4. Restaurants

Slow Bar

533 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR, 97214
  • (503) 230-7767
  • Store is closed

Slow Bar Menu

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  • Steve K.

    Summer slow burger was superb! Had a side salad and that also rocked. Small TV so I could watch the game comfortably but it's not a sports bar.

    (4)

  • Nicole B.

    Sometimes, you just have to let bygones be bygones. Drove up from Eugene to Portland, and was hankering for a burger. This time around, the bartender was super friendly. The burgers were amazing. I ordered my burger medium. Painted hills beef is what I get here in Eugene whenever I make anything with ground beef. I had the slowburger & got it exactly how I ordered it! Next time I am in town, I'll definitely want to try the stinky cheese & the southern fry!

    (4)

  • Jason S.

    One of the best burgers I've ever had. Everything here is fantastic. The pizza, chicken sandwich, veggie burger, southern fry, fucking EVERYTHING. The staff is always super friendly and upbeat. The jukebox inside contains great choices of rock and roll nostalgia. They play epic, random old 70's and 80's b-films on a big tv. There is awesome outdoor seating where you can experience the glorious grit of the industrial inner east side.

    (5)

  • Josh B.

    Everything on the menu is really good. Someone cares about the quality of food coming out of the kitchen and it really shows. They serve good drinks. Murder City Devils on the jukebox. 5 stars mandatory.

    (5)

  • Pearl V.

    Seriously? Pleasantly surprised by Slow Bar. I guess I usually set my expectations lower at watering holes. We started off with drinks, of course. The hubby ordered the Slow Burger which he really liked. I ordered the Pizzetta to share between the both of us and we customized it a bit without a problem (added sausages). The food was good. Not bad for our first night in PDX, and not bad for a random find on Yelp.

    (4)

  • Jake H.

    Don't get the Moscow mule. The person who made it had to read the menu to make it and it came to me in a pint glass tasting like limeade. Although I didn't eat, the food looked good.

    (2)

  • Jeremy L.

    Dropped in for a burger and beer on a Friday night. I had the Spring Burger, and had "stinky cheese" added to the fries, just to make sure they were awful for me. The burger was amazing. The stinky cheese didn't live up to the name... I'll pass on that next time around. The beer selection is just okay. Not really in to the scene there, and the service was pretty bad. Worth a stop in for the burger, but not much else.

    (3)

  • Michelle B.

    very low key bar. open late. loud music, tattooed staff. good burger, vietnamese style. generous portions on the food and even more generous pours on the drinks. made sure we left with a smile on.

    (4)

  • Deanna N.

    So I had to come as after the best burger touts in PDX and then recently "Food and Wine" it had to be. I meet a marathoner GF about once every couple months to sample the "best" burgers in PDX. Although a 1/2 lb of painted hillls beef and cooked how I like to medium rare, nothing special on flavor, it was fried and not grilled per se and the bun was a plain sesame seed (no brioche here) - meh! It didn't make my top 5. I did like my strong manahattan for 5 bucks on HH. Very dark intimate lighting and ambience.

    (4)

  • Mac M.

    In the search for the perfect burger in Portland..... Right now Slow Bar is winning. An amazing burger, great bar and good atmosphere. Plus an awesome onion ring on the burger! I'll be back!

    (5)

  • Rona L.

    The slow burger at Slow Bar is pretty good. Meat is cooked perfectly (and it's huge btw), I love the crispy onion ring, and the fries are golden and delicious. The stinky cheese fries are extra, but SO worth it -- super stinky, but once you put it in your mouth, the stink goes away and you're left with cheesy, melty goodness. I also ordered Old Fashioned and that came out pretty stiff (in a good way) and went down really well with my burger. With that being said, I had to knock it down my review by one star for service. Slow bar: I get it...you're cool and hip and you don't really care. But can you care a little bit more about your service? Most of my table stuck with water, and the server was clearly annoyed. And it took forever to get our drink orders in the first place so when our table wanted to order food AND drinks, he would only let us order our drinks first. He didn't come by to check on our food (he didn't refill waters though luckily, someone else came by after a while) and the quickest I ever saw him move was when he walked by, tossed our check on the table, and walked away. Oh...and then we were asked to vacate our table. For about $10, it's a good deal on a very well-done burger and fries. Just don't expect much from service.

    (4)

  • Al Y.

    We first went to Slowbar after buying our new couch nearby. I was surprised with how clean, modern, stylish, yet cozy the atmosphere of the bar was. From outside, I was expecting a dive with wet tables and holed upholstery. The service is great, too. The staff is attentive and comfortable to engage with. I was strictly adhering to a low carb diet at the time so I ordered the bunless version of their signature burger. It was heavenly. Last week, my parents bought us a bed from another furniture store in the area as a belated wedding present. We treated them to dinner here. They were impressed with the menu selection. My dad loved the pasta dish, my mom completely fell in love with the vegetarian sandwich and my husband and I happily indulged in the winter burger with fries. As before, the staff was pleasant. We might have to start making this place a routine stop whenever we buy furniture.

    (5)

  • Laura W.

    It's hard to find good food late at night in Portland (or if you just want a late dinner). This is the spot! I'll be honest, this place appears more like a dimly lit dive bar more than a high quality dining establishment. But don't be fooled! The food is of high quality, finely presented, and absolutely delicious. The bread and olives appetizer is wonderful, the salad is full of fresh dark leafies and the burger and pizzeta looked like perfection, although I didn't try it myself. The portions are generous. There are only a handful of beers on tap but they are good ones. Cons = the place is dimly lit and the music is kind of unsettling for digestion. I went on a Friday night around 10pm. There were also bizarre movies playing behind the bar.

    (4)

  • Rebecca P.

    Well-made drinks, good service, sloppy burger with ok fries. Nothing too spectacular but pleasant enough.

    (3)

  • Jill S.

    Just a heads up that this location is closed. I learned this hard way and it started to rain while I tried (and failed) to get a cab out of that neighborhood. To the owners: Please update your yelp page while you renovate. Common courtesy for your would be customers.

    (2)

  • Rachel N.

    I had friends come in from out of town & we went straight to Slowbar from the airport. I hadn't been here myself in a couple of years & it didn't disappoint! We had: hh burger, olives, wedge salad, large stinky fries, southern fry & ceviche. it was SO good! the chicken on the southern fry had great crispiness & seasoning, the blue cheese dressing for the salad was perfect & not a "cheesed" up ranch. the olives were warm & when you take the roasted garlic & spread it on the bread...yum! The ceviche was tender & the homeade chips salty, fries were hot & fresh. The burger was juicy but we cut it in 4ths so it lost a little of the combination of flavors you might get eating it whole, I really wanted to order the original Slowburger but we had so much food to share. The service was Excellent! our server was friendly and she & the other 2 ladies there all walked around & took refilled drink orders & kept the table cleared & clean. I won't wait 2 more years to go back!

    (5)

  • Katelyn L.

    Veggie sandwich is amazing! I have been looking for a great grilled veggie sandwich after moving from LA and I have found it!

    (4)

  • Beth M.

    Winter Slowburger FTW ... $3 Bloody Sundays ) I need to go back so that I can write a more thorough review....The Slowburger is calling......

    (5)

  • Kim A.

    My 2nd favorite burger in town. They make it much better here than at Slowburger, so skip them and come to the here to get your fix! Bloody Mary wasn't bad, service is average.

    (4)

  • Rick S.

    Epic food, stiff drinks, killer jukebox, tall red booths for seating. What more could you ask for?

    (5)

  • Patti F.

    I do enjoy my experience each time we go to Slow Bar. From a lazy hot Sunday afternoon (looking to cool down), to a cold late winter evening (to warm up), Slow Bar definitely doesn't disappoint. I cannot resist the stinky cheese fries, and I won't. I have not tried the burger (hello? vegetarian), though they DO have a black bean burger - I just didn't feel like it. I have had the roasted veggie sandwich (with aforementioned stinky cheese fries) and loved it. I've also had the wedge salad (sans bacon of course), and enjoyed that one too. For me the drinks were just wine - though our dining companions had some beers and cocktails that looked SUPER yummy.

    (4)

  • Kyan H.

    One of my better burger experiences in Portland (I got the signature SlowBar Burger with the onion rings on the top). I'm not quite sure how to categorize Slow Bar... it's a little bit dive, a little bit hipster, but with a little bit of a polished feel (in comparison to other hipster locales). The girls that work here have the right amount of spunk to them. Also, love the oversized cushy rounded booths. I felt like I was in a tilt-o-whirl made out of pillows.

    (4)

  • Sandra Z.

    This place serves great food with great service. Came for burger week the place was busy just like everyone else but you wouldn't know it. Our burger special was ordered and delivered in a respectable 20 minutes tops. The burger special was amazing, perfect and memorable.

    (5)

  • Miz C.

    this place never fails to impress. my burger was cooked perfectly, i had the winter burger (they always have a seasonal, and their house signature "slow burger") with the salad on the side. i love the sweet bits and crunchy nuts they always incorporate into their salads. i have to make a point of coming here more often.

    (5)

  • T. R.

    The Burger: After one bite, this burger shot up to top 3 in my list of favorite burgers. The half pound of Painted Hills natural beef was perfectly cooked, the gruyere went well with the beef, while the aioli and pickle relish provided a little kick. And the kicker? Those huge onion rings with. Slow Bar would sell a ton if the onion rings were a side. The fries were of normal quality. I should've opted for the stinky fries. The Service: Walking in a little after 1pm on a Friday, we were able to sit ourselves. The gentleman at the bar promptly took our drink orders and also provided water. Service was quick and the gentleman was cordial, resulting in a positive dining experience. The Verdict: On this foodie trip to Portland, the Slow Burger at Slow Bar was on the top of my list, and it did not disappoint. Whenever I'm in Portland, the Slow Bar will be an imperative eating destination.

    (5)

  • Nathan N.

    I've lived in portland for about 4 years now and I still consider the slow burger to be the best in town

    (5)

  • Crystal D.

    Wowee wow wow! Again, I will always be partial to a burger place, however the fall burger blew my mind with the crispy prosciutto, red pepper jelly, aioli, and gruyere with yummy natural beef made to order on top of the softest bun I've ever had with a side of hot crunchy fries..you just can't beat that.Its a little dark, and can be a little loud. However, they have booths that have really high backs to try and block noise. It was a Thursday night, late, therefore I should expect it to be a little louder than a Tuesday night. There was a decent tap list, not many options, but I love Rogue Dead Guy so I was pleased. The staff was nice and quick and the menu did show other items I would love to try along with some mixed drinks that I am sure would pair well. I will def def definately be coming back to this place.. Check out if you love burgers and dark bars!

    (5)

  • Meg C.

    Well, I came, I saw, I had an okay'ish burger...and I think I need to give it another try in the near future. I went on a Saturday evening, it was lively and busy but not packed. My friend and I were warmly greeted by the staff and seated really quick however, it was pretty downhill from there. Our waitress took forever to come say 'hi' & bring the basics: silverware, water, menus... & not like 5 minutes forever like 15+ minutes forever. When our food came our orders were wrong, the waitress didn't offer to fix it we had to ask and we were made to feel badly for asking complete with a sigh and an eyeroll. Our drink order never did come yet was put on our bill and we had to ask to have it removed & again made to feel badly for asking. While the burger was decent (not the best in Portland), the service was horrible & we left feeling like we were there to inconvenience our waitress. The Ambiance has a ridiculously fun vibe and I love atmosphere & the burger was good enough to eat again so I will give it another shot in hopes of a better experience and review.

    (2)

  • James L.

    The one thing I like about this place is it reminds me of old-school Portland, before everything became so trendy. It's divey, but it's customers run the gamut, and it has really good food and the prices are right. $10 for the slowburger is a good deal in this town it seems, where some places are now pushing up to $14-$15. We had the ceviche first - it was spicy, tasty, but did have a tiny bit of a funk at the very end. I give that dish 3 stars. But, we ate it all. I also had the "Fall Slowburger" - it's huge just like the pictures show. It was really good - quality beef cooked to exactly medium, as ordered. It's very juicy. So, the bun leaves something to be desired because it kind of turned into a soggy mess. The size of the beef patty is really big, so the penetration of salt and pepper into the beef is minimal, but I didn't really mind that it wasn't that salty. The fondue was also pretty tasty and I would recommend it as well. This is a solid bar for sure with quality food.

    (4)

  • Michael K.

    Great food, friendly service, WiFi. My companion had the chicken curry salad sandwich and judging from the look on her face, it was a life experience. My ceviche wasn't at that level but was excellent. Nice atmosphere, reasonable prices. Handled my gluten issue just fine.

    (5)

  • Cynthia O.

    The atmosphere was great, the beer was ok, the service was good, but the food was overwhelmingly meh. We ordered maybe four things, and they all sounded good and arrived just... edible. If you're out just for drinks, probably this is a great place.

    (3)

  • Carl B.

    Quick review: As part of the Portland Mercury Burger Week I tried to get to as many of the $5 specials that I could This was the first burger I tried during the 2013 week, and caramelized onions always is a good topping to a burger. Theres also came with a slice of provolone and salami to make for an Italian lean to the flavor. When I came in the last table in the house was sitting open so I lucked out where the next few had to sit at the bar. My partner in this adventure was just behind me and after looking over the menu to see everything available at the Happy Hour we ordered something to share and 2 burger specials. The Italian option was a great addition, and along with the well sourced beef burger gave for an excellent flavor in every bite. I love it when its hard to put the burger down because the mouth wants more even though its still chewing. Other patrons were happy smiling as they too were in this food trance while eating this sensational burger and many regulars were complaining about the recognition tihs establishment was getting from burger week since the "word" would be getting out. I will be back to check out some more of this Happy Hour menu too it looked to be excellent in its offerings.

    (4)

  • Frank C.

    Great space. Dark. Relaxed Sexy bartender.

    (5)

  • Amy L.

    Been here twice. Place is dark and you have to get servers attention. Chairs weren't comfortable. Food is okay. I had: Hush puppies: they were greasy also I never had deep fried cornbread before so I didn't like it. Cheese fries: were ok fries could be crispier. Wedge Salad: It's a normal wedge salad Pizzetta: I don't like the crust, toppings were great. I guess I'm use to traditional Italian style crusts. This reminds me of a Tortino pizza crust. Fondue: Heavy use of truffle oil I can barely get any cheese flavor. Dipping items were fresh and tasty.

    (3)

  • Maxene A.

    WOW. We came to slow bar after a craving for a juicy hamburger, so with our stomachs leading the way we did our food research, flipping through internet sites, yelp, The Portland Monthly magazines and everything we could to find the best burger.... and here is where all sources lead us to, to Slow Bar. Firstly this is a bar, a bar with a stacked menu! This menu is not your typical pub grub, it goes beyond the mysterious compressed chicken fingers, tator tot nachos, and goes to the straight delicious works you often find in a nice sit down establishment. The burger here is fantastic, juicy, dripping with a love sauce, topped with fresh Butter leaf lettuce, two perfectly fried onion rings, and the perfect hint of garlic, and surrounding this beautiful load is the bun.... This is a perfect burger. It satisfies any nutrition deficiency you may be having, and not to mention your juicy-meaty cravings. The service here is actually well, we had a large party on a friday night and our server and a few others from behind the bar took care of everyone in our group, the beer was flowing and the food kept coming. They let us split the check even though they didn't have to do that for so many people. Props! The only down side was the lack of air flow for the hot summer night, once we went outside it seemed so much cooler then the stagnant air we were sitting in. I cannot wait to go back and try the white truffle fondue and an other painted hills beef burger, my mouth is watering just thinking of it.... I think this place trumps my old favorite Violetta's

    (4)

  • Thelonious F.

    Awesome service and quality ingredients stand out in my head. Although, I don't think I'll ever make it back for their food. My Moscow Mule was not served in a copper cup. The spinich, roasted galic pizza had whole cloves of garlic scattered liberally throughout. I love garlic but chef, please "slow down" and crush your garlic properly. Friendly service all around though.

    (3)

  • Thee I.

    Let's get down to it. Review two. This time I tried the fall slowburger. The prosciutto made the burger and it was very tasty. My uncle had the slowburger and liked it. I'd still have to say I liked the Slowburger the best. That combination of ingredients works for me quite well. Good service. I'll be back definitely, for a third trip.

    (4)

  • Sita P.

    Went to Slow Bar for lunch because I've heard a few good things about the slowburger. Needless to say it was nothing special... 1/2lb patty was not very seasoned and pretty thick so you do get a nice pure meat flavor, which may be especially to your liking. For how thick it was it was definitely cooked perfectly at medium, how I ordered it, which seems like it would be a hard thing to get just right. We did add stinky cheese on to the fries that the burger came with. The fries were soggy and the cheese was subtle. Since it was weekend happy hour, we got homemade $3.50 corn dogs. They were huge and I liked their batter ( bet that would make for some good hush puppies) As for ambience, the heavy metal did match the high maroon booths and black floor tiles, but I was definitely not feeling it for lunch and I'm not sure how I would feel about it at I bar I would hang out in - but hey, at least it has style. All in all, it wasn't a bad meal, but it was nothing awesome and I probably won't be back.

    (2)

  • Kris E.

    I dug the jukebox. The burger was killer with it's onion rings on top helping clog my happy arteries. Nice bartenders too. Def recommend.

    (4)

  • Critiquel O.

    The music isn't conducive to conversation or eating, but the juke box is 4 songs for $1 - so if you know your punk, metal, and 80 rock you can pick out some good stuff. Had a Slow Burger and Dirty Fries. Fantastically tasting and filling, it doesn't look big but I split it with a friend along with a salad and was more than full when it was time to leave. Reasonable pricing, and our waitress was fantastic.

    (4)

  • Deborah M.

    Decent burger, but I've had better. The pros are great ingredients; nice butter lettuce, huge onion rings, garlic aioli (I had the slowburger) The cons; the burger itself was actually pretty flavorless. I had the side salad and that was nicely done. Good fries. Good service. Patrons seemed to be enjoying themselves. If I was still a drinker I would probably love this place; great jukebox, funny b-horror movie playing on the TV. Clean bar and their menu is pretty extensive for a bar, I am still going to give them more business as their sandwiches and pizzettas look good.

    (3)

  • Amber P.

    Sat at the bar at around 5pm on a Saturday - the booths were all taken. The bartender's service was spot on. Food: Got the Southern Fry (Draper Valley chicken fingers and hush puppies with various sauces). The chicken breading could've used some salt, but the sauces were fantastic. The hush puppies were fried to golden perfection and studded with corn niblets. Hubby got the burger. It really is a half pound of Painted Hills beef, cooked to order - it came accurately cooked to medium. The onion rings made it a little too bready for his taste. Ambiance: The few times I've been in here, the music was a little loud, but you could still hold a conversation. Drinks: We found the drinks on the cocktail menu to be too sweet - we tried the Cock Punch and the White Limes. The Old Fashion was good. Liked the seasonal ales on tap.

    (4)

  • Scott M.

    Great stopover in Portland. Wanted a great burger, got one! Winter slow burger, stinky cheese fries, and phenomenal microbrews. Sketch on the outside, warm and comforting inside.

    (5)

  • Mark C.

    Favorite burger in Portland, and they had Double Mountain on tap. I'm a fan.

    (5)

  • Tim B.

    I am rewarding awesome attention to food with a five star rating. I had heard about their burger being really good. I had played a show earlier int he evening and had eaten a late lunch. With the commotion of playing a show, loading all the gear in and out, I had spaced eating diner, and afterwards I was super hungry, but it was after midnight, which used to doom you in Portland. Not so much anymore, so I decided to hit slow bar and grab a burger. Slow bar would be an accurate description of the service I received. It tool a while to get some attention from the bar tender. It wasn't terrible though, and she was attentive enough to ask if I wanted a refresher when I finished beers and such. So I ordered the spring burger, and waited. It is a bar, and as such after midnight on a weekend is filled with the 20 somethings that make up the bar scene. I did talk with a few others at the bar, had some nice conversations. Anyway, the painted hills burger came out, and I chowed down. The burger itself was perfectly prepared, I like burgers rare, and rare it was, the with a delicious bun, the arugula, chipotle cheddar, the smoked bacon, and the perfect amount of "slow" sauce. Just all around finger licking good. The fries were also well prepared, with the right amount of salt, and really hit the spot. I savored every bite. It is clear that the kitchen staff at Slow Bar actually care about the food they prepare and serve and they make sure it is done right. That deserves five stars in my book. These days there are a few other places where you can grab quality late night food in inner Portland, Sizzle Pie, the carts at 12th and Hawthorne, but at Slow Bar you can also sit down and have a drink as well and relax a bit. For top notch late night food and drink, or really for food and drink at any time of the day, you will find it hard to beat the value of Slow Bar.

    (5)

  • Jillian R.

    Went on a Saturday afternoon on a recommendation from someone at House of Vintage. It was empty. Noisy. I never would have stayed if it wasn't for the suggestion. Burger was delicious! Cooked perfectly! The chicken rice saffron soup was tasty. Very friendly bar tender/server. Surprisingly excellent. Glad we went!

    (4)

  • john A.

    Drinks and food were super yum! One of the best burgers i've had. I saw someone order the steak sandwich, needless to say that's gonna be what I try next. My friend ordered the veggie(or Portobello) burger and see said I'd was the best she ever had.

    (5)

  • Chris D.

    You know what I remember about Slow Bar? It was the only place open after the ramen shops we took entirely too long walking to in the rain were closed. It was also the first place I heard someone ask what a hushpuppy was. You see, I grew up in Virginia and in them thar parts, everyone knows what hushpuppies are. That was about the time I realized I wasn't in Kansas anymore. Slow Bar is also the place my couchsurfing host texted me at 1:30 in the morning to ask if I was planning on being back any time soon. I said no and would spend five very uncomfortable hours on the very hard floor of my friends' hotel room. Ahh, memories.

    (3)

  • Stephen P.

    Awesome little bar to stop by for a beer and food during happy hour. I came in to just grab a beer while I waited for my car to have an oil change. Sitting at the bar I noticed that the food looked pretty damn good. I ended up ordering from the happy hour menu and got two perfect tuna sliders, along with a second beer. I'm planning on coming back to sample the rest of that menu. Service was very friendly too.

    (5)

  • Sarah C.

    GET THE SLOW BURGER!! Let me say again, GET THE SLOW BURGER! It's absolutely incredible! Just looking at the burger makes your mouth water & then drool like Homer Simpson drools over a donut (sound effect & all)! My photo doesn't give it justice but seriously it was about 5" high from top to bottom bun! The 1/2 lb. natural beef was grilled to a perfect medium with a nice slice of melted gruyere on top & the onion rings were gigantic & tasted so damn good! And yeah, that's pretty much all you need to know about this mouth-watering burger. The hand cut fries were a little undercooked but my salad with its organic greens, almonds, hazelnuts & pecans with vinaigrette dressing had no room for complaints. This is a great bar with a great atmosphere that serves too big to fit in your mouth delicious burgers!! Trust me, it's worth the $9.50!

    (5)

  • Michael F.

    I remember the first restaurant/bar reviews of Slow Bar and how the burger was amazing but it was hipster central. Frankly, that killed it for me so I never wanted to go. And with a name like slow I was concerned that was indicative of the service. Tonight I stopped in for the first time and I am so hap-hap-happy that I did. For happy hour the well drinks are $2.5 and beer is $1 off. A great selection on the menu with most items $3-4 cheaper! And the service was anything but slow. The drinks were served quick and the food came out just as fast and hot too! I really, really hope my next few visits are just as good and I can get around to trying the famous burger.

    (4)

  • Thai D.

    I've been to Slow Bar three times now, it's getting to a point where getting a burger here is an institution. Slow bar has good beers on tap, nice relaxed atmosphere with good music on the stereo, a TV that shows sports games, friendly bartenders, and one of the best burgers I've ever had. The Slow Burger is an incredible burger, it looks so daunting when it comes out with that big thick onion ring on it, but the bun is firm but still very tasty. Despite the size and juiciness of the burger, it won't fall apart in your hands. Last time I came here, I had the Spring Slow Burger, which takes out the onion ring but puts in bacon and chipotle cheddar. That was just as good. I have a feeling the next time I'm in town, my friends are going to want to take me here again. I won't refuse, and I'll make sure I come hungry!

    (5)

  • Taylor J.

    Great sandwiches and burgers! They cook the burgers in the rare side which we love. Bartender was very friendly. Sour beer on tap. Bloody mix rocks. We will be back. Prices are budget friendly.

    (5)

  • Y M.

    Voted one of the best burgers? Why? Burger was dry, over cooked, difficult to digest. Fries were good. Service extremely slow and food took forever and bar was not very busy. They missed on the burger.

    (1)

  • Usman A.

    Amazing burger. So far the best I've had in Portland. Well seasoned with a great bun that didn't fall apart. Great beef flavor. Service was solid also. Can't wait to head back.

    (5)

  • Joe M.

    Another great bar lying on the street of Grand Ave! I think it's one of the few places where I can only pay $3 for a tall boy of Tecate, lime added of course. I love what they show on TV, always something eclectic, naughty, or simply entertaining. Last time I was there, they showed 70's cheerleader sexploitation. The spring slow burger is a must have. Painted Hills beef with all the fixins never loses its flavor with each bite. It's one of the few big burgers I can manage to devour and not leave a crumb on the plate. The fries are crisp with a little grease for added fatty goodness. The cocktails are certainly the right price for a strong buzz. Those north and south lemonades will scream your name for more at each visit. The staff is friendly and has never been slammed when I have made my various visits. I have brought friends here numerous times and they agree this is definitely a bar to check out on the East side.

    (5)

  • Katie M.

    The food was delicious and the selection of drinks was pretty solid. I had the BBQ pulled pork sandwich and it was amazing! I also had a good stout along with dinner. The atmosphere was lively and friendly - and it seemed like a lot of the people at the counter were regulars and knew each other. My two complaints (minor ones!) would be that it smelled a little smoky inside at times because some patrons went just outside the door to smoke, and that there weren't a lot of beers on tap to choose from -- I'm more of a beer drinker than a cocktail person. But the beer I had was good; it's probably what I would have picked anyway, and I enjoyed my time there. Yay!

    (4)

  • Anna B.

    VIP treatment at the sexy Slow Bar! After doorman said, "Thank you, Ms. Anna B", upon producing my ID, he then told my whole group, "Welcome to Slow Bar, guys... have an awesome time", guiding us onto the swanky white couches in the lounge area near the front door. We ordered up a round of both Northern and Southern lemonades. Let me tell ya, those things are dangerous. A few of those on a hot date and you may end up pantsless before too long. Not that I'm saying that happened to me. I'm guessing those cocktails and/or Veuve Clicquot were responsible for the blush-inducing photos on Slow Bar's website. Don't show your mother. Music comes from a jukebox in the corner, filled with a huge variety of tunes. Servers are rad and a little tough, as I imagine any servers working on Grand Avenue have to be. Crowd is a mix of people headed downtown, pre-funcing before going down the street to Rotture, foodie folk seeking the city's best hamburger, regular joes from the neighborhood, and lots of beautiful peeps. You're just as likely to see someone order a tall can of Tecate as a Hennessy. You could drink on the cheap here if you wanted, and the fancy cocktails run around $7. I've had lots of their food, both there and catered events, it's always been awesome. I just about spit my drink out once when a server totally sassed my friend for removing a giant, thick slice of a gorgeous heirloom tomato from her burger. He said, "You know you just threw away a $2 piece of local perfection, right?" Haha! I would have told her the same had he not beat me to the punch. Trashing an heirloom like that is a crime. CRIME. Slow Bar can get a little loud when it's packed later at night but it's also a great spot for an after-work Happy Hour. Great food discounts, drinks, and cross your fingers that the city's Smoothest Doorman is working to make you feel all VIP and classy.

    (5)

  • Amanda K.

    HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE There's a lot of that surrounding this place, but it's all very much warranted and well-placed. The fucking burgers. You guys weren't kidding!! Three words: HOMEMADE TOMATO RELISH. I didn't even know I liked relish on burgers. I do now. Drinks were a little on the spendy side but if i'm that keen on getting mega-wasted, I'll just saunter on over to MFP for a stiff, cheap drink. I definitely want to take a date here. The low lighting is sexy and forgiving of any, um, imperfections.

    (5)

  • Pita C.

    Decent food, slow service. But it is called "slow" bar. If you're looking to have a conversation with your dinner, this place is entirely too loud for that. But if you're looking for drinks, this is the place to go. Bartenders are a bit heavy handed on the alcohol ;)

    (3)

  • Christopher K.

    After a long day at work, when I just want a good burger, a beer, and some old school Orange County punk rock, Slow Bar is my spot. This place is badass. Slow Bar has an absolutely fucking outstanding burger made from fresh ground Painted Hills chuck, and crispy fries covered in melted cheese, as well as a whole bunch of great local draught beers. In addition, the Southern Fry (Slow Bar's version of chicken strips) is ridiculous, with hush puppies and crispy spicy chicken with a couple of great dipping sauces. Most of Slow Bar's food options are worthy of sharing, and I highly recommend doing so! If you like a huge, juicy burger, really great Ninkasi and Double Mountain brews, and Suicidal Tendencies, Slayer, and Black Flag blasting on the juke box, meet me here after work!

    (5)

  • Phong D.

    I arrived around 6pm and decided to sit at the bar. The bartender was quick, attentive, and friendly. I had made the trek for the Slow Burger but ordered the Spring Slow Burger instead because it came with bacon. Overall the burger was great! It had solid beefy flavor, appropriate amount of greasiness, and a thick bun that did well at soaking up the grease. The fries were a nice complement to the burger - a nice balance between crispness / softness / saltiness. Overall, not the best burger that I've had in Portland but definitely in my personal top 5.

    (4)

  • Michael P.

    Bun was soggy making it frustrating to eat. Probably wouldn't come back unless it was for drinks only

    (2)

  • Paul P.

    Small and dark, but in a good way. The men's room was plastered with 80s punk concert poster posters. They were able to make a Hendrick's martini with a cucumber slice, but they go a little light on the vermouth if you enjoy a traditional gin martini. Recommended.

    (4)

  • Brandon B.

    so today is national cheeseburger day, and that got me thinking. .... SLOW BAR!!! I need to spend more time and money here. Last time i went, I had the best burger in portland. I'm a burger fiend so I can be picky at times. Went here with a group of friends and just enjoyed thier company with a good brew and burger. The staff is awesome, they won't hesitate to yell at a customer if they get too rowdy.

    (5)

  • Jim P.

    Not gonna write a lengthy review, just read what pretty much everyone else says. Great burger, great bar. Lots of great burgers in PDX, this place is top 2? 3? And that's

    (5)

  • Brian Q.

    The Slow Bar's 'Slow burger' rocks! The Slow burger is B-I-G. I literally popped my jaw out of its socket trying to get my mouth around it. The thick and super-juicy 1/2 lb Painted Hills beef patty was full of wonderful beefy flavor and covered in layer of gooey melted white cheddar! Top that with two big onion rings and you have burger that is as tall as it is wide. It doesn't come with any tomatoes but they were happy to give me a side of sliced tomatoes upon request. The fresh-cut fries were fairly crispy but were a bit saturated with oil so I might opt for the salad option next time. My only other complaint would be that the onion rings weren't that crispy. Hands down better than the burger at Mother's Bistro.

    (4)

  • Gladys H.

    Pretty tasty spring burger. Good service too

    (4)

  • A E.

    Holy crap, I love this place. I am all about the atmosphere of a place. That comes 2nd to quality of food. Well, Slow Bar gets a gold star in both of those categories! It's a dim-lit, romantic-ish bar with gourmet burgers and great music. I love this place. LOVE IT!!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth G.

    Slow Bar is one of my new favorite happy hour spots. The wedge salad and burger on the happy hour menu are delicious, and a great deal. Don't be fooled by the somewhat lackluster location and facade of this place, the inside has a great atmosphere. While the food is fantastic, I would like there to be a few more drinks available on happy hour, as I usually just settle for something boring like a gin and tonic. The service is usually good, but I have had the occasional server that acts a little condescending and superior. Other than that, Slow Bar has my vote for a delicious happy hour.

    (4)

  • Eric W.

    I rarely write a review for a place I've only been to once, but since I was just in Portland for a quick weekend family reunion I can only base my opinion on one quick burger experience. But that experience was AMAZING!! There's nothing particularly spectacular about the environment, but it just seems to work here. However, the only thing needed here to earn my 5 stars is the singularly best burger I've ever had. The quality and temperature of the meat was perfect. The warmth and freshness of the bread was perfect. The cheese and vegetables were perfect. What I'm trying to say is this is the perfect burger. Kudos!

    (5)

  • Steve S.

    Hey Jon B, yes you mister Yelp reviewer/food critique. There's a few things I want to add you your rant. First, Slowbar does have the best burger on the planet so you got that spot on. Second, it's Brandon Roy dipshit. Third, the only thing I peed on was your mom and she begged me to do it. Finally, the South Waterfront ain't that big homie. So if you wanna start calling people d-bags on the internet you might wanna know who you're calling out fuckface.

    (5)

  • Chelsea A.

    There's a statistic out there that says Americans eat hamburgers three times a week. If my heart/wallet/liver/stomache could handle it I'd be eating Slow Bar burgers 7 nights a week (actually, I probably would eat a hamburger 7 times a week regardless where it came from, but Slow Bars is very, very VERY good). I'm going to talk some sacrilege about Slow Bars burger's for a second though. I don't like the onion ring. That's right, I said it and stand by it. But I had their summer burger (that doesn't have an onion ring on it) for the first time and it was fan-freaking-tastic. Slow Bar also has bison grass available. And I could drink that shit like water because it's that good and I never see it available at bars around Portland. Bastards. Server/bartender dude was handsome and funny. And brought out food and drinks in a timely manner. So basically all I've ever wanted in a man.

    (4)

  • Mary F.

    Delicious. I got the Fall Slow Burger. It's a 1/2 lb burger with red pepper jam that is more hot than sweet, melty muenster cheese, and garlic aioli. It's a ginormous burger, flavorful and juicy. I would recommend getting the salad instead of fries, because on it they scatter delightfully spicy toasted nuts, and you WILL be full if you can even manage to finish the burger. (I couldn't.) Nice atmosphere, good music, cool people. Great place to go after a long day's work.

    (4)

  • Wolf L.

    Came to this place with the singular purpose of trying the burger. So many people have told me that it's a gastronomic masterpiece, I just had to taste one for myself. I do loves me a good burger. Yes, I do. We came early in the afternoon. There weren't too many folks inside the bar. The people I saw were all wearing t-shirts that sported ironic slogans or obscure band names, or fitted plaid shirts with tight, skinny jeans: yup, hipsters. Gotta love them hipsters. (I'm from a different generation. Never put too much thought into my "outfits". Give me some old Levi's and a pair of motorcycle boots and I'm all good.) The bar looks clean and fairly utilitarian. Nothing in the decor or ambience jumped out at me as particularly unique or interesting. However, that's not a bad thing, if the FDS (food, drink and service) is good. I, of course, ordered the Slow Burger with fries. Got an IPA to wash it down. Several good beers on tap. My wife got the chicken curry sandwich. First the burger: mighty fine piece of work. Artisan bun. Thick, hand-formed patty (done a perfect medium rare). Tasty cheese. Topped with two beautiful, crispy onion rings. Delicious! My wife liked her sandwich, too. Service was attentive and friendly. Our food arrived quickly and we were asked several times if we needed drink refills. That's smart because I will almost always get another beer if someone offers to fetch me one. The burger did not disappoint. Wish I had asked for some bacon on it, then it would have been perfect. I'll be back again.

    (4)

  • A R.

    Call me unimpressed. Went there after reading the reviews. Had a great experience from the wait staff. Loved listening to the music. The reason I went was for the Slow Burger. Well I ordered medium rare, like some moo still. What I got was a dry overdone burger. Not impressed.

    (2)

  • Elizabeth K.

    This place is an example of why Portland is so awesome. From the outside Slow Bar looks like just another dive bar and you would never think it has such good food and varied menu. Walking in, it's kind of dark, and small. But looks are deceiving and the menu offers a good selection. And they have cloth napkins! So this is definitely not your common dive bar! We came in for a burger and we both chose the Slowburger, with onion rings, pickle relish and gruriere cheese. I do not eat pickle nor relish but forgot to ask mine without it. And I do not regret that. It gave a nice tang to the burger without being overwhelming. Overall it was amazing! Really good and cooked perfectly to our liking! We also shared a large portion of cheese fries. It was so good we could not stop eating. Then we had a side of salad with the burgers. Green leaves and nuts, with a tad of dressing made for a really good side salad. Not your average tasteless side salad. Service was also pretty good. Highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Terri W.

    Great beer selection , I had the slow burger which was good and the fries were cooked to perfection. I would like to see the onion rings offered as a stand alone side as they were the most impressive part of the burger. The bartenders are also amazing.

    (4)

  • Tyler C.

    OMG! 5 stars! This place was awesome! Maybe too many exclamation marks but slow bar is worth them. First we had the nicest waitress. She was the only one working, the place was full and we received excellent service. Props to this girl. Also, every time she came to our table she was smiling. Second, the burger. I had the winter and my boyfriend the slow. If one thing is wrong with them is that they are too perfect. The winter is a combination that doesn't sound that great but if missing any one element would not be the same. The fries aren't bad but also are not the best in town. 5th quadrant's are better for a similar style. Whatever about the fries though. This burger is fantastic. I'd eat one everyday if I didn't care about having a heart attack. For cheat days when I want a burger I'll be here!

    (5)

  • Allie R.

    Like many others, I came here on the Portland Monthly recommendation, and it did not disappoint. We started off with the fries with cheese, and I had a split of prosecco. Both were excellent. My fellow eaters ordered the seasonal burger, and I ordered the classic slow burger. Mine was just right at medium-rare; my friend had to order her burger well-done for health reasons, and she said that it was the most tender well-done burger she's ever had, which attests to the quality of the meat they use. The service is a tad bit on the slow side, but not disinterested or rude in the least. Don't drive by this divy looking place without stopping in. Cool, moody atmosphere (and quiet enough to have a conversation, but not so quiet that you're afraid to talk), great food, good beer and wine list.

    (4)

  • Jon B.

    Burger was worth the hype...amazing. Service was good but I couldn't get over the d bag manager standing at the end of the bar wearing a Brian Roy jersey who was attracting the worst clientele screaming about how they are going to pee all over the floor. Best Burger. Worst service. Worst atmosphere.

    (3)

  • Austin G.

    Bartenders were awesome, drinks and food were good and the prices were super reasonable. I'm from out of town and was looking for a place to get a few drinks on my way to the Trailblazers game. Only later, after talking to my airbnb host, did I find out that I couldn't have picked a better bar to get a real taste of the city. I gotta say, it tasted good! I had the southern fry, with hushpuppies and the best chicken tenders I've had in a long while. Everything was delicious, including the three dipping sauces. The beer recommendations were on point and they had me taste a bunch of local (Oregon local, if not Portland local) brews they have on tap. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a good bar.

    (5)

  • Walter K.

    Not sure why I was so excited to go here. I like to idea of the slow food movement, but at Slow Bar it just doesn't translate into a better burger. My food was completely forgettable, other than the homemade ketchup/hot sauce. I hit this place during happy hour, and it was dead. They didn't have any great specials. I might give it another go at some point, but my feeling is that slow bar doesn't have much of a draw with the rest of the great food and beer so widely available in Portland.

    (2)

  • Jeff G.

    I have been in here a few times. Saturday nights and happy hour times on some weeknights. It is usually busy, but not too crowded. On a Saturday night, it did not seem too packed, though I would imagine it can get pretty slammed from time to time and I know some people like that. The burgers have always been really good, and we have eaten the cheese fries multiple times, which are great. The cocktails I drink have always been made properly, and the bartenders are very good at making sure your drink is not empty long, if at all. Prices are very good based on some other bars I have been in, very reasonable. Staff has always been friendly and helpful, they probably have to put up with a bunch of shenanigans. It has the bar feel, but with good food, and the crowd in there always seems pretty cool. It is not too crazy (loud and obnoxious people) and you can tell almost everyone is having a good time.

    (5)

  • Michelle S.

    Looking under "Best Burgers" came up with Slow Bar. Not "The" Slow Bar per my GPS. I met my Partner-In-Dine this afternoon. The menu is small. Interesting, but, small nonetheless. Doesn't matter. The SlowBurger is 1/2 pound of perfect beef cooked exactly to order and upon the first bite exploding with juice. Mmmmmm. It comes with a couple of onion rings. The onion rings were good. Not my faves. The leaf of butter lettuce was a perfect complement. We shared the SlowBurger (not the Summer SlowBurger witth heirloom tomatoes) and thefried chicken and corn fritters. Delish. The batter on the chicken breast pieces was light and crispy. The corn fritters were spicy and corny (not too corny). It came with three dips. One was a honey and something not too good really. A spicy horseradish dip that WAS really good, and a meh, BBQ. This was all overcome by our asking the server for honey. This added a special Yum to the chicken and the fritters. Everything came out hot, juicy, spicy, and fresh. All in all we were both very happy. Funny thing was our server said that a lot of people actual prefer straight honey to the honey whatever dip. I think they should just dump their honey dip. It is neither honey nor buttery. More just gel kind of nothing. Which, to me is hardly worth the detriment. Cheap, too. We agreed we would come here again without any provocation.

    (4)

  • Phil M.

    When I came to this area to visit, I was kind of skeptical. I was told to stay mostly to SW Portland. But we walked our way here which seemed to be in the middle of no where... then BAM! This place comes out of no where. We got here on a Saturday during happy hour and holy *@%$ was everything amazing and worth the prices. The burgers were quite amazing, but that wasn't the best part. The beer was a good price and the mimosas were gigantic. And just wow to the onion rings. I mean wow. If you are visiting Portland for a short time like I was, do not miss out on this place.

    (5)

  • Bridget S.

    A must go to!!! Great food and service. This place is a fun atmosphere...kind of dark with large booths and loud music. The hushpuppies are outstanding..when you order them they come with fried chicken as well, however, we usually ask to substitute more hush puppies instead of chicken. They change their slow burger choices, seasonally I believe.

    (4)

  • Anna A.

    Slow Bar is one of very few Portland bars in my 10 year residency that has provided consistent quality in an unpretentious yet chic atmosphere. The food never disappoints and great happy hour cocktail price.

    (5)

  • Brandon T.

    I have to say that for the price I paid I have had better burgers in worse looking locations than this. Slow Bar looks nice and indeed serves good food and has nice people working for it. The experience I had here was not bad. I got the Slowburger and a side of stinky cheese fries. I had a new castle to help savor it all though in retrospect I would have gotten a hoegaarden or murphys because those are just so good and they even have it on tap ( I was just unfortunate enough to not notice till after I had ordered)........ I am just saying that $42 bucks for two burgers, one communal set of fries and two drinks + standard 20% tip seems a little excessive, maybe i am just being stingy........ The drinks were what you would expect them to be, the fries really did stand out and I wish I knew what cheese that was...................... but if that burger is really the "best" that Portland has to offer me then I am sorely disappointed. The fact of the matter is that I will probably go back, and having hoegaarden on tap and pictures of a girl shooting guns hung up on the wall is enough for me to give them four stars.

    (4)

  • Dan H.

    Still the best burger I have eaten in Portland. This time I had the Spring (it is summer right?) Slowburger ($9.75). A burger with prosciutto, caramelized onions and slaw, they had me at prosciutto. I didn't really need to read more. Really good fries too. A bit disappointed that I asked for it medium rare and it came out more medium well. Still surprisingly juicy though.

    (4)

  • Liz D.

    Amazing experience from beginning to end. I especially loved the stinky fries, but the happy hour burger was also amazing. The service was fantastic and my lemon-bourbon cocktail was delicious. Not a single complaint!

    (5)

  • Brent W.

    One of the best burgers in town. It's probably in the top 3. We also had a work party here that was a lot of fun.

    (4)

  • Brian C.

    We were hankering for a nice greasy burger, and that's what we typed in to Yelp! It is a dark atmosphere inside but they had the football game on TV and cold beer on tap. I ordered the Slow burger. Wow! First of all it is HUGE. Cooked perfectly and with some great fries. The price was reasonable too. The only weird thing was that my chair was vibrating because something was playing downstairs or next door but it just helped me digest the 1/2 pound of meat I had just eaten.

    (4)

  • Laura N.

    Slow Bar, oohhhh Sloooowwww bar... I formally apologize. Please take me back. You're like that dear friend who I threw to the side because of a silly infatuation with a boy. (Or in my case, your mere association.) But enough about him. Since then I've often come groveling back. And when I do, you serve me amazing food, delicious drinks, and the smoothest of smooth birthday tequila shots. (Thanks Don B!) Your booths welcome me with open vinyl...no awkward guilt trips included. I've often busted out Jackson 5's "I want you back" during Yelp karaoke with you in mind - and now I'm here to beg forgiveness with these words of wisdom: Uh-huh huh huh huh Let me tell ya now... Uh-huh

    (4)

  • Warren C.

    I've been to this place on a few occasions and it has become one of my regular meet up spots during the weeknights. I was introduced by this place from a couple of friends and have come to love this little hole in the wall that really sets a great example of the great venues we have here in the Portland Metro area. Upon entering this establishment varying on what night you go in you may have the opportunity of meeting the door guy. I forget his name but he's a very well dressed individual and surprisingly well versed. He'll ask for your id and will create dialogue while doing so. Once you enter the doors you walk into a low lit atmosphere with medium volume level. Two televisions are mounted on the wall behind the bar and you'll see a wide arrangements of diverse people. You grab a seat and the bartender will greet you and ask what you would like to drink. Drinks don't take very long and much like the door guy the bartender will also create dialogue as well. If you ever come here do come and enjoy the food here as well. I find it to be one step above usual bar foods and if you're a burger guy definitely try the slow burger that is on the menu. Overall, Its a very pleasant place to be. Good energy, great staff, and awesome food. Every experience I've had here has been rather enjoyable and I can't think of anything I would change. Restrooms are very clean and the bar is pretty well kept. If you enjoy the Portland bar scene then make a point to come down here. You won't regret it. Happy Eating and Drinking everyone!

    (4)

  • Jennifer B.

    Let me start by saying that I have such high beef expectations I rarely order it because I am so frequently disappointed. But the Winter Slow Burger...ahhhh. My mouth seriously waters just thinking about it. It's amazing. I don't even mess with the rest of the menu because the burger is so perfect. My boyfriend loves the pastrami sandwich- Carnegie deli pastrami. The drinks are good- excellent old fashions and $3 bloody Mary's on Sundays. Staff are very pleasant. The bar is small, so tables fill up quickly. The only possible negative I could say is that sometimes the music gets a little "death metally" for me- but once that burger is sat down in front of me I don't hear anything but angels singing. I cannot wait to experience the burger creations that accompany the Spring, Summer and Fall!

    (5)

  • Aaron F.

    Best burger in town. You pay for it $9.75 so not cheap, but you do get what you pay for and more. One of the few reasons I will get in my car and drive past the 50 or so bars in the Pearl, NW, and downtown. The burger is that good. So good that I am not sure that a better burger exists in Portland. I am not sure what else is on the menu, but does it really matter?

    (5)

  • Luna T.

    Slow burger, stank fries... bomb! 3 stars for the shitty service..s/o to Ben feeling up his Girlfriend by the Kitchen...no wonder our food was cold.

    (3)

  • Smit J.

    I have been here 4 times and all of the food was decent to good, but the "Slowburger" is by far my favorite (at least of the things that I've tried). I've been told that there is another burger that is even better but have yet to try it. If you love a good burger, you've got try this. Also, for fans of great burgers I have incuded a list below. Favorite / Best Burgers in Portland 1. Backyard Burger w/ Pimento Cheese (The Screen Door) 2. Slowburger (Slow Bar) 3. Peanut Butter and Bacon Burger (Killer Burger) 4. Painted Hills Burger [white cheddar, bacon, bbq sauce, fried onions and more] (Serratto) 5. Burner Burger (Foster Burgers) Honorable Mention 1. Barnyard Burger [w/ bacon, ham and egg] (Killer Burger) 2. Walla Walla Sweet Onion Burger (Burgerville) 3. Turkey Bacon Burger (Foster Burgers) 4. Wilbur's Jumbo Deluxe Burger [w/ Egg] (McMenamins) 5. Pepper Bacon Cheeseburger (Burgerville) 6. Cheeseburger (Nob Hill Bar and Grill)

    (4)

  • K D.

    Dagwood burgers, that's what they are! Huge, juicy, fresh, burger loaded with crisp lettuce, onion rings, pickle relish, cheese, etc. we had the Slow Burger and while super messy, well worth it! The meat was cooked as ordered and fresh fresh fresh. We also had the fondue which came with crisp apples, ripened pears, grapes, and bread. We added on the sausage which was delicious. There was the perfect amount of cheese that was smooth, flavorful, and hot! It was happy hour, so the $3.00 Bloody Mary was a hit! Could have been a bit spicier, however, the flavor was excellent with a skewer filled with olives, lime, and pepperoncini. We left stuffed to the gills and will be back when the burger craving hits!

    (4)

  • Dan A.

    Whenever I've got a friend coming in from out of town, I take them here. Pros: -The music is often metal, which is awesome, but never too loud to prevent conversation. -The stout is creamy and delicious -The food. Their burgers (both regular and seasonal) are all great. I've also had the fried chicken which was quite good as well, but as for the rest of the menu.. well I've never tried it because I can't resist their burgers. Cons: -Kind of small. Might have to wait a little for a seat to open up, but there's tables outside as well. -Barely a "con" honestly, but if you're hovering near the bar it might take a minute to get noticed. Says less about the promptness of the staff and more about how it always seems to be busy. It's worth noting that I've had one bad experience here when we were literally forgotten about, including our food order. It was incredibly annoying at the time but it seems like a fluke and hasn't kept me from going back. Bottom line, when it comes time to leave Portland this is going to be one of the places I'll miss most.

    (4)

  • Eliana M.

    Overhyped burger alert! An abundance of toppings doesn't necessarily make a better burger. Plus, they seem to not be able to get them straight...my husband's burger was missing the bacon, and mine was missing the carmelized onions. Continue your search for a good burger elsewhere!

    (2)

  • Connie C.

    So my thoughts on the name are that after eating their signature burger, I'm about as fast as a sloth. Somewhere between Hannah Montana using ketchup as moisturizer & us being pigs, my friend and I craved burgers since the morning. & yes, she rocks. We both went for the original slowburger though the winter burger sounded intriguing. Both got medium rare w/ fries. This thing was huge. I couldn't fit my mouth around it (& I ain't a dainty lady when it comes to eating). So much so that I ended up w/ just part of the top bun left on my plate because I couldn't handle the slip & slide of it all. See pics of its ginormous-ness. Everyone is right. This burger is cravable. I'll admit now that I was a bit skeptical because I've had a lot of good burgers, but this really was everyone you'd want in a burger. The bun was fluffy & sesame seed studded and the mayo seeped into its little air pockets. The butter lettuce added just a bit of crunch & color. The pickles give the whole thing a tang. The onion ring was crispy & gave way to a sweet juicy onion. The meat was huge, tender, & juicy. The greasy (in a good way) juices coated my tongue with a desire that the burger would never end. The skin-on fries are also crispy & delish. I had to push my plate away to stop. Besides the cravable burger, the whole place is super sexy. There's a red glow, high back booth seats which are perfect for cuddling and probably passing out later in the night.

    (4)

  • Don B.

    This update is LONG overdue. Remember when I promised that I'd raise the rating to 5 stars when it became nonsmoking? Yup. It's nonsmoking now, and every time I go in I love this place even more. Rad.

    (5)

  • Alena C.

    Spring burger is soo good! And I love the big booths an decent drinks.

    (4)

  • Krista G.

    I had very high expectations based on all the killer reviews. I have no doubt that this place can get fun once it's crowded and you have a nice buzz. I found the interior to be not as over the top cozy as described...but who dosen't like a nice booth to cozy up in. I thought the prices were reasonable and the service good. I had the Slow Burger and although it looked impressive and HUGE, it really was kinda blan and soggy. I didn't even finish it. The fries were pretty decent. My friend ordered up a pasta dish with cheese and shrimp and artichoke hearts she said it was delicious and ate every last morsel. This is not a place I would wait to eat at but if I was in the neighborhood and wanted a quick drink I would stop back in.

    (3)

  • Leah H.

    Had dinner here on Labor Day after reading yelp reviews and we were not disappointed!!! Two of us ordered the slow burger and it was as expected, full of flavor and so delicious! The stinky cheese fries was so good; I will have to come here again for it. Our group also got the chicken strips and hush puppies. Everyone enjoyed their dinner and the service was great! I will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Tanner A.

    We were STARVING after midnight. Talk about limited choices.. fast food or Denny's, I think not. We found the Slow Bar and thought we'd give it a try. So very very glad we did! Super fresh, super wholesome food. Real fries, not frozen Sysco products! The top sirloin sandwich was filled with delicious, tender steak. The Slow Bar burger, well let's just say AMAZING! Half pound of Painted Hills Natural beef, melted Gruyere cheese, really?? YES! I never expected to find "real" food after midnight, but was so very pleased and glad we overlooked the "Portland Hipster" vibe and went on in! Be it 5 pm or 1:30 am, you cannot beat the food! Oh yeah, the cold coffee drinks were just delicious! Mixed by a hipster mixologist of the highest caliber! This is on my "go to" list now and it is going to be hard for any place else to top this experience!!

    (5)

  • Michael H.

    Slow Bar makes an EXCELLENT burger! I'll bet the other food is good too. Pretty cool Portland bar scene...they were punking out on the music when I was there and it was kinda loud.

    (4)

  • Joe L.

    This is probably my new favorite place to chill and eat a bomb bomb burger! Burger - Theres the slow burger (normal) and the seasonal Winter slow burger. Both are really damn good! The burger itself is 1/2 pound of fresh hand made burger-ness. It is massive (see massive pictures). The slow burger original had to be mashed down and it drips sauce everywhere. The burger ought to come with a wet nap! The meat is well seasoned, and the rest of it coked perfectly! I can usually eat mine in about 60 seconds. The fries are also really good. They are home made fresh and that perfect mixture of crunchy and soggy. They kind of remind me of inn n out fries but i like these better for some reason. I want to say the only thing that is missing is an over easy egg, but ill have to ask and see if they do that cause i never asked. I don't think ive had a better burger in Portland, so definitely check this place out! Booze - They got a ton of beer on tap and a very diverse selection, and they have the beer that i think all bars should have, the $3 dollar Teacate!!! I hate when other bars don't carry this cause this is a nice light beer when you are intaking 1500 calories and don't want to drink a Coors and definetly don't a 380 calorie crazy seasonal. Besides the beer, they have a decent Scotch section. Besides the normal stuff like Mccallens 12, they got some J. Walker black!! TVs - Failed. 2 small 27 inchers? Atmosphere - Someone told me it was like a dive bar, but its acutally pretty nice inside. Its sort out a nice lounge like bar. Reminds me a lot of East in china town without the red lights. The place isn't huge, and we did see a line form at one point.

    (5)

  • Eve W.

    I have to say, I only stopped in here because it was recommended to me by the bartender at Lovecraft Bar. I had gone out and left my house starving, and when I looked it up on Google I came across the phrase "Best Burgers In Town". I can honestly say that I was not disappointed. I tried the Fall Slowburger and wolfed it down in record time, jalapenos and all. I love that they let me take it to go, it was prepared quickly and well packaged. The drinks and the atmosphere were great, and I'll definitely be stopping back by for a burger the next time I am in the area.

    (4)

  • Linzy B.

    White wine fondue with truffle oil was so good! Coming from someone who works in this industry, food was awesome! House made fries and burgers. Drinks were far too strong for me... I had to ask for sprite for a mixer. But was some of the best food I've had outside of my work

    (5)

  • O. Bilal O.

    This is for the burger we were served and the burned fries that came with it.

    (2)

  • Jennifer N.

    Do they call it Slow Bar because service here is SLOW AND HORRIBLE? My server was rude, and highly incompetent. Took forever to get anything, and was not checked on after getting my food. My burger was good though, which is why I'm not just giving it one star.

    (2)

  • Michelle L.

    The Slowburger will be the best burger you will ever eat in your life. I mean, just read the description: 1/2 lb Painted Hills natural beef, Gruyere, onion rings, butter lettuce, pickle relish. Okay, maybe it doesn't do it justice. So some tips for the perfect experience: get the burger done medium. It'll still be juicy, but not too juicy and will avoid the mess that rare burgers normally bring. You'll get two onion rings -- place one onion ring in the burger, and eat the other on the side. Adds the perfect amount of crunch in the burger's texture. Seriously. Perfection. That being said, as much as I love the burger, service here is wayyy too slow. They really live up to their name. They also often forget the essentials (like giving you silverware and napkins) and catching a waiter's eye is almost always impossible. The ambiance is almost always dark, loud, and dirty. Everything else on the menu is a tad underwhelming -- I once tried the white wine fondue and realized that it was a mistake to deviate from the burger. If you're going to come here, be sure to do so just for the burger.

    (4)

  • Frank G.

    Nice spot. Walks the line between "chill" and "trendy", mainly due to the loudness of the music. Nice bartenders; they're on the ball and that red-headed goddess back there is taking care of business. The Slow Burger was really delicious.

    (4)

  • Julie M.

    My husband shattered his $750 Smartphone and we had no insurance. Defeated and sad, we didn't know what to do? Go to Slow Bar!!! $3 delicious, perfect Bloody Mary's on that sad day seemed to take some of the sadness away. 3 drinks in and we ordered a Slowburger and the Southern Fried Chicken with Hushpuppies and I swear we'd almost forgotten the unfortunate mishap. Our server was super sweet and the heavy metal music matched the mood. As we left, we both agreed that the day had been rescued by great food, drinks and service at Slow Bar.

    (5)

  • Peter C.

    I loved this place. Atmosphere was perfectly divey. Burger was pretty darn good. The meat was top-notch, slightly above my requested mid-rare, but delicious and juicy nonetheless. Came dressed with an onion ring and I forget what else. It was a little big for my mouth, but the ratio of bun to meat to topping was still fine.

    (5)

  • Dan P.

    Ok so the parental unit or my mom was visiting recently and she was craving a burger. As someone who never eats fast food I'm surely not going to suggest it to a loved one. So where do you satisfy a craving of beef formed patties when traveling to the east side? Ah yes, Slowbar. Inside this dimly lit bar lies a dark, minimalistic space, with a few pieces of retro art covering the walls. The bar remains the focal point and shows off some unique cocktails and great beer, while a few booths and some scattered tables make up the rest of the space. There's usually some alternative music playing but nothing that distracts you from a conversation. We made it for HH and were given two menus, sadly the burger wasn't on the HH one which was kind of a let down. Even still at $9.75 its much cheaper than some other dead cow in town. They start with 100% painted hills beef so I was confident about ordering it med-rare. Next this slow burger is stacked with a thick slab of white cheddar and piled high by delectable, lightly fried onion rings, some butter lettuce and pickled relish. With the top bun in place make sure to give it a solid downward push but still this burger is going to be hard to eat. Not that I was complaining, take it more as a warning if you have some phobia about drooling or eating in front of people. Honestly I had to take off a few of the onion rings in order to fit this mile high burger in my mouth. The beef was juicy, cooked properly and flavorful. Overall it wasn't delectably different but its quality shined through. The bartender was also our waiter and gave us spot on service, props to him! So if you find yourself craving a burger go check out Slowbar a place that serves it by way of their name, which really stands for the opposite of fast food in the best possible way.

    (4)

  • Vee A.

    I really love this place. One because it is one of very few places near me that is open late and serves quality food. I almost always order the White Truffle Fondue with fruit! I was there last night and also had a cup of Prosciutto lentil soup. It was sooo deelish that I ordered more to take home! :) I usually go at night so the scene is really dark and lit by dim red lights. When you walk in there are tall booths so if you wanted to have a little bit of privacy you could opt to sit in them only thing is it can get busy so its more of a hit or miss when it comes to timing and seating. There are spaces to the left and right of the entry door that have tables, chairs, and couches that you can sit in and see the whole restaurant/bar/lounge. Usually there is loud music playing but not too loud where you can't hear a conversation. Plus there are two flat screen TV's on each side of the bar that usually play old movies :) All in all a great place to go to with a small group of friends or with another person. Staff there is friendly.

    (4)

  • Jesse D.

    I mean, this is a bar. I knew that going in the first time, and the second and third. My problem is everyone pushes the burger and talks about how good the burger is... but I mean, its not that good. Good need to be better than red robin kind of ready to be mass made burgers. This is about that level with an alternative appearance. but I mean, its a bar, and its clear being in there its for drinkers and not for people who really want an amazing burger. I mean, go in and look around. Its not a bad spot, but the rep doesn't match the interior.

    (4)

  • Misha R.

    Being a native Tennesseean myself, I have one piece of advice for you: AVOID THE SOUTHERN PLATE. The fried chicken's coating was flavorless and the chicken wasn't any better - oh no, my bad, it tasted like cooking oil. Three little ramekins of unusual sauces were provided on the side, which I guess were supposed to be where the flavor comes from. The hushpuppies are an abomination. Instead of being nice and savory, they're weirdly sweet, which comes from the whole kernels of corn in the batter. Everything also came moderately overcooked, especially the hushpuppies. My advice - ditch the corn and sugar and substitute green or white onions. The atmosphere is lovely and intimate, though, and the waitstaff at the bar were friendly and charming. I'm adding a star back to my review just for them. I hate leaving unhappy reviews, and I struggled with whether or not I should do this one for Slow Bar. I don't feel that my experience was representative of a usual patron's. DO come here to eat and drink, but order anything else besides the Southern plate. If you crave fried chicken or hushpuppies, find them elsewhere.

    (3)

  • C Y.

    I was brought to this unassuming place by one of my customers. Now I come back every time I'm in the area. Some of the best sandwiches, salads and food in Portland. Very good service. We savored a cold drink, curry chicken sandwich and watched the tour de France last week. Great spot.

    (5)

  • Adam S.

    I have no idea why I never reviewed this place it has one of the best burgers in Portland and I have been coming here (off and on as I am in and out of Portland) for the past 2 years. I randomly wandered into this place based on yelp reviews one New Years Eve after a failed attempt to go to Produce Row. The breakdown is like this.... GREAT burgers the Slow Burger is my favorite but the spring and summer variety is not to be missed. The stinky fries are awesome... I need to warn you I am a stickler for meat prepared as I have ordered it every single restaurant given enough time has messed that up... NEVER here they always prepare it exactly to my preference. I have had other items on their menu but keep coming back to the burger. Decent beer selection and good drinks. The one interesting aspect of this place is the music. Often when I go there the music is hard rock which doesn't seem to "connect" with the atmosphere (which is more lounge-y). But I do love all music and frankly they could be playing throat music and I would still come here for their amazing burgers....

    (4)

  • Corey F.

    Loved the music, the service, & the drinks. We'll come back for sure & try the food next time! Thank You!!!!

    (5)

  • Amy C.

    I'm don't where everyone normally eats but I was very shocked and disappointed in service and food!! No one came to check on us after our food was delivered . Our southern plate was burnt and who knows what kind of chicken that was on the slider! It was kind of a curry thing...hmmm strange. The pork slider tasted burnt and left over meat . The service was absolutely weird , it was as if they really didnt want customers in unless they were at the bar . God for bid they actually have to come out and wait on you! My slow burger that I split with my sister was NOT... A good burger. I am not one usually to complain,but I must on this one. I will probably try it again at a later date. You can almost take one or the other !! Service or food!! I hope if I return that they both aren't terrible again.

    (1)

  • Michelle C.

    We came here on a dark, rainy evening in search of burgers and drinks, and we got them. We started off at the bar with a Manhattan and a Lynchburg, both very tasty cocktails, about $6 each, so no complaints here. The place is dark, with an attempt at being comfortably divey, but it isn't a dive at all. It's got great atmosphere and the service is really great. My Slowburger was several things: Big, Impressive, and Okay. The bun was tasty, my medium cooked patty was a little lacking in flavor but it did its job, the onion rings were great, the gruyere was properly funky, and the butter lettuce held its own ans stayed crisp. There was a relish, however, that showed up at the bottom of my bun and wanted to steal the show, overpowering all of the other flavors that I should have been having. It also made my bottom bun soggy. bummer. Sir's Fall Slowburger fell to a similar fate. Great ingredients overall, but there was a red pepper spread that again, lived on the bottom bun, made it soggy, and overpowered everything else that was going on. Sir told me that it made the whole thing taste like a "fancy sloppy joe," which is not what one hopes for when ordering a burger. Overall, it seems like this place is trying to make a great bistro burger, which they are, but they took it that ::one::step too far in both cases and kind of tipped the scales away from awesome and into overproduction. The fries were tasty with some ketchup and sririacha, and the side salad had a great pesto dressing, simple and flavorful. For the place overall, definitely four stars plus. For the burgers, three stars at best. our search for The Burger (tm) goes on.

    (4)

  • Adam G.

    I could go on and on about the totally insane food. Burgers bigger than your face and delicious ceviche. I could also go on and on about the killer jukebox, great atmosphere, helpful servers, and excellent movies shown at random. All that stuff is great. The cherry on top is they have old Rasputin on a NITROUS tap. If I'm in the neighborhood I have to stop by.

    (5)

  • S Luc S.

    Slow Bar! Take it easy! My only wish is that there was more seating. My friends and I were scoping the hell out of the booths waiting for parties who had paid to move on (one table didn't...you guys, that's not nice!). The drinks were poured wonderfully. Tequila Speedball, was it called? Dangerously delicious! They have Tito's vodka. So smooth, so tasty. I didn't do a burger because I don't like beef. Others had the Slow Burger and the Winter Burger. By the way they were devoured, I would have to say they were good. Another friend had the Southern Fry. I tried one of the hush puppies and it was hot and crispy and good. Dip it in one of the three provided sauces and pop it into your waiting, gaping maw. Yummers! I had the chicken/avocado sandwich and I have no complaints. Chicken was tender and moist, avocado was fresh, and the bacon was bacony. Also the tries were crisp and non greasy, waitresses were prompt, cordial and attentive. Happiness and full bellies were had by all.

    (4)

  • Chris L.

    The Slowburger is one of the top burgers I've gotten so far since arriving in Pawtland. I got mine rare, with a side of stinky cheese fries. Note: they may charge you an extra 2-3 dollars just for the cheese... -the (~1/2lb) beef is not heavy on seasoning, except on the outside of the patty, which had a peppery, Lawry's seasoning taste to the crispy fried top and bottom. while rare in the middle, they give it just enough warmth to not taste like a raw patty-burger. there are also a couple hefty onion rings in the middle to add to the flavor of the meat. The bun is very soft and had a sweetness to it, but it definitely gets obliterated by the juiciness of the beef and the special sauce. -the stinky cheese on the fries isn't really ripe, its about as stinky as an aged parmesan, so don't get too excited! -the fries are natural cut and plentiful, so hold off on ordering that extra side of fries for the table -the atmosphere is a mature, not-quite-dive feel, with low lighting and a small-ish bar. The front is very unassuming, so keep your eyes peeled for this place right on the corner. -for being a dive-y bar, I was surprised at how upscale the menu was, but definitely pleased how low the prices were. (all the dishes were under $10!!) -other options include: ceviche, seared tuna, pizzettas, paninis, fried chicken, and... haugh-haugh-haugh, fancy nuts and cheeses. (get your monopoly monocle ready) **I wouldn't really call this a dinner place, as the tables are not always the cleanest. there is minimal wait staff here that also seems to alternate behind the bar while taking table orders. I will definitely be back to try the Winter Slow Burger soon though.

    (4)

  • Anne P.

    Best Burger Ever! And amazing salad! And delicious cocktails! Great, friendly service! Causal, comfortable, dark bar.

    (5)

  • Eric S.

    We love this restaurant. Smack dab in the Industrial District is some great comfort food. The Southern Fry is de-lish (hush puppies, fried chicken and three tasty dipping sauces). The burgers are right up there with the best in PDX. The BBQ Pork has a southwestern flare and well worth a try. For me, the Top Sirloin Sandwich is where it's at. Between a Grand Central Hoagie is layers of sirloin, sweet peppers, caramelized onions, cheddar, and a horseradish aioli sauce. The food is fun, different, and thoughtful. Huge booths create intimacy. Design-wise: love the logo and minimalistic menu. The always excellent service pushes this place into food heaven.

    (5)

  • N R.

    Went here after reading good reviews. I don't know how it got good reviews, as my experience was not stellar. It was a pretty ordinary bar with the employees having a too cool attitude even though they looked like they stopped paying attention to fashion in 1998. Noisey employees jabbering about their personal lives way too close to customers. I got a little pizza that cost $8.00 but tasted like those 99 cent tostinos you get at the grocery store. This place did not wow me, and didnt make me want to return.

    (2)

  • Tall C.

    The burgers aren't bad at all. Don't blink or you might miss this place with them frosted windows! It's funny though.....I walked in and ordered the burger and had a beer while I waited and I noticed when older folks that looked like they lived at the mission across the street, walked in, the younger hipster crowd had that "eww" look on their face and then quickly tried to play it off that somebody who doesn't wear blood clotting tight jeans like them doesn't turn their nose upward.

    (4)

  • Sam M.

    I love the wedge salad here, it's amazingly simple and good! I've never been late at night, only for happy hour and an early cocktail, overall a good experience.

    (4)

  • Diane J.

    Six of us went here for dinner and drinks to celebrate my husbands birthday and what a mistake. We frequent many of Portland's great restaurants and this place is definitely on my bottom 5. The only reason I gave the second star is because the food wasn't terrible but the service was horrific. It took forever for them to get our first round of drinks, take our order, and didn't check in on us without flagging our service down. When we were ready to go we asked two different staff to let our server with no response, we had o practically trip them walking by as they passed ignoring our waves. When our server finally brought our check I told her the bar had my debit card because I opened a tab when we arrived and she had to go search for my card! Save your money, time and annoyance by choosing a different place to go.

    (2)

  • Nat F.

    This is my favorite lounge in town. Awesome food for the win!

    (4)

  • monique r.

    Good but like the bars name....slow.

    (3)

  • H M.

    It was aight. The burger was not quite as good in my opinion as other people seem to find it. The beef was very good as were the onion rings but I'm not sure what I think of gruyere in a burger.

    (3)

  • Nemore B.

    Happy hour w mercyful fate playing!!! Killer Killer Killer!

    (4)

  • Ananda R.

    Ok, So I go here after I get off work. That's pretty late night. The Bartenders are always cool and you just might run into someone you know. It's a fun atmosphere with a chance of the obscene. The music seems to fit the mood and the beer keeps coming! Go there .

    (4)

  • Willus W.

    Just had a delicious burger to go from the Slow Bar!!! I love this burger...it ranks up there with the Higgins burger, but better, cuz it has big ol' onion rings on it, AND you can get it with fries (or salad). The drinks are good and they have large, enveloping booths to relax in. After the burger, I am sooo tempted to just stretch out and nap (which is what I'm about to do here at home!) . Oh delicious, and they have a groovy punk rock jukebox full of old school goodness.

    (5)

  • Jacob G.

    I heard about this place's delicious burger from a couple of sources, so I went here to have one. It was pretty damn good! I'm used to having cheddar on a burger but the gruyere was a nice touch. Plus it sounds fancy. I also got a cloth napkin to clean up with- this is a messy burger because the onion rings on it were damned big. But oh so delicious. Pair it with a PBR ($2, but $1 for me since it was still happy hour) and you have an inexpensive fancy burger and (not fancy) beer.

    (4)

  • Ricky M.

    The Place rules. Good food & Good Servers. Can get crowded though. Too bad more bars aren't like this one.

    (5)

  • Patrick M.

    Okay. I might be a little biased on this one. These guys are some old friends whom have come a long way! None the less, hands down the best burger in town! Top shelf ingredients are packed into everything out of the kitchen! I could share the recipe but they would have me drawn and quartered. The daily specials are always pleasingly well thought out and offer a taste of something different every time. The Hushpuppies and Fried chicken is out of this world! The pizzas are thin, crisp and simple making for a great plate to share over a beer. Salads are unique, seasoned nuts are spicy and delicious. Oh!!! And the bar! They know what they're doing! An epic selection of all types of liquors, champagne and an thoughtfully selected array of beers on tap. Stellar selection in cans and bottles as well. Can get a bit crowed but buck up little camper! Big cozy booths fully wrap you and your crew into tables or bring a posse and take over the champagne room's white leather benches. This is a bartender's bar for sure.

    (5)

  • Tiffani D.

    The vegetarian panini is super good. The side salad comes loaded hazelnuts, almonds, and pistachios. The fries are killer. The burgers will make you weep. I went on a Sunday night and it wasn't packed, not deserted either. The staff was super nice and our food came quickly. I'll definitely be returning.

    (4)

  • Ryan Z.

    I like it best on a weekday for a few night caps, late night munchies, and heavy petting. Nice jukebox too.

    (4)

  • J. J.

    Mean burgers, great location, not much of a place to meet and greet, more restaurant-ish

    (3)

  • Liz G.

    So I'm on one of those no-drinking kicks we all do sometimes after a really bad hangover. Actually, it wasn't my hangover, but it was so bad that just witnessing it did the trick. That's probably not how you'd expect a review for a bar to start, but for some reason when my alcohol consumption goes down my junk food consumption goes up, so I was craving a burger and had just read all the rave reviews of the Slow Burger. So off to Slow Bar we went. It was early enough that I didn't think it would be too weird that we weren't drinking, and indeed the server didn't seem to mind at all that we ordered sodas and water to go with our burgers. So there I was, prepared for both the amazing slow burger and the slow service. I usually get pissy if I have to wait for too long, but I was warned and the result was going to be a mind blowing burger, so I sat patiently and pondered what we could do next that wouldn't involve getting drunk with absolutely no complaining. Then my burger came. It looked glorious. I could tell just by looking that they used good cheese and meat, the onion rings were huge. This was going to be great. My patience was being rewarded. Then I took a bite. It was good. But that's the thing, it was just good, my mind was by no means blown. And to top it off my fries weren't even hot. My plate must have been sitting in the window for a while before it was brought out. So much for being patient. Then we had to ask three times for the check. Maybe it was my fault for going to a bar and not drinking, maybe it was my fault for going in with high expectations, but still, it was just a good burger with cold fries and slow service. It did seem like a cool place to hangout though, once this no drinking thing is done with (4 more days!)

    (3)

  • Hazel G.

    This used to be my favorite place to go for a burger. My visit last weekend will probably be my last. The service was awful. A few friends and I went for burgers and a beer and it took us over two hours to order, eat and get our check. It seemed like everyone working could care less that they had customers. On top of that, I feel that the food quality has really declined over the last few years.

    (2)

  • Emily P.

    On a recent trip to Portland, the hubs and I ventured out to Slow Bar after finding an article about the best burgers in Portland. Yum. The meat was delicious, the ingredients were fresh, and the service was great. Definitely not a place the hotel concierge would send you, but we are so glad we stumbled upon this Portland gem.

    (4)

  • Jenn D.

    Wow! I cannot find one decent thing to say about this place. My hubby and I meet my sister and her hubby here for dinner last night. We love to try new places, and based on the reviews we had seen on yelp of this place, we thought it would be worth trying. The service was awful! Very slow, which now makes me question the name of this establishment. We were there around 5pm and the place was not that busy, yet neither of the two servers could seem to find their way to our table to see how we were doing. They dumped our food at the table and never came back. I finally had to go up to the bar to ask for our check. The fondue was decent. My sister and I shared a slow-burger and it was subpar, very bland and not worth finishing. We also sampled some of the sliders, after taking one bite of the chicken slider I had to discretely spit out into a napkin.......what is in that chicken salad! Yuck! As for the pork slider, you could definitely tell that the meat was old and overcooked. None of us could finish any of our food. We pretty much stuck with the stinky fries (how hard is it to mess up deep fried potatoes with cheese melted on top). And last but not least there was a hair in my salad! As for the ambiance, the tall booths were cool and the place was pretty dark. I think that they were going for the sultry/sexy feel, but it just winds up feeling dirty, especially after you visit the restroom. Would not recommend this place, and will never return.

    (1)

  • Easter E.

    This place was all-around great! Went here the very minute it opened on a lazy Sunday. The place was very clean, the bathroom was spotless. The drinks were great... standard beer selection with some specialties, but pretty cheap. The cocktails were excellent. Bloody Mary was very spicy, yet very tomatoey. The food... we just got burgers and they were excellent of course! I tried half a slowburger and half a winter slowburger. I prefer the normal slowburger, but both very good. Big and juicy with a good medley of flavors. The fries were so-so... but the onion ring that comes on the slowburger was perfection. Probably the best part about the experience tho was the service. There was only one girl manning the tables/bar and she was fabulous. Granted there weren't that many people eating at the time, but everything was prompt and we kept asking for more things like mustard, then dijon musturd, then more drinks, then more ketchup, then more drinks, and she was spot on with everything. The best was that we asked for an order of onion rings and she said they don't serve orders of onion rings separately, but she went back and asked the owner/cook, and they made us a BIG batch of them because they weren't too busy and only charged us $5! That was cool. This is one of those places that makes me wish I lived in Portland.

    (5)

  • Renee L.

    this review is for their happy hour. it's one of my favorite things in the world. i would almost drive the 10 hours to portland just to come here and eat their stinky cheese fries.

    (5)

  • Jenn J.

    Slow Bar is probably one of my favorite places in Portland. First off, the service is great! Super friendly, and patient with a bunch of drunk people (like us... at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Don't judge!). Second off, I love the ambiance. It's a bar, but has room-y booths for big groups. Also has a great jukebox. Lastly, the food and drinks. Oh, the food and drinks! I get the Slow Burger, which to me is one of the best burgers I've ever had. Order your fries with the "stinky" cheese! We also ordered the Southern Fry for the table and it was gone in seconds. And they pour nice stiff drinks. Thanks, Slow Bar for being awesome!

    (5)

  • Jess B.

    We went to Slow Bar for lunch on a Saturday and it was pretty underwhelming. Nothing was bad, but nothing was great either. The service was good and the people were friendly, but other than that it was a bit disappointing. My girlfriend got the summer Slowburger with a salad and I had the "marinated top sirloin with sweet, hot peppers and cheddar cheese on a hoagie roll". Now when you hear "marinated top sirloin on a hoagie roll" one rarely expects a long, ground beef patty on a dry bun. That's what it was. It tasted ok, but not worth the $9 or $10 I paid for it. To be honest, I was more excited about the fries (which were delicious, by the way) than the sandwich. The burger was good, but nothing special. Last time I was here was when they had their winter Slowburger, and I thought that was pretty good. I just wish everything else we've had there was as good as that one burger. I wanted to do 3 stars, but yelp says 3 means "A-OK" and 2 is "Meh, I've had better". I've definitely had better. I feel bad giving a poor review to a "Portland institution", but as my girlfriend said: "I wouldn't go back here on purpose".

    (2)

  • Vinnie B.

    Kahuna Burger has NOTHING on Slow Bar's "Now THAT was a tasty burger " Really, what's not to love about this Portland Landmark. *Vibe, outdoor seating, cool employees *Music at a loud volume or should I say Good loud music. Today I really didn't want to leave because it was on a Rockabilly playlist or something and I love classic Rockabilly such as, Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent, The Blasters and Cliff Richard and the Shadows. just to Name a few...so ya I was lovin it...LOL *Service was attentive and were really hustling. Especially (Mikey) *Cocktails and a hand picked selection of beer the bartender was knocking um out too. *The Burger was surprisingly good! It had a cool slaw inside kinda like a South Carolina pulled pork sandwich would have, It had a very well balanced wasabi mayo spread. It not only had a wonderful flavor but also had a great mouth feel, savory with the crunch from the slaw ...Damn Right Amazing. GET THIS. Oh ya I will return....like tomorrow and the day after that..

    (5)

  • Deanna D.

    Great bar with fun cocktails, good bar food and solid service. It's usually busy but the bartenders are very efficient and friendly. White Limes is one of my favorite cocktails, the pizzitta and fondue fries are delightful, and the tunes always keep me entertainment. This might just be my new after work hh bar.

    (4)

  • Curt B.

    Probably the only bar/pub in downtown PDX that doesn't apologize for serving meat and has deer antlers hanging on the wall right next to an American flag collage celebrating handgun shooting. Add to that being able to enjoy food that is better than it has any right to be while listening to Dale Watson on the jukebox and I just found heaven. Serially, my hand made Summer burger came with an heirloom tomato and the salad had candied nuts. My GF ordered fondue which included sausage and fresh fruit. I fucking love this place.

    (5)

  • Duane P.

    After waiting so long to get here and try the Slow Burger, I was disappointed in one of Portland's top rated burgers. The burger it self wasn't bad in flavor but put together sloppy. The fries were limp and not hot. The Southern Fry was worse with over cooked chicken and hush puppies. The chicken was seriously dry.The honey couldn't even help the puppies. Together with spotty service in the beginning with a server that seemed to be somewhere else but ended up better with Cecily in the end. All in all no need to come back here.

    (2)

  • Katie R.

    It is so rare that service is the first thing I mention in a review. I suspect this is because getting service so good that it's worth mentioning is equally as rare. But last night at Slow Bar, I got just that kind of service from our waitress, Linda. She was off-the-hook awesome in taking care of us. How awesome? We walked in right at the point when most establishments are rushing to pull the Happy Hour menus from the tables--one minute left on the HH clock type thing. Linda wasn't having it. Unprovoked, she encouraged us to take our time and make use of the HH menu. We did. And I had a complicated drink and food order (no this, extra this, add this--total jerkface order on my part). She nailed it. And she nailed it without making me feel like a d-bag for being so picky. I had a vodka drink that was poured with a slow hand, just about perfect. And right around $3 thanks to the HH discount. Coupled that with a pizzetta ($5.50 during HH) and a chicken sandwich ($9.50 menu price). Both were delicious and I'd recommend ordering either, but I am going to call out the sammie as my favorite bite of the night. Too often chicken comes out as a dry little puck. This sucker was juicy and flavorful and damn good. I opted for the salad over fries and don't regret it a bit (crazy, right?!). The pesto vinaigrette was super balanced and went well with the spiced nuts they sprinkle on (oh so yum). Slow Bar provided a superb pre-show (check out Miracle Theatre right around the corner) experience for us. And I only have one complaint. A small one, really, but nevertheless important. The toilet paper in the ladies room? Ya, it was hung wrong. *gasp* I know, I know. Strong opinions on the subject. But let's just agree I'm right here, okay?

    (4)

  • Gabe F.

    Stop. Put down the menu. Look up. See that waiters? Yeah, order the Slow Burger, a beverage of your choice and sit back, relax, and allow your taste buds to have the greatest food orgasm you have ever felt. That's how amazing their burgers are. Slow Bar is a nice little bar that serves great food with fun 1990's rock music (what's better than rocking out to Metallica's One while drinking a beer and eating a burger? Nothing, that's what). Good for groups or magical evenings with that special someone, just don't forget to tip the bartender for their awesome service.

    (4)

  • Michael C.

    Awesome, awesome, awesome! This is not the Ritz....it is better except for the music. Service: Fantastic...service with a smile. Drinks: They pour a mean scotch and a very generous glass of wine. Atmosphere: This is not a dive bar. Comfortable seating, nice lighting and a warm vibe. Food: Killer food. The fondue was wonderful but not near as wonderful as the special. The pastrami sandwich with red onion and mayo is a thing of dreams. This may be the best sandwich I have ever eaten. Price: Given the quality; it is a bargain. Finally the music. They have a wonderful old juke box but the selection is all Alice Cooper type music. Now I am actually from the era when most of the music was released. I am like I suspect most of my generation am not that anxious to have it basting my ears again. I already went deaf in college. Give me some choice....something a bit softer; thank you!

    (5)

  • Miel H.

    This may be the shortest five star review I have ever written. 1. My rare burger no bun was divine. Did you read that? Divine. It was seasoned to perfection and like the best steak tartare. 2. Music. They played punk, classic metal and other absolutely divine sounds. I would have ordered twice just to listen. Did you read that? Divine. 3. The waitress handled the NRE affection of my dining partner and myself with aplomb. I apologize for so much happening at our table, but shit fire, in that divine environment it was like a mini honeymoon. Did you read that? Divine. I will be back. Again and Again.

    (5)

  • Brandi W.

    For a late night bar the burger was pretty good. Definitely recommended. The service was slow but our waitress was very nice and attentive. If it wasn't for her, this review would be a lot worse. I also loved the music selection, lots of metal and hard rock. I know I'm risking a snarky comment from whoever manages their Yelp account... But the rest of the food was garbage. And I mean, all of us quickly felt nauseous while eating it and sick for some time afterwards. I had the Southern Fry (breaded and fried chicken + hush puppies) and my friends had burgers, fries, and onion rings. The hush puppies were dense, overlooked, fairly tasteless lumps of bread. The sauces didn't go with them at all. It came with a horseradish sauce, ketchup, and a foul, weird tasting honey butter. The chicken was dry but had some seasoning in it. The fries and onion rings were cooked properly... But here's the problem, everything tasted exactly the same: burnt, rancid fry oil. I hope this was an off night... I would be willing to go back and give it another try, despite being sick after. This place gets such great reviews for the food, I can only hope that someone important was out that night or they just forgot to clean out the oil. But I think Yelpers should know that in this case the food was inedible. While there, I didn't know what to do since besides the burgers, it was all bad and what could they do to fix it besides clean out the fryers? It was well past midnight on a Tuesday and we old farts needed to get to bed. Btw, I'm from the south, and I know that even if the hush puppies had been fried properly in fresh oil, they were entirely too dense to ever be good. I respectfully suggest removing that item or adjusting your recipe.

    (3)

  • Marcia L.

    Slow Bar would get a 5 star if it weren't for the music. Such a bummer. They have a jukebox that only has heavy metal, and it's loud and the opposite of relaxing. Aside from that, the food and drinks are great, the booths are comfy, the service is good. I won't come back unless the music is changed. It's such a huge part of the overall atmosphere and shouldn't be something to be "tolerated ".

    (2)

  • Danielle B.

    This was our first stop in Portland. We weren't expecting much, but were pleasantly surprised when we found out it was late happy hour (sun - thurs 12 am to 2:30 am). Now, for a late weeknight, they were understaffed. Granted, they probably weren't expecting a group of 8 to show up. But our bartender/waitress was very friendly and chatty. I'm pretty sure it was just her and the cook running the whole show. So the service was ironically slow at Slow Bar, but we were forewarned and apologized to numerous times throughout the night. It's essentially a dive bar with gastropub food. It is dark inside with booths/tables for groups and then seating at the bar. I could see how the place could easily fill up as it is not too big of a space. Music played over the speakers kept the noise level up. The food: -Pizzetta with spinach, garlic, tomatoes, and olives. Man this was a full man-sized pizza for the happy hour price of $5.50--what a deal!! The pizza was thin crust and good. -Stinky cheese fries. Cheese fries are pretty much the ultimate pub food. Really can't go wrong. -Southern Fry: Buttermilk fried chicken with a side of hushpuppies. A well cooked and hearty dish. Dip the hushpuppies in the honey butter for maximum effect. -Slowburger. Someone in the group ordered the burger that I'm sure I had a bite of. This was one of those 'how do I even begin to eat this' type burgers. It's topped with onion rings and has cheese oozing from the sides. I had a moscow mule and their drink list had a few choices I would be interested in. My mule was a great nightcap after just being on a plane. They also have a pretty decent tap list. Slow bar is a great spot for a bite to eat or a drink, especially if you can catch happy hour!

    (4)

  • Kosmo K.

    Very good burgers here. Highly recommended!

    (4)

  • Hungrylone W.

    Came here for some late night food on a Wednesday evening. The place was very busy, even during the week, but the service was still good and they got our food out very quickly. The food is a little spendy, but outstanding. Great quality ingredients with some pretty unique flavors. There late night hours are awesome too!

    (4)

  • Kevin K.

    Slow Bar ain't one for words. The following conversation.. Good service but no small talk.. I piss off the bartender? No wonder it's empty 3pm Monday. Good metal, beckons even the cool spring breeze. Awesome taplist.. Boneyard IPAs! Antlers and red leather booths.. am I in hell? Nope, burger's too good: rare, juicy, crisp onions, kickass relish. Shit! PDX's #1. Too full for the stinky fries, only mildly cheesey and TOO starchy. That's the bill?! Damn cheap visit. I'll be back. ..happened in your head.

    (4)

  • Von T.

    Pretty decent burgers fries were mixed hot with cold. not cool. Service was a little slow had the bartender waiting the whole place inside and out. I felt bad for her. Great little date night spot

    (4)

  • Amanda T.

    Best burgers ever!!! My husband had their special burger and I had a black bean burger both with fries. They were amazing but the real glam of this place is there quiet, mysterious ambience. We walked past displaced twice because the windows were clouded with hurricane glass (not in a creepy way) but enough so we couldn't find it right away. When we came in the door was narrow, and the booths stood very tall so you couldn't see anyone. It sort of look like a modern day speakeasy. I would definitely come back here!

    (5)

  • Jacob M.

    Slow Bar rocks one of the best late night menus I have ever seen. Happy hour is from 3-6 p.m. and midnight to close. A five-spot can be converted into a tasty $5 burger, two pork, chicken, or tuna sliders, and various other carnivore-friendly options. There are also salads, pizza, and salty drinking snacks. And all booze is a dollar off whilst the hour is of the happy varietal. Speaking of rocking; they appear to blast only heavy metal through the room-filling speakers. It was unnerving at first, then became strangely comforting, like rhythmic white noise. I came in here after hearing a glowing recommendation of "the slowburger" from a friend. The happy hour $5 burger is a slight modification of the famed slowburger. Instead of a crown of onion rings, the $5 late night burger wears a tangle of pickled daikon and carrots, jalapenos, sriracha mayo, cilantro, all elegantly smushed atop 6 ounces of "Painted Hills natural beef." The beef patty was cooked to about medium. The server didn't inquire as to how I wanted it cooked. I'm guessing all burgers are cooked to medium unless otherwise specified. It had a streak of pink running through the inside. So if you can't do medium, I would advise telling the server you want it well done. It was very juicy, and I barely noticed any seasoning at all within the patty itself. The daikon and carrot mixture contributed a salty vinegariness that complemented the beefiness. The beef was chewy and grilled to black-speckled perfection on the outside.The $5 burger's combination of unique toppings is a creative and welcome departure from the standard pickles, onions, tomato, etc. you get at most places. This burger was lucky to be sandwiched between one of the best burger buns I've come across. This isn't your average white-bread masquerading as hamburger bun.This glorious sesame-studded pillow of a brioche bun came from Grand Central Bakery. The amber-colored bun had a wheat flavor that complemented the burger nicely. The sponginess of the bun soaked up the sriracha mayo and vinegar drippings from the daikon and carrot. I could've eaten an entire bun just dipped in the drippings. After it was all said and done. The bill clocked in at an extremely wallet-friendly $6.50 for the burger and a tallboy of PBR. Recommended.

    (4)

  • Robert B.

    I love Slow Bar! One of my favorite bars in Portland or anywhere for that matter. What originally brought me in was the rave reviews regarding their famous Slow Burger...widely considered one of the very best burgers in the Rose City. Slow Bar is in my opinion the most authentic Rock N' Roll bar in PDX! Any given night you will walk into this establishment with Slayer, Metallica, Ratt etc. blarring from the jukebox. Some of the servers look the part with tattoos, hip hairstyles, piercings and so forth and cult movies such as 'Evil Dead 2' and 'Reservoir Dogs' are seen playing on the television. The interior has some vintage looking booths to seat small groups and restrooms decked out with rock band posters! To sum it all up....The servers are great and friendly despite their (intimidating for some) rocker style! The music ROCKS! The Slow Burger is indeed one of the best burgers in the entire NW and the fact that you can enjoy this amazing burger at any hour is awesome! Beware...seating can be limited. But usually not an issue! Slow Bar truly kicks ass!

    (5)

  • Sayanan S.

    I got off a flight to Portland and ate here with some friends, on someone's recommendation. The beer and craft cocktail selection were fine. Service was OK. I ordered the chicken sandwich, which was just a terrible plate. The fries came out cold, but I hadn't eaten in 10 hours; through that lens, cold fries were forgiveable. The chicken was really terrible. It had an awful rubber texture, from either freezer burn or aggressive microwaving. I was so hungry that I still ate the majority of my awful plate. I wish the waitress had warned me that the chicken sandwich would be awful, or that Slow Bar could outdo any fast food drive thru in the domain of chicken sandwiches. My friends were happy with the burger; had I known the impending chicken failure, I would have ordered that.

    (1)

  • Kyle M.

    Good food. Cheap beer. Cool ambience. There is a lot to appreciate about Slow Bar.

    (4)

  • Matthew V.

    Definitely my favorite burger in Portland. Clean venue, friendly staff, excellent food. Not a lot else to tell you. Check the place out!

    (5)

  • Annie S.

    I came in there one time. I worked really close by and thought it looked interesting from the outside. Sat down. We sat there for so long.. SO LONG. with no service. we couldn't believe it The place is a size of a closet, like they didn't see us. So we went to the side door where it's always good.

    (1)

  • Jaben C.

    So far as I can tell, this is the best onion ring I've ever had in my life. I have no idea what to add. The burger is great, I made a point to go to SlowBurger with my daughter after tasting this work of art. I will definitely return.

    (5)

  • Kellie W.

    Not a bad place BUT...my husbands burger was over cooked, they did not put cheese on his fries like he asked, his soup came after they brought the main dish AND we waited quite a bit for our check while our server chatted with other guests. :(

    (3)

  • Jessica K.

    I don't know why it has been such a chore to get the bf in here over the last few years, but I am so glad the stars aligned and it finally happened. I love Slow Bar. It's not just the swanky, sexy red lights either. They have one of the best happy hours in town and their $5 HH burger is jumbo sized! Pair it with their fries with stinky cheese and some pizzetta (yum!) like we did and your belly will be jumbo sized too! Our lovely bartender Tristan hooked us up with the refreshing White Limes made with vodka, rum, gin, tequila, cream of coconut and lime juice as well as an expertly made Old Fashioned. Slow Bar has always been my kind of place, a chill bar with top notch food and drinks. Not only did the bf come around, he keeps asking when can we go back!

    (4)

  • Jennifer C.

    This place takes me back. It's right next door to my early twenties hangout but so much better. I love the appeal of this place. Plenty of seating outside, inside there are super cool high back booths and very inviting counter seating. We sat at the counter and just in time for happy hour. Our waitress/ bar tender was sweet, polite, direct and fast. She even has great suggestions for the menu. We decided to get the happy hour burger. 6oz of beef with carrots, cilantro, jalapeños and chipotle mayo. ITS A BAHN MI BURGER. It was absolutely amazing. We both got fries, small, as the large was suggested to be "too big",and a conflict between regular and "stinky". I got the regular my man got the stinky which was more of a mild ramano and very delicious non stinky. Two individual small fries was still too much and required a to go box. Next time probably a small order of the stinky should do just fine between two people. The whole menu seemed so appealing and if I wasn't too hungry to just get food in me and decide what I really wanted I might have gone with one of their other very impressive options. Overall I can see what all the talk is about. Very normal non hipster bullshit serving great food with a smile. What more could you want?

    (5)

  • Glenda H.

    Met my friend who suggested this place. Friday night. I had a drink and it was GREAT. Only one other place in the Portland area that I have had a drink (the same kind) that was this good. They used high quality booze and gave a dollar discount for their happy hour. I will go back. Sorry I didn't try any of the food but it looked good and every table seemed to be enjoying the food too.

    (4)

  • Sudipto G.

    Found this place quite by accident, looking for a late night place to eat after a movie. Looks very hipster-ish and slightly intimidating but the food is excellent. Tried their slow burger which was well made and the fries and salad they came with were really good. They have some decent cocktails as well.

    (4)

  • Sydney S.

    Came here for happy hour. Got the $5 burger and $5 chicken sliders- the chicken salad had too much dill and the burger was meh, but the drinks are cheap.

    (2)

  • Ron H.

    So several co-workers and I go to slow bar for our weekly food and drink get together. The appetizer is stinky fries which were stinking awesome. We shared both the regular burger and winter burger, both were FANTASTIC, as was the wait staff. I must mention that the bartender gave a fair pour as well. Why just the four stars? If I give them five there is no where to go, and since I plan on returning I have to save something for when slow bar takes it to 11, right?

    (4)

  • Stephanie A.

    What more can I say that hasn't already been said, by far the best burger I've had in Portland. Do yourself a favor and order the slowburger, the other menu items are good but nothing truly compares.

    (5)

  • Kristen M.

    YOU MUST GET THE YOU MUST GET TH YOU MUST GET T YOU MUST GET YOU MUST GE YOU MUST G YOU MUST YOU MUS YOU MU YOU M YOU YO Y S SL SLO SLOW SLOW B SLOW BA SLOW BAR SLOW BAR B SLOW BAR BU SLOW BAR BUR SLOW BAR BURG SLOW BAR BURGE SLOW BAR BURGER [devour] *SLOW BAR BURGER ($10; **5 STARS**) - Your tummy will be filled with a sensual half pound of Painted Hills' natural beef (cooked to your liking), melted Gruyere cheese, fried to golden-perfection pieces of onion rings, crisp butter lettuce, and pickled relish. If you're not drooling or thinking of this BEHEMOTH burger right now, then I haven't done a good job describing this impeccable piece of heaven. =) *FRIES ( yelp.com/biz_photos/slow… ) *HOUSE SALAD ( yelp.com/biz_photos/slow… ) [drank] They have an ample selection of liquor, wine, and beer. I inquired about their vodka selection and was delighted to find out that they do carry Tito's Vodka. For my usual drink, a VODKA-TONIC would run about $6.50. FYI = -GREAT HH ($1 off wine, beer and liquor; cheap food $2-$5.50) which is 3 PM - 6 PM and late night from MIDNIGHT - 2:30 AM (close) -Dive bar but worth checking out -They participated in 2013's $5 Burger Week ( yelp.com/biz_photos/slow… ) which was decent, but not as promising as their mainstay Slow Bar Burger. =X -Parking on the street (metered but free after 6 PM) -Several picnic tables on sidewalk if you want to dine outdoors (tables good for 4-5 people) -Although they can be busy, you will always get GREAT SERVICE For the burger lovers out there.... this place is RECOMMENDED Yelp 2013 100+ Reviews Challenge (going for 200!) - Review #167

    (5)

  • Jarod L.

    Expensive overrated namesake burger is meh.. fries cold.. occasional death metal blasting from ceiling speakers further diminished experience. More fitting for drinks..

    (3)

  • Bryan I.

    WOW! So impressed! this place has it all: great atmosphere (clean, classy, not too loud, not slammed full of people at HH) great service (super nice bartender) great food (I recommend the sliders, pizza, and fried chicken w/ hush puppies; still haven't tried the namesake Slow Burger) great prices (everything is ~$6 or less; micros only $3 during HH) great beer selection (about 10 taps, I think) great location (just off SE Grand) great happy hour (3-6pm and midnight to close, which is usually 2:30am) I don't think there's anything I can complain about except that it's taken years to finally go here! Do yourself a favor and go here as soon as you want to check out a new bar and one of the best HH's in town!

    (5)

  • Bj M.

    Yum. The "winter slow burger" had bacon and blue cheese and deliciousness! The fries were perfect, I'm a bit of a fry snob...no frozen potato mush here. The downside? No bud light(Eric's complaint) and the music/overbearing guitar amp feedback noise playing so loud we couldn't hear each other yelling across the table. Randomly they played ONE actual song...then back to loud wordless static and screeching. But my cocktail was tasty and our bellies are full of the best burger I've had in ages!

    (4)

  • Jeffrey T.

    Again, for those of you who follow my reviews know that I am torn about sharing some of my favorite Portland haunts. These tips are intended for folks who like to turn over stones (on that note, see my TriipAdvisor review for Ed's House of Gems). Well, now it's time to turn you over to the Slow Bar on SE Grand Avenue, just a short hop across the Morrison Bridge from downtown Portland. Early lunch is the time to go, especially if there are several of you and you want to score one of the several high-backed circular booths. Each booth is a contained world that makes you feel like you are in a room of your own, perfect for conversation without yelling or sign language. I am done with loud places where I can't enjoy my meal or the company I'm with without screaming. Slow Bar isn't much to look at from the outside, tucked innocently in a corner spot with frosted glass that reveals nothing of itself from the outside, except for a discrete sign. Inside are a few small tables grabbing what light shines through, a small bar with enough seats to make a quorum and those red Naugahyde booths. The menu is just the right length, with a decent mix for all kinds of palates and food interests/aversions. If you are a connoisseur of burgers, they make some of the best in town. Or the fresh tuna salad. Or the perfect Iceberg wedge with excess bits of rasher, fried onions and blue cheese. It's all good. And reasonable. And the service is impeccable. Everything discrete and on the down-low. Even the bathrooms are clean. And the cocktail list is also short and not too sweet with plenty of handcrafted possibilities for under $10. I have been going here for years, and use the Slow Bar it as that dependablle hideaway whenever I want to have a special sense of intimacy, hankering for conversation or need for a business lunch meeting that won't break the bank. If you are making a short list of civilized hang-outs in Portland, then add Slow Bar to your list. But keep it to yourself.

    (4)

  • Erika A.

    If I could give less than one star, I would. My party and I stopped in for a beer and after leaving became curious as to what others had yelped about this place. I don't know how anyone could possibly rate this place a 5. A lot of comments mention the amazing burgers or other dishes. Great, so the food tastes good. But who wants to be treated like a piece of shit while dining somewhere? If I wanted to eat there I would have definitely taken my food to go because they were a bunch of twats.

    (1)

  • C M.

    A reliable go to. Service is always great. Drinks are well made and the food is spot on.

    (5)

  • Marcin M.

    Arrived late into Portland and was craving a burger and some good beer. Found the right place at Slow Bar. It's casual, a little divey, but not too divey, and with plenty of good people watching. I sat at the bar and enjoyed the slow burger (beef, gruyere cheese, ONION RINGS, butter lettuce and pickle relish). It was cooked to my specifications and the onion rings alone made the burger worthwhile. Definitely can't go wrong with that choice if what you're craving is a solid burger. Bartenders were friendly and the beer was cold. No complaints there.

    (4)

  • Alison V.

    This is a good, chill place. Tall red booths make it feel private, but also open at the same time. Or sit at the bar for some friendly conversation. I will definitely be back for food because it seems like that's what all the hype is about. I had a lemonade cocktail on the menu, and it was delicious for a summer afternoon. This would be a good place to start the evening and then move on to other bars in the area.

    (4)

  • Kelsie V.

    Very busy and popular spot with a $5 legit happy hour burger. Been in here a time or two for their famous burger. Tonight, as we made our way from the EastBank Saloon, we decided on Slow Bar. Made it just in time for happy hour and grabbed the last two seats at the bar. Sort of a low seated bar, like we were at the little kids table. Service was great. All the servers seemed to share duties and take care of the patrons. I was excited to drink one of my favorite local beers: Bridgeport Hop Czar Imperial IPA. What they presented to me was a very dark beer. It didn't taste favorable to me. Turns out they make a CDA Imperial IPA under the flagship name Hop Czar. What a let down. Thankfully, they were on deal ($2). I did mildly harass them a bit saying: "no, this isn't Hop Czar", but I guess I haven't read the latest on them issuing new beers under this name. So, sad. They were cool about me questioning it. I really wanted to tuck into the Juicy, Hopped up, Standard IPA. The CDA was mediocre and not the right kind of bitterness. Ordered the $5 burger that was featured on Happy Hour. Very good and we split some fries. The burger could have been a little warmer. But the quality was there. Energetic crowd of all ages (21 and over of course). Swift service. And a creepy movie playing on the monitor----cheesy 80s horror flick.

    (4)

  • Robert H.

    Lately it seems the East End crowd, with music to match. The menu is available to go as any taxi driver will tell you. The burger weighs in with a half pound of beef, with new versions as an option as the seasons change. I had the Fall, with bacon and a medium sweet slaw. It comes in a nice box packed with fries. And they actually ask your preference on to what level of done you want the burger cooked, rather than assuming medium well. The fries and the burger itself are medium salty. They could dial that back. Slow Bar is a fine hangout, with substantial food, at a good price.

    (4)

  • Rachel C.

    **Update** So I finally came back at night and it was great! Service was friendly, drinks were good, plenty of room for us. Same atmosphere as during the day... They were really true to themselves.

    (5)

  • Ruins ..

    Went back for a second visit (don't get to that neighborhood much) and found they've updated their menu. On the one hand, I was planning on a burger but the burger was just a little too zesty for lack of a better term than I wanted but it was good for my friend - it had pickled vegetables and cilantro, jalapenos, and sriracha mayo. Except for the pickled things, I like all those items, I just don't really want them on my burger. The funny thing is that even though my friend liked his burger, he had the same thing with my original review - soggy lower bun. I really wish restaurants would get over this whole brioche bun thing. They aren't suitable for substantial hamburgers. I had the pizzetta with sausage, bacon and peppers. On my first visit, this was what my friend had and it looked good so I was happy with the choice. It was quite good, the only thing I would change would be to remove the bacon but that's just me. I love bacon but I don't like that mushy or chewy quality it gets when it's not perfectly crispy and then it just becomes a chewy, smokey piece of meat. It's just not my thing. Other than that, I really enjoyed the pizzetta. I had plenty for myself and enough to share with my friend as the portion is well-sized. The crust was nice and crunchy which gave it extra bonus stars in my book. The bartender was the girl of my dreams that night. All my drinks were spot on and the waitress was fabulous too. We got great, timely, friendly service. The music playing was a (rather insipid) 80's pandora thing (and I'm a new wave, post-punk, punk fan) and I deeply regret my habit to not carry cash as I wanted to fill the jukebox. They changed it over to the punk channel for me (yay!) but another customer didn't like that and put heavy metal on the jukebox (boo!). Everything was clean and tidy as I'd previously experienced. This is a great place to go before going to the new Revolution Hall venue down the street. It's the perfect walking distance and you get a good venue and good food and drinks and service.

    (4)

  • Janice C.

    I have never had a less than spectacular experience at Slow Bar. Service is always great, food is well priced for how good it is (seriously, SO good) and I can forgive how loud the music is because when I sink into those high booths with an IPA and a seasonal burger I don't want to talk to anyone anyway, I just want to enjoy it. We've tried: Three different burgers, a variety of the daily pastas, the White Wine fondue with Truffle Oil, the Southern Fry (a pile of fried chicken and hush puppies with honey mustard) and the fries ALWAYS topped with the stinky cheese of the day. This is one of the bars I bring people to from out of town who don't understand what bar food can be. Decent tap list helps them get the best of the basics for Oregon beers. (Boyfriend concurs)

    (5)

  • Tim F.

    I had the burger because I heard it was amazing. It was good but thr meat patty was just a bit too thick. Otherwise I'd eat it again. I don't remember the fries so they were probably average.

    (4)

  • Christine S.

    I wish there were half stars on Yelp. I want to give Slow Bar a 3.5, not a 3, but my last experience there was not a 4. I used to come here often, usually for a cocktail, but I also loved their sandwiches. I started dating my boyfriend and talked it up incessantly, and when we finally went last week, neither of us was impressed. We let the bartender know we wanted to sit outside so that she would have someone serve us. It took way too long to get a water or a greeting outside. When we finally ordered our food (which wasn't even accomplished by the waiter taking our order; my boyfriend had to go inside and place a food order) my order came out wrong. Then my boyfriend's sandwich came out, which was wrong too. He had ordered a tuna sandwich and they gave him roast beef, so we were struck waiting for another 15 minutes or so. Also, I know this isn't the restaurant's fault, but we got asked for money and food twice while sitting outside. We felt a bit harassed. The food and drinks are great when you finally get them, but service is just as weighty, so I can only give them a 3.

    (3)

  • Sara P.

    Great drinks, nice staff and amazing food. Took a chance on having dinner here since we were in the area and we were very happy with our choice. Probably one of the best pizzas I've had since I've moved to Portland and the check was very reasonable at the end. Got a cocktail, good nitro beer, delicious burger and personal pizza, with a 20% tip, all averaged less than $40. Can't beat that for the quality! I'm already looking forward to going back.

    (4)

  • Mike G.

    We just never have went here! Why? NO IDEA. My bad. This place is just about perfect in every way. Service, decor, crowd, food and menu are all wonderful! This is a great place to just hang out, have some wonderful food and drink some great drinks and enjoy! Happy Hour...YES, very good!

    (5)

  • Jenni L.

    The Slow Burger: I have to address the infamous burger because I feel that it ends up on so many 'Best Of' lists. I've tried the Slow Burger twice now and I will agree that it is a legitimately good burger. Is it the best? No. It's not even in my top 5 if I'm going to be honest. But I don't think that anyone would order it and leave disappointed. It's juicy and it comes dressed with a monster onion ring. If you aren't into that you are surely missing out. Even if you're not overwhelmed by the burger there's so much more to love about Slow Bar. Come for the big southern lemonaids, come for the music and the cozy, high-backed booths. Come for the bomb Happy Hour. Order a damn salad once in a while. Slow Bar you are legit. I will be back to try the Winter Slow Burger soon to see if that's more my style.

    (4)

  • Matt S.

    I've been to slow bar in the past and the food was delicious - that's why I came back. That being said, my experience this time around was horrible. After ordering I sat there for two hours and still no food. I paid for my beers and left without eating. I'm not sure if our order was never placed or what happened but I've never had to walk out of a restaurant before. Maybe this joint is just really appropriately named and I should've know better. I'm giving it two stars instead of one because my beer was tasty and the food that was coming out of the kitchen (to other tables than my own) looked like it was good.

    (2)

  • Destiny B.

    Very good burger. Excellent fries. Recommended.

    (4)

  • Rena J.

    I think I can say, the name of the bar is fair warning that things can be a bit... slow. The first time I came here, my impression was that it was a hipster bar trying to be divey but too nice and clean to be one. The service was sloooow and they either were too cool to hear me or I was being too quiet and meek (which can happen on rare occasions). The drinks were cheap, have fun names (hot cock toddy $7) and the olives and bread we ordered was delish. Second time around, the service was much nicer, average speed and they were much more responsive. We had a group and were trying to poach a booth. It being a bar, they don't have a waiting list or reservations but they made sure that we were the first to get the next available seat. In the mean time, I ordered a Hot Cock Toddy (hot toddy w/Fighting Cock) and small fries with stinky cheese which were not so small and was a good price at $5. For dinner, I got the chicken sandwich and everyone else ordered the burger. The food was sooo good! I loved the fries, they had the perfect balance of crispy and soft inside, they were also SMOTHERED in gorgonzola (or something similar). The chicken sandwich was moist, topped with bacon and great bread. The burger was also very good, cooked to your desired doneness and had tasty toppings. Same quality as their mini restaurant, Slow Burger. It probably wasn't the the right setting for a dinner catch up with a friend in town. They play awesome 80's rock music at bar levels, the place is dark and they play random, sometimes sexual movies on the TV (like Toxic Avenger). I still enjoyed my food and drink. I appreciate that the drinks were reasonably priced and you get what for and more on the food. We had a group of 6 and we comfortably sat at the booth. I think I've been there with 1-2 more people and that was fine too.

    (4)

  • Karlie M.

    Happened upon this place when the restaurant my girlfriends and I were planning to go to was unexpectedly closed. It definitely looks like a dive bar from the outside but is much nicer than one on the inside. We sat in one of the huge booths with super high backs, but there were a handful of people sitting at the bar and another handful sitting at the wooden picnic tables outside. Weird movies playing on the TVs and metal music that was a bit too loud for the atmosphere. I was surprised and impressed by the menu. Expected regular bar food, but does that even really exist in Portland? Small and concise, I wanted to try everything but I went with the Slowburger with salad. What a huge patty! I could only finish half of it, which I was sad about because it tasted soooo good. The salad was also one of the best side salads I've had anywhere. Both of my girlfriends really enjoyed their meals and the cool cocktails they ordered. Our waitress was really cool, fun, personable. I would've talked to her all night. We kept going outside and back in so my friends could smoke, and she never made us feel annoying or rushed and never cleared away any of our stuff while we were out there. Naked lady on the wall in the women's washroom was an interesting choice. Free wifi, just ask for the password. Would return.

    (4)

  • Temenah C.

    I know some people think this is a dive bar, but I don't know what dive bar you can get the Slow Burger or even something like it. When I heard dive bar I was thinking I'd get some chicken wings that would more than likely have me up with the bubbleguts. But then, but then I ordered the Slow Burger. This was a damn near gourmet burger with melted Gruyere cheese. Yea, you would expect some processed orange cheese but no, they use Gruyere. The burger was cooked to perfection and was so juicy it was ridiculous. As I write this my mouth waters and I'm seriously considering calling out to catch a flight to Portland for the day. It's that good. Of course the beer selection is dope and we were able to try some of Portland's own Burnside Bourbon. Oh, in case you hadn't noticed. I was being a tourist in the Rose City. I definitely didn't want something I could get at home. Now I'm pining over a burger that I can only get in Portland. *sigh* Oh, the first world problems.

    (5)

  • Jen M.

    Came to Slow Bar for the Slowburger, and we were not disappointed. So good! Big burger, awesome flavor, good price. Came with a huge plate of fries. Perfect meal after driving all day! The service was good, and we got our food very fast. Zero complaints from us.

    (5)

  • Roger M.

    First time in for the Mercury $5 burger week. Slow Bar has 3-hop killer IPA's on tap Boneyard, Fresh Squeeze & Vortex and other styles my taste buds never tap--give me better bitchin bitter brews please. Kick back in the laid back decor with big private comfy booths on the brick wall and red bulbs in the pendant lights hanging over the bar and booths stimulate the relaxation, conversation and slow food mood we easily slumped into here--Slo speaking. We already are planning to return for the pastrami sandwich and another Slo episode. So, how is the Painted Hills burger? For 5-bucks (remember this is special for Burger PDX week only) this burger is over-the-top, juicy, tasty and pumped up with a generous portion of beef and a coleslaw stack with an Asian twist (very, very delicious) on a fresh sesame seed bun along with Texas size--howdy--hand cut fries. Whopper of a deal! Service is blazing on top-of-it as Slow Bar was packed fast around noon, but everyone was slipping in a space for their burger too (there are street side picnic tables). The burger--and Slow Bar--exceeded expectations so it is 5 STAR today with big tip!

    (5)

  • James K.

    Some buddies and I headed here before heading to a show up at The Wonder. I don't have a whole lot to add than what's already what's been said in other reviews. Doesn't look like much from the outside, but is clean and neat on the inside. Service was cheerful and attentive. Our server even put up with my flirtatious buddy. I think they had 4-5 taps of craft with a few other standard lagers like Rainier. Two of us had the Slow Burger, which lived up to it's notoriety. The other dude had a chicken salad sandwich, which he only ate half of, even though he's 6' 4" and 250. A substantial sandwich. I had a side salad, but the skin-on fries look pretty tasty. There are a few tables in the front window on one side of the door, along with a bit of a lounge area on the other. Further back, there are plenty of booths across from the bar. Also plenty of outdoor seating since the bar is on a corner. Perfectly located for us on the way to events further north or downtown, Slow Bar will be a place I quickly return to.

    (4)

  • Marie P.

    I've been coming here for nearly three years now, and I can say in all honesty I've always had nothing short of a stellar experience. I LOVE this place. I usually will find myself here late, and it always hits the spot. Here's why: Atmosphere- Slow Bar has a lot of sex appeal. The space itself is cozy and inviting, but bold and energetic at the same time, with candle-lit high-backed red leather booths(the booths are huge, can fit around 6/8), and an attractive bar that emanates this intoxicating red glow. The high ceilings/walls are dressed with this kind of American/Warhol style art and the music is usually a rock/metal blend but it's never too loud that you can't hear your friends. On any given night you can find movies like Evil Dead or indie sci-fi flicks on the Tvs. Great spot for a 3rd date. Food: The. Food. My mouth is watering just writing this review. Everything is done really well here- quality ingredients, fresh, bold flavors...there's something here for everyone. My favorites are the burgers. Painted Hills beef, if I am remembering correctly. The burgers are massive, loaded with ingredients like local cheeses Gruyere or Muenster, pickled veggies, house made slaw, artisan buns, house made aioli...onion rings! Everything just melts together so perfectly. Huge portions of crispy fries- get them smothered with stinky cheese! They also do a veggie burger proud, too if meat isn't your thing. I've had the black bean, and I think I've had a portobello patty too. Depends on the season. I've also tried several appetizers- the fruit and cheese fondue with truffle oil, hush puppies, several of their seasonal salads, and spicy nuts to name a few. Everything is amazing- good portions and they go really well with the cocktails. Cocktails: Here is where I confess I've only had a few because, once I like something I usually stick with it. Slow Bar is actually where I became hooked on St. Germaine in champagne, and savoring that last sip that had been soaking in a sweet Bordeaux cherry. I've also had their Moscow Mule, quite recently and it absolutely hits the spot. They have several other boozy concoctions, that I'm sure you'll enjoy and I've been told they also have a great tap list. Service: I've always had very good service here. For one, usually during the week the bartender will usually be the sole service provider for the whole place, meaning that they go around and wait tables too. This concept is not common in Portland, and is by no means an easy feat. Running around, taking orders, delivering food, jumping behind the bar, making drinks, and keeping an eye on the place. It's not something everyone can do- you never know what is going to come through those doors....the Slow Bar staff make it look easy. They give the kind of service that I've always been fond off- they're always present but not in your face. And they never ignore an empty glass. I'll end this review with my final tip- get the bread pudding. You won't regret it.

    (5)

  • Kyle M.

    Solid burger.... possibly the best around Pdx. Friendly staff, nice selection of beers, and super cozy tall back booth seats. Musics a little too hardcore for my tastes, but I put up with it just to get the burger!

    (4)

  • James W.

    Went in tonight for happy hour food. Guess what!? We both got our burgers. And they were fantastic. Normalcy is restored in the universe. The nice bartender from the last review took care of us and she did it proper. Great service, great food. Satisfied customers. Thank you Slow Burger.

    (5)

  • Ryan S.

    Went hear because the Side Door next door was closed and decided to give it a try, I hadn't heard anything about it previously but have since heard people talk about it as a good bar with a damn good burger. They also have a location that just serves burgers, and my friends that have been have said good things as well about that establishment. We got in and the place was relatively crowded, I think we had the last seat. The decor was cool, dimly lit and somewhat divey but not all the way. It took the server probably 5 minutes to come to the table, and the service was pretty poor all night but it is called Slow Bar so what do you expect. The beer selection was nice, and it was one of the only bars I've ever had that had Duchess De Bourgogne on tap which is a quality beer if you are into sours at all. The menu is surprisingly good looking, with more than just your plain burgers and fries and standard bar fare. My girlfriend and I each went for the Winter Slowburger, which is similar to the original but with blue cheese and a few other differences. The food was honestly super good, and the burger was one of the best I'd had in Portland. Super juicy and flavorful, and combined wonderfully with the blue cheese and toppings. The fries were also good, crispy and well seasoned. All in all, the service is probably the only reason it gets 4 stars, the food was great and I liked the atmosphere and the beer selection a lot.

    (4)

  • Bill B.

    Want to have one of the best burgers in the Northwest? Order the slowburger and add a side salad. Places that are successful and develop a reputation have one big thing in common, quality. The only thing I wish was better about Slowbar is there were more of them. Food was top notch, service was great and I can't wait to go back. Five stars.

    (5)

  • Kat R.

    Great customer service, great awesome drinks!! Highly recommended!! My group and I drove from Cali .... Went to the Lovecraft bar(had a bad experience) ... And we WALKED over here only to wish we would've stopped by Slow Bar first. THANK YOU SLOW BAR for a great time!!!!

    (5)

  • Kristine Y.

    Our second time here, we split the slow burger with salad and he added a cup of miso soup. It is a beautiful looking burger, however, today was a little lacking. Tasted just like an average burger. I like the way this place is laid out, fairly well lit in the front, bit dark in the back. I feel a little harsh, but I'm taking a star off for the music and it's lack of mass appeal. I get it there is a giant painting of a guy firing a gun amidst Stars and Stripes... But, there actually was a couple who walked in sat down and walked out. If making this a joint for an exclusive crowd they have exceeded expectations. Only now I have just seen another couple walk in, sit down and walk out. It does have that grunge dive appeal today - hope you're into that. I'm sure we will return. Prob an off day.

    (4)

  • Julie Ann M.

    Fantastic Happy Hour! $5 burger $5 BBQ pulled pork sliders $1.50 so much fries $5 ceviche $3 mix green salad with roasted seasoned nuts & goat cheese $1 off drinks ......and more I can't remember $5 burger came with shredded carrots & cilantro, quite pleasant. Soft and airy buns on the burger & sliders. Tasty sauces all around. Fresh greens in the salad with a delicious dressing, maybe fresh mint in there? Fries were crisp but not at all greasy. Definitely a higher quality Happy Hour. Nice ambiance with frosted glass windows, soft sexy lights hanging above the wall booths & candles on the tables. Great service too!

    (5)

  • Ehow C.

    Found it. I'd like to think I'm a connoisseur of burgers. Having been trained to eat the best in Chicago, I've been searching hard for the best in Portland. Slow Bar has given me the best burger in Portland to date. The bun is sturdy and delicious in its own right. The onion ring is fried perfectly. The garlic aioli and picked relish sang in harmony without overpowering the beef. And the beef, a magnificent medium rare. And a whole 1/2 lb of it, all to myself. And the fries were a perfect compliment. Crispy, hot, at a perfect thickness. I would wish for either a touch more salt, or aioli on the side with which to slather the fries. If you haven't given yourself a treat recently, come here at an off-hour so you can enjoy this beast without embarrassing yourself too much in public from moaning and exclaiming. Or if you're an exhibitionist, order two and make it a show. So good.

    (5)

  • Desmond B.

    Love this bar! Good food, solid service, good atmosphere and a good juke box. Its not one of those places that specialize in any one thing (although the slow burger is amazing) so much as it is just good all around. Dive bar type atmosphere but not divey.

    (5)

  • Ramsey V.

    Great experience all around. Good food, great drinks, and friendly service. It was a little dim inside for my boyfriends taste, but I thought the atmosphere was nice. Really liked the Zerkpatric, which was a pomegranate margarita with peppercorn infused tequila. Had to try the Slow burger and it was great!

    (4)

  • Andrew H.

    Old school punk music playing? Yep, good selection of beer and alcohol? Of course. Friendly staff? Sure. Really good food, oh yes. It was a start to a pretty good Saturday night and after all the moving into a storage unit it was a well deserved meal that I treated my brother to. He wrote a review of this place stating that this place has one of the best burgers in Portland. Period. But they also have some great sandwiches (the bartender suggested the pastrami) and I saw some buttermilk fried chicken that caught my eye. We started off with a couple of local beers and both were great (how could any beer in Portland be bad? ) and we got an olive plate. $3.00. Olives, roasted garlic that was spreadable and some crostini. It was a great start. My brother got a perfectly cooked medium rare burger. Nice and pink in the middle. I got the fried chicken and it came with hushpuppies and three sauces. A barbecue, a honey butter and a spicy ranch, I believe. I wanted some hot sauce also and the bartender offered up three of those. Tabasco (my favorite) a local habanero sauce (sweet and tasty) and a ghost chili hot sauce that wasn't as hot as I would have expected it to be (a bit underwhelming). The chicken was crispy, juicy, a little salty and just plain gooooooood. The hushpuppies were also nice and crispy and a little sweet. I'd have liked a little jalapeno in them, but they were still tasty. The barbecue sauce was tangy and sweet and the spicy ranch was decent as well. It had a little kick to it. As for the honey butter, it was ok but lacked flavor. Still a really great meal and I can't wait to go back. Even for the music. Gotta love old Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys. Enjoy.

    (5)

  • Nick H.

    Probably the best burger in Portland. They have a famous half pound organic beef burger with fancy cheese and bacon on it for ONLY $10 (includes fries or salad). Even the bun was good quality. And unlike many places, they actually know how to cook it to medium rare. You simply cannot find that winning combination anywhere, at least I haven't. The outside looks sketch, but the inside is clean and service is friendly. It's not a dive at all. The music is kind of loud and heavy metal, but that can be good. One downside is that this place is small, so only about 40 people can be in there, and can get packed.

    (5)

  • Buck G.

    As the name implies, slowwwww. I went here some time ago and was not really impressed by the limited menus, slow service and overly trendiness they tried to impose. I may go back one day, but it didn't seem ok special.

    (2)

  • Chad C.

    I've been here a couple times and I've yet to be disappointed. The happy hour is fantastic, with inexpensive burgers, fries, salads and whatnot that are high quality, delicious and served with an obvious attention to detail. Cocktails are very nice too. The space itself is dark, with several super-high backed booths that are big enough for 6 or maybe a few more. Feels classy and trendy, but not snobby.

    (4)

  • Bradford D.

    Came to Slow Bar for lunch the other day. I was very impressed with their food, for a bar. I had the Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich with a side salad. It was tasty on a nice Ciabatta roll. The side salad was actually very nice, with some candied nuts and a good vinaigrette. The burgers looked solid too and the service was great. The 3 stars is mainly just for the atmosphere. It's a pretty bland interior, clearly designed more for the evening crowd. They had a couple small TVs on each side of the bar. It was more distracting than anything, but can understand why they'd want them at night.

    (3)

  • Megan B.

    The burgers here are unreal. Really truly the best burger I have ever had. I will definitely be talking about this burger for a while - I can't get over how flavorful and juicy the beef was! And their fries are just as good. The inside is a great mix of neighborhood bar and romance. Great for date night. The staff was very friendly and checked on us often. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    People come here for the burger but the menu has so many other quality options. Came for lunch with a couple of buddies and noticed they had 3 bottles of Pappy (whiskey). It's rare and only released one per year. The previous night I had the pappy 12 year at a different bar and paid 30% more. We all ordered a round and the bartender was nice enough to let us try a taste of the 10 year. Great friendly staff!

    (4)

  • cindy y.

    My fellow and I have driven by this place for years. After hearing about it how good the place is from friends we stopped in for dinner. Wow, really nice inside, fantastic food. This isn't regular bar food, really great quality stuff goes inside the sandwiches and salads. My guy was really happy with the beers they had. The burger was a killer. From the bun to the patty the best I even haddy.

    (5)

  • Wil C.

    One of the better burgers I've had in Portland. The Slowburger was very juicy and flavorful. It came with two onion rings which were some of the best I've had in town and a choice of fries or a side salad. The price of their burger may seem high but it is totally worth it since they are using high quality organic beef and it's only like a dollar more than what you pay for at ghetto Red Robin or Applebee's. The place itself had a cool and hip vibe, very Portland-y. Everyone working there was extremely friendly and attentive. I will be back for sure!

    (5)

  • Shaun M.

    I've been meaning to try this out for a while after seeing the slowburger listed on a couple "best burger" lists. It didn't disappoint. The burger was fantastic, and the fries might have somehow been better. Got my order to go, service was friendly and quick. Cool atmosphere/vibe and next time I'm in the area, I'll definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Gio A.

    Went back two days after our first time. First visit was not a fluke! Best burgers in pdx!

    (5)

  • Sara W.

    Food and drinks are delicious. Service is pretty terrible. Server forgot an order, bartender claimed that it was on its way and then server finally admitted that she forgot to enter it in. The place was nowhere near slammed. Slow bar? You're lucky if you get your (very tasty) order Bar. After finishing our meal, one person said that this was the best burger he'd ever had (Slow Burger) and I commented that the bolognese was epic. So, I really want to give this place 4 stars (even 5 if we're just considering the food) but service really does makes a difference, so three stars it remains :(

    (3)

  • Christina N.

    Delicious, affordable & portions are uuuuuber generous! I split the Slow Burger and side of Stinky fries 4 ways and still managed to leave with a full belly...granted, I had a small bite to eat prior. Their burger patty is very savory...great flavor cooked to medium well done perfection with a hint of juiciness. Don't get much better! I'd like to say my tolerance is relatively high or at least moderate but that lemonade gave me a very friendly buzz, certainly never a bad thing for their prices! I'd definitely come back for a kick back evening with a few friends, it's that type of dime-lit, ketchup spot!

    (5)

  • Haroun K.

    This is one of those famous Portland places that makes all the lists for best late night food in the city. So, late one night, I came here. The veggie burger is very good, and entirely unique. The buns are slathered in a spicy cheese sauce with tortilla strips, and the bean burger is situated on slices of avocado. The fries are above average, though rather salty. And the booths are surprisingly nice for what you'd expect in a dive bar. Very well upholstered. And weird 70s movies are playing in the background. But the service was awful. I don't think I've ever had such rude servers, in dive bars or elsewhere. Considering how Portland is the epicenter of faux-friendliness, you'd expect at least a few words from the server. I don't know if it's an act, or if you're supposed to expect rudeness at dive bars, but I didn't like it.

    (3)

  • Ryan S.

    Delicious drinks! Delicious burgers! And just the right amount of attitude. I really do heart this place.

    (4)

  • Alisa G.

    I dropped by for happy hour for a quick drink and a snack. The interior was really nice; I was expecting divey but was pleasantly surprised. I had the $5 burger, and it was quite good. The toppings made it almost like a bahn mi with pickled daikon, carrot, and cilantro. I ordered it medium, but it came closer to well done. My Moscow mule was good, not great. Minus a star for not serving it in the requisite copper mug. If it's gonna be on your menu, you've gotta have the necessary barware.

    (4)

  • Deb F.

    I finally made it over to Slow Bar and had the best burger I've ever had in Portland. We made a stop before the Winterhawks game and split the Slow Burger and the Pizzetta with sausage, bacon, carmelized onion, & sweet peppers. And a couple drinks: Northern Lemonade and a hard pear cider. Most delicious! The burger was crazy good - we had to take the onion rings off in order to eat it since my jaw doesn't unhinge too well. We ordered it cooked medium, and that they did. That burger was perfect: juicy, thick, and full of flavor. Loved the Grueyere cheese and the garlic spread. The bun barely made it to the end before it gave out, but that's okay. Oh yeah, and the fries were fab! The pizzetta was thin crust and probably should have been cooked a little longer as it wasn't golden brown or crispy the way I'd prefer it. Flavors were okay, but it was missing something (salt? spice?) I asked for some hot pepper flakes and that helped. Not sure I'd get the pizza again but I sure as hell am getting another one of those burgers.

    (4)

  • Evelyn S.

    My first visit to Slow Bar was last night. I say first visit because I look forward to going again, soon. Accompanied by a good friend we nabbed a table for two next to the bar, ordered our drinks and food and had a great time. 3 hours later we left purely because we didn't want to hog the table all night. Me - Slow Burger and Moscow Mule Burger was excellent, fries were okay, drink was a bit light on the alcohol. Friend - Southern Fry and Long Island Chicken was excellent, hush-puppies were dry inside and a bit overcooked. The decor and ambiance are simple, a bit edgy, and comfortable. The lighting is just right too. A half dozen high back modern booths that seat 4 - 6. A few tables for 2 or 4 people, a long bar all topped off by a square conversation area in one of the front windows. Nice staff, good timely service. Interesting menu. Good prices.

    (4)

  • Jonathan Z.

    Simply outstanding. Slow bar was on the top of the hit list when I arrived in Portland. On foot, my group trekked from the other side of the river to seek out the Slow Burger. That hour walk prepared us for our upcoming feast. Slow Bar delivers one of my favorite burgers: yelp.com/biz_photos/slow… 1/2 lb chuck patty, Gruyere, butter lettuce, pickle relish, and the BEST GORAM onion rings I have ever eaten. Since it was HH, we ordered a bunch of mimosas, beer, and stinky fries. The stinky fries were a bunch of fries with stinky, melted cheese on top. Damn good food and good service. 4.5 stars

    (5)

  • Scott R.

    Walked in, walked out. Maybe it has good food, but it comes off as a shitty dive bar, because that's what it is. A shitty dive bar with what most people describe as excellent burgers. There's no good seating. We walked past four or five booths with 2-3 people in each of them. All seats at the bar were taken. The four remaining tables were also taken. Maybe they have a good burger. Maybe they have a GREAT burger. Since it was a shitty bar, I will never know.

    (1)

  • Daniel H.

    Wanted to finally try the Slowburger, wasn't disappointed. It's great. The onion ring is an awesome touch and the garlic aioli is a solid complement. Prices are a bit high, even though $10 for the Slowburger and fries is OK, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt since the signature item definitely lived up to its rep. Drinks packed a punch too.

    (5)

  • Linda C.

    We were hungering for dinner and the sweetheart suggested Slow Bar. We came in on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Barberella was on the TV on one end of the bar and Beverly Hills Cop was on the other end. The bar itself is nice. I'm a fan of the dark wood interior. It's a nice place to hang out with friends, eat, and drink. Everything on the menu looked delicious but for my first visit, I had to try one of the signature burgers. I had the Slowburger and the sweetheart had the Winterburger. Both were very good. I have to say that the onion rings on the Slowburger were the best onion rings I've had in a long time. I didn't think I was going to be able to eat this thing. I couldn't even take a full bite. Before I knew it, I was more than half way through. Did I mention that it was a perfect medium? It was. Mmmmm. I had the salad on the side. Delicious. The sweetheart had fries which are made in-house. I want to come back and try some of the other items on the food menu. We were almost forgotten when we were closing out which adds to our recent string of odd and subpar customer service experiences.

    (3)

  • Christine H.

    I made it to the slow bar finally! The place was filling up fast Friday afternoon around four. I was meeting someone for happy hour and this was next on my list in the area:) Service was a tad slow at the start but they were getting busy ... We stayed for about three hours having drinks. We tried the southern fry which was chicken breast strips lightly breaded and way under-seasoned with some very dense and heavy hush puppies. We also ordered the flat bread pizza with sausage to share which saved the day. It was decent and filled the void to make the drive home. The ambience was okay .. It was loud metal music but it wasn't so loud we couldn't enjoy our conversation... Even got some old school Metallica in there which was a treat. There are 4-5 large red vinyl booths and about four tables for two. Also the large bar to sit at. Full bar okay food and great company. We were urged by the neighboring table to order the pastrami with extra cheese. Guess I'll be back ;)

    (3)

  • Rand T.

    Great burger and veggie burger too. It's a bar, but with good service and it was easy to find parking.

    (4)

  • Paul S.

    I had The "Southern Fry" for lunch instead of the recommended (Yelpers) burger. Mistake. Hushpuppies, buttermilk fried chicken, spicy honey butter 8.5 The chicken was coated in. What looked like generic corn flakes and the cook forgot to add any spice or salt. Each piece was crunchy because it was overcooked and dry. The hushpuppies were big, cooked right and completely bland. I supposed the three sauces that came with the dish were supposed to provide the flavors but all three left me sadly disappointed. Shoulda had a burger.

    (1)

  • Shanel S.

    This place only gets two stars because of their food. Lisa H. and I LOVEEEE Portland. We love it because the people are so incredibly friendly and hospitable. Even the tourist seem to be that way. This place though.... RUDE. We walked in and weren't greeted even after making eye contact with the tall tattooed brunette bartender. She was more interested in the guys ordering drinks. Then the blond waitress FINALLY came over to take our order. She wanted to take our drink orders but when we asked for water she seemed snarky and uninterested at this point with us. It took her ten minutes just to bring us water. She was very unhelpful with ordering and had a poor attitude the whole time with all questions. She never asked how we were doing and didn't give me a water refill until I was already finished with my dinner. By that point my throat was so dry and I couldn't even waive her down for a refill. I had to watch her drink her drink at one point. It was the worst. But like I said, food was good. Never good enough for me to go back, but good nonetheless. I got their Slow Spring Burger and it had great flavor. I did ask for it to be cooked at medium and it was almost well done. Still kind of juicy though. I got it with a side salad and I think it could have used a little bit more dressing. The spicy nuts were a nice touch. I tried Lisa H's onion ring and it was all batter so I wouldn't recommend ordering them. I would pobably do better research next time I'm in Portland and want a burger. I ssuggest you do the same.

    (2)

  • Adam V.

    Slow Bar, Slow Bar, Slow Bar... I love this place. Easily the best burger and drinks in town. When ordering, I would suggest either the mushroom burger or the standard Slow Burger. Their patties are always cooked to perfection, and the burger fixins' are fresh and delicious. Besides burgers, their other menu items are fantastic. Their fried food platter is dangerous, in a good way, and their salads are crisp and hit the spot. Their drinks are pretty good, and reasonably priced. However, as you've read I don't go there for the drinks. I stop by Slow Bar for my regular dose of grilled red meat to stuff down my gullet. You should too.

    (5)

  • Nikhil B.

    Have been here twice now. Was blown away by the slow burger the 1st time. Came here for lunch so it wasn't crowded and only the bartender was serving who was fairly attentive. The second time however the burger was disappointing compared to the last time. I like the music and general decor here. Will probably give it one more try

    (4)

  • Pablo H.

    This is a great stop on your bar crawl. It's a bar, it's loud (maybe some Slayer on the sound system, maybe Violent Femmes), there's booze and a passable tap list. It's a restaurant, consistent food, better than most bars and better than a lot of restaurants, maybe a little overthought, but super satisfying to the discriminating eater on his third or fourth beer. Go to this place if you're having a great night and want to fuel up to keep it going.

    (4)

  • Jessica S.

    My Oh My! The Fall Burger made my beer taste even better! So this burger is pretty top notch. I mean the soft cushy bun created a nice pillow for the prosciutto and arugula to lie upon. The aioli helped to meld all the ingredients together while the patty was cooked to a nice medium, still leaving it juicy. So this place can seem a little dark and scary but really it's just mood lighting! It's just kind of a laid back kind of vibe. There are some sofas to the side as you walk in. The high booths give some sort of separation between tables, and there is a juke box off in the corner of this place. I mean there is nothing scary about this burger and the people inside are just looking to enjoy this burger or the different cocktails they have listed. The cocktail menu was inviting and although I didn't try that night I would come back to pair with another burger. They have everything from an Old Fashioned to a Tijuana Speed Ball, see they make you scratch your head...then you read the description and are like sure I'll try that! Plus they have a good looking happy hour menu complete with sliders and a burger listed on there!

    (5)

  • Yannie Y.

    [+] My goodness, my friend and I came here to get a tasty burger on a Friday night. I'm not quite sure what was going on, but my friend decided to forget his wallet that night. As we approached the entrance, we were stopped by the 'gate keeper'. My friend: "oh crap, I left my wallet, along w/ ID at home" Me: "Are you serious?" *gave him THE LOOK* Gate Keeper: "Miss, do you have your ID?" Me: "Yes..." Gate Keeper: "Will you voucher for him that he's not a minor?" Me: "Voucher for him...? Yes...?" Gate Keeper: "Enjoy your dinner" *Opens the door* Sweet, already love this place! hahaha We got seated fairly quickly and ordered our burgers (honestly, I can't remember what we ordered, a Spring Burger and the Slow Burger? O.o) The burgers were amazing, prices were affordable and service was great. What more can you ask for? The burger came with a choice of fries or a salad, yum! [-] Let's see, what do I not like about this place? NOTHING! [?] I NEED TO GO BACK HERE SOON!

    (5)

  • Kari M.

    Danger Danger!!! High Voltage! Not only was this song playing when I walked into slow bar today, it may also describe some of my experience. The hubs and I went down for a happy hour bite to eat, so maybe our awesome service was due in part to their not really being a whole lotta people there. However, I've been the only person in an establishment many a time and still gotten lukewarm service, so I'll say it wasn't mere coincidence. The food was yummy! I got the Southern Fry. The chicken was crispy and delicious, though the batter didn't have a whole lot of flavor on its own. Probably so it didn't have to compete with the trio of sauces it came with, all of which packed a mighty whallop. Should I feel like a total fatass for dipping my chicken in spiced honey butter? This question may someday send me to therapy. The hubs had the slowburger and the salad instead of fries. I must say, i was expecting some prebagged crap salad thrown on the side as an afterthought, but it was a tasty salad of greens and had some of the spiced nuts on top. Quite yummy. I also stole a bite of his burger, it's probably one of the best I've had in Portland. I have to say, we may be back more often due to its very walkable distance to our place. OH DANGER DANGER! HIGH VOLTAGE!!

    (4)

  • John E.

    Before Yelp I was not a "bar" person, I thought since I rarely imbibe in spirits and hops and the such that there was no place for me except maybe as a designated driver (which I enjoy doing). Now, a year into my Yelp life, I find that bars have some incredible atmosphere and food. One such place is the Slow Bar. I walked in for the first time last night armed with knowledge gleaned from reading others reviews. My first steps in the door caught me unprepared for the sight of the tall booths. First thing I thought to myself was, "Why don't they do this in every restaurant?" If you have a kid you know what I mean, it would stop embarrassing incursions into other peoples booths. But I digress... Took a booth toward the back of the place and we placed a drink order which arrived quickly and the lady took our food order. We decided we had to try the Slowburger and the fries with melted stinky cheese. I was unprepared for the size of this monstrosity of meat, it was absolutely huge. A smile curled the edges of my mouth.... this was gonna be fun. And it was. The fries were excellent as well, Yeeps did not fail me, but next time I'm going to have to try the Southern Fry, it looks awesome as it went by on the way to someone elses gastrointestinal system. I felt perfectly at home in this bar, and that is saying something coming from a non-bar person... but how much longer can I call myself that?

    (4)

  • Alyssa C.

    This place has some of the best food (burgers, specifically) in Portland. Weird that such a dive bar looking place can turn out such phenomenal food, but somehow they make it work. Often can be a long wait, but it's always worth it.

    (5)

  • Jacob V.

    Got the coveted burger. It was good but didnt live up to the hype but then again how could any food live up to that hype? With that said the bun, the ketchup,the meat, all quite good. The onion ring on the burger was a little bland. Its worth your time & its a really cool bar they also have cerviche I love that stuff!

    (3)

  • Cindy I.

    Cool little place for a meal. Maybe we were lucky and got the best location in the front window so we could hear eachother. Most people are writing about their burgers so I thought I would add my 2 cents. My husband would rate it more like a 4 for the burger but I write the reviews and I don't like stuff inside my burgers. If I wanted onions and other fillers I would add them on top of my burger. Maybe I'm just old fashioned "Where's the beef?". It wasn't his favorite burger in town but said it was good.

    (3)

  • adam p.

    I love how my fellow Yelpers never steer me wrong. All the of your reviews highlight the Slow Burger, so I jumped in line and went for it. What is not to love? Fresh beef charbroiled to perfect medium rare on a dang good bun. Loved that the beer glasses come right out of the freezer so my Bone yard IPA was ice cold! Plenty of people watching entertainment here too from hipsters to first dates. They pack you in close so you can hear your neighbors awkward conversations!

    (4)

  • Andy L.

    Friendly bar, good service, great burgers. What more could you possibly want?

    (5)

  • Holy-foo' X.

    Probably not entirely fair to rate the place on the basis of going there during non-happy hour peak times. It is what it is, as the trendy kids say.. The burgers here have been reliably solid. So far have had the Portabella, and the reg. Slow Burgers. Felt much better about paying nearly $10 for those, than other pub burgers (Tik Tok, for example, or even the vintage T-Room). They were quite tasty, and especially enjoyed w/side salads that involved absolutely zero iceburg lettuce. Service was reasonably affable and attentive. The crowd was laid back, younger, many couples there. Not a bad place to hang your hat, w/easy access to I5 or I84 within a few blocks. In sum, I won't hesitate to slow down and give these guys another try, maybe w/a group next time, for MNF or somesuch. I suspect the place has a potential that I simply haven't yet tapped into....

    (3)

  • Ken J.

    Went here after an afternoon of wandering the labyrinth that is City Liquidators. Slow Bar lived up to its name, it took quite a while before the bartender who was doing double duty as server came over to our table. I felt sorry for the guy because they seemed short staffed for the volume of people inside. I got a pastrami sandwich and my girlfriend got pulled pork, both with fries. Food was good enough, sandwiches were decent sized, and came with a generous side of fries (which could have used a little seasoning, but were still tasty). Decor inside is in a word... Dim. It seems like the place is going for a kinda of 'sexy' ambiance but it ended up just feeling closed in, which is a shame since the location has no reason to, with huge windows (that have had a frosted coating applied) and high ceilings (washed black and lit with tiny red pendant lights). The bathrooms were kinda funny, since the men's is completely unadorned, while the women's has some large wall art suggestive of bathroom sex.

    (4)

  • Jim W.

    Back again... Same as before.... Only Better....three of us... All agreed... Fantastic... Only this time better... Ordered the fries and stinky cheese.... One word. YUM!

    (5)

  • Megan H.

    I've visited Slow Bar a handful of times, most recently being this afternoon after a long workday. I was exhausted and running on empty, ready to stuff my face with a juicy burger washed down with a manhattan. I ordered the winter slow burger, medium rare with fries. So glad they actually cook meat the way it's requested, my burger was warm but very pinkish-red in the middle, just the way I like it. Great bun and fixins, a little messy due to whatever awesome sauce they put on the bun and the general juiciness of the meat. Nothing to complain about! The manhattan was ok, a little heavy on the vermouth with quite a few ice shards floating around but I liked the fancy cherry. All in all I left very satisfied and the service was friendly and attentive. I will be back!

    (4)

  • Ela M.

    i don't need to review the burger or the actual bar. We all know the burger is a brick house (the winter burger is currently kicking the ass of all other seasons) and the booths at that bar are super sexy and high and the lights are sexy squinty eyed low...ok, we know all that. Five stars for the BLOODY MARY! I'm constantly on a quest for a great bloody mary and I have started craving theirs more than I have actually started craving their burgers. It's become a disease, at least once a week I get crazy eyes for their drink. The staff is great, the ambience is perfect and you've made me a cocktail that just won't quit...love is in the air for us, Slow Bar.

    (5)

  • Chris L.

    With its high backed booths and dimly lit interior, the Slow Bar is the ideal secret location for making a clandestine encounter. Now, happy hour drinks with a friend hardly counts as a scandalous rendezvous, but there may have been some culinary conspiracy in play that night as some of the much ballyhooed happy hour items seem to have mysteriously vanished from the menu without a trace. This could also be said for our server, who must have been part of some type of underground spy ring, as he surreptitiously spent the majority of his time outside of the bar, instead of heading up surveillance with regards to the status of our adult beverages. Plus he was inexplicably absent when we were ready to make the secretive credit card for bill swap. My final report will record that the drinks were good (Ninkasi beer on tap), service peculiarly non existent, while the intelligence gathered from this covert meeting with the other agent provocateur proved rewarding, as well as downright enjoyable. Please note: This review will self destruct in 5 seconds...

    (3)

  • Lori F.

    Oh, Slow bar. How did I let so much time come between the two of us? Somehow, between the lonely nights, drinking all the pints next door at My Father's Place, and the day when I finally grew up and got husbaned up, I managed to overlook you. People raved about your burgers, they said great things about your drinks, still I neglected you like a redheaded step child. I am sorry for this, Slow Bar. I am sorry that your delicious $2.50 crispy fries, your $5.50 fried chicken with hush puppies, and your tastefully crafted Greyhounds were put on hold. They deserved to be consumed a long time ago! Those fries with all the crispiness and the succulent chicken with all the fun dipping sauces!! It only took 5 minutes for all of it to come, and when it did, it was radiant and fresh. Your bartenders were pretty cute too, all polite and tastefully tattooed. It wasn't until we got the happy hour tab that I really felt like a neglectful jerk. $13.00 for all of this glory?!!! Slow bar, you are a forgiver, just like the baby Hay-sues! I will visit soon, and when I do I am going balls to the wall and getting the burger. Thank you for your patience...and your forgiveness.

    (4)

  • Chris O.

    Slow Burger was fantastic. Top Notch! Pulled pork sandwich, way too vinegary. Maybe that was how it is supposed to be; though to be honest, I have to say that it did not please our palate. I would go back for the burger anytime. Keep in mind the burger will set you back close to "sawbuck," a "ten-spot," a "Hamilton"... Is it in the top tier burger joints? Yes. Is it the best? depends on your mood, spirit intake and what else you have tasted. Don't forget the Ioji food tasting equation. food item quality (multiplied by mood divided by quality of service) +/- spirit intake= nothing much.

    (4)

  • Sesha M.

    I love it so much I'm literally the spokesmodel. best Jukebox in PDX. and best burger..either winter or slow, LeDuh.. slowbar.net/merchandise.…

    (5)

  • Kate J.

    What can I say? I've had a soft spot for this place since the first day they opened their doors. Literally. A friend and I just happened to be walking by when we noticed this place and stopped in. Just so happened to be the day they opened their doors for business. The minute we walked in, I knew this place was a gem. And not just because I could play Slayer on the jukebox; thought that was a definite plus! The Slow Bar crew, atmosphere, and food were so great back then that I was inspired to write one of my very first online reviews (on CitySearch). And it is still there. The very first review of the Slow Bar in fact! If you decide to read it, please go easy on me. I was young and impressionable... and I really loved mixed caps (embarrassing!), mixed drinks, and tattoos! And I might still love the latter... but I digress. Fast forward 7 years since my first review of the Slow Bar (gah! time flies!), and they are still puttin' out the hits. Great service, strong libations, and of course the delicious (and infamous) Slowburger. Now I don't need to tell you all the nitty gritty details about this burger. You probably already know them. You've heard of this burger and you probably already knew its name. If you don't, then pull up Google and type "Slowburger". Or, even easier, just keep scrolling through this list of reviews. There you go. Done and done. What I *can* tell you is that this bar and their burger still got serious game. At this point, in my quest for the best burger in town, there are only two real contenders: The Slowburger and The Grüner. Last but not least, with their tall u-shaped booths, the Slow Bar is still one of my favorite places to hide out in a crowd. Will I be back? Of course! :-)

    (5)

  • Olivia T.

    O.M.G...! H.U.G.E B.U.R.G.E.R! Finally I made it to the Slow Bar with my friends and how we enjoyed their burgers. Yes, they are spendy for burgers, but omghjgsigjogjswgkm they are so worth the money. We also tried the Hushpuppies and the fries with Stinky Cheeses. Both of them were delicious as well. Drinks were heavenly made here. They are strong and will take you to heaven and back. I guess the only reason why I can't give this place five stars is because of the service. When we were there seemed like the servers were in a hurry to take our plates away. They kept asking if we were done with our food, even when we still nibbled and munched on our food. They weren't even busy that night. I don't know what their issues were, but that was a total turn off. Too bad, I want to give Slow Bar five stars, but I couldn't.

    (4)

  • Hannah E.

    I absolutely adore this place. The burgers are amazing. Stinky cheese fries are phenomenal. My husband used to work here so I got my fair share of the burgers and fries, too much honestly. But I never got sick of them. Service is usually spot on, but it is a bar more than a restaurant so it can get pretty loud and crowded- usually not too rowdy. The (slow) burger has onion rings, fancy Grueyere cheese, and other fancy stuff like house made relish and butter lettuce. They have a seasonal Slow Burger, that changes- always good too. They also have a pretty darn tasty salad, ceviche, seared tuna salad. Everything is good, but the stinky cheese fries and Slow burger are the highlights.

    (5)

  • Shawna N.

    This place is crazy, sexy, cool. Kind of dark, but in a good way. Drinks are always really good and the food is outstanding. I have always had great service here too. Love this place!!

    (4)

  • JW R.

    Manazon (who's about 6'4" and only has one boob from an industrial accident) was in town from the hell that I imagine Salt Lake City is. We're at Sassy's and we're all pretty hungry. I'm on the Yelp iPhone app looking for places nearby and thinking maybe Nicholas' Restaurant when I realize that pretty much right across the street is Slow Bar. And off we go. Two bites into his Slowburger, Gloom says "That is a tasty burger." And I think, where have I heard that before? Oh, yeah. It is a pretty fucking good burger, if you'll pardon my French. The service was, well, the place IS called "Slow Bar". We sat ourselves (note: the tall booths make it hard to tell what's available, station a guard near the tables at the front, just in case) and it took a few minutes for someone to come over. Less than five. We knew what we wanted (duh) so we ordered right away. Me and Gloom get the Slowburger, Manazon gets the summer Slowburger. Gloom also said he wanted to "Start" with the olives. We didn't get them until we got our burgers. Maybe that's the fifth star they didn't get. Still (and they were pretty good olives) it was a good trip and good food. Honestly, tho, that burger is so freaking good, I'm not sure I'll ever try anything else. Maybe. If I can be convinced.

    (4)

  • Logan K.

    My favorite burger in town, so far. This burger is really a gestalt experience. No wacky combos of exotic or difficult to source ingredients; this burger is an essential hamburger. It achieves this by finding an ideal balance of flavors and textures within your standard hamburger framework of meat, cheese, bun, sauce, & veg. Fantastic fries as well. They resemble potatoes, and if they don't cut and cook them twice on premises, then they at least have me fooled. All this for less than $10! The inside is dark, the booths are plush and deep, there is always metal on the jukebox. The service is what you'd expect from a bartender at a metal bar. Haven't tried much else from the menu, but I don't see much reason to. Slow Bar is really raising the bar for hamburgers in this town. You'll be kicking yourself for getting a $12 frozen-patty, Sysco fries, standard-fare pub-burger, when you should have gone here.

    (5)

  • Lin N.

    Gotta love a bar that serves Woodchuck Hard Cider.

    (4)

  • January M.

    How far the mighty have fallen. The food and drinks are five-star, without a doubt. Being able to receive and consume them is a two-star ordeal. I just can no longer deal with how literal the staff seem to take the name. Scratch that, it's not so much slow, as apathetic. I wish they would either get real waitstaff or stop pretending to have table service. Jesus, I just clicked, "Not Sure" on waiter service.

    (3)

  • Jessica W.

    Driving by this place, I would have assumed it to be another dive bar. However, it had one of the best burgers I've ever had! The Slow Burger was great - very flavorful with the meat done just right. Combine with gruyere, onion rings, butter lettuce, and pickle relish, it is hard to beat! Worth a visit.

    (4)

  • Jarrod S.

    It took me forever (4 EVAR) to get to this bar, I don't know what was keeping me away. The burger had been calling my name for weeks, and every week that passed, I found an excuse to go somewhere else, usually based on whether or not I was into crossing the river that day. Slow bar was worth the wait. The booths must have been ordered by the queen of hearts because they were extravagantly huge, they block off the room making for your own little dining area. The tables sit high giving me a bit of an "Edith Ann" feeling. Red and black are the theme, and it teeters between swank, and slutty. The jukebox loaded with punk and metal tunes punch both words in the face and create a new one, we will call it slanky, or swulty. The specialty coctails run the 6-8 dollar range, and the southern lemonade was great! On happy hour, wells were like 2.50, wicked cheap, and all beer is a buck off, making most beers in the 1.50-3 dollar range. The burger was close to 10 bucks, but man was it worth it. Every burger that was brought to every table, looks like the prepared it with the expectation that every customer is a yelper with a camera ready to snap, paparazzi style, photos of this sexy sandwich. The onion ring was better than perfect, it was actually amazing. Why aren't onion rings on the menu?! The fries that came with battled with the burger on which I was enjoying more. They were fresh, kinda starchy, and tasted sooooo good. The service was spot on, better than most places, and they don't seem to be trying. Maybe this place could make a training video, and distribute it to the other "cool" bars in town.

    (5)

  • Jihae H.

    LOVE this place. The hubs and I walked in an it just felt right...the atmosphere was laid back and it was nice and cozy with low red lights and candles. They played good music that was at just the right level for dinner time. Service was prompt and the waitress was attentive, taking away our plates and bringing us our check as soon as we were ready. Now for the food. A...MA...ZING..seriously. We had the slow burger, and the spring slow burger - you could tell how good the food was by the absolute silence at our table while we ate. Meat was cooked perfectly and the flavors were just right. We left saying we were going to make this our new spot - definitely a must try for anyone who likes a good burger!

    (5)

  • Jennifer D.

    Amazing happy hour and always good service. Great meeting point between Eastside and across the bridge.

    (5)

  • Food B.

    This place is awesome. Locates just down from My Fathers Place, amazing beers and awesome staff. And the food god damn! The slow burger is something youll wanna come back for alone.

    (4)

  • Megan R.

    The food here is always great, fresher and tastier than your average bar food in Portland. The service is usually pretty good too. The one thing I cannot stand is the music- always very LOUD metal, punk, etc... Ok, I get that some people like this type of music- I loved it in high school. But when it is so loud you have to shout over your burger to the person sitting next to you to be heard, it is annoying enough that I don't want to bother eating here... Maybe wait until 10pm to turn up the volume but leave it reason able at dinner time.

    (3)

  • Jeff M.

    A Haiku Review of Slow Bar: Best burger in town? Fresh local beef made with love. Hard to disagree.

    (4)

  • Jesse D.

    I used to love this place. Until we were there when they allowed eight completely naked bike riders to come in and eat. It was disgusting. Sweaty naked people sitting in the booths. After my husband expressed his disgust to the naked patrons and they refused to even put underwear on their naked sweaty butts in a place of eating the staff asked my husband to sit down. After that they didn't even come to serve us, they shunned us. We just went there again last night and clearly the demeanor of the bartender had changed towards us. Before she'd been friendly and up beat. This time they only looked at us to take our order and we had to call them for our check and any other things we needed. Shame on you Slow Bar. Health code violations, customer service violations and general sad attitude. My husband still loves the bread pudding, so against my will, we will still occasionally come in. Lets see if you all can be professional servers doing the job your employer pays you for, instead of what we experienced last night.

    (1)

  • Orian I.

    I've gone here a few times, once really late (outlandishly hipsterish even in this area, ya we get it you looooove rock-a-billy) and once for lunch in a laterish time, i believe it was around 2 or so. so this time, in prime time food eating time we went, I didn't know what to expect but that burger siren was calling me. I'm usually a reg. slow burger kind of gal cause really? it's never the wrong choice. but the spring burger was more appealing some how so I did that. Spring burger: 1/2lb. Painted Hills natural beef, Samish Bay Ladysmith Cheese, Speck Alto Adige, butter lettuce, roasted red pepper relish So I'm gonna say this, it was tasty don't get me wrong, but I couldn't taste the cheese, or the speck, and pretty much what I got was a lot of the roasted pepper relish, which I liked, but it was very tomato saucey for me. The burger was in fact perfectly cooked to a nice med. soft and flavorful with a great bun. the fries were what you'd expect as a good partner to a great burger, flawless. tasted my friends hush puppies since he was the only one who didn't get a burger he got the fried chicken. They were a little strange, gummy without a ton of flavor. The honey mustard dipping sauce was fantastic..but the puppies were a little flat for me. perhaps they need to be smaller to get cooked all the way? i dunno. ok lets talk drinks. I had the Zubrowka Bison Grass vodka martini. When I asked the server what it was like she said..umm.. i don't want to tell you what it reminds me of cause they you won't want it, you know what let me get you a taste. That was some good vodka, she said it tasted like baby powder, but i thought it tasted like candy, but not sweet, just flowery on it's own with no sharp bite. it was a perfect summer martini. My boy had the manhattan, which i'm not sure if they make their own marachinos but man those were some stellar cherrys, the drink was smooth and tasty. yummy The server was cute, she was very busy but she was on it. it was a very enjoyable time.

    (4)

  • Ashley M.

    Love it. It's dark and cozy and the staff is fun. Laid back rock n roll vibe with a killer playlist. Burger was perfect except it needed salt! Fries were dangerously yummy. Great drink specials and outdoor seating if you want a smoke.

    (4)

  • Sandra W.

    I daydream about this burger almost every day. The only two reasons it's not a part of my daily routine: 1) it's kind of an inconvenient location with bad parking; and 2) I'd have a coronary. SlowBurger, I want to make babies with you!

    (5)

  • Marc W.

    On one hand, adding yet another glowing review seems a bit pointless (you get the point - this place is great), but on the other hand - the more the merrier!! After seeing the $9 burger from this place rank as one of the best burgers in Portland Monthly's review of great eats for under $25, my buddies and I had to try it. We made a lunch run (from Beaverton - is it still a 'lunch run') just to have the burgers. We split the Winter Slow and the Slow burgers so we could try both - YUM-O!!! I love the crunch of the onion ring on the Slow burger and the tang of the blue cheese on the Winter burger was exciting in my mouth. A winner that I'll be telling my friends about. Our server (one of the bar-keeps) was great - friendly and quick. Can't comment on the evening activities here, but running here for lunch is well worth it - even if you are coming from Beaverton!!

    (4)

  • Trevor V.

    Always good service, great atmosphere (classy, not too loud, dimly lit) I've always had the Slow Burger and it's always good.

    (4)

  • Marina B.

    This place is absolutely terrific. Tasty drinks and French fries with "stinky" cheese that totally rock my world.

    (5)

  • Amber C.

    I feel like writing one review for the afternoon, and one review for the evening. Afternoon Review: Afternoons are just plain bad. The service really makes the bar a "Slow Bar". When a coworker and I went at 11:30 (when they opened for lunch), the waiter was at the bar, and we took seats. He appeared every once in a while, but when it was time for our check, he completely disappeared. He was gone so long that the other customers in the restaurant began to talk with us, asking if there was any service at all. A prep cook in the back saw all of us peeking into the kitchen but did nothing to alert the waiter. This left us unable to pay our bill, and all of the customers in the restaurant completely immobilized. I am quite certain that they left as well. Now, don't get me wrong - 40% of the time I've had excellent service in the afternoon here many times before, especially while dining outside with a group. But I've also heard horrible things about having to wait 30 minutes for a bill, or 30 minutes to even place an order. So what keeps me coming back? It's simple. The food is freaking amazing. Everything is beautiful, well-prepared and delicious. The food is always fresh and filling, and there's always a great IPA on tap. Even with poor service, I don't worry that much, as I know the food is going to make up for it completely. And with that, I'd like to draft an evening review. Evening Review: Great place fro groups, for eating and drinking. Excellent lounge area in front and fantastic bar food. Great place any night of the week, especially when it gets crowded. Service doesn't seem as bad if you're in the company of friends. This is by far the most frequent time I've been there, usually with a group of 6-8 people. We've always had a great time. In Conclusion, keep in mind the stark contrast between night and day at this place, and understand that no matter what, the food is going to kick ass and you'll be fulfilled, even if you have to leave cash at the table in order to get back to work on time.

    (4)

  • Jen T.

    Slow Bar, I'm kind of like, infatuated with you right now. Although you're a little dingy at first, you wow me over and over. First off all, you have an awesome bartender/server chick who knows her shit, delivers great service, likes Metallica, looks badass, and is still most likely the nicest bartender in all of Portland. Second, your food is mean! Southern Fry, cheviche, pizzettas, fries with stinky cheese...I would do you all in a heartbeat. Third, you play the best music ever...well, really, all I need is some Hot Snakes, but still...the overall selection is great. Fourth, you have HAPPY HOUR! My favorite time of any day, of course. And boy, was I happy with all the wonderful beers that you serve (including the very interesting Russian stout, Old Rasputin), delicious food, and the best service of all the (Port)land. Slow Bar, I...I think...I love you.

    (5)

  • Steve R.

    I'd live here if I could. Amazing food & strong drinks. What more can you ask for?

    (5)

  • Brandon B.

    BEST BURGER IN PORTLAND! I had their new seasonal Spring Slow Burger, and it was amazing! Truly the best burger I've ever had. I think they're using Painted Hills beef and Draper Valley Chicken, so they are conscious about the sourcing of their ingredients and keeping things local. This is a bar, so the later you go the busier it will be, hence slower. Only as to be expected. If I'm going for food I hit a 8 or 9 o'clock hour and always have seating and great service.

    (5)

  • Sadie Z.

    I've been a vegetarian for 4 years. I recently decided to start eating meat. Given the overwhelming strength of positive reviews from my friends (and Yelpers!), I decided to make the Spring Slowburger my first foray into the carnivorous world. All I can say is this: I don't know why I didn't start eating meat A LONG FUCKING TIME AGO

    (5)

  • Lindsay D.

    I've eaten here a few times, for lunch & dinner. The burgers are pretty delicious and they have a decent beer selection. Service has always been friendly. They have indoor & outdoor seating, although you are often dealing with panhandlers approaching you if you are outdoors. If you're inside at night, prepare for INTENSELY loud music. One time we asked the bartender to turn it down just a bit and he was kind of a jerk about it and refused. It's not like I'm an old lady - I just want to be able hear my friends! But otherwise it's a nice central place with good food.

    (4)

  • Christian B.

    A little'ish place out near Industrial SE that shouldn't be missed. The slow burger is one of the best burgers I've had. Love the huge onion rings that come in it. It's weird, but Slow Bar always seems to be a little too cold or a little too warm. I've never felt really comfortable eating inside. I do love the high booths.

    (4)

  • Lyle M.

    Went to Slow Bar this past Friday for Happy Hour. Legit. The bar tendere in the Tallica' Shirt was cool as shit. It was rushy, so she sat us at the bar, hooked us up with drinks, and took car of us good. Some nubes tried to bum rush our table, but she kicked em' out. Hush Puppies were G-CODE! Chicken was decent, beer was delicious. This place is good, mellow, has a punkish-vibe, (kudos on the hotsnakes and wutang! i tripped out and thought you stole my ipod, but then i realized i don't own one anymore cause it broke). Waitress in the Metallica shirt, YOU ROCK! Thanks for being so nice! I'll be back with friends for sure.

    (4)

  • Danielle K.

    If my boyfriend: (a) Lived in Portland, (b) Was not a vegan or vegetarian, and (c) Was over 21, I'd definitely make him take me here for date night. I'm not usually taken aback by the sexiness of a bar. Yup, you heard me correctly. If I had taken my boyfriend, I probably would have jumped him in one of the secluded and tall-backed booths. Dim lighting. Dark floors, walls, and tables. Love it! Also, for the size of the place (it's pretty small), I was really surprised by their menu. Holy cow! They have some really awesome-looking stuff on there. Of course I settle on the Winter Slowburger, which is apparently the stuff of legends. Juicy beef, gorgonzola, pancetta, tomato relish. Are you trying to play with me? And yes, it was as delicious as it sounds. I also enjoyed their Southern Lemonade, complete with a good whamp of whiskey. My friends rave about their Bloody Marys, which apparently contains a house-infused tomato vodka; sorry, but I still think all Bloody Marys taste like I'm downing a glass of marinara...not my thing. Oh, Slow Bar. Is it love? Or is it just the burger? Can we ever really know?

    (5)

  • Merilou T.

    We just so happen to be in the area looking for a place to watch some Hockey. We stumbled in and while at the bar the patrons were more that happy to change the channel for us. This bar was anything but slow. I went in with a full stomach and was just going to have a beer and watch the game. I kept seeing these beautiful burgers coming out of the kitchen. I must come back to try one because eveyone in this small place seemed to be loving the burgers. The bar was very nice, clean and the bar staff friendly. I will be back to try the "Slow Burger"

    (5)

  • Amy S.

    Great cocktails and mouthwatering food. If you order the white wine fondue with white truffle oil (which I suggest you do) get it with the sausage. The flavor and texture are surprisingly good. But it's the Winter Slow Burger that is where it's at. Rogue blue cheese, pancetta, tomato relish... damn it's good.

    (5)

  • Joshua D.

    I would love to write a helpful review of Slow Bar, thoughtfully breaking down each menu item. But I won't do that because oh my god Slow Burger and Stinky Cheese Fries and Bucket of beer. Yes, it's the only thing I can ever bring myself to order. As a horrible, change-fearing glutton, I can't help but have the amazing Slow Burger, with its crunchy, delicious onion ring. That's topped only by the stinky cheese fries. They don't tell you what kind of stinky cheese it is, but just eat it.

    (5)

  • Kody L.

    Best burger in town. I've said it. The best. Plus, they know the difference between medium and medium-well. AND as a bonus, you get the tastiest onion rings stacked on your burger instead of the raw red onions you get everywhere else. This is the best place to satisfy your burger craving. Hands down.

    (4)

  • Matt M.

    The burger really is legit. It's a bit pricier than what I usually eat but I didn't feel like I spent too much on it. It does live up to the hype. This place is a nice 15 minute walk from my apartment, though, I haven't made as many visits as I would like. I didn't really experience much else since it was early and the place was pretty dead - not that I mind while I'm trying to eat.

    (4)

  • Mr. S.

    Pretty overrated, and I'm being generous. I don't know, maybe I didn't bring enough cocaine. Maybe I should have gone in with the tip of my beak coated in it like Tony Montana. Maybe that would've gotten the staff's attention? Or maybe I should've gone in there with my dome freshly shaved, Ben Sherman nice and crisp, skinny braces, jeans rolled just so, and D.M.'s polished up to moon stop (not racially motivated though mind you) someone for glancing in my general direction. A bar is a bar. I don't care how you decorate. I don't care what you serve. You can't lose sight of the basics of a bar and when you cater to a select group and give shite service to anyone outside of that you've pretty much lost touch. Slow Bar is only fun if the staff's snap judgement of you is favorable. If not, you'll be sat there wondering if you're invisible. This oft-hyped burger is inferior to the following: CaVa (now closed), Stanich's, Hollywood Burger Bar, Pause, Lowbrow, Toro Bravo's, and the hell with it I'm going there, the Jr. bacon and the double stack on Wendy's value menu.

    (2)

  • James B.

    I'm apprehensive about leaving a review for my favorite bar in Portland because I selfishly don't want to wait for a booth when I go. That being said, you will love this place. Great vibe, and better food. You can close your eyes and put your finger to the menu and come up with a winner every time. The burgers are well known here, but the other sandwiches shine as well. I even enjoy the chicken tenders with hush puppies on occasion. Just remember if you come here on my recommendation and see me waiting at the bar, how about inviting me over for a beer.

    (5)

  • L.A. W.

    Dinner out b/c I wasn't in the mood to cook - and found Slow Bar on Yelp! Spouse was in the mood for adventure of a new place for burgers so off we went. Interesting little place - music loud and metal which neither spouse nor I minded. Food - great. I had the winter burger and it was cooked perfectly as I wanted though I wanted the salad and I got the fries. Husband got he Slow burger and he practically didn't say a word until it was gone. Cerviche - yum but the best yum was for the warm olive appetizer- I would go back just for them and a beer. Happiness. Why three stars? The service. My job is service oriented - if I'm not nice to those I serve, I hear about it. Not fun. I do not get tips and I don't always get a thank you or a please. Two of the staff would NEVER make it where I work- the guy was ridiculous (order wrong, disappeared on us and surly). I almost asked if they pool tips as 2 of the females were great and I wasn't sure who I was tipping. Summary- drinks standard; food great; service- we'll give it a second try. More to come....

    (3)

  • Jazz M.

    I've lived in Portland for quite a while, but hadn't ever experienced the culinary orgasm that is a Slow Bar burger. I know it's been repeated many times on this review page, but I'd just like to throw in another vote that this burger must be one of the best in Portland. Ever since I went a week ago, I've been dreaming of it. Yes, burgers in my dreams. Plus, I really dig the booths. Usually in bars, or restraunts with bars, it's hard to sit down and still hear your conversation with your friend. Their booths - I could hear my friend perfectly, total bonus!

    (5)

  • Ben P.

    Picture it, I pull up on a rainy night, having just driven 10 hours from San Francisco. It's dark, I'm confused with all the re directions from road closures. Finally I arrive at a corner and in front of me is a dimly lit, pinky purple, frosted glass bar with a few smokers or what I initially think are bouncers. I open the door and am welcomed by no more than music and an open booth... Woah... Along comes the perky, loud Barman for my order. I'm liking this more as he reacts to my questions... -Grass fed beef? Yea. -What's good? Everything. -Real homemade fries? Snigger - nothing here is frozen. I feel like I just got to a costume party but someone forgot to forward the memo! I'll have the salad thanks. I anticipate the rewards of my googling and yelping. A huge burger, topped with fresh, delicious toppings, juicy beef and something about onion rings INSIDE the burger (I opt out of those)! So now I am presented with a masterpiece on a plate, on the adjacent TV there is a re run of food wars with the craziest burger inventions... I realize... I'm in burger heaven! (This is the closest to raw, grass fed beef I've had in weeks!) Did I drive my car off the road on the way here? I don't remember a crash? Hmmm, I'm very tired, but I know I'm not sleeping, the shift from California to Portland was too cold for that!! So if you haven't yet got in the car and are ordering as we speak, duh, get a move on... If you're not in Portland then make this a planned stop on your way through! If you needed a quick review and stopped reading a while back... Well, I guess that's what the stars are for. Love and chi

    (4)

  • Chris A.

    Small place so either get there early or come late. We walked in the door and the place was full, not packed but all the seating was taken and we just kind of stood there with no real acknowledgment from anyone which was awkward to say the least. There was no sign that said "seat yourself" or "please wait to be seated" which isn't really necessary if anyone behind the bar would have just yelled out "hang on" or "be right with you". Any kind of acknowledgment would have been nice but keep in mind it is a tavern. Getting past the initial awkwardness someone did finally approach, take a drink order and let us know to take the next table that came available. We stood there in the doorway and waited for a place to sit, it was still awkward just standing there kind of partially in and partially out of the very front booth but we finally go a table and all was good. The food here is very good, at least what we ordered. We read reviews of the place here on Yelp and the majority of reviewers raved about the burgers. When in Rome . . . They were outstanding! Stinky cheese fries also a good choice. We had the Slow Burger, absolutely delicious! Several other things on the menu that we saw going to other tables that we would like to try so a trip back is in the future. Hard to beat the burger though. Good Eating Everyone!

    (4)

  • Helen K.

    Good food and cheap prices! Nice dirty, slightly dive-y feeling to the place. I had the spinach pizza, it was great. My roommate who is a very picky eater had a burger that looked awesome. I don't know if it was my delicious vanilla kamikaze that made everything taste so good, but I can assure you my drinks were fabulous. I left feeling nice and lubed, and because of that I will definitely make an effort to go back. Will def. go back.

    (4)

  • k k.

    The place is simple/classy/casual. The bathrooms are nice and are the only bathrooms I've ever been in that have speakers inside of them. The tall booths are cool, but there are only a handful of them. The bar size is average and there is some additional seating, but the place has been maxed out capacity wise the five times I've been there. The mix of people is a good one. I've seen the after work crowd, the older group crowd, the rockers and the punks. They treat me well here. Though- I've seen a bartender not be too friendly to an overly friendly older guy. It seems like I always make a new friend here- which is rare. I don't eat meat, but everyone raves about the burgers. The veggie pizza made me a bit sick one night though. Aside from the kick-ass lady bar tenders, the juke box is my favorite part. Any place that has the first two Faster Pussycat and Maiden records, along with Motorhead and B.R.M.C and Fu Manchu has my vote.

    (4)

  • Adrienne B.

    I walk in, just having returned to town after a few days of camping. Hungry, sunburned, and ready for a cold beer. Upon my entry, I look to the server and ask "Hey, do you guys have a happy hour?" Snarky server responds, "That's what the menu on the table in front of you says, doesn't it?" My date looks at me, questioning if he really said that, and what my response is going to be, knowing full well the wrath that low blood sugar can bring. I'm too tired for a evil response, too hungry to think about going elsewhere, and have already taken note that they have Stella on tap. Decision is made to stay. I ordered the green salad and ceviche off the HH menu, he orders the pizza of the day. Green salad is great. Nice and simple organic greens with a light vinaigrette, some chevre and tasty caramelized mixed nuts. The ceviche is a little boring. I have to get up and grab salt and pepper from the bar, as the server is too preoccupied talking to the bartender to notice that I'm looking around for something. The pizza of the day was great, though. Thin crust with pesto, multiple cheeses and pepperoni. Absolutely delightful. Everything arrived at different times, which was a little weird. Salad, ceviche, then pizza. I understand this is how they come off the line, but you could've kept my ceviche in the fridge until my friends pizza was done. Instead, he ended up eating half of mine while he was waiting. This is my second time in to Slow Bar, and the second time the service has been lame. The last time, my friends order was forgotten, and only upon the delivery of my (amazing) burger did the server ask "Oh, and what was it that you ordered?" She waited another 15 minutes for her meal. Thankfully, we were busy chatting and drinking Bloody Mary's, so it wasn't such a big deal. One time sh*tty service, ok, maybe an off day. Twice? Your food isn't good enough to warrant it. It's not hard to keep me happy in a bar, especially at HH where prices are lower. Keep my drink filled, occasionally look over to my table (you don't even need to stop by) to see if I need anything, and be fairly nice. That's it. I don't care how hip you are with your fixie bike and dickies jacket. I'm here for service, and will take great care of you if you make even the slightest attempt.

    (2)

  • Devon D.

    Seriously some of the greatest pizza in town, not to mention my absolute--dare I say--favorite pastrami in all the land (sorry K&Z!). So we've got all this fabulous grub, but I'd love to see a cocktail with some backbone and maybe one delicious draught beer... Please?! Weeeell, I guess we'll stick to Pabst pints then.

    (4)

  • Brett M.

    Had to try this place simply because it won the award for best burger in Portland last year. And let me tell you: the rumors are true. Fantastic burger for lunch. Made it worth walking over a mile from my office just to give it a try at lunch. One of the few burgers that looked as good as it tasted, too. Great bun (toasted slightly with a pretty good smearing of butter), amazing onion rings, perfect vegetables, and meat done EXACTLY how I asked for it. Oh, the cocktails are good too, but don't tell my boss I was drinking at lunch.

    (5)

  • Darvish B.

    After hearing and reading about the Slow Bar, it was time to see what the fuss was all about. I ordered the much talked about Slowburger, it was better than good but not the greatest. What makes it's good is the hand formed patty, just like when you make it at home for a BBQ. Juicy and full of flavor, local ingredients a plus. I requested the burger cooked to medium and it was done perfectly. Only real complaint is the size of the bun, way too much bun for my taste. Also ordered, the white wine fondue w/ truffle oil (fruit/baguette) and the house green salad. The salad was drenched with dressing, next time I'll ask for it on the side. I wished the waitress had brought the fondue before the burger, because it was served at the same time as the burger, so I had to decide which one to attack first. While it was good, it would have been nice if it served in those fondue thingamajig fondue pots so the cheese would stay warm and not harden so fast. 3.5 stars, rounding it up for the friendly service. I will definitely be back, maybe I'll try the Pastrami sandwich

    (4)

  • Gertrude B.

    I visited Portland for a week two summers ago. My guy and I stayed at the Jupiter Hotel and went on a mission one night to find some great dive bars that tourists weren't told about. This was one of them! The juke box won my heart, as did the high booths and great beer. The crowd was cool and the lighting dim, the way it should be. I can't remember what I ate, but I do remember loving it. Definitely worth checking out if you're visiting!

    (5)

  • Anna H.

    Good enviroment for chilling. Drink selection is good food pretty good. Highlight is definitely the ladies room mural, have to see it. The fondue is really delicious.

    (3)

  • Sara Q.

    i would die for a slow bar burger. this place is sooooo good. every time i come it's like the first time. this place get's better every single time i come back. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE SLOW BAR.

    (5)

  • Jimmy S.

    Hmm, what else can I add? Best bar in PDX. Great food, private booths, interesting beers on tap, amazing cocktails, hot bartenders, awesome service, and the best jukebox on the planet.

    (5)

  • Janet L.

    I'm torn on this review. My husband and I were really excited to come try this famed burger. And the burger, it was good. But the service obliterated a good rating. We came in to dine about 8pm on a Saturday night. Going at this time, I expected it to be busy and have a wait. After walking in, standing around for a few minutes with no staff attention we decided it was safe to assume we should seat ourselves. We walked in and the only empty table needed to be bussed and swept.. looks like whomever ate their before left half their meal on the floor. We sat for about five minutes and I got up and went to the bar to ask if there was table service. "Yeah I'll be right there!" the bartender said. He came over and apologized, saying there had just been a rush. He quickly wiped down the table but the floor stayed covered in bread and soggy lettuce pieces, forks and straws. We ordered drinks and two of those famous Slow burgers with salads and an order of fries to split. As we had conversation and waited on the food, I noticed there were only two people working the front of the restaurant. Period. Two people covering table service inside and outside, and covering bartending. The food came out timely, I will give it that. My husband needed a refill on his soda so when the server brought out the food he took my husband's glass to get a refill. And never returned. Obviously he got overwhelmed, sidetracked, whatever. The refill never came. Husband never got another drink and didn't even have the icecubes from the old drink to suckle on. As I finished my beer and my glass laid empty, so did the glasses of the table next to us. The server simply never had time to leave the bar. Tired of waiting and envisioning an endless wait to get the check and pay it by way of him coming to us, I finally went up to the bar and asked to pay the tab. How was the food? The food was good. The burger was good. Not amazing. The onion ring that came on the burger was a highlight - freakin delicious. But the service stunk and the area we ate in was gross. I am torn to give it a bad review because the servers were working their asses off and service wasn't bad because they were lazy. But it was bad regardless. There needed to be at LEAST double staffers in the front of the house at this time on a Saturday night, if not triple. So I'm sorry dudes. Service is just as important to me as food. Food alone would have given this a 4-star but the experience makes me give it 2 stars. Or is that why it's called the slow bar?

    (2)

  • Corrie H.

    The service was excellent. The decor--a little lacking, as if it came straight out of 1994. The music--nothing "hip" which felt nice. The clientele--an assortment of long-haired men with large boots and a hiker-esque couple in Columbia wear. Oh, and we were there, too, of course. But none of that do you care about. You want to know about the Slow Burger. Luckily, we can tell you all about it, as we both chose the Winter Slowburger. It was definitely one of the better burgers in the city--it was juicy, rare, and big. We still prefer Yakuza's burger, but we think the Slowburger beat Laurelhurst Market's burger, for what that's worth. We also had the fries with stinky cheese. They were very, very rich, but not stinky. So... all in all, nice, but not a place I am desperate to go back to.

    (4)

  • Jay C.

    Highly recommend the Bison Grass Martini. I haven't found Bison Grass Vodka anywhere else in town. The burger is widely regarded as one of the best in Portland, and certainly seemed like it from my experience. The ceviche is good too.

    (5)

  • Andrew G.

    I'm writing this not so much about the food at Slow Bar. It's always been great, every time I've been there. No, what this is more about is counteracting some of the neg pub about the service here. We went last night about 6:30 or so. We got one of the nice booths inside, as usual. The outside seating was all taken by, apparently, crazy heatophiles. Y'all's mental! Anyway, we were greeted quickly and asked for our drink order. Drinks were delivered within minutes. I don't know who does their beer but the stout was nearly a dead ringer for Guinness, which I love. Placed food order. I had the summer slowburger which comes with a thick slice of heirloom tomato on it. So good. Wife had the caprese which also had said tomatoes. Other couple had a panini and another burger. It is my favorite burger I've had in town, although I haven't been like Vasco de Gama in my pursuit of Portland's finest. It's just the one I like best, okay? GOD. Now, I'm not sure if it was the juiciness of the burger or the tomato or what but the bottom half of my bun split in half so I ended up having to knifey-forkey the rest, which is kind of awkward. I'm normally all for using hands when eating handfoods. But it would have been exponentially messier had I stuck with my original ingestion method. It's a tiny gripe and didn't interfere with my enjoyment. I do remember the first time I came, the slowburger came with their hand-cut fries and I don't think they do anymore. It'd be nice to have at least the option to upgrade on the menu. I'm sure they would do that for you but I need my options visually! The place was modestly busy but the waitstaff were totally on the scene and helpful the whole time. I didn't see if the bartender and the waiter were the same person but if so, they were ON IT, man. And it's been like that the other times I have been there as well. The fact is that some places have off-nights service-wise. I haven't had one at Slow Bar in the 3 times I've been there. They've always been very doting.

    (4)

  • kristin e.

    I honestly didn't know this place was a bar (yes, even if "Bar" is in the name) until I walked up to the front door and read the sign "No Minors Allowed" because I really thought it was just a restaurant. Anyway, I came here for lunch the other day and sat at one in one of the really tall booths and ordered the Winter Slowburger (it's basically a blue cheeseburger with pancetta) and some Hand Cut Fries with Stinky Cheese (it really does say "stinky cheese" on the menu) to start and washed it down with their signature bloody mary (made with tomato infused vodka). The bloody mary ranks high up there on the best bloody marys I've had. It was a little spicy and full of tangy tomato flavor...I could drink those all day! The fries were really good with the melted "stinky cheese" (I'm not sure which cheese it was) and really wished that there were more cheese towards the bottom though on their own, the fries were still yummy. The burger was good...had a decently thick patty and it was smothered in cheese and pancetta. It looks huge but it's just the bun, really. The accompanying salad had slightly sweetened toasted pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. For a bar, they have a really nice food menu and I do want to come back and try their Southern Fry (fried chicken and hush puppies with honey butter or something like that) and of course, their other cocktails...it is a bar, after all.

    (4)

  • jim t.

    "Enjoy the next 20 minutes of your life." I wish I could have said that to my former girlfriends (or, my wife for that matter!) Those were actually the first words uttered by my port side bar mate as the Slow burger was set before my appreciative eyes. Here's the deal - the ONLY pomp and circumstance about this burger is its verticality. Easily tamed by a firm smoosh. Oh yeah, there's also the thing with the TWO large onion rings perched atop the lid-to-the-side temptress of beef. Again, easily accommodated by immediately devouring one of the rings a la carte. Burger ready but I want some foreplay. I'll dive into the salad (can't betray my love of Potato Champion frites). "I'm sorry, is that a candied hazelnut????!!!" Nice touch but the test is about to begin. Ok. Let's talk. What makes this burger exceptional (and believe me, it is exceptional) is that, like a fine sherry, kisses the palate and then the meat somehow transcends burgerdom and dances down your throat. No fancy sauces here. You are tasting pure, fresh ground beef. However, this ground cow is more than fresh... This bovine was moo'd, woo'd, and tattoo'd before it willingly gave its life for my 20 minutes of pleasure. I can't explain it. I can't explain it because I've never experienced it before. Just a damn good melt-in-your-mouth burger.

    (4)

  • Eric t.

    I came here for lunch one day. It was a decent burger, but nitpicking, I found a few things wrong with it. For references sake, I had the "Winter Slow Burger" which I believe had some bacon and blue cheese on it. The first thing that was wrong was that my burger was a tad underdone. I had requested medium rare and the burger came out more rare than I am used to. The texture of the burger in contrast to the bun didn't really work for me. Tastewise, it was a tad salty, but I attribute most of that to the blue cheese, but even for the blue cheese burger it was a salty. The second thing I really didn't like was the bun. For some reason, the bun did not seem that fresh, it was a bit tough..the bun itself was pretty fluffy but the outside of the bun was a bit tougher than I imagined. It made for an extreme contrast in textures. The fries were good though. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh as to my critique as I am used to the excellent burgers of Los Angeles and my expectations were a bit too high. Perhaps this is the best burger in Portland, but it has a hard time cracking my top 10 burgers list. It wasn't a bad burger, I would say it was a good burger, but not a great burger. The fries were quite tasty though. Chill atmosphere too.

    (3)

  • Shawn L.

    This is one of the best burger and beer places in Portland. You have to really be looking for this place or you will miss it. Its on the corner with a little sign on the door.

    (5)

  • Katie R.

    This joint is a hometown favorite of mine. Exquisitely presented food, and so damn good to bat! Come to this place for the burgers, if you're a beef you're appetite will be satiated by the Slowburger, sooo good. For the vegetarians out there, they have one of the best Portabello burgers I've ever had. They don't skimp out on the sides here- ask for a salad, and you'll get an evenly pre-dressed salad with crunchy toasted nuts on top. Favorite burger joint/bar food to bat. Can't call it "bar food", it's too damn good! And don't forget the beer..

    (5)

  • Af R.

    Great chicken sandwich with avocado and bacon and my husband loves their burgers. Salads are good, fries are okay.

    (4)

  • Tet W.

    Slow bar has been on my hit list for quite sometime now and finally I got the chance to try their monstrous "Slow burger" and stinky fries. As I walked up I was greeted with frosted windows and neon lights. I felt like I was entering a porn shop until I went in and it was dark with dim lights inside. The bar is small and they have one small flat screen located at the bar. This burger is awesome and it was so big it came to me open faced with two giant greasy onion rings on top of a gigantic beef patty layered with gruyere cheese. I stacked my burger and cut it in half. Although I tried to eat it clean, the burger was so big it fell apart midway and had to use a fork. No biggie it still tasted just as great. The side salad was okay. Nothing special, but a nice accompaniment to the burger. The stinky fries were okay. A bit greasy for my taste. I tend to like my fries crispy and crunchy. The stinky fries were soggy and somewhat unappetizing. The stinky cheese on top was great. This is a side that you should share as it is a lot of fries for just one person. You might be in for an early heart attack if you finish one of these yourself. If you're ever in the mood for a juicy monstrous burger, Slow Bar will gladly take care of your craving and if you're lucky you just may get a side of the meat sweats!

    (4)

  • Jen T.

    I guess a lot of people have been giving this place 4 stars because they've been hearing a lot of hype on the level of 'impossible to ever live up to even if a burger was sent directly down from heaven on a platter made of angel wings'. But I'm not from Portland and I didn't really know anything about this place before my friend took me. I haven't really had a burger i'd consider life changing since my favorite burger place near DC changed ownership (and therefore lost its epic burger forever) 3-4 years ago. In fact, I've been mostly avoiding burgers and meat altogether for the last year or so; nothing ever compares. However, I decided to give this burger a chance, and i'm eternally grateful that I did. The Slowburger (I actually had the Spring version) is delicious. It doesn't even really need anything on it because it's prepared so well, and cooked exactly the way you ask for it. I can't stop thinking about it. Y'all have a real gem here. Don't build it up to yourself too much; it's understated and that's why it's so great.

    (5)

  • Buford C.

    Slow Bar is one of those awesome places that you can take a first date to, their burgers always deliver and make a date hungry for more. Plus if your date is all prissy and eats the best burger in pdx with a knife and fork, the service is so good that "check please" barely passes your lips before they get you and the shattered dream of your next romantic life out of there. BUT, it's not over, once you hustle your date to their car and wish them a good life, and say your see-you-rounds, you can sneak back to the bar, and drink whiskey with your mates... without them feeling like you are taking them on a first date. It really is quite the perfect place. Good for dates, and good for mates. Affordable too... Keep on putting along Slow Bar, and for God's sake, don't go changin'...

    (5)

  • Rob W.

    Throughout my years in Portland, the Slow Bar has always been a place to grab some good food and some good drink. The burgers are good, the appetizers are good, the salads are good, the drinks are made well, the beer selection is thorough, the atmosphere is good, and everything is reasonably priced. Oh and the burger? Yeah, it's pretty good, but then again, so are a lot of burgers around town.

    (4)

  • Vien N.

    Best burger I've had in my life. We actually went to this place twice, it was that awesome. First time, we started with a round of Southern Lemonades. I sure love my bourbon, and it really hit the spot after a 10 hour road trip. Unable to decide the Spring Slow Burger and the Original Slow Burger, we decided to get both and split them among the four of us. Each a 1/2 lb. mass of goodness, the Original Slow Burger comes with onion rings and Gruyere. I personally preferred the Spring Slow Burger, the cheese they had on it was amazingly flavorful but its name slips my mind. The butter lettuce goes great with the rest of the artisan ingredients. Apparently it's pretty typical for people to finish a whole burger to themselves, but we definitely had to pace ourselves for the gorging to come on our road trip. We also got the Hush Puppies and Chicken; the hush puppies were a bit dry but the butter it came with definitely helped. The chicken was pretty good, but nowhere near as memorable as the burgers. The second time we came back we kept it simple with two Original Slow Burgers, again split. I would have preferred the Spring Slow Burger, but we decided to keep it simple. One of us wanted some salad, and I'd have to say their green salad is tip-top as well. All kinds of mixed greens, roasted nuts (including walnuts, pistachios, and more), and a perfectly balanced vinaigrette. Oh and on the topic of sides, their fries were pretty good too, flavorful and crispy. As we were finishing up I noticed some of the regulars trying on some awesome looking hoodies, and couldn't resist getting one. They even said they'd drop $5 off the hoodies for us. Hands down, best burgers EVER. If I were a local, I'd be here every week.

    (5)

  • Paige H.

    It's hip, with good food and stiff drinks. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that my drink wasn't made perfectly. But the burger, the server, the ambiance... all delish. It was loud, but in a good way, and the frosted windows kept silhouetting the people outside like shadow dancers. Yes, please!

    (4)

  • Matt F.

    So the burger aka the #1, was pretty good. It was cooked great and the o-rings were delicious. My only complaint is while eating my burger, watching the guy who cooked my burger, take a break to smoke a cigarette with his apron and kitchen towel still on.... I cook for a living and I smoke, and that is a huge no no for me. Would he have taken it off to use the restroom? Other than that great place, just tighten up sanitary issues!

    (3)

  • Pete L.

    I'll keep it brief: the Winter Slowburger, with "1/2lb. Painted Hills natural beef, Rogue Creamery Oregon Blue, pancetta, butter lettuce, grape tomato relish" is easily one of the best burgers I've eaten in Portland, and takes the crown from the Rogue Brew Pub (Pearl District) Kobe burger. (Sadly, the latter has slipped quite a ways in their overall food quality.)

    (5)

  • Ben B.

    I have lived in Portland for a number of years, and a few nights ago was the first time I ever tried the Slow Bar. I read some positive reviews on Yelp, so off I went with a good friend/Yelp Elite member to give it a try. I don't know why, but I was expecting something of a dive bar. It was actually quite nice inside (maybe Oregon's relatively recent smoking ban helped this impression). The tall booths are pretty impressive. I was expecting a bit of a wait since there was a Blazers home game starting soon, but we were able to grab a booth almost immediately. I hate to say it, but I'm really not going to have a whole lot to add to the common wisdom already expressed here. Most of my menu choices were driven off reviews I have read on Yelp, and I have much the same comments. I started out with a mojito. And it was good! I am disappointed with most mojitos (mojitoes?) I've had in Portland. But I did like this one. So much so, that I had another. Mmm, fresh mint. Our server warned us that they were a bit backed up in the kitchen. So we decided to start with a side order of fries with the stinky cheese on it. I guess it's Gruyere, which is a bit different on cheese fries than the usual. Oh these fries were good! Nicely cooked, and the stinky cheese was fabulous. My buddy and I both had the famous Slow Burger. I don't know if it totally lives up to all the hype, but it's a pretty damn good burger. It is not the biggest burger circumference-wise, but it is very think and it tastes like a much better quality of meat than I'm used to in burgers. I asked for it medium well, but it came still majorly pink in the middle. But I was hungry, and I didn't feel like raising a fuss. So I ate it anyway. And it was still good. Once again the burger comes with Gruyere, which is also not usual for burgers. There was some lettuce on it, but there was not a whole lot else. But it didn't really need a whole lot more; the burger could speak for itself. Both of us had side salad with the burger since we had the fries appetizer; it amounted to field greens, which I don't mind but my friend didn't like. It came with some sort of coated nuts on the salad, but I could not identify it. The service was decent. Not grossly slow, but not real quick either. Our server was quite friendly. Slow Bar made a good first impression, and I will definitely put it on my list of favorite places to go.

    (4)

  • David A.

    Stopped in here for lunch and had an excellent pastrami sandwich, great beer selection, colleagues enjoyed the burgers. Highly recommend it

    (5)

  • Jessica H.

    I can't imagine anything that a Slowburger and a Southern Lemonade can't fix. I love this bar because the food, drinks and jukebox never disappoint. It can be a bit hard to find a seat but just go for happy hour and you'll most likely not have to fight any crowds. Yummy. They also have a good selection of beers on tap. Thank you.

    (5)

  • Nathan W.

    Another happy hour down... Ok, so Slow Bars famous burger is not on the happy hour menu. What is though is a giant plate of fries with "stinky cheese" for 3 or 4 bucks. Pints are $1 off and I think wells are $2.50 or $3.50... Here's my advice, go with a date, order the amazing burger with salad, split the super huge, tasty, elegant cheese fries. Two drinks a piece, full tummies... $30 with tip! Not the cheapest happy hour, but the burger is a burger to out-burger most burgers.

    (4)

  • Rylen F.

    MMMMMmmmmm. We decided to catch a Happy hour dinner and drink after reading about Slow bar on Don's post of Portland's Best Happy Hours last week and before heading out to the Zoo to see Sly and Robbie. Well it won us over. We sat outside - it was warm and breezy. There was one guy running the whole place inside and out with a bar back and a cook and I swear the service was more than fine. He was there when needed attention, yet friendly and unrushed. They also had my favorite scotch Balvenie which gets them an extra point without even trying. We ordered the green salad, caprese salad, the southern fry and handcut fries and were more than stuffed. In fact didn't finish it all. The tomatoes were ripe and juicy and the mozzarella fresh. The fried chicken was good with the spicy bbq sauce and the I liked the spicy honey butter served with the hushpuppies. No complaints other than fried food breath later that evening - ick. Given that they (I love Portland), use clean meat - We'll be back to try the strawberry mountain burger.

    (4)

  • Lizzie B.

    Since so much has already been said about Slow Bar, I will leave this review short and sweet: Marvelously mixed mojitos Succulent Sloburger Great for group gatherings Dive bar facade with a classy food menu and top-notch service.

    (4)

  • Kimberly V.

    Oh Winter, you of the endless runny noses and blood-curdling coughing fits. You who brings days devoid of sunlight, natural warmth, and shirtless firefighters. You with your holidays and the onslaught of middle-class, Catholic guilt. But what's this offering? The Winter Slowburger at Slow Bar? Its increasingly enticing layers of blue cheese, cheddar, pancetta, the same beef patty the size of Andre the Giant's fist, and tomato relish? That may unseat the regular Slowburger in flavorful prowess? Fine, Winter. You win. I'll have my consolation burger now.

    (5)

  • Andy W.

    Thursday, April 23, 2009. Four and a half years and 41 positive reviews after my first visit, I finally allowed myself to consider the possibility that Slow Bar was not, in fact, Portland's answer to the Hofbräuhaus. I was still a little skeptical, but I tried to be optimistic. First, the decor: they have a cool kind of metallic moderny feel to the place, and I dig it, but what I dig even more are the booths. I think more places need to invest in the u-shaped booths. You feel cool, in control, when you're sitting in one of these, like a mobster flanked by his most trusted goons, or like Trent in the movie "Swingers," scooting into the center of the booth at the Derby, casually lifting the little "Reserved" tent from the table. Second, the beer selection: not so great. They had a Ninkasi IPA, which I like, but their other two micro choices were far less likable. Third, the burger, what we've all been waiting for. It's a good burger, possibly even a great burger, but the best? Not so sure. It was enormous, cooked to perfection, and unbelievably tender. But my big beef (ha) was the lack of flavor. By itself that patty would be one tasty piece of meat, but without any spice to help it out, I'm sad to say I was tasting more bun than burger. The service was good, minus a forgotten beer (which was delivered later at no charge), and all in all, it was a delightful experience. And I did a quick scan around the room -- of the several chrome domes present, all were naturally bald. If there were any Nazis in the room, they were discreet about it. Ok, I'm satisfied: Slow Bar is now a certified Nazi-free establishment.

    (4)

  • Aimee L.

    I suppose I should go back and try the infamous burger, but I gotta say I was so unimpressed with the drinks that it's hard to conceive making a special effort to go back since it's a bar. The pizza was pretty good but it was probably the worst mojito I've ever had (there's an art to muddling the mint in a way that it doesn't get sucked up and in your teeth in every sip as well...). Nice staff but nothing in the vibe or the experience made me go 'ooh ahh'. Bummer as there's not much else in that area.

    (3)

  • Frannie h.

    The burger is right up there with Pause and Biwa on my list of favorites in town. Right now (summer) they are serving a special burger with heirloom tomato on it, so it's currently #1 on my list. They also consistently offer Double Mountain IRA on tap and serve it in a icy cold glass -YUM!

    (4)

  • Clare S.

    This is nothing that hasn't been said before but, The Slowburger=Yummy! I'm surprised sometimes being someone born and raised in Portland, that sometimes my boyfriend from upstate New York takes me to places that I have never been and I end up loving. How had I never been to Slow Bar for a burger before??? I was nursing a little bit of a hangover from the night before (sure this was at 7pm the day after) and was really feeling like a burger. We headed off to slow bar and I was definitely not disappointed. Water to drink and the slowburger (cooked medium, which turned out to be a perfect medium rare) with a side salad. The burger was beautiful with 2 large non greasy golden onion rings on top. I ate the onion rings on their own as my small child size mouth would have never allowed that size burger in, and they were amazing. I wonder if next time they will let me order a side order of just onion rings because they basically blew my mind. The burger really was great. 1/2 pound of amazing that I look forward to having again. The service was also very friendly and attentive. We went in on a Sunday night, so they weren't exactly packed, but I was drinking a lot of water and my glass was always full. Cute female bartender/waitress on duty must have known my situation. Definitely look forward to trying more of their menu as many items looks good, the Caprese Salad sounded especially good.

    (5)

  • Via H.

    I always thought Slow Bar was going to be a scummy, dirty dive bar - mostly due to its location. Um, I was definitely wrong. And I have no problem admitting it. It has the feel of an upscale hipster dive bar. Kinda sheek, a bit sexy and definitely a laid back place. Totally unassuming and a fun change of pace from the usual spots. Oh and the chicken sandwich with avocado is BOMB. I can't wait to go back...

    (4)

  • Chris B.

    Great burgers, chicken burger is a hidden gem

    (4)

  • Byron S.

    Just went to Slow Bar last night for the first time. Great Burgers. Loud. Nice atmosphere. Bitchy wait staff. Just ignore them and make sure they don't overcharge you and serve you the wrong order and you'll be fine. Whatever. Did I say they had Great Burgers. I'll be back!

    (4)

  • Jenny C.

    Anyone or anywhere that shows This Old House & Lawrence Welk on their TV screens automatically scores major points in my book. What can I say? My love for home repair programs & cheesy "champaign music" circa 1965 on public television is only surpassed by my love of going to great spots in town for a meal or drink. Show me a place that has both, and... wow. Just. Wow. Heading in at 5 on a Saturday night to an empty Slow Bar was a treat. We piled in to one of the big dark booths, ordered drinks and looked at the menu. Why'd we look? I'm still not exactly sure... I went in hearing that the burgers were great, everyone else said they were great... and the waiter/bartender obviously knew they were great too. We all ordered a variation; the Slow Burger had me at "gruyere"... mmm. While chatting and sipping cocktails and PBR's the hodgepodge of people, décor, and music is a little hard to take in during one trip. There's a lot going on, and once the burgers arrived in a humble-yet-in-your-face kind of fashion, there's just no winning. However, it's not that hard to conquer your meal. It's like your taste buds pick up the direct line to the brain and say "hey tell stomach to make this stuff coming priority number one". And the next thing you know, you're looking at an empty plate, a crumpled napkin, and a $9 bill (plus another $4 for a well drink). And you're thinking... yeah, that was gooooood. I love how it's the type of place that anyone could go to; contractors, tv host, and old school musicians included. Of course they very well might have already been there... hiding in another one of those dim booths.

    (5)

  • Gallie G.

    Another great burger. I said skyline burgers were my favorite but that's also due to my love for diners and the location was great. This burger on the other hand is a burger of a different caliber. I love the Slow Bar burger and the other food that they offer. They are a bit pricier than most places but for under $10 for a main meal it's worth it. The Southern Fry was great, but we were in a group of 4 and it was more than enough for an app. The food here is fantastic. Slow bar is just that, the service is SLOW. They must grow their vegetables per order as well as well as slaughter their own meat by demand since it takes FOREVER to get anything here. They may buy their cheese fresh but it's definitely aged by the time they get it out to you. It's a place everyone should check out but not if you are in a hurry.

    (4)

  • Emily S.

    I've heard that Slow Bar's burger has been called best in Portland. Not one to miss any best burger contenders, I had to give it a try. Mr. S and I were attempting to go to Nicholas with some friends, but we unknowingly showed up right as they were trying to close and didn't want to be rude. We looked down the street and saw that Slow Bar was right there. I quickly switched my dining expectations from lamb and tzaziki to burger and fries. The menu doesn't have a whole lot of choices, but I already knew what I was having. The other three all got salads with seared tuna for their entrees in an attempt to be healthy, so I was guilted into getting a side salad instead of fries with my burger to fit in. When the dinners arrived, I must say that I was the envy of the table as I sat eating my dripping cheesy pancetta-y delicious burger and they picked up their forks to stab a piece of lettuce. (OK, the salads actually looked pretty good - if you like that sort of thing.) Best burger in Portland? It was really good, but I'm not convinced it's the best. But I do wish I would have stood up to the peer pressure and just gone for the fries.

    (4)

  • Michelle H.

    Way to make me feel like a little kid Slow Bar. Those booths are mammoth. When I sit, the table almost reaches my chin. I love them though. It's like being enveloped in your own red vinyl room. I'm just glad my feet could still touch the ground, otherwise we'd be in trouble. It was mostly empty on a Wednesday night, so the atmosphere was quiet and chill. Red Sox vs. Rays on one TV, Along Came Polly on the other. I'd imagine on a much more popular night, it'd be a whole different scenario. The bar isn't super huge, so it probably wouldn't get too terrible. Between the TVs was a sizable wall full of booze. The lights are dim and the dark woods and candlelit tables work well with the red vinyl. You walk in and totally expect typical pub food, but oh how wrong you are. The menu is unique, fresh, and damn tasty. Ceviche in a bar? White wine fondue in a bar? Veggie pakoras in a bar? Hushpuppies in a bar? Fancy desserts like pear crisp and chocolate gateau in a bar? Who would have thunk it? As many choices as there are you really can't go wrong with the Slow Burger. It should be your first [if not only] stop on the menu. Just get one. DO IT. They have the regular one, piled high with the onion ring and gruyère, but they also put one out with a seasonal flare. The Summer Slow Burger was not a disappointment. Simple and elegant. Half pound of beef. Heirloom tomatoes. Grafton cheddar. Huge slabs of pickle. Freshly toasted bun. All piled high, really high. It's intimidating when the leaning tower of burger is placed in front of you. How are you honestly supposed to fit that in your mouth? Certainly not with any shred of grace. Release your inhibitions. Just smash it down and shove that baby in your mouth. We're all friends here. I promise I'll tell you if you get a little piece of tomato on your face. That's what napkins are for. I finished my plate, much to the surprise of our server. I like to eat okay? Half pound burgers don't faze me. Especially when they're cooked to perfection like mine was.

    (5)

  • Olivia P.

    Slow Bar wins the Portland Hot Toddy Tour '08 First Place Award, hands down. The hot toddies came up fast and were unbearably delicious, even better than I could have done at home. Our server was cute, and kind, and helpful. The tempura vegetables were delicious, as was my ravioli, the atmosphere was comfortable and speakeasy cozy. The music was a bit loud, but that's cool. To each their own, I suppose, and if that's all I have to complain about, I'm not even going to bother.

    (4)

  • Megan C.

    The slow burger is definitely on my top 5 Portland burger. Onion rings on a burger? Heck yes! And I love those high back booths, they're so cozy and create an intimate feel to the place. Service is always good and the servers always friendly. Happy hour food is a bit disappointing though. The portions are small for what you are paying. You are better off just ordering off the regular menu.

    (4)

  • Nando M.

    Great bartenders and the burger is the best in Portland! The clientle varies night to night but its mostly industry folks, working class cats and lots of hipsters, the bar is pretty much for everyone and I always get great service and theres always someone you know sitting there having a drink! Quick story: I met a girl that preceded to tell me that she dressed down in order to come check out the Slow Bar. Not really sure what that meant.

    (5)

  • Kris J.

    So I've been hearing a lot of talk about Slow Bar. "Best burger in Portland" people would say. "Portland's best burger" others would tell me. "For the love of all things natural and holy have you tried the best burger in Portland which can be found at Slow Bar???!!!???" someone else would plead. Well no, no I haven't tried one, but maybe it was time that I should. A quick note about me, I am a burger aficionado. I have been for many years and for my money, the best burger in town has always been the Quarter Pounder with Cheese which can be purchased at McDonald's. Walking into Slow Bar was a little disorienting. I found myself immediately confused looking up above the counter and not finding an illuminated menu listing out their food options. The bar tender, noticing my confusion asked me to have a seat and she would be right over to take my order. Sit down service at a burger joint? Ok. As promised the bar tender walked over and asked me what I would like. I ordered the Slow Burger (the one that everyone was raving about). She asked me how I would like it. "Uh, cooked?" I chuckled. "No, how would you like it? Rare? Medium rare?" "Oh, well how does McDonald's cook their burgers?" After 30 seconds of awkward silence I replied "Medium I guess." The bar tender went to go place my order which left me time to reflect upon my dining experience thus far. The wait staff was friendly and helpful and the sit down service was a nice touch. The atmosphere, while not family friendly like McDonald's, was clean and they did have some pretty kick ass tunes on the juke box. Having a full bar and several tasty beers on tap was also nice. Before I knew it my burger had arrived. I was a bit surprised by the overall height. A Quarter Pounder with Cheese stands about two inches tall if you are lucky enough to get one of the first ones off the grill after the breakfast to lunch switchover. This burger was almost six inches tall!!! But what was most surprising was just how much meat they pack under the hood. Where the Quarter Pounder with Cheese is mostly squashed, partially stale bread, this burger is made up almost entirely of just that, burger. So much so that the fresh bun could barely contain it. And the quality of the meat was second to none. It was nothing like the tough patty of leathery meat that McDonald's serves me on a daily basis. The burger also comes with fries or a salad and an onion ring under the bun which is pretty sweet considering that McDonald's doesn't sell onion rings. So does Slow Bar have the best burger in Portland? Well it's definitely better than the Quarter Pounder with Cheese but all kidding aside, you would be doing yourself a favor to go grab yourself a burger at Slow Bar.

    (4)

  • Josh G.

    Favorite burger in Portland. Just make sure you order it rare so it comes medium rare. Otherwise, you're looking at medium well. Also, the stinky cheese fries are woah. That is, great.

    (5)

  • Laura G.

    Every time I come here I order the SLOW BURGER and I always come with the best intentions to take a great photo of the plate because it really is something to behold. Then I'd go home and write a review on yelp that would knock peoples socks off, forcing them to come and try it . . . instead I always scarf down my salad and then attack my burger with as much ferocity as a baby eating her first piece of cake on her birthday. Minutes later I lay back exhausted and feeling a little glutinous and guilty that I once again failed to snap a photo. Last night was no different. Instead I thought, what better way to explain how good the food is than with an image of a clean plate? Eat your hearts out Yelpers!

    (4)

  • Boll W.

    If it weren't for this place being so crowded on the busy nights, I could seriously see myself growing to a 300 pound person. No sh**. The alluring decor, the fancy menus, the fun bartenders, the wicked bad axe jukebox, the booths, and the food! They all get me going. Want to have some super good fried chicken? Slow Bar. Want a really tasty, well mixed and not too strong but good cocktail? Slow Bar. Want the absolute best burger in town, hands down? SLOW BAR!!!! Their burger is no joke. The Strawberry Farms meat is the shiz. It is the most flavorful meat around and the Grand Central bun is the perfect accompaniment to the rest of the flavor swirling around on your plate. Top it off with some onion rings and some gruyere.......mmmmmm......I'm going there......now!

    (4)

  • Liz S.

    i went to slow bar at 12:30 in the afternoon because after reading way too many reviews on great hamburgers in portland, slow bar fit all of my criteria: needs to be in the SE, under $15, and DELICIOUS. at first, i was a bit surprised at how it seemed relatively seedy (from the outside). slow bar is a better evening venue; and their bar selection seemed pretty spot on. but it was only a little after noon, so i wasn't planning on dipping into a cold beer quite yet. the hamburger. o o o my. first off, the fries were delicious! although they could've been a bit crispier, i still thoroughly enjoyed them. the burger was TALL. I took one of the onion rings out and then dove in. the meat is great quality, the aioli adds another little dimension to the experience, the onion ring's oily crunch mid bite is just pure pleasure and the sauce they use pulls everything together. i really enjoyed the burger; every single bite of it. i felt full for the rest of the day (b/c i don't normally eat that much meat in one sitting nor do i normally eat hamburgers). i loved it and would definitely recommend going there for a good ole burger. plus, it was only $9 for some serious goodness.

    (4)

  • Katie W.

    I would probably actually give this place 3.5 stars if I could. I was drawn here by the "best burger under $25" rating Portland Monthly gave this place...and from fellow foodies who have raved about it. So I think my expectations were too high. I definitely enjoyed the burger...but "Best" in Portland? I'm not convinced...yet. Give me a few more months and a few more burgers to eat and I'll make my final verdict~ I had the slow burger, cooked medium (which was way too pink in my opinion), with fries and a side of their daily soup (roasted red pepper). Besides being undercooked I liked the onion ring, that gave it nice texture (although hard to fit my lips around ;-)), and the "relish" they put on it is really unique and tasty...more like a salsa or chili taste I thought~ Soup wasn't that great...homemade fries were good. As for atmosphere...it's a small venue and I recommend going at lunch or whenever their non-smoking hours are. I went on a weekend for dinner and it was horribly smoky. Gave me a headache. Had to move outside to a table and froze my ass off~ I'm still on the hunt for a burger I can truly crown the "best" and that I would come back again and again for....

    (4)

  • Liz S.

    Only been twice. Went for happy hour the other day when a friend was in town. We got a booth and there was the perfect amount of people there for happy hour. Great waiter (which is rare in this town). I got a well gin and tonic and I don't know what the bartender/waiter did but it was one of the best I've ever had! Didn't try the food but it looked good.

    (4)

  • Sarah B.

    The Slow Burger is the best burger I've had in town so far. I know there are worthy adversaries, but I don't really feel like straying at the moment. I'm just going to sit with this one and savor it for awhile. The Gruyere adds a nice tang, while the onion ring gives good crunch. The meat is juicy, and they actually cook it to the temp you ask for--no more hockey pucks! The fries are greasy, but not soggy, and the relish was different, but awesome. Because I don't know when to say when, I also had the "Southern Fry" while I was there. This deep-fried delight included crispy hush puppies and buttermilk-dipped chicken strips. The sauces were ho-hum (the honey jalapeno butter could have used some more honey), but the fried finger food was awesome. The bar, with it's big, inviting booths, kick-ass juke box, and ventilators that know how to suck, has a sexy, comfy atmosphere. I'm going back.

    (4)

  • Alex Y.

    Great burger, but the metal music blaring was obnoxious. Service was fine, and full bar service makes this a well rounded place. Turn down the tunes and I'm totally sold!

    (3)

  • Sung L.

    Went to the Slow Bar after the auto show since it was just down the road. I ordered the famous Slow Bar burger. I have to admit it looked impressive. It was good, but not fantastic. I wanted to like it more than I actually did. The service was good. No complaints, an overall positive experience.

    (3)

  • Andrew S.

    I like it. Good vibe, good peps, good food. Always a fun time at slow bar

    (4)

  • MJ L.

    Yeah Burger!!! I liked the Slow Burger as much as the Pause Burger. There are a few differences here but they balance themselves out to be the two best burgers in town so far. I would have gone 5 stars but the smoking inside killed that last star. Yeah, lung cancer. I know, poor 5th star... Also, I was puzzled by something on the menu. The winter slow burger sounds good until you read "cherry tomato" relish or chutney or whatever it was (different than the online menu). The odd part being that a chef usually wouldn't use tomatoes in something they are designating a "winter dish". Tomatoes represent the polar opposite of winter and if they wanted to get creative, something like an oven roasted carrot and winter squash relish would be much more seasonally appropriate. Other than that I highly recommend checking it out. I really wanted to try the Irish Stout Fondue but alas, I was alone and just couldn't do it.

    (4)

  • Joshua F.

    The thing about slow bar is that I like it. The thing about the Slow bar burger is that I think it might be the best in Portland. And by best I mean 'Piss Off!' to all those pussies that think their God's Gift for making a joke on what it means to be called 'Big' and 'Mac'. Throw it on the grill, but if you want to measure up to the magic of what America is all about, pick any one of the booths, or a bar seat, or a little table in the corner- it doesn't f---in' matter. Just order a Slow burger and a drink, and prepare to be their bitch. You deserve it. Like Danzig.

    (5)

  • J M.

    One of the first places I went in Portland. Great Burger.

    (5)

  • jay d.

    Great drinks and the best bar food in portland. It can be a bit on the pricey side, but you actually get what you pay for. The Slow Burger is excellent and the seared tuna with greens is awesome. They make their Spanish Coffees with Tuaca instead of triple sec! I always ask for them to be made this way at other bars, but at Slow Bar they already do it right! They always have table service without question. Never is there that weird moment where you're like "Should I order at the Bar or is someone coming over?" The crowd is 20-30s, mixed between hipsters and fratty types, but everyone coexists harmoniously. It can get really loud though as the liquor starts flowing. It tends to be smoky most of the time. I've always been able to find a place to sit, usually a booth, but I can see how that may occasionally be a problem. Overall its the place I most frequently go for food when I want to have drinks too.

    (5)

  • Jenny R.

    Winterburger rocks! So good. We shared the truffle fondue and the burger and loved it!! Kind of a dark place with and interesting clientele but we enjoyed ourselves and they have some pretty good happy hour specials. Totally a place I will go back to when in Portland!!

    (4)

  • Jones U.

    Burger-great! Winter version-greater! Mandy-greatest! And the rest of the menu/staff is attractive in a "I'd eat/fuck that!" kinda way.

    (4)

  • Todd Q.

    Slow Bar was great. They have a great burger "The Slow Burger". The only problem with this delicious sandwich is that is stacked so high you can't get it into your mouth. They were a little short staffed and had to wait for drinks and the check. No where near as bad as McMenamins's. But we were there on a Saturday night so what can you do? Wait staff was friendly and flexible for our big group. Not the typical, "I'm better than you" hipster attitude. The interior design is good too. Clean and Mod without overdoing it. Lighting is a little dim if you are looking to have a nice family style dinner. Which we weren't, so it was perfect. The Caprese Salad is amazing right now at the beginning of September. Heirloom tomatoes and Balsamic reduction drizzle, yummerz. Been driving by there for years and never went in. Glad we finally did. Definitely worth a visit!

    (4)

  • browse n.

    More than meets the eye! From the outside, the Slow Bar doesn't look like much. On the corner of SE Grand and Washington, it's a brick building with a few wooden picnic tables outside. Small cloth awnings display the bar name in nondescript type. But you step inside and the bar is spacious with high ceilings and subtle, attractive lighting. Excellent ambiance for a bar where you could chat with friends. But pick up the menu and prepare to be surprised again. The cocktail menu has some tasty creations. I had a Paloma ( a hot drink, with tequila, honey, lime juice and hot water) and my companion has a pomegranate margarita, and both were worth repeating. Their food menu was tight, but solid. We ordered the "fries with stinky cheese" as an appetizer, diet be damned. Nice, homemade fries, crisp on the outside and creamy soft inside, with a generous amount of melted gruyere scattered on top. For dinner, we both had the Winter Slow Burger. One-half pound of beef, cooked to your specification, with a most excellent grape-tomato relish. The accompanying salad was first-rate as well, far better than the "after-thought" salad I expected. My waistline can't take such a dinner very often, but this is definitely a spot worth visiting again!

    (4)

  • Peter T.

    If I could give this place a lower rating, I would, this place seriously sucked ass. They are minimally staffed on a Saturday night, and the guy behind the bar was a massive tool, complete asshole. We just finished the Iditarod and the guy makes my buddy leave because he's in costume and puts his head down on the bar. He never passed out, but he was tired, when the fuck was that a crime? Like douche bag bartender is God or something? Bitch please. And then I get kicked out for not having a shirt on, AFTER I've been there for like an hour and half. I had been wearing a friend's jacket, but she was getting cold, so being the gentleman that I am, I give it back to her. Like 5 min after that I get the boot, and after I laid down a 5 dollar tip for a 10 dollar plate, WTF??? The burger was great, but the service or lack there of, sucked enough to reduce their rating down to one star. I hope the owner of this place gets a new bartender, who isn't that much of a douche. Seriously, by himself, he made the entire experience regrettable.

    (1)

  • Huitlacoche C.

    The Slow Burger is quite possibly the best in the city. I've had a few of the other sandwiches and they are good but not as good as the burger. Fairly good beer selection on tap.

    (4)

  • Mallory T.

    Love this place! There is usually a wait, but SO worth it. Everything on the food and drink menu is awesome. Good date spot. I've brought guests from out of town here on more than one occasion.

    (5)

  • c w.

    So far, the best burger I've had in Portland. It's the first I've had the didn't get the crap cooked out of it. Do chefs here have something against medium rare? It seemed all but impossible to get a correctly cooked burger done medium rare in this town.... but Slow bar came close! The meat was high quality, and cooked almost perfectly (still was a bit overdone for my definition of medium rare). My only gripe was there seemed to be a slight horseradish taste to the burger, which I found distracting. I just want to a whole messy pile of meat and cheese on my burger, no other fancy additions -- let my meat shine through! Haven't tried anything else, but we'll be back for more burgers. The service is a bit on the slow side, but what do you expect with a bar called "slow"?

    (4)

  • Kristie A.

    My husband and I went to slow bar because the reviews on yelp are high. We both ordered the slow burger, my husband got a side of fries and I ordered the side salad. Our burgers were really not as great as the yelp reviewers wrote. Besides the size, everything about the burger was just okay, nothing I would go back for. The real surprise was how gross the fries were. When you bite into the fry there is no potato just grease( extremely over cooked). Neither one of us finished the burger, not because we were full but because we didn't like our food. Perhaps our expectations were to high, but if you are looking for a great burger I do not recommend Slow Bar.

    (2)

  • Lauren G.

    You know, I avoided this bar for a long time after an unappealing misstep after My Father's Place one weekend evening. It was seemingly packed densely with disillusioned faux hipsters (you follow?) and well...I don't like that. It also reeked of a coke-den. Is that fair? Anyway, I returned recently when it was fairly er...slow, and wouldn't you know, it was totally okay. The pizzette was delicious and my greyhound was tops. Don't you dare order those spicy nuts, though! Not delicious. I returned once more, earlyish on a Saturday night and enjoyed it again for the most part. I left as soon as it started getting busy. Weekends will be weekends, I suppose.

    (3)

  • April C.

    this review is about the burgers, not the service, hipster clientele, or anything else, just the burgers... while generally 90% or so vegan, when i get enough ('a whole lot' in other words) bourbon in me, i want a giant greasy burger like nothing else. with fries. and an obscene amount of catsup. this is the place of choice - this burger is, well, just as amazing as any gracious review on here. if you (i) can get over the whole 'meat' thing...for that i say thank you, maker's mark...

    (5)

  • Ashley P.

    Slow bar? or...wet bar? I tried the slow burger and a summer burger for my boyfriend and I. I didn't realize until after I took a bite I was biting into raw meat. Maybe the waitress misheard my response to how I wanted my burger, "not bleeding". Ok not a big deal, i'm still alive. For a ten dollar burger I guess I was expecting a little bit more than soggy french fries served with heinz 57, and a bun that looked like it may have taken a bath. I guess if I want a 1/4 burger served rare with mush on the side i'll go try it again. I'm sure there could be a reasonible explantion to my some what disappointing experience at slow bar. May there was a leaky pipe in the kitchen that put out the fire back there, who knows. I hope you have a better experience than this.

    (3)

  • Mathilde G.

    The place to go for a mouthwatering burger! Their slowburger is always a winner... Including fat onion rings on the burger, gruyère, pickled relish and more! Summer Slowburger is my favorite given the large slice of a beautiful heirloom tomato. Their other menu items are great as well! Drinks too!! And the booths... So big and tall ... Your in your own little world. love it!

    (5)

  • E S.

    Over Cooked burger, worse service I have ever experienced.

    (1)

  • Billy H.

    If Yelp would let me-it would be 4 & 1/2 stars. Best Burger that I've had in PDX - I'll be the first to say though - I haven't tried them all. The Slow Burger is fantastic, but stopped in today and they had a version w/ Applewood Smoked Bacon, Carmelized Onions, mushrooms and a garlic puree that did a happy dance of flavor with every bite! Great beer selection and love the red leather booths. The only thing is you need to order your burger one step up from your norm, ie; if you like it medium-rare, order medium, etc.

    (4)

  • Rhea H.

    How can you not love a place where you can pee while listening to motorhead and looking at kitty art.

    (5)

  • Megan G.

    Too good not to try. Let's just say that I frequent this place on a regular basis. Their Spring Slow Burger ($9.5) is the best burger I have had in Portland. It's a 1/2lb of Painted Hills natural beef with Sarnish Bay Lady Smith cheese, Speck Alto Adige (which is a thin slice of swine heaven), crispy fresh butter lettuce and roasted red pepper relish. I always add a slice of Gruyere to it, just because Gruyere is my favorite cheese, but you do what you feel! This burger is always perfectly cooked and it always tastes the same no matter what day or night you get it. It's basically just a really, fresh, tasty, messy, amazing burger. Slow Bar wins with this for sure. Their Southern Fry ($8.5) is a really heavy appetizer, but oh is it good! It consists of hush puppies, buttermilk fried chicken, spicy honey butter, some delicious horseradish sauce and homemade barbeque. I could eat it as a meal for sure. They also have great pizettas ($8.5) that are always topped with great tasting cheeses and fresh ingredients too. Oh and their white wine fondue with truffle oil ($7.5 -$9.5) is really delicious as well and their prices are phenomenal considering the quality of their ingredients. Basically, you can't really go wrong here. I haven't tasted everything on the menu simply because I am really in love with the spring slow burger ha-ha! Maybe next time I will venture out....maybe not...Give this place a try though. It has a great atmosphere- it's dark and trendy-grunge (also know as a REAL Portland bar). You might also run into some celebrities here. Try this place, seriously, it's good. I go here on random nights- the last night I went was on a Saturday.

    (5)

  • Mike G.

    Damn good burger. They could use a few more seats though. But i suppose being packed is a good thing for them.

    (4)

  • Sam O.

    Place was pretty cool. the drinks were good, the pasta was great, then burgers were great. The fries were...OK at best. I even got an order with "stinky cheese". Maybe I'm just not a fan of fresh cut fries, but they were mushy, and seemed a bit burned. I need to restate the burgers were cooked perfectly, and full of flavor, I'd go back. Next time, I'd get a salad with it.

    (4)

  • Seasons K.

    Very yummy cocktails and yummy food as well. Nice atmosphere, lighting etc... All in all always a good bet :-)

    (4)

  • Kate W.

    Delicious fries (get them with melted stinky cheese!), great bloody Mary (very spicy), good soup. The burgers looked amazing, but we had dinner reservations in a few hours so couldn't try one. Actually, the whole menu looked great - way better than typical bar food. Inventive cocktail list, too. My only complaint is that they didn't have a great selection of microbrews on tap, but as long as you know that going in, no big deal.

    (4)

  • Alan L.

    It doesn't get any better than a pitcher of PBR and a Slow Burger. I find myself craving their burger. I've heard they grind all of their own meat, which allows them to cook it rare, if you so desire. Best $9 you will ever spend! Great spot for taking a no nonsense date, spending some time with friends, or hiding from the world.

    (5)

  • Cam T.

    sitting in one of the coveted booths at Slow Bar i felt like i was channeling the rat pack. a kinder, gentler, metrosexual rat pack who worships at the alter of fondue with truffle oil & ceviche but i think old blue eyes would understand. the dark loungy atmosphere fits in well with the concept of a languid space where you can linger over great food & good drinks. add some sparkling company with a sprinkle of rapid-fire banter & the night just starts rolling. the food was delectable--enjoyed to the bottom of the bowl. the drinks were tasty & solid, not divinely inspired but no slouch either--interestingly, the salted rim on the pomegranate margarita actually heightens the sweetness of the drink. service was very attentive & efficient. will need to come back & sample the infamous slowburger & see if the jukebox can channel anything else besides Sid Vicious.

    (4)

  • Kenneth H.

    I have been putting off reviewing the Slow Bar for such a long time that I don't even know where to begin. The burgers (certain one's change seasonally) are incredible and deserve to be in the conversation about the best burgers in the city. These burgers are so good that most people I talk to refer to Slow Bar as a burger joint, which it clearly isn't...it is just a bar that happens to serve delicious burgers. The rest of the food I have found to be good, but not especially great. I probably won't order the stinky fries again, but my friend was all about the ceviche. Most of the time I end up rolling into the Slow Bar during HH, which has a bunch of food items on the cheap and a discount on drinks. When I roll in during HH it is usually because I forget that they DON'T do a HH burger. Whatever. In my opinion you should just order the burger off the regular menu, and don't waste time with the HH menu. I haven't tried any of the cocktails so can't comment, but they have a good selection of beer that covers most peoples requests (cheap, micro, local, etc). I dig the bar feel of this place, small and intimate (love the high back booths) and moody/sexy decor. There was a small TV on the bar (literally) showing a blazers game, but this is certainly NOT a sports bar crowd, it is hipster chic, or at least that is what I am calling it.

    (4)

  • Wendy C.

    I was absolutely not expecting ceviche on the menu at Slow Bar, but there you have it. It's a smoky, dark bar with a punk-heavy jukebox...AND...really good food and an excellent bar staff. Oh, AND a clean and sweet-smelling ladies room with a gilded oil painting of fluffy kittens! My portobello mushroom burger was drippy (as portobello mushroom burgers tend to be) but complimented nicely by a bit of tomato, mozz and basil. Charming Dining Companion swears by the Slow Burger, and the onion ring I snagged off the top of it is now my favorite onion ring in all of Portland (sorry Ringside). Our order was a bit late coming out of the kitchen (I didn't even really notice), so our server comped a second round of Murphy's. Great place to settle into a cushy vinyl booth for the night!

    (4)

  • Shannon W.

    You would never know it by looking at the place, but they serve an absolutely, wonderful burger with fabulous fries. This will be something I will crave and will go back for. Can't go wrong with this!

    (5)

  • Theo S.

    No matter how busy the bar is, the staff is always prompt and efficient. I love the slowburger. . . and the cheese fries.

    (4)

  • Becky A.

    I am furious at the service I received at the door of this establishment. My valid driver's license damn near got ripped up (if you could tear plastic) by an ignorant door man. My id is from California, valid, and covered in holographic state seals. Also, I'm fucking 30! School your man on out of state identification. Should have gone to MFP.

    (1)

  • Dusty T.

    One of the best burgers in town. The service can be spotty, the clientele douchebaggy, the music loud and prone to speed metal, but I find myself here more than any other place in town. The burgers are consistently excellent and the dimly lit atmosphere is perfect.

    (4)

  • Alienwordz A.

    I have had everything on the menu since discovering the place and their food is second to none in my opinion. Prices are very reasonable, the quality of ingredients are premium, natural and "only the best". The cerviche and the home made chips are the best I have ever had. The burgers, it goes without saying are better than any other place in PDX I have tried even better than one that claims to use Kobe beef. Although I don't drink my friends and dinner dates tell me they are robust, pure and not watered down. If I have one complaint it is the level of the volume of the music. People actually go to some bars to enjoy the food and visit with family and friends not walk out after dinner with a sore throat from screaming above the 150 decibel system and numb eardrums. Please guys make it a real social place by keeping the music at least 100-120 decibels. When I have to write my order on a napkin because the waitperson can't hear me or they have to sit right next to me to have me scream my order in their ear that is more than just inconvenient, uncomfortable and stupid.

    (5)

  • Chris O.

    Dark and loud..but we had a good time there. Slow burger was great...salads looked good. Cozy booths.

    (4)

  • Angie T.

    It's a great place to just sit back, have a drink and talk. I didn't try the burgers but will next time. Down side, it can get really loud in there at night.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : No
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Hipster
    Noise Level : Average
    Music : Juke Box
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Wed, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Drive-Thru : No
    Caters : No

Categories

Burgers

Burger or Hamburger is savored as the most desired fast food meal in the United States. A hamburger is basically a sandwich prepared by stuffing ground meat patty, generally beef, between two slices of a bun cut in half. Hamburger is also famous for its seasoning. Most popular condiments used in hamburgers in the United States are mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Besides ground meat patty, hamburgers are also stuffed with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese.

Hamburgers are also categorized into two types in the United States. Fast food hamburger and individual hamburgers served at restaurants are two basic types of burgers served in the United States. The individual hamburgers served at restaurants are prepared using everything including lettuce, onion, tomato, and sliced pickles as well as melted cheese on the patty or crumbled on top. American restaurants also serve veggie burgers for those who don't relish meat. Cheeseburgers are also hot favorite in the United States.

McDonalds is the most popular fast food burger restaurant serving different types of burgers in the United States. On the other hand, there are several restaurants such as Burger King are famous for serving the best hamburgers in the United States. Most burger restaurants in the United States often serve hamburgers with French fries and other condiments. If you have a liking for burgers in the United States, then you won't be disappointed. You can easily find the best burger restaurants in your city on our Restaurants Listings directory. Check the reviews and ratings of the top burger restaurants and savor yourself with the best hamburger in the city.

Slow Bar

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