the drinks weren't really as awesome as they sounded on paper. There's a big tv over the fireplace which for some unexplicable reason was playing the Godfather. I guess it was supposed to be hip or cool or something. I will give this place another chance to be sure but my first experience definately left a lot to be desired.
(3)Chuck N.
From drinks, to plates to service...Barwares hit a 1,000% for us. The bartender made a special drink based on a description of my "likes" that was fantastic (had two). The food stood up to scrutiny, especially the little "bahn mi" type sandwich. We will return again soon. And to think this type of excellence is occurring on old Fremont Street!!!
(5)