This isn’t a German beer bar but there are 99 beers on tap here and a whole section devoted to Oktoberfest beer. This awesome place that just opened up July 2016 has a large bar area where you can sit, and then booths that surround the restaurant. If beer is not your thing they also have an extensive whisky/whiskey menu, cocktails, and wine. I’d recommend eating food elsewhere prior to coming here, as their main focus is the drinks.
Neighborhood- SE Industrial
Oktoberfest event- September 22-October 7
Try: Occidental Fest Bier and Upright Oktoberfest
Full Bar: Yes
This brewery that also has the honor of being Lent neighborhood’s first brewery (I’m a huge cheerleader for this neighborhood) also brews German and NW style beer and serves up tasty German food. It’s also new-ish just being opened this spring and has extensive space for large parties in booths as well as beer hall tables, and is a more family-oriented bar. They even have a play place for children! The food has been decent and besides the typical German restaurant fare they also have different Flammkuchen (pizza) which makes them stand out from other German restaurants.
Neighborhood- SE Lents
Oktoberfest event? October 6
Try: Schwarzbier and Ramona Red & Lents Lager is good- albeit NW style beer
Full Bar: No, but has wine and cider
Brought to you by the same people who started Prost! which we’ll get to later in this article, Stammtisch had an awesome vibe and I was impressed by the food. While they do not brew their own German beer they do serve German beer with my Munich Oktoberfest favorites (Hofbrau and Paulaner!) as well as Freigeist, Köstritzer, Weltenburger, etc. The one thing I noticed missing was the ever-so-popular (beer and lemonade mixed) radler. They have a great late night (after 10 PM) menu as well as the lunch and dinner menus and have small plates (pretzels, currywurst, etc) medium plates (salads, sausage plates, meats and cheeses), and large plates (meats and sides). The large plates can feed 2-3 people so definitely plan accordingly.
Neighborhood- NE Kerns
Oktoberfest event? September 21-23 Street Party
Try: Your favorite German beer in a stein!
Full Bar: No, but also wine and cider
Best Place for: having dinner or a late night snack
Stein Haus is a hole in the wall that is easy to miss being right across the street from Portland Community College and the Asian marketplace Fubonn! This place has German Burritos… yep. German burritos. Inside the burritos are spaetzle (fried potatoes), kraut, sautéed onions, and cheese with the meat of choice. And vegetarians- they have tofurkey if you want to imbibe. Going from the outside to seeing the minature décor on the wall, you would be surprised knowing all the German beers they have on tap- from Paulaner, to Hofbrau, to Stormbreaker Oktoberfest and pFriem Oktoberfest. There is an area for parties, a pool table, pin ball machines, and lounge area….basically everything you’d want in an awesome dive bar.
Neighborhood- SE Jade District/Mt Tabor
Oktoberfest event? no
Try: a “german burrito”!
Full Bar: Yes
Best Place for: getting the best bang for your $$
Occidental Brewing & Wursthaus
Right across the street from the brewery where you can do taster flights and have pints of beer, Occidental recently opened a Wursthaus with a patio, beer, and food in collaboration with the Urban German. They stay open later than the brewery and serve delicious sausages and other German fare. As far as German style beer- they have my favorite local kolsch, and I don’t really like kolsch….so that is saying something. Their hefe is not overly clove or banana empowered, and I can never seem to find Altbier around besides here!
Neighborhood- N St Johns
Oktoberfest event? September 22
Try: Festbier, altbier, kolsch
Full Bar: No
Best Place for- locally brewed German style beer
This has been a Portland mainstay for a while, and this place has a totally different vibe to Stammtisch. They serve ¼ liter, ½ liter and full steins drafts and bottles of German beers and also German wines and spirits. They have their own German food menu which is limited but outside beyond the awesome outdoor patio area there are about 10 different food carts ranging from Mexican food, burgers, Thai to awesome vegan food- Native bowl and a different outlet of Homegrown Smokehouse BBQ. You’re able to bring outside food in with a beverage purchase but you cannot go into the food cart area with your alcoholic drink.
Neighborhood- N Mississippi
Oktoberfest event? September 28-Sept 30
Try: Your favorite German beer in a stein!
Full Bar: Yes
Best Place for- having food and drinks on the patio on a sunny day
