Multnomah Whiskey Library

Definitely one of the coolest and nicest bars I have ever been to; or probably ever will go to.
When you first walk in it can be quite overwhelming. There are bottles on the walls as far as you can see. The entire staff is dressed to the part of the bar. Very sleek and welcoming. You don’t feel like you have to be in a suit to be comfortable. Anything from jeans and a nice t-​shirt to a suit and tie will fit in here.
Then when you sit down two books will be placed in front of you. One is of the cocktails, wines, beer, and wine options and the other is an encyclopedia of every bottle that they have lining the walls.
From whiskey to bourbon to gin to rum to tequila to vodka… They have it all! And many selection of each… Some of the prices may scare you though if you look at them.
I had The Beaumont off the cocktail list and a Gold Rush (a recommendation of the bartender). Both were very good and both I would happily drink again… The bartender was nice enough to give me the recipe for the Gold Rush so I can make it myself.
Luckily when I went it wasn’t that busy and I was able to get right in. I went on a weekday night so I am sure that it can be quite busy on the weekends.

AMAZING HERE.
If I could leave it at that, I would — but i want to elaborate just how awesome this bar is. It has the BIGGEST inventory of whiskey I’ve ever seen in my life. You walk and and it’s just one big giant wall and a half full of it.
Our bartender was the bombdotcom. She fashioned a beyond cool vibe, but was so friendly. My friend wasn’t suave with whiskey, so she patiently asked him a series of questions that would narrow down his whiskey choice. In addition, they bring a cart out to make your drinks right in front of you. So hipster cool.
Going here is not just about the vast collection of drinks, it’s the experience. And ours was great. From the moment we walked in, to the one-​on-​one service and thoughtful consideration of our palettes — it was a tailored experience.
DO NOT LEAVE PORTLAND WITHOUT VISITING HERE.

This place was really slick. It’s definitely a must visit if you’re a whiskey or liquor connoisseur. Their selection list is actually a huge ass book so you can definitely hang out forever just trying to pick a drink. The pricing goes from modest up to like $ 200+ for a glass of something. This is a whiskey bar so don’t go there looking for beer although I did try one of their beers which I don’t recall the name but it was rather tasty.
The feel is very man library cigar kind of feel. The servers were very nice and friendly. They were also very informative and knowledgeable which I would expect. in a joint like this. The music was relaxing and laid back. The lights are dim. It’s that kind of swanky joint.
The big thing here is to be a member. There’s a cool locker area where if you’re a member you can stash your personal bottle of whatever away for your next visit. There was one that was Japanese that I don’t remember the name but my friend was familiar w/​it and that’s how we learned about the locker situation b/​c he saw it in the guys locker, asked about it and was informed that it was a bottle of a member who frequents Japan often for business and brought that back for when he’s in Portland.
I inquired about the membership b/​c of course I was curious. Here’s the deal… it’s $ 660 annually to be a member. What you get with this is first dibs getting in on Fri and Sat which are supposedly hella busy so that comes in handy. You also get invited to special tastings as well as the owner opening up his private collection for his members from time to time. Bad part is they only allow something like 300 members total and as of right now there’s a waiting list of about 150 ppl so you’re looking at waiting about 1.5 — 2 years. Hey, don’t want to wait? No worries, I asked about that as well. All you’ll need to do is double the membership cost and contribute ½ of it to a charity (of their choice I believe) and BAM! You’ve got your 1 year membership.
If I was big into whiskey and spending tons of money on one drink and drinking it w/​my pinky up in my cigar jacket and/​or classy dress attire then I’d be all over this place but that’s not exactly my cup of tea so for that I give them 3 stars.

Great spot to visit in Portland. Do not try to go with a group more than 4 or 5 though because they will not be able to accommodate due to size and layout. Drinks are delicious.

The first time you walk into the Multnomah Whisk (e)y Library, everything is a surprise to behold. The number of bottles adorning the walls and racks; the complete book of all bottles and drinks they thrust upon you; the menu options ranging from small plates to full entrees that you definitely didn’t expect to find. My expectation was that we could come in, have a drink, then leave to make it to our dinner reservations elsewhere. Big mistake– we ended up staying way through dinner.
What I can’t encourage enough: try something new. Tell the bartender what types of flavor profile you tend to enjoy with your whiskey or spirit and they will be able to determine something new and delicious. Also be sure to go for a full charcuterie board (cheese and meat). The cheeses will surprise you with their quality as will the meat board. The servers and chefs are all masters of their craft in finding the right options for you.
Lastly, if you just to keep it easy with beer and wine, or maybe a dessert beverage, they have options for those as well. But again I’d redirect you to my above point: try something new – this is a great place to be surprised with something new and different that you’ll like more…

Can I give this place 10 stars? Absolutely the best place I’ve ever been. The staff is absolutely the most knowledgeable and friendly people I’ve met. The whiskey selection is (obviously) out of this world. Get a reservation if you come on the weekend and enjoy the fantastic laid back atmosphere. Wish I lived in Portland; I’d come here all the time.

Ohhhhhhh whiskey whiskey whiskey. I love whiskey and this place is heaven. My wife took me here for our «date night». It was like walking in the shoes of what I feel being Richard Castle is like (minus the solving crime and add the hanging out with my smart writer friends). The décor is straight out of an Edgar Allen Poe story from the early 1900’s.
The staff is extremely knowledgeable. I told our server what I liked, he made recommendations, I chose, he brought the whiskey and it was amazing. The entire wall is covered with choices. (Not a place for the indecisive. Haha). We order some of the food, made nice with the people sitting in our area and we all drank, ate and had a great time. (Needless to say the food was phenomenal). I highly recommend this to anyone looking for sophistication, class, great food and better whiskey.
I do recommend getting there early enough. You wanna beat the crowd.

Danny’s Unilocal 2016.
I would love to be back here right now… I can finally die happy now to finally say that I’ve been to MWL to get the experience on what everyone has been talking about. My friends and I fell in love with this spot. This spot is heaven for anyone who’s an whisky connoisseur. I love for the fact that they bring out a cart to personally make your drink right infront of you. Both drinks I’ve had were fantastic. Their meat and cheese platter was also delicious!
Tips/​Personal Note:
+ Come before opening so you don’t have to wait. People actually have a membership here and you don’t want to come late or else you’re going to end up waiting for 2 – 3 hours to get in.
+ Go eat Tasty n Alder after for dinner. It’s right across the street :)
Conclusion: I would highly recommend this spot to anyone who’s an whiskey connoisseur, or to anyone who’s visiting PDX to come here and get the experience of being inside. It’s really amazing being inside and you get a vibe that you can’t get anywhere else.
See you soon, Multnomah Whiskey Library!

MWL is truly divine. I went with lovely Tamara who insisted in treating me to a birthday drink and even though the weather/​traffic was horrendous, and she’d worked a ten hour day, she insisted on us going.
And I am grateful.
We arrived early which is the best way to get seated even on soggy Thursday as it fills up fast. The only complaint that I have has to do with other customers who were men, and cut in front of us in line, and their whole ‘entourage’ wasn’t there yet so they were asked to wait. What ever happened to ladies first, especially if the ladies were, actually first?
No matter, we were taken upstairs and seated and I was absolutely impressed with the service. The décor is beautiful, its everything I’ve read about and it is similar to Teardrop in that you can describe your preferences and they will make a drink for you. Both drinks I had were fantastic. We didn’t partake in any of the food they had on offer, as we had other plans for the evening but from what I saw other customers were loving it.
The vintage glasses and drinks cart are simply beautiful and they make you feel special and cared for. Ironically when I went to get my coat, one of the servers held it for me as I put it on. Quite a different approach than the unmannered pretentious jerks who did their best to get in first. You must go here, no need to have the most expensive whiskey unless that is to your taste and economic status but I promise whatever you order you will be graciously served and looked after as it should be. Most of all, thank you Miss Tamara for a wonderful evening!

Imagine you are Belle from Beauty and the Beast when she enters the library, full of wonder and amazement. This will be you when you discover the shelves are filled with whiskey instead of books. The array of options is unprecedented, they even have liqour that was distilled with meat — we tried it. For a fancy occasion this place will not dissapoint. Knowledgeable servers act as librarians, sourcing the perfect drink selection for your tastes. A definate must do!

I’ve never seen a bar so lush. The bibliophile in me adores that this bar has the façade of a library. Rows upon rows of backlit bottles, a rolling ladder (I’ve always wanted one!), study tables and cozy couches, and you can even obtain a membership! I ordered an Old Fashioned, and the bartender made the drink in front of us at this cute little cart.
There was a pretty good food menu too. For the boyfriend’s sake, I remember there being an assortment of steaks. We arrived when the bar opened on a Thursday, and there was a crowd of people already lining up beforehand. I would recommend going early on a weekday, since it seems to be a very popular place. Plus, any crowd diminishes the cozy aspect that I so enjoy here.

A very beautiful bar. Good for larger groups as well if you get the couches, otherwise you might get stuck with some awkward seating facing strangers.
A bartender will come over with his bar cart to take your order. Any stirred drinks are made at the cart and shaken drinks are made at the bar. Just let the bartender what you like and enjoy!

Love everything about it! The library is gorgeous. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful when it comes to organizing whiskeys by year. A real library with bartender librarians.
Our server was really knowledgable about getting you something you like based on flavor profiles. I got the aviator vintage drink and loved it. The space is wide open so you can people watch.
The downstairs area is for waiting for a table upstairs. Comes equipped with plugs for your phone charger – I like their thinking!

One of my favorite places we visited during our trip to Portland. Totally worth the wait and the $$$. Seriously a must, especially if you are a lover of Whiskey. (Make sure you get seated upstairs where the actual Whiskey library is displayed and not stuck downstairs).
Bf and I both decided to do flights so that we could try various types of Whiskey. The menu is literally a ginormous book and so overwhelming. We both just told our bartender what flavors we like and what kinds of Whiskey we were interested in trying and she gave us recommendations. Bf wanted to do different regional Whiskeys whereas I was interested in a more introductory flight. The walls displaying all the Whiskey bottles are gorgeous and very Instagrammable. I liked that the bartender took her time pouring the flights and thoroughly explaining each Whiskey that she was serving us. She also set each bottle by the corresponding shot so that we could see the bottle/​read the label. The ambiance in there is just amazing – very dark and dimly lit and has a very elegant and relaxed feel. Definitely recommend and 100 percent want to come back again next time I’m in Portland.

If you enjoy whiskies, single malts or scotches then you have to try this place.
Awesome ambience and very knowledgeable bartenders. I was amazed at there knowledge. Tell them a few of the whiskey’s, single malts or scotches that you like and they should be able to make some good suggestions.
We tried and loved the following:
Glenmorangie Nectar D’or
Balbvenie Caribbean Cask
Compass Box Oak Cross
Old Pulteney 12yr
This place has a long wait usually so be sure to come in early and get your name on the wait list. The other way to slightly avoid the wait would be to come late on a weekday so that you miss the times when it is super crowded, and end up having a small wait.
Last but not the least: the desserts were very good. We tried the chocolate ganache and the pecan pie. Both were good and worth ordering again but I loved the Pecan pie a little bit more than the ganache. I guess with the holidays coming I was craving for some good pecan pie already.

For whatever reason, I’ve been putting off visiting this place.
I’ve heard a ton about the place and my friends visiting from out of town always want to come here. I’ve heard about the wait, the membership, and all the buzz. I thought it might be too pretentious, but it’s actually very impressive.
If you’re a fan of whiskey, you won’t be disappointed. Try to go right when they open to avoid a long wait. There’s Chizu next door if you need to kill some time (a really neat cheese bar that serves Omakase style!)

I have an aversion to places where you have to stand in line, make appointments or generally plead with them to take your money. Multnomah Whiskey Library is just so damn charming though it seems worth it.
The library is indeed extensive, a vast wall of beautiful amber bottles glinting and winking in the light. You share small seating arrangements with other people and that makes for a nice little bit of conversation, assuming you’re not trying to be private. We had some beautiful old fashioneds, created table-​side by a kind and knowledgeable mixologist.
Their book of booze is weighty and the price tag is also pretty hefty but it’s worth it to sink in those big leather chairs, sip on a smooth drink and feel shut away from the rest of the world.

I came here on Saturday and of course there was a wait (1.5 hours) which I knew was going to happen. So, we did the smart thing and put our names down then went and had dinner. Just as we were wrapping up dinner drinks, we got the call our table was ready!
The entire staff is extremely friendly and they may have one of the best old fashioned I’ve ever had. I’m a little bit obsessed with how perfectly clear their ice cubes are…
I absolutely LOVE that they don’t let their space get overcrowded. You’ll get the attention you want, and can spend time with your bartender who can help you make delicious choices

Holy Grail of alcohol. There’s more than just whiskey here!
This place can be a little hard to find because there is no sign that points to where it is. The entrance is a door that leads you upstairs to the real entrance.
Luckily, I came here on a Wednesday night with my boyfriend and we didn’t have to wait at all. I’ve tried coming here multiple times prior, but on a weekend, and the line was soooo ridiculously long.
It has a low key, sophisticated vibe. There are couches, tables, and seats at the bar. So depending on the size of your party, it might be difficult to get a seat on a weekend.
People actually have a membership here! It’s pretty insane, but I guess for a whiskey connoisseur, it’s worth it.
I’m not much of a whiskey person, so I ordered a drink off their cocktail menu. It was SO refreshing. I wish I remembered what it was :(it had gin and whiskey…
Anywho, a MUST for anyone visiting Portland!

If you are a whiskey lover and like the library/​sitting by the fireplace vibe — this is the place to go.
Came on a Wednesday night and had only about a ~20 minute wait for a seat for two. The entrance to the place is just a door that leads to a hallway that goes upstairs to another door. My boyfriend was skeptical, but I was feeling the Beyonce playing in the background.
We were seated on nice couches and seats next to a older gentleman and his son as well as a pair of ladies. A great way to have great conversation and find connections in strangers! Very intimate and cozy.
The walls filled from top to bottom with glass bottles is the main attraction of the décor. Chandeliers, portraits, and barrels also help set the mood.
Service here is fantastic — think table side service, literally. They roll over a table side bar and create your drinks right next to you. Super attentive, great conversationalists, and made us feel relaxed and right at home. We both got one of the cocktails and my boyfriend had a great Rye as well. Old Fashioned Lovers, come here! We also ordered the Charcuterie plate and they told us they ran out of the prosciutto, but made this amazing duck mixture to replace it. We were not complaining!
Would recommend for anyone looking for some great drinks, maybe some intimacy, probably more of a conversation with the people next to you — be aware though, this place is not cheap!