Central

I really enjoyed this place, and am awfully sad to see it close. Slightly spendy, but totally worth it when you consider how delicious and generous their drinks were. The absinthe and root beer was outstanding.

I only went here a couple times, but I’m sad to hear it has closed. They had good cocktails and good food.
Perhaps they closed because no one could find it. Or maybe they got sick of being inundated with questions of, «Isn’t this where they filmed that one episode of ‘Portlandia’ with Andy Samberg?»

Central is the place for Well Crafted cocktails in Portland.
Finding Central is NOT easy, especially as a tourist and around Midnight. No signs, nothing… as we went around in circles. This experience reminded me of the various Speak Easy lounges I been to.
Central made one of the best cocktails I had and at a reasonable price. Making cocktails is definitely a science and work of art. The 3 cocktails (Spike in Chatter/​Tequila Negroni/​Maiden Oregon) which I able to sample were all nicely prepared with a sense of balance. Sipping on them put a big smile on my face.
I also love the dim candlelit lighting… Maybe not good for photo taking but great for a night cap… so easy on the drunk eyes.

First reviewed on 1÷12÷2012
All around favorite – great cocktails, awesome speakeasy-​like space and you’ve got voodoo right around the corner for drunken late night snack cravings.

For this cocktail connoisseur, ordering cocktails in an unknown bar presents a conundrum. WIthout some assurance of the level of craftsmanship at play, I become reluctant to order anything besides a basic gin and tonic or an unmixed drink. Central was one of two cocktail lounges (Teardrop being the other) that made it to my to-​go list after some research.
Our attempt to locate it was a bit amusing. On a short, pedestrian-​only cobblestone section of SW Ankeny between SW 2^nd and 3^rd Ave, it didn’t seem to be difficult to find, but we walked by its non-​descript entrance a few times, probably distracted by the overpowering smells of Voodoo Doughnut down the block. Finally coming to our senses and using the address, we found its dark, understated entrance, going past heavy black velvet curtains to enter. Inside is a lovely, deliberately worn space, high ceilings with wooden rafters, partial exposed brick walls, steel-​topped and sleek wood tables intermingled, and an elk head hanging from the wall. The small, brightly lit bar faces the dining room, its back to the entrance. Cozy, lit with candles and hanging, exposed bulbs, it feels like a hideaway; yes, speakeasy could describe it.
The bartender cheerfully greeted us and welcomed us to sit anywhere in the quiet, dining room. He is Eric, a ball of energy who never seemed to stop moving and a consummate bartender with both the ability to craft an excellent cocktail and interact with the customers, a great part of what elevated our experience here.
The cocktail menu is a mix of classics, creations from famous bartenders around the country (with no few from some of my NY favorites), as well as their own concepts. My Spike in Chatter kept me smiling most of the night; it was a lovely, balanced concoction with piquant pineapple notes, creamy texture from egg whites, and brought together by bitters ice cubes. My companions’ drinks featured different spirits but both were also well-​balanced and just delicious (one was the Maiden Oregon, a tongue-​in-​cheek name that stuck with me).
Central serves food as well but this visit was all about the cocktails. And this will be a must-​visit on any return to Portland. Top-​shelf cocktails.

Nice date nite with my man last night. We shared a bottle of Spanish rose, one of the better ones I’ve had lately, a salad and a couple of entrees. Everything was really nice. The service was friendly and attentive, but not smothering.
Watermelon salad– 5 stars. Perfectly ripe, cubed melon atop an heirloom tomato with chevre and a balsamic reduction. Very nice start, and perfect with the rose.
Partner had the gnocchi, minus the pancetta, with morels and shaved cheese (can’t remember the kind). I liked it, the gnocchi were pillowy and perfect, but there wasn’t much to the dish. Maybe omitting the pancetta took away the key component. There weren’t really any veggie options otherwise.
I couldn’t decide between the steak and burger, but the waitress sold me on the burger. It was delicious, with thick bacon, onion marmalade and lettuce, but it was SO MESSY. I don’t think I’ve had a messier meal since my last double double animal style. It was worth it though.
Want to head back for some of their cocktails, which is their specialty from what I can tell.

Central? Yes, please.
Definitely, yes.
Walk up the cordoned-​off section of Ankeny St. and past the tables of diners chowing down on bivalves from the Oyster House. Before you get to the café and Voodoo Donuts, there’s a glass window with a kitchen behind it — a dark doorway to the right with no signage, just a cardstock menu taped to the glass. This… is Central.
Wander into the gloom and you’re greeted by a high-​ceilinged space with a combination of brick walls, timber beams, damask wallpaper, and rough-​hewn wooden tables. The lighting is dim, supplied by suspended antique-​style bulbs in wire cages, their light suffusing everything with a candle-​like amber glow. Music plays on the sound system, loud enough to be heard clearly, but quiet enough to talk over.
Pull up an institutional surplus steel stool to the slightly chaotic-​looking bar, and marvel at the wonder of it. A rack of tinctures, extracts, and bitters in apothecary bottles with eyedroppers. Two walls of spirits, whiskys, and liqueurs. Absinthe fountains. Bail-​top jars filled with preserved and fresh fruits for garnishes and flavoring. Little bowls and jars of whole spices, ready to be pounded, grated, or ground as necessary.
Central is as close to an honest-​to-​god speakeasy you’re gonna see without some sort of connections and a password. They take their booze seriously here, preparing each drink with attention to detail and a thorough knowledge of all its ingredients. Ever see a bartender hand-​crush ice in a muslin bag with a club to make a drink? You will here.
Cocktails are served up in a collection of eclectic glassware, seemingly cadged from every thrift shop and antique store in town. Still, every one is portioned perfectly, prepared with utmost care, and served up graciously. Have a Negroni, a perfect rye Manhattan with Oregon cherry, a Fernet Branca and Limonata (awesome summer drink), a whiskey Old Fashioned. You can’t lose ordering from the $ 7 highball menu, either.
The food menu here is brief, but that little kitchen up front puts out some seriously good eats. Beautifully seasoned steak tartare with arugula and grilled croutons, a bacon-​wrapped footlong hot dog with kimchee topping, perfectly brined and pan-​roasted chicken breast, and a decadent salt-​caramel chocolate pot-​au-​crème.
So, take a break from the aging Portland hippies, the panhandling skater-​punks who are on their way to «somewhere», and the aimlessly wandering tweekers. Step through that unmarked door, past the black curtain, and into a drinker’s paradise.

***This review is for HH***
Central is a hidden gem in downtown Portland! Located down Ankeny Alley by VooDoo Doughnuts and areas where homeless are hanging out, you can simply walk past this tiny establishment! I came here for the alluring list of craft cocktails for happy hour (5−6pm) one lovely afternoon. The ambiance of Central is very cozy, rustic-​urban. Lots of wood and steel pieces, candles, and yes a moose head is part of their décor!
***DRANKS***
–Sidecar ($ 7) is a classic cocktail that they serve up strong! You won’t know you’re drinking alcohol, since it’s masked in wonderful flavors!
–Strawberry Daiquiri ($ 11) This is not your typical pre-​mixed concoction you’d find at your grocery store and just add rum! This stuff is made from scratch and flavors are totally different — bringing you to another level, you wouldn’t really know you’re actually drinking this strawberry daiquiri. So much better than the pre-​made commercialized ones! Not so slushy since it’s homemade. And what’s better — served by the bartender himself!
***GRUB***
–Fried Marcona Almonds ($ 1) are great to share for bar food!
–Rosemary Foccacia Bread + Black pepper & EVOO ($ 4) this is one not to pass up! Two large pieces of foccacia bread is quite delightful with the olive oil. It’s great to share!
–Arugula Salad + Manchego Cheese + Oranges + Beets ($ 5) was a very light and refreshing dish to our happy hour meal. Very simple and flavorful.
–Steak Tartare + Toasted Baguette + Frisee ($ 10) for four-​five pieces of delicious steak tartare, was pretty delightful.
–Chang Dog ($ 5) for a bacon wrapped hot dog + kim chi. This combo was very unusual, but surprisingly, all those flavors seemed to work well with each other! And that hot dog bun, very scrumptious as well!
Food was pretty good for our happy hour. But if you had to make me choose, the alcohol was more of a winner in my book!
Don’t be fooled by this tiny establishment! Central serves up awesome cocktails! If you’re looking for a chill place to hangout, nearby Chinatown’s club scene — I highly recommend checking out Central for craft cocktails!

Central is essentially a speak-​easy, but a restaurant and not just a bar. There’s no prominent street-​side sign. The dining and bar areas are both small, true to the speak-​easy ambiance. You come through a black curtain … basically you can’t see the restaurant from outside. Very cool!
Besides, it’s on a alley street to begin with. Ironically, it’s located across the alley from one of the most popular and well-​attended spots in Portland — Voodoo doughnuts. Which all makes it that much cooler to find this place and drop in, and then show your friends later.
There are two dining levels. The upper level is a nice spot for a private party or happy hour, but you have to make arrangements in advance. The bar is beautifully backlit, and has very few available seats!

Stupendously pretty.
Atmosphere: 5 (One of the most gorgeous places I’ve been)
Food: 4 (Spanish-​style food)
Price: 2 (A wee bit expensive, even at happy hour)
Service: 3 (good)
Sustainability: 2
Central is my new destination for downtown happy hour. It feels like a speakeasy sprung up in the 20s, and the atmosphere is very pretty. The food is delicious, albeit on the pricey side. A must-​try is the absinthe rootbeer. An unlikely marriage that ends very well.
The beautiful surroundings are inviting and make me want to move in. The long, copper-​top table and nice booths with a mezzanine level allow for big or small groups. Exposed brick behind the ample display of liquor makes this a fantastic destination.

How could this place be so empty on a Saturday night? We went around 6 pm and there were only a couple of other groups. The food is amazing, I had rabbit and Kale: spicy with just enough fattiness to create an unctuous, undeniably delicious meal. The cocktails are well crafted. And the ambience: delightfully rustic while still being authentic.
This is my new favorite place.

The Central — how did I not know about this great little bar? Enter: newb. With a trained eye, I gave the Central a once-​over, and was instantly intrigued by the loft with the school lockers. LOVE. Seats are set high at cozy tables, and the lighting is just right. Exposed brick walls with remnants of plaster and signs of businesses years-​gone-​by, the whole place has a «you’re now cool because you know this secret spot» kind of feel. The cocktails are good — I had a few of the absinthe /​rootbeer concoctions — and yes, it sounds weird, but no it’s not syrupy, it’s quite interesting. And also on the HH list.
For Happy Hour nibbles, they had some interesting choices, from which I selected the radishes with miso butter. Very tasty. Weird balance, though — butter had more volume than the radishes — totally disproportionate. Perhaps if they had paired it with some fresh bread. Had they, I’d have been face deep in it.
I will definitely be back. Very cozy and cush.

How neat is this little tucked away bar! Finally tried it out this last weekend and noted «Hmm…I’ve walked past this area a hundred times and would have never guessed this bar was here!» I suppose that’s the overall point of Central. Pleasent atmosphere with a neat upper loft. The place can’t be over 1,000 sq. feet if that. Nice candlelit wooden tabels adorn the small space.
I tried the Rita Hayworth and it was a fantastic little margarita-​esque drink. Also tried their Salmon Credo which was pretty tasty. If you’re feeling like trying out somewhere out-​of-​the-​norm from the typical Portland bars, I would certainly give Central a try. The staff was friendly (all 2 of them) and it was a nice change of pace and only a few people inside enjoying the lovely cocktails. Highly reccommend!

We came here 4^th of July weekend, and it wasn’t as cracking at all! We came here upon recommendation from a Portland local. We also looked up additional review on Unilocal,and our experience was not quite what we expected. Central would be a great place to go to for happy hour, with people you already know, since you’re confined to your own table. It’s not conducive to socializing with strangers. This doesn’t make it easy to mingle and meet new people.
The drinks are super strong! Per the waitresses recommendation, I ordered the strawberry daquiri and it was strong as hell! I took 1 — 2 sips and I already knew that I was not going to finish this drink. The drinks come in a small portion. To my surprise, the drink was strong and tasted like straight tequila! I didn’t know daiquiri was supposed to taste like tequila?
The good news: The waitress asked me whether or not I was satisfied with my drink. I was honest and told her no. She asked me if I wanted something else because she didn’t want me to not enjoy my drink. By that time, I was over it. She was nice to take the charge off our bill. Typically, I’m not picky when it comes to drinks. I’m actually quite simple, but this place just had complex mixtures. Sometimes, in my case, it’s best to just keep it simple.

I am a dark alley, dart into a clandestine, veiled-​doorway kind of girl.
I step deftly inside and make sure I am not being followed. Discretion is key. I ditch my trench coat and we cozy up to one of the coveted tables for a finely crafted cocktail. I am partial to the Purple Haze, an Absinthe based cocktail.
During one of my surreptitious stays here, I also enjoyed the salmon crêpes. Having lived and spent a lot of time in France, I appreciate good crêpes and these are pretty good.
I love the dimly lit décor and the big ‘ol Elk heads perched up on the wall. I love scoping out the other couples and wondering what kind of furtive meet-​ups I might be witnessing and of course, checking out the small, animated groups.
Of course after discreetly settling up, I am going to try and slip out the back, unobserved.

Cozy spot. right across from a restaurant I used to work at 30 years ago. so well versed with the whole alley vibe here.
Folks working there were extremely attentive and helpful. Got myself one of their special drinks called the Rose Quartz which had gin/​bitters/​rose/​some type of soda (not remembering that much detail on that part). It went down easy and mellow though.
Lovely ambience. no hurry feel to the place.
Turns out! I had my hair done here. sure enough it was a hair place prior to this. that’s sometimes the trouble of getting around too much me thinks.
My friend enjoyed her special drink as well… She ordered a crêpe to go.
It’s a little crêpe creepy when you look at their window and think, hey it’s a crêpe place. coz it’s not. all the way anyway.

PT Barnum approves.
I admit, I came here looking for a fight. I saw the reviews and smelled hype to kill. Boy, did I find it.
I feel a little bad, the servers were actually quite nice to us although we were clearly not the MBA and/​or trust fund French lit PhD (incomplete) d-​bags that can afford $ 9 cocktails all night.
This place is supposed to be all about fancy pants yummy cocktails, so when I get an egg white whisky sour with demerara (brown sugar to we unwashed masses) that tastes like most of the whisky sours I’ve ever had I come away disappointed.
Now, I’m gonna hip you all to a *fact* about the service industry. Mixing drinks is the EASIEST part of bartending. Having a forest of apothecary bottles full of hand made bitters isn’t «mixology», it’s fiddly bullshit. Dealing with customers (and waitresses) without overserving or getting violent (on either population) is where the bartending magic comes out.
We sat at a «table» that was a piece of wood C clamped to the rail of their balcony. With one of those disposable oil lamps that are supposed to go in a shot glass sitting on it sans glass. Too many failure points to count.
And there’s no food. No, crepes don’t count. Skinny pancakes and lunch meat can’t stand up to a place that pushes liquor.
The décor, what décor? Unfinished spaces are a design magazine conspiracy to minimize capital expenditures. Do SOMETHING with the walls, would ya?
And finally, speakeasies can’t have liquor licenses. It’s like a hippy with shaved armpits.

Without Don B, I would not have known about this slightly hidden, sweet (because of the creperie) smelling cocktail lounge. Sitting at the bar, sampling local gins between sips of my cocktail, I relished in the murmur of other cocktail lovers behind me, mesmerized by the incredibly full fan above my head and delighted by the easy conversation with our barman, Dan (who I hope is having an awesome time in Vancouver using the recommendations I wrote on a receipt for him).
The list of cocktails hits every mood and craving — from refreshing to aromatic to warm and fuzzy. And with a «side» car of a sweet crêpe, it was really tough to find it any fault — outside of the fact that I’ll have to wait a couple more months before my next visit!

A modern day speakeasy… shh, don’t tell anyone it’s here.
At first glance, a weird little crêpe shop. We’re in the know though, so we nod at the crêpe cook and begin to walk back. He gets all flustered and says «Hey you guys want a crêpe?»
We give him a puzzled look and he says «Do you know where you are?»
«Central.»
“Good, that’s the password… go on back.“
We went back and felt like the newest members of the cool kids’ clubhouse. The bartender, Lydia Reissmueller, was friendly and incredible… the cocktail menu is thoughtful and unique. And well priced, especially for the area and the atmosphere.
Reissmueller clearly knows her stuff. If there’s a cocktail you reserve only for bartenders that know what they’re doing, this would be the place to order it. Sitting at the bar watching her make drinks was truly a treat.
I had an off-​menu tequila punch that she had made using fresh oranges and lemons from her mom’s farm. It went down smooth and knocked me on my ass. Even the over-​sized ice cube in it was cool!
I can’t wait to let a cool friend in on this «secret». And that feeling is exactly how this place is building hype. Hey, it’s working.

Portland has a slick new cocktail lounge, and I’m digging every bit of it. Tucked away next to Valentine’s about half-​way down the Berbati’s alleyway, this sign-​less little back-​room bar offers up a warm, cozy ambiance, a «shhh… don’t tell» type of feel, and delicious cocktails. Oh, and they make crepes too!
The owner of Perierra Creperie opened a second location down here on this little alley (brilliant!) offering late night crepes to the drunken downtown crowd, and in the back he stashed a nifty little bar made with wood, metal, and some fairly uncomfortable school-​house style metal stools. It’s cute, hip, a little sexy, and has some great design features.
The space is small, with a main floor and a balcony/​mezzanine sitting over the back bathroom/​kitchen area. The high ceilings and ancient brick walls lend an «we just built this thing into an alley between 2 historic buildings» kind of vintage feel. A giant metal windmill fan hanging from the ceiling caps what otherwise would have been a cavernous expanse, and a huge taxidermied Elk bust adorns the wall. I still have yet to figure out what the connection between hip culture and taxidermied animal busts is, but whatever, I’ve come to accept it.
For finishing touches, the lighting hanging over the booths running down the west side are these cool steam-​punk style fixtures that offer a nice, glowing low light. The bathroom is fun, with an awesome wood counter-​top and fun photo découpage wall.
The bar itself is quite small, and manned (or should I say womanned?) by a heavy hitter from PDC in New York. Cute and unassuming, she exercises a relaxed control over her surroundings and obviously has easy command over the libations coming across the wooden bar top.
While I haven’t seen any sort of cocktail menu, I don’t need to. I showed up to a punch party and enjoyed some fantastic punch concoctions, and then provided her a flavor profile and asked her to «make me something good.» I got a superior Red Hook (a drink I love) made with Chartreuse that was incredibly balanced and had a long, deep complexity to it. Each of the components was distinguishable yet they played well off of each other from a nice whiskey front to a spicy, lingering aftertaste.
One drink and I’m sold. (Well, and the punch, of course.)
I fear that this place will quickly be overrun (and this review isn’t going to help) on the weekends with one heck of a hip-​kid party. Hopefully I’ll be able to sneak in during the off hours and let this incredible bar maven run me through her gamut of cocktails. While Portland has a nice burgeoning craft cocktail scene, additions like this really help us up our game.
Bravo.