BARS, RESTAURANTS, & TAVERNS
BARS, RESTAURANTS, & TAVERNS
ABOVE is cited in Doug Baker’s column of the Oregon Journal November 18, 1971
Above LEFT photo is not from a Portland bar - but would be posted at various bars. Newspaper article RIGHT is from The Oregonian, January 1959.
Interesting papers written about the bars in Portland.
2002 paper by Beka Smith Portland State University Gay Bars, Vice, and Reform in Portland, 1948-1965 Beka Smith Portland State University. PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 PART 5 PART 6
2005 paper by Matthew Baker, “CLOSETED NIGHTCLUBS: Why doesn’t the Portland gay community recognize gay bar culture?”
THE GAY HISTORY OF BARS, TAVERNS, & RESTAURANTS
To preserve the history of BARS, RESTAURANTS, & TAVERNS in the LGBTQ+ community, see below for references, articles, scanned documents, and more.
This page is meant to be a breathing artifact of Portland’s history. We hope to update this page as often as we can as we learn more through our research.
BROWSE BY NAME (ALPHABETICAL)
LISTING OF GAY BARS
COMING SOON
LISTING OF LEATHER BARS
The Other Inn 1964-1982 Demitris Tavern 1970-1976 Lion’s Pride Tavern 1980-1981 JR’s Cell (also known as The Folsom Cell and Close Encounters) 1981-1984 The Eagle Bar/The Eagle 1984-1990, 1992-2019 Dirty Duck/Gail’s Dirty Duck 1984-2009 Edge PDX OR PDX Eagle 1990-Present
LISTING OF MALE STRIP BARS
Darcelle XV Showplace 1974-2020 J & J Tavern 1978-1981 Silverado (1) 1988- 2007 Silverado (2) 2007-2018 Silverado (3) 2018-present Stag PDX 2015-present
Late 1960s-1970s there were various bars/taverns with go-go boys these are not listed.
LISTING OF FEMALE IMPERSONATION DRAG BARS
Variety Hall 1937-1939 Music Hall 1937-1950 The Tropics 1953-1955 1957 Pilugo’s Theatre Restaurant 1959-1961 Showcase 1962 Demas Tavern 1967-1973 Dahl & Penne 1971-1983 Darcelle XV Showplace 1974-present JR’s West 1981-1984 Embers 1981-2007 Pa’s Cellar 1983-1984 Queens Head 2021-2023 Sissy’s 2022 - present
Many taverns and businesses hold drag performances - listed are those that had continual performances.
LISTING OF MIXED BARS
COMING SOON
LISTING OF LESBIAN BARS
Buick Café [The] 1949-1960 (?) [The] Transfusion Inn 1959–1964 The Milwaukie Tavern 1964-1965(?) Model Inn 1964-1967 Magic Garden 1972-1976 The Rising Moon 1977-1985 The Otherside of Midnight 1980-1987 Club 927 1980-1999 Bear Hollow 1981 Lulu’s Tavern 1981-1982 Sissy's Tavern 1982-1985 Judy's 1983-1985 Angela’s Tavern 1985-1986 Primary Domain 1986-1989 Choices 1988–1998 Olivia's 1988-1989 CODE BLUE 1991-1992 HR’s 1992 Egyptian Club/Room 1995-2010 Club Diva at Duffy's Pub 1996-? Sacred Grounds Coffee House 1999 Moon Star Bar & Grill 2004-2006? Weird Bar/Club 2010-2011 Sports Bra 2022-Present