Grade school turned hotel, restaurant and bar helps revive a neighborhood--and lots of childhood memories.
(971) 244-8233
5736 NE 33rd Ave
(Northeast Jessup Street)
Portland,
OR
97214
45.5641
-122.6307
Neighborhoods: Concordia, Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods
McMenamins Kennedy School
Hours:
Courtyard restaurant: Daily 7am-1am
Cypress Room: Mon-Fri 4pm-1:30am
Sat-Sun 12pm-1:30am
Last updated 4.30.09
What People Are Saying About McMenamins Kennedy School
The Owner
McMenamins Kennedy School
Owner
This historic 1915 elementary school, renovated in 1997 by McMenamins, is a Portland institution, featuring the city's most whimsical lodging and dining. They offer 35 classroom-turned-guestrooms (complete with original chalkboards and cloakrooms), an array of artwork, an outdoor soaking pool, the Courtyard Restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and a brewery (the girls' bathroom in its former life, pink tiles still intact) where handcrafted microbrews are made with care. Sip a fresh-juice cocktail in the cozy Honors Bar with the good kids or savor an aged whiskey and a cigar in the…
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short – Chalkboards and cloakrooms still are in place at this popular spot, as are child-level water fountains. The former auditorium houses a 300-seat movie theater where you can sip McMenamins beer and munch popcorn. Take your pick of bars. Detention Bar offers cigars, single malts and jazz. Honors Bar features juice cocktails and classical music. Cypress Room has outdoor seating while the restaurant overlooking a courtyard serves pub fare including blackened chicken breast sandwich and Portobello mushroom ravioli.
11/21/09
Same good food, same good vibe, one unique location
by CherlNKeith at Citysearch
If you know McMenamins, then you don't need to read about their menu, though there are some nice additions to it here. What I love is the unique atmosphere. The downstairs boiler room pub is just too cool. Once again they did a great job of converting a very mundane part of an old building into a special room The main floor courtyard is wonderful on any evening it isn't raining. Worth a trip.
- Pros: Seasonal beers done right
- Cons: Distance from my home!
10/16/09
funky bar/restaurant
by meta218 at Citysearch
I'm fron Southern California, and it's been difficult finding good eats in Beaverton. I went out to this restaurant/bar/movie theater and was pleasantly surprised! After we got through the long wait, Friday night, ended up ordering dinner from the bar, and having it delivered to us at their theater located in the same building (you can imagine how big this place must be). I even had wine while I was having dinner. Not the coziest seating, but definitely different from California. Love it! Can't wait to take my friends who'll visit soon.
- Pros: movie theater and restaurant all in one
- Cons: crowded on weekends
07/21/09
Come On In and Wait For Awhile!
by Oregonjaybird at Citysearch
If you pop on in to the Boiler Room on any given Friday or Saturday night be sure to bring a patio lounger! I swear to God and all creation, McMenamins must mean "neat places with horrible staffing and boring food" in the Irish dictionary. This place is not only under-staffed, but the help they do have seems more interested in their second-hand-store fashion than getting things out quickly with a smile.
And for the record, the french fries at ANY McMenanmins are the most horrible tasting potato products you will ever put in your mouth. The fascinating thing is that they've always been that way. Always. And the rest of the food is so sub-par as to be considered filler. Surely a public taste-test would reveal what everyone already knows: that no one goes to McMenamins for the food.
People go to McMenamins because they either want to show an out-of-towner "how cool" it is, or because their establishments are usually crowed and so want to feel their group is part of something bigger going on.
Come for the beer and decor, but do not expect more.
- Pros: Decent Beer, Neat Building
- Cons: Long Waits, Lackluster Food
The Details on McMenamins Kennedy School
Happy Hour:
Monday through Friday, food specials run 3pm-5pm; drink specials run 4pm-6pm.
The Extras:
An overnight stay in one of the B&B rooms (former classrooms) includes admission to the movie, use of the outdoor soaking pool and breakfast the next day.
When to Go:
Musicians perform in the gymnasium Thursdays, 7pm-10pm. Admission is free. Check the website for the schedule.
Where to Sit:
Smoking is allowed at the Detention Bar and the Cyprus Room.
Message from McMenamins Kennedy School
- Classrooms-turned-guestrooms
- Honors and Detention Bars
- Free Wifi for laptop users
This historic 1915 elementary school, renovated in 1997 by McMenamins, is a Portland institution, featuring the city's most whimsical lodging and dining. They offer 35 classroom-turned-guestrooms (complete with original chalkboards and cloakrooms), an array of artwork, an outdoor soaking pool, the Courtyard Restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and a brewery (the girls' bathroom in its former life, pink tiles still intact) where handcrafted microbrews are made with care. Sip a fresh-juice cocktail in the cozy Honors Bar with the good kids or savor an aged whiskey and a cigar in the Detention Bar with the wild ones while you take advantage of their free WiFi. The Cypress Room, one of Portland's most popular spots, also features a full bar. And don't miss the theaterpub, voted one of the Top Ten Places to See a Movie by Entertainment Weekly.
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