Widmer Brewery

My first trip here after living in Portland for almost two years, so this was way overdue. An obvious Portland staple, the restaurant is large and inviting. A huge dining room with wooden booths that line the large windows, a full bar and corresponding seating area, as well as another dining room to the right of the bar (so I hear, I didn’t walk through to that area). It was packed on a late Saturday afternoon with all types of people/groups, and had a lively vibe. We grabbed a little table in the bar area and ordered beers (they offer glass and pint sizes, which I appreciate), the Drop Top Amber Ale and the X114 IPA. One of the best parts about drinking direct from the brewery is that they serve select beers that you can’t buy in stores, such as the X114 IPA. I love the Drop Top Amber Ale, heavier than a pale ale but not as tough as an IPA. The X114 IPA was strong but smooth, and as regular IPA drinker, Armando thoroughly enjoyed it.

We ordered a pretzel to snack on, and unfortunately it looked and tasted like a pretzel you get at a fair or a cheap movie theatre, total bummer. I will say that the stone ground mustard was delicious…served with a bratwurst this would be perfect.

No specials on drinks/food on Saturdays, which was a tad surprising considering there are deals every other day of the week. This is Portland’s Widmer after all – give us a break eh? All in all, I would say this is the quintessential place to take out of town guests for a taste of Portland, or a good place to grad a drink on the way to a Blazers game.

*Jayne