Thatch

I had a really great time at Thatch. I was working in Portland and made a special trip. It was POURING rain and I enjoyed watching the deluge while enjoying my drink. Letting my mind wander, I was able to transport myself to a fantastic island paradise and let the day just melt away.

I love love love me some Thatch! I go as much as I possibly can. Angi is the best bartender! She always makes my drinks perfect! It just makes me so happy every time I go it there!

Tiki Kupcake took me there when I came to visit and I loved it!
Great decor, friendly staff--from what I hear the drinks are great (I was pregnant when I went), so a trip back is in the works!

I walked in the door the week the place opened. I promptly declared that I was never leaving. True to form, the only times I've missed a week there were due to work travel, or HamThrax.

Thatch captures that which makes Polynesian Pop so great. The decor is original and culled from classic tiki bars. The drinks are spot on, and the people that staff and own the place, make it as awesome as it is.

Show up on a Friday night, you'll most likely find me there. I cant ever move away from Portland. No other place has this place, and Thatch would always pull me back in the end. If you have the opportunity to stop by, you absolutely should.

We made a point of visiting Thatch on a recent trip to Portland, and were not disappointed ... it's a tikiphile's treasure - not a big place, but the attention to detail in the decor is truly outstanding: gorgeous overhead lamps made of real (dead) blowfish, lovely large carved tikis, black velvet paintings of mysterious-looking island scenes (and one of the late Michael Jackson) ... I could go on and on. They even had bamboo coverings for the A.C. vents. And I'd be remiss if I didn't note the bathroom, which had a greater level of tikiness than just about any bathroom I've seen.

The cocktail menu was equally impressive - not the largest I've ever seen, but large enough, and chosen with care ... heavy on classic recipes from the '30s and '40s (with interesting descriptions of where the drinks came from, who invented them, etc.) executed to perfection, and served STRONG. I picked up a beautiful tiki mug with my drink, modeled after one of the statues behind the sunken bar.

We were there on a weeknight in the summertime, so the vibe may have been more low-key than usual, but it was a pleasure to spend 3-4 hours just hanging out ... the place exudes tikiness - an appropriate level of darkness with warm, fire-like lighting, the service was friendly but unhurried, and the other patrons were quiet and respectful. Portlanders, count your blessings - Thatch is a real gem and I look forward to my next visit, whenever that might be.

I spent my weekend in Portland with my friends. And they took me to the tropical paradise. I had a great time there. The drinks are fantastic. Look forward to getting back there.

Thatch, screw the fire chief and bring back your THATCH! Well, risky ceiling decorations or not, be sure to enjoy a pupu platter, nuts or spicy Asian snack mix with your drinks, all while enjoying the superb velvet painting collection, of course! If the owner's behind the bar be sure to order their volcano (or was it scorpion?) bowl (whichever has the flames), since he tends to ham-up the delivery in a delightful way. Also, ask your server about the baby-eaters. One last point about this bar - they have consistently stellar music selections, filled to the brim with Martin Deny, Les Baxter and the occasional Esquivel number.

Note: On second thought, I think that guy was just the bartender, not the owner.

Just a quick follow-up note ... I was excited to get back to Thatch on a trip to Portland in the fall, but found myself wondering if I'd overrated it after my first visit. I shouldn't have worried: it's simply superb, even better the second time around. Get a couple of adventurous friends to go with you and drink a delicious Volcano Bowl. Surroundings are still exquisite, service is good, drinks are consistently outstanding. Sorry to report that the Michael Jackson painting seems to have disappeared, though.

I loved this place! I honestly felt like I was in tiki heaven! Before i write my critiki, i would like to say that i went early on a monday night, so the experience on a busier night might not be as specatacular. With that being said ...
It's kind of in an obscure part of town from other Portland booze attractions, which would be my only critiki. The drinks were well balanced and yummy, perfect. The decor was really exceptional. My favorite being the many multi colored blowfish lamps. But what really made the experience was the pupu platter. It was a lot to share with two people, so I was so full! There was a great balance of fried food to grilled meats and several dipping sauces.
I would have to say this is my all time favorite tiki bar so far.

Wanted to mention that Thatch has closed, to be re-opened in Fall 2012 as Hale Pele.

http://halepele.com/pressrelease.html