Roadside Attraction

Excellent bar in SE Portland!
Cute patio with ample seating. Pool table and random old furniture inside, but I dig it. I personally enjoy the throne like chairs in the private little nook across from the bar.
It’s cash only but I don’t think it’s enough of a reason to avoid coming here. Bartenders are nice (from my experience) and they have Andes mints at the bar, which is a plus in my book!

I don’t live in Portland but I love to visit and when I do visit I go to Roadside. It has a great atmosphere and great vibe.

Old skool Portland Rad! Great place to chill, good crowd and a fire pit to gather round outside. Love this place, highly recommend to cool. laid back people.

I was excited to try Roadside Attraction. Someone clearly put thought into the décor and ambience, which are both great. The beer selection is really limited and there is no cocktail menu. The food tastes like it is frozen and pre-​packaged. It was really disappointing.

Really awesome chill and laid back place with a fire pit out front. Smoker friendly and awesome bar food.

I’m a pretty big fan of this place, the ambiance is very fun and casual. Cash bar only. The best thing in my opinion is the patio that has a large swing, cool nicknacks, and a great fire pit for cold evenings.

Great quirky atmosphere! I love the outdoor patio with the fireplace and little niche sitting areas tucked away! The interior has just as much character with a piano and pool table. Remember to bring cash!

This is my third home. True, cash-​only, but once you get used to that, it ain’t no thang. Lovely bartenders. Great comfort food. Solid beverages for the price. And an outdoor fireplace, to boot! What’s not to love?

I love their patio but I usually go somewhere that takes cards. I forget they’re cash only every time and spend a beer’s worth of money in ATM fees. The bartenders have always seemed annoyed when I forget it’s cash only like it’s me who is weird! I’d probably go here couple times a week if they took cards.

If you want a relaxed atmosphere, good food and a little funk — this is the place. I love the food, the fire and just chatting with others hanging out at the fire pit.

Loved it — super cool outdoor area. Drinks were strong and service was amicable.

Cash only. Cool patio with a fire pit. $ 2 pbrs.
It was a bit loud for my liking but the jukebox was good stuff. I loved the eclectic décor. It’s like a red voodoo Nola swamp with lots of unusual art.
Dive vibe.

Great patio, need to come back for the food. My P.I.C. just said the ladie’s is way nicer than the Yamhill.

Eclectic and interesting! The vibe is great and bartenders were friendly. It felt like being in someone’s living room. Except for the shrunken heads and preserved puffer fish hanging from the bar. Cozy and cheap drinks. Will definitely be back with plenty of cash!!!

Found this place recently, and such a cool/​cute spot! They have a front outdoor covered patio that is very cozy, usually hard to grab a seat though since it’s pretty busy. I love the inside of the bar too; cool atmosphere. It reminds me of a Mcmenamins. Cash only though… luckily I had some on hand.

One part honkey-​tonk bar, one part museum, the rest — a set from a kung-​fu movie. Tall boys of Rainier are cheap, ladies are loose, and the good times never stop rolling. Cash Only, but you wont separate yourself from much of it because this place is wallet-​friendly. The free pool in the back ices the cake. Also, bartenders are not butt-​faces, making this a place I want to come back to/​move in and live out the rest of my years if possible…

What?!
I left Portland without reviewing Roadside Attraction?!
I moved to the Buckman neighborhood, just as the rents were beginning to skyrocket.
My poor financial planning skills also meant that I had a terrible bank (Bank of America, gross) that gleefully subjected me to ATM fees.
What I’m saying is, this place is cash only. And that acted as a huge deterrent for me. It’s a shame really. I’m now with Charles (Schwab), and I’d go here all the time if I still lived in Portland.
Anyway, the main reason you go here is for the ambiance. It’s hard to describe, but I’ll give it a couple shots:
«Coolest garage sale ever»
«Where the Swiss Family Robinson goes when they’re thirsty».
«Post-​apocalyptic wild west tikki hut»
The ambiance is awesome.
The beer selection is alright.
Go here on a hot summer night, preferably with someone that has a crush on you.

It’s so Portland! The staff and other patrons were all friendly. We made new friends every time we came here. The drinks are cheap, food was good, funky décor, great outdoor area.

Free pool, free juke, free mints, crazy décor and stupid cheap beer. Really… what else could you really want? Roadside Attraction is fantastic.
Heads up! Cash only, my friends.

My literal and actual corner bar — if I tripped and fell off my front porch I’d be standing at the entrance to this real-​life den of villany and debauchery of near-​epic proportion.
A massive contruct of various roofing material and design come together in the courtyard of this tavern to cover just about all of it, making it one of the largest ‘outdoor’ beer gardens in Portland. It’s got several little areas for semi-​seperated groups, and a large central fire pit, with low moody lighting and very cozy, low ceiling lair feel. Inside — a tough distinction to make but there is an actual front door — you’ll find a red theme, everything being bright red or gold, traditional bar/​brothel colors of the past. It’s a got a worn feel, not exactly shabby but certainly well-​used. Multiple craft brews on tap as well as a few big names, supported by a decent selection of spirits and whiskeys, and a decent menu from a kitchen that stays open late — this is a terrible place to live next door to, because you’ll end up spending all of your money here enjoying the distinct vibe both inside and out.
A younger crowd is most evident, but it’s certainly a good spot for any group of people who like ample space to get in touch. Bring your friends or even family (21+later at night though) and enjoy a little of the rustic nightlife. And no, you can’t crash on my porch, but you can buy me a drink.

Best ambiance you could hope for, but only really works at night. Surprisingly great layout.
Good taps, quick service.
Raised fire pit in the patio was the highlight.

Cash only.
Met a new friend in town while visiting Portland for the weekend and she brought us to this little hidden gem (when I say hidden… i really mean it) for a couple of drinks. If you are visiting from out of town and didnt already know about this place, you’d probably walk right by it. There’s no flashy sign, nothing that really indicates its a bar, or shouts «COME IN HERE!“Just an old rusty pedicab that sits right outside the bar. But once you walk in, it’s like walking into narnia (a whole different world). the outside patio is super adorable with wooden bench seating, a big wooden swing, and a few metal wired chairs and tables.
inside, its dark, red, and divey. there is a pool table towards the back and more table seating. we came in the afternoon so the place wasnt crowded and most everyone sat outside. the drinks are pretty cheap with beers taps, cocktails and wine at $ 3 – 4.
the bathrooms were a little confusing for me, as i didnt realize they were single bathrooms. but once you see that there is no door to the bathroom stall, you’ll realize that you might want to lock the main bathroom door.
other than being a cash only place, i loved this place! if i lived here locally, this would be the spot i’d meet my friends at every night!

I have only been in Portland a month and this is quickly becoming my favorite spot. Why have a drink in an ordinary bar, when you could float on a porch swing in the middle of what appears to be someone’s rural backyard? The patio is full of little nooks to sit and have your own personal space which I really love. It is also fully enclosed so you are sheltered from the street noise. It is a great place to escape reality while you sip a tasty beverage. I have not tried any of the food yet, so the 5^th star will have to wait until I do so. I also noticed some really cheap happy hour prices. The only downside is cash only, which I’m ok with but is a little surprising for a bar.

A cool and eclectic dive bar with odds and ends outside and interesting artwork and a pool table inside. Don’t forget good beer and bourbon.
You gotta figure that on a Monday night most bars that don’t have Trivia Geek nights aren’t all that busy. RA was no exception. There were a scattering of people outside in the patio area and four people shooting pool and not many else. My friend enjoys this place and since she came up by me for a beer last week, I made my way down to her neighborhood this week. As I said, it was quiet, although we struck up a nice conversation with a couple sitting while the husband was smoking his pipe. I will admit, the place get very dark, very quick. Maybe a little more lighting would be nice, but that’s just me.
They had a selection of about seven or eight beers on tap, from PBR to a porter. So something for everybody. I’m guessing pints weren’t bad on price, my friend treated me for the night. I certainly can’t complain about that.
It’s a decent spot south of where most of the action is in the South East of PDX but somehow Roadside Attraction keeps the people coming on in. I guess you never know what you’ll observe when you get there.

I thought this was an elaborate hobo camp when I first stumbled across it. It looks like it’s built from tangled ivy vines, glass gewgaws, driftwood and drift lumber found on a beach.
It has an open fire to warm yourself around in your fingerless gloves as you put a Dickensian pout on your soot-​besotted face and say, «please sir, just a hay penny, sir? Penny for the poor?»
Unfortunates and fortunates blend well in this cozy, inviting, hipster hang out spot.
I opened the door to the unlocked men’s room and nearly stumbled into a giggling lass taking a dump in the semi-​open stall. She thought it was pretty funny, but my sense of decorum forbade me to indulge in any merriment until I secured a hasty retreat.
Sadly, if you want to eat or drink here, this establishment is also run like a hobo camp. It’s cash only, and I had to stand in line 20 minutes to order a beer from a disinterested bartender. Cool place or not, that’s insane. Quite disappointing.
I’ll return, but next time, in addition to my fingerless gloves and faux miner’s lung coughing, I’ll also bring my flask.

This place has a great winter patio. Why winter you ask? The patio is like a small Hideaway, covered keep you dry from the elements with nice wood burning fire to keep you warm. The covered area on the other hand blocks the sun on a nice warm day in the smell of smoke and fire does not always complement a typical summer patio experience.
But overall this place is a great establishment to grab a drink. Enter through the front patio and order at the bar. The staff is friendly and attentive and the prices are reasonable. The drinks are tasty I did not have the food so I cannot comment on that.
The clientele is mixed with all Portland types from seemingly punk rock to hipsters and bikers, this place serves all and everyone seems to get along just fine.
This is a great place to grab a drink after work unwind and enjoy company.

This could be a great spot, it’s a cool setup. However, the bartenders have not been friendly when I go there. One time the guy threw his towel across the bar and shouted «THANK YOU» to me as I didn’t leave a tip for my $ 2 beer. Tip etiquette is another story, but let’s say I would tip if I went back to by another beer or two. When you open the can for me though, come on.
Anywho, outside of that we all didn’t mind the setup. It’s a bit off, but very Portland. FYI it is a «Cash Only» bar but they have an ATM for a $ 3.50 fee.
Overall your place is setup with a dive feel so don’t act like a jerk to your customers. There are a lot of other places I can take my business in the city, or within a few blocks for that matter.

Awesome bar. You can sit/​stand/​swing outside by a firepit. I’m just visiting Portland for work for a while, but Roadside was everything I imagined Portland to be… In one bar. Beer was cheap, the $ 5 nachos were the best nachos I’ve ever had, and the PBR tap was literally a work of art in of itself. Highly recommend.
CASH ONLY– but their ATM only charges a $ 1.55 fee.
Also there is a bowl of Andes mints at the bar… Enough said.