02/14/08

Best Country Bar in Portland!

by ElizabethBoyer

Duke's has to be one of the best - and only fun country bars around. There is a great mix of people - from "cowboys" with their belt buckles to your typical city folk just out to have a good time. I have found that most people at Duke's are just out to have a good time and are down to earth, easy going and FUN! I have always had a great/fun experience everytime I have been to Duke's. Not to mention they have a big dance floor, pool tables, two bars and lots of places to sit. So there is always something to do for any type of person - whether you like to dance or just sit in the bar and have a beer. The staff is generally pretty nice and upbeat. They play all types of country and some other types of rock. It's always a good time at Duke's! They drinks seem to be reasonably priced and pretty strong for the most part. I would recommend this bar to anyone looking to have a good time at a place that's super upbeat and just a lot of fun!

• Pros: Fun atmosphere - great people!
• Cons: None

10/16/07

Terrible service, Watered down drinks and RUDE, rude staff

by thewickedreviewers

I've held off writting this review, but we've been there three times now, and it seems that with each experience the place seems to be getting worse, rather than better. Our waitress was so cold, very unfriendly and acted like we were a bother to her. It took over an hour and a half to get the burgers we ordered, and almost as long to get our watered down drinks. The girl at the front desk was the only sweet, professional staff member we noticed all nite, last Sat night (10/13/07).

Honestly it was HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT... DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY, SOOOO NOT WORTH IT. Too bad Bushwhackers is so far away from us... at least that place knows how to treat their customers right. We're done, we give up on this dump.

• Pros: Only pro for us is that it's close to home.
• Cons: Horrendeous service, watered down, spendy drinks

10/12/07

Doesn't belong in Portland

by mchoa

You walk into this place and you think you've left Oregon and entered Montana. I just don't think a place like this fits the typical Portland scene. I went there the other night and it seems like everybody is around 40 years old, wears a cowboy hat, a giant belt buckle, plaid, flannel shirts and cowboy boots, not to mention the too tight jeans on too big of men. Gross. And they charge cover! It's Portland for God's sake, who charges cover besides night clubs (which I would never classify this place as), a few uppity bars and bars when they have live bands performing. But honestly, charging any amount of money to get into a bar JUST to sit down and buy a few drinks when there is no live music is RIDICULOUS!

I like to drink cocktails, not beer. So going to a place like Duke's (or any place that advertises themselves as a cowboy bar) isn't the right place if you don't like to drink beer. I was so disappointed by my first impression that I didn't stay long enough to pay the cover or buy any drinks. It's just one of those places that you know can't mix a good cocktail and their "special" beer of the night is some American made beer that tastes like pisss water. You know, Bud Light, Coors, PBR.... Not the type of place you go if you want to be seen.

• Pros: Not crowded
• Cons: Pretty much everything else.

Editorial Review

by Contributor

This country bar offers line dancing, mechanical bull rides and all manner of cowboy fun in east Portland.

01/10/06

country or what?

by solocg

It used to be nice when it was a country bar but they are trying way to hard to please a broad rang of people and it dosn't work it's a shame really dancing sucks but service and drinks can't complain there dose get crowded but what hoppin place doesn't just wish they would make up there mind and stick with it country or what? It is however party centeral

• Pros: good drinks and food, good service, fun party atmosphere
• Cons: crowded, no dancing room

06/16/05

Live Music needed!!!

by mrainwater

Dukes is a cool place...I used to go there back when it was The Drum. I gotta say...this place needs to cancel the DJ crap and start getting live country music bands again, like the old days. It's the ONLY reason I won't be back on a regular basis. The food was good, as were the drinks, but I can listen to CD's at home...I NEED LIVE MUSIC! There are a few country bands around that can do the job...One is Blue Moon Highway, there are some others. But this place NEEDS live music on a regular basis. Just my opinion.

10/06/04

Party Bar

by joe_smith123456

I was in Duke's last weekend and couldn't believe the talent of the crowd! It was packed. Music was good and no shortage of dance partners. The cocktailers were friendly and service was good for as busy as they were. A little wait for a drink but worth it because two of the hot female bartenders were dancing on the bar. It's great having such a huge dance bar closer to my house and away from the hassle of downtown.

• Pros: High energy, Crowded, Good service

09/13/04

Down Home Fun!!

by partyboy5

I have been to Duke's on a weekend, Thursday's (Ladies Night) and for football on Sunday afternoon. Everytime I go I have a blast. The security guys are friendly and helpful and the bar/waitstaff are smoking hot. The new management that they put in there is friendly and is willing to chat it up with everyone. The other "country" bars in this area like Bushwackers and Dodge City don't hold a candle to Duke's. Oh, on more thing...THEY HAVE A MECHANICAL BULL!!

• Pros: Beautiful Women, Lots of Parking, Great Music

08/24/04

It tries....

by mdawnhart

It seems that Duke's wants to be a dance club on the same level as Bushwhackers in Tualatin, but it just doesn't know how to get there. It does pull a large crowd, but with such a small dance floor, it's hard to do any actual country dancing. Add to that the fact the patrons seem not to be familiar with country dance floor etiquette and the DJ doesn't seem to understand what songs can be danced to (much less does he understand that he actually needs to stay in the DJ booth!), and it's a frustrating atmosphere for those who like country dancing. Hopefully, with time, Duke's will straighten out these kinks.

• Pros: Parking, Inexpensive, Sports bar
• Cons: , crowded, smoky

01/24/04

Great LIVE MUSIC, Great bar!!

by debutante8

Duke's is a great bar---it has everything. We have been the last two weekends to watch the band KILLINGWORTH--they are AWESOME!!

Yummy drinks + pool, foos ball, etc...

Large enough that it's not overly smoky.

Cool hangout!!

• Pros: LIVE MUSIC, Lots of Seating, Great drinks!