Mcmenamins Pubs

Okay, so I know the service is/can be slow. And the food takes a while to get to you. But c'mon people, you are going to a historic treasure in a wonderful rustic setting, order a beer and CALM DOWN! The servers are friendly, fun, and if you relax, they'll be not just grateful, but add to your experience. The food service may be slow, but hey, the cooks are honestly doing their best in their cramped quarters. If you want pasta & fine dining, try Edgefield or Grand Lodge. This is a little, local watering hole and personally, I'm grateful to the McMenamin brothers for resurrecting the tavern after the fire. I'm not a staffer, I'm just a gal from the 'hood and this is as close a place as I'll ever get to where--when I walk in the door--everyone yells "Norm!" You youngsters who don't remember the TV show "Cheers, " well, never mind and drink your IPA. more

This used to be one of our very favorite places to go, starting about four years ago after the rebuild. Pleasant servers, although never quite "quick". Menu was a bit limited due to the small kitchen, but what was served was dependably decent. Three nights a week there was tasteful live music. But the live bands got louder and louder. We started figuring out which nights they did not have live music. But now there are none! Before, you'd get a server right away and wait to be served, eat, pay, and leave. Now, it's common to sit 15 minutes before anybody notices you...then they clean the table and leave again for ten minutes. When you finally get served, you go on ignore again - nobody coming round to ask "more beer?" or "ready for your check?". The last time we went there, they had a musician. One. Not a band. One. Playing blues on a steel guitar. I love that stuff. But the moment I cracked the door open, my ears bled and were in pain. We didn't even bother to go in. Another couple came up after us and did the same thing. We thought of sitting on the outside patio, but it was painful out there, too. The food used to be fairly dependable, but often now it's greasy and the quality varies from shift to shift. It's as if they had new management that is trying to court a new clientele that just doesn't care about service and quality and somehow they expect...a dedicated crowd that wants to go deaf? Maybe OK for lunch, but I work during the day, and could never take enough time out for their slow service. Pros: Rustic atmosphere in the country Cons: Live music WAY too loud, food and service declining more

Been here 3 times in last 4 weeks and every time is the same. You will sit 15 min before you see a waiter to take drink order. Food will take 45+ min ... For brew pub food! Expect 10 to 15 min for check. Last time, we arrived at 5:30PM on a Wednesday and waited 40min to sit (for 6 people). Interesting decor, but not worth it more

After waiting 30 minutes for our order to be taken, it took another 90 minutes for our food to arrive. The restaurant was only half full and the menu is simple (burgers and salads) so to me, there was no excuse. Even after being told the kitchen was "working really hard" our burgers arrived so cold the cheese was hard. I had also ordered mine with no mayo, and it came smeared with so much mayo I had to peel the bottom bun off. The food was greasy, cold and not worth the wait. The waiter was very nice and the place was asthetically great, but we will never go back. Too bad, it's a cute place. Pros: Nice atmosphere, nice waiters Cons: sloow service, cold food more

If you're in Hillsboro, the McMenamins bars are among the better places to drink. Unfortunately, their beer prices could be better, and their happy hour deals are nothing special ($3.95 McMenamins marked down to $3.15). McMenamins beer is good, though not outstanding. The food overall is lackluster, but their Halibut fish and chips is excellent... well, the fish part anyway. At any McMenamins location, always get the tots (crispy and flavorful - especially when Cajunized) instead of the fries (soggy)! Atmosphere in McMenamins places ranges from pretty cool to great. This one, set in the country just north of town, has a good atmosphere overall, especially on nice days/nights when they can open a large section of the wall to the outside air. Compared to the majority of Hillsboro's standard mix of drinking venues, many of which are semi-trashy or plain-chain bars, this is a palace. Pros: Good beer, wine, some good food. Cool building. Good atmosphere for Hillsboro bar. Cons: Other brewpubs can be cheaper, bla happy hour, bad fries. more

This is one of my favorite McMenamins beause of it cozy down-home vibe. Rebulit better than ever after a fire in 2002, this is a great place to escape the frenzied tempo and frou-frou decor of the city. The fare is varied and delicious, the beers are tasty, and the fireplace is always roaring. more

From the moment you walk in you just feel comfortable and at home. It's a quaint and quirky place with an atmosphere of a small Colorado mountain hideaway... lots of wood and cool decor. The whole place just has a good vibe, and you've got to love the giant fireplace. The food is the usual McMennie's food... good pub/bar food. If you're looking to get away from the rush and noise and want to hang out with some friends, shoot some pool, and kick back with some decent food, this is the place to go. Pros: Ambiance/relaxed, good food, good beer Cons: Not n 'elegant' place more

Since the original tavern burned down, the Mcmenamins have done an excellent job rebuilding. I think it looks even better than before. Drinks are pricey and measured out, the beer is the normal Mcmenamins brew. It's a cool spot and the pool table is great if there's no one playing. (rented by the hour) Pros: Hidden more

Great beer, good food, and live music nightly. Friendly to kids (family allowed until 10 pm). Pros: Country atmosphere, easy to find, secluded Cons: gravel parking lot more