The Alibi Restaurant and Lounge

09/01/2008 Posted by alyssatinling

The bar has a fun tiki theme and the karaoke 7 days a week is always a blast. But the service is always a bit slow and the drinks are a bit overpriced. Fun place to have a party though.

08/28/2008 Posted by nobsts

I can’t vouch for their food but this was a cool place to Karaoke! You can’t miss their sign right off Interstate as the sign reminds me of something I’d see in Reno. Entering here, you see the bar and off to the right booths to sit in with that cheesy red leather type look to it from the 70’s. A Happy Days feel. Then towards the back it turns into a Tiki Lounge setting. They have a TON of phat songs to choose from. This place was real busy on Friday night. We put our song request in around 11pm and it took about 20 songs for ours to be called. So get your song in early and often. Fun place! They do allow smoking, however.

08/14/2008 Posted by stonehill

Went to the Alibi a couple of weeks ago for a bachelorette party and even though it was packed, we managed to grab a booth in the back for all 10 of us. Unfortunately we were told there were 40 people ahead of us for karaoke already. A few of us put songs up plus the requisite $1 each (which I only think you should have to pay when you actually sing a song) including the bride. The KJ was very nice and after slipping her a fiver, she said she would make sure the bride-to-be sang, which she did after not too long. We were also told we could only order 3 items from the menu since we got there a bit after midnight and the kitchen was closed. We ended up ordering all three items including chips and salsa, which was good, hummus with pita, which was also good, and the macaroni and cheese, which was totally AWESOME! It was made with pepperjack and other cheeses and it was honestly the best I have ever had! Our server was SO nice (I can't remember his name but he was young and cute and probably new) and he was very attentive to our needs. He wasn't rude or stressed out even though it was so packed and we had a big party. Overall, I really liked the Alibi, although I would recommend getting there early in the evening if you want to sing or eat. I also probably wouldn't recommend it for a bachelorette party, although a birthday party would probably be fun there. Oh yeah, their bathrooms do indeed need improvement (maybe they will be expanded in the future?), but didn't quite keep me from wanting to go back.

Pros: Friendly waitstaff, awesome mac n cheese

Cons: Bathrooms, karaoke wait time

05/17/2008 Posted by Monamuffins

The atmosphere is really chill and the crowd is really into the karaoke there. The drinks are weak and the list for singing is really long.....expect to wait about an hour before your name is called.

05/11/2008 Posted by Tracy80

I've been to the Alibi a few times, and each visit has been a memorable experience. The decor is unbeatable, the staff is friendly, and on weekends it's packed with excited karaoke fans and singers. However, this fun joint has some major flaws. It is large establishment with a sizable karaoke lounge and a sprawling dining area and bar, yet there is only one women's restroom--a sad, single-stall job consistently in disrepair (clogged toilet, broken lock, missing lock, missing DOOR, etc.). Although the staff is upbeat and hardworking, there are clearly not enough servers working on weekends. The wait staff is spread thin and service is slow, so prepare to order two of your favorite drinks at a time. And while you're at it, plan to keep downing the drinks all night long. Although this place is fun when you're appropriately boozy, the thrill wears off big time when sobriety hits. On weekends the Alibi is crowded, dirty, smokey, and home to the absolute worst karaoke crooners I've ever heard, all of which can be a real treat....if you're dunk. A few final pros: The Cesar salad is great, and you can buy a bucket of Landsharks for $12.

04/28/2008 Posted by kapuanani01

I don't ever want to see this place in the light of day. I want my Alibi dark, loud, and seen through drunken eyes. I have so many great memories of this place, I can only praise it. It's Portland's original tiki bar with little pretention (hipsters have been known to frequent it), cheap watery drinks, awesome decor, karaoke (sometimes too many people though) all packaged under the best neon sign this side of the 45th parallel. The food? Don't eat here unless you have the munchies and are craving something unhealthy and fried covered in bright red sweet and sour sauce. Yuppies and families avoided it, hipsters have loved it. But over the years, it still maintains this blue collar familial feeling, dirt and all.

Pros: Best sign, great atmosphere if you are into it

Cons: Often too crowded with karaoke people

04/03/2008 Posted by HansenB

My spouse and I tried the Alibi for a weekday lunch. Found the drinks watery and the food mostly breaded and fried.

Pros: Free parking, unique tiki decor

Cons: Heavy food, lite drinks

02/14/2008 Posted by lindejos

I had a great time here twice. Hard to get a cab after hours though and the whole "pay for karaoke" situation was just about unacceptable. Several situations to experience, near bar, far from bar, back hall...a nice diversity. The crowd was eclectic: hippies, slackers, frat-crowd (but not to unbearable), our aging parental generation...all good folks. I gave it a four because of pay per play karaoke...not "kewl." All in all a favorable experience.

Pros: Eclectic crowd, fun drink menu, tasty poopoos

Cons: Pay per play Karaoke?

01/12/2008 Posted by swervygirl

Where's Reed? They said he left?? No!!! We love to sit at the bar and just watch him work because he is one of the BEST bartenders in our fair town, I've never seen a server/bartender have so much fun and work as hard as this guy. Portland's bartenders are generally hum drum and too busy talking to pour a drink but The Alibi's bartender is a hidden gem. We love you Reed!! The other bartenders are good, too, it's a show every night so we have to say that this is one of our favorite places in town.

Pros: Reed

Cons: A bit out of the way

06/24/2007 Posted by rl106

People were having fun and the atmosphere is very funky-tiki bar decor. The music is great (lots of 80s songs I used to dance to in clubs) and the seating was great. Lots of room in this place. The service was great-our server was very attentive and helpful. The drinks were fine, a little too sweet for my taste, but the Maitai was decent. The food should be avoided; it's all heavy, breaded, deep-fried fat. The salad was nothing but ice burg lettuce coated in dressing. However, my friends and I did enjoy our drinks and sang along to the music. It's a fun place with lots of people enjoying themselves. The parking lot was great and we had no trouble finding a spot. The biggest complaint I have is the bathroom-it's horrible. The women’s' bathroom has one toilet in a closet-sized area with no proper stall door (two swinging disconnected doors that don't shut and the gap between the doors prevents any privacy).

Pros: Service, music, parking, drink list, drink prices

Cons: tiny bathroom not good in a bar, food is horrible