Cheerful Bullpen

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fionamber

Joined 2 years ago

I wish I could get more than 1 drink. Great location.

Good priced and good tasting food.

Poor service:(

I have gone there only twice and the first time I thought maybe it was a fluke. The second time I thought I was just ignored.

You will get 1 drink promptly but after that, you have to flag someone down, even if they arent busy.

Sad because the place has potential.

I will be going there tonight after work, at the request of a friend, we'll see if its any different on a weekday.

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Irish Critic

Joined 2 years ago

Nice place for a cold beer and a hot nacho!. So, I've been to this place a couple of times now (which means, yes, I would go back again). It's situated just off a Max Line stop and right opposite PGE park, which means it's handy to get to, and will no doubt be packed after any Timbers Matches.

Beers are cold and tasty with a good selection on Tap. Food is pretty good, glad to see that on a Nacho, they use REAL cheese as opposed to horrible cheese sauce. Other stuff like chicken strips and burgers are pretty tasty too.

Staff are great and very friendly however, when this place gets busy, you will find yourself having to catch the attention of the staff to get served. Not their fault, just a lot of customers for the staff on busy nights.

However on the downside, the toilets are pretty small (1 stall, 1 urinal), so if it's busy, be prepared to queue!

One of the better and more friendly places to visit in D/T Portland and I really do look forward to going back and having another few pints there. Fully and highly recommend it!

Doesn't Recommend

Nick Borders

Joined 3 years ago

Was once one of the best secrets in town. This spot, before the Cheerful Tortoise bought the place, was the best kept secret in town. The staff was friendly and the food was excellent... well excellent for bar food.

Granted it was a bit of a dive. But I like a good dive now and then.

Under the new owners, they expanded the kitchen and added like 50 TVs in the small place. The Patio, which felt like someone's urban back yard, now feels caged in since adding a fence on the outside wall. The trees provide welcome shade in the summer.

The staff seem helpful enough. I have never had problems with them. I do, however, miss the old staff. They were personal and made me feel comfortable.

We would mostly visit the old Bullpen before or after a soccer or baseball game. Now it is very rarely. It just isn't as welcoming any more. It feels like it is trying to get more of the folks from The Mac and not the average Joe who want to hook-up with their friends after work and before a game.

<sniff>

Doesn't Recommend

momKPR

Joined 5 years ago

please pay attention to your customers. We have been patrons of the Bullpen since the ownership change. Overall we have had good experiences although when sports are on and the bar is active the service falls apart. Three times in the last 60 days we have stopped on our way to a sporting event for a quick drink before and have been completely ignored. This is quite curious because we are certainly not strangers to the place. We gave them three separate occasions at different times of the day. SORRY girls, there are too many bars in the area for this to be OK. The food is great if you have the time.

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jerdavid

Joined 7 years ago

Poor caleb33. From caleb33:

Walked in to watch Boston vs. Yankees. Place had 2- 25" tv's. I finally walked out after sitting for 10 minutes with the other 5 people in the place and not being asked what I wanted to drink. Bullpen was a sorry excuse for a sport's bar.

You can't even spell "sports bar!" No wonder no one talked to you!

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Sports fans and old-timers chat it up at this low-key sports bar, right by PGE Park.. In Short
A tiny, somewhat ramshackle storefront hides a long, comfortable room and an expansive, shady back patio. Regulars knock back cans of watery domestics, while a younger crowd files in before and after games at PGE Park just across the street. The menu offers burgers and sandwiches, like the roasted turkey, but the staff lays proud claim to the Mac Dog, a polish sausage with a choice of mustard, sauerkraut, chili and other dressings.

Doesn't Recommend

caleb33

Joined 10 years ago

Sports bar. Walked in to watch Boston vs. Yankees. Place had 2- 25" tv's. I finally walked out after sitting for 10 minutes with the other 5 people in the place and not being asked what I wanted to drink. Bullpen was a sorry excuse for a sport's bar.

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agent_orange

Joined 11 years ago

Good neighborhood dive bar. The editorial review states that this is good location for bar hoppers looking for a late bite to eat, but I disagree. Our group strolled in around 11PM on a Friday night looking for late-nite eats only to find the kitchen had just closed. The cheap beers helped us to forget our disappointment though. This is a good stop if you're looking for one last beer on your way home. This place is definitely a dive bar complete with video poker, pool tables, a pinball machine, and of course the local regulars. The Bullpen is very close to PGE and the MAX line so I'm looking forward to checking this place out during baseball season.

I'm giving the food rating a 1, but only because the kitchen was closed.