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Brix Tavern

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Coordinates: 45°31′38″N 122°41′05″W / 45.527087°N 122.684856°W / 45.527087; -122.684856
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Brix Tavern
A brown square, with the word "Brix" in capital letters, powdered with brown dusts. The text "Tavern" in capital letters and smaller size below
A classic, brown-themed, two-story building, with a sign reading "BRIX" at the top of the entrance
The restaurant's front exterior in 2020
Map
Brix Tavern is located in Portland, Oregon
Brix Tavern
Location within Portland, Oregon
Restaurant information
EstablishedApril 22, 2011 (2011-04-22)
Owner(s)Urban Restaurant Group
Food type
Street address1338 Northwest Hoyt Street
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97209
Coordinates45°31′38″N 122°41′05″W / 45.527087°N 122.684856°W / 45.527087; -122.684856
Seating capacity150
Websitebrixtavern.com

Brix Tavern is a restaurant serving American cuisine in Portland, Oregon's Pearl District, in the United States. The 150-seat restaurant was opened by Urban Restaurant Group in April 2011, offering a menu with wood-fired pizzas, rotisserie means, and other comfort foods. Brix has hosted and participated in a variety of special events, and has received a generally positive reception, with compliments most often given for happy hour menu options.

Description

Brix Tavern is a 150-seat restaurant serving American cuisine in downtown Portland's Pearl District.[1] Portland Monthly describes Brix as a New American restaurant and the Pearl District's "game-time go-to", with 30 craft beers on top, 20 television screens, a billiard table, two dart boards, and a happy hour menu available for six hours each day.[2] Erin DeJesus of Eater Portland considers Brix a lounge and sports bar.[3] Snooker was available for free, as of 2015.[4]

Menu

One restaurant guide has described Brix as a "warm, contemporary" restaurant and bar serving "a unique collection of enduring American comfort food and cocktails enhanced with only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients".[5] The menu focuses on wood-fired pizzas and rotisserie meats,[3] but has offered a variety of options, including whole chicken or grilled beef platters with four sauces (including béarnaise), prime rib, fried chicken, roasted halibut,[6] and truffled macaroni and cheese.[7] The brunch menu, available on weekends, offers a "slight Southern twist" and includes chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy with maple sausage, Eggs Benedict, shrimp and grits, mimosas, and complimentary cinnamon sugar doughnuts drizzled with chocolate and raspberry.[8][9]

The dessert menu has included a Heath bar brownie, crème brûlée, and a blackberry buttermilk pie.[6] The happy hour menu included calamari, Pizza Margherita, and seared yellowfin tuna with avocado, corn, tomato, and wasabi mayonnaise, as well as the "kicky" Brix Mule with bourbon or vodka, as of 2019.[10] Other drinks on the happy hour menu have included the Huckleberry Gimlet with huckleberry vodka and blackberry syrup, the Backyard Margarita with muddled Oregon berries, and the Red Neck Iced Tea with bourbon whiskey.[6]

In 2013, David Sarasohn of The Oregonian said, "Brix finds other ways to keep the happiness flowing outside designated hours, too. On Thursdays it offers a three-course meal plus cocktail for $30, and every night features a surprise $3 brown bag canned beer special."[6] Brix offered half price on bottles of wine on Thursdays, as of 2016.[11]

History

Brix opened on April 22, 2011,[3] in the space previously occupied by Italian-Mediterranean restaurant Olea. Urban Restaurants, Inc. had applied for Brix's liquor license by November 2010.[1] Brix's "sister restaurants" within Urban Restaurant Group include Bartini, Carlita's, Swank & Swine, and Urban Fondue, as of 2017.[12][13] In 2018,[14] Brix was featured on the second episode ("Winner Winner Free Dinner") of the first season of the Food Network's Big Bargain Eats.[15]

Events

The exterior of a restaurant with a designated outdoor seating area in the street.
The restaurant's exterior with a designated outdoor seating area during the COVID-19 pandemic

Brix has hosted and participated in a variety of special events. In 2016, the restaurant hosted a "Beer – Barbecue – Bourbon Buffet" featuring barbecue alongside beers by Ninkasi and bourbon whiskey by Elijah Craig.[16] The 2017 "Whiskey Wash" invited local distilleries to pair whiskeys with Brix's "sweet-bourbon" rotisserie pork leg.[17] For Thanksgiving in 2017, the restaurant served a four-course dinner with roast turkey.[18] Brix has participated in Portland Mercury's Highball (featuring crafted cocktails),[19] Burger Week, and Nacho Week events. For Burger Week in 2017 and 2019, Brix offered a burger called "The Norm" with sirloin steak, smoked Tillamook cheddar fondue, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, caramelized onions, and sauce, for $5.[20][21] For Nacho Week in 2019, Brix offered the "Brix Chips" with braised roasted pork shoulder, Swiss cheese fondue, grilled tomato salsa, cilantro cream, and tortilla chips,[22] for $5 as well.[23] For a Super Bowl viewing party in 2020, Brix served Buffalo wings, barbecue pork ribs, mini corn dogs, "lil smokies", mozzarella sticks, tater tots, and "tachos" (nachos in the form of chips and tater tots).[24]

Reception

In 2013, The Oregonian's David Sarasohn gave a 'B–' rating to Brix, which he described as "almost a permanent party" and a "boisterous celebration" because of the seemingly constant happy hour, writing, "On a good evening, you can hear Brix Tavern down the street, and possibly across I-405."[6] He recommended the rotisserie chicken tacos, the prime rib, and Heath bar brownie. Sarasohn also complimented the shrimp on polenta for "manag[ing] to retain their freshness and sweetness", but found the beef platter "inconsistent" and did not prefer the fried chicken or pizza.[25] He opined, "Food at Brix is ample if inconsistent, and at some times the prices can be particularly inviting."[6] In her 2017 search for the best local wood-fired pizza, The Oregonian's Samantha Bakall wrote:

Somewhere, Brix went wrong with their "brick oven fired" pizza. The margherita that hit the table almost seemed slid out of frozen pizza box, with no char at all, save for a few spots on the bottom of the floury, cracker-like dough. But, buried under a heavy hand of both shredded and blobs of mozzarella was a very tasty, almost meaty roasted tomato sauce. We just can't get past the flavorless and chalky crust.[26]

In her 2014 food guide of Portland, Laurie Wolf wrote, "This is good American comfort food, with standout dishes including anything cooked on the rotisserie. The pizzas are good and the prime rib Cobb salad is hearty and different. I am a sucker for truffle anything, and their truffled mac and cheese is crusty and comforting... The rib eye is cooked well and the shared trio of beef platter is a great idea, very well executed."[7] Willamette Week's Matthew Korfhage said Brix has the city's "weirdest drink specials" in 2015.[4] Brix placed third in the "Night Light Lounge" and "Best Mimosa" categories in 2016 and 2017 readers' polls, respectively.[27][28]

Exterior view of the entrance to the restaurant, along with signs with the text "Brix" and "Brix Tavern"
Front entrance, 2020

In a 2017 overview of brunch destinations for visiting families or children, the Portland Mercury said: "Bustling tourists surround the charming street-side tables in the Pearl, and their spacious, exposed brick dining room would be ideal for any stylish, slightly judgmental aunts who happen to be visiting Portland."[8] In his 2017 and 2019 happy hour reviews, Wm. Steven Humphrey called Brix a "great pit stop after work", "slightly rambunctious, and with the possibility of live jazz". He said the "lengthy" happy hour menu complements Brix's "already lively" and "inviting" atmosphere, and features "inventive and unrelentingly fresh" cocktails. He recommended the seared tuna.[10][29] In 2020, the paper's Jenni Moore recommended the shrimp and grits and mimosas, writing:

While I typically visit this Pearl District for their all-night happy hour on Sunday and Monday, Brix Tavern appears to be one of the few remaining places in Portland offering refillable mimosas as part of a stellar brunch experience. So it should come as no surprise that it's also the type of place where reservations (yes, for brunch) are recommended. Especially during high sportsball season, when everyone and their whole family intends to catch a game on one of Brix Tavern's multiple flatscreens.[9]

Thrillist said, "Brix cracked our list of Favorite 5 Sports Bars due to its rarified Pearl [District] atmosphere, which allows you to knock back rotisserie meats and brick oven-fired pizzas at fancy table-clothed four-tops and still scream at the games playing on their many, many flatscreens, all before holding it down at the pool table or on arcade games like Buck Hunter."[30] Zagat gives Brix ratings of 4.3 for food, 4.4 for decor, and 4.4 for service, each on a scale of 5. The guide said, "This Pearl District find leads a double life as a classy modern restaurant with a well-executed menu of American comfort favorites and also as a large TV- and game-filled bar; service is friendly, prices are generally low and insiders suggest brew fans get the surprise beer in a paper bag (bartender's choice)".[31]

References

  1. ^ a b DeJesus, Erin. "Brix Tavern in Olea; Jonny Ericsen at Little Bird; Whiskey Soda Lounge Adds Happy Hour". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on June 24, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  2. ^ "Brix Tavern". Portland Monthly. ISSN 1546-2765. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c DeJesus, Erin (April 22, 2011). "Inside the Pearl's New Sports Bar, Brix Tavern, Open Today". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Korfhage, Matthew (March 17, 2015). "Cheap Life: Free Pool..." Willamette Week. Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  5. ^ Where to Eat Guide Portland – Spring Issue 2014: Dining Guide, Portland, Oregon, Restaurant Guide. Where to Eat Guide & Associates. 2014. p. 54. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Sarasohn, David (August 1, 2013). "Brix Tavern: Close your eyes, open your mouth". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Wolf, Laurie (January 14, 2014). Food Lovers' Guide to Portland, Oregon: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 100. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Finding the Perfect Brunch for You: Visiting Families or Kids". Portland Mercury. July 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Moore, Jenni (March 12, 2020). "Basically Bottomless: Five Brunch Spots with an Everflowing Array of Mimosas". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Humphrey, Wm. Steven (March 28, 2019). "100 Portland Happy Hours: Northwest". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  11. ^ Korfhage, Matthew (September 21, 2016). "Ridiculously Cheap Thursday Food and Drink Deals in Portland". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  12. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (February 9, 2017). "Southwest Tacos and Whiskey Will Replace Streetcar Bistro and Taproom". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  13. ^ Ross, Thomas (December 6, 2017). "Carlita's Screaming Happy Hour Saves the Day". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  14. ^ "Big Bargain Eats: Season 1, Episode 2: Winner Winner Free Dinner". TV Guide. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  15. ^ "Season 1, Episode 2: Winner Winner Free Dinner". Food Network. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  16. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (June 15, 2016). "5 Epic Food Events to Consider This Week". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  17. ^ Lassalle, Janelle (July 12, 2017). "Rosé, Cats and Drinking, Tastes Of Spain and 14 More Portland Food Events for the Week of July 13-18". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  18. ^ Russell, Michael (November 1, 2017). "Portland restaurants that serve Thanksgiving dinner". The Oregonian. Advance Publications. ISSN 8750-1317. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  19. ^ "The Portland Mercury's Highball Is This Week! 7 Days of $5 Cocktails!". Portland Mercury. March 6, 2017. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  20. ^ "The Portland Mercury's Burger Week Is Here!". Portland Mercury. August 2, 2017. Archived from the original on August 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  21. ^ "Burger Week 2019". Portland Mercury. August 1, 2019. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  22. ^ "Nacho Week 2019". Portland Mercury. October 10, 2019. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  23. ^ "The Portland Mercury's Nacho Week! All the Places You Can Get $5 Nachos, Oct 14–19". Portland Mercury. September 13, 2019. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  24. ^ Frane, Alex (January 30, 2020). "Where to Watch the 2020 Super Bowl in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  25. ^ DeJesus, Erin. "The 'Joyful' Ración; A 'Permanent Party' at Brix Tavern". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  26. ^ Bakall, Samantha (May 18, 2017). "The search for Portland's best wood-fired pizza: 22 shops and counting". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  27. ^ "Best of Portland Reader's Poll 2016: The Complete List of Winners". Willamette Week. July 18, 2016. Archived from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  28. ^ Kilts, Alie (July 12, 2017). "Here are the Winners of the Best of Portland Readers' Poll 2017". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  29. ^ Humphrey, Wm. Steven (March 15, 2017). "Happy Hour Guide: Northwest". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  30. ^ "Brix Tavern". Thrillist. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  31. ^ "Brix Tavern". Zagat. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.

External links

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