Al’s Den

They are so rude and unappreciative here. Go to Paymasters! You will be much happier! Minus 10 stars for the den/annex…whatever they wish to call themselves.

Al’s Den is a great «hidden» bar in the basement of McMenamin’s Crystal Hotel. The back room of the bar is a music venue with a small stage and they have live music every night.. .and it’s free. Some of the performers are local, but most of the ones I’ve seen there are from faraway places. I think they may happen to be in Portland because of other gigs too. Anyway, it’s really enjoyable to experience live performances in a cozy, intimate setting such as this. In addition to drinks, you can also order food in there from the Zeus Café of the Crystal Hotel upstairs.

Went here tonight to watch a jazz trio! Amazing service, good food and wonderful ambience! Perfect atmosphere for jazz nights! I much prefer it to Jimmie Macks which is ultimate utilitarian/​standardization. This place is super intimate with lots of character, dim lighting and literally everything I’ve been searching for! I really hope they continue to host jazz nights past the Portland jazz festival as it’s truly an ideal environment for this!

Great food and great service. Enough said.
This is by far our absolute favorite spot for our date nights!

Every time we come to Portland with friends or guests were make sure we stop at Al’s Den. The menu is typical for a McMenamins joint and has good choices including grass fed meat burgers and a vast selection of spirits and beers. The staff manages the live music room and the ante-​room very well, making sure you enjoy your time in the basement establishment. It is a very cozy place with good ambiance and average noise levels which enable good conversation.
The mosaic décor and wood finishes add a homey yet artsy feel to the place. It is a great place to chill and enjoy good company. Try the falafel burger and the scallops and octopus plate. Worth the price and wait.

Probably my favorite bar in town, but I’m a total sucker for a basement pub. Can’t beat the décor, and the live music is usually strong. PLUS, if you aren’t in the mood for live music, you can chill in the front room and chat… and still hear the music.

Went to Al’s den for a night out with my sisters this past weekend, what a great choice! Jessica S is amazing. From the expertly crafted drinks she suggested and put together for us, to the amazing food choices she pointed out. The woman knows what she is talking about. I would reccomend anyone looking for great conversation, wonderful libations, and delicious food, stop here. Thank you for making our night.

Super fun place! We were told there is live music here 365 days a year. We are passport holders and have been to many McMenamins… one of Portlands hidden treasures.

We stayed the night at the ballroom-​Tripsters! Watched a band and comedy here. The bartenders were spot on. Very attentive. The servers made sure we were taken care of throughout the night. Even when we left for a bit. We had a great time and will be back as always!

This place is really great. Went here last weekend with my boyfriend and his mom. We ordered some beers and had the truffle fries which were amazing! They come with a black garlic aioli sauce and were just the right amount of salty. I’m so glad i have a place like this close to home. Will most definitely be coming back for the great service and ambiance.

Great intimate setting. Wonderful place to have a brew while discovering McMenamins. Did I mention good beer?

Al’s Den is a good place to see a show. One item I’d highly recommend is their Chckpea Fries. I’ve had them a number of times and am never disappointed.

My friends and I had one night left in Portland and we were eager to find a place that was open late and that would provide some entertainment (more than just sitting around and drinking). Thank goodness we found Al’s Den. We happened to visit them on their Comedy Night! Drinks were reasonably priced and we were able to sit back and relax against the backdrop of some pretty good stand-​up comics from Seattle, WA. Would definitely recommend going to Al’s Den at night!

I may hate the Crystal Ballroom, but I love Al’s Den. You are still limited to McMenamins drinks and food, but the music can be pretty amazing. It’s a great venue for acoustic and it has been free when I have gone. The residencies are a great way to see excellent musicians in a low-​key environment. It is kind of an odd thing, this tiny dive bar with another level below but I recommend it.

Wow! Irish music tonight! Was amazing! Love the ambiance there! I don’t think I have anything more to say really! It’s that good! A great place to come and listen to some music and chat or just listen to music!

World class musician, Martin Zarzar (band member of Pink Martini) jammed with a few friends last night. Martin is amazing (percussion, drums, guitar, & keyboards). On electric guitar he performed and sang some of his own songs along with his renditions of Bob Dylan, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Culture Club, more, more, more! My wife and I were into his gig and Martin was candid, freewheeling, taking audience requests – chatting with the audience. Lot’s of fun – great music!
He brought friends, outstanding musicians too, on this intimate stage, in the basement of the hotel. It is old, divey, very cool, sort of avant-​garde! No cover charge, a great value for a great venue – big bang for your entertainment buck.
I will be sure to put Al’s Den on my list to see what other events are on the schedule. Come early, it is a small space (20 – 30 tables, but lots of chairs) and there is a bearing pillar in the center of the room you do not want to be stuck behind.
I do not give a ⁴⁄₅ star «willy nilly!» But for this «1» music event in this «1» cozy setting with good grub and brew with a few good friends had me howling on Halloween night. I went back Saturday night and the place was pretty packed out and Martin’s performance was mostly different with other guests popping on stage to jam with him.
Good brews on tap. We also had the wood fired pizza, which is as good as thin crust with mozzarella, goat cheese, tomato sauce and basil gets. Pizza comes from the Zeus café upstairs. And I love pizza done right, crust cooked through, still chewy with lots of cheese and sauce. You can get a grass-​fed burger. If you have not noticed, McMenamins is serving grass-​fed burgers in most all its joints now – I think all in the Portland area.
Al’s Den, you gotta make it happen! It is a happening place!

Great place! I had a «Getting Figgy with It» and Adam had a flight of bourbon. Comfortable and relaxed environment. I’d come back!

New favorite spot in PDX. Free music at 7pm. It was hard to find at first, but now O know where it is! You go down the stairs at the street corner and go through the bar, pass the tables, and enter the dark cavern that is Al’s Den. Do not get this venue confused with the Crystal Ballroom. This is part of the Crystal Hotel. I came here for the first time last night and it was awesome with Siren and the Sea opening for Loch Lomond. Tonight it’s Musee Mechanique opening for Loch Lomond. I think this week is all Loch Lomond with different openers. Great way to get introduced to Portland’s local talent. Freaking fantasmical!!! It’s a smaller venue down here, but I highly recommend this spot! And the Ruby Ale is delicious — and I don’t even drink!
The bartenders in the first bar are the servers of the Den.

For the music: yes, it’s a cool swanky space to have a drink (or you can eat dinner as well) and listen to some quality live music.
The food: typical Crystal Hotel food menu, meaning it is overpriced (but higher quality/​fancier than other McMennamins). However, it WAS good food, with a really nice presentation.
The service: Apparently the bartender for the bar (in the other room) is actually the server/​waiter for the music area. This part isn’t ideal because if they are busy in the bar, you will wait — or if you do get some service — it will be rushed because honestly they are really busy and don’t want to wait while you dawdle figuring out your order. The service was adequate, I wouldn’t say bad. My recommendation: GO TO THE BAR YOURSELF, get your drink, take a seat. If you want dinner, be prepared to either be slow-​service (but adequate once it comes) or be rushed into making your order right away. If you DO order dinner from Al’s Den — be prepared to leave a credit card… it is a bar first after all.

Al’s is in the basement of The Crystal Hotel. There is a door that takes you into Ringlers Annex from Al’s. They have some decent free live shows, check their calendar. The bar is in Ringlers Annex, so it takes a while to get drinks on Al’s side. It’s classic McMenamin’s. You won’t be blown away.
I took some friends from out of town to see a blues band. It wasn’t bad, but I don’t see it being in my regular rotation.