History By The Glass

In one of their most professional efforts ever (even with Alfredo's audio sounding like a Jack in the Box drive-thru speaker) the HBTG boys visited with Samantha Swindler -- features reporter, videographer, chronicler of all things weird, intriguing, and off-the-beaten path for The Oregonian/OregonLive -- to learn more about her recent efforts to determine the oldest continuously operating bar location in Oregon. It was a search that ultimately came down to the Rainbow Cafe in downtown Pendleton and a place called Pioneer Saloon in the tiny ranching community of Paisley in South-Central Oregon. Both claimed 1883 and, as we revealed in the interview, neither turned out to be correct. But one eventually stood alone as the undisputed oldest bar in Oregon. Interview recorded: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers

Season 3 of History by the Glass reaches its culmination with a trip into the heart of Portland's historic Chinatown district to visit the century-ish old Republic Cafe (222 NW 4th Ave.) — the oldest Chinese-American restaurant in the city — and its random and remarkable Ming Lounge. Still stuffed with Christmas ham and eggnog, Alfredo and Nathan shackled themselves to longtime friend of the pod Bill Clifford and headed into the red-tinted unkown to seek the treasure of character-centric historic bar experiences. And thanks to bar host Heather Nissa Ragonese (and perhaps the epicurean spirits of all the Chinese, Japanese, and/or American customers of years past) they found it in droves on an unforgettable night in old Portland. First, however, they summarized the HBTG year that was and previewed a forthcoming interview with Oregonian/Here is Oregon reporter Samantha Swindler — curator of the state's most distinct human interest stories and newfound historic bar researcher —in another overflowing episode of History by the Glass! Bar visit and episode recording: Friday, Dec. 27, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers

Filled with immense thanks for all YOU who have traveled with the two of US for the past six years, we celebrated Thanksgiving weekend with our second annual HBTG Audience Choice Episode. The ridiculously over-complicated Thunderdome selection process saw 12 audience-nominated old bars enter, one bar leave as chic NW Portland's beloved Rasputinesque anachronism Joe's Cellar (1332 NW 21st Ave., Est. 1941) outlasted nearby Yur's in the deciding round. Both finalists were nominated by the fine folks at Slabtown Tours, North & NW Portland's preeminent walking tour guides and keepers of eclectic local history. For Nathan and Alfredo it was an opportunity to reconnect with a pre-podcast HBTG bar (some 6 1/2 years after their initial visit) and marvel once more at its subterranean divey charm, dedicated bartenders, and jaunty ambiance. All of which improbably endures despite the structural death sentence it received during a highly publicized months-long closure in 2013. At Joe's, it's always the end of the world as we know it and we feel fine! Bar visit and episode recording: Friday, November 29, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers

"There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive." And that's just where the HBTG boys found themselves after an energy draining 2-month production delay -- rusty, slightly discombobulated, and, yes, probably a little drunker than advisable...but still slightly ALIVE and, in fact, overflowing with joy after a visit to one of their all time favorite IRL bars, SW Portland's The Old Barn (9656 SW Barbur Blvd., Est. 1981). A conversation with longtime owners and former proprietors Johnny and Karri Malafouris, and the city's best Sunday NFL bartender / TV whisperer Gina Angerilli, sent the boys down memory lane with this classically unpretentious, ramshackle, mass transit adjacent neighborhood joint, where the drinks are honest and plentiful, the food distinct and filling, and the sports-centric atmosphere more comfortable than your living room couch on Thanksgiving day. It's the kind of place modern Portland too often takes for granted and that veteran bar owners feel is slowly slipping from our consciousness. But as long as The Old Barn and other blue collar neighborhood spots like it remain slightly alive, then there's hope for us all. Bar visit and episode recording: Thursday, October 24, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers

"Faster, Higher, Stronger...Drunker?" To commemorate these Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris, the HBTG boys set their sights on the Marathon Taverna (SW 18th & Burnside), arriving just past opening at 7 a.m. alongside several of Portland's world-class early morning drinkers (including one bourbon-loving fly) to take advantage of the economical breakfast special, jaunty bar conversation, and live Olympic coverage. A corner drinking spot by several different names since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the Marathon was established in 1974 by Greek immigrant Harlambos “Bobby” Polizos who, along with his wife Diane, also ran the legendary Acropolis Steakhouse (strip club) in deep SE Portland. Both continue to be family owned and operated today. It's the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and all the rise and chug magic you love in this gold medal caliber episode of History by the Glass! Bar visit and episode recording: Friday, August 2, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers

*DRUMS PLEASE* Here it is, the pod, slightly transformed, just a bit of a break from the norm, just a little somethin' to break the monotony... Yes indeed, it is SUMMERTIME in the city and on the eve of America's birthday, the HBTG boys put their sunglasses on, oiled each other up like a pair of Navy fighter pilots prepping for a sand volleyball game, and headed north to the mighty Columbia River to seek, no, not the Northwest Passage, but the oldest bar in Portland's sector of this legendary waterway -- the Sextant Bar & Galley (4035 NE Marine Drive)! Built in 1973 by longtime owner/proprietor Dean Burch, this venerable, unpretentious local spot continues to be run by the same family today. It's a classic neighborhood bar & grill, featuring back patio river views interspersed with aircraft fly-overs -- a perfectly satisfying place to have a cold one. But with the sun in your face, a Corona or two coursing through your veins, and the endless possibility of summer on your mind, satisfaction is sometimes only as good as the next bar down river... ...So think of the summers of the past, adjust the bass and let the Apline blast, play this episode and let 'em run a rhyme and put yourself on cruise and lay back 'cause this is summertime... Bar visit and episode recording: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers

Fathers. You have 'em, you may be 'em, you probably love 'em, and you may also drink in dark bars because of 'em. But there's no better place in Portland to linger over a stiff pour and big ol' pile of eggs while thinking about yours than My Father's Place aka MFP (523 SE Grand Ave.). Established as MFP in 1978 (yes, ANOTHER late '70s bar!) and a local watering hole since at least 1935, it features a triple option of drinking/dining/entertainment experience to suit whatever outlook on life you enter with and is known for being one of the best places in town to start and/or finish your drinking day. The HBTG boys strolled in at 10 a.m. on a sunny Friday, ensconsed themselves into one of the more uniquely designed bars they've ever come across, taught themselves how to use fork and spoon over 18 inches of vaulted padded vinyl, and, as always, enjoyed this episode's rollicking post-bar visit reminiscence. PLUS, thoughts on the best new-old/old-new bar in town, Jerry's Tavern, and a fond farewell to the incomparable Bill Walton -- forever a champion of Portland and unabashedly optimistic living. Thank you for your life Bill. Bar visit and episode recording: Friday, May 31, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Five 1/2 years ago...two earnest, but slapdash episodes into this grand experiment called the History by the Glass podcast...we were contacted out of the blue...by an actual BAR. And not just any bar, but an honest-to-god OLD bar who simply said, "Love your podcast!" -- the first inkling we had that maybe this thing might possibly resonate beyond our immediate friends and family. Of course, that bar was none other than McPeet's Portland Pub (4501 NE Fremont St., Est. 1979), which we had the pleasure of FINALLY visiting on a warm Monday evening to enjoy some cold High Lifes, a damn fine burger, memorable restroom, and great conversation with owner Chris Peterson and bar hype man (and social media manager) Mitch Forness. You may find plenty of bars in this town that are older, quirkier, more elegant or more divey, but sometimes what you really need most are the simple pleasures of a wonderfully basic neighborhood pub that's been serving up local comfort and fellowship for generations. Bar visit and episode recording: Monday, April 22, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Established in 1907, Dan & Louis Oyster Bar is Portland's oldest family-owned restaurant. Is it really a bar though? Or just a restaurant that serves drinks? We'll leave that for you to decide. But is it a FANTASTIC place to eat, drink, and connect with Old Portland? Abso-shuckin'-lutely. Yes, like Roger Sterling and Don Draper in Mad Men's Season 1 classic "Red in the Face" oyster lunch scene, the HBTG boys were busting after a midday bacchanal of invertebrates, martinis, and cheesecake. Thankfully for all involved there were no flights of stairs to be climbed en route to the recording studio afterward and the only expulsion was the pure joy of experiencing a Portland classic for the first time. PLUS, reflections on our visit to one of the newest bars in the city -- Too Soon -- in our April Fool's episode! Bar visit and episode recording: Friday, March 29, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Join us dear friends for another succinct and well produced episode of History by the Glass -- Portland most popular podcast tour of the city's freshest, hottest, and relatively historic bars, pubs, and saloons…whiskey libraries, modern speakeasies, craft brew pubs, and mixology dens. In this rare commercial-free episode, we asked how soon is Too Soon when we visited Northeast's 8-week-old Too Soon cocktail lounge -- the oldest bar in Portland serving complimentary warm cookies at last call. Bar visit and episode recording: Thursday, March 7, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Remember FUN?! Well, thanks to vibrant old locals like The Slammer Tavern (500 SE 8th Ave.) it's BACK. And, hey, so are WE for a THIRD season of History by the Glass! We were thrilled to get busy living at one of Portland's most unique, friendly, and fun-loving dives (or is it?), which has been sentencing folks to good times as "The Slammer" since the late '70s on the ground floor of a towering, mysterious 135-year-old building that's featured a neighborhood watering hole since the start of WWII (if not earlier). Lovingly family owned and operated, we had the pleasure of grabbing a bolted stool alongside owner/bartender/contractor/maestro of bar mojo Christopher -- whose legendary mom, Lizzie Robarts-Dille, has worked and/or owned the place for about as long as it's been The Slammer -- to learn all about the magic of this Portland institution. There's the refreshing simplicity of the beer selection, the intentionality of games both offered and NOT offered, and...hands down, one of the most memorable bar bathrooms we've ever experienced. All this, plus reflections from our recent borderland bacchanal in Alfredo's hometown of El Paso, Texas, and more! Bar visit and episode recording: Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

"It was after Christmas babe...in a Chinese restaurant dive bar...an old man said to me, won't see another one..." The season 2 finale and annual holiday special found the HBTG boys holed up at St. Johns' historic and wonderfully divey Wishing Well Chinese restaurant lounge (8800 N. Lombard St.), fulfilling a Christmas tradition for Nathan while reflecting on the poetic melancholy of the season and a banner year of old bar adventures. Thank you all for listening and telling your fellow bar aficionados about us. It's been one of the true creative joys of our lives to be able to celebrate these places and communities with you. We'll see you all in February of 2024 for season 3 of History by the Glass. In the meantime, may we never let auld acquaintance be forgot and enjoy many cups of kindness yet for auld lang syne. Happy New Year!! Bar visit and initial recording: Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023 Special Guest: Bill Clifford HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Just like one of John Madden's legendary turduckens, we squeezed an obscene amount of goodness into THIS, our Thanksgiving/inaugural listener's choice/5-year anniversary special! Longtime listener Matt Wyss was our lucky winner with his submission of his live music lovin' local, the Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE GlisanSt.), and we were thrilled to jam ourselves into Portland's Grand Ole Opry on a lively Monday night before digging into the somewhat surprising history and unique experience of this venerable Portland institution. Bar visit and initial recording: Monday, November 20, 2023 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Episode No. 30(!!) finds the HBTG boys enjoying their Halloween Spooktacular happily drinking among the undead at Holman's Bar & Grill (15 SE 28th Ave) -- no, not the youthful clientele, but the bar itself! Established in...ehhh, let's just call it pre-WWII...Holman's appeared to be ALL dead when it locked its doors during the sweeping pandemic closures of 2020. However, thanks to the local legends of historic bar reanimation, Warren Boothby and Marcus Archambeault, it proved to only be MOSTLY dead and was brought back to life in late July of 2023. This beautiful Frankenstein of an old bar (featuring pieces from some of its deceased peers) is back and puttin' on the Ritz better than ever. With unpretentious drinks, great food, historic authenticity and character, and plenty of patrons, it's proof that old joints don't have to be "Bar Rescued" to stay relevant and vivacious today. Bar visit and episode recording: Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Fall is officially upon us. Which, for the HBTG boys, means sports, sports, SPORTS! Once upon a time, the venerable Claudia's on SE Hawthorne would've been atop the list of beloved old local places to grab a cold one and watch the game, but with its October closure after 75 years of service, it was time to evaluate one of its worthy successors. This is how we found ourselves parachuting into NE Portland‘s North Tabor neighborhood on a Monday Night Football night to experience the underrated and historic A & L Sports Pub — the latest of a series of watering holes in this century old building going back to 1945. The epitome of a local sports bar with nightly regulars, knowledgeable and affable staff, and enough space to fit the entire 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers team, the A & L has been bringing folks together to slosh pitchers of beer, catcall opposing fans, and do all that good communal sports bar stuff we know and love so well since the dawn of the ‘90s. Buckle up your chinstrap and get in the game! Bar visit and recording: Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 HBTG theme song: “Frozen Egg” by Lame Drivers Interlude music: “Right Track” by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

The Yamhill Pub is a Fox News producer's wet dream. It's the grimy, thrashed, chaotic, debauched, unrepentant, undeveloped, iconically menacing "lowest down diviest dive in Portland"...and we couldn't be more proud. Established in 1933 or 1939 in a century-old downtown building, the Yamhill Pub supernaturally resists all attempts to categorize it or neatly explain it. Its history is unknowable, yet infused throughout the sneaky warmth and undeniable character of the place. It is, in fact, a neighborhood bar that gives everyone who dares an opportunity to be their most weirdly normal selves and is the type of place every single neighborhood in our city and yours should feature and celebrate. If you like the F-word, bar movies, unforgettable lavatories, obscure Seinfeld references, and confused middle aged suburbanites attempting to decipher modern day sex/drug parlance -- this is your episode! Bar visit and recording: Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Downtown Portland's Driftwood Room has been shaking up craft cocktails and intimate, dimly lit hotel bar connections since opening in what was then Hotel Mallory (and today Hotel DeLuxe) in 1954. Once a pioneer of the city's mixology scene, today it remains a beloved, luxurious, unctuous, and, as we can now attest, potent purveyor of spirits.  Yes, we had an AWESOME time at Driftwood Room…and then proceeded to continue having an even awesomer time with overflowing glasses of Canadian Club at the HBTG studio over the course of a jaunty, increasingly slurry, and eventually unintelligible mess of an initial recording.  We just plain kicked the shit out of it folks.  And, after listening to the end result, decided the only way forward was the unprecedented choice to re-record the back half of the episode six days later. We had too much respect for the bar, this project, and, hell, maybe even ourselves(?!) not to take that mulligan. Unorthodox, yes, but without a doubt, a better product. So here's to Driftwood Room, Downtown Portland, and hotel bar frequenters everywhere…this episode (and its many MANY drinks) are for you.   Bar visit and initial recording: Thursday, July 20, 2023 Partially re-recorded: Wednesday, July 26, 2023 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Anthony Bourdain was our generation's greatest explorer of places near and far. Five years ago, he chose to leave well before his family, friends, and fans around the world were prepared to say goodbye. His legacy is baked into our effort to celebrate the venerable bars (and the communities that love them) of Portland and beyond, as well as how we engage with the world around us on a daily basis. We took time to pour a couple of drinks and reflect on how his impact continues to resonate with us and others today before sharing highlights from our most recent Bourdain Day adventure (19:30) to the Germanic farmlands (and bars, of course) south of Portland, as well as a ludicrously self-indulgent trip to Las Vegas -- and specifically Downtown Vegas -- to celebrate Alfredo's 10-year bachelor party anniversary (29:08). PLUS, we announced the bar destination for our next episode (37:51), pondered the oldest bar in Oregon, and, finally, raised a glass to the Stonewall Inn bar in The Village, NYC on the 54th anniversary of the LGBTQIA regulars there giving a defiant "we're not gonna take it anymore!" to those who would attempt to push them around in their local. (44:15) Bars are community and communities are love and power. Cheers friends. Recorded: Wednesday, June 28, 2023 HBTG Theme Song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude Music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

With 56 locations throughout Oregon and Washington and annual revenue in the range of $200M annually, we're willing to bet, if you're listening to this podcast, you've been to a freaking McMenamins! You know the vibe, you know the art, you know the history, and you know the consistent, if perhaps overly scrutinized, food, beer, and service. Well, 40 years ago, nobody knew much of anything about Mike and Brian McMenamin's fist bar together, the Barley Mill Pub (1629 SE Hawthorne, Portland). It began as a chill, uncontroversial, infrequently visited public house when it opened in the summer of 1983 with few indications of the seismic shift in the region's bar and beer landscape it would soon help usher in. The humble Barley Mill was indeed the Pub that launched a thousand quirky boozy ships in the Northwest. We visited on a beautiful day in SE Portland, did all the classic McMenamins things, and, eventually (once functional recording equipment arrived 48hrs later), recorded a rollicking stein-swinging conversation covering McMenamins unparalleled historic preservation efforts, a salute to the cajun tot, the polarizing Grateful Dead, and the glory of disco lit men's rooms. Bar visit: Thursday, May 25, 2023 Recording date: Saturday, May 27, 2023 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

In the course of producing this episode, our 25th HBTG bar night out, there were three things we became (fairly) certain about: 1. That Slim's Restaurant & Lounge (8635 N Lombard St.) offers one of the best, most authentic old bar experiences you'll find in Portland. 2. That Slim's is also about 24 years younger than it has long believed. 3. That, in the grand of things, we don't really gives a shit (see certainty No. 1). In the greatest old bar neighborhood in the city (St. John's, formerly an independent city of its own), Slim's is our, hands-down, favorite so far. They brought tears to our eyes by selling us a High Life bottle AND Hamm's tallboy when we sat down at the bar. They have a $7 burger that blew Nathan's doors off, deliciously healthy menu options you almost never see at a blue collar bar, and the vintage decor is spot-on. In this perplexing modern world, they are vibrant, nostalgic, convivial, and, basically, everything you want from a historic (give or take 2 1/2 decades) neighborhood bar. And at the end of a long day or graveyard shift, nothing in the world is more important than that. Bar visit & recording date: Monday, April 24, 2023 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Belonging. Believe it or not, it's what we're all ultimately looking for when we walk into a bar as a patron or, even, an employee. We all just want to be seen and known...and the drinks taste so f--king good. The Stockpot Broiler Lounge & Restaurant (8200 SW Scholls Ferry Rd, Beaverton, OR) has been serving up belonging for nearly 50 years at a former farm turned golf course in the Portland-Tigard-Beaverton borderlands to a bevy of devoted regulars (like us) and its long-tenured staff who happily intermingle when the shifts are done. Owner Murray Miller laid the foundation when he took over in 1981 and, for the past two decades, head bartender Andy Mason has presided over what's quite possibly the best, most convivial bar atmosphere in the metro area. In this, our first, visit as primary historians, we knew we could never meet the standard of the love we hold for this bar (and between our rust and a few technical issues, we didn't)...but it sure meant the world to try. Bar visits & recording dates: Thursday, March 16, 2023 and Sunday, March 19, 2023 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historybytheglass/message

Still riding the high from their Season 2 premiere at Bill's Steakhouse... *checks calendar*... EIGHT GD weeks ago (!?!?), the boys welcomed back longtime friend of the podcast and veteran Portland bar aficionado Bill Clifford in-studio to test drive a new HBTG interview segment, and reflect fondly on his most formative/traumatizing bar moments, the shuttered local joint he misses most, and the only way to get a proper dry Manhattan with a twist. Along the way, they blew the lid off of the Dry January movement which, in one of the most SHOCKING episodes ever, appears to have even radicalized one of their own...it's all on this episode between the episodes we call HBTG: Shots in the Dark. Episode Recorded: Jan. 15, 2023 Willamette Week Sloan's Tavern eulogy article HBTG Theme Song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers...Interlude Music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/historybytheglass/message

Filled with gratitude, gravy, and goodwill, the HBTG boys emerged from their hiatus refreshed and ready to kick off season TWO of the podcast at the place it all inexplicably began nearly 5 years earlier -- Bill's Steak House (10227 NE Sandy Blvd) in Portland's Parkrose neighborhood. This time, instead of near-crippling depression and doubt, the boys found an earnest, scrappy regulars bar that continues to roll with the punches thrown its way decade by decade, night by night.  Founded in 1940 as a hot dog stand called Bill's Streetcar (because, you know, they served hot dogs out of a literal streetcar), Bill's is thought to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant east of 82nd Ave., but, more importantly for us, it's been a beloved local watering hole since its days of 25-cent glasses of wine.  Nevermind the literal name on the front though -- don't come from your airport hotel looking for a classic Portland steakhouse. Come in search of an honest pour, respectable bar food, and a chance to bend elbows with some real life Portlanders and all their beautiful, sometimes unsettling, complexity. We checked our preconceptions at the door this time around and left with our HBTG cups full.   Special thanks and cheers to bartender Lisa -- it was an honor to watch you steer that ship!   Bar visit & recording date: Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 HBTG theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Right Track" by Lame Drivers --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/historybytheglass/message

The second half of our epic Phase One finale concludes at the only place it possibly could -- the iconic Bud Clark's legendary Goose Hollow Inn. It's a place that, despite its rigorous adherence to COVID precautions at the time of our visit, STILL reminds us of all that was once good about bar-going in Portland, and could be again.  Bud, who died on Feb. 1, 2022 after 90 incredibly well-lived years, understood that community building was the essence of bar culture. He designed his taverns to bring people together, regardless of ideological alignment, with a polite, yet firm expectation to "develop your verbal ability or leave." Because at the end of the day, if we can still clink glasses after a lively debate -- and there's no shortage of those today -- then we're still able to recognize each other's humanity, and just might have a decent shot to make it in this world.  Over the past four years and 42 bars, human connection is always what this project has been about -- exploring the communities and interacting with the people that make up this wonderful city through the neighborhood bars where they and generations before have long felt most free to be their authentic selves.  It's what inspired "History by the Glass" author Paul Pintarich, a friend of Bud Clark's, to begin documenting these uniquely Portland stories in 1996, despite 13 years on the wagon. They were too important, too essential to our collective civic character to let fade away.  We owe an incredible debt of gratitude to Paul and his family (which has so kindly raised a glass in our direction during the course of this project). We hope we might've made him proud and are honored to carry his torch onward in the next phase of research and warm, blurry conversations about these famously historic and infamously endangered bars, pubs and saloons. Thanks for coming along with us on the ride. Pool Tables. Show Notes: "Expose Yourself to Art" Bud Clark/Mike Ryerson "This Bud's for You" Bud Clark Poster (1983) HBTG Theme song: "Frozen Egg" by Lame Drivers Interlude music: "Drink Up Me Mateys" by Black Bones --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/historybytheglass/message

On Feb. 7, 2018, guided by a book (brilliantly) written by a former alcoholic and newspaper man more than two decades earlier, two drinking buddies walked through the door of Bill's Steak House & Lounge on a sleepy Wednesday night, officially launching a creative, celebratory journey into the heart of Portland's classic bar culture. Exactly four years, one pandemic, and 42 bars later, they have arrived at the end...of this chapter anyway. Grab your favorite drink and come along with us as we conclude Phase 1 of the HTBG project with long awaited visits to The Leaky Roof Gastropub and, next week, The Goose Hollow Inn. One a place that continues to remind us of all that was once good about bar-going in Portland, and it could be again...and another, that provided possibly the warmest and completely unexpected experience of this entire adventure.  Cheers... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/historybytheglass/message

It was just over 28 years ago to the day this episode was released -- Jan. 30, 1994...Super Bowl Sunday -- that the venerable Dockside Saloon in rapidly gentrifying industrial NW Portland was thrust into the national spotlight by that infamous trio of Eckardt, Harding, and...Gillooly. Of course you know the basic knee-whacking plot of that most surreal sports scandal of the '90s, but we set out to see how the salty workingperson's bar at the core of Tonya Harding's fall from grace was doing in 2022 (6:16). Nearly swallowed whole by a whale of a modern development behind it, the rickety Dockside has defied the odds and somehow stayed afloat in the midst of the relentless waves of "progress" that have consumed so many others like it across the city. The second part of our doubleheader took us to SE Portland's Sellwood neighborhood (52:01) -- once a weekend getaway for sternwheeling city folk looking to cut loose at the turn-of-the-century and now yet another steadily redeveloping Portland borough. With modest expectations we dutifully ponied up at the bar to check the Sellwood Saloon (formerly Sellwood Inn) off our list, but were thankfully reminded once again that the most sincere conviviality and earnest communities of care can be found in the unlikeliest of places. Anthony Bourdain used to say that if it looked like he was really enjoying himself in a scene on camera, then he had actually enjoyed himself that much in real life. The joy was real and almost palpable. Same for us in this episode. We were just so damn glad to be at both of these bars and the drinks and conversation flowed accordingly. Pour a cold one and enjoy. We'll be back in early February as we celebrate our four-year HBTG anniversary and conclude(!!) this incredible, winding first phase of our noble journey... Episode Chasers: John Madden Miller Lite Commercial Mila Kunis Jim Beam Commercials L.A. Law Series Premier "I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" Late Show with David Letterman -- Gillooly...Another Gillooly...and the ULTIMATE Gillooly --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/historybytheglass/message

It's a marshmallow world in the winter and we're channeling our inner Deano and Frank to bring you a very merry HBTG Christmas episode! This month, we pulled up a couple of stools and drank until we encountered the ghosts of Portland bars past, present, and future at the most Dickensian joint left on our list, the legendary British-Oregonian Horse Brass Pub (17:16). In the bygone era of bigger than life Portland publicans, few stood taller, supported better, and smoked 'em deeper than former Horse Brass owner Don Younger — a self-described "old beer-drinking guy" who loved nothing more than a "good old tavern with a shuffleboard, a jukebox, and a bottle of Henry's." Don, this episode, this entire damn podcast is for you. PLUS, lest old acquaintance be forgot, we're popping the cork on our slightly toasted 2021 New Year's toast (1:15:28)! Initially a casualty of pandemic fatigue, this conversation is aged to perfection and best accompanied, as we were a year ago, by a smooth glass of Parra Wine Co. Tempranillo. Cheers!! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/historybytheglass/message

We're baaaack! Yep, damn near 5 months after our last episode dropped, we've decided to grace our loyal and extremely patient listeners with another one — and not just any episode, but our official return to actual bar reviews! Way back on July 28 we made a midday stop at Portland's most infamous, mercurial, and legendary burger bar, Stanich's (09:12), followed by an abbreviated nightcap at mysterious Sinnott's Lil' Cooperstown (58:08) six days later. A series of mini-calamities later, we recorded the episode in late September and now, after marinating in its own juices for another two months, here it is fresh out of the oven on Thanksgiving weekend! But as it turns out, this might be the eulogy we never intended. As of this episode's release, Stanich's is listed as "temporarily closed" by Google and, more disconcerting, its phone — usually an entertaining window into the maddeningly unpredictable Stanichverse — appears to be disconnected. Nobody's rooting harder than us for Stanich's to find a way to survive and get the grill sizzling once more. But whether it does or does not (well, especially if it does not), we at HBTG have re-committed ourselves to our regular, drunkenly professional production schedule to salute these fine places that make up the fabric of our collective Portland history and culture. Cheers, pour out a little liquor, and we'll see you next month! SHOW NOTES: Kevin Alexander's Follow Up Article --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/historybytheglass/message

With most COVID-19 restrictions lifted and vaccines coursing through our bodies, we are effectively back in action! We cross through the crumbling COVID Berlin Wall looking for freedom! Do we find it by venturing out to Multnomah Village's Renner's — our last regularly scheduled HBTG stop? Give us a listen to find out. PLUS, we celebrate Bourdain Day by traveling to undiscovered Aloha, Ore. Say hello AND goodbye to another episode of HBTG: Shots in the Dark!

Fully vaccinated and with this buzzkill of a pandemic in its waning days, the boys got out from behind their video screens to raise their drinks in person and reminisce about the bar-going good times that will soon be here again. That's right, the vaccinations are rising and here in Oregon we'll soon see the end of capacity and distancing restrictions that have kept us safe, but stripped our beloved old bars of much of their character.  Now, on the verge of returning to our regular programming, what better time to FINALLY release our six-month-old HBTG Best Nights Out segment (19:35). Not the best bars necessarily, but the best, most rollicking, stein swinging, dare we say magical drinking nights we've had so far during this project.    Enjoy one of our last sensible pours of HBTG: Shots in the Dark!

“Everything ends badly otherwise it wouldn't end.”  And now for the B-side of our impassioned deep dive into 1988’s venerable ode to flair bartending, toxic masculinity, and unrepentant greed — Cocktail! In this episode, we join Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, Elizabeth Shue, AND James Eckhouse (Mr. Walsh from Beverly Hills 90210 in an awful extra performance) in Jamaica en route to the half-assed ending that secures this movie's place as one of the best worst pictures ever made. *BTW, If you haven’t seen Cocktail recently and are about to hit play, FIRST go watch Cocktail, THEN listen to side A of this epic pod... and do it all RIGHT NOW!*  We hope you liked or hated these episodes as much as you did the actual movie!  "The luck is gone, the brain is shot, but the liquor we still got."

“When they drink, they reign.”  As promised, the boys dived DEEP into 1988’s venerable ode to flair bartending, toxic masculinity, and unrepentant greed -- Cocktail! Get ready for a giddy scene-by-scene tour of the Worst Picture Razzie-winning film, starring Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, and Elizabeth Shue, that has rightfully earned its lofty/lowly place as one of the best worst pictures ever made.  *BTW, If you haven’t seen Cocktail recently and are about to hit play, for the love of God, GO WATCH COCKTAIL RIGHT NOW!*  We had so much to say about this trainwreck timestamp that we literally talked longer than the movie’s actual runtime. Unlike director Roger Donaldson though, we won’t subject you to the whole debacle in one sitting. Side A takes you from the head-scratching bus hijack intro through the bafflingly-uncool-but-still-famous Last Barman Poet scenes. Check back for the excitingly banal conclusion!  SO crack an egg into your Red Eye, push your way to the front of the bar, and get ready to enjoy two obnoxious assholes’ self-indulgent theatrics...and we’ll also talk a little about the two bartenders in Cocktail too! BAR IS OPEN!!   Cocktail (1988) Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78pGiQ2oC6k

The boys checked in on another Friday night to recap Nate's first pandemic vacation, the experience of bar-going in this current era of guarded optimism, and the "Sunday Morning Coming Down" vintage photography of Patrick F. Smith. Go read The Oregonian article highlighting Patrick's rediscovered work from the 1970s or join his Facebook group "Through My Portland Lens." PLUS, Alfredo is fired up after finally watching the movie Cocktail from start to finish! Go watch it yourself for free on Amazon Prime before the end of the month because our next episode will be a special "HBTG Rewatchable" breaking down this venerable '80s ode to flair bartending and toxic masculinity! Through My Portland Lens Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1760291797474818/ Oregon Live's Article about Patrick F. Smith: https://www.oregonlive.com/history/2021/03/rediscovered-images-of-1970s-old-town-capture-long-gone-era-in-portland-power-photographers-social-media-fandom.html  

We are back with a two-finger pour of bar musings and longing. This week, we discuss the sonic glory that is IMissMyBar.com from our amigos at the bar Maverick in Monterrey, Mexico. Because at the end of the day, it ain't the public drinking that we're missing, it's the soul-enriching sensory feedback of community and connection that only a good bar can provide.    We loved it all so much, we even mixed in a little din of our own to help you forget about this sterile Zoom reality and instead imagine yourself perched on a stool next to us, pondering bar magic and sipping your troubles away.   (The NPR article referenced can be found here.) 

A St. Patrick's Day episode released ON St. Patrick's Day?! Pinch me, I'm dreaming! In a very special Shots In The Dark, Alfredo and Nathan regale us with their tales of 2021 St. Paddy's Day in Portland. Then reminisce about past holidays, Darby O'Gill, little boy parties, bagpipes, Irish coffees, movie reviews, and MORE. It's just like hanging out with them in the bar, but so much better!

It's another sensible pour of Portland, Oregon’s bar news and musings. This week, Nate & Alfredo discuss getting back to the bars after Washington County drops to a "Moderate Risk." What's been great? What's been scary-ass shit? When will they go back!? Plus HBTG welcomes back an unofficial dive classic as SE's Reel 'm Inn reopens for business. 

Whelp, we’ve had a little trouble with our creative consistency since our bars here in the Portland metro area began to close-open-close-open. BUT we just may have figured out a solution. Introducing, HBTG’s Shots in the Dark — a spontaneous, quickly downable, possibly ill-advised version of our beloved pre-pandemic deep dives! Each week (or so), we’re gonna drink to overconfidence at our respective homes, then jump on Zoom to talk about whatever’s topical as it relates to old bars, drinking in the metro area, you name it. A solid 15 to 30 minutes of that one-of-a-kind content you never knew you were missing! We got together for the first one on Feb. 21, 2021, exactly one year to the day that we last visited a bar for an official HBTG episode. Plenty has changed since, but not our love of all things trivial and random about drinkin’ and thinkin’ old bars. Cheers! 

In the midst of a global pandemic, the days are long, but the years... well, they’re pretty fucking long too.  We’ve pumped the brakes on our “official” monthly visits until we can once again squeeze in at an old bartop alongside a bunch of drunken strangers happily toasting our problems away. So while we wait and yearn we’ll be checking the rearview mirror and looking back at the many many good times we’ve had over the 2+ years and 35 bars of this quixotic ride. In this episode, we FINALLY answer our most commonly asked question — “What’s your favorite old bar in Portland?” — revealing dueling top-5 lists that settle once and for all which is the city’s best… among the 35 that we’ve “officially” visited and reviewed previously. So grab a stiff drink, a pair of headphones, and hit play to find out where the likes of Cheerful Tortoise [15:45], Corner Saloon [22:30], The Alibi [29:15], Renner’s [46:07], Lutz Tavern [39:26], Jake’s Famous Crawfish [52:40], Nob Hill Bar & Grill [1:01:40] and more rank in our blurry memories!

On May 30, 2020, we jumped in another Zoom meeting to check in with all of Paul Pintarich’s official “History by the Glass” bars (the ones that are still open anyway) at the dawn of Reopening Oregon Phase 1. We found some rattling the cage in opposition of their state-mandated closure, some rather cheerfully making the best of the shit situation, and others simply closed without any outward sign of acknowledgment of a global pandemic.   This being 2020, the state of the world changes on a daily basis, and several of the bars we checked in with have already changed their approach since we recorded, but speed (and accuracy for that matter) have never been our forte, so what are you gonna do?  We also checked in with ourselves to see what condition our condition was in as we mulled, yes, a return to drinking IN PUBLIC. Who will be first to leave the cozy confines of their home and order a round at their nearest tavern? (Hint: It’s NOT Nathan.) Adding to the remote recording fun, Alfredo somehow managed to flip the “FBI gang informant” switch on his microphone, giving his voice a husky abnormal pituitary tonality...until it randomly returns to his normal prepubescent vocals at the 37-minute mark. Hey, they don’t call us the best and most unprofessional historic bar podcast in America for nothing... enjoy!

On Feb. 21, 2020, we made a triumphant return to newly-reopened Renner’s Grill (56:35), 22 months after a devastating kitchen fire closed the longtime anchor of SW Portland’s Multnomah Village bar scene. This comeback story was to be paired with a forthcoming visit to the enigmatic Stanich’s in what we were calling our “Lazarus” or “Flatliners” episode -- two old bars pronounced dead that somehow returned to tell the tale. Now, every drinking establishment in the metro area will face the same improbable challenge.  On March 16, COVID-19 social distancing efforts forced every bar, tavern, saloon, pub, and lounge in the state to put its stools on the counter and send its staff into the virtual unemployment line. Even as our local health news slowly improves, they all face an uncertain future.  We discussed it all over several rounds in our Steinhaus/Buddy’s Lounge glassware, in front of our ubiquitous, soul-sucking Zoom cameras in this very special, history in the making episode of HBTG...dedicated to every single person who has brought us joy one glass at a time in bars throughout Portland and beyond. We can’t wait to see you again soon...

Buoyed by a lifestyle-enhancing new sponsor, we embarked on our first HBTG visits of 2020. First, a visit to Portland’s third-oldest bar — a former downtown dive “men’s resort” turned vintage motorcycle joint, Kelly’s Olympian (09:54). Next, we happily marooned ourselves on an island of “Old Portland” goodness amidst a sea of rampant redevelopment at NW 23rd's Nob Hill Bar & Grill (38:54) where Nate ascended into cheeseburger heaven and Alfredo re-discovered a bathroom just short of perfection. New year, same old beautiful bullshit... History by the Glass rolls on! 

Do you like your old Portland bars OLD? Well, they don’t get older than this. Join us for a Very Special Episode of History By the Glass. We don our gay apparel to slurp cocktails at Jake’s Famous Crawfish (14:51), established 1892. Then we get even "history-ier" when we carve out time to talk turkey bars over at Huber’s (48:58), established 1879. Very old, indeed!

On a blustery Thanksgiving eve, Nov. 27, 2019, we expressed our gratitude for our first “podiversary” and two venerable bars anchored by iconic menu items. It was a marathon exploration/recording session that began at 3 p.m. and ended past midnight, with — as this episode may reveal — no shortage of libations in between. First, we traveled deep into the western farmlands of Washington County, stepping out of the cold afternoon wind and into the sleepy, but warm Helvetia Tavern (08:54) for the best burger and beer a personal check can buy. Several (possibly ill-advised) pit stops later, we landed at Cider Mill (37:44) where we rediscovered our love for this lively SW Portland survivor over chicken hearts and a few more cold ones. Enjoy the latest deep-fried History by the Glass!

On the night of Sept. 24, 2019 — they don’t call us the most prolific podcast in America for nothing! — we channeled our inner Thornton Melon and went Back to School, cruising by the University of Portland to pick up friend and alum Shauna Weaver en route to two of the most legendary bars on the Bluff. We made our debuts at the Mock(s) Crest Tavern (13:05) where we discussed the bar’s homegrown branding, stubby stools, vintage glassware, and mayonnaise forward menu. Then, it was off to every Pilot’s paradise, The Twilight Room (45:22), where we perched on slightly stubbier stools, staged a Hamm’s walkout, and soaked in the obnoxious silence of trivia night. It’s the old bar podcast version of Triple Lindy — it’s the latest episode of History by the Glass!

What makes a “dive”? Alfredo and Nate dig deep into Portland’s drinking history to find out. The boys are back to celebrate Alfredo’s birthday with a trip to 1923’s The Sandy Hut (6:12), joined by special-guest podcast fans Rochelle and Eric. After a fond salute to old people, a burger breakdown, trip to the men's room, and the marquee deep dive on dives (36:32), a "sponsored" Lyft rides us north to the tropical tranquility and raucous rocking of The Alibi (1:00:25) where we drunkenly declare our love for all things tiki (1:06:52). Rusty? Yes. Worth every second? As always.

Breaker, breaker! The eagle and the cottonmouth are back! We return to the field of Portland’s historic bars and saloons by packing up the convoy and rolling north up the big road. First, we belly up at the over-the-top pickle park and honky-tonk, the Ponderosa Lounge at Jubitz Truck Stop (9:10). Then we make a pit stop at the venerable Nite Hawk Cafe and Lounge (45:47). Plus which one of us will rasp our way through this post-illness podcast?! Tune in and find out on this week’s History by the Glass!

It only took us 9 months to celebrate our one-year anniversary, but here we are. The final anniversary episode! We wrap up by going DEEP into the corners of Portland. After discovering the wooded interior paradise of the Lighthouse (6:34) we journeyed through the Northwest hills to the wooded exterior paradise of Skyline Tavern (24:20). Then we loaded up the HBTG truckster and schlepped ourselves 200 blocks to Southeast Portland’s Lariat Lounge (40:28) with an impromptu trip to Rumpus Room (1:02:32). And what would an anniversary be without a little reminiscing and soul-searching about this ill-advised yet wildly popular adventure we call “History By The Glass”? (1:08:00)

More of a somber episode of History by the Glass. We have no reservations reflecting on the passing of Anthony Bourdain (5:05) and what he meant to this endeavor (13:00). Mournful, we press on to parts unknown as we memorialize SE 82nd’s Stein Haus (26:15) which we also lost this year. Plus, moments of "Portland Confidential" history during a drunk’s tour of Hawthorne sports bars Nick’s Famous Coney Island (52:38) and Claudia’s (1:16:52). All that, plus bathrooms, burgers and more!   SHOW NOTES: Herbie Chinn Article: https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2013/10/a_bit_of_old_portland_gone_whe.html

This week, we continue our anniversary celebration by featuring Wanker’s Corner Saloon (10:56), that other Corner Saloon (29:53), Crackerjack’s Pub & Eatery (59:37) and Joe’s Cellar (01:10:10). We also reminisce about all those Portland breweries that recently closed (04:32). All that, plus bathrooms, burgers and more!

It's been... ONE YEAR since we started soaking in Portland's past bars and saloons. Travel back with us as we get nostalgic about our nostalgia (9:25). We recap Episodes I & II, reviewing Bill's Steakhouse (26:02), The White Eagle (40:12), Lutz Tavern (53:35), Kay's Bar (1:18:54) and Yukon Tavern (1:29:49). Bathrooms, burgers and more in this jam-packed four-part anniversary special! With special guest Bill Clifford (no relation).

This week, join us as we discuss our past service industry experience [06:35] followed by a trip out to Southeast Portland's Produce Row Cafe [16:25] where we eat the Row Burger [24:14] and wax poetic about the drink offerings that make a bar a bar [47:25]. Plus we drop anchor at Multnomah Village's The Ship Tavern [58:15] to explore a pretty great john [1:09:36] and a venerable dive that updated its beer experience. All that, new Yelp review segments and MORE on this week's History By The Glass!